An Invitation to the Imperial Palace — The Ailing Empress?!

I entered the imperial palace with the Deputy Knight Commander. Even from the outside it had been magnificent.

Fortified architecture that had clearly drawn on dwarven engineering. Bricks without so much as a scratch on them. Knights in full plate, and mages holding a grim perimeter. It had every last image a medieval fantasy could offer of a great power.

Never thought I'd live to walk into an imperial palace. In real-world terms, this is like meeting the president, right? Damn. Pride of the family, right here.

They say in the sports world that no son ever lives up to his father. In that sense, though, I had actually pulled it off. Of course, I still had a long way to go before I could catch the legendary hero Reiner Leonhardt.

At last I stepped onto the red carpet. Pure gold traced its borders, lending the thing an even more antique grandeur. Soft and yielding, it felt like walking on clouds. A carpet. Weird, honestly. I'd only ever seen this place in a game, and now I was actually standing on it.

"This way."

"Yes."

I followed the Deputy Knight Commander's lead. On the outside I was playing it cool. Inside, I was shaking like a leaf. Honestly, if the emperor so much as spoke to me, I was half-convinced I'd piss myself.

A latch clicked. Hinges groaned. The doors thudded shut.

I stepped into the audience hall. Dawn had passed and morning was beginning to show its face. Sunlight poured through the stained glass as if in blessing, and a man sat upon the throne looking down on everything below.

Long hair the color of tarnished gold, a thick beard, eyes like a lion's, and lips sealed as tight as a fortress gate. I was meeting the emperor.

An aging steward approached, built like a powerlifter who'd throw around five hundred kilos for breakfast.

"Pay your respects to His Imperial Majesty, Mesirai Karl Dharma."

Uh. What was the etiquette again? I'd done it constantly in the game, at least.

I fumbled through an approximation.

The game system has a greeting function, so how come I don't get one?

No. Don't complain. Focus. This is an important moment.

I bowed and waited, head lowered, for the emperor to speak. He let out a hearty laugh.

"Come closer."

A voice heavy enough to fill the entire hall. I took a few measured steps forward.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

As I approached, the emperor rested his chin on his hand.

"I hear you rendered great service today. You have my thanks. My sincere thanks."

"It was nothing, Your Majesty. A hero exists to protect people. If anything, I regretted that I could not save more."

The emperor shook his head at my answer. His hair, catching the sunlight, gleamed cold as icicles.

"Not so. I wish to commend you for cutting off a disaster before it could grow any larger."

"I am overwhelmed by your grace, Your ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Majesty."

"Your father is Reiner, is he?"

"That is correct. Reiner Leonhardt of Gailwarz, and I am his son, Lashu Leonhart."

Murmurs rippled through the room at my introduction. Unavoidable, given how legendary my father was.

"He doesn't look anything like his father."

"If he were just a bit taller, maybe?"

"So he had a son, huh."

"Nngh, those collarbones are sexy."

Who the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hell was that last one? There were members of the imperial family around, along with powerful nobles and renowned mages. It had sounded like a woman.

The emperor spoke again.

"You may already know this, but we are presently locked in a decisive war with the great barbarian tribes of the north. Our defenses thinned because of it, and this unfortunate incident slipped through the gap."

"I cannot begin to measure the depth of that regret."

"And yet a hero of unmatched caliber appeared and held the crisis at bay. I am of a mind to grant you the rank of baron, and one further reward besides. What say you?"

Everyone was stunned. Frankly, so was I.

This was a situation I had not seen coming at all. A baron's rank?

In the game, this event handed you a few gold coins and called it a day.

You don't just get to enjoy a noble title unless you've been pulling some serious munchkin shit. Huh. Jackpot.

I was rattled. I tried to find my composure again. Calm down. Stay calm.

I got my head on straight and started easing out the words I needed to say.

"I have a request that may sound simple, and may prove difficult."

"Speak it. You have earned the right."

The emperor nodded as if that much were obvious. All right then. Let's hear it.

I lifted my head. I had been regarding the emperor with my eyes cast down, but now I could see him properly.

That was a breach of etiquette, and the Chief Chamberlain called me on it.

"How dare you raise your head? Do you fancy yourself worthy of looking upon His Majesty's countenance?!"

The emperor waved a hand.

"It is fine."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

I gathered myself and put the request to the emperor.

"Your Majesty, the capital has been gravely wounded by the fighting among these cult fanatics. The dead are beyond counting, and come first light the small merchants will be waking to a very dark morning. I humbly request that you look after these people — that you see to thorough follow-up measures and compensation."

Looked at a certain way, it was an arrogant, even rude thing to say.

The emperor would have handled it in his own time, and here some two-bit hero was standing up and issuing instructions.

But I had to say it anyway. Especially now, with a war on against the northern barbarians and the capital in this state.

This wasn't something limited to modern politics. The phenomenon of things that ought to be done and simply aren't — that existed in this world too. Which meant someone had to say the words that would stop it from getting quietly passed over. Our society back home had ended up the way it had precisely ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠because nobody said those words.

