Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Katerina

“Ah.”

I forgot. Semi-fixed nicknames were mandatory.

I couldn't see the word ‘Imperial Family’ in the ‘H’ list. Where can I find Saint-Rank Ability Users? While looking through the list, I found something that caught my eye.

To avoid getting banned this time, I read the notice first.

How far is the line? I decided I should just lurk for three days.

Is the Emperor such a scary person? It's more lenient than I thought, but I don't know the line.

***

Serin was curious about Saklasi. The level at which he just created water masses wasn't that of a normal Lieutenant-Rank.

The speed of continuous creation, the appearance of not being tired at all, being fine after getting hit so hard, and above all... he became too handsome.

No, this isn't it. What do you mean ‘above all’!

“Ah! Seriously!”

As the Water Ability User Gallery's characteristic teasing began, Serin pounded the keyboard with anger.

“Ah! Seriously!”

Serin threw her phone and dived onto the bed just like that.

***

“If he's an ability user, he's not a demon. Not saying anything about the black hair, or the orphanage days......”

Katerina assumed the reason Saklasi didn't speak was because he was a descendant of a High Elf. To hide himself.

As she was reading the latest report like that, a question mark floated in Katerina's mind.

“Ability manifestation was yesterday, but a Lieutenant-Rank Water User infinitely close to High-Rank?”

Katerina didn't know well either. It had been 1000 years since the last black-haired Soi died. It was when even Katerina hadn't been born for long.

“Is the Water Ability different for black-haired Sois?”

All Elves are Water Ability Users. The World Tree burned, and the last Elf born from the World Tree was the Emperor.

“Mother's root must have also been water, were we just possessing something of water without the Water Ability manifesting? So, are our descendants, the black-haired Sois, different?”

There was no way to know. Because the sample size of black-haired Sois was too small.

Katerina thought about whether she should go see Saklasi herself. Just ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as Katerina was about to request her attendant to contact the Koopong Ruler of Busanosk for now.

***

“This inferior defective bastard!!!”

“Father, I'm sorry. He was a Lieutenant-Rank Ability User...”

“What was an ability user thinking entering here! What about your arm? Is your arm okay?”

“They say there will be aftereffects...”

“I! I will tear him to death! Daring to do this to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my son!? Right, that damn bastard was swaggering next to incompetent Sois?”

The Deputy General Manager added nonexistent stories to existing ones while talking to his father, and his father was infuriated.

The Deputy General Manager's father was a High-Rank Electric Ability User. With that ability, he chose to be a noble of the Empire rather than a noble of the Kingdom. That's how he became the Koopong Ruler of Busanosk, which was the size of a kingdom.

He was someone who became a noble of the Empire as a High-Rank Ability User that Saklasi also desired.

His status was also a Count. Even if he's an ability user, he's just a Soi. Since he broke his son's arm in a surprise attack when pointed out about work, killing that Soi bastard was a natural thing for his status.

It was then. Even though loud voices must have been heard outside right now, a knock was heard on his office door.

“What is it in this situation!”

“Your Excellency Count. Her Highness Imperial Princess Katerina has called.”

The Count was startled. That Imperial Family member called me?

“I greet Her Highness the Imperial Princess.”

-I contacted you because I have something to say about the newly arrived Soi.

Katerina brought up the main point abruptly, and it happened to be about a Soi. The Count momentarily forgot about his son next to him as that crossed his mind.

“Ah! As a matter of fact, one certain Soi was causing trouble.”

To Katerina's words, the only thing he could say was ‘Please give your command.’ Until receiving the call, the Count had seen a total of two Imperial Family members. The Emperor and the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠youngest Imperial Princess. The Emperor was no problem.

However,

‘A High-Rank Ability User! Amazing-yo!’

The youngest Imperial Princess was the problem.

‘Since the Count is more of an adult than me, you can enter first-yo!’

The youngest Imperial Princess was cute and lovely. Small and petite. At the sight of the girl princess treating him with utmost courtesy, the Count unknowingly projected himself as a butler. He came to treat the Imperial Princess as if taking care of the youngest lady of a family.

“Understood-yo! It's really okay, but! Since it's an adult's word, I'll listen-yo?”

That not-even-funny tone made him forget he was in front of an Imperial Family member. From some point, he didn't even feel nervous. To the extent he was smiling a fatherly smile at the youngest Imperial Princess's words!

Even this was the Count keeping his manners to the best of his ability in his own way.

If the Count had thought ‘Then since I'm more of an adult, it would be okay to really speak informally, right?’

If it were the youngest Imperial Princess, she would have said ‘Then of course it's okay-yo!’

Although it was a call this time, the third Imperial Family member the Count met was Katerina.

“A Soi is trouble? Please speak.”

Katerina was an Imperial Family member who used honorifics to everyone.

That didn't mean she lacked dignity like the youngest, but she herself considered that it wasn't a flaw.

Unless they were crazy, who would dare look down on an Imperial Family member because of this?

The Count wasn't looking down on her either. He just thought this much wouldn't be hugely rude.

The Count relayed what he heard from his son exactly, and the conclusion was that he would kick out one black-haired Soi. It was that Soi whom the Emperor personally asked Katerina to cherish.

“That is baffling.”

“I feel the same. That Soi is truly, haha. Anyway, for me, I think it would be difficult to work with that friend.”

These words became his testament.

The Count is the Koopong Ruler of Busanosk.

If he sets his mind to it, it would be difficult for a Soi to live at least within Busanosk.

But that is the Count's thought, and Katerina will surely execute the order received from her mother.

She intended to cherish him.

To what extent?

So that even if Saklasi doesn't work for his whole life, he can lead that life which is a mere moment compared to Katerina.

If Saklasi wants to keep living in Busanosk, then so be it.

If he happens to want to work at Koopong there, even that.

Katerina cherishing someone? That, cherishing a nephew as an aunt?

Katerina didn't know exactly what that was, but she thought she should just do as sister Ekaterina had infinitely cherished her.

Katerina did not realize that her input and output regarding this part were broken.

In such a situation, what is this output?

“I will have to sweep you away.”

“Yes?”

At the suddenly cold voice, the Count somehow felt anxiety rushing in.

“What could the Count have said to me? I mean the business you could have said before I spoke.”

A cold voice comes from over the phone. It gave goosebumps contrasting with that beautiful voice. Cold sweat flows down the Count's back. His beast instincts were warning him fiercely.

“You want to lay down the title of Count and hand over everything you currently have to Saklasi? Well, if it was about that much, I would have granted it.”

What on earth does this mean? Saklasi? That black-haired Soi bastard's name?

The Count couldn't understand. What was certain was that something had gone terribly wrong.

“Please forgive me. Her Highness Imperial Princess Katerina. Humble I forgot my place and dared to make a slip of the tongue.”

Only then did the Count immediately adopt a prostrating mindset, but,

“Did you not hear me?”

It was already just too late.

“What do you mean, ah!”

“I am thinking of cutting out that tongue that wagged without knowing its place, and cutting off those ears that listened only to what they wanted to hear without knowing their place. What do you think?”

He grimaces as much as possible, but in front of his closed eyes, there is only darkness.

“Will you allow me to go to the countryside and live quietly? Her Highness Imperial Princess Katerina.”

“You may do so.”

“I thank Her Highness the Imperial Princess for her infinite mercy.”

Hanging up the phone, Katerina departed for Busanosk right now to see Saklasi.