Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Final Boss?
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Me?
"Hmm. So Fenrir was ultimately subjugated after all. And by the empire's new master, no less."
A man shrouded entirely in a black robe muttered in a flat voice as he read the newspaper.
Empire's War Hero! Marquis Banus's Latest Heroic Deed!
A few days ago, an unfortunate incident occurred during the hunting festival hosted in the name of the imperial family. The hunting festival has been held once a year for hundreds of years since the founding of the empire, serving as an event for nobles and the imperial family to foster harmony and ensure the stable governance of the empire.
Yet, an accident struck at this centuries-old tradition. Demonic beasts enhanced by demonic energy appeared, followed by Fenrir, a mythical beast from legend.
This sudden assault left several nobles with life-threatening injuries. However, the situation was resolved when Marquis Banus—the empire's greatest genius and youngest Sword Master—stepped in personally.
"Hoo... He sliced through the demonic beasts with a single sword stroke and crushed Fenrir effortlessly..."
—It was supposed to be a decent test subject, though.
The man in the black robe muttered slyly.
"Was a being created from the remnants of the past simply not enough to take on a true Sword Master after all?"
Sword Masters were Sword Masters, without a doubt.
Superhumans who could cleave mountains and part seas with a single sword. Yujin Banus was an unparalleled genius even among them.
The robed man sighed and tapped the desk.
"Hmm... Haah, we're still short on samples. Samples..."
Was it simply because he was a Sword Master that they couldn't win? Or was it because the 'half-baked' Fenrir was made from ancient remnants to begin with...?
Even so, it was Fenrir—the one said to have 'bitten a god to death.' He had expected it to kill at least one Sword Master, half-baked or not.
"This means I have to rethink everything. What a hassle."
If they couldn't handle humanity's pinnacle of martial prowess—the Sword Masters and Archmages—then their plan to bring the demon realm to the surface would grind to a halt.
"But that's beside the point..."
The robed man thought of the foolish man who had been aiding their plan.
The idiot who thought they were using each other, when in reality, he was the one being used.
Pfft—
"So, what do you think the Northern Grand Duke will do next? Keep trying to 'use' us?"
It would be ideal if he stayed oblivious and kept letting them exploit him. Having a high-ranking imperial noble in their pocket offered tremendous advantages.
"..."
"Oh dear, it feels awkward talking to myself."
"..."
The robed man glanced to the side.
There sat another figure cloaked in a robe that hid their body and face.
However, the curvaceous form suggested it was a woman, and the faint glimpse of red hair peeking from the robe hinted that she had crimson locks.
The robed man chuckled.
"Haha. You're as taciturn as ever, Wrath."
The woman in the robe—Wrath—flashed her signature golden eyes from within the hood.
"...You're one to talk, Greed."
Greed put on an innocent, baffled expression, as if he had no idea what she meant.
"Hmm? What did I do? I was just hoping the new Wrath—that's you—would open up to us a bit more. It's been over a year since you rose from a lowly insect to Wrath, hasn't it? We're still so distant."
Twitch—
"...I have no intention of getting close to the likes of you."
"Oh? That's hurtful. So, you'll get close to the others but not me? Or is this some priestess pride thing?"
Greed kept prodding at Wrath's nerves.
"..."
Wrath clicked her tongue softly and turned away.
As if she wanted nothing to do with something so filthy. In an instant, she dissolved into golden mist and vanished.
Left alone, Greed stared at the spot where Wrath had disappeared.
"What an amusing girl."
That prickly attitude... Didn't it make him want to pin her down on the bed just once? She was a pure virgin who had never been touched by another man, no less.
Of course, if asked how he knew she was pure...
"It's not like I've checked personally."
It was because she had touched a unicorn's horn during the process of becoming one of Pandemonium's Seven Deadly Sins Seats, Wrath.
The real horn had shone brilliantly.
Every time he thought about it, he felt a surge down below. He wanted to throw her on the bed right then and there...
'Too bad.'
Unfortunately, she was far too strong to bed. It hadn't even been a year since she became Wrath, and she was already itching to challenge Envy.
