Coincidence
The deepest, most secretive place in the Imperial Palace.
The path to the Emperor's private quarters, the Inner Chambers—a space even ordinary nobles couldn't dream of glimpsing—was heavy and silent.
"This way, Iman."
Even Elise's voice, leading the way, was subdued, lower than usual.
Marble walls enclosed us on all sides, and the soft carpet swallowed our footsteps.
Never thought I'd end up in the Emperor's Inner Chambers in my lifetime.
I swallowed dryly. I had no idea where my life was headed anymore.
"Your Majesty, I've brought Iman."
The massive door slid open without a sound. The Inner Chambers were surprisingly modest. No glittering treasures or imposing thrones.
Just a grand study, an old wooden desk, and a single man seated behind it.
The sun of the empire, His Majesty the Emperor. He wore casual attire, not formal robes.
But his lighter clothing did nothing to dim the aura he exuded.
Without ornate decorations, his presence as a transcendent ruler hit even harder, like raw, overwhelming force.
Fucking scary.
I could feel my body trembling involuntarily. Of course, I was trying not to show it, but it wasn't easy.
"Enter."
His voice was low and weighty. I stepped cautiously into the room and bowed my head.
Elise quietly approached the Emperor's side. A thought suddenly struck me.
Didn't Elise call herself a commoner?
Acting like this and still claiming to be a commoner...
"Skip the formalities. Raise your head."
The Emperor addressed me, and I lifted my gaze to meet his, though my body shook.
His eyes pierced right through me. In that gaze, I read anxiety.
If I had to put it into words, it was like the look a terminally ill patient gives their doctor.
"Elise has told me everything."
The Emperor's voice trembled slightly, proving even the sun of the empire was human at heart.
"I've heard all about what you've accomplished. The Dragon Heart Fragment, the Elixir..."
The Emperor approached and placed both hands on my shoulders.
Shit.
Those hands carried the weight of the entire empire.
"It's been centuries."
The Emperor sighed.
"Among those who've died from the Mana Curse, there were even imperial bloodlines."
"...!"
"And you... you've brought the only key that can end that wretched curse."
"I was just lucky, Your Majesty."
I tried to sound composed, but the tension crawling down my spine was unavoidable.
"Perhaps. But what matters is that no one else could do it."
"..."
"There have been countless attempts to solve the Mana Curse. Even geniuses and heroes of this world have joined forces..."
The Emperor patted my shoulders lightly.
"Maybe it really was just luck, as you say. But success itself is what counts."
The Emperor removed his hands from my shoulders and returned to his desk.
Elise handed me a scroll of parchment.
It was no ordinary document. It carried the weight of an imperial decree, just from appearances alone.
"Iman."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"The title of baron is far too small and humble for you."
The Emperor declared.
"Thus, in the name of the empire, I grant you a new position."
He looked me straight in the eye and proclaimed.
"From this moment, I appoint you, Iman, as a full Viscount of the empire. This is no mere honorary title—it comes with a proper fief, commensurate pension, and all the full authority of nobility."
My breath caught. I could already see the future unfolding.
Noble society's backlash. And the Emperor crushing it with sheer force of will.
"Your grace... I am eternally grateful."
As I expressed my thanks in a trembling voice, the Emperor produced another item, as if this weren't the end.
A palm-sized metal plate that gleamed brilliantly.
"And take this."
Elise received it and carefully passed it to me.
"What is this...?"
I couldn't identify it. Elise had told me it was one of the items needed to solve the Mana Curse.
The Abyssal Magic Stone or something... But why a metal plate?
Questions swirled, but I couldn't voice them.
"It is my honor."
I had no choice.
A glance at Elise showed her face flushed with emotion, so I mirrored it.
Elise guided me to the Imperial Research Lab, where I stared in shock at my "diagnosis" written there.
Coincidence... or inevitability?
Once is coincidence. Twice is luck. Three times is fate, they say?
I didn't know if it was true, but that's exactly how I felt right now.
The Elixir and Dragon Heart Fragment, the Abyssal Magic Stone, even the Goddess.
Haruna said it.
That it really seemed to be happening. This was real... I could only zone out in disbelief.
"What should I do?"
"First... could you hand that over?"
"?"
Elise extended her hand. I tilted my head, and she did the same.
"...This?"
She nodded.
I handed her the Abyssal Magic Stone with my lingering questions. She went "Ah" and cleared her throat awkwardly.
Her face flushed slightly. I'd just received it today, and now they wanted it back—embarrassing, no doubt.
"Ahem. As I showed you, we need this..."
"This might be rude to say."
"Then don't."
"?"
Elise gauged my reaction, coughed again, and promised compensation.
What could I say? "Thank you" was all.
After that day, quite some time passed. In short, the research was nearing completion.
Of course, most of it was incomprehensible flows to me... but some I could grasp.
For example, there was Serika, occasionally seizing up in fits.
"Move aside, please. The spatial calculations are off. If you narrow the energy node in this channel like that... it'll explode!"
Serika actively wielded the Golden Age's Eye.
Thanks to that relic, she could convert philosophical, abstract flows into a massive real-world Magic Array and precise mana formulas.
Incomprehensible stuff.
"Haa... haa... This is driving me insane, for real."
Haruna, her face smudged with soot, wielded a hammer as big as herself, pulling all-nighters.
"Wipe my sweat?"
"Yeah. Here?"
"Uh... there?"
Haruna grumbled irritably, and I quickly offered a towel.
"I said wipe it off!"
"Got it."
I eyed Haruna cautiously and gently wiped her massive underboob.
That sweat-drenched crevice. Whew... stimulating.
"Iman. Listen up."
"Yes?"
"Know what I'm doing? Carving it down so holy power and mana don't clash."
"Uh... yeah. Got it."
"So you gotta wipe this sweat properly."
"More?"
Haruna's ears reddened, and I swallowed, meticulously wiping her sweat.
And more time passed.
I gazed at the massive, beautiful custom piano in the center.
And the light-based Magic Array etched around it.
Is this really it...?
Huddled in the corner, that's all I could think.
"Miss Serika, Abyssal Magic Stone in slot 3 is ready for fusion. Focus the mana flow there!"
"Got it! Add more cooling ether crystals here! Temperature's too high!"
"Yes, injecting now. Miss Haruna, how's the lower tuning?"
"Perfect! String tension normal, resonance at 120%! Ready to start anytime!"
I'd participated quite a bit in this process, but it was still mostly baffling flows.
But hey, if it's going well, that's what matters, right?
They'd discovered the piano was one of the biggest gears.
In simple terms, the Magic Array needed specific waves to activate—and they matched the piano's vibrations.
Not coincidence, but inevitability.
I recalled the saying again: once coincidence, twice luck, three times fate.
"...It's complete."
A royal researcher wiped tears of emotion. All eyes turned to me.
I took a deep breath. And slowly stepped forward.
To the piano, glowing as if the Magic Array were already alight.