Chapter 6: The Emperor
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 6: The Emperor
The next few days flew by in the blink of an eye.
Aiden’s daily routine consisted of little more than keeping his head down and walking on eggshells inside the military headquarters. Surprisingly, his immediate surroundings remained remarkably quiet.
He had fully expected to be dragged out and interrogated again, but the utter lack of reaction was downright eerie.
However, there was one thing that had definitely changed.
“…”
Aiden stole a sidelong glance at Noel, who was working at her desk with an expressionless face.
Ostensibly, she was keeping him close to ensure his comfort and safety after the two unfortunate incidents he’d suffered shortly after arriving.
The problem was that he had to spend the vast majority of his day trapped in her office.
I feel like I’m being watched.
Noel kept him on such a tight leash that it was hard to think otherwise. Judging by the sheer volume of paperwork on her desk, she was an incredibly busy woman. Yet, she remained glued to his side, as if monitoring his every move.
While his freedom wasn’t explicitly restricted, the atmosphere was suffocating. He felt like he was going to develop a stomach ulcer.
“…Um, Dame Noel.”
“Yes?”
“When will my orderly be assigned?”
Dame Stella had previously told him to wait, promising they would assign someone to him soon.
It was his subtle way of saying, I’ll ask them if I need anything, so please just leave me alone. But Noel’s calm response was as relentless as ever.
“I understand you are indirectly telling me that my presence makes you uncomfortable.”
“No, you didn’t have to put it so bluntly…”
“It will likely take some time to select your orderly, Aiden.”
“Pardon?”
“There is currently no one who meets the criteria. We are still searching.”
How could that be?
An orderly was basically just a regular aide. It was hard to believe there wasn’t a single suitable person in the entire capital headquarters.
“No. They cannot be ordinary. Anyone assigned to you must be extraordinary.”
“…”
“Given the abilities you’ve shown, what use would a mediocre person be? If they are going to spend most of their day glued to your side, they must at least be on your level.”
What an unnecessary overestimation. An ordinary person would have been perfect. He already felt like he’d overdosed on eccentrics lately.
“You can look forward to it. I will assign someone who will satisfy you in every aspect.”
…He felt his stomach ulcer worsening.
Aiden grimaced before quickly offering another excuse.
“…If you keep an outsider with you while you work, bad rumors might start to—”
“There is no reason for others to find it strange.” Pausing for a moment, Dame Noel smiled faintly and continued. “After all, we are to be married soon, aren’t we?”
Her smile was pure and flawless, but the blood drained from Aiden’s face at those words.
To be married.
On paper, yes.
Even if Noel didn’t mind, Aiden felt a shudder run down his spine every time he heard it. And honestly, considering everything he had gone through in just the few days since getting involved with this woman, his reaction was perfectly reasonable.
My life has really gone off the rails.
After all the trouble he’d caused, one would think she’d reconsider the marriage, but her resolve was incredibly firm.
And her bringing it up again was likely a subtle warning not to even think about escaping her current surveillance.
In that case, he needed something to distract himself from this suffocating atmosphere. While he had no assigned duties, there was definitely information he needed to organize.
“…”
Aiden frowned as he leafed through the documents piled on his desk. While Noel worked, Aiden had enough free time to look up the information he wanted.
Why isn’t it here?
…The fact that he couldn’t find a single trace of what he was looking for was a massive problem.
In fact, considering the importance of what he was searching for, it wasn’t just a “massive problem”—it was the harbinger of an absolute catastrophe.
Information regarding the “Protagonist.”
Information on the focal point of the Main Scenario, the savior of the world.
It was nowhere to be found.
Even now, he desperately wanted to escape the Main Scenario and return to a normal life, and that person was his express ticket to doing so.
How could they… not exist?
And if the Protagonist didn’t exist, the consequences went far beyond Aiden being unable to return to a normal life.
That is to say…
If they aren’t here, who the hell is going to save the world?
The Protagonist. The savior of this world.
