Chapter 187
Chapter 187
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 187
Chapter Title: Imperial Command (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
●
In this world, there are always people who mix about as well as water and oil.
No matter how many times they meet, some combinations just intuitively scream, “This person and I will never get along.”
That’s probably the exact feeling Eliya and Elnor were sharing as they stared at each other.
“...”
“...”
Yeah, it’s uncomfortable.
Inside the jostling carriage, both Eliya and Elnor had that exact thought at almost the same moment.
To be fair, if they really tried, they could probably get along just fine. They had plenty of common ground.
They’d both grown up wielding swords from a young age, they were both intensely passionate about swordsmanship and physical training, and their lofty positions made it hard to expand their circles of friends.
The problem was one particular commonality.
These two both harbored feelings for the *same man*, and that was fatal.
‘...Liru aside, this one’s a bit...’
Unlike Liru, whose character she’d come to know through all their friction, Eliya still hadn’t shaken off her deep-seated distrust of the Tristan Ducal House.
That alone was reason enough to sour even the closest friendship in an instant—and they’d never been close to begin with. No wonder things weren’t exactly cordial.
“...So.”
Eliya finally broke the prolonged silence.
“Why are we suddenly headed to the imperial palace?”
Going to the imperial palace itself didn’t bother her much.
As the adopted daughter of Kendrid Margrave—one of the empire’s top archdukes—visits to the palace felt almost like a regular event on her calendar.
Elnor, as the Tristan Duchess, was probably used to it too.
The issue was that no one treated a trip to the imperial palace like a casual outing.
Even Kendrid Margrave, who was half-feral on a normal day, behaved with perfect docility and restraint there. Eliya still remembered how shocked she’d been.
—This is a den of vipers, Eliya.
The sharp warning echoed vividly in her memory.
—Never give them anything to hold over you. Ever. And don’t stand out.
“...”
When even one of the empire’s greatest nobles said something like that...
No need to elaborate on the threats lurking inside.
“You can probably guess the reason yourself.”
As those thoughts crossed her mind, Elnor answered her question in a calm voice.
“Because we heard Dawood went in there.”
“...”
Yeah, she’d figured as much.
Elnor only showed this level of drive when that man was involved—nine times out of ten.
“...No wonder he vanished so suddenly.”
After the second ordeal ended, she’d grabbed a bottle of liquor to celebrate with a private party and headed to his room that evening, only to find it empty. She’d been flustered.
And now this—the real story was that he’d been summoned to the palace.
“Wait, hold on.”
Elnor narrowed her eyes and cut her off.
“...You took a bottle of liquor to his private room alone in the middle of the night?”
“...”
“Was it *really* just for a celebration?”
“...”
Eliya scratched her cheek and averted her gaze.
Then, forcing a friendly smile, she continued.
“...You’re not getting the wrong idea, are you, President? It was seriously just for the party.”
“...”
Apparently, the excuse didn’t land.
The look Elnor gave her was ice-cold.
All that was left was to desperately change the subject.
“...S-So, do *you* know why the professor was summoned to the palace?”
“...”
Fortunately, Elnor let it slide.
She withdrew her piercing stare and let out a sigh.
“...No idea. All I heard was that His Majesty summoned him personally.”
“...”
Eliya’s face fell.
The emperor had summoned him *personally*?
Why?
“I don’t know the reason either. His Majesty surely has his plans. Don’t worry too much about that.”
“...”
“The real problem is those damn elders.”
Eliya smirked and nodded in silent agreement.
It was rare to hear Elnor curse so openly, but the targets deserved it.
The two great nobles—Grand Duke and Margrave—commanded immense influence, splitting 30 to 40 percent of the political power between them. Yet the “elders”—leaders of the ancient noble houses—still held the empire’s majority.
The five prestigious houses right beneath the great nobles.
They clung to the emperor and prime minister, obsessed with fattening their own purses.
As Kendrid Margrave put it, they were men with the hearts of snakes.
