Chapter 113
Chapter 113
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Banquet Time (3)
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I looked down pityingly at the slave knight and baron descending below.
Watching him, I felt like I was choking too.
‘Come to think of it, my throat’s been itchy since yesterday... Am I catching a cold?’
I left the railing and strolled down the corridor.
Then, two imperial knights patrolling nearby caught my eye.
‘On patrol, huh.’
Soon, they met my gaze.
They approached with friendly expressions.
“You’re Sir Veil Mikhail, right?”
“Yes, that’s me... What’s this about?”
When I asked, the knights exchanged glances and nodded quietly.
“The Prime Minister wishes to see you for a moment.”
The Prime Minister...?
I tilted my head, as there was no particular reason for him to summon me.
“We heard he’s issuing a commendation for eliminating the terrorist ringleaders last night.”
The knights, usually stern and disciplined, spoke with awkward smiles.
Somehow uneasily.
“Understood. Where should I go?”
“Please follow us.”
Dazedly, I followed the two knights down the heavenly palace corridor.
There, nobles from the Eastern Kingdom were chatting quietly among themselves.
Men wearing turbans and flowing silk robes.
Their appearance looked suspiciously like they were plotting something.
“When does the meeting with Lydia start?”
“It’ll begin soon, Your Highness.”
They were discussing Hakim’s extradition and Lydia’s legitimacy when they noticed me.
“Shall I summon all the prepared nobles in advance?”
“Hush, there are eyes watching. Let’s talk elsewhere.”
The one who seemed to be the prince and his attendants turned away upon seeing us.
And headed to an even shadier spot.
‘Lydia’s in for some trouble again.’
Even after dealing with Hakim, Lydia had to compete with other royals in the kingdom because she was a woman.
They were probably debating that issue.
“This way.”
The knights passed the nobles indifferently.
We turned a corner. Unlike the bustling party hall, a very quiet garden came into view.
As if someone had arranged it so no one else could approach.
“Not there yet?”
“We’ve arrived.”
Unlike when they smiled earlier, the knights now looked coldly stern.
They led me to a very quiet conference room.
“Please go inside.”
The door opened.
And the moment I entered.
“Your Majesty, I’ve brought Veil Mikhail.”
「Good, you’ve done well. Now leave us.」
As I entered, the imperial knights firmly closed the wooden door.
And stood guard at the entrance like sentries.
「You look flustered, Mikhail.」
“I greet Your Imperial Majesty.”
I carefully bowed my head.
When I lifted it again.
I faced the Emperor standing solemnly in the center of the conference room and an elderly man with white hair.
He wasn’t just any old man.
I could sense intensely dense mana emanating from his body.
From that mana, I instinctively knew.
He was an archmage.
「This is Godfrey, the Sage of the White Tower.」
“Pleased to meet you, Sir Veil.”
The sage was clearly smiling.
Yet, his face radiated such profound wisdom that it inspired humility.
“It’s truly an honor to meet both of you.”
「Hm, is that sincere? I showed up instead of the Prime Minister summoning you—aren’t you surprised?」
I blankly looked up at the Emperor, who stood with arms crossed alone.
「Mosian said you’d try to avoid meeting me at all costs. So I borrowed his name.」
The imperial Prime Minister...
Thinking about it, he was quite the sly fox.
「I summoned you to hear the full details of last night’s terrorist incident.」
‘The full details?’
The Emperor must have already received reports on the incident.
Yet he called me anyway...
‘He’s not grilling me for killing the ringleader instead of capturing him alive, is he...?’
Even so.
In that situation, saving the guy was nearly impossible.
How do you stop a human bomb who set himself ablaze!
“I understand, Your Majesty. I shall answer humbly to any questions.”
「….」
The Emperor glared down at me with the fierce eyes of an angry lion.
Then, he snapped his thick fingers.
￣￣￣!
At that moment.
Intense grand aura mana began to envelop the dim conference room entirely.
「Godfrey, begin.」
“Very well.”
At the Emperor’s command, the grand sage drew a wooden staff.
He lightly struck the floor with both hands gripping the staff.