Aiden clutched his throbbing head as the thought weighed heavily on him.
The tangled web of the Main Scenario was ultimately built around that person. Aiden’s future plan of reuniting with his family and living in peace was entirely predicated on the assumption that the Protagonist would do their job.
…Maybe I just haven’t found them yet.
Of course, it was too early to conclude that they didn’t exist in this world at all. The information he had gathered so far could hardly be called comprehensive.
But if they really didn’t exist…
Aiden would have to make a “decision” accordingly.
Suppressing the chill that ran down his spine at the mere thought, he summoned the system window before him.
The Protagonist was one thing, but he had something else to check right now.
— Skill Info
【Katya Heinkel Craven】
— Bond: Level 1
<Copied Skills>
◆ First Vow
※ Unique – Only this character possesses this!
An oath imitating the covenant made between the First Seeker and the Goddess of Purification. It boasts unrivaled destructive power, and through the <Ritual of the Vow> with the Goddess of Purification, the user can additionally manifest their own unique trait.
◈ The ritual has not been performed yet; the Innate Attribute is locked.
Aiden slowly read through the text.
If nothing else…
Having high destructive power would be useful in many situations.
Its raw output would undoubtedly fall short compared to Noel’s <Pure White Heart>, but unlike Qi, which had no distinct attributes, Divine Power possessed clear, powerful characteristics.
As for the rest…
He didn’t really know what the Ritual of the Vow entailed, but it sounded like some grand ceremony that could only be performed in the Holy Kingdom itself. There was no reason to worry about it now.
As he scrolled down, Aiden’s face twisted slightly.
Honestly, there was no reason to grimace based on what he had read so far. Humans could adapt to anything, and compared to Noel’s case, having a skill drop with clear explanations was actually much better.
The problem lay below. There was completely unfamiliar text attached to the very bottom of the window.
— Skill Info
■ Omnipotence [Locked]
The skill is locked. Unlock the first level by wielding two or more supernatural abilities simultaneously.
■ Source [Locked]
The skill is locked.
What on earth was this?
He had no recollection of acquiring these, yet the information was completely locked, preventing him from even reading the details.
…The best-case scenario is that I never find myself in a situation where I have to use these, Aiden thought to himself, letting out a bitter mental laugh.
After all, if the time ever came to use these abilities, it would mean he had been dragged into another dire situation. Unfortunately, the probability of that happening didn’t seem low at all.
“…”
Even now, he desperately wished to return to the ordinary life of an ordinary person. Normally, wouldn’t he be sitting down for dinner with his father and younger sister right about now?
I wonder what Dad and Cisella are doing…
They were probably worried sick about him after he vanished, leaving only a letter behind.
With those thoughts in mind, Aiden stole a glance at Noel, who was deeply absorbed in her work. Actually, if he thought about it…
He had been robbed of his time with his family because of this woman—
“Aiden.”
“—Yes?”
Her sudden voice nearly made him choke on his breath, but he managed to squeeze out a response.
Noel gave him a strange look for a moment, but soon continued in her usual flat tone.
“We are going to the Imperial Palace tomorrow.”
He remembered hearing about this. Dame Stella had mentioned this schedule before. Something about reporting the marriage proposal between him and Dame Noel directly to the Emperor.
“If we’re going to the palace, aren’t there a ton of things I need to be careful about? I haven’t received any training in etiquette.”
His question was understandably tense, given how he had been harassed over etiquette just a short while ago, but Noel replied nonchalantly.
“You don’t need to worry too much about etiquette. Though there are other things you should be careful of.”
“What do you mean…?”
Taking a sip of her tea, Noel rested her chin on her hand. Her face still wearing a faint smile, she continued.
“The contract period for this sham marriage is one year. I will compensate you handsomely once the contract ends, so I ask for your cooperation until then.”
“Pardon?”
“I understand that being entangled with a woman like me must be painful for you, but given our positions, we must act a bit more intimate than usual in public. I ask for your understanding in advance.”
