Chapter 291
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: A Languid Afternoon (1)
The resplendent temple at the pinnacle of the central imperial palace.
In one spacious office there, a massive man stood.
Warm sunlight poured into the terrace.
With his hands clasped behind his back, the man leisurely stepped out onto it.
A gentle autumn breeze teased the curtains.
Feeling it on his skin, the emperor approached the terrace railing.
「――――――.」
Stepping outside, a fresh autumn breeze blew in.
The emperor's platinum hair swayed lightly.
Resting one hand on the railing, he gazed down at the splendid capital of the empire.
The peace he and his father had achieved after decades of effort.
Savoring that peace, he closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath.
The chronic poison that had been eating away at his heart had nearly fully recovered thanks to Rozanna's antidote research.
His body felt light, as if he had grown ten years younger.
As if, if he willed it, he could unleash the prowess he'd wielded on the battlefield in his forties.
Quietly taking in the cityscape, he turned his head at the sound of a knock from the main door.
In a stern voice, he said,
「Come in.」
The heavy door slowly opened at his words.
Familiar military boot steps drew steadily closer.
The emperor knew who it was.
How could he not sense the presence of someone who rivaled him, the continent's strongest?
"How have you been faring, Your Majesty?"
At first glance, he had the fox-like face of a man who seemed to adore women.
Yet the more the emperor knew him, the more mysterious he found the man.
To possess such immense power, yet harbor no ambition for authority.
Wanting only enough money to farm, with his sole wish to laze about in bed his whole life.
And yet, whenever trouble arose with his daughters or the empire, he stepped up first to resolve it...
He seemed just like one of those immortals from the East.
Or perhaps a guardian spirit sent by the emperor's late father.
「Indeed, Sir Veil. You've pulled off another fine feat this time.」
"A feat? I merely added a spoon to Lady Lydia's scheme—."
That sly grin as he waved it off.
To show such composure even before the emperor made him seem no ordinary man.
「No need for false modesty. Didn't you personally capture the Smard royal captain who was fleeing?」
"Ah... I was just doing what needed doing."
Leonhardt chuckled at the man's brazen demeanor.
An intellectual glint softened into a faint smile in his eyes.
「Was there no trouble in clashing with him?」
No trouble.
At those words, the pupils of the continent's second Grand Master quivered faintly.
"Ahaha... No trouble at all...!! I just watched the fireworks and dozed off."
「I see... Well, last night's sky was spectacular indeed. Visible even from the Heavenly Palace.」
The emperor chuckled and looked east over the capital alongside Veil.
Then, glancing sideways, he added,
「I hear Lydia has renounced the Smard throne.」
He let out a deep breath.
In a serious tone, he asked again,
「Were you involved in that, by any chance?」
“...”
The man hesitated at the emperor's question.
"I'm not sure. However..."
Veil quickly wiped the mischievous glint from his eyes.
In a voice befitting an imperial knight, resolute and firm, he replied,
"After she said that, Her Highness looked truly at ease."
「....」
It wasn't a claim of his own involvement, nor a lie.
It simply conveyed that the princess's heart found peace in those words.
「I see.」
Satisfied with the response, the emperor nodded slowly.
Fixing his gaze on the man, he asked,
「What are your plans from here on?」
"Are you speaking of me...?"
I pointed to my own chest in return.
Leonhardt spoke as if a sage on the verge of retirement, having grasped all truths.
「Yes, your future.」
Golden lions, silver wolves, and black panther badges adorned his uniform jacket.
Pointing first to the lion, the emperor said,
「Leah will ascend to the throne as the next emperor. Her abilities are already beyond needing successor training.」
In his previous life, the 1st Imperial Princess had fled the empire amid turmoil to build her own kingdom alone.
This life, she would reign as the empire's master.
"Her Highness Leah will do splendidly."
I nodded in agreement.
The emperor then pointed to the silver wolf badge.
「Irina will oversee the empire's northern regions, headed by the Northern Palace. Having managed a knight order alone, she more than qualifies.」
In the past, the 2nd Imperial Princess had been purged and chased, yet never fled.
This life, she became one of the empire's top rulers as a full member of the imperial family.
"I vouch for her. She possesses outstanding leadership and decisiveness."
Smiling as I recalled the princess who had returned to that hell to see me in my dying moments.
