Warrior Marygold: The Emperor's Bargain
"Young master, everything is prepared as you instructed."
Lancel followed behind Hestie, who spoke with a bright smile.
"You'll be surprised."
"How much of a surprise?"
"You'll see."
Her voice carried a hint of excitement.
"Mary, I'm coming in."
"Ah, wait just a moment!"
"Too late."
Hestie opened the closed door.
"Oh."
Lancel's eyes widened.
The first thing that caught his eye was Marygold's face, hastily covered by her palms. A light layer of makeup adorned her skin. The small scars from her grueling mercenary life were nowhere to be seen.
Next came the clothes she wore. Transparent veils, pure white fabric, and golden ornaments that sparkled in the sunlight. It was a lavish, luxurious outfit she had never worn before.
"What do you think, young master?"
"Pretty? It suits you well."
He meant it. As expected of the protagonist.
"If you stare like that..."
Marygold twisted her body awkwardly, dodging Lancel's gaze.
Hmm, maybe I should've just gone full charm route from the start.
"Pardon?"
"Nothing."
The moment he heard the emperor had summoned him, Lancel had already decided to bring Marygold along. Why? Because the place they were heading to now was none other than the infamous Secret Garden map.
A secret hideout reserved solely for the imperial family.
The location where encounters with the princes were all but guaranteed.
The empire's most clandestine spot... that was the Secret Garden.
There was no way he wasn't bringing Marygold here.
The Imperial Palace Noble Dress (Rental) felt uncomfortable to Marygold,
but ironically, it suited her perfectly.
※ Charm, Allure, Elegancegreatly UP!!
Even on the warrior route, it's this much...
Lancel scrutinized Marygold's flushed face from every angle without pause.
"I can kind of see why more mercenaries have been proposing to you lately. Don't you think, young master?"
"What? Those guys?"
Lancel reacted with shock. Mercenaries hitting on the future empress? Just the thought boiled his blood.
"Wasn't there one just yesterday?"
"Yes. Uncle Godman."
"That crazy old bastard."
Lancel was floored. The man was well over forty. Compared to Marygold, who wasn't even twenty, the age gap was at least double. And he proposed?
Godman. You're in for it now.
Lancel decided he'd have to give the man a piece of his mind upon return. Time to make an example—no one would dare dream of it again. Especially since the warrior route hid that dogshit trap ending: marriage to a mercenary.
"So, what'd you do to Godman?"
"I knocked him flat!"
Good. But was it that repulsive?
"Uncle Godman is a nice guy, but he's not the one I like. Marriage should be between people who love each other, right?"
Marygold flashed a grin, proudly raising her fist.
"Master thinks so too, right?"
"Well... generally speaking, yeah."
"Me too."
Marygold took his words as affirmation, her eyes crinkling in a smile. Clad in pure white court attire, her smile was dazzling enough to steal one's breath for a moment.
Marygold, you're empress material now. Life's peaked, girl.
Lancel planned to seize the opportunity with the emperor and create a solid fact: pair her with the Fifth Prince for good.
"It's time to depart, young master. His Excellency the Lord Chamberlain awaits."
"Let's go."
Outside, the Lord Chamberlain's carriage was already waiting.
"Why so late!"
"We can't very well meet His Majesty covered in dust, can we, Your Excellency?"
At the Lord Chamberlain's urging, Lancel and Marygold hurried into the carriage.
Wonder what the emperor looks like.
Though memories of Fallen Lady Simulation resurfaced vividly for Lancel, info on the emperor was limited.
Not even a single illustration. That says it all.
His sister, the game's creator, had zero interest in the emperor. "He's just the emperor—what more do you need?" was her stance. Thus, the emperor's presence in the game was negligible, barely worth debating.
Essentially an extra.
But that was the game. This was reality. Here, the emperor wielded absolute power.
The man who filled the void left by the fallen ancient imperial house, now the empire's supreme ruler.
"Depart."
"Yes, sir!"
The carriage raced along the capital's widest road.
As the massive imperial palace loomed into view, the realization hit: they were at the empire's heart.
"We'll blindfold you from here. The path to the Secret Garden is best kept from as many eyes as possible."
"Understood."
Black cloths covered Lancel and Marygold's eyes. To disorient them, the carriage circled wildly before speeding straight ahead.
"M-My stomach's churning."
"Hold it in."
"I feel like puking."
"Just don't ruin the dress."
"I-I'll... try. Urp."
He could sense Marygold's face paling. Perfect setup for motion sickness.
"We're here."
