The Emperor's Recognition
I let out a sigh in my heart.
‘At this point, I get a job change.’
The emperor appearing was a bit surprising, but the location wasn't bad.
With so many people, even if holy power was generated, it wouldn't single me out.
Moreover, the possibility of holy power being generated was low.
Because I had already caused the heavens and earth to shake once when I started the job change.
Just as I was thinking that...
[Saint]
‘As expected.’
I knew I was the saint, but having it nailed down like this.
There was no abnormality in the sky or the earth.
‘If I just go quietly like this….’
A whispering voice came from the side.
“No, Father. How can you straighten your back like that? You said your back hurts.”
“My knee… my knee… Oh, it feels like when I was young.”
I was startled.
I forcibly turned my stiff neck and looked around.
The old men were holding their joints and exclaiming in surprise.
‘Could it be… this…’
I was done for.
It seems I became a panacea.
* * *
Fortunately, there was no uproar.
Probably because the emperor and the pope were there, they quickly sensed the atmosphere.
The emperor and the pope didn't care about the greetings to the 7 house lords.
But my heart was pounding.
Not from surprise, but from mana depletion symptoms.
‘Strange. I'm not like before where I can't control mana.’
I didn't do nothing while living in Quaron.
I learned how to control mana from Yuis, a main user who uses holy power similarly.
But I was healing all kinds of ailments around me.
‘Could it be because of that?’
The words I saw from the window.
*The trait activates.
‘It could be because the trait is activated. How to deactivate it? Status window…’
Just as I was thinking about status window.
Name: Yustea Esgard
Class: Saint
Trait: Purification (Activated), Healing (Activated), Status Window (Activated)
MP: 13/50
‘Amazing.’
I feel like I've become the protagonist of a fantasy novel.
When I thought about status window, the status window appeared.
Then, the method to deactivate it probably similar.
‘Purification, Healing deactivate.’
Trait: Purification, Healing, Status Window (activated)
The activation next to Purification and Healing disappeared.
By deactivating, the air purifier status that heals Purification and Healing just by being nearby was turned off.
Before I could do that, the surroundings became noisy again.
“Ah, my back!”
“My knee… my knee again…”
“I'm sorry. I hope it doesn't hurt, but my life is precious…”
Just as I was thinking that.
The emperor's voice came.
“Continuous surprising news. There is a hidden son, and the adopted child is a direct descendant of Andres.”
The people's gazes focused at once.
When the emperor said the interesting topic that everyone was dying to know, it was very interesting.
The Esgard Duke smiled faintly.
“These are the ones who will shoulder the future of Esgard. Remember this.”
Father bowed to the emperor.
Next was my turn.
I spread my skirt wide and curtsied.
“Yustea of Esgard, I greet Your Majesty.”
“Haha, a familiar yet unfamiliar name.”
I had seen the emperor often while visiting the imperial palace.
At that time, I introduced myself as Yustea of Andres.
The emperor smiled faintly and said.
“So. Are you still working hard?”
“I’m trying my best despite the lack.”
Pfft.
A mocking sound was heard.
A few months ago, I was doing all sorts of odd jobs to eat, and what could I do by trying hard?
Everyone glanced at the Esgard Duke.
It seemed amusing to bring someone like me into the family and make them a laughingstock.
‘Can’t let it be like that.’
The emperor asked.
“Are you recently observing the situation of other countries?”
“So it is.”
“Therefore, I realized that the assassination attempt on the Tabira prince seems suspicious.”
“…What?”
The incident where father and I were tied up by the guards.
The one where the Tabira prince was almost assassinated at the empire's party.
I know the truth of that incident.
‘There's no way such a huge thing wouldn't appear in the game story.’
Since I know the game story, I knew the culprit from the beginning.
“We searched all of Zone 2 and the great nobles, but couldn't catch the assassin, so we received an official protest letter from Tabira.”
Tabira, due to the empire not protecting their envoy, demanded two things.
1. Halve the price of mana stones sold in Tabira.
2. Allow Tabira's investigation team to enter the empire for the assassination investigation.
1 was obvious, a gain.
And 2 would be an opportunity for Tabira to place informants in the empire.
I looked at the emperor and continued.
“In this incident where the Tabira prince was attacked, why is Tabira the only one gaining?”
“Continue speaking.”
“Also, in Tabira, there is a fierce fight between the 1st prince and the youngest prince for the crown prince position.”
“What do you want to say?”
I immediately prostrated myself, lowering my body.