With such benevolence, I had no doubt she would excel as a sage ruler.
Leonhardt then mentioned Lydia last.
「Lydia will be appointed Eastern Commander-in-Chief. Her capabilities are proven, so there's no worry there.」
In his previous life, the 3rd Imperial Princess had returned alone to Smard after losing everything.
Now, she stood as a sturdy pillar of the empire, reigning as a proud sovereign.
"You're right. The eastern subjects already all trust Lydia."
The emperor drew a deep breath.
Finally, he regarded me with eyes gentle as if I were his own son.
「And what is it you wish to do?」
The continent's ruler, Leonhardt, extended his hand to me.
At that moment,
A gentle autumn breeze blew beneath the brilliant sunlight.
"I..."
My bangs swayed slowly.
Peering through them with my dark eyes fixed ahead, I told the emperor,
"I want to take a peaceful nap amid this peace I've helped forge with my own hands."
「....」
Amid the rustling breeze, I flashed a grin.
The emperor stared at me in a daze.
A nap.
What an audaciously trivial ambition.
Yet he couldn't press the man for more.
After all, every cornerstone of this peace stemmed from the man before him.
His father, Bertie Mikhail, who had held him back from ruin amid countless regressions and massacres.
Even after regression, his son had aided him endlessly, resolving the misunderstanding with Rozanna.
Perhaps this ambition of a nap he voiced...
Was in truth the most fitting way to savor the achievements he'd wrought.
「So be it.」
The emperor erased from his mind the many positions he'd meant to offer me.
Instead...
「I respect your will.」
He removed the grandest golden lion medal from his own chest.
And firmly pinned it to mine.
"Your Majesty, this..."
I couldn't help but falter, knowing its meaning.
The massive golden lion signified 'member of the imperial family.'
「From now on, you stand equal to the imperial family. Consider it a gift from me, so you can nap in peace.」
I blankly gazed at the resplendent lion now on my uniform.
Soon understanding Leonhardt's intent, I bowed my head in thanks.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
「Then go rest. I'll speak to Valerian beforehand.」
After bowing to the emperor,
I leisurely exited the office.
He silently watched me leave until the door closed.
Alone then, he quietly drew a deep breath.
「A nap, indeed.」
Even hearing it again, the emperor's lips twitched in amusement at the ambition.
Returning to the office, he eyed the long sofa.
「What a trivial yet grand dream.」
Leonhardt had been so consumed by state affairs his whole life that napping hadn't even crossed his mind.
But now, with affairs divided among his daughters and sons, he finally had some leisure.
Unsure how to enjoy it, he decided to emulate the fox who'd just left.
He slowly sat on the sofa, loosening his tie languidly.
「Hoo....」
Always ramrod straight in posture—perhaps that was why.
Even reclining on the sofa to nap felt like a grand rebellion.
「To lounge like this in broad daylight feels so unnerving... How does one even sleep...?」
The emperor cleared his throat, glancing around.
Yet the vast office held only him.
Most approvals were done; Leah, Irina, and Lydia handled the rest admirably.
Liam had safely returned to Smard for throne lessons, and Crown Prince Leon had taken the southern command.
Hakim was quietly imprisoned, leaving truly no issues.
With his thoughts thus settled,
His once sharp, harsh gaze began to soften bit by bit.
「.......」
Tension ebbed away, sleep washing over him.
For the first time in his life, the emperor indulged in a languid afternoon nap.
「――――――」
Awakening in his dream, he found himself in a familiar hillock.
The dream where animals appeared—one he'd had many times before.
Arriving after so long, new emotions stirred in the emperor.
With a calmer heart than before, the mood wasn't so bad.
「How curious, dreaming the same dream twice in a row....」
Barefoot, he slowly tread the grassy field.
The soft, warm sensation lifted the corners of his mouth.
Walking through the woods like that,
A rustling came from a small thicket.
「Hm...?」
Leonhardt furrowed his brow and looked down.
At that moment,
Tiny fluffballs emerged from the thicket, blinking big black eyes.
「Wolves...?」
Adorably tiny pups with silver fur and black eyes.
Known for wariness, they approached the emperor leisurely.
Then rubbed their faces against his legs, expressing affection.
Overwhelmed by this deadly cuteness he'd never seen, the emperor floundered.
"Y-You lot... Where are your dam and sire, coming to me like this...?!"
