The Imperial Hearing (4)
Ugh, my head.
The moment she opened her eyes, a vicious headache slammed into her like a warhammer. Wolfgang let out a low groan as the pain threatened to split her skull in two. The throbbing temples, the churning stomach—symptoms she knew all too well. It didn’t take long to recognize the culprit: a brutal hangover.
She couldn’t have missed it if she tried. Hangovers had been her sworn enemy even before the possession, and her new life as Wolfgang Leonhardt hadn’t changed that fact one bit.
Clutching her pounding head, she tried to piece together the events of the previous night. The hearing had shattered her hopes of an honorable discharge. Devastated, she had stormed off, grabbed every bottle in sight—wine, beer, honey mead, anything with alcohol—and drank until the world went black. The last thing she remembered was downing the sixth bottle in one go.
In the end, all she had earned for her trouble was this merciless hangover.
“If I touch another drop of alcohol, I’m no longer human,” she muttered, repeating a vow she had already lost count of.
With great effort, Wolfgang pushed herself upright, only to collapse again as the room spun violently. Her full breasts swayed heavily with the motion. One of the drinks from last night must have been particularly potent. She was no stranger to hangovers, but six bottles had never laid her out this badly before.
She ended up spending the entire day bedridden. Only after the sun had fully set could she finally move, though her condition remained far from ideal.
Knock. Knock.
While she lay staring blankly at the ceiling, a polite rap on the door announced a visitor. The one who entered was Galina.
“Captain, are you feeling alright?”
“Still a bit hungover.”
“I prepared some honey tea for you.”
“Thank you. Really, Galina, you’re the only one I can rely on.”
It was no coincidence that Galina served as her adjutant. She knew exactly how Wolfgang suffered after drinking and had thoughtfully brewed the tea to help.
Wolfgang took a sip of the warm, sweet liquid. Not bad. Whether it was the honey or simply the comfort of having someone look after her, the lingering headache seemed to ease slightly. She drained the rest of the cup in one go.
“His Majesty has invited you to dinner. How would you like to respond?”
“His Majesty, not ‘the Emperor,’” Wolfgang corrected gently.
“My apologies. However, the only one we owe our loyalty to is you, Captain.”
“At least maintain minimum courtesy when others are present.”
“I will strive to do so.”
Wolfgang nearly jumped out of her skin at how casually Galina had referred to the Emperor by name. Thankfully they were alone. Had anyone else overheard, the situation could have become extremely troublesome.
Dinner, though… She hadn’t felt particularly hungry, but after hearing the invitation, her stomach let out a loud growl. She had not eaten a single thing all day. The decision was made for her.
“We’ll stay in the imperial palace until tomorrow and depart immediately after breakfast.”
“Understood.”
“Where’s Black?”
“Right here, Captain.”
Fuck, that scared me.
Wolfgang had been searching for the missing Black when a dark shape suddenly materialized beside her. It turned out he had been standing guard at the door like a silent sentinel the entire time.
“You stood watch all day?”
“Yes.”
“To be precise, we stood watch together!”
“You didn’t have to go that far.”
“What are you talking about? We came here solely to protect you, Captain!”
The rivalry between Galina and Black was so fierce it was almost painful to watch. They bickered the moment their eyes met, yet when duty called, both performed with flawless efficiency. After all, the reason they had followed Wolfgang in the first place was to guard her against any possible threat.
No one in the Vendetta was foolish enough to let personal feelings interfere with official business.
“In truth, I could have handled it alone,” Black stated flatly.
“What a coincidence. I was about to say the exact same thing.”
“Enough. Both of you, stop fighting. Let’s go eat.”
The problem was that the moment official matters ended, they immediately reverted to being a dog and a monkey. Wolfgang pried the quarreling pair apart and headed straight for the dining hall.
The dinner venue the Emperor had chosen sat at the very top of the imperial palace. A magnificent chandelier hung from the ceiling, crimson carpets covered the floor, and the imperial gardens sprawled beautifully beyond the windows. It felt less like a royal dining room and more like a high-end modern restaurant—though of course no electric lights or contemporary fixtures existed. Still, the atmosphere and table arrangement were remarkably similar.
“Welcome, Captain. Galina and Black, it’s been a while.”
The Emperor—no, Raypen—had already taken his seat and greeted Wolfgang warmly. A glass of wine rested in his hand; it seemed he had started without them.
“It has been some time, Vice Commander,” Galina said politely.
“……”
While Galina maintained a minimum of respect for Raypen’s title, Black glared at him with open hostility.
“I didn’t know the imperial palace had a place like this. Color me impressed.”
“It was originally where the previous Emperor held secret trysts with his concubines. I had it renovated to entertain important guests from across the continent.”
“…You really didn’t need to mention the first part.”
“It’s all in the past now. Please, take your seats. The food will be served shortly.”
