Episode 603
Episode 603
Lee Han and the Skeleton Principal briefly exchanged glances.
The Skeleton Principal spoke with his eyes.
'Don't waver.'
'Understood.'
No matter how imposing the Emperor was, Lee Han's resolve remained unshaken.
He continued speaking exactly as he and the Skeleton Principal had prearranged.
"It's truly delightful."
Einrogard wasn't a place of joy—it was a place that forced races to awaken their magic through suffering...
'No. No wonder he's a dragon!'
Lee Han marveled at the Emperor's wisdom.
Even while secluded in the depths of the palace, the Emperor had accurately grasped Einrogard's true nature.
"Not at all. Einrogard is the Empire's finest magic school. We receive the best education. We are never hungry. We are happy."
'Did they prepare this script in advance?'
"......"
"......"
The master and disciple both felt a pang of guilt inside.
How did he know?
The Emperor spoke as if he didn't particularly care that they were lying.
If they didn't want to speak, they didn't have to. He had only asked out of concern. After all, the Skeleton Principal's disciples had always met tragic fates—whether they tried to burn the continent, burn themselves, or even burn the Skeleton Principal...
"That was ages ago..."
The Skeleton Principal grumbled.
People kept bringing up incidents from the past when magical education was rougher and impatient disciples caused accidents.
From a dragon's perspective, your talent stands out even among the Skeleton Principal's disciples. That's why he hopes you won't burn the continent or yourself. If that happened, it would be a tragedy for all the races of the continent.
'He left out burning the Skeleton Principal, didn't he?'
"Please don't worry. The Wardanaz are different from other disciples."
Is that why you made him face the Ghoul King?
The Emperor yawned, his jaws stretching wide. At the same time, he gave the Skeleton Principal a bored look.
"That wasn't my intention..."
Of course not. Skeleton Principal. Just a coincidence... Though, strangely, there are a lot of coincidences around you...
"......"
The Skeleton Principal felt terribly wronged but held his tongue.
Since he had often disguised his intentions as coincidences in the past, excuses wouldn't work now.
From the Emperor's perspective, there was no real difference.
And the Sea Serpent was also a coincidence...
"It was genuinely a coincidence."
Right. I see.
The Emperor snorted, as if he'd heard enough. The Skeleton Principal's long hair fluttered wildly before settling back down.
Fortunately, he didn't sense any hatred or desire for the continent's destruction in his disciple's eyes.
The Emperor had summoned Lee Han because he wanted to meet him in person and assess his character.
Given that he was of the Wardanaz bloodline and the Skeleton Principal's disciple, if he were to go berserk in the future, who knew what might happen to the Empire?
Luckily, despite enduring many hardships during his first year, there was no sign of hatred or destructive intent in his gaze.
Moreover, the fact that he had prepared in advance with the Skeleton Principal suggested they were quite close.
Though still young, he was clearly a mage with great potential and a solid foundation.
I'm glad you didn't outright lie to a dragon.
"I have never once lied before Your Majesty."
Ignoring the Skeleton Principal, the Emperor spoke to Lee Han again.
Apologies for troubling you. I just wanted to confirm things myself. Now that I know you're more than capable, I won't bother you any further. Feel free to throw yourself into danger as much as you like.
"Thank you... Though I don't particularly enjoy throwing myself into danger."
Lee Han, who had been about to let it slide, reflexively replied.
He had intended to just go along with it in front of the Emperor, but this was something he absolutely couldn't let stand.
How humble.
"The Wardanaz's greatest flaw is their humility."
You've inherited that flaw as well, it seems.
"Haha, what a joke!"
Haha. It's no joke.
The Emperor and the Skeleton Principal laughed together. Lee Han didn't find it funny at all.
'This is extremely unfair.'
Suddenly, the sound of a bell rang out.
As the clear chime echoed through the vast, cavernous halls of the Emperor's residence, the Skeleton Principal looked puzzled.
It was the sound announcing a new visitor.
