Imperial Banquet (5)
I still lingered in front of the portrait, taking it all in. It had been ages since I'd seen a Korean face. They say running into someone from your homeland in a foreign land always lifts your spirits, right? Same principle here. Sure, we shared a nation in our past lives, but the worlds were different—no real connection.
"Kyle, investigation's done!"
Rana appeared just then, having wrapped up her questioning. As Ariel had predicted, it hadn't taken long.
"Come on over. Nothing rough in the interrogation room?"
"Nope, everyone was super nice."
"Good to hear."
Probably thanks to the princess's word and Ratral's watchful eye as her grandfather—they wouldn't dare get aggressive. Though they might've given the banquet guests a bit of a hard time. It had ended without casualties, but a royal had been seriously hurt.
"Huh? Kyle, you've been staring at the founding emperor this whole time?"
"Yeah."
"Even before I got here. You seem really into him."
"Hard not to be. The face alone is unique."
"The founding emperor was special," Rana agreed with a nod.
The far east of the continent definitely had an Eastern vibe, but not to the point of the facial features. Everyone on the continent looked what you'd call Western.
"Just look at the amusement park. How'd he even dream that up? I read in a book once that thanks to him, the continent's living standards and culture skyrocketed. Magic goes without saying. A genius like him won't come around again."
Rana gushed with admiration for the founding emperor. But the truth was far from it. He'd just wanted to recreate modern conveniences in a fantasy world. The stimulating cola drinks, the amusement parks still novel after centuries, the wristwatches used at Tianis Academy—they all stemmed from his personal desires. Calling him a genius was a stretch; he merely implemented what already existed.
Of course, magic had advanced leaps and bounds in the process. His spells were an entirely new breed. Still, I didn't want to shatter Rana's illusions, so I kept quiet.
"But Kyle, you know what?"
"What?"
Rana sidled up close, whispering right in my ear.
"I'm only telling you this 'cause it's you... The founding emperor? He's actually still alive. I met him once when I visited the palace as a kid."
I dropped my head with a sigh and gently pushed her back a step.
"Mm... First off, thanks for trusting me enough to share. But Rana."
"Yeah? What?"
"Didn't anyone tell you to keep it quiet? Like, don't tell anyone?"
"Ah!"
Rana clapped a hand over her mouth, her face flushing with embarrassment.
"K-Kyle, what do we do...? He said it was a secret. What if he's listening...?!"
"Nah, we'll be fine."
Even if it got out, nothing catastrophic would happen. The secrecy was just so his descendants wouldn't pry. A transcendent mage wouldn't die that easily anyway.
"Ugh, I messed up again."
Rana, oblivious to the truth, sank into self-recrimination. Two slip-ups in a week had her down.
I patted her reassuringly.
"Don't sweat it."
"I keep messing up around you..."
"It's no big deal."
She'd only shared out of goodwill, seeing my interest in the emperor.
"Hyungnim, there you are!"
Evan popped up right on cue. His timing was usually awful, but spot-on today.
"Investigation go smoothly?"
"Of course."
"Hey, Evan junior!"
"Rana sunbae finished early?"
With Evan there, Rana snapped back to her bubbly self. Didn't want to look bad in front of a junior, apparently.
"I was kinda nervous about the 'investigation,' but it was a breeze."
"What'd you imagine?"
"You know, the whole tied-to-a-chair-with-knights-threatening-you vibe."
"That's more the Holy Kingdom's style."
"Really?"
Unlike what a commoner like Evan might picture, the Empire treated suspects and criminals with a degree of civility. The god-worshipping Holy Kingdom was another story.
Evan's gaze drifted to the portrait.
"Who's this, anyway?"
"The founding emperor."
"Huh? This guy's the founding emperor?"
Evan stared intently, then hummed thoughtfully.
"Hmm... Yeah, definitely..."
"What?"
"Nah, just feels like I've seen that face before."
"Where?"
"Uh... Around the palace? I think someone who brushed past me after the interrogation looked just like that..."
As the original protagonist, he was attuned to spotting the current one. Otherwise, he rarely paid folks much mind, Rana aside.
"Probably seeing things."
"Yeah, figures. No way a guy from 400 years ago is still kicking."
Evan shrugged it off. Rana looked itching to spill, but my glance shut her down. She got the message.
The emperor would reveal himself in time. No need to stir things now.
We chatted a while longer until a knight arrived.
"They said the students' interrogations were wrapping up, so here to fetch us?"
"Guess it's time to go."
No reason to stick around the palace. I'd be coming and going plenty later anyway.
But one thing nagged at me.
"Where's Cloi, though?"
"Uh... No idea? Didn't see her in the interrogation room."
"Haven't seen her in ages either!"
"Haa..."
Where the hell is that girl and what mischief is she up to now?
***
Meanwhile, at the same time.
Crash!!
Glass shattered in the royals-only recovery room. The noise didn't stop there.
"Damn it!! That bastard...!"
Seized by rage, Rayan Tianis hurled whatever he grabbed.
"Prince Rayan, what's—"
A attendant, drawn by the commotion, tried entering.
"I'll handle Rayan. You may go."