What was there to ask understanding for? She had kidnapped him without a word, and now she was being polite?
“I mean that even if I suddenly initiate physical contact or act close to you, please bear with it. Though I know it won’t be easy for you.”
Aiden blinked in silence, listening closely to her calm words. Something felt off.
Her tone suggested she genuinely believed her own worth was low. She wasn’t just joking.
Does she have low self-esteem?
That was absurd. A knight possessing the greatest martial might in the Empire, a beauty envied by countless men, and a soldier with enough influence to command the Emperor’s special attention?
His next words reflected his confusion.
“I don’t think you’re in any position to say such things about yourself.”
When Aiden scratched his cheek and replied, Noel stared at him blankly for a moment.
“…Thank you.”
A faint voice returned along with a smile.
But that smile gave off a strong impression that she viewed his words as mere polite platitudes rather than genuine praise. It was a classic trait of people with low self-esteem.
“…”
Aiden tilted his head slightly.
This woman…
She genuinely believed that marrying a woman “like her” would be a chore for anyone. Though he had no idea why.
“To be completely honest, I have absolutely no experience with romance.”
“…”
As she spoke, Noel’s voice grew softer and softer. A blush gradually crept up her face. Clearing her throat, she barely managed to continue.
“I simply do not know where the appropriate boundary lies.”
“…”
“…So, what I mean is, I might display some… inappropriate behavior…”
Ah.
Was that why?
…Well, that’s unexpected.
Come to think of it, men should be lining up for someone of her caliber. Then again, kidnapping Aiden out of the blue instead of finding someone nearby for a sham marriage was already strange enough.
“Ah, and one more thing,” Noel immediately added. “Once we enter the palace, please remain silent. Do not draw unnecessary attention to yourself.”
Aiden’s mouth parted slightly at the solemn warning, a tone rarely heard from her.
“…Pardon?”
“It would be best to stay as far out of ‘His’ radar as possible. Otherwise…”
Noel paused. To Aiden, it looked as though she was searching for the least disrespectful way to describe whoever “He” was.
“…If you get tangled up with him, things will become extremely exhausting.”
“…”
Of course, despite her efforts…
The words she uttered carried an incredibly ominous weight.
* * *
“He’s unnecessarily pretty. Was that always your type?”
Despite the terrifying title of “Emperor,” the man puffing away on a pipe in front of him looked more like an easygoing, friendly older brother from next door.
He was a young man with striking, handsome features who looked only a few years older than Aiden. And fitting for such a first impression, the current situation felt a bit too bizarre for an audience with an emperor.
So that’s why she said I didn’t need to worry about etiquette…
She had said that because they were meeting the Emperor directly, bypassing all the complex, formal procedures.
The Pope of the Holy Kingdom, a close friend of the Emperor, was notorious for being an eccentric among the rulers of the great powers. But looking at this, the Emperor of the Empire was no slouch either.
“Yes, well.”
Perhaps stressed from serving such an eccentric master, Noel replied bluntly with a scowl. Considering how she was usually polite to everyone regardless of rank, this was a deeply shocking sight.
What was even more shocking, however, was the Emperor of the Empire, who didn’t even bat an eye at her attitude.
“My dear, haven’t I told you time and again that a reliable-looking man is the best? Bringing home a pretty boy who looks like a gigolo and talking about marriage—”
“I do not believe that is for Your Majesty to decide. He is the husband I chose.”
“My, my. Look at how you speak to your Emperor.”
“You were the one who picked a fight with me first—”
Furthermore, the level of conversation passing between the two was even more astonishing. It was like a rebellious teenage girl bringing her boyfriend home for the first time to an older brother who thoroughly disapproved of him.
No matter how one looked at it, this was not a conversation that should be taking place between the Empire’s greatest soldier and its Emperor. Yet, both seemed incredibly accustomed to it, as if this childish bickering was a regular occurrence…
“…”
Nevertheless, there were two facts that could be clearly deduced from the current situation.
First, Lionheart and the Emperor were far, far closer than the public believed.
