293
Ray’s group had safely arrived at the Imperial Capital.
Thanks to the Warp Gate, which shortened their travel distance, it didn’t take them too long to arrive.
The Imperial Capital was still in the process of reorganizing its defense system.
Ernst was also on standby, guarding the vulnerable capital.
Initially, Ray planned to quickly handle his schedule as soon as he arrived at the Imperial Capital.
However, unexpectedly, he ended up spending a few more days fulfilling the traditional loyalty ceremony of the Empire.
“Hmph…”
Ray sighed while going through the ceremony.
Ray was an awardee of the Imperial Guardian Medal, a position of immense authority.
Despite not holding any official title yet, even royalty had to show respect to Ray.
Because of such immense authority, those who received the Imperial Guardian Medal were required to bow even more deeply to the Emperor, so as not to appear to challenge the Emperor’s inviolable authority.
For this reason, recipients of the medal were obligated to perform the loyalty ceremony once a year.
Though it was closer to a ceremonial display, it was all the more indispensable for that reason.
Previously, Ray’s identity wasn’t publicly known, so he could skip such formal procedures.
But now, most influential figures within the Empire knew Ray’s name.
Thus, this visit to the Imperial Capital couldn’t omit the ceremony.
Even though the loyalty ceremony wasn’t overly grandiose, it involved circling historical sites in the capital, reciting prayers, and repeatedly pledging allegiance to the Emperor and the Empire—similar to what Mohamed had done in the past.
Ray met with the Emperor both before and after the ceremony.
The Emperor briefly praised Ray but did not have a separate session to reprimand him.
Although Ray couldn’t fully decipher the nuances embedded in the Emperor’s high-level language, he felt the atmosphere was unusually tense.
To begin with, Ray had quite a bit to account for this time.
He didn’t want to reveal that he had advanced to the point where he could push Lord-tier levels, as granted by Luna.
Thus, when drafting the report regarding the Osiris Countdom attack, he added a bit of falsehood.
Additionally, Ray had concealed Jimy’s strength, which was discovered this time.
He also operated troops assigned to defend the Sigini Mountain Range direction without following the prescribed procedures.
While the results were good, these actions were enough to displease the Emperor.
After earnestly completing the entire loyalty ceremony and concluding his audience with the Emperor, Ray left the Imperial Palace.
Although there weren’t any major issues, he didn’t feel entirely relieved.
*
After the audience, Ray was invited to the Prizzran Clan’s mansion.
In one of the best rooms in the mansion, Ray rested while waiting for a private meeting with Ernst.
If the Emperor had any hidden intentions, they would likely be conveyed through Ernst.
“…I should meet Johanna and Delun sometime.”
Thanks to the war entering its final stages earlier than expected, Ray found himself back at the Imperial Capital before the end of Izhise’s school term.
He thought he might as well meet them during this visit to see how they were doing.
“This world doesn’t have proper telephones…”
Ray clicked his tongue lightly.
If there were telephones, he could have communicated more frequently with everyone.
At first, Ray thought the civilization was underdeveloped because there were no phones after reincarnating.
But later, he learned that developing phones in this world was almost impossible due to mana interfering with radio waves or electrical signals.
Short distances were manageable, but the longer the distance, the more severely the signals deteriorated.
Even laying cables required expensive special processing, and using A-Space as a medium was necessary for long-distance communication.
It was practically impossible to popularize or distribute such technology among civilians.
This side effect of mana, which seemed like a miraculous energy source, was somewhat ironic.
As Ray muttered about the amusing nature of this world, he flicked his fingers idly to pass the time.
Not long after, a servant came to guide Ray to the reception room.
Ernst welcomed Ray warmly in the reception room.
Ray began discussing the incident at the Osiris Countdom with Ernst.
“…And that concluded with the Omega series.”
“Are you alright?”
“Yes, thanks to that stubborn fool Benedict, the battle wasn’t difficult.”
Ray explained that the deranged Benedict attempted to cut through magic and ultimately destroyed himself.
Of course, this was true, but Ray omitted mentioning that Benedict had briefly touched the transcendent level.
Ernst silently stared at Ray for a moment before changing the subject.
“I heard you’ve been invited by the World Tree. What do you plan to do?”
“Hmm… Since they’ve invited me, I’m considering visiting once. Also, Duke, may I take the Dragon Heart entrusted to me by the royal family to examine it?”
“You may do as you wish, but exporting it outside the Imperial Capital is prohibited.”
“Yes, I understand. It’s just that I need some verification before proceeding with the procedure.”
“Understood.”
A brief silence followed.
Ray waited quietly for Ernst to bring up the main topic.
Ernst appeared lost in thought for a while before looking directly at Ray again.
“Ray.”
“Yes.”
“Is there anything else you’re hiding?”
“…”
The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.
However, Ray soon smiled and joked.
“This incident has drained my resources. I didn’t want to show this much if I could avoid it…”
It was about Jimy.