“Your Majesty, there is someone missing from the investigation of the assassination attempt incident. Please investigate the attacked Tabira prince!”
“…!”
“…!!”
“…?”
The surroundings were shocked and stared at me.
“So, was the prince's act a hoax?”
“Was the prince going to stab a knife into his own body?”
“But there is some truth in the child's words.”
“Yes. The crown prince position and all those gains are coming, so why would he just get stabbed?”
The emperor glared at me with wide eyes.
The house lords of the 7 families and the cunning power holders were the same.
The emperor, staring at me gently, then...
“Hahaha!”
He burst into hearty laughter.
“Indeed, the empire's recognized genius! A talent who can skillfully shoulder the name of Esgard!”
People were surprised and looked at the emperor.
The Esgard Duke's mouth curled up.
Those who were mocking me were startled.
Because such high praise from the emperor was rare.
The emperor looked at the Esgard Duke.
“If you accepted this child as your daughter, you would be a seed that would surely succeed without seeing it.”
“Yes.”
“Aslan. I will remember your name.”
On the emperor's words, father lightly bowed his head.
The faces of the 7 house lords froze.
Because it was the first time the emperor mentioned remembering the successor.
The emperor smiled and looked at me.
“This year's anniversary will be remembered.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
After answering, the emperor looked around.
“Enjoy the party. Since we have a pleasant anniversary, the coming new year will be prosperous.”
With that toast, the emperor turned his back.
It seemed he was going to deal with the troublesome Tabira matter.
The emperor stopped in front of the Andres duke.
“It's a pity, isn't it?”
Then he smiled faintly and started walking again.
During that, the Esgard Duke rubbed my cheek vigorously.
“Ugh…”
“Smart, praiseworthy, cute. How could such a thing come rolling in.”
“Uuuugh…”
“Ah, hello. My grandson! Ah, how could I not know about the number one in the academy!”
The nobles looked at the Esgard Duke and father with envious eyes.
* * *
At the Andres mansion.
The wife of the previous and current duke swept the things on the table with a flourish.
Clang!
A sharp clattering sound broke the quiet night.
The servants shrank their shoulders.
Emma had a pale, ashen face and clutched her skirt hem.
“E, mother…”
“If it weren't for you. If my mother and daughter hadn't caused such a fuss with poison, that child wouldn't have left Andres—”
The wife of the previous and current duke shouted with bloodshot eyes.
Emma's eyes were teary and she stammered.
“W, how could you say that… Stella is still affected by that incident and has become a fragile child who collapses at every little thing…”
“My bloodline, Yustea has fallen into Esgard’s hands!”
“W, there is Stella, right…”
“Yes. Today, there is also your daughter who sticks out her cheek to nobles on the street and causes a commotion.”
“T, that…”
“Your daughter caused that commotion, do you know what Yustea was doing?”
“…”
“The emperor's mouth let out words like genius, talent!”
Everyone in the empire was talking about that incident.
How smart he is, he remembered the adoptive grandfather by informing the emperor of his name today.
The Esgard Duke is so cute he can't handle it.
He opened the first fortress called Iron Wall and held a drinking party with the elders, boasting about his granddaughter without end!
Emma, who had been frightened, saw the duke at the open door.
“Y, you're here!”
The wife of the previous and current duke pushed away Emma who was trying to run to help.
“Bring her. I have to bring her.”
“Rest.”
“My granddaughter. All the glory that child brought was Andres’s!”
The duke walked without answering.
The wife of the previous and current duke shouted as if in despair.
“Are you still thinking of Stella as the saint!”
“…”
“The real saint has appeared. That means that child cannot be the saint.”
“There is no need for exactly one saint.”
“Rather, search for the saint. Don't target that child.”
“We are searching. But where will a saint who hasn't mixed a drop of blood help Andres.”
The duke left the place as is.
He arrived at the study room, opened the drawer.
He took out an old book and unfolded it familiarly.
He had read it so many times, his hands remembered the pages.
The seed of the movie will be conceived in the virgin mother born on a night without the moon
Night without the moon.
That is, the woman who gave birth at the moment of the lunar eclipse and saw the child.
Yustea is a failure.
But Stella, at the moment of birth, the world shook.
There is divine power that ordinary people don't have for that child.
So, it was Stella.
No need for a daughter who is not the saint.
* * *
I greeted father and grandfather and left the reception hall.
Father had to have deeper conversations with the nobles, so he made way.
I walked the corridor with a happy smile.
‘Father is doing amazingly well.’
Even though he didn't live as a noble, there was no flaw in etiquette or conversation style.
