Dancing with the Emperor

The Imperial Palace.

Built in the most perfect location both geomantically and mana-theoretically, it was the heart of the empire.

The subjects thought of the Imperial Palace as the noble and flawless "Temple of the Empire," without even the tiniest blemish—but that was only half right, half wrong.

Because it was a place intertwined with countless legends and myths of the imperial family, things that didn't quite fit could sometimes be seen on its grounds.

This old mansion was the prime example.

Infamously known as the Imperial Palace's eyesore. The cursed mansion where all sorts of eerie events occurred...

...was enormous.

Its scale rivaled an amusement park, no different from the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠main palace. Maids and attendants even greeted us upon arrival.

Thanks to that, even the more timid ones like Ifrin and Ihelm managed to settle comfortably into their guest rooms.

[Room 26]

I unpacked in my assigned guest room. Not that there was much to unpack.

No—"luggage" had arrived here ahead of me.

"You do not seem surprised by my presence."

The emperor, perched on the bed in the guest room, gazed at me.

"Indeed. Your Majesty's name was written on my card."

The name on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my card was "Sophien Ekater Augusta von Zifreine."

But it seemed pure coincidence. If it were some magical contrivance or trap, my Flesh Eyes would have detected it.

"Would it not suffice to reveal it directly to me? Have you never played guardian angel? I hear it's popular at the academy these days."

Sophien shook her head. She let out an exaggeratedly cute sigh—haah.

"Might I ask why Your Majesty chose such a place for the event?"

"Exactly as Jolang said. For harmony. The empire's spears will soon point toward Altiegue, the desert, and the Altar. The true war begins. Rectifying internal affairs beforehand is simple common sense..."

Sophien paused, pressing a finger to her temple. She gritted her teeth, emitting a faint groan of pain.

"Tch... damn headache. It's getting worse by the day."

"..."

Sophien had reached the realm of enduring pain. If even she found it agonizing, it would be enough to send an ordinary person into shock multiple times over.

I approached her silently. I directed some mana into my Flesh Eyes and peered into her small head.

"...You are rather close."

Sophien pulled her neck back slightly, flustered.

"Please remain still for a moment."

"Still for wha—"

"I am diagnosing you."

"..."

Flesh Eyes.

The eyes that see the unseen.

With the growth of my mana and mental strength, nothing evaded my observation—not mere illnesses, nor curses.

"...Hm."

Sophien. A faint strand of mana flowed from her head.

Rohakan's mana.

"Deculein. Why did you visit Rohakan's vineyard?"

At that moment, Sophien pushed me away and spoke.

"It feels as though Rohakan's magic is tangled in my mind. Whether by Rohakan or not, some spell blocks certain memories in my head."

As if her body ached, Sophien lay back on the bed. She turned her head sideways to look at me.

"Do you know? What that memory is."

"Yes."

"...Pardon?"

Sophien's brow furrowed sharply.

"I would need to examine Your Majesty's brain in detail to know precisely, but laying a blade on the imperial body is grave sin. However, I believe I know what memory Rohakan has concealed."

"...And what is it?"

Sophien asked. Her expression vanished, her tone sinking gravely.

"However, I made a promise with Rohakan."

"A promise?"

"Yes."

I nodded.

"To keep it secret."

"..."

Sophien clamped her mouth shut, pouting. She whipped her face toward the opposite wall.

I said nothing to her. Instead, I gazed out the mansion's window.

There was one person outside.

Hah—! Hah—! Haaah!

At an hour when even seasoned knights would stay indoors, she trained alone. Swinging her sword, honing herself.

Julie.

"...Do you hold her so dear?"

Sophien asked, still facing the opposite wall.

"The one who seeks to bring you down."

"Yes."

I smiled faintly. Sitting in the nearby chair, I replied softly.

"However, she cannot be with her."

"...Cannot be with her?"

Intrigued, the emperor slowly sat up. Her face wrinkled anew as she asked.

"Why? Why can she not be with her?"

Haat—! Hngh!

Julie's kiai as she trained her swordsmanship. Mana scattering, sweat beading on her skin, wiped away.

"I will break my engagement with Julie. Of course, it is all but dissolved already—the elders' council is merely dragging on. In any case, I do not expect to live long."

"..."

"For her sake, it is right that I step aside. And then..."

I held up the card. The one with Sophien's name. I handed it to her.

"I shall guard Your Majesty for the rest of my days."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

The evidence of the world, Sophien. She was the most crucial figure in the main quest.

The empire's linchpin.

If I must die, it is right to stay by her side until the very end.

"..."

Sophien stared blankly for a moment.

Soon, her cheeks flushed girlishly pink, for some reason.

"Would you tell such a vassal? The reason Your Majesty suddenly held this event."

"...Haah."

She sighed her signature cute sigh again.

Chuckling emptily, she sat up on the bed.

"...The Altar. We have identified every location of the temples they scattered across the empire. A total of 397. Infuriatingly many."

"I see."

"Yes. As the event proceeds, the Imperial Guard and key forces are secretly advancing to demolish those temples."

Just as her words ended, a quest notification appeared.

"As Your Majesty says, this place may be the empire's most dangerous spot right now."

The Altar would not sit idle after their temples were bombed.

Retaliation was inevitable, and with forces depleted, the target was obviously Sophien.

"A strategy worth the gamble."

