Chapter 421: The Emperor (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 421: The Emperor (1)
For the falling eunuch, it was a stroke of luck that Jin perceived the Imperial Palace as enemy territory.
Jin had been keeping his senses heightened. Thanks to that, he was able to detect an unusual movement from high atop a spire.
A person?
No matter how high the spire, a fall happens in an instant. There was no time to ponder who was falling or why.
His body moved on reflex.
Crunch—!
As power erupted from his tensed thighs, the white pavement buckled and cracked. Jin’s body shot into the air like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Even without any preparation, his speed was far too great for the nearby Imperial Guards to intercept. They could only stare with wide eyes at Jin’s back as he soared upward.
And the Emperor, watching Jin approach the spire, bared his teeth in a grin.
It’ll be tight, but he can make it.
The moment that conviction took hold, a familiar, sharp metallic sound reached Jin’s ears. It was the sound of dozens of swords clearing their scabbards at once.
This was the Imperial Palace.
In other words, it was the most strictly secured space in the world. In plain sight and in the shadows, the swords protecting the Emperor were everywhere. From the moment Jin had arrived, the Imperial Guards hidden throughout the palace had been on high alert.
Even if he was trying to save a falling person, this was still the Imperial Palace, and the guards were duty-bound to suppress him. Every movement within the palace had to be predictable and authorized. A "sudden leap" was classified as an act threatening the Emperor’s safety.
Shing—!
The swords of the leaping guards surged toward Jin. Without drawing his own blade, he simply twisted his body in midair to evade their attacks.
However, no matter how exceptional Jin was, he couldn't deflect every strike from the guards with his bare hands—especially not while suspended in the air with such urgency.
Several blades grazed his body. Blood splattered as multiple wounds opened at once, but they were all superficial cuts.
By allowing those minor injuries, he created an opening. Jin slipped through the web of blades and caught the eunuch just before he hit the ground.
“Are you alright?”
Simultaneously, the swords of the guards who had followed him down were pointed at Jin from all sides.
“Halt!”
“This is the Imperial Palace, Jin Runcandel.”
Jin didn’t answer, instead checking the condition of the person he had just saved.
He’s a eunuch.
He could tell by the attire. A prominent scar on the man’s neck caught his eye; Jin immediately recognized it as a wound inflicted to rob him of his voice.
There were only two reasons a eunuch would fall from an imperial spire at this hour: suicide or an imperial command. Any other possibility was far too slim.
Though he had moved on reflex, Jin had suspected the latter from the moment he jumped. It was too much of a coincidence for a suicide to occur at the exact moment of his visit. The Emperor had ordered the man to throw himself off.
He helped the eunuch to his feet and looked up at the spire. The Emperor was nowhere to be seen, but the slow closing of a window felt like lips curling into a smirk.
The Emperor’s reason for making the eunuch jump was obvious. He wanted to see how Jin would react.
How arrogant.
Jin shrugged and scanned the guards.
“Back off. I was merely accepting the Emperor’s greeting.”
At those words, murderous intent flickered in the guards' eyes, but a group of attendants came rushing from a distance, shouting.
“Imperial Guards, stand down!”
“He is His Majesty’s guest! How dare you show such rudeness!”
The Emperor had invited Jin as a guest of the highest tier and had assigned attendants befitting that status. They, too, had been flustered by the sudden actions of both Jin and the Emperor, but unlike the guards, they immediately grasped the Emperor’s underlying intent and acted accordingly.
“I am Barcam, the Chief Attendant. I apologize for the rudeness on behalf of the guards.”
Jin locked eyes with Barcam for a moment before speaking.
“It’s a comfortable seat, I see.”
The throne, that is. He left the rest unsaid, but Barcam and the attendants understood his meaning and couldn't help but hide their embarrassment.
Since the other party had been rude first, Jin saw no need to maintain formalities. Outside of Runcandel, there was no one of higher status than a Runcandel Flagbearer.
“I shall escort you to His Majesty.”
He walked through the palace for about an hour, following Barcam and the attendants. The interior lived up to the promise of its grand exterior, displaying the pinnacle of luxury. It was an extravagance befitting the group that held the third-greatest power in the world after Zipple and Runcandel—and the only empire on the continent.
When they finally reached the Dragon Hall, the Inner Imperial Guards and the Imperial Guard blocked Jin’s path.
“Please surrender your weapon.”
“I refuse.”
“What… did you say?”
“I intend to meet the Emperor while armed.”
“Hah?”
“The Emperor will have the finest warriors in the palace by his side, will he not? If this is unacceptable, I’ll simply leave.”
This was the first time such a thing had happened since the current Emperor’s coronation. While the Inner Imperial Guards and the Imperial Guard agonized over how to respond, a eunuch’s reedy voice drifted from inside the Dragon Hall.