“That’s why we need to move together.”
Elnor continued in a low, grave tone.
“...To protect Dawood from any attacks from within. Combining the Margrave and Grand Duke houses’ power should make it manageable.”
“...”
In a way, it was admirable.
Elnor probably didn’t relish teaming up with Eliya either, but the moment Dawood was involved, she tossed personal feelings aside and extended a hand for cooperation.
“...Normally, I’d refuse.”
So.
She had to show some sincerity worthy of that passion.
“...But I’ll help this once. Since it involves the professor, of all people.”
“Appreciated.”
“But.”
Eliya grinned as she pressed on.
“How about the one who helps more gets a ‘concession’ from the other?”
“...”
She remembered this.
Back during break.
The bet they’d made while turning an entire territory upside down together.
“...Not a bad idea.”
Elnor grinned back.
“Shall we settle that bet from before?”
“What, scared you’ll lose?”
With that, Elnor and Eliya exchanged fierce smiles.
Having thus resolved their determination, the two arrived at the palace.
“...He entered His Majesty’s bedchamber? Dawood? At this hour?”
“That’s what I heard.”
“...”
The moment they heard that from the Tristan Ducal House’s informant inside the palace...
Their faces twisted in simultaneous shock.
●
To cut to the chase.
I’m right outside the emperor’s bedroom.
“...”
Getting here was a ordeal. I remember even the Sword Saint breaking a sweat calming the prime minister, who looked ready to breathe fire.
“Is this a declaration of war or what?! I demand to see His Majesty right no—!”
“...You can’t throw around talk of war lightly, Prime Minister Sullivan. Coming from you, it doesn’t sound like an empty threat.”
I could kinda relate to that exchange.
When the prime minister says something like that, it’s impossible to take it as bluffing.
‘...That was scary.’
No joke—he seriously seemed ready to throw down with the emperor.
A man who stayed ice-cold even in the game was losing his reason to that extent?
Anyway, only after the Sword Saint repeatedly assured him, “Nothing will happen to warrant your anger,” did the prime minister finally calm down.
I’d shoved an emergency communication magic stone into his hands with orders to crush it if anything went wrong.
—Press it if anything happens, Dawood.
He’d looked reluctant to the end, but an imperial command was an imperial command. Ignoring it could spark civil war.
So here I was, meekly dragged along.
“His Majesty awaits inside.”
The Sword Saint who’d brought me here bowed politely and continued.
“Considering it’s your first visit, His Majesty won’t mind if you forgo formalities. Make yourself at ease.”
“...Thank you.”
Grateful, even if it was just polite words.
He probably wasn’t *literally* telling me to ignore protocol.
“I mean it.”
“...Pardon?”
The Sword Saint continued, his face still bearing that gentle smile.
“His Majesty said so himself. On the honor of the imperial family, he won’t punish you over etiquette. Treat him as you would anyone.”
What?
Why?
“...Th-Thank you...?”
I barely managed to stammer that out.
This was an unprecedented exception.
A mere viscount’s man told to act *casual* before the emperor? Invoking the imperial honor to emphasize it?
When he could have my head with a flick of his wrist?
‘...What the hell.’
None of it made sense, start to finish.
With that in mind, I followed the guidance into the emperor’s bedchamber.
And the moment I stepped inside.
“...Welcome, Dawood Campbell.”
There stood the emperor, completely nude, addressing me.
“...”
What the fuck.
What is this?
“It’s late, but thank you for answering my summons.”
As she spoke in that low, murmuring whisper, a window popped up before my eyes.
[System Message]
[ Demonic energy is detected. ]
[ The ‘Otherworldly Seal’ reacts! ]
“...”
Dizziness hit me like a wave.
Of course, I’d known there was one demon left.
The brown demon. Demon of Greed.
The emperor was its vessel?
“...”
Alone with a demon vessel in her bedroom?
And she’s a power I can’t refuse?
This is totally...!
“It’s not exactly formal attire, but bear with me.”
