Audience with the Princess
When we arrived at the imperial palace of the Fibron Empire, several knights moved about in a busy flurry. At first they regarded me and my companions with considerable wariness, but once they confirmed that Knight Commander Tekeloman stood right beside us, they eased their guard to some degree. It was fair to assume that Tekeloman was a figure of no small influence here.
Well—not just anyone becomes a Knight Commander.
What I wanted, however, was not merely access to the palace grounds, but an audience with the Emperor. Charging straight onto the battlefield and killing everyone was not impossible, but I did not believe that would solve anything.
What Plimia longed for was true freedom for the Saintesses oppressed by the Caelon Empire and for the innocent common people. To realize that in any complete sense, the cooperation of the Fibron Empire—currently at war—was essential.
Tekeloman exchanged a few words with those standing before the palace, then a man bowed his head and approached me.
"I have just heard the full situation from Commander Tekeloman. First, allow me to express our gratitude for your efforts. You said you wished to see His Majesty—might I ask the specific reason…?"
The man who looked like a knight asked, and I answered briefly. I did not use honorifics this time. From here on, I could not afford to be looked down upon. I did not assume everyone would be as righteous as Commander Tekeloman. If I had no choice but to crush them with force, I would do so willingly. But if a measured display of pressure could resolve the situation, I preferred to go that route as much as possible.
"This is a matter I can discuss with no one but the Emperor of the Fibron Empire. I am here to share information directly related to the war—information that will play a decisive role in killing the Emperor of the Caelon Empire. I guarantee it."
The man wore a troubled expression, then bowed his head.
"Please wait a moment."
He moved about busily, and then a man of imposing stature emerged from the imperial palace of the Fibron Empire, leading several dozen knights.
Choi Yebin grew wary, and Plimia gripped my hand tightly.
"I am Flutain, Commander of the Imperial Knights of the Fibron Empire. His Majesty wishes to hear your story. Please come inside."
The Fibron Empire was currently cornered. That they would allow outsiders into the palace at all only reminded me once again that they were in no position to be particular.
As we entered the palace and walked through its vast interior, Imperial Knight Commander Flutain made a polite request.
"Your companions will have to wait here. Only McDeras may be granted an audience with His Majesty."
"Wait here for a moment."
When I spoke, Tekeloman answered promptly.
"I will look after them well."
Knight Commander Tekeloman's words were reliable, but Choi Yebin and Plimia looked uneasy. So I switched a red sphere into a visible state. The knights startled and stepped back, but I paid them no mind.
"I'll leave the sphere here."
A simple statement, but to my companions it would be reassurance, and to the knights of the Fibron Empire a sufficient warning. Tekeloman, at least, knew clearly how dangerous that sphere was. If anyone tried anything underhanded, I had no doubt he would step in of his own accord to stop them.
Seeing my red sphere, Choi Yebin and Plimia moved to stand beside it. The two girls stood quietly next to it as if it were an extension of myself.
"Let's go."
In the unlikely event that any of the Fibron Empire's knights tried to attack Choi Yebin and Plimia, that sphere would devour every living thing around them except the girls themselves. So I put my remaining worries behind me and went to meet the Emperor.
"Enter."
After I knocked and the Emperor's permission was given, we stepped inside.
But when I came face to face with the figure before me, the Emperor's appearance was nothing like what I had expected, and I was surprised. The Emperor of the Fibron Empire was young. Outwardly, one could believe she had only just turned twenty. More importantly—she was not an Emperor, but a Princess. A lovely young woman sat there, her face filled with worry.
"Are you surprised?"
"I am not."
The Princess's expression twisted slightly. Then she asked another question.
"Before we converse, let me ask one question first. I was told you have a way to kill the Emperor of the Caelon Empire. Is that true?"
"It is."
She studied my face carefully, then murmured.
"So it was true. Something absurd has happened."
She posed another question.
"Are you on our side?"
The Princess continued to examine my face closely. I answered without concern.
"If our interests align, I intend to fight on the Fibron Empire's side."
"I see."
Something felt off. The girl had completely trusted the words of a man she had just met based on a single answer. A sense of déjà vu struck me, but I let it pass for now. I did not have time to pick at every detail.