With a clear chime, blue mana coated the Emperor’s barrier.
As if reinforcing the aura.
‘Impressive... A joint barrier from the Emperor and the grand sage.’
What on earth were they planning to discuss with me?
I swallowed deeply.
And faced the ruler of the continent in the perfectly soundproofed space.
「Veil Mikhail. From now on, not a single word you say can contain even a hint of falsehood.」
The Emperor spoke in a stern voice like a grand inquisitor.
Then, he approached me alongside the grand sage.
“How could I ever lie to Your Majesty?”
I knelt and awaited his command.
「Godfrey...」
The Emperor raised his hand into the air.
He looked down at me with an annoyed expression and said.
「Begin the confession magic.」
The grand sage reached his hand toward my shoulder.
The moment his touch landed.
“From now on, if you lie, the magic circle will glow red.”
A circular magic circle appeared beneath the space where I knelt.
“Blue for truth. So, answer my friend’s questions honestly.”
“Understood...”
The Emperor looked satisfied at me kneeling.
Then, he began the real interrogation.
「Very well, my first question.」
I looked up at him with resolute eyes.
The Emperor asked firmly.
「Last night, when you were trapped in the rubble with Irina—what did you do to that girl!!」
‘Huh...?’
An unexpected question shot out.
I made a bewildered face.
「Ever since she was trapped with you, that girl keeps smiling at me!!」
Isn’t a daughter smiling at her father a good thing?
I asked him with puzzled eyes.
“Is... is smiling wrong...?”
「That girl has never once smiled at me like a proper lady!!」
At the Emperor’s shout, Godfrey standing beside nodded.
“Irina’s always been expressionless around Leon since she was little. Something did change after that day.”
He’d watched Irina for so long that he vaguely sensed the oddity.
「And that icy girl not only smiles brightly but starts dressing immodestly too!!」
A vein bulged in the Emperor’s neck.
One wrong move, and he’d collapse from high blood pressure before any poisoning.
「It has to be your fault...! Tell me right now!!」
Was this the same man who’d just solemnly opened the ceremony?
He pressed me repeatedly with a deadly serious face.
“Ugh...”
As I gave no answer, the grand sage’s confession magic began to react.
My lips itched maddeningly.
“Understood...”
I exhaled deeply.
And honestly recounted what happened with Irina in the rubble.
“When Irina and I were trapped, we first confirmed each other were safe.”
As I spoke calmly, the magic circle hummed.
Blue light—truth.
「Continue.」
“Irina used her last grand aura power to protect me.”
The Emperor’s eyebrow twitched at those words.
She’d used the precious power inherited from him for my sake.
「….」
The Emperor closed his eyes briefly.
But he acknowledged I’d rushed in to help her and decided to accept it for now.
“I thanked her for it. Then, hearing sounds of rescue from above, we rested.”
The magic circle glowed blue again.
“That was all. I truly lost consciousness after, so I know nothing more.”
I confessed as politely as possible.
The magic circle still sparkled blue.
「Is that really all...?」
The Emperor bit his lip after hearing me.
A wholesome answer far from what he’d imagined.
This alone didn’t explain his daughter acting like a lady.
「Godfrey, is all that true?」
“Everyone can see you doubt my magic. Sir Veil speaks only truth.”
Only then did the Emperor sigh deeply at his friend’s words.
And asked him to end the spell.
「Sorry, Mikhail. You were the only one I suspected...」
“No, Your Majesty. But has Irina changed that much from her usual self?”
I rose from my knees and asked.
The Emperor nodded flatly.
「Yes, the simple girl who only wore plain old dresses now wears tight outfits that show off her figure...」
The Emperor muttered like a familiar father.
「And today’s dress... I didn’t show it, but it was dizzyingly revealing...」
He slumped into a council chair.
And sighed deeply, cradling his forehead.
“Irina’s twenty now. It’s that age where girls care a lot about their looks.”
「You wouldn’t know without a daughter. You’d react the same in my place.」
The Emperor waved off his friend.
The sage had remained unmarried past sixty.