A restless murmur ran through the hall. As expected. Their reactions split down the middle.

"What is he saying right now? Giving orders to His Majesty?"

"Or is he telling him to think of the common people? He has to know we're at war."

"But how generous. How merciful!"

"Being at war isn't some kind of bulletproof vest… You still have to take care of what needs taking care of."

Through all of it the emperor only looked down at me, his expression unchanged.

A gaze you couldn't read at all.

If ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I had met this man as an enemy, that look alone would have been enough to throw me into confusion.

The emperor's mouth, which I had thought would stay shut forever, opened.

"And that is the reward you would have of me?"

"I need no reward. I did not do this hoping for one. It is simply what a hero does."

"Is that so?"

"We do not praise a man simply for breathing, do we?"

"Hahahahaha!"

A man's laugh, big and unrestrained. The emperor slapped his knee and shook his head.

"We have had no shortage of vagrant so-called heroes of late. And among them, you are a jewel. Like father, like son!"

I kept my mouth shut. This was not the moment to say, Ah, Your Majesty, you've got me pegged.

The emperor stroked his beard.

"Strange. Truly strange. Your father Reiner was a man who tended to be faithful to his desires."

I'm faithful to my desires too, Mr. Emperor.

"I am his son, but a son need not share his father's philosophy in every respect, would you not agree?"

A little wit. The emperor laughed.

"Good. Very good! Lashu Leonhart of Gailwarz. I give you my word. We shall hasten the capital's restoration with all possible speed, and I promise thorough measures for those who have suffered!"

"You have my gratitude, Your Majesty."

That was enough. In the real world, plenty of politicians skip the things they're supposed to do. Most of them would rather toss a meal at someone who got hurt serving their country and call it a day — a little mockery on the side. But this place was different. If only because the person who'd said what needed saying was me.

My mouth fell open before I could stop it. Come again?

I sat there stunned for a second, then barely dragged my wits back together. No. Stay calm!

"Long live His Majesty the Emperor!"

And with that, the audience was over. The emperor gave his order.

"Chamberlain. Escort this little giant to his chambers."

"Yes, Your Majesty. At once."

I followed the Chief Chamberlain toward the guest chambers. A lot had happened today, honestly.

And among all of it, this was the jackpot.

Not only had I been granted the rank of baron — I had been made lord of Weverpool.

Which means I won't have to part ways with the Weverpool soldiers!

On top of that, Weverpool was a neighboring territory, close to Gailwarz.

I used to think going to a school near home was the sweet life.

And now my own fief was close to home?

Jackpot. Absolute jackpot!

Thank you. All of this is by your grace, Goddess.

My heart was swelling with grandeur. Was this really the same Lashu Leonhart everyone used to trash as a cripple?

My grandeur was swelling with heart!

And on top of all that, I'd received a new main quest.

Huh. I couldn't wait to see what kind of blockbuster they had lined up for me this time.

I arrived at the guest chambers. One of the rooms you reached by leaving the first-floor lobby and walking the corridor.

The Chief Chamberlain handed me the ceremonial robes I was to wear in the palace, along with a word of caution.

"I say this out of an old man's concern — do not go wandering about."

"Then would it be all right if we went back the way we came and I took a turn outside? If any cult remnants are still around, I would like to deal with them."

"That much is permitted. But do not go upstairs if you can help it."

"Mm. May I ask why?"

The Chief Chamberlain's face shifted from professional to something heavier.

"Her Majesty the Empress is in critically poor health at present, and reacts poorly even to the slightest disturbance."

So that was it. The main quest lined up with the scenario after all.

Right. This is exactly when the Empress is supposed to be ill.

"I will keep that in mind."

The Chief Chamberlain left. Alone in the room, I took a look around first.

Huh. This isn't a five-star. This is a seven-star hotel.

The room itself was simply antique. Fine sculptures, a lavish bed, and above all a full, settling scent of roses that put my nerves at ease.

"Yahoo!"

I bounced on the bed. The spring in this thing was insane. You could go at it like an animal on a mattress like this and it still wouldn't collapse.

I headed for the bath. Everything in it was gilded in gold. Whoa. I thought only Middle Eastern oil barons lived like this.

Astonishment kept tripping over the heels of astonishment.

The imperial palace is the best! The Dharma Empire's engineering is number oooooone in the world!

I washed up and changed into the ceremonial robes. Maybe because they were cut for a child, I wasn't crazy about the design.

A little tacky, but the fabric is top-shelf. I could pawn this thing for the price of a house.

A baron, though. Lord of Weverpool?

A hollow little laugh slipped out of me. So this was what they meant by the pride of the family. Or had I become the pride of the family?

I sank into the plush bed and stared at the ceiling, turning over how to save the Empress.

Is that hidden piece still there? Ah — I need to stop by the Expedition Guild too.

I let myself stew in that happy dilemma for a while. Yeah. I was going to do everything I wanted.

I was a baron now. The Cult Butcher. Lashu Leonhart of Gailwarz.