〈Chapter 506〉 7. Jealousy is My Power (6)
A suffocating, heavy silence descended.
The room, exclusively occupied by just the two of us, was overly spacious. Antique furniture scattered around subtly revealed an aura of authority, while the rattling sound of the teapot added an odd sense of unease to the atmosphere.
For quite a while, I couldn’t respond to the old man’s question.
It was an unpardonable rudeness; even if my head were to roll, I would have no words to say.
After all, he wasn’t just some village elder you could see anywhere. He was the pinnacle of the Empire, referred to as the “Emperor,” the nucleus of the continent’s power. Few people could dare remain silent in front of him.
And yet, why couldn’t I open my mouth?
The reason was simple: I had nothing to say.
‘”A dragon hidden in the cradle, a rusted blade sharper than a famous sword.”‘
The Emperor was asking me about the meaning of this cryptic phrase. But no matter how hard I tried to recall, I could not remember ever uttering such a thing in front of others.
In fact, it was not just unfamiliar—it was the first time I’d even heard this “code.”
Therefore, there could only be one probable hypothesis.
It was very likely that the man from the future had made this up on a whim. Although he might have had his own reasons, it would have been better if he had shared such important content with me beforehand.
Evidently, prolonged war had worn down both his emotions and his social nature.
I flicked my lips a few times but closed them each time.
As I was only breaking out in cold sweat, a faint snicker came to my ears.
The source was obvious.
The Emperor, unsurprisingly, sat down in the chair placed in one corner of the room with calm steps, as if he had expected this.
The teapot on the table was heating up by itself. And the moment the Emperor casually touched the teacup, warm tea flowed into it.
An artifact.
I had never even imagined such an extravagant spell being placed in a teapot, but judging from the faintly wafting magical power, it was undoubtedly so.
Without saying much, the Emperor gestured to the seat opposite him.
“Sit down.”
“However, Your Majesty. How can I, as a subordinate, sit opposite my Lord…”
“Have you not committed enough rudeness already?”
Whether it was playful or a reprimand, it was impossible to tell.
Of course, it wasn’t an entirely unfounded criticism.
After all, a subordinate keeping quiet in front of their Lord was akin to hiding something.
The blue pupils, sipping tea while observing me, were particularly profound. The dignified tone of the old man’s voice continued.
“Sit down. Or do you need me to repeat myself three times?”
In the end, I had no choice but to briefly bow and stand up.
It was the Emperor’s royal decree. As a noble of the Empire, I had no option but to obey.
The old man didn’t display any signs of fault-finding or suspicion towards me.
He merely softly uttered while offering tea.
“There’s no need to treat me so formally. I am just like you, merely older.”
“But the prestige of the Imperial Court rests on Your Majesty’s shoulders…”
“Is there anyone here who dares to question the prestige of the Empire’s Imperial Court?”
With that hollow laugh, the Emperor even threw me a teasing jest.
“Could it be you? Someone bold enough to doubt the Empire’s authority?”
“Certainly not, how could that be?”
I managed to answer despite my trembling lips.
He was utterly unfathomable.
When someone thinks of the Emperor of the Empire, they usually imagine an authoritative figure of ultimate power. But the old man sitting in front of me was showing a rather complicated side.
Authority? Overwhelming.
I was initially struck with awe the moment I first faced him. When I met the Princess, his piercing blue eyes reminded me of that encounter—it felt like meeting the gaze of a dragon.
A gaze that delved deep into the human psyche.
It became clear just from the first impression why he was called the peak of the Empire.
At the same time, he appeared to find the authority and decorum somewhat tedious.
There was little evidence for this; for no apparent reason, I had gradually come to understand this character standing as the Emperor.
This made him even harder to handle.
Since it was impossible to guess his inner thoughts.
This was also why I disliked politicians.
Rather, I’d fight off the minions of an evil deity with just one sword.
Given our current situation—where one of us hesitated—it was naturally the other who had to take the lead in conversation.
“Are you not curious?”
“…What?”
To the Emperor’s unexpected question, I once again failed to respond appropriately.
Despite my blank rebuttal, the Emperor didn’t show any sign of displeasure. He merely took a sip of his fragrant tea.
“Everything… What is the regret of the Imperial Court? Why does an Emperor who suddenly appeared bring up this topic and refrain from comment despite not receiving a proper answer?”
Each of these queries was hard to refute.
When I, in turn, took a sip of tea, the Emperor burst out laughing.
“The Imperial Court felt the same way about you.”
“What do you mean?”
“It was incredibly difficult to gauge your true identity.”
Then, his blue gaze darted at me again, heavy with scrutiny.
I decided first and foremost not to speak rashly.
I was at a clear disadvantage in information. The fewer words, the better.
“According to investigations, you’re merely the second son of a minor baron who has a modest talent with a sword. Yet, somewhere along the line, your growth accelerated too quickly. And at times, both your personality and skills have drastically changed.”
