Chapter 114
Chapter 114
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: Summoned to the Palace
-----------------------------------------------------------------
‘I should take this along just in case.’
I rummaged through the pouch to check the ring I’d stored there. It was the one with the Prattroid family crest that I’d obtained from the Arachneira boss room.
I wasn’t sure if I’d have a chance to deliver it, but there was no harm in keeping it with me. It would be great if I could handle it alongside everything else, and even if not, taking it wouldn’t be a loss.
‘After I return from the imperial palace, I might finally have some time.’
Things had certainly turned out well overall, but I hadn’t achieved any of my original goals.
I still hadn’t obtained the rune to dispel the combat fatigue debuff, nor had I taken down all the essential early-story bosses. Yet more tasks kept piling up.
With my stats boosted, I needed to find a new weapon to replace the bloodstained sword, then black magic to pair with that new weapon, and runes to go with that black magic.
My to-do list was already overflowing, and now a mandatory event had cropped up. It was a mountain beyond a mountain.
At least this summons gave me a shot at advancing the main story, so that was a relief. I’d find opportunities for the remaining two essential bosses somehow.
I checked my outfit in the mirror, confirmed there were no issues, and left the room.
‘Is this collar supposed to be this tight?’
I was used to wearing plain cloth tops and pants or leather pants, so suddenly donning a full uniform set felt awkward. Especially the collar—it kept feeling like it was choking me.
As I fiddled with the fabric near my neck, I arrived at the castle gate where the knight commanders were waiting. There they were, still in their white sleeveless tops and dolphin pants.
I knew that was their knight order uniform, but I hadn’t expected them to wear it all the way to an audience with His Imperial Majesty. Meeting the emperor in casual clothes—what a horror.
Unlike when they’d gone to meet the pope, they weren’t wearing armor. According to them, since the purpose was the audience itself rather than protection, armor would be more rude.
They’d worn it fine for the pope, so I wondered what the difference was, but I decided it was some etiquette I didn’t know about.
“I’m here.”
I waved at the knight commanders clustered together fidgeting at the castle gate. All four heads turned toward me at once.
The moment they saw me, their eyes went wide.
Lize stared at me with her jaw practically on the floor, and Erika was much the same. Claudia wasn’t much different, and even Iris looked half-frozen.
Puzzled by their reactions, I spoke up.
“What’s with you all? Why the sudden group freakout?”
“Uh, n-no… your clothes, they suit you so, so well…?”
“Huh?”
I tilted my head at Lize’s stammered words and glanced down at myself. The uniform was mostly black, embroidered with gold thread in places.
It looked far more ornate than Caycilia’s uniform, so I’d subtly asked if it was okay to outshine the emperor. Aurora had laughed herself breathless at that.
She appreciated the high praise for her choice, but there was a limit to flattery, she’d said. I’d ended up lavishly complimenting Aurora’s fashion sense.
But what could I do? It really was that flashy.
My uniform was loaded with decorations, while Caycilia’s had only gold epaulets on the shoulders—otherwise plain black.
Considering she was the emperor of the empire, it was remarkably understated, but apparently not in others’ eyes.
“Hey, Lize. Your jaw’s gonna drop off. You can stare at Delta all you want, but close your mouth or something.”
“…….”
Claudia, the first to recover, reached out and shut Lize’s gaping mouth with her hand. But it popped open again right away, earning an exasperated sigh.
“And what’s with Erika? She’s gone full ditz mode like her sister.”
Erika wore much the same dazed expression as Lize, mouths agape and eyes blank. Sisters really were sisters.
It took a few more minutes for the two to snap out of it.
Once she did, Lize latched onto my arm more fiercely than usual, while Erika kept stealing glances at me.
‘If you wanna look, just look already.’
It wasn’t like it’d wear out.
It reminded me of something Lize had mentioned before. She and Erika might seem nothing alike on the surface, but like true sisters, they had the same taste in men.
For a split second, a ‘no way’ thought crossed my mind, but I brushed it off. Overthinking it would be self-indulgent. Sure, Lize and I had crossed that line, but Erika? No.
The reactions were the same when we arrived at the mansion.
“Wow, I picked this out, but it’s seriously killer. Great rack helps, huh? Didn’t look this good in the store.”
“My lord, you saw it once before—why the fuss again?”
“That’s why I’m fussing more. Duh?”
Aurora nodded repeatedly as she inspected me from all angles the moment she saw me. Iris, unable to bear it, finally cut in.
“My lord. It’s time to depart.”
“Oh, right. Yeah. Look at me, almost screwed up because of Delta.”
“……Is that my fault?”
Ignoring my baffled mutter, Aurora pulled out the teleport scroll tucked among the emperor’s edicts. Iris took it and unfurled it with a rustle.
The mansion’s maids, led by Rana, and the knights who usually guarded the place had come to see us off. Aurora spoke flatly to Rana.
“The mansion’s yours while I’m gone, Rana.”
“Yes, my lord. I’ll meet every expectation.”
No flowery words, but their deep trust shone through.
Rana bowed to Aurora, then peeked up at me. She flinched on her own and hurriedly bowed again.
She still hadn’t shaken off the embarrassment from that joke incident. Fair enough—if I’d joked with someone I wasn’t close to and bombed, I’d suffer for a week too.
Iris, holding the teleport scroll, placed her palm on the magic circle. Mana flowed from her hand into it like it was being absorbed. Her hand glowed blue.
It was an item sold as consumable in the game. It teleported the player to a pre-set location and was ridiculously expensive for a one-use deal.
Of course, in high playthroughs where field drops of EXP and money skyrocketed, you could stock hundreds in your inventory.
Iris drew a blue circle encompassing all six of us—herself included—and lifted her hand from the edge. A pillar of light shot into the sky. The teleport had begun.
“Safe travels.”
Hearing Rana’s final send-off, the familiar sensation I’d felt recently swept over me. My vision flickered, blue flashes overwhelming my eyelids. My eyes shut instinctively, just like before.
The flash faded. I opened my eyes. Vision cleared, revealing the surroundings. The room was more opulently decorated than Aurora’s drawing room—no, than any space I’d ever seen.
It felt like enough gold to match several people’s body weight had gone into decorating just this one room. It glittered so fiercely my eyes hurt.
And it wasn’t just gold—every piece of furniture was encrusted with jewels, a true pinnacle of extravagance.
“…….”
While I was overwhelmed, the knight commanders looked around with faintly awed expressions. It had been years since they’d returned to the imperial palace, so the nostalgia hit fresh.
“What do you think?”
As I scanned the interior, someone approached—Aurora.
“It’s incredible in every way. Is the whole palace like this?”
“Hmm… This is like our mansion’s drawing room, so it’s extra fancy, but other places are pretty much the same. No real difference. The central hall where my aunt stays and her bedroom are several times more lavish than this.”
“A bedroom flashier than this? Can anyone even sleep there?”
“Dunno. Ask His Majesty yourself during the audience.”
I shot her a ‘are you sane?’ look, and she burst into giggles. Ignoring her, I glanced at the antique grandfather clock dominating one corner.
Fifteen minutes remained until the emperor’s appointed time. As I moved to sink into the sofa, a knock echoed from the drawing room door.
The knight commanders froze in place reflexively, faces saying ‘it’s finally here.’
Me? I thought there was still time before the emperor’s schedule and headed for the door. Caycilia didn’t strike me as the type to call early.
Before I could open it, someone flung it wide from outside with all their might.