I preheated the Frost Stone. I attached ten of the nineteen wooden steel swords to Sophien.

"Truly reckless, Your Majesty."

"...Hmph. Dying like this wouldn't be so bad."

Sophien spoke irresponsibly. But unlike her words, her preparations were thorough.

Hiding in this mansion—a "magical space"—was proof enough.

"A tedious, boring life. A damned life where the emperor cannot have the one thing he desires most."

A smirk escaped me. Sophien shot me a what's so funny look, and I knelt before her on the bed.

"...Then, such a life for Your Majesty."

The rites of vassal and knight. In perfect formality, without the slightest disorder, I declared.

"I shall protect."

──[Rules]──

Early morning.

Julie stared at the rules board in the mansion's lounge. Yawning Ifrin beside her did the same.

"Kwaaah— Not scary in the morning, huh? Just stay in at night, I guess."

"I thought that yawn was a pterodactyl."

"Ptero-what? What's that?"

"Never mind. As expected of a place where His Majesty resides—the facilities are excellent. There's even an underground training hall."

A cursed mansion. Yet far kinder than its name suggested.

Ifrin was impressed too. The bed mattress alone was heavenly.

"This mansion is a magical space in the Imperial Palace—famous yet not. Only those in the know are aware."

Just then, two knights appeared behind them.

Gawain and Izac.

"A replica of the palace as the first emperor knew it—like a museum, you could say."

Izac smiled as he spoke.

"Not terribly dangerous, but follow the rules. Is the dining hall open?"

"Oh, right! Food!"

Ifrin shouted and bolted toward the dining hall.

"Hahaha..."

Izac chuckled at her retreating figure, then composed himself and turned to Julie.

"Julie. We requested a special petition regarding Deculein before the event, and it's confirmed."

"...Truly?"

A special petition. In other words, the "emperor's hearing" was prepared.

Julie's face hardened.

"Yes. There's a courtroom here too. Anyway, here's the mansion map. Take it—you're directionally challenged."

"...I've improved a bit."

Julie cleared her throat awkwardly and accepted the map. The directionally lost Julie was a tradition—a legend—of the old palace knights.

"The hearing will likely be held within this mansion. We have all the evidence secured..."

Gawain said.

"We will win."

"...Yes."

Julie nodded. She clenched her fist tightly. She bit her lower lip.

Now, it was time to steel her resolve.

....

—Julie. We requested a special petition regarding Deculein before the event, and it's confirmed.

In Room 29 of the mansion.

Instead of the dining hall, Ifrin had entered her room and played back the recording from her wooden steel sword—the conversation between Julie and the knights.

"What petition?"

The reason she'd eavesdropped like this was, of course, the gift Sylvia had given her.

[Stupid Ifrin. This has a video inside. Use it when the professor is in danger. When you're dumbly standing by. Give it to that idiot Julie then.]

Why give it to Knight Julie specifically? Not knowing made her suspicious of the knight for no reason.

Of course, she still didn't know what video was in this magic stone.

No, peeking at someone else's gift was incredibly rude.

—The hearing will likely be held within this mansion. We have all the evidence secured...

—Yes. The evidence that Deculein killed Veron is with you, Julie?

—Yes.

"!"

Ifrin's eyes widened.

Evidence that he killed Veron?

Murder?

—He murdered the knight who escorted him all the way to Verhert, blinded by jealousy. If true, even His Majesty couldn't overlook it. An irrefutable fact.

"..."

Ifrin's mouth gaped open.

Killed an escort knight out of jealousy.

If that was true, he'd be a real bastard.

"No. No way the professor would..."

She fell silent, thinking.

Deculein.

The past Deculein's deeds. The legendary litany of atrocities.

He had been insanely jealous of Julie's surroundings, loved her enough to give everything, obsessed to madness...

—We've also received evidence of Rockrallen's death and more from Intelligence. All point to Deculein's murder orders.

"...Gasp."

Ifrin hurriedly rummaged in her robe.

Gulp—

She swallowed, staring at Sylvia's gift. The worn, frayed magic stone. And...

The door burst open.

"...Huh? Ifrin, didn't you eat?"

Ruina, returning to the room. Ifrin yelped and dove under the bedcovers.

The cursed mansion.

Yet the mansion's afternoon was so peaceful it banished thoughts of curses. Clear skies, warm breeze.

On that gentle balcony of nature, I read a book.

"What is that? Blue Eyes remake?"

Sophien across from me asked.

"Yes. Sylvia's newly revised novel."

Sylvia was still trapped on "Sylvia's Island."

But she'd communicated with some adventurers there, passing the Blue Eyes manuscript to one—Ganesha precisely—requesting republication.

"...The novel I recommended to you before? Remade."

"Yes. By the author herself."

"It was already well-written."

Sophien smirked, sipping her black tea.

Around then, the sun slowly set. Scattering red sunset, sinking below the horizon, lower and lower.

"...?"

And I saw it.

Beyond the balcony, the changing scenery.

The Imperial Palace shrinking gradually, the capital's form twisting...

"No need for surprise, Professor. Did I not say? This is the cursed mansion."

The outer view drowned in ashen gray, then died.

Ghosts rose like mist, time and space warped.

"This mansion borders the world's exterior."

Sophien said.

"The underworld, so to speak. Ancestors once sought advice from forebears' spirits here."

In a tone as indifferent as gazing at flowing water.

"A fine place to hide, is it not?"