True to his word, the moment Raypen finished speaking, a lavish feast prepared especially for the occasion began to arrive. Wine, fruit salad, foie gras as the main course, and even dessert.
“That goose was personally caught by the imperial hunters half a year ago. Its flavor is said to be exceptionally rare.”
“You managed to preserve ingredients this well for six months?”
“The Winter of the Apocalypse affected food preservation terribly. Thanks to that hardship, the Empire’s food-storage magic became the best on the continent. I can’t exactly say I’m grateful for it, though.”
The long winter had instilled in the Empire a deep appreciation for food. Under the imperial family’s leadership, powerful preservation spells and facilities had been developed. As a result, even the liver of a goose killed six months ago tasted as fresh and exquisite as if it had been caught that morning.
Surprisingly, the dinner atmosphere was rather pleasant. Raypen asked about recent events concerning the Vendetta. Wolfgang shared what had happened, and Galina chimed in at appropriate moments.
But the pleasant mood did not last long.
“Raypen von Bahamut.”
Black, who had remained completely silent and untouched his food until now, finally spoke. He addressed the Emperor by his full name, without any title whatsoever.
“Black, didn’t I tell you to show at least basic courtesy?”
“It’s fine, Captain,” Raypen said smoothly. “It seems Black has something he wishes to say. As his Vice Commander, I can spare a moment to listen.”
The deliberate emphasis on his own title made Black’s jaw tighten. He could not accept it. That the person closest to their Captain was this man of all people. If he followed his instincts, he would tear Raypen apart right then and there.
But he refused to show any further disgrace in front of Wolfgang. Forcing himself, Black offered the Emperor a stiff bow.
“Your Majesty the Emperor, forgive my presumption, but are you not extremely busy managing state affairs?”
“I cannot deny that.”
“Moreover, you also serve as Vice Commander of the Vendetta. I worry that your august person may suffer from overwork.”
“Get to the point.”
“It is said that those who take on responsibilities beyond their capacity tend to meet early ends. Would it not be wise to relinquish the position of Vice Commander?”
In simpler terms, he was telling Raypen he was not qualified and should step down. Though wrapped in polite language, the blatant insult caused Raypen’s expression to harden in real time.
“…I see. First, allow me to thank you for your concern.”
“It is nothing, Your Majesty.”
“However, you appear to have forgotten something. Ranks within the Vendetta are not determined by status, but strictly by strength and ability.”
“……”
“You haven’t forgotten why you stand at No. 3, have you?”
This time it was Black’s smirk that froze solid. The two men glared at each other with such intensity that sparks seemed to fly between them. The air grew thick with murderous tension.
Then Raypen snapped his fingers.
The world began to lose all color, turning into shades of black and white.
Raypen smiled. “Though my personal combat ability cannot compare to any member of the Vendetta, my Obsidian Knights are also composed of exceptionally talented individuals.”
“What have you done?” Black demanded.
“I have fixed the space itself. Within this barrier, no matter what we do, the surroundings will not be destroyed, nor will the damage spread outside.”
“Really? In that case…”
“Ah, Captain, I would appreciate it if you stayed out of this. My power is not transcendent enough to withstand your strength.”
Wolfgang had been about to intervene—both to stop the fight and to relieve some of her own stress—but Raypen immediately shut her down. She pouted like a child denied dessert.
Raypen’s gaze returned to Black, who understood the meaning instantly. Without a word, both men kicked their chairs back and rose to their feet.
“I will be taking the Vice Commander position this time. Permanently.”
“It’s about time we straightened out the rankings anyway.”
The two men faced off with zero intention of yielding. Galina watched them with open disgust, then immediately turned away and clung tightly to Wolfgang’s arm with both hands.
“Captain! Pay no attention to those two dark idiots fighting. Why don’t we go take a bath together instead!”
A bath…
…together?
A single sentence. That was all it took to instantly extinguish the blazing hostility between the two men. It was closer to instinct than reason. Though they had never seen her naked, they knew the curves of her body well.
These days her military uniform, reinforced with magic, concealed her generous figure. But during the Winter War she had used compression bandages, and there were many times when even those had been unavailable due to supply shortages. Their imaginations, fueled by primal instinct, immediately painted vivid pictures.
The burning fighting spirit that had flared so hot only moments ago vanished in an instant. Both men quietly returned to their seats.
“Let us postpone this match for another time.”
“…Yes, that would be best.”
The dinner, which had been so heated it seemed ready to explode into violence at any moment, fizzled out anticlimactically. Raypen clicked his tongue and scratched his head.
That Black bastard made me miss my timing. Even though I’m Emperor now, it seems I still haven’t shaken off my competitive streak.
In truth, the real reason he had invited Wolfgang to dinner tonight was something else entirely. Without a word, he reached into his robes and withdrew a letter.
At first glance, it appeared to be an ordinary letter.
Yet the wax seal pressed into it bore the unmistakable shape of a lion—the royal emblem of the Mines Kingdom.