Removing the blindfolds, they found the carriage parked amid a garden adorned with floral hedges.
"This is..."
"All I see are flowers, Master."
A low gasp escaped Marygold, who had been groaning moments ago.
Vibrant blossoms filled their vision, like stepping into a fairy tale. As expected of royalty. Money thrown around without restraint.
"To think the Secret Garden, built for illicit deeds in secret, is this extravagant."
"Illicit deeds?"
Marygold tilted her head at his absentminded mutter.
"Quit spacing out and follow."
"Ah, yes, sir."
They walked a path lined with blooming flowerbeds for some time until the view opened wide.
A lake. A serene garden. Someone stood within.
The emperor?
A large veil shrouded him. Only his hazy silhouette was visible.
No illustration here either.
Lancel knelt on one knee, Marygold swiftly following suit.
"Your Majesty, as commanded, I bring Lancel Dante of Viscount Dante's house."
He felt the shadow beyond the veil turn toward him. A sticky surge of mana brushed over him.
These imperial folk were always so suspicious.
"So, you are Lancel Dante."
The voice was frail, as if it might snap at any moment. Yet Lancel sensed tangled mana around his lips.
Voice altered by magic.
How far would he go to hide?
"I've heard one of my sons thinks well of you. That's why you're here, Lancel Dante."
No need to specify who.
Only the Third Prince.
Loose-lipped as always.
"I have no memory of meeting him, but if he holds me in favor, it is my honor, Your Majesty."
Lancel bowed deeply, responding mechanically.
"Know it as honor. I summoned you today to bestow a gift in that vein."
A gift? Suddenly? As Lancel puzzled, the Lord Chamberlain nudged his elbow, signaling.
"What are you waiting for? His Majesty offers a gift."
"I didn't know I came for gifts today."
"Just take it when offered."
"Since it's free, shall I?"
"You planning to refuse?"
"I can hear you two."
The hushed exchange flew between Lancel, the Lord Chamberlain, and Marygold.
Lancel bowed even deeper.
"I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty's boundless grace."
The emperor paused before speaking.
"I grant you the position of court knight, Lancel Dante. This is my gift."
Bigger than expected. For a knightly house, having a son as court knight was pure prestige. Good for Lancel too—practically a pass to enter the palace freely.
"I reward good knights by keeping them near. Take it as pride."
But.
Hmm.
"Your Majesty."
Lancel had more he wanted.
"Might I ask for a bit more?"
The Lord Chamberlain, Marygold, the attending maids and knights—all eyes widened in shock.
"...What?"
Unyielding, Lancel repeated.
"Might I ask for a bit more, Your Majesty?"
"I heard right, then."
Seemed they all thought it a hallucination. Emperor included.
A knight beside the emperor began trembling with rage.
"How dare you, such insolence toward His Majesty..."
Indeed. Over 200 years of dying, getting hurt, even burned at the stake—Lancel had changed in one key way.
He'd lost all fear.
"You..."
The emperor's silhouette froze beyond the veil. Greatly startled, it seemed.
Lancel pressed on.
"You say you grant me a gift, but I don't understand, Your Majesty."
"...What don't you?"
To his right, the Lord Chamberlain kept tapping his shoulder, muttering urgently (mostly curses and pleas to stop). To his left, Marygold tugged his sleeve, pale as a ghost (incoherent mumbles). Lancel ignored them all.
"I recall no deeds worthy of a gift from Your Majesty."
"I've given gifts without reason before, but never has one questioned like you, Lancel Dante."
The emperor seemed more baffled than shocked.
"Perhaps those who bowed and took them without question were the anomaly, Your Majesty."
"Hmph. Your words have a flaw. You claim no deserving deeds, yet demand more—what logic is that?"
Even the Lord Chamberlain and Marygold, trying to rein him in, nodded at the emperor's point. It was contradictory.
"I take this gift to mean Your Majesty expects much from me in future."
"Dissatisfied? To become the emperor's man as a knight? That I might ask something of you?"
"If you wish to make me your man, Your Majesty, I must take more."
Shock rippled through.
"You dare bargain with me, Lancel Dante."
"All in this world sits upon scales, Your Majesty."
"Even if I sever your head here and now?"
The emperor's voice quivered with subtle fury. He expected Lancel to back down.
But.
"If you wish."
The emperor's mouth gaped blankly, freezing once more.
No fear at all. Why?
This guy's not the emperor anyway, right?
Lancel already knew his true identity. It had been a hunch before, but the reactions confirmed it.