Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Fear of Defeat
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Imperial Palace.
Yuris arrived at the Sun Palace, where the Emperor resided, to report her victory.
The victory report from the Knight Order was always a ritual she had performed.
Even if the target of that victory was merely bandits, Yuris always knelt before the Emperor in the Sun Palace.
It was a ritual to show all that her victory was the empire's victory, the Empress's victory.
This time as well, upon arriving at the Sun Palace, she knelt before the Empress.
The Empress's golden hair, shining as brilliantly as Yuris's own, gleamed even more than the golden crown on her head.
The arrogant violet eyes of the Absolute, looking down at her, held a deep insight that pierced through the hearts of all people.
Seated haughtily on the jade throne atop the sacred 12 Steps of the empire, with her legs crossed, the Empress smiled faintly as she gazed down at Yuris.
"Your expression isn't bright."
The Empress spoke while looking at Yuris.
It might sound like a casual remark, but her words were etched with certainty.
As if she were convinced her words could never be wrong.
"Catching mere bandits doesn't satisfy you, it seems. Was this victory not to your liking?"
Yuris bowed her head deeply at the Empress's voice directed toward her.
"No, Your Majesty."
"Is that so? Then where does the worry etched on your face come from?"
"It is..."
Yuris could not answer.
That the memory of defeat shown by the illusion mage was still vivid in her mind.
That even after winning, a contradictory desire to be defeated had taken root in a corner of her heart.
As the Goddess of Victory and guardian of the empire, Yuris could not bring herself to utter such words.
To the hesitating Yuris, who couldn't respond, the Empress beckoned with her hand.
"Come here."
At the Empress's gesture, Yuris ascended the steps between her and the Empress.
The 12 Steps placed between the Emperor's jade throne and her subjects.
They symbolized an absolute gap in status between the empire's Emperor and even non-subjects—something that could never be overcome by ordinary people.
The sacred 12 Steps of the empire.
One could climb them depending on how much favor the Emperor bestowed, but no one could ever stand on the same level as the jade throne.
It was a rule that had never been broken once since the empire's founding a thousand years ago.
Not even against a dragon.
Yuris climbed up to the 11th step.
A mere one step away from the jade throne where the Empress sat—a close distance that showed how much the Empress favored and cherished her.
As Yuris reached the 11th step, the Empress rose from the throne and approached her.
The Empress's soft, delicate fingers gently stroked Yuris's chin.
"My favored knight, Yuris."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"What troubles you so?"
"..."
"Speak. Confess your worries to your sovereign."
"Is that an order?"
"Indeed."
Yuris was a knight.
A knight who must unconditionally obey her lord's command.
Though it was her shameful secret, if it was the Empress's order, she had to speak—that was a knight's duty.
But how could she say it?
That she had wished to be defeated by mere bandits.
Even as the Empress's command, she could not bring herself to voice it.
With a trembling voice, Yuris opened her mouth.
"I fear defeat."
That was why.
She had phrased her anguish euphemistically.
"Why do you fear it?"
"I fear what will befall me if I lose. I fear my spirit breaking from defeat."
The herself who was overwhelmed by bandits.
The moment she realized she was not a knight of victory, but merely a bitch, flaunting herself.
Even now, recalling that memory, she feared her own ugly inner self that yearned to relive it, lost in those recollections once more.
Yuris was afraid.
The Empress's fingers, gently stroking her chin, slowly trailed up to caress her cheek.
"Why do you even consider the possibility of defeat? Are you not the Goddess of Victory?"
"As a human, it is inevitable someday. And that first defeat, never experienced before, will hurt deeply."
"So that is what frightens you."
"Yes."
She was afraid.
Afraid of a future where she lost to 'that thing' in the illusion and could no longer be the Goddess of Victory.
At the same time, she was curious.
How she would accept a future where she was no longer the 'Goddess of Victory.'
The Empress's fingers climbed her cheek, fondled her ear, and then stroked her shining golden hair.
The gesture was so tender and gentle that even Yuris, a woman herself, felt her heart race.
It was the touch befitting an Emperor who embraced all people and held all subjects in love.
"Fear not. As long as you are the empire's knight, I will not allow you to be defeated."
"Your Majesty."
"If you cannot believe in yourself, believe in me. Believe in your sovereign, who awaits your victorious return. I have no doubt that you will triumph."
A tone brimming with conviction.
Yuris bit her lip at the Empress's voice, which harbored no suspicion of defeat.
"The number of northern barbarians, monsters, and demons you have subjugated is beyond count. Even rebel forces daring to defy the empire, and resistant nations, you quelled with your sword. So do not doubt yourself."
Fearing a defeat that would never come, unable to enjoy her current victory, she felt so ashamed and weak.
But, but still.
'Your Majesty, forgive me. I have spoken falsely to you.'
It was not defeat she feared.
It was herself who desired defeat.
Yet Yuris could not voice that thought.
Anxiety that if she did, she truly could never become the Goddess of Victory enveloped her.
"I am deeply grateful, Your Majesty."
She could only bow her head and express thanks for the Empress's grace.
"Yuris, it is because of you that the empire achieves peace without enemies. Do not imagine yourself defeated."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Still, thanks to the Empress, her heart found some peace.
Of course, 'that place' kept flickering in Yuris's mind relentlessly.
The day after Helen left.
"No, I mean, we customized it to the highest grade, so what's the problem?"
The alchemists who came to pick up the potions I manufactured shot dissatisfied glances at me and the potions.
"Is it really the highest grade? I've never heard of any illusion magic that can produce the highest-grade magic potions."
"Tsk, what faction is alchemy from? It's a basic liberal arts subject anyone can learn regardless of school. Don't try to haggle the price with nonsense—check it quickly."
