At Sword’s Edge
With the empress’s sudden appearance, the hero’s party straightened at once and paid their respects.
The title of emperor of the empire meant the absolute pinnacle of power, and the truth of that was clear enough to anyone who lived in this world.
The master of an empire that led all advanced culture — from cutting-edge arcanotech and elite weapons of war to art itself — could not even be compared to the kings of lesser kingdoms.
“……”
And yet, while the hero’s party had been caught off guard by the empress’s arrival, they were not so much frightened as simply bewildered.
The atmosphere that had grown heated after Hilde had beaten Kaijin in a single exchange had already cooled considerably, but resentment still lingered toward the Hwaryu knights who had suddenly appeared and insulted them.
It was only natural that they would assume the empress had ordered the fuss, since the Hwaryu were the empire’s foremost force of violence, the ones tasked with guarding her at close range.
“Your Majesty the Empress. We’re truly grateful that you came to find us so soon after we entered the empire. However, I would like an apology for being tested through Hwaryu.”
The saintess, who had treated Lee Yu-seong’s injuries, lifted her head.
The Hwaryu knights standing near the empress shot the saintess a hostile look, their eyes burning, but she did not so much as flinch. The empress took that gaze as something almost laughable and adjusted her mask back into place.
“Hoho. Was the amusing little event I prepared not to your liking?”
“……”
The saintess did not utter a word. To make a slip of the tongue in front of the empress could easily become an international disgrace.
The empress snapped her fingers, and a sharp click rang out. At once, a blue gate formed in front of her.
“Don’t be so angry. As a token of goodwill, I’ll open this gate for you. If you pass through it, you’ll arrive right at the palace gate. Unauthorized magic is forbidden within the empire, so I came personally to fetch you and save you the trouble. Now then, everyone, follow along at once.”
After the empress stepped through the gate and vanished, the Hwaryu knights quickly followed after her. Left behind in their place, the hero’s party exchanged glances.
The emotions they found in one another’s eyes were much the same.
They had been angry, that much was true, but under the empress’s overwhelming charisma, that anger had been washed away, and the clash with Hwaryu had been reduced to something trivial.
There was still a little bitterness left, but their meeting with the empress now felt far more dramatic.
“All right. Let’s go in for now. This works out better, anyway. It saves us the trouble of riding in a carriage for weeks.”
Edan said it lightly, as if brushing dust off his shoulder. His companions, however, were worried about Lee Yu-seong after that blow from Kaijin.
Feeling their concerned gazes, Lee Yu-seong shrugged.
“Haha! I let my guard down, that’s all. I’m not the kind of person to get hung up over something like this. They’ll be waiting on the other side, so let’s move.”
The hero spoke as if it were nothing at all. But Trixie, seeing the unusually subdued look on his face, felt a pang of irritation.
Right. Then I’ll have to push Yu-seong even harder. I’ll grind that guy Kaijin down until he’s got nothing left to brag about.
She guessed that Hilde’s victory in the opposite situation had only stung his pride even more.
And that guess was right.
Tch. I’m still nowhere near enough. I thought I’d closed the gap a little with the reward I got at the banquet, but… am I really a hero?
Though the hero wore a smile, his heart was far from at ease.
---
The sight that greeted the hero’s party after crossing through the gate was truly magnificent.
The great spires of the imperial palace rose so high that they seemed to pierce the sky, and the drawbridge spanning the river that encircled the fortress was wide enough for ten carriages to pass side by side.
The empire’s red banners were lined up along both sides of the drawbridge, fluttering in the wind with a splendor that seemed almost magical, far greater than any mere breeze should have allowed.
As Hilde took in the grandeur and refinement of the palace, she suddenly felt a gaze on her and looked up toward the fortress in surprise.
From the tops of countless spires, people dressed in dark, assassin-like clothing were watching the hero’s party. It was almost strange that she had only just noticed their presence now.
She tapped the saintess’s arm with her index finger and pointed upward. Following the gesture, the saintess looked up and took a stumbling step back, her face pale with shock.
“Wah! You startled me! Who are those people? I had no idea anyone was up there. How did they even climb to those places with nothing but their bare hands?”
The black clothes that fluttered so high above them seemed to announce their existence all on their own.
“I know. That startled me too,” Hilde agreed.
The saintess’s answer came from behind her.
“Hoho. Those are the eyes and shadows that guard the palace. As long as you aren’t up to anything wicked, there’s no need to worry about them. And I trust the hero’s party has no intention of doing anything of the sort.”
When the members of the hero’s party turned around, they found an elderly man with snow-white hair dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit. His elegant mustache was especially striking.
“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Count Chern Obrian, chief steward of the imperial palace. From here on, I’ll be guiding you through the palace. Please, follow me.”