"We take it slow. Nice and steady."
Everything had its order, after all.
He chuckled dryly and picked up another newspaper from the desk.
"Oh? A medal ceremony..."
Medal Ceremony for Heroes! The Empire Never Forgets Its Heroes' Sacrifices
An Incident Is Just an Incident—The Empire Remains Great! Martial Tournament the Day After the Medal Ceremony!
"As expected of the empire's emperor."
He muttered something enigmatic.
Pfft—
"Well then, shall we make a bit of a scene?"
With that, Greed's body dissolved into black mist and vanished.
Rumble, rumble—
Yujin was at the grand plaza in the capital. It was teeming with countless imperial citizens.
People from the capital and the provinces alike had gathered. Notably, in this romance-fantasy world, magic-powered trains existed, making it possible for folks to travel from all over.
If only cars existed too, it'd be perfect...
'That's probably too much.'
Anyway, the reason everyone had gathered today was the medal ceremony.
What medal ceremony out of nowhere?
...Explaining that would take us back two days.
Yujin had received an imperial decree and visited the palace.
Like last time, it was a summons saying there were matters to discuss.
He entered the reception room where the emperor awaited, but...
"Lucia?"
The first thing he saw upon entering was indeed imperial family, but not the emperor.
It was Lucia.
"Ah, you've arrived? Hehe."
Lucia flashed him a seductive smile. For some reason, looking at her brought back memories of their first meeting.
Lucia, exchanging greetings amid the emperor's sudden marriage proposal.
Back then, he'd been flustered and wondered if he'd followed the wrong lead...
Now, it was whatever.
The initial shock had passed, and after Irene and Lucia had come to an amicable agreement, he'd simply accepted it.
'I should ask what they talked about back then.'
He had his suspicions, but without hearing it from them directly, it was just guesswork.
'...While I'm at it, I should ask why they like me too.'
He really needed to corner them and ask sometime.
Not now, though. The atmosphere wasn't right since he'd come on imperial business.
"Hehe, are you flustered because it's me, Yujin?"
"...A little."
Surely the emperor hadn't summoned him just to chat with his daughter again?
Thinking that, the imperial decree's wording felt spot-on, no lies there.
Even if it wasn't the emperor, talking with a princess counted for something...
"Of course, I didn't call you here for no reason. Things have been busy cleaning up after the Fenrir incident last time."
Fenrir incident.
That seemed to be what people were calling the hunting festival fiasco.
"Then the reason for summoning me today is..."
"Exactly. It's related to wrapping up the Fenrir incident."
As expected.
Yujin nodded firmly.
"What I need to do is—"
"—Just tell me their location, and I'll kill them all."
He said in a sharp voice.
"Where are the culprits?"
Or culprits, plural?
In Yujin's mind, scenarios of massacring the Fenrir incident's masterminds were already playing out. Give him the targets' locations, and he'd charge in, no questions asked, swords swinging.
Lucia shook her head, as if that wasn't it.
"No, Yujin."
"Hm?"
Not it?
Yujin thought coolly.
What value did he hold right now?
Political power?
He was a marquis, a high noble, but bluntly speaking, his faction and foundations were still weak, so his political influence was lacking.
'That'll build up over time.'
So what was Yujin's true value?
His overwhelming martial prowess.
The power to annihilate legions single-handedly and reshape terrain. That was his greatest asset...
'Not that?'
"You look curious."
"That obvious?"
"Hm... Less your expression, more a woman's intuition?"
"I see."
Yujin nodded.
"So, what is it I need to do?"
"A medal ceremony."
"Medal ceremony?"
"Yes. We're holding an event to award medals to the empire's heroes, to divert the nobles' and citizens' attention elsewhere."
"Hmm... Got it."
From time immemorial on Earth, those in power had always distracted the masses from scandals. That ancient tradition worked here too, apparently.
"And the day after, I'd like you to attend the martial tournament. As the final boss vibe."
"Sure... What?"
Final boss?
Me?