"Hmm..."
"If you don't like it, leave. There are plenty of people lined up to buy this. If your workshop doesn't take it, I'll sell it to the dwarf workshops."
The magic potion I was selling this time was mana liquid, a fuel that powered not only alchemy but also machinery in various workshops.
Mana liquid was a potion processed from mana stones or monster essences into liquid form, brimming with mana, and an essential item for running magic machinery.
It had better energy efficiency than plain mana stones, so wealthy individuals, workshops operating multiple magic machines, and dwarves mainly favored it.
However, processing it required significant labor, making it far more expensive than mana stones.
Poor merchants like me couldn't dare use mana liquid.
Mana stones were all I could afford.
Think of mana liquid as 21st-century oil.
Mana stones would be like coal, if anything.
Selling mana liquid like this to workshops was my internal side hustle to cover rent and maintenance fees.
The Siri Alchemy Workshop was a recent trading partner, and I hadn't expected them—a fairly large workshop—to pick a fight on the day of the deal.
"Ahem, did I say I wouldn't buy? I just want to check the goods."
"We even sell it occasionally to dwarf workshops that have branches in the empire. We don't mess around with the product."
"Tsk, that's your business. We need to verify properly too. Give us one bottle for testing."
"Didn't we give you a sample when we signed the contract?"
This guy's really pushing it.
"How do we know that wasn't tampered with?"
He was causing trouble precisely because I was an illusion mage.
Generally, mages were beings ordinary people didn't dare mess with.
One spell could mean life or death.
Mages wielded such fearsome power that instilled dread in everyone, but illusion mages were the exception.
Illusion magic couldn't produce physical force.
Knowing that, illusion mages were treated differently from typical mages.
At best, like knowledgeable intellectuals?
But if the other party harbored an inferiority complex toward mages?
They'd never see it positively.
Alchemists were especially bad about it.
The most common path to becoming an alchemist was entering a magic school, realizing one lacked talent for magic, and switching to alchemy.
Naturally, they'd be filled with inferiority toward mages.
Some alchemists even considered themselves quasi-mages, looking down on illusion school mages.
Like right now.
'Sigh, should I just cast a spell on him?'
I've got some experience from Blaster school.
Can't I handle one alchemist?
As I wrestled with the temptation in my head,
"What's going on?"
A woman with sparkling blonde hair tied back and blue eyes..
It was the knight of victory, Yuris.
"Y-Yuris Knight...?"
The alchemist who saw her bulged his eyes, flustered and at a loss.
He seemed startled by the empire's hero appearing out of nowhere.
"The mage seems to be in a bind?"
"Ah, Knight! Perfect timing. Please resolve this issue for me."
"Issue?"
"We agreed to proper contract procedures for the deal, but he's trying to sabotage it on-site. As far as I know, under imperial trade law, canceling a deal on the day disrupts commerce, which is a crime, right?"
Yuris, catching on from my words, nodded.
"Yes. Those who disrupt imperial commerce face corresponding fines."
"Wh-what...?"
The alchemist, who hadn't imagined Yuris siding with me, stammered as he looked between us.
"If the owner of a trading partner I'm connected to is in trouble, I should help, right?"
"Haha, as expected of the Goddess of Victory—such magnanimity!"
That one line sealed it.
The alchemist, flustered, couldn't speak properly and stuttered.
"N-No need for verification procedures. If it's already proven by the Goddess of Victory..."
"Good thinking."
Seeing the pouch the alchemist offered, I furrowed my brow.
"You calculated the full price?"
"O-Of course! It's the amount we agreed on."
"Under imperial commercial law, if the other party's fault is recognized during a contract, a small fine is usually charged. Isn't that right?"
Yuris nodded again.
"Correct. If it escalates to criminal proceedings, it's paid to the government, but otherwise, it's compensation to the trading partner."
"..."
The alchemist, who had picked a fight only to get hit with extra cash, bit his lip.
But there was nothing he could do.
It wasn't just anyone—Yuris, the 1st Knight Order Captain, had stepped in as guarantor.
In the empire, few could rival her authority.
"A-Alright. We'll add 10% as compensation."
"Thank you!"
Receiving the hefty pouch, I personally loaded their cart full of bottles containing mana liquid.
The blue liquid in the glass bottles packed neatly in crates sloshed around.
With this, I can coast for the next month.
Having settled the big deal, I can focus on magic research from now on.
Plus unexpected extra income.
The alchemist from the Siri Alchemy Workshop returned to his workshop with slumped shoulders.
He'd shelled out a huge sum for stress relief, so his stomach must be churning.
But what can you do?
'If you don't have backing, you take the hit.'
Grinning widely, I looked at Yuris.
By the way.
"The victory ceremony ended already?"
"Yes."
"You came straight here after returning to the capital?"
"Indeed."
"Not just to see my face, I assume..."
I met her eyes.
Yuris, meeting my gaze, averted her eyes.
"I-I want to watch an illusion video today. Is it possible?"
"It's possible, but you'll have to wait a bit. I need to reset the magic circle."
"I see. H-How long...?"
"30 minutes. Will you wait inside?"
"Yes."
"Oh, and I'll handle the cost with the fee from earlier. I got much more than the usage fee anyway."
She nodded.
"Since I got this much, I'll provide full service."
"Service...?"
"Yes. If you have a desired scenario, you can input it directly. Scene modifications normally cost extra, but since you helped, it's free."
"If it's a new scene, can it be entirely from scratch?"
"Yes."
I handed her the paper.
"I've added an extra service list at the bottom. Let me know if there's anything you want."
Yuris's eyes stayed glued to the paper.