A Dangerous Invitation (1)
The empire’s supreme ruler, the monarch who united all its nobles under one banner. The one and only being who wielded absolute, unchecked power. The sacred descendant acknowledged by the goddess Gael and her angels as the rightful heir to divine authority. As befitted the sovereign of a mighty nation that spanned the vast continent, the Emperor of the Valtaria Empire bore a host of grandiose titles. For the empire’s sovereign stood at the pinnacle of mortal power and served as the guardian of the sacred.
That was why the nobles swore unchanging loyalty to the emperor and revered him as a supreme existence.
‘To think I would be granted the honor of beholding such a noble countenance. Should I rejoice… or should I grieve?’
If Father back at the marquisate learned of his second son’s latest escapade, wouldn’t he faint on the spot? Hmm… Of course he would. Our father has always been rather frail of heart.
I let out a sigh as I thought of home and family. I had already lost count of how many worried sighs this made. Right now I probably looked like a death-row prisoner awaiting execution.
“Whoa! There are so many clothes here! This place looks like somewhere a beautiful princess would live!”
“Hehe, feel free to look around as much as you like.”
Flora’s Atelier. Among the countless high-end dress shops that catered exclusively to nobility, this one proudly claimed the top tier. Rare and exotic fabrics were displayed everywhere. Legendary materials that frequently appeared in old tales lined the walls alongside colorful silks imported from the distant East, arranged like decorative ornaments.
The sight was so otherworldly that a girl with light-green hair spun around in delight, practically dancing. Beside her, an imperial princess with luxurious golden hair offered a graceful smile.
“Welcome, Your Highness Ludmilla.”
“The Red Dragon herself has graced our humble atelier… It is truly an honor beyond words.”
The moment Ludmilla strode in with her dignified gait, the atelier’s numerous staff members lined up on both sides. A majestic silence fell. It felt as though even the sound of swallowing would be unforgivable.
There were no other customers in sight. Just like when we had rented out an entire train upon arriving in the capital from the marquisate, it seemed the entire atelier had been reserved. Only an imperial princess with such extravagant spending habits could pull that off.
Thanks to her, however, I was able to browse the shop without worry. I had been concerned that people might recognize me.
“What sort of dress is Your Highness seeking today?”
“Not for me. It’s for this young lord here. Show us the latest fashions popular in the imperial capital. He will be granted an audience with His Majesty, so spare no effort.”
The instant Ludmilla finished speaking, the atelier staff began to stir with excitement. The imperial princess had brought her lover. And she had ordered a formal suit for him to wear when meeting the emperor. It was perfectly understandable if they mistook him for a prospective son-in-law being introduced to his future in-laws.
Of course it was a misunderstanding, but the circumstantial evidence was so overwhelming that denial was impossible. The staff had already accepted their speculation as fact and were now staring with meaningful eyes. They seemed overflowing with determination to present the imperial family’s future son-in-law (who wasn’t) with the very best garments.
“This way, please!”
“W-wait! Whatever you’re thinking, I must clarify that this is all a misunderstanding…!”
“It’s quite all right, no need to be shy! Everyone feels flustered the first time.”
“What’s flustering me is the misunderstanding you people are making right now!”
The seasoned tailors, proud of their years of experience, gently pushed me forward. Had their ears gone bad? Despite my repeated protests, they simply laughed and guided me deeper inside.
“The little lady will need a dress as well.”
“Oh my, what an adorable child. She looks just like a fairy. We happen to have the perfect fabric for her.”
Lue had also been invited to the audience, just like me. Was this really okay? An anxious tension had already begun to coil in my chest. Facing the notoriously short-tempered emperor was terrifying enough. Now I had to bring along this reckless little troublemaker too.
Even though I had earned merit by subjugating the villains who had turned the capital’s streets into a sea of fire, what awaited me upon return was an even greater crisis. The idea that good deeds are rewarded only existed in fairy tales. My constantly misfortune-plagued fate made that perfectly clear.
“Are you the young lord of the Hohenberg family?! The hero who defeated those cruel and merciless villains…!”
“I will stake my life on ensuring this first meeting is a success! Please trust me and leave everything to us!”