After the formal greetings were exchanged, they walked across the drawbridge. The saintess glanced toward the spires again, still irritated by the eyes that continued to watch them from above.
“It feels a little rude to say this, but when guests arrive, do they usually glare at them as if they mean to kill them? I feel like I’m about to suffocate.”
The chief steward let out a hearty laugh.
“I can’t say I know the exact reason, but I do have some idea. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t act like this.”
“Then why are they acting that way toward us? They’re not planning to use the opening to assassinate us, are they?”
“Haha. Saintess, you’re a delightful one. Their duty is to protect Her Majesty’s person.”
The chief steward looked at Hilde as he spoke. Hilde met his eyes and gave him a light, almost teasing smile.
“The sight of someone who defeated General Kaijin so easily has appeared in the palace, so I imagine they’re all on edge,” he said with a chuckle.
Count Chern Obrian had just received an urgent report of something so unbelievable that he had been tense ever since before the hero’s party emerged from the portal.
It was hard to believe that Kaijin — the greatest among the empire’s swordsmen, a man whose strength surpassed most heroes throughout history — had been struck down in a single blow.
I thought I was being told some kind of monster had appeared, and yet she’s just a lovely young girl.
Her slender waist, narrow enough to fit in both of Kaijin’s forearms, and the delicate line of her neck, glimpsed only briefly, made it hard to believe the report at all. But the reports he received as the one responsible for the palace ceremony dealt only in facts, so there was no reason to doubt them.
Edan nodded at the steward’s words.
Kaijin was undeniably strong. He might have been equal to Lee Yu-seong, or even stronger, without relying on his mythic item. Even Edan had been thrown off by the existence of such a warrior, one whose strength could be considered hero-class or higher.
The empire really isn’t something to take lightly. I can see why those old men keep such a wary eye on it.
Even the little he had uncovered so far made it clear that this was no ordinary place.
The hero’s party chatted quietly as they admired the enormous structures of the palace and entered the inner fortress. Works of art by some of the continent’s most renowned painters hung at regular intervals, and plush carpets lined every corridor.
Passing by idly, the saintess suddenly stopped in front of a painting that caught her eye and cried out in astonishment.
“No way! That’s a painting by Master Pheroze of Marinella! I heard it was lost during the war. How is it here?”
“That’s not all. There are countless items here so valuable they can’t even be appraised.”
Edan added a word of explanation. The saintess found it hard to believe that such priceless works of art were simply hanging there as if they were nothing. One piece like that, if sold, could make someone rich enough to become a great magnate.
Of course, no one would actually have the nerve to do that. Still… incredible.
The saintess thought she was beginning to understand why those figures had been stationed atop the spires. Perhaps they were also there to keep an eye on the greedy.
After a while, the chief steward stopped before a lavish door. He gestured gently for the hero’s party to enter.
“Wow!”
Once they stepped inside, the entire group gasped in admiration. Hilde, too, clicked her tongue at a level of luxury beyond anything she had ever seen.
In the center of the vast hall stood a magnificent white marble fountain inlaid with gemstones, spraying water into the air. Sunlight poured in through large windows, making the space feel warm and inviting. High overhead, a splendid chandelier glittered against the ceiling, and down the branching corridors, rooms with slightly open doors appeared to be private bedrooms.
“Look at this! I’ve never even seen something like this in a royal palace!”
Hilde narrowed her eyes at the enormous mirror placed along one wall. In its reflection, the saintess’s eyes looked almost dazed with delight.
Her eyes are practically going to pop out of her head.
“This is the Great Chamber where you’ll be staying for the time being. There are more than enough rooms, so feel free to use any of them. If you need anything at all, no matter how small, just pull the cord in your room. We also have a training ground for practice and a laboratory for magical research, so if you need guidance, don’t hesitate to summon a servant.”
Leaving the party behind, dazed and speechless after the insult they had just endured, Edan called out to the chief steward.
“Hmm… Chief Steward. There’s something I’d like to ask you.”
“Yes, Lord Edan. Please go ahead.”
“I’m not entirely sure why the empire brought us here so urgently. The official event isn’t for another two weeks, is it?”
“That was Her Majesty’s judgment. Surely it was out of consideration for sparing our honored guests some of their trouble.”
Edan nodded, but inwardly, he did not trust that explanation one bit.
There’s something going on. The empress is hiding some purpose of her own.
When Lee Yu-seong drew the sacred sword, Kaijin had realized without question that he was a hero. And yet he had still challenged him, as if to confirm it for himself.
And the timing of the empress’s appearance had felt oddly arranged, almost as though it had been staged.
I still don’t know.
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