“Your Majesty, regarding this—”
“It’s not you.”
A conclusion as decisive it was cold.
And because it touched on matters no one could have guessed, I was momentarily lost for words.
“Whoever it is, there’s someone else who disrupted the plan. You must have endured a lot too… suddenly getting involved in an incident, surpassing countless death threats, and doing your best all the way.”
It was the sincerity I had been painstakingly hiding.
As each of these points were pointed out, my mind eventually went blank.
It was utterly unexpected. From the very first exchange, I felt I was being dragged along by this elder before my eyes.
The only question I could muster was but a single phrase.
“…Do you not harbor any suspicions?”
“Why should I?”
Though it encompassed a lot more context, the Emperor didn’t demand further explanation.
He merely countered briefly.
“Are you one of Dark Cult’s informants? You gather information that no one knows to gain trust… a classic but excellent deceit. However, aren’t you too far away from achieving that?”
His tone carried not a trace of doubt.
The meaning was clear.
The Emperor had already made his judgment about me. Perhaps, even before today’s meeting.
“If the Dark Cult could plant spies deep into the Empire, it would indeed be desirable. But the sacrifices they’ve made to implement their plans have been too numerous. If this was intentional, there would be no reason not to accept this clumsy spy. If it was not intended, then you’re not guilty… Either way, trusting you brings no harm, does it?”
“You’ve already made up your mind, long ago.”
The Emperor leaned back in his chair instead of answering.
If his gaze appeared melancholy, perhaps it was just an illusion.
“…I understand your feelings.”
Another unexpected statement.
I drank the tea out of sheer frustration. Of course, it did nothing to quell the remnants of fire burning in my chest.
“I felt the same way. As a member of the royal family, I enjoyed much, but also had to give up much… Selecting the best move repeatedly led me to the position of Emperor.”
He referred to himself as “me” rather than “this one.”
In other words, he was dealing with me, not as the Emperor of the Empire, but as a fellow human being.
There was no reason for the Emperor to deceive me. It seemed safe to accept his sincerity.
“Sometimes I still ask myself this question—was this truly the best choice? Isn’t the burden of being Emperor too heavy for me?”
It was too weighty a story to share upon first meeting.
So, while debating what I should say, I eventually let out a sigh.
The Emperor was correct.
He was understanding my heart. Otherwise, he couldn’t have opened up like this.
And I was the same way.
When the letter from the future arrived, my life changed. Afterwards, how often had I not asked?
Why me?
Why did it have to be me?
Even the Emperor, who ruled the empire as an absolute ruler, seemed not to be free from such thoughts.
“As a ruler of the state, I’d like to relieve the burden of this young knight with a bright future.”
The Emperor said this with unparalleled seriousness.
“Call someone who knows about the Imperial Court’s regret. I heard they were called loyal officials of the Empire.”
“However…”
“It might be difficult right now, but it’s fine.”
As if to indicate that the matter was concluded, the old man slowly stood up.
“Whenever you’re ready, contact me. There are ravens everywhere.”
He meant that he would try to communicate with the ‘me’ from the future.
This was more efficient, so it wasn’t an unfathomable decision. And for me, it was a more comfortable choice.
At least, one of the problems I had to worry about would be gone.
Still, why…
I couldn’t suppress the question that involuntarily rose from my throat.
“…I.”
That single word caused the Emperor to stop abruptly.
The heavy blue pupil turned back toward me, filled with curiosity.
“What about it?”
“The regret of the Imperial Court.”
After this short exchange, the Emperor snickered in disbelief.
“Meaningless curiosity… why burden yourself with such a heavy burden?”
“I’ve also been asked why it had to be me many times.”
Since the Emperor had opened up his heart, I decided to confess my sincerities in return.
It was not much of a resolve.
A conclusion reached after crossing many life-or-death lines, cursing gods and fate.
“However, now I’d like to ask a different question.”
“What question?”
“Why can’t I?”
At those words, the Emperor hesitated for the first time without answering.
Of course, the disturbance didn’t last long. The Emperor soon turned his back with a bitter smile.
“Maybe next time.”
The sound of the Emperor’s steps resounded in my ears as he walked steadily.
Silence.
I was lost in thought amidst the stillness.
The regret of the Imperial Court?
It was a story I had never heard. Indeed, if it was a crucial part to solving the mystery, the man from the future would have mentioned it by now.
But suddenly, another memory surfaced.
At a certain crossroads, I had once shouted at the man.
It’s my path.
Gradually, strength gathered in my hand unconsciously reaching my waist.
Swoosh.
A silver trajectory adorned the void. It was a lightning-fast strike, and the number of warriors able to counteract it was exceedingly rare.
The Emperor would certainly not be one of them.
In the slowly flowing time, our gazes met in between. The wide-eyed shock on the Emperor’s face clearly showed his surprise.
And again within the flowing time,
Clash!
A sharp noise and sparks flew.