“Indeed, Your Majesty. I fully understand your feelings.”
I slipped into their conversation.
And replied with a bright smile.
“But please know I’m innocent too.”
「Thank you, Veil. I nearly doubted your loyalty.」
The Emperor returned to his benevolent sovereign demeanor.
And in the secret chamber, he approvingly regarded me as one without ill intentions toward Irina.
「Actually, I didn’t call you just to interrogate you.」
Leonhardt cleared his throat.
Then asked again with the dignified gaze of a conqueror king.
「I meant to separately commend you for slaying the terrorist ringleader.」
‘If those two had any real issue, my head would’ve rolled before merits mattered...’
「Come, name your reward. You’ve earned a great one.」
The Emperor extended his massive palm.
Promising me anything.
「Lands if you want lands, gold if you want gold—I’ll grant it at once.」
I pursed my lips at his words.
I already had lands next to Leah’s villa.
Gold from Camilla whenever needed, mansion paid by Irina.
Crops were set for Lydia’s eastern markets.
“I...”
What did I need right now?
“I request the remains of the deceased terrorist ringleader.”
It was absolute ‘trust’ from the Emperor.
「What...?」
“That’s right. Even after taking his life, I failed to prevent the explosion.”
I placed my fist over my left chest.
And answered flatly with the sharp eyes of a soldier.
“So, I plan to study the dead man’s curse and report countermeasures to the military.”
This time, the Emperor and grand sage looked stunned.
They snorted at each other in disbelief.
「You’re saying that’s your reward?」
“Yes. It’s vital to me, so I’d be grateful for your gracious understanding.”
I humbly gazed at the conference room floor.
“Leon, our eyes must be getting dim.”
The grand sage chuckled at the Emperor.
“To suspect such a loyal servant as a lecherous scoundrel. It shames me.”
「….」
The Emperor was speechless at his old friend’s words.
He furrowed his brow at my attitude of serving the empire over rewards.
「Yes... You’re so sly, I thought you were a fox like me... I was gravely mistaken.」
The conqueror king felt ashamed of his actions.
He extended his palm and granted permission.
「Very well, Mikhail. You’ll have all traces of the dead ringleader as wished. But report curse research results to the academy.」
“As you command!”
I responded to the Emperor’s order.
Inside, I relished landing one on the continent’s ruler.
「But that alone hardly counts as a reward. Since you refused, I’ll grant something separately at my discretion.」
“At your discretion...?”
「Yes. Honoring your service in protecting imperial blood, expect something worthy.」
Certainly good news.
But for some reason, a chill ran down my spine.
‘No need to give extra...’
My senses, honed crossing frontlines, detected something ominous.
「Keep serving the empire diligently henceforth, Mikhail.」
The Emperor chuckled and ordered me out.
Thanks to that, I escaped the conference room.
“Thank you, Your Majesty...”
「….」
After I left, the Emperor and grand sage remained.
The sage smiled warmly at his friend and asked.
“Extra rewards on top? That’s not like you.”
「You think so?」
“Yes. When you called me, you suspected him madly.”
The Emperor chuckled at the sage’s question.
「I still do.」
“Then surely...”
The wisdom-filled sage’s eyes caught the Emperor’s intent.
In response, the Emperor said flatly.
「Suspicious yet highly capable. So I’ll keep him close and watch from now on.」
“Planning a title then?”
The sage chuckled and prepared to leave.
The Emperor curled his lips slyly, blue eyes flashing.
「Yes, that’ll tie him to the capital.」
“To what rank?”
Leonhardt rose.
Arms behind his back, he grinned fiercely.
「Hmm, ‘baron’ should do nicely.」
He’d captured Hakim, who nearly plunged the east into civil war.
And eliminated a palace terrorist.
Plus, he held grand master talent.
How could they let such talent slip away?
「Once a noble tasting wealth and beautiful ladies, he won’t escape easily.」
The Emperor laughed like a tyrant.
「Sire six or seven kids, and he’s ours forever.」
His laughter boomed through the conference room.
The grand sage watched his friend with an odd gaze.
As if there were words left unsaid from the interrogation.