Reincarnate as the Villainess's Husband - Chapter 95

Chapter 95: Become a legend
A cunning smile spread across Neonidas’s face. He was someone who grasped the power of knowledge, but he understood the power of ignorance even better. An uneducated people could be easily guided. People wanted to believe in a leader and be part of a cause. If the right ideology was presented, shaping their thoughts would be child’s play.

He examined the ancient maps on his table, reviewing documents showing Hindonpon’s current borders and trade routes. He summoned his advisors to identify the largest places of worship in the cities and analyze the people’s belief systems. A few hours later, a group of scholars specializing in Hindonpon’s religious structure gathered in the grand meeting hall of the palace. Neonidas scrutinized each of them carefully.

“What are this kingdom’s religious beliefs?” he asked, his voice calm but commanding.

An elderly scholar stepped forward, his hand trembling as he replied. “Your Majesty, the people of Hindonpon mostly worship nature spirits and the souls of their ancestors. The nobility supported the temples, but religion does not play a central role in people’s lives. The people do not reflect their beliefs much in their daily lives. There are priests, but they are only concerned with conducting rituals and collecting offerings.”

Neonidas nodded slightly. This made his job even easier. If the people had been deeply religious, manipulating their beliefs would have been more difficult. But here, there was only a superficial belief system. That meant he could carve a new religion into their minds. And at the center of this religion, there would be him.

“In that case,” he said, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, “we will offer them a new faith—for the unity and future of the kingdom. But first, we must seize the people’s souls.”

Neonidas knew that religion was one of the most powerful tools to unite people. Humans were born ready to worship a leader. If they didn’t worship him, they would worship someone else. That was why he decided to create a new divine figure for the people of Hindonpon.

But a simple god was not enough. For people to remain devoted to a belief, they needed both a hope for salvation and an enemy to blame. After long internal debates, Neonidas began drafting a mythology that aligned with the people’s history and traditions.

The foundation of the new system was as follows:

1. Neonidas was the Chosen Messenger of God. The people’s destiny depended on following his path. His words were as sacred as divine prophecy.

2. The Kingdom’s Ruin Was the Price of Past Sins. The people had remained ignorant, and past rulers had acted in betrayal. Neonidas had come to cleanse them of these sins.

3. True Wisdom Could Only Be Found in Neonidas’s Teachings. Old knowledge had weakened the people. The new order promised a world where only the strong survived and justice was harsh but fair.

4. Enemies Were Demons Who Sought to Disrupt the Sacred Order. These demons were the remaining members of the old royal family, the nobles who had controlled the kingdom from the shadows, and anyone who opposed Neonidas. But the princesses, Neonidas’ concubines and the mothers of his future children, had been purified by Neonidas himself

In short, Neonidas was a prophet.

To shape this new religion, Neonidas imprisoned the surviving priests and scholars who had fled the palace in a special dungeon. He would persuade them to accept the new order—through force or bribery. If they continued to resist, they would be declared “enemies” in the eyes of the people.

Within weeks, new religious texts began circulating in the streets of Hindonpon. Temples were gradually adorned with frescoes depicting the new mythology. Portraits of Neonidas replaced the old gods’ symbols.

At first, the people were skeptical. But soon, Neonidas’s men began offering “incentives” to encourage them to embrace the new faith. Those who joined were promised more food, better jobs, and protection. Those who resisted… quietly disappeared.

Having conquered the people’s minds, Neonidas now needed to control their bodies. Hindonpon’s army had been destroyed, but the kingdom’s youth remained. With the new religion, military service was introduced as a sacred duty. Under the banner of “Neonidas’s Chosen,” a new order was formed.

Those who joined were not just warriors. They were loyal disciples, ideologically trained. They were taught that by following Neonidas’s path, they would reach a divine paradise after death. As the strongest and most devoted individuals joined this order, Hindonpon’s military power began to rise once more.

The new army was not only trained in physical combat but also conditioned to obey Neonidas without question. They were no longer soldiers of a king—they were warriors of a prophet.

Neonidas was strengthening his grip over every aspect of the kingdom: economy, trade, religion, and the military. But there was still one problem.