As those thoughts raced through my mind, her voice reached me again.
The emperor lay on the bed, wiping her body with a towel, chuckling softly.
Uh.
Wait.
This doesn’t feel like I’m about to get *devoured*.
“...”
A faint candle was the room’s only light, casting her bare form in pale moonlight that made her look even more ethereal.
Honestly, this was the first time in my life seeing a nearly naked woman’s body.
It was breathtakingly beautiful.
Cecilia XI was one of Sera’s leads, already known for high beauty standards, but descriptions often called her “inhumanly” stunning.
Her body was a masterpiece of elegant curves, skin white as carved glass.
Like a statue sculpted with utmost care.
But within that beauty...
The ‘dragon blood’ coursing through her veins had blackened and necrotized every blood vessel, visible to the eye.
As if black blood ran through her.
“...”
The dragon blood curse.
Seeing it up close made it even more grotesque.
Worse than the severance curse eating at Yuria’s body.
“Come closer, won’t you? My eyesight isn’t the best.”
“...Understood, Your Majesty.”
As I approached the bed, Cecilia XI slowly reached out toward my face.
Savoring it, deliberately slow.
Her clouded eyes traced my features gently.
“...So, this is it.”
She let out another soft chuckle.
“The face of Elpante’s top heartbreaker. You’ve got an intriguing look about you.”
“...”
Her words hit like a brain freeze.
“...Hm? What’s that reaction? Don’t tell me you want to deny it? I’ve heard even while I was just glancing at you, you’ve got so many women swarming you couldn’t keep count.”
“No, that’s not it.”
It felt like I was admitting out loud to being a total playboy bastard, but what could I do if the emperor said so?
If she said jump, I jumped.
“No need to stand on such ceremony. I get the nerves with our status gap, but...”
The emperor grinned playfully.
“I need to see your ‘usual self.’ Standing on formality like this only makes it harder for me.”
“...My usual self, Your Majesty?”
“Yes. It’ll make convincing the others easier.”
“...”
Convincing the others?
Of what?
As those questions swirled, she sighed and continued.
“I’ve heard you’re well-versed in international affairs, Dawood Campbell.”
She went on.
“What do you think of the empire’s current state?”
“...”
She’d asked for my usual self, so playing dumb wouldn’t fly.
But I couldn’t just blurt out the truth either.
Why not?
‘Because it’s a total mess.’
Even with the prime minister and emperor bending over backward to avoid clashing, the lower nobles were busy faction-fighting.
The top was pure, rational water; the bottom was all rotten sludge.
“...I can tell what you’re thinking just from your face.”
The emperor gave a wry smile.
“You’re right. The empire is in chaos. The prime minister and I are barely holding it together. No one knows how long this fake peace will last.”
She smiled bitterly, gazing down at her body.
“Imagine this, then.”
Her body, being devoured bit by bit by the dragon blood curse.
Her pale flesh, not far from death.
“If the throne emptied now, how much turmoil would follow?”
“...”
“...Even I don’t know how long this body will hold out.”
“...”
Her words dropped into my silence.
“That’s where you come in.”
“Me, Your Majesty?”
“Yes. Seeing you sparked a good idea. A way to resolve this crisis.”
She spoke with dignified authority.
“Normally, I’d summon the hero candidate Eliya Chrisanax... but she has a disqualifying factor.”
“...A disqualifying factor?”
“She’s a woman.”
“...”
A chill raced down my spine.
She was a demon vessel, dismissing a *woman* and turning to *me*, a man.
Experience told me this led nowhere good.
“Dawood Campbell.”
The emperor grinned.
“Will you be my royal consort for a month?”
“...”
Hold up.
Timeout.
“...Your Majesty.”
I squeezed the words from my throat.
“...What do you mean by that?”
“Simply put: be my husband for a month.”
“...”
“If that’s unclear: live with me as the empress’s consort for one month—”
Miss.
Explain why.
Please.
●