"Were you expecting another guest today?"
Hmm... Ah. Look at this dragon's memory. I'd completely forgotten. Today was the day to appoint an additional successor for the Empire.
"Oh dear. You must be going through so much."
"...?"
Lee Han couldn't follow their conversation at all.
What did they mean by 'creating additional imperial successors'?
"Right. It would be good for you to see this too. It'll be very educational."
"What kind of insane nonsense is this?"
Lee Han whispered in a shocked voice, low enough that the Emperor wouldn't hear.
He couldn't fathom what possible educational value this could have.
But the Skeleton Principal ignored him and made a request to the Emperor.
"Your Majesty. May the Wardanaz child observe as well?"
I don't mind, but won't he be shocked?
"It's fine. He's an Einrogard student, isn't he? He'll understand once it's explained."
Well, he is your student—he must have seen far more shocking things...
"That's not true. Why are you slandering me like this?"
As the two conversed, the doors opened and a procession entered. There were eleven in total.
An orc woman from the Swordsmanship Guild, a mermaid woman from a wealthy noble family, a lamia hybrid woman from the Rangers' Guild, a human woman who led three merchant companies, a rakshasa man who operated the southern Magic Tower, a centaur woman who headed the eastern militia, an angel hybrid woman from the temple, a wolf beastwoman mercenary captain famed on battlefields, a lizardman man who was the master baker of the western Imperial Baking Guild, a dwarf woman from the Bronze Dwarf Bank, and finally... an ogre hybrid woman.
'An ogre hybrid?!'
Lee Han was utterly stunned.
While the others were also rare species within the Empire, an ogre hybrid was something he'd never even imagined could exist.
But Lee Han's shock had only just begun.
Is everyone here?
The newcomers bowed as formally as possible. The Emperor declared in a solemn voice:
"Conceive!"
'Words of Power!'
Lee Han realized what level of magic the Emperor had just demonstrated.
A supreme high-level spell that could alter the world's order through mere declaration!
Even simple spells like summoning wind or making water surge required immense skill, but to make someone pregnant with just words...
The sheer, overwhelming level of this magic was so shocking that for a moment, Lee Han couldn't even process what was happening.
'No. No...!'
Belatedly snapping back to his senses, Lee Han finally understood what was occurring.
Right before his eyes, the Emperor was using magic to create new imperial royalty!
That's all. You may leave.
At the Emperor's words, the assembled guests bowed deeply with perfect etiquette before filing out.
The dragon exhaled a tired puff of smoke from his nostrils.
I really hope we get some decent successors this time. Five is too few.
"I'm certain we will, Your Majesty."
Don't tease me when you have no expectations whatsoever. More importantly, you should probably explain things to your student soon.
The Skeleton Principal finally noticed Lee Han's shell-shocked expression.
Normally, this was someone who'd remain composed even if the sky fell or giants invaded—he hadn't expected him to be this stunned.
"Hmm. Should I have explained first?"
"...Next time something like this happens, please explain first. For the love of god."
Among the countless kingdoms and empires that had risen and fallen across the continent, the founding Emperor of the current Empire had possessed one unique trait that set him apart.
His soul carried the blood of dragons.
Had this remained mere claim, its veracity might have been doubted—but the Emperor possessed a divine artifact that proved it.
This artifact served both as proof of his ancestor's pact with a dragon and as a covenant artifact: should the ancestor's descendants ever request it, the dragon would aid them in exchange for this very artifact.
Fortunately, the first Emperor managed to establish the Empire without needing to use it.
But even prosperous empires inevitably decline with time.
Plagues, rebellions, civil wars, invasions...
As the Empire's fate waned, brutal wars raged endlessly.
Every last imperial royal declared themselves Emperor, leading their own factions.
Betrayals, assassinations, bribes, ambushes...
By the civil war's end, the tragic fate of the imperial family was complete annihilation.
Yet the wars didn't stop. This time, ambitious high nobles began declaring themselves the new Emperors.