Velmuth.

Velmuth had accepted the role of Neonidas’s right-hand man, but his loyalty remained questionable. He had bowed to Neonidas for the sake of his children, but as long as a man had love in his heart, he was always prone to betrayal.

Neonidas watched Velmuth carefully. He prepared small tests to determine whether he was a potential threat. He wanted Velmuth to embrace the new order. But if he ever became a danger to Neonidas’s system… he would have to be eliminated.

Hindonpon was now in Neonidas’s hands. The kingdom’s fate had changed, but this was only the beginning. Greater ambitions lay ahead. And Neonidas did not want this new order to be limited to just one kingdom.

He was not just a ruler. He would become a legend.

And legends were always written in blood.

—

“Did you really make this yourself?”

Allea watched the meal carefully as she asked the question.

Neonidas had lived mostly alone in his previous life and had always hated cooking, but he had learned to prepare food to some extent. Of course, when he first stepped into the kitchen, the experience had been terrible, but soon enough, he managed to prepare a beautiful meat dish from his own world.

Neonidas noticed the doubt flickering in Allea’s eyes, but he only placed a barely perceptible smile on his lips. The dish he placed on the table steamed, filling the room with a rich, spicy aroma. The thought of a man like him spending time in the kitchen might have seemed absurd.

“Is it really that surprising?” he asked, his voice as calm as ever.

Allea glanced at the plate with suspicion before turning her gaze back to Neonidas. A flicker of restrained admiration shone in her green eyes. “Honestly, yes,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “I expected a man like you to burn the entire kitchen down. But it seems you’re talented in this as well.”

Neonidas chuckled lightly. “If I do something, I do it perfectly,” he said confidently. “But I can make an exception for you. If you don’t like it, I won’t cook again.”

Hearing those words, Allea hesitated for a moment. Neonidas cooking for her… Even the thought of it was a strange gesture.

A man who normally handled everything with arrogance had stepped into the kitchen and prepared a meal for her. Trying to shake off her thoughts, she picked up her fork, cut a piece of meat, and placed it in her mouth.

Instantly, an explosion of rich flavors hit her tongue. The meat was cooked to perfection—not too tough, not too soft. The balance of spices infused into it left a deep yet pleasant taste on her palate. Unintentionally, Allea closed her eyes and savored the meal.

Neonidas watched her expression closely. A few seconds later, Allea opened her eyes and tilted her head slightly as she looked at him. “I have to admit… this is actually quite good.”

Neonidas felt no need to hide his pride. Leaning back slightly, he placed his arms on the table and gave her a sly smile. “Of course. You weren’t expecting something bad from me, were you?”

Allea sighed. “Your arrogance is going to get you into trouble one day.”

Neonidas nodded slightly and picked up his spoon with a content expression. “It hasn’t killed me so far, so I doubt it will now.”

During their time in the luxurious palace of the Hindonpon Kingdom, the two had grown closer than before. Although Allea’s cold, calculating, and manipulative nature had been challenging at first, in the end, they had learned how to get along.

For a while, they ate in comfortable silence. But then, Allea suddenly disrupted the peaceful atmosphere with a question. “You haven’t touched your new concubines yet. Is there a reason for that?”

Allea was no fool. She could easily guess why Neonidas had taken the age-appropriate princesses of the Hindonpon royal family as concubines. It was to prevent her father, Gredor, from gaining power and to ensure Neonidas’s own rise.

It was no surprise that most of their conversations in recent days revolved around empire-related matters.

Especially after learning the truth about the Alliance of the Seven Families, Allea could now understand why Neonidas was so ruthlessly ambitious about gaining power.

“I haven’t touched either of them because I wanted to get your approval first,” Neonidas replied as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Now that we’re a real couple, I don’t want to make decisions about these things without your consent.”

Allea paused for a moment. She hadn’t expected such consideration from him. Given his pragmatic and ruthless nature, she had assumed he would treat women purely as political tools. Yet now, he was consulting her—not as a ruler consulting his queen, but as a man consulting his wife.

This created a subtle crack in Allea’s carefully guarded emotions.