No. This is not a first meeting. I swear on my damn older brother’s name that it isn’t.
The moment it became known that the man Ludmilla had brought to the atelier was the protagonist of the rumor—the one who had single-handedly crushed the criminal organization responsible for turning the capital into an inferno—the already soaring atmosphere shattered its own ceiling. The tailors declared they would prepare the finest formal attire worthy of a hero and threw themselves into the task with fanatical zeal.
Upon hearing that the second son of the Hohenberg family had eradicated the despicable traitors who had turned the capital into a sea of flames, Emperor Barbarossa immediately summoned the intelligence department on an emergency basis.
Edanant von Hohenberg.
Wasn’t he the idler his second daughter had dragged back from the marquisate? Twenty-three years old this year. No particularly notable records. The only achievement worth mentioning was that he had assisted his father in governing the marquisate.
Barbarossa found it suspicious that an ordinary nobleman who could be found anywhere had single-handedly annihilated a criminal organization that had launched a surprise attack on the Saintess Party. It was only natural for him to be doubtful. After all, a young lord who had been practically unknown until now had supposedly defeated those cruel and merciless villains.
“A commoner from the remote marquisate—who has never once served in the war or participated in monster subjugation—claims to have wiped out every last villain who turned the capital into a sea of fire… Are you telling me to believe such a ridiculous report?”
“Your servant also found it suspicious, Your Majesty.”
Barbarossa’s voice dripped with fury. The prime minister who oversaw the intelligence department broke into a cold sweat.
“This is the auditor’s report, which meticulously recorded every detail of the incident. It was compiled after multiple cross-examinations with Lord Edanant and the knights who arrived at the scene, so it should be accurate.”
“Hmph.”
The intelligence department, which had failed to prevent the bombing terror in the imperial capital, was currently shouldering the blame. Therefore, they had poured every resource into investigating Edanant in an attempt to appease the emperor’s notoriously volatile temper.
They’re useful, at least. Even if they’re idiots, they’re quick on the uptake.
That was why Barbarossa had temporarily suspended the large-scale disciplinary measures he had planned for the department’s blunder. He snorted as he looked over the prime minister and officials of the intelligence department gathered in the conference room.
“What? Edanant wielded a holy sword… He used the Holy Sword Aldebaran?”
“Y-yes, Your Majesty! That is what he reported!”
Edanant had told the auditor dispatched by the intelligence department that he had used the power of a holy sword to defeat the black magician’s minion, Gael Doher, and his subordinates. A look of astonishment spread across Barbarossa’s fierce face.
He had thought the boy was nothing more than an ordinary noble, yet it turned out he was a holy sword user. The sudden and unexpected appearance of Edanant filled Barbarossa with deep curiosity.
‘First Maximilian, now Edanant—both brothers chosen by holy swords? How absurd. For both siblings to be selected by the holy swords… The Hohenberg family is a prestigious noble house representing the eastern region of the empire, yet they had been slowly declining.’
Otto von Hohenberg, the current head of the Hohenberg family, was unfortunately the most ordinary of ordinary men. One might call him a simple citizen who valued modesty and lack of ambition above all else. He was merely a mediocre vessel content to live out his life in the remote borderlands.
To think that the goddess’s grace would descend upon someone like Otto. It was truly an excessive honor for such a timid commoner. If it became known that his second son, Edanant, had also been chosen by a holy sword just like his eldest son Maximilian, countless nobles would burn with jealousy.
“Do you not share a deep connection with Marquis Hohenberg, Your Majesty?”
“Connection? Hardly. We merely associated for a short time during our reckless youth.”
Tap.
He set down the report he had been reading carefully. Then Barbarossa spoke.
“It is almost time for the protagonist who turned the imperial capital upside down to arrive. You may withdraw now, you useless parasites.”
“U-understood, Your Majesty.”
The intelligence department officials, having been struck by their stern superior’s cutting remark, retreated with pale faces. After watching their retreating backs, Barbarossa straightened his clothes with deliberate care as he waited for his invited guests.
Although the damnable scion of the Hohenberg family had severed ties through a broken engagement, he had nevertheless accomplished the great feat of eradicