Goryeoknanshin

Five o'clock sharp—off work. Weekends off. Those were the ironclad rules I'd set for myself, on Chairman Boyer's advice. If I tried to counsel ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠every single person lining up for a session with me, I'd drop dead before long. Ever since I'd introduced the regional lottery currency and exclusive high-society consultation tickets, Lord Albio had respected my work-life balance perfectly. No more weekend pleas from bigwigs begging me to make time like before.

But...

"Aiden."

"Yes, my lord."

"Seems like the time has come to make an exception to the rules."

"I agree. This... this qualifies as an exception."

Rules were made to be broken, after all.

A consultation ticket. And a small letter.

The problem was that the letter had been delivered by none other than the Argos Chief of the Empire's Central Intelligence Bureau. Short and to the point. But impossible to refuse.

"I'll go. This Saturday."

"Safe travels. You've got me shaking in my boots already."

"Nothing to worry about, my lord. Don't fret. Think about my abilities. His Majesty clearly needs a consultation."

"Right. Yeah, must be."

"Of course."

I gave the count a calm smile, offering what reassurance I could.

"Mirien, relax. There's nothing to worry about."

But in bed, I couldn't quite manage that same calm reassurance. As I'd said, Mirien was paranoid. She was getting better, but not fully cured—and unfortunately, my news about meeting the emperor had triggered a relapse.

"He's going to kill you. I am a monarch myself, so I know. The emperor has no debt of salvation to you, no reason to keep you close. He's summoning you to dispose of you quietly!"

"If that were the case, he'd have done it ages ago. Long before I even met you, Mirien. He needs advice. Don't think the worst."

"How can you say that! That intelligence chief threatened you when he delivered it!"

"It was a test. Not a threat."

"That's a threat, you fool!"

Mirien leaned her head against the pillow in frustration.

"Pack up your life in Yurtel and come to Kaien right now. I can protect you. We can withstand even if the Empire declares war. Kaien's warriors possess formidable might."

"I'm staying here, Mirien. You know that. This is my hometown."

"But that emperor...!"

"Enough. No need ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to be so anxious."

I pulled her into a tight embrace. As I stroked her hair, her huffy breaths gradually steadied. She hugged me back fiercely.

"You'll really be fine?"

"If he wanted me dead, he'd have done it by now. Before I rose to fame in that public debate with Iris. Killing me then would have been the smart move. The Empire's ruler won't ignore how that would sour relations with Kaien."

"Right. Yeah, surely."

"Exactly. So don't worry. I'll be back safe and sound."

Mirien nodded. She kissed me. The problem was, it wasn't some chaste peck—it was the deep, sticky kind, tongues invading.

"Rest well tonight and come back unscathed."

"Thanks, Mirien."

"They say it's good to exercise before bed if you want sound sleep."

Every man I knew loved groping a woman's breasts. And women, it seemed, were no different. Mirien... she loved fondling mine. Said it felt nice and squishy. Her hand slipped into my pants like it was the most natural thing.

"Let's do it. You've slaved away all day. I need your special comfort, Aiden."

"Mirien, can't we just have one normal night...?"

"Get hard."

Back in my previous life in Korea, some guy online claimed women had lower libidos than men. What a lie. Women's desires burned just as hot—sometimes hotter. And I confirmed it every damn day, whether I liked it or not.

Teleportation magic was exorbitantly expensive and fiendishly complex. Naturally, an average person might never experience it in a lifetime. And I was no longer average in the Empire.

"Feeling dizzy?"

The court mage's gentle voice made me stagger against the wall.

"A bit... more than a bit dizzy."

"First time riding it. You'll get used to it."

The court mage patted my back. It took about three minutes before I steadied. Only then could I fully take in the sight before me.

The imperial palace. Vast, opulent, majestic. The kind of place that cowed you just by existing.

"Follow me. His Majesty awaits."

I carefully stood and trailed the court mage. Through long corridors and halls, we delved deeper into the palace's heart. Ordinary maids and butlers faded away, replaced by heavily armored knights and security agents armed with rifles and pistols. Standing among them was a familiar yet unfamiliar face.

"Good to see you again, Director."

Unlike his old-man disguise last time, the Central Intelligence Director—Argos Chief—now stood in his true form: a sharp-suited, icy demeanor. He approached cautiously.

"A quick pat-down, if you please. Standard for everyone."

"Understood."

"Not carrying a supreme darkness spirit like before, I hope?"

So he knew.

"I asked Mirien to dispel it."

"Wise. No weapons, no magic, no spirits before His Majesty."

After a simple search, the director stepped back. The door opened.

"His Majesty awaits. Enter."

I stepped inside slowly. The door shut behind me.

A round, domed chamber. Just a sofa, a tea table, and one young, handsome man in his twenties.

The emperor. Ruler of the Empire. Dictator. His word created ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and erased laws. He commanded over two million troops, tens of thousands of knights, strategic mages, missiles, bombers, fighters, fleets.

The emperor rose and approached. I met his gaze squarely. He met mine head-on. No words. No greetings. No sizing each other up.

Finally...

"You look in pain."

His words snapped me to it—I wasn't crying tears, but blood from my eyes.

How could it not? The being before me wore human form but wasn't human.

"How do I appear to you?"

I wiped the bloody tears hastily as he pressed.

How? First time for me too.

"...Like a man doing a handstand, upside down."

Human-shaped, but not human. No properly sane person approaches doing an inverted handstand.

A memory from my past life surfaced—a talk with Mom.

Goryeoknanshin. Name of some famous webnovel author's wuxia too, but originally Confucius from the Analects. Never thought I'd encounter one right here in the palace.

"An upside-down handstander. Amusing way to put it."

The emperor chuckled lowly. He led me to the sofa and sat opposite. He carefully placed a tissue in my hand.

"Wipe the blood."

His voice was calm, manner polite. But exactly like with the director—nay, several times heavier. The weight in every word was suffocating.

"You read people's pasts and futures, yes? Then let's start with the past. Who do you think I am?"

I took a deep breath. Heavy. Terrifying. But no need to tremble excessively. Scanning his past, he wasn't someone to fear—he needed my help. Like any other client.

"Your Majesty takes human form but is not human."

"Elaborate."

"Born from deliberate human modification, eugenics, the pinnacle of magitech engineering and genetic science. That's Your Majesty."

I met his eyes squarely.

"Your Majesty is a homunculus. More precisely, an artificial philosopher king crafted for the Empire's governance."

Plato's philosopher-kings. And here was one, artificially created for that very ideal.

The emperor smiled.

"Impressive. You've pierced one of the imperial family's deepest secrets at a glance. Seen the past—now the future, then. I'm curious how mine turns out."

I shook my head.

"Impossible to see Your Majesty's future."

"Why?"

"Prophecy works only with fixed futures. For Your Majesty, present and future are one. Only Your Majesty's will matters."

Humans can't fully control their lives by will alone—external factors, inherent frailty. They excel in spots but have weaknesses leading to inevitable fates. I just read and relay those.

But this being had no fixed future. No weaknesses, no faltering will. He shaped futures as he desired. Too many possibilities, unfixed—physically impossible to list them all.

"I see. Then our meeting today is meaningless. You've learned the family's greatest secret, yet can't divine my future."

A chilling line slipped out with a soft smile. But I didn't flinch. Once you fully grasp someone's past, fear vanishes—like with the director.

"Can't see Your Majesty's future. But I'm still essential to you."

"How so?"

"Can't see yours, but I can see the Empire's. Unlike you, the Empire has a fixed future. Its sheer scale forces inevitable events."

I stared him down. He didn't rebuke my boldness, just smiled amusedly.

"Your Majesty is a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠perfect calculator for running the Empire. But even perfect machines yield flawed results from incomplete inputs. You summoned me to fill those gaps, didn't you?"

The emperor burst into laughter—refreshing, like with an old friend. Yet still... oppressively heavy and fearsome.

"Correct, great sage. I've watched your power for ages. To see if you differed from frauds peddling fake prophecies or mundane seers with banal conclusions. And indeed, you do. You're special."

"Let me use my ability to aid Your Majesty. Permit me to serve the Empire."

"Why? Why help the Empire?"

"I love my hometown Yurtel. Hot springs galore, stunning scenery—a beautiful city. The lord's a fine man, steeped in virtue after long years. I want it to prosper. And for that, the Empire must thrive."

I stood and bowed.

"Use me. A perfect calculator needs perfect inputs. I can provide them."

The emperor laughed again.

"At ease. Sit."

I sat. He handed me a document.

"The Red Alliance has flooded the Empire with spies. Argos caught a few recently. Interrogation revealed they're eavesdropping on my conversations. The problem... we have no idea how."

I cautiously opened the file. "Top Secret" in red glared ominously, but hey—emperor's permission.

"I need your help. Can you uncover their eavesdropping method?"

I smiled.

Can I?

"Let me meet the captured spy, Your Majesty. Do that, and I'll tell you—his entire past."

Of course I could.