Indeed, this level of informality was not something built overnight. Though he didn’t know the details, they must have shared a deep bond for a long time.
And second…
“—Which is why, as things stand, I absolutely cannot permit this decision.”
Despite their close relationship, the Emperor was actively opposing Noel’s marriage, to the point of flatly refusing his blessing.
“Noel.”
“…Yes.”
At his voice, which had dropped to a much heavier register, Noel also cast aside her bluntness and replied with a serious expression.
“You know the internal state of the Empire as well as I do, my dear. The current aristocratic society is a den of hungry ghosts, each looking out for their own interests. Everyone is hyper-focused on your movements because of the immense support you have from the public. Even if I stay quiet, the other factions won’t.”
“No matter who I marry, the scales will tip, Your Majesty. The best-case scenario would be a civil war, and the worst would escalate into another Alliance War. Bringing in a third party is the only rational choice.”
“It’s a stopgap measure. No one is foolish enough to be fooled by such an obvious cover-up. My own son won’t sit idly by.”
Following that, a long conversation ensued about things Aiden couldn’t quite grasp. The chaotic political landscape of the post-war aristocracy, the severely weakened imperial authority that made it impossible to control them, and so on and so forth. The complicated talk of high society.
The only thing that stuck in his mind was the Emperor’s attitude when referring to the Imperial Prince.
He spoke of him almost as if they were strangers. It went beyond a bad relationship; it was as if they were sworn enemies.
Aiden’s brow furrowed slightly.
They don’t get along?
This… felt slightly different from the “original work” he knew.
In his memory, the Imperial Prince was definitely a noble, heroic figure. A man of near-flawless character. He didn’t recall him being the type to fall out with his father.
“Then there’s only one way left.”
As he was mulling over these thoughts, those words suddenly drifted from ahead.
“Ultimately, the biggest issue is that the others will object, claiming this fellow isn’t fit to be your groom. If they perceive the two of you as a well-matched couple, then most of the superficial complaints will die down, even if not entirely.”
“…I do not wish to place any more burden on Aiden. In the first place, isn’t it strange for them to pry so deeply into my personal matters?”
“True as that may be, but the political arena has always been a dumpster fire.”
As the debate went back and forth, Aiden’s expression grew increasingly serious. From what he could gather, His Majesty was maintaining a highly negative stance on this engagement.
That wasn’t exactly good news for Aiden either.
If the marriage falls through…
If the sham marriage was ruined, it would mean a Quest Failure. A situation Aiden absolutely wanted to avoid.
In that case, his course of action was clear.
“I’ll do it.”
The eyes of both the Emperor and Noel snapped to him simultaneously.
“I’ll do it. The Proof of Worth. If that’s what it takes to go through with the marriage.”
At Aiden’s words, a heavy silence fell over the room.
Noel’s eyes in particular widened in shock. She clearly hadn’t expected Aiden to step forward himself.
Then…
“—Well, look at that spirit.”
Tapping his pipe against the ashtray, a smile spread across the Emperor’s face.
A smile that looked like… a mischievous child who had just come up with a brilliant prank.
“You said it yourself, didn’t you?”
“…”
If you get tangled up with him, things will become extremely exhausting.
The warning he had heard just yesterday flashed through his mind.
“…Your Majesty. Anything too dangerous is—”
Noel cut in, her voice laced with tension. Seeing her face turn slightly pale, it was obvious she had been tormented by the Emperor making that exact face more than once or twice.
Naturally ignoring her plea, the Emperor turned his gaze back to Aiden.
“You, Aiden, was it?”
Without even waiting for an answer, the Emperor pressed on.
“Let’s prove just how harmonious of a couple you two are.”
“…Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I don’t quite understand what you—”
“There is no better way to persuade those stubborn imperial nobles than martial prowess. Especially in chaotic times like these.”
“…”
“Fight together, the two of you.”
The Emperor grinned, cutting off Aiden’s response mid-sentence.
“I happen to have the perfect opponent.”