"Ah, Prince Kashan."
The first prince, there to check on his brother, intervened. He knew his sibling's temper well—stepping in now would only get someone hurt.
Kashan surveyed the wreckage-strewn room and chided gently.
"Trashing your room like this. What are you thinking?"
Rayan just glared at his brother.
Hoo...
Kashan sighed inwardly. That personality hadn't changed a bit.
Still, as the elder, he couldn't ignore it.
"What exactly set you off?"
"What? That punk tried to kill me! You think we just let him walk?!"
Kashan sighed again at the absurd claim.
"He's an Arden. A house as good as brothers to us. No matter what you say, we can't touch him. Father wouldn't allow it."
To the imperial family, House Arden was untouchable. Messing with them shook the Empire's foundations. Without the Ardens, the Empire as it stood wouldn't exist.
"Besides, there's no proof he harmed you."
"I'm the proof! I nearly died by that fucker's hand!!"
Rayan bellowed, but Kashan couldn't indulge him. He spoke firmly.
"Enough, Rayan."
"......"
The oppressive pressure finally silenced him.
"Even as family, I love you—but some lines can't be crossed. You're teetering on one."
Kashan continued.
"Not as well as Ariel, but don't think I don't know you. I see exactly how you view others."
Ariel had fully grasped Rayan's nature through her abilities. Kashan wasn't far off; he knew his brother's character well enough.
"And Ariel's out for blood. Whatever it takes, drop this and forget today's mess."
He'd just come from talking Ariel down. She was hunting ways to punish Rayan.
They bickered often, but drawing blades made it irreparable. As the eldest, he had to prevent escalation.
With that, Kashan Tianis left the room, offering one last piece of advice.
"Rumor paints him a wastrel, but he's not. Maybe take a page from his book."
Kyle Arden differed sharply from the gossip. His words and deeds seemed roguish, yet kindness lay beneath. Kashan wished his brother were half as decent.
"I'll be going."
The first prince departed.
"......"
The second stared at the door for a long moment, then twisted his face in fury.
"Every last one of them..."
He ground his teeth. The so-called advice was insulting, enraging. He ached to rip out their souls and enslave them.
But the time wasn't ripe. He had to wait for the Day of Revelation.
"Just you wait. When that day comes, I'll..."
Rayan lay on the bed, quietly nursing his rage. Regeneration hadn't fully eased his gut pain.
Someone had witnessed it all: red hair, red eyes. Cloi, unmistakable.
She'd been watching from the recovery room since earlier. But her expression soured.
After stewing, she muttered.
"...Should I kill him?"
Her voice dripped murder. Her red eyes gleamed fiercely.
She burned with unprecedented fury. That scum had laid hands on her senpai.
Months of effort to claim him, all futile against senpai's iron walls.
"And I haven't even..."
Yet that worm had succeeded, if briefly, holding senpai in his grasp.
It infuriated her more. Stealing her precious first.
How long she'd anticipated that moment.
"A mere plaything."
A worthless toy, oblivious to his place, daring to touch someone infinitely superior.
No matter how she turned it over, she couldn't let it slide. She wanted to tear him apart right then.
But he had his uses, so death was off the table. A light punishment, though...
Cloi clasped her hands. Viscous black energy oozed forth—grotesque, primal terror incarnate, overflowing with malice. It drove beings mad.
She channeled it into a spell.
As the magic pierced space toward Rayan—
"Hello, noona."
A child's voice piped up. Cloi halted, turning sharply.
A black-haired boy stood beside her.
A royal kid?
More importantly—when did he sneak up?
Shed been vigilant, yet this kid approached undetected.
No... Royals. Could be...
Royal powers demanded caution, even from her. At around 13, he'd likely awakened his bloodline. Maybe sensory deception.
Even so, she couldn't let a witness walk.
Cloi scattered her seductive aura.
"Little one. Did you see what I was doing?"
"N-No...?"
The boy stammered. Cloi smirked inwardly—kid's obvious at lying.
She cast a spell. His eyes dulled.
"Go back to your room. Got it?"
"Y-Yes..."
He shuffled away. Watching him go, Cloi mused.
"Guess I should head back to senpai~"
The spell had landed, albeit weakly, and her interest waned. She vanished from the palace with magic.
In her wake, the commanded boy halted.
He stared at the empty space.
"That was close."
With a relieved breath, he shed his disguise. His frame grew, features sharpening—back to his true form.
He slicked back his black hair, voice deepening.
"Nearly got our kids killed. Who let a dangerous woman like that in? Hope that's okay."
The man—Kiran Tianis—watched her departure, fretting over his descendants.
His brow furrowed as he murmured.
"A goddess from outside, though..."
Hed sensed the power's origin, plunging into deep thought.
But it didn't last. Even transcendent, those entities were beyond handling.
"Tch, nothing I can do. Leave it to those two."
Kiran's eyes fixed on different targets.
-Hyungnim! Hot dog stand over there? Wanna grab some before we go?
His left eye turned to Evan Felix, fate's nexus.
-Eat your fill.
The other, to someone similar...
"Not sure if they can handle it. Or maybe one side for sure..."
He trailed off, then vanished from the world.