“J-Just let him in!”
The thin, shimmering veil covering the entrance to the audience chamber was pulled back. Dozens of palace servants appeared from nowhere and began laying down colorful, palm-sized pieces of cloth on the floor, forming a long carpet. As Jin moved forward, the servants collected the cloths he had already passed over and laid new ones on the floor before him.
When he reached the end of the path, the servants retreated into the darkness on either side, revealing a throne that sat so high it seemed to touch the ceiling. Normally, anyone standing in that spot would have to perform a deep prostration, regardless of their status, but that did not apply to Runcandel or Zipple.
Amir Viment…
Jin briefly recalled the Emperor’s name. Casimir’s older brother. The man who, in Jin’s past life, had become the master of the Rune of Mul-ta and an enthusiast of biological experiments.
In my past life, I only thought of him as someone skilled at walking the tightrope between Runcandel and Zipple. In fact, most people today see the current Emperor that way.
The Emperor’s first impression, however, was far from that of a "tightrope walker." A sharp, straight nose, thick eyebrows, and eyes that shone with brilliant dignity. He looked like a great general who had attained enlightenment through countless wars.
As Jin stood there, simply staring up at him, the Emperor spoke first.
“You’ve worked hard to get here, Sir Jin Runcandel.”
“The Emperor must have also worked hard, returning to his seat after that rough welcome.”
The Emperor smiled at the provocative remark.
“Were you offended?”
“I was.”
“A fiery man, just as I heard. I was merely curious about you.”
“You mean you made a eunuch jump because you were curious about my personality?”
“Indeed. You are hot-blooded, but you are also softer than I imagined. Why do you only see what is directly in front of you?”
The Emperor tilted his head and continued.
“The eunuch you saved is a serious criminal. Years ago, he dared to covet a palace woman, so I personally ordered his voice taken and forced him to live a miserable life as a laughingstock.”
“Is that so?”
“Why did you endanger innocent guards just to save a human worth less than a diseased stray dog?”
Clang, rattle!
From the darkness on both sides of the audience chamber, iron cages opened, and the sound of dragging chains echoed. From the shadows walked the guards who had first drawn their swords on Jin. They were covered in blood, having been brutally flogged in the time it had taken him to reach the audience chamber.
The Emperor continued with a smile. “These men were flogged, dismissed, and are now forced to return every bit of the salary they received while serving as guards, all because they failed to stop your sudden action. It is a small punishment compared to failing to block a potential threat to me, but for them, it is an absolute tragedy.”
Jin did not flinch as he looked at the guards.
“In other words, by trying to save a piece of trash, you have ruined these men and their families. Furthermore, this is the Imperial Palace, my land… so your actions were a grave discourtesy from the start. You had no right to interfere. You obstructed my execution.”
As the Emperor spoke with emphasis, Jin nodded.
“You certainly have a lot of interesting things to say.”
“Seek my forgiveness, even now.”
“And there is one thing you are mistaken about.”
“Mistaken?”
“Do you think I tried to save that eunuch without knowing it was a discourtesy?”
The Emperor’s eyes narrowed.
“I don’t agree with the sophistry you’ve laid out, but I wasn't acting based on such calculations in the first place. I sensed you were testing me, so I simply did as I pleased.”
“Khahaha…!”
“Do you truly believe the Emperor of Viment has the right to test a Flagbearer of Runcandel?”
The Emperor’s laughter stopped. He didn't wipe the mirth from his face out of offense, however. Rather, his eyes were sparkling with genuine interest.
“There are many swords here that can kill you. Even if I were to use them to kill you, Runcandel would not retaliate significantly. I would simply be removing a jagged stone on their behalf. And I would have plenty of justification.”
It wasn't entirely wrong. If the Emperor killed Jin, Joshua and his faction would be more than happy to cover up the incident—provided Jin’s corpse was returned intact.
“I’ve encountered situations like this a few times in my life… and there is something I say every time.”
“What is that?”
“Try it, if you dare.”
Ha!
The Emperor suddenly stood up from his throne, letting out a cry of admiration.
“As expected! A man who recently shattered the Garden of Swords wouldn't be intimidated by this place. I cannot help but praise your gall!”
With a flushed face, he even clapped his hands, appearing truly delighted.
“Release the guards, reinstate them, and bestow upon them golden crowns.”
As the Inner Imperial Guards took the men away, the Emperor smiled once more.
“I think I know a little about you now.”
“I still don't know much about the Emperor.”
Jin and the Emperor’s gazes locked.
“It would be good to get to know each other gradually. I called you here today to grant you a reward, so why don’t we try to build a good relationship?”
“What will you give me?”
“Power.”
The Emperor looked down at Jin and finished his sentence.
“I shall give you the power to swallow Runcandel whole and, furthermore, to stand against Zipple.”