“It seems there was quite a commotion.”
The Emperor muttered.
I silently sipped my tea.
After seeing His Majesty a few times now, I wasn’t really feeling tense anymore.
Was it because I’d gotten used to it? Or maybe because Lux was here?
“Certainly, the royal family is different alright. Scary enough to make your knees shake. The way Master subdued someone with just a glare—it was so cool.”
“Haha, well, whose daughter do you think she is?”
“…”
My casual remark made the Emperor chuckle softly.
Lux quietly glared at me.
It was the kind of look that said if the Emperor weren’t here, she’d probably be pinching my side right about now.
“Well done. I was getting tired of Vincent’s antics anyway. Thank you for helping maintain discipline.”
A youth standing behind the Emperor without making a sound spoke up.
He was the Royal Palace Guardian Knight Captain, clad in gold-plated armor.
Now that I thought about it, this might’ve been our first proper meeting.
Lux sighed at his words.
“Haa… Are you teasing me too, Captain of the Knights?”
“There’s no such thing. I’m always sincere.”
“Tch, stop the useless talk and let’s get to the point already.”
Lux’s cold tone made the Emperor nod while looking at me.
“I live like this. What good is being an Emperor if I’m controlled by my own child?”
“Aren’t parents supposed to lose to their children? Looks good on you.”
“Speaking of which, you…”
The Emperor paused mid-sentence.
Probably didn’t want to bring up the ‘orphan’ topic in front of the actual person involved.
After a brief silence, he changed the subject.
“How did you end up enlisting in the army?”
“After seeing that ‘poster,’ I was so entranced I applied without thinking.”
Just thinking about that blasted old man’s poster still makes me grind my teeth.
At my words, the Emperor burst into laughter.
“Oh! You’re talking about the masterpiece from the Mage Tower. Truly, we should increase the Mage Tower’s budget. Thanks to them, we gained such excellent talent.”
“…Please hold back on that.”
As I recoiled, the Emperor laughed even harder.
“Anyway, forget the past. It’s better to look forward to the future, isn’t it?”
“That’s true.”
There’s no point flipping over the Mage Tower now anyway. Guess I’ll just have to accept my fate.
“Hmm, let’s stop the idle chatter and get to the main topic.”
Before diving into the main matter, the Emperor, who had refreshed himself with tea, quietly began speaking.
“The preparations for the Eastern Union conference as the Empire representative are complete. You’ll hear the detailed schedule upon joining.”
“I shall humbly follow Your Majesty’s command.”
Just as I thought this content could’ve been handled by a subordinate, the Emperor handed over a small box.
“Take a look.”
“Yes.”
Carefully opening the box, a bead shining in five colors revealed itself.
It was a magical device imbued with considerable mana.
“What is this…?”
“This is a magical device that will allow you to teleport to the Crown Prince’s side if he’s ever in danger. It’s a specially-made artifact crafted by the Infantry Palace. One can’t always stay by one’s son’s side, can they?”
So that’s why it felt like such an unusual amount of mana—it was made by Erias, huh?
I tucked the bead into my pocket and bowed deeply in response.
“I’ll protect it with my life.”
“Good. I trust your abilities without doubt. You’ve taken good care of Lux until now, after all.”
“It’s something I naturally should do.”
“How much can you appreciate how reliable such an attitude is?”
Repeated praise left me awkwardly smiling.
“So, after this mission is over, I plan to promote you.”
“…Eh?”
Since my current rank is Colonel, promotion means… Star?
Unexpected words left me flustered. The Emperor grinned wider as he continued.
“Being the first commoner to wear a star, how does it feel?”
“To be honest… I’m rather stunned. I never expected such a high position.”
Earl mentioned that Colonels enjoy benefits equivalent to Counts.
Stars were on an entirely different level compared to that.
Just like how it’s difficult for most people to reach Master-level through a lifetime of effort, Stars are similar.
They’re not something every soldier aims for without reason.
“Thank you for not rejecting. We’ll discuss the details when you return. Wouldn’t want any hindrance during the mission.”
“Yes, understood.”
Though I don’t particularly expect that, I nodded obediently.
Colonel comes before Brigadier General, right?
I never considered Stars before, but now that I think about wearing one, my heart beats slightly faster.
“By the way… Where is the Celestial Artifact? I’d like to take a look. The Procyon Treasure House holds countless treasures collected by generations of Emperors—so many that even I don’t know them all.”
At the Emperor’s words, I maintained a poker face despite being caught off guard by this unexpected variable.