Who could have expected that a man who used to work as a mercenary and only gained his title thanks to Ray would reach such a formidable level?
That’s why Ray really didn’t want to expose Jimy’s capabilities.
Ernst watched silently as Ray made light of the situation before leaning slightly forward.
“Ray.”
Absolute Domain unfolded, excluding any possible prying eyes nearby.
Although Ernst’s Absolute Domain didn’t exert any pressure on Ray, its mere existence was already a marvel and a source of fear.
“Ray, listen carefully.”
“I always listen attentively to your words, Duke.”
With golden eyes, Ernst gazed intently at Ray and declared firmly.
“I will not give up on you.”
Ray’s brow furrowed slightly, and Ernst’s eyes increasingly radiated an air of absoluteness.
“Some might hope for an unrealistic miracle, but your very existence is already extraordinary.”
“…”
“Therefore, don’t give up prematurely. Prepare for the miracles that may come in the future. That’s what I expect from you.”
“…”
Though indirectly phrased, it essentially amounted to telling Ray to stop irritating the Emperor unnecessarily.
This was unrelated to the merits Ray had established.
Until now, Ray had often walked a fine line, leaving plenty of opportunities for trouble, and he was fully aware of it.
If every instance of ignoring minor procedures were counted, it would easily number in the dozens.
Still, Ray acted this way because he believed his time was limited.
From the Emperor’s perspective, there was no reason to clash over trivial matters with someone who wouldn’t live much longer.
Ray’s strategy wasn’t wrong.
However, if a miracle occurred and Ray’s lifespan extended significantly, things would inevitably become uncomfortable between them.
By pointing this out, Ernst was advising Ray to gain the Emperor’s favor early.
Accomplishing feats and winning favor were two very different matters, after all.
“…”
Ray tapped his fingers lightly against the teacup.
Ernst’s advice was meant for Ray’s benefit, but…
It was also advice prioritizing the Empire over Ray.
After tapping the teacup for quite a while, Ray finally spoke.
“Aunt… Is there any update regarding the curse affecting Knight Saria Alstein? Can it be cured?”
“They’re still analyzing it. More time is needed to reach a definitive answer.”
“Judging by what you say, it seems the manpower available to the royal family isn’t sufficient to guarantee a cure.”
If it were solvable, the answer would already be clear by now.
The ongoing analysis implied insufficient capability.
“Originally, the church has been far ahead in research related to ‘curses.'”
For centuries, the southern region has resisted demon worshippers from the Demonic Realm, accumulating data.
The church hasn’t willingly shared all that data and its research results.
After all, it was their livelihood.
Even though the royal family is impressive, they clearly lag behind the church in this field.
“My aunt’s condition is probably already known to our southern friends… They’ll likely contact me soon, claiming they’ll help.”
A good bait to lure Ray had appeared.
Ray smirked.
“Duke, I assume you’re not thrilled by this prospect.”
“…”
If Ray got close to the south, it wouldn’t benefit Ernst.
Aware of this, Ray still spoke honestly.
“Still, if the church’s help is needed for Aunt’s treatment, I intend to seek their assistance. Hmm…”
Ray scratched his forehead before continuing.
“Anyway, since the church will send someone to entrap me, Duke, may I ask a favor of you?”
“…”
“Go ahead.”
“Could you please arrange for them to send Anthonyus instead of someone else? He’s relatively… closer to the central factions, isn’t he?”
More accurately, he was a solitary wolf who avoided forming alliances with anyone, but still.
“It seems like he’d draw less suspicion.”
“I understand what you desire. However, contact with the church must be handled cautiously.”
“Yes, that’s why I asked for Anthonyus.”
Anthonyus was someone who hadn’t formed any factions and showed no interest in political involvement, making him a reasonable choice, as Ray said.
After careful consideration, Ernst spoke again.
“Understood. But… If they approach you, are you considering traveling to the south?”
“Haha.”
Ray chuckled again but slowly hardened his expression.
Although he didn’t dislike Ernst’s indirect speech, this time it irked him.
Moreover, Ray felt the need to engage in some psychological warfare for the realization of his own plans and Seria’s sake.
So, he revealed some of his emotions.
“Why, does it bother you that I might step into the south?”
“Ray.”
“As my time nears its end, are you suspecting that I, fearing death immensely, am trying to cling to life by cozying up to the Holy Church?”
Or perhaps,
“Do you worry that I might lose my judgment due to fear and fall prey to the church’s exaggerated promises of salvation?”
“Ray, you seem uncharacteristically agitated. Calm down.”
“Hmm… Duke, you seem quite concerned that I might align myself with the south… If… hypothetically speaking.”
Ray shifted his tilted gaze back to Ernst.
“If the so-called miraculous event you mentioned… happens to be something they can offer me…”
Their gazes clashed in the air—one darkened, the other gleaming with gold.
“Would you still wish for me to hope for such a miracle at that moment?”
Deal (3)
