Confession
"Then let's get to the main point."
His expression embodied leisure itself. Jepeto, who seemed to have known already, was one thing, but Suhwa wore the exact opposite look.
"Your Majesty must be wearing some very expensive magic artifacts."
"They say it can neutralize every known poison in the world. Something like alcohol is child's play."
"Oh ho. If you've got any spares, could you spare one for me?"
"If you promise to serve as Utopia warden for another ten years or so, I'll think about it."
The emperor and Jepeto exchanged laughter that was hearty to the point of being thick and viscous.
Suhwa had heard that high-ranking nobles wore expensive magic artifacts or artifacts to guard against assassination or ambushes, but this exceeded his imagination.
"I know it's impertinent, but may I ask one thing, Your Majesty?"
The alcohol hadn't run out yet—a new bottle appeared from under the table.
"As long as it's not 'Can I start a rebellion?', ask away."
With practiced ease, the emperor uncorked it. He brought it lightly to his nose, savoring the aroma like a seasoned connoisseur.
"Those attendants who just left... are they the Sachsen Duke's men?"
"Who knows? They might be, or they might not."
"Then why did you send them aw—"
"Isn't suspecting them better than killing them?"
He suspected because he didn't want to kill. Was that the consideration of the man who sat upon the throne above all others?
Watching the wine pour into his glass sent an inexplicable chill down Suhwa's spine.
"How do you expect to catch fish without bait?"
The first-floor spread must not have been enough; Jepeto was now devouring the snacks laid out here as well.
"Bait comes in its own flavors. The fish I'm after is so paranoid, you see."
"And greedy too. It'll bite even the smallest bait. Though it'll spit it out right after, of course."
How much of this conversation could he trust? It didn't make sense that even the emperor's closest attendants—let alone the Imperial Knights—couldn't be trusted. If the emperor truly lacked even that much freedom...
Then the main point Suhwa was about to raise would carry more persuasive weight than expected.
"Now that the interlopers are gone, allow me to speak first, Your Majesty."
"Do I have a guess about what you're going to say, or is that my imagination?"
Jepeto smiled a bit sheepishly, but his eyes brimmed with confidence. It wasn't something the emperor was entirely unwilling to hear; he poured wine into his glass and waited.
"I, Utopia Warden Jepeto Cervantes, wish to hand over the position of Utopia warden to Suhwa Romanov effective immediately. I humbly request Your Majesty's approval."
"I want to say 'Refused!' but..."
The emperor lightly raised his glass in a toast. Suhwa had no intention of drinking, but since his glass was full, he lifted it as well.
"I've heard the rumors. Why recommend Vice Warden Suhwa Romanov?"
"Gut feeling."
"What?"
"A real sticky gut feeling, Your Majesty. I have this sense that this lad can breathe some fresh tension into the lax Utopia. Oh, and he beat Mobile Patrol Captain Boris Lesner in a one-on-one duel."
"Mobile Patrol Captain? Boris Lesner? The name rings a bell..."
"You remember that guy who used to be my aide? The one built like a bear."
"Ah, that guy~."
A light sigh escaped the emperor's lips as recollection dawned.
"You beat him in a duel? Hmm..."
The emperor's gaze, laced with surprise, doubt, and curiosity, settled on Suhwa.
"I got lucky, Your Majesty."
"Luck is a skill too. No one accepts 'bad luck' as an excuse for defeat, and victory is the same."
It was unclear if he was addressing Suhwa or reminding himself—his voice was ambiguous. Sensing this was a moment where silence was golden, Suhwa held his tongue.
"If there were other reasons, I'd have grounds to object, but a gut feeling..."
With that, the emperor rested his chin on his hand and fell silent. But only briefly—mischief sparked in his smile as he raised his glass to Suhwa.
"No reason it can't happen! Congratulations on becoming Utopia's new warden!"
"Finally! Finally!! Thank you... no, I am deeply grateful, Your Majesty!"
"'Deeply grateful'? Doesn't suit you. Just scout some good fishing spots and take me along sometime."
"Of course! Kahahahaha!"
Suhwa himself hadn't even expressed acceptance yet, but the back-and-forth made it seem like the handover ceremony was already done.
For a fleeting moment, he wondered if he should let them bask in their happy assumptions, but any longer and it might become irrevocable.
"Well then, we can't go without hearing a word from the new Utopia Warden on his inauguration."
"Of course, Your Majesty. Come on, lad, state your ambitions. His Majesty is waiting."
Suhwa had been pondering how to broach it when they laid out the perfect opening.
With an expression brimming with utmost gratitude toward the emperor who had granted this oversized role of national secret institution head to a fresh Academy graduate.