“In what situation could I possibly bring weapons into the Imperial Palace? I’ve left it safely stored.”
“Is that so? Bring it next time. I should’ve mentioned this earlier.”
The Emperor nodded regretfully, seemingly unaware my lie hadn’t been uncovered.
Sighing internally in relief, I accidentally locked eyes with the Guardian Knight Captain standing behind the Emperor.
“…”
His mysterious gaze felt like I was being sucked in, prompting me to swallow dryly.
His perfectly clear eyes seemed to pierce right through my lies.
Just as I tensed, fearing issues, the Captain blinked.
The feeling of being exposed lasted only briefly before the Emperor starting speaking again forced me to look away.
“The reason I specifically summoned you to the palace today isn’t just this. Though it’s disappointing we couldn’t see the Celestial Artifact, isn’t it necessary to keep confirming your loyalty?”
In the Emperor’s joking tone, I tried my best to force a natural smile.
“How could I possibly entertain other thoughts when the Empire is the best place to live?”
“That’s true. You have discerning eyes.”
“And…”
“Hmm?”
“Wouldn’t it also be unfair to abandon a country you risked your life to protect?”
“Huh? Haha! That’s right. Unfair indeed… Good point. I must ensure you aren’t treated unfairly. Hahaha!”
Whether my joke landed or not, the Emperor burst into laughter for quite some time.
All the verbal skills I learned across lifetimes weren’t wasted.
The more the Emperor laughed, the deeper the Knight Captain’s eye-smile became, which was slightly unsettling…
But worrying won’t change anything, and even if my lie was discovered, it wouldn’t cause major problems, so I decided to ignore it.
After laughing for a while, the Emperor said with a voice full of amusement,
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had a subordinate who communicates so well. I’d like to see you often.”
“If His Majesty wishes, I’ll visit anytime.”
“Good. Please take care of this mission.”
Carefully taking the Emperor’s extended hand, I concluded a day that yielded great results for such a minor event.
***
After Allen left to join the envoy, Lux grumbled unhappily.
“Didn’t you say you’d send me along too?”
The Emperor smiled affectionately at his adorable daughter and replied.
“You lack vigilance after today’s incident. I don’t know who they were, but they were audacious enough to infiltrate near the Imperial Palace. Going to another country would only increase the danger. You know very well it’s foolish to go knowing the risks.”
Each word hit home, leaving Lux silent.
The Emperor continued.
“Stay calmly within the palace. There’s no reason Allen’s feelings would change in this short period.”
“…Understood.”
Seeing the endless nagging coming, Lux quickly left.
Her uneasy steps made the Emperor shake his head.
“She’s growing up just like that person. Losing her mind in love looks exactly the same.”
With a voice filled with both joy and regret, the Guardian Knight Captain smiled and added.
“Still, she’s chosen wisely. She’ll surely focus on training until Allen returns.”
“If you see her that way, then that’s good. Fortunately, she picked a fine man. Otherwise, it would’ve been troublesome.”
Exceptional talent reaching Master-level at such a young age.
A humble mindset that appreciates what’s given.
Verbal skills that leave listeners pleased.
Not to mention appearance and perceptiveness—there’s nothing lacking about this perfect individual.
For an Emperor ruling over this vast empire, it was impossible not to drool.
“He’s also talented at lying, isn’t he?”
The youth chuckled, adding.
Allen’s carefully calculated lies didn’t escape the youth’s eyes.
Having the guts to lie to the Emperor—such a person might be hard to find anywhere in the world.
The Emperor nodded.
“We should view it as having exceptional perception. Noticing issues that could undermine the palace through just one incident speaks volumes.”
“What do you plan to do? If we leave things as they are, he’ll find the culprit soon.”
“Is he that good?”
“Yes. He’s no ordinary talent.”
“Hmm…”
Both the Emperor and the young Guardian Knight Captain had already figured out the mastermind behind this incident.
Despite committing regicide—a crime warranting extermination—they remained patient because they wanted to handle things thoroughly.
To completely root out the weeds deeply embedded in the fertile soil of the royal family, they needed the perfect opportunity.
After pondering for a moment, the Emperor quietly responded.
“For now, let’s agree not to say anything. We won’t be able to focus on this matter for a while anyway.”
“Understood.”
“And, by any chance? Be wary that this friend might weave a trap far beyond our expectations.”
Smiling, the Emperor’s words made the youth nod.
“An excellent decision.”
Because to the observer known as ‘Observer,’ Allen appeared as the perfect hunter.