When I remained silent for a moment, the Princess spoke.
"If you have questions, ask them."
I did not refuse her courtesy.
"What became of the previous Emperor of the Fibron Empire?"
"He passed away recently. Let me say in advance that it was not an assassination or anything of the sort—he had a chronic illness from the beginning…"
"Your Majesty Brainy!"
As the girl began to speak, Imperial Knight Commander Flutain, who had been listening, urgently called out to her—as if she had said something she should not have.
"Leave us."
When Brainy spoke briefly, the Imperial Knight Commander protested.
"I cannot."
"I will say this one last time. Take all the other troops and leave."
Only then did Flutain and the other knights begin to move outside.
Even as Flutain, Imperial Knight Commander of the Fibron Empire, exited, he stared hard at me—as if warning he would not stand by if I tried anything foolish. But I did not take offense. I knew full well that his behavior came from loyalty and concern.
After confirming everyone had left, Princess Brainy spoke.
"Now that the interruptions are gone, let us continue. The previous Emperor passed away from his illness. After that, I—his only child—inherited the throne. But if we announced that fact in the middle of an ongoing war, it would likely cause enormous chaos. Not only would the Emperor have died, but the supreme commander would have been replaced by a princess. That is why we have kept it secret. So I would appreciate it if you did not take the other knights' reactions too personally."
"I understand."
Even having lost her father, the Princess was remarkably composed.
"For you to fight on our side, what do I need to do?"
The Princess asked the question that cut straight through the space between us.
"I would like you to grant me supreme military command of the Fibron Empire."
"You say that thinking it is possible?"
To hold a nation's military command meant, conversely, that one could use it to stage a rebellion. Asking her to hand that over to someone she had met today was nothing short of madness. The Princess pointed that out as well.
She rose from her seat and walked slowly toward me. Then she stood right in front of me and asked.
"What about you—someone I met for the first time today—makes you think I should entrust you with the heart of the Fibron Empire? To put it bluntly, the mere fact that you said such a thing in my presence makes you subject to summary execution."
"Because it is the only way your nation can continue to exist intact."
With every answer I gave, I felt something alien in the way the Princess carefully studied my face. Yes. This was clearly the same look Choi Yebin gave me when she watched me.
"Your Majesty can tell whether my answers are true or false, can you not?"
At that, the Princess flinched for the first time.
"How did you know? No one knows that."
"I know something of that ability."
"I see."
I deliberately made no mention of Choi Yebin. But even without any prior knowledge, I would have harbored a similar suspicion. On the day we first met, Princess Brainy had trusted me enough to dismiss all the surrounding knights. That made no sense by ordinary standards.
Rather—
Before we converse, let me ask one question first. I was told you have a way to kill the Emperor of the Caelon Empire. Is that true?
Are you on our side?
It was more reasonable to conclude that she possessed the ability to discern the truth of those first two questions, and that she trusted her own ability.
"Since you already know, I will be honest. No matter what you say, I can distinguish truth from falsehood. So I will ask you directly. Handing over military command is absurd. If I refuse that proposal, what will you do?"
Lying was pointless anyway. I told her the truth.
"Without the authority to control those on the battlefield, they will suffer casualties as well. In the end, the Fibron Empire will also become my enemy. And when the war is over, the nation will lose its capacity to function."
"Do you command a large force?"
"The only one going onto the battlefield will be myself."
"Then are you saying you have that much power? Enough to decide the fate of an entire nation?"
"Yes."
The Princess shook her head and sighed.
"It's the truth. Something absurd has happened."
Princess Brainy did not flinch. She looked me straight in the eye and asked—as if she wanted confirmation.
"With power of that magnitude, why go through all this complexity? I cannot even begin to guess what you hope to gain from this battlefield."
I slowly opened my mouth and explained my reasons to her.
"Judgment against those who betrayed their faith. And beyond that, true freedom for those who suffer. Those two reasons are why I have joined this war."
"…"
The Princess fell silent, and without losing momentum I immediately asked her.
"Will you trust me, or will you become my enemy?"
And then the Princess slowly delivered a stunning answer.