Even as he spoke, he fretted over accidentally stepping on them.
Gazing wonderingly at the two wolf pups amid repeated nudges, he looked up at new footsteps.
This time, pitch-black panther cubs.
「Black panthers in the woods...?」
Two young black panthers raced toward him at speed.
Wolves clung to his right leg, black fluffballs to his left, lavishing affection.
The emperor looked down with a troubled expression.
But not displeased, he chuckled and stroked their heads.
However,
His fond grandfatherly smile soon faltered.
A massive footfall from the front thicket.
Tensing, he protectively gathered the cute swarm on his legs, eyes sharpening.
At that moment,
――――――!!
Five beasts burst from the thicket.
Golden-furred lion cubs.
「Whoa...!!」
Swept by the onrushing wave, he tumbled onto the grass.
The lions clambered onto his chest, nuzzling his face furiously.
"Off with you, you rascals...!! Oof, so heavy...!!"
Even cubs, lions were hefty individually.
Even he, with restored strength, struggled to dislodge them—their affection was sweetly overwhelming.
「Where on earth did these pop from?!」
The emperor craned his neck to survey around.
Vast shadows began closing in.
「Hm...?」
A sleek black panther, a female wolf, and a lioness had approached unnoticed.
Plus a black-furred fox.
Seeing him as family, they settled lightly beside him, curling up.
They watched fondly as the cubs showered the old man with love.
「Hoo... Hot, so hot...!!」
Like being wrapped in a cozy fur coat, the emperor struggled upright in the warm embrace.
Sighing deeply, he looked around.
Unlike the clearly female panther, wolf, and lioness, the fox was male.
It glanced slyly at him with sharp eyes, then indifferently tucked its head for a nap.
As if its duty were done.
「Hah... Look at that one....」
Unwittingly petting the cubs that had claimed his lap, the emperor clung to wakefulness, trying to make sense of it all in this languid afternoon.
But,
――――――.
Soon, sleep overwhelmed him inevitably.
A moist muzzle pressed against his back.
Turning along it,
The lioness he knew so well and cherished approached.
The emperor slowly turned his head.
At that moment,
The continent's ruler felt an inexplicable surge of joy.
「Rozanna...?」
He murmured blankly, and the lioness gave a gentle smile unbelievable for a beast.
Growling softly, she pressed close beside him.
「Then all these young ones here...」
Only then did the emperor realize this dream was no ordinary one.
Thus, he eyed the sleeping fox at the center of it all.
Reaching toward it,
"Were you calling me...?"
A distant voice from afar jolted his eyes wide.
At that moment,
「Eh...?」
Awakening from the dream, the familiar office ceiling came into view.
But his gaze couldn't fix on the tiles.
For the empire's 1st Imperial Consort, Rozanna, looked down at him.
"You've gotten old too, it seems."
Rozanna's radiant hair cascaded like curtains.
From each silken strand bloomed the fragrance of ripe figs.
"You even dozed off completely."
Only then did the emperor realize he'd fallen asleep on Rozanna's ample thigh.
He bolted upright, stammering excuses.
"M-My apologies, my lady... I was unseemly...."
"It's fine. Seeing this human side of you after so long was rather cute."
Her fond smile at her husband, twenty years her senior.
The mole beneath her eye crinkled with laughter.
"What dream had you so entranced that you called my name in your sleep?"
"Ah, well..."
The emperor candidly recounted his dream to his 1st Imperial Consort.
Rozanna, realizing something, curved her sensual red lips into a sly smile.
"Hmm— I see—."
「Do you sense something?」
Cautiously asking his spiritually attuned consort, she shook her head.
"No— Dreams are beyond even me."
Rozanna said so, then gracefully poured tea with elegant hands.
Gazing intently at her reflection in the liquid,
"Still, it seems a good omen for sure."
「If you say so, then I'll believe it.」
The emperor chuckled, accepting and sipping the tea she offered.
Meanwhile, Rozanna murmured ever so softly to herself.
"Five of them— Leah truly takes after someone, doesn't she—."
Elegantly smiling at whatever the next emperor had in mind, she gazed out the window.
And thought of one man inwardly.
"If the emperor gets pregnant, will the prime minister cover for state affairs?"
The consort chuckled, wondering if that man's modest happiness could come true.
"With five, how much covering would be needed—."