With an expression of utmost satisfaction toward Jepeto, whose lips were practically to his ears at the thought of dumping the warden position on a newbie and going fishing.
Suhwa replied with a refreshingly clear voice.
"Thank you, Your Majesty! I shall serve with all my heart, like a dog or a horse."
The clink of their three glasses rang out with perfect cheer.
This moment's joy couldn't be dispelled by any magic artifact or relic.
"Furthermore, Utopia Warden Suhwa Romanov wishes to hand over the position of Utopia warden to Boris Lesner effective immediately. I humbly request Your Majesty's approval."
"Achoo!"
Mobile Patrol Captain Boris Lesner, dutifully carrying out the triple-proxy duties of acting warden's acting warden's acting warden, shivered at the sudden chill.
'Did someone mention my name?'
With the warden, vice warden, and chief clerk all away, Utopia felt twice as quiet as usual.
Decades had passed since the continental war's tension ended; he couldn't even remember the last new prisoner.
The newly arrived vice warden was like a boulder hurled into a still pond.
'If we fought again... could I win?'
Man Boris Lesner harbored no regrets over losing the one-on-one duel. His argument with the vice warden hadn't been out of dislike—it was at Jepeto's request to play the villain.
This doubt was pure competitive spirit.
The war-forged shield thrilled at the sight of its own cracks—an unknown joy at confirming he still had room to grow as a warrior.
That realization alone was enough. He wanted to recover to full condition ASAP and challenge the vice warden again.
No—even now, he'd lose a hundred times out of a hundred challenges.
He needed to start serious training the moment his injuries healed, while the duel sensations lingered.
Thank goodness he hadn't taken the warden position. Jepeto dumped most paperwork on secretaries and the chief clerk, but if he became warden?
He'd be chained to a desk, wasting time.
"Ugh... Paper-pushing ain't my style. Achoo!"
Not a spring cold, yet the sneezes were suspiciously frequent. Now his ears itched too—or so it felt.
Such needless fancies meant his body wasn't fully healed. He'd stop by the infirmary on the way home for some tonic herbs.
With that thought, the patrol captain headed out for night rounds.
"For a moment, I thought my artifact had malfunctioned. Or that the alcohol hadn't worn off and I misheard you."
"I wondered if I'd reached the age where I start hearing things."
He didn't seem angry. If anything, a clean question? Suhwa would have understood polite refusal. Every time Jepeto mentioned handing over the warden position, Suhwa had refused.
But in front of the emperor, it was different.
After that heated waltz with Helena, Jepeto had clearly told Suhwa: he'd request the handover directly from the emperor.
If Suhwa truly meant to refuse, he should have told Jepeto seriously then: [I have no intention of becoming Utopia warden.]
"May I explain my intentions, Your Majesty?"
"I was about to ask myself."
"First. I'm too young, and Warden Jepeto is too old."
"Wh-what!? You little... Ahem."
The bluntness had a certain bite. Suhwa shot Jepeto an apologetic glance and continued.
"Utopia's prisoners are battle-hardened veterans who've seen it all—society's storms, seas, and skies. Pardon my slip. I mean, true elites among elites. Leading them would be beyond a fresh Academy graduate like me."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. But relying solely on Warden Jepeto, who wishes to retire, seems... something Your Majesty might not entirely desire, if I may presume."
Not a bad guess—the emperor nodded.
"Second. Mobile Patrol Captain Boris Lesner, as Jepeto's former aide, possesses outstanding mission execution skills and maintains top field instincts through years of service. If anyone is to succeed the warden, I believe no one is more suitable."
"Irrefutable reasons."
His throat felt just dry enough. He had no intention of drinking, but the wine's sway in the glass before him was intensely tempting.
Impudently, the emperor refilled his half-empty glass.
"But that's what makes it puzzling. With reasons like these, you'd have tipped off Jepeto beforehand..."
"Then I couldn't have an audience with Your Majesty, could I?"
Expressions of perfect back-scratch satisfaction and being one-upped flickered across their faces.
Suhwa's bold, almost arrogant reply left him wondering whether to caution or laugh it off.
"Looks like I need to attend the Academy graduation next year. Don't you think, Jepeto?"
"Invite me too. Whether as guards or prisoners, those kids are future Utopia family—better memorize faces."
"The most important final reason remains, Your Majesty."
The emperor and Jepeto both wore expressions saying nothing could surprise them now. Thanks to that, Suhwa could declare it flatly.
"From now on, I must raise a rebellion against the Empire, so I cannot accept the position of Utopia warden, Your Majesty."