As the situation unfolded in this manner, the heads of several noble families—those with profound loyalty and devotion—gathered together, racking their brains to resolve the crisis.
Just how could they bring an end to this chaotic and turbulent era?
Miraculously, the Empire still had some fortune left. One such blessing was the presence of an exceedingly wise and sagacious archmage.
"......"
Lee Han glanced at the Skeleton Principal, but the Headmaster paid him no mind and continued his explanation.
The wise and sagacious archmage, alongside the family heads, uncovered the final will left behind by the last imperial descendant and the divine artifact left by the Empire's founding Emperor.
And by combining the two, they formulated a new interpretation.
—O Great Dragon. In accordance with the final will of your descendant, we seek to use this divine artifact. Until a worthy successor to the throne emerges, we beseech you to rule the Empire in their stead!
Of course, the Dragon was not particularly pleased.
No Dragon enjoyed governing a kingdom. What Dragons truly cherished was meditation and seclusion—not dominion and rule.
But an oath was sacred law.
In the end, the Dragon had no choice but to accept the throne.
At the time, it had also assumed that once the Empire's turmoil subsided and a successor appeared, it could relinquish the title of Emperor.
After all, most races on the continent were power-hungry by nature...
They're only asking now because of the chaos—they'll surely come to reclaim it soon!
"......And that, more or less, is the hidden history of the Empire."
The Skeleton Principal spoke with a grave tone. Behind him, the Emperor glared at the Headmaster.
"Th... That's truly astonishing."
"Indeed. Must be quite moving."
'He didn't say he was moved, though.'
"Ah, just think of how many devoted souls sacrificed to end that chaos!"
"But Headmaster, a successor still hasn't appeared, has they? How did that happen?"
"That's a question that doesn't even need asking. It's because no one has proven themselves worthy."
The Dragon's assumption—that the continent's power-hungry races would soon come to reclaim the Empire—had been a miscalculation.
The heads of the great noble families genuinely adored the current Emperor. They had not the slightest desire for a new upheaval by replacing the throne.
Why install an uncertain successor when they already had a perfect Emperor?
Wretched insects. Filthy trash who revel in submission. Born to be slaves...
Ignoring the voice grumbling behind him, the Skeleton Principal pressed on with his speech.
"There's one thing you mustn't misunderstand here. Those who judge the successor do so impartially, without any personal motives. Understood?"
Hmph... The Dragon acknowledges it. Of course, all nine of the Dragon's own children were failures as Emperors. But the ones after that weren't half bad...
"How could those fools possibly govern the Empire?"
The Skeleton Principal shook his head firmly.
Though it pained him (not really), there was nothing to be done about it.
In his efforts to produce an outstanding successor, the Emperor had initially conceived nine children himself.
But these nine inherited the Dragon's temperament far too strongly, rendering them utterly unfit to rule.
How could beings who preferred meditation and seclusion at every whim possibly govern an Empire?
Realizing the flaw in his approach, the Emperor thereafter sought partners and diluted the Dragon's bloodline as much as possible—
To the point where the descendants only had the faintest ancestral connection to Dragons.
After all, what the Empire's nobility truly desired was legitimacy tracing back to the founding Emperor—not a thick concentration of Dragon blood.
"So what happened in the end?"
Lee Han found himself asking without thinking.
It was simply too astonishing a tale.
"What do you think happened? If any had been suitable, they'd have inherited by now."
The Skeleton Principal replied coldly.
The thicker the Dragon's blood, the greater the abilities—but also the lazier the temperament.
Conversely, thinning the bloodline meant losing those exceptional capabilities.
Realistically, how could nobles born into comfortable families ever surpass a Dragon as Emperor?
Most were just ambitious fools.
Come to think of it, isn't there an imperial descendant among your friends? How are they?
The Emperor turned his gaze to Lee Han.
A glimmer of anticipation flickered in his eyes.
"Uh, well. About that..."
The Skeleton Principal shook his head pityingly.