The Emperor's Game
I could tell from the way the Royal Knights were glaring at me that I’d made a mistake, but fortunately the Emperor didn’t seem to care in the slightest.
“It is the palace where errant members of the imperial family reflect on their mistakes.”
In other words, they were being punished for running away.
“While residing in the Palace of Silence, one may not meet anyone, nor send or receive messages. All comforts are stripped away so that one may learn restraint and patience. No one is permitted to leave before the time I have set.”
Sounded more like a prison for royalty to me.
“So I really can’t meet him?”
“Correct. Now, what is the reason you desire to see the Second Prince so badly that you would use your wish for it?”
“……It’s not anything important enough for Your Majesty to concern yourself with.”
“What is it?”
The Emperor pressed for an answer, so I had no choice but to speak. I knew better than anyone that the reason was truly insignificant.
“Because we’re friends…… I just want to say goodbye before I leave Elan.”
I’d settled on that definition after thinking it over. For now, at least.
“Friends, you say.”
“That night, we shared a moment neither of us will ever forget. If that doesn’t make us friends, then what does?”
Once I said it out loud, it sounded rather suggestive.
Worried people might misunderstand, I quickly added, “I know it’ll only get harder to meet as time passes, so I want to see him now. There are things I still haven’t said.”
The class difference was so vast it felt awkward to even call him a friend. And the distance between Elan and Dmitry wasn’t something easily crossed. I might never set foot in Elan again in my lifetime.
“So my son has a friend.”
The problem was that this particular friend wasn’t the sort of easygoing guy who’d come running if someone knocked on his door yelling, “Hey, let’s hang out.”
Still kneeling, I felt the crushing weight of the imperial family’s barriers and despaired.
“Your Majesty, I won the tournament to meet Ash.”
“How bold.”
“Please reconsider, just once.”
“Girl, I will not repeat myself. That wish is denied. Even my leniency has its limits.”
“……”
“Do you not understand? Granting your wish would require me to revoke an order I have already given. That is why I cannot allow it.”
I understood perfectly well that the Emperor’s dignity and pride wouldn’t let him take back his command. But no matter how I looked at it, it just seemed petty.
It wasn’t like Ash was in a real prison. What was the big deal about letting a ten-year-old boy have one visitor while he was reflecting on his mistakes?
Why did everything have to be so rigid?
I had plenty I wanted to say, but my fists trembled as I stared at the floor. If I had nine lives, maybe I’d have spoken up.
“What was that?”
Huh? Had I accidentally said that out loud?
“Speak, Robenin Pedri.”
I froze in my kneeling position. Robenin was suddenly standing right beside me.
When had he gotten here? And who gave him the right to raise his hand and ask to speak to the Emperor?
Addressing the Emperor first like that was a level of arrogance I couldn’t even imagine. Had this guy lost his mind?
That was when I truly realized he was insane.
“Your Majesty, I have a suggestion.”
“What is it?”
The Emperor’s gaze toward Robenin was so gentle and full of affection that I felt the sting of blatant favoritism.
Hey, you never looked at me with eyes like that!
***
So this was what national favoritism looked like.
“As a winner, I too am entitled to one wish, am I not?”
“You are.”
“However, there is nothing I desire.”
Well, of course. He was a duke’s son. What more could he possibly need? I stared blankly at the patterned floor, assuming this had nothing to do with me.
“That said, if I must name one thing I want, it would be a duel with Jeanie Crowell, who is standing here.”
Gasp. This lunatic.
“Oh?”
Don’t sound interested, you crazy Emperor!
“But that would be difficult to arrange unless she agrees.”
“Naturally.”
“Therefore, if Your Majesty would grant me your vast generosity, I would like to transfer my wish to her—on the condition that she agrees to face me in combat.”
Listening in silence, I ground my teeth in disbelief. So his wish was to fight me, and now he was pretending to be generous while still getting his fight?
Did he think I was an idiot?
This guy was even more of a weirdo than I was.
“A match between two winners. An excellent idea. And the spirit of concession is rather admirable as well.”
“I’m glad it pleases you.”
“Yes, yes. If we count it as two wishes, there’s no reason I cannot revoke my previous order.”
Birds of a feather, apparently. The Emperor wasn’t just positive—he looked downright delighted.
“This tournament has been dreadfully dull, after all. Both the children’s and youth divisions had such overwhelmingly dominant competitors that it felt like adults fighting children.”
“Y-Your Majesty, if I may!”
I was a person too, you know. I had an opinion!
“What is it? Do you object?”
Of course I did, but something told me answering honestly would make the rest of my life miserable.
“Well…… it’s just that I’m only ten years old, and Lord Pedri is sixteen. In that sense, it doesn’t seem fair.”
“Of course, if there is to be a duel, the young lord will have to give you a handicap.”
I’d heard the Emperor doted on Robenin Pedri like a son, but I hadn’t expected it to be this extreme.
“What do you say, Jeanie Crowell? If you defeat Lord Pedri, I will grant your wish.”
So I had to win, too?
“I don’t understand how the conversation arrived at this point.”
The words slipped out, laced with clear dissatisfaction. It was getting harder to hide my temper.
“Your wish is somewhat excessive to grant outright. But if you can defeat the empire’s celebrated genius and even claim his wish as your own, I will gladly allow it.”
“Lord Pedri said he would grant it just for dueling……”
“Listen here.”
“……”
“I am the one who sets the rules. Granting permission and showing generosity are also my prerogatives. None of this is for you to decide.”
Damn it.
Everything went exactly the way he wanted, didn’t it? When you were the Emperor, apparently anything was possible.
I wanted to slap that lazy, predatory face of his. He looked exactly like someone toying with prey he had no intention of killing.
So this was the sorrow of a small nation.
“I’m quite curious to see which of the two geniuses will emerge victorious.”
Warning bells were blaring in my head, but there was no way out. The Emperor was already set on making Robenin’s proposal a reality. And what the Emperor wanted always came to pass.
I felt like a bull thrown into an arena, my teeth grinding on their own.
“Young lord. What are your thoughts? Is my generosity insufficient?”
“Not at all. Do as you please.”
“I take that to mean you have no objections.”
“Yes. I will comply.”
I was going to hate every single one of these imperial bastards from now on.
I knew exactly what the Emperor wanted. He planned to enjoy the spectacle while letting Elan’s genius completely crush me.
It was humiliating, but I had no choice.
“Jeanie Crowell. I’m curious to hear your answer.”
The answer had already been decided. All I had to do was say it.
If I had to do this, I wasn’t going to do it looking pathetic. I might have been nothing more than a girl from Dmitry caught between the Emperor and a duke’s son, but my pride was intact.
I rose to my feet and looked up at the Emperor. Grinding my teeth just loud enough for him to notice, I gave him exactly what he wanted.
Fine.
“I accept.”
Let’s play along with what you all want.
I had no intention of losing quietly.
You people must think I’m a joke. These imperial bastards!
“Master of Ceremonies!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“We shall hold a match between the winners. Make the preparations. The victor’s wish—whatever it may be—shall be granted.”
The Emperor looked at me, and I glared back, full of resentment.