I exited the corridor and went east to the carriage waiting area.
After walking for a while, I tilted my head.
From some point, the guards disappeared.
‘Why are there no guards?’
Since it's an event where many nobles are coming, there should be guards everywhere.
As it's the imperial palace, nothing should happen, but it's very late, so a bit cautious.
Just as I was urging my steps.
A rustling sound came from behind.
I quickly crossed my arms and stepped back.
“Even if you do that, you can't stop a monster.”
With that, I saw the person who appeared.
Luciano.
“Prince?”
Seeing the expression as if asking why here, Luciano gave a small nod.
“Why should I answer if you ask why I'm here after coming to my palace?”
“…Is this Luciarno's palace? Why?”
“During last year's renovation, the path you came and my palace connected.”
“Ah…”
It seems the path changed a lot while I wasn't coming to the imperial palace.
I said with an embarrassed face.
“I made a mistake. Sorry.”
“This is the fourth time I've heard that story today.”
“Fourth?”
“My previous noble ladies came in that way and asked me to drink tea.”
I laughed haha.
“I really made a mistake.”
“Really?”
“No.”
“Could it be?”
“No. Absolutely not.”
Why would I pretend to make a mistake to drink tea with Luciano.
There are plenty of teas in the mansion I'm staying in now.
I waved my hand.
“Why would I do such a thing?”
“Because I missed you?”
“Jokes.”
“I did.”
He approached me.
Because it was a silent night, the only sound was his footsteps.
He came close to me and looked down at me.
I stepped back with an awkward expression.
“T, I…”
“Purification method. You would know, right?”
“Ah!”
I smiled brightly.
That was it.
Seeing my relieved expression, Luciano said in a low voice without emotion.
“You succeeded in wiping out the monsters in the eastern region with the purification you gave. Afterwards, burned the monster corpses to prevent the poison from spreading. But there's a problem.”
“Can't use it as farmland?”
“Yes. Do you know the method?”
I do.
And it's easy.
Take the mana battery and go, and as long as there's a little bit in the area, it purifies.
‘Wait, isn't this a trading opportunity?’
My eyes sparkled.
“Is purification urgent?”
“Not really.”
“Then I'll purify it later. In exchange, can you do me a favor?”
When I asked cautiously, Luciano answered.
“So, you want to drink tea?”
If you try to end it so simply, it's troublesome, customer.
I smiled generously, he shrugged.
“Tell me.”
“Will you please protect my mom?”
Now in Esgard, there will be a fight between the duke's son's son and father's for the successor.
The opponent might target my weak point, mom.
And Luciano is the best shield to protect mom.
Luciano stared at me.
“Why, why?”
When I asked, he answered in a low voice.
“Because I keep feeling like I'm the only one losing.”
“If you purify the land, you'll own a manor-level farmland, right?”
“I know. But emotionally, I can't.”
“…?”
“I thought you would do it before hearing what my favor is.”
“What does that mean…”
Luciano sighed and moved away from me.
I hurriedly chased him.
“Hey, then the favor is…”
“I won't do that.”
“Thank you!”
“The exit is over there.”
“Thank you for that too.”
Just as I was giving thanks.
Luciano stopped.
And stared straight ahead.
Someone was running.
It was night, far away, hard to see, eyes narrowed, but the voice came first.
“Why are you taking charge of investigating the Tabira prince!”
I was startled.
‘Gaspar.’
That crazy prince Gaspar, whom I thought was fortunate not to meet at Esgard castle.
He ran with a fierce look and noticed me, stopping.
“What is this.”
Gaspar let out a fake laugh.
Then, frowning, he shouted.
“Was the rumor that I was adopted into Esgard not just nonsense? Seeing my face in front of me?”
“…”
I wanted to avoid fighting with Gaspar.
Gaspar is the empress's son.
Currently not the fiancé of the 1st prince, so if a fight breaks out, it will be out of the empress's eyes.
“I greet Your Highness the Prince.”
“There's time to greet. The holy power is shining.”
Gaspar glared at me and reached out roughly to me.
It seemed like he was trying to pull me.
At that moment.
Whoosh.
Luciano shielded me behind him.
Gaspar's face twisted.
“What are you doing?”
“Protecting.”
“…What?”
Gaspar let out a fake laugh as if incredulous.
“You, that girl? Did you come to beg me to forget the grudges of the past?”
“No.”
“Then what's the reason for the two of you to meet!”
Gaspar shouted fiercely, but Luciano said with an indifferent expression.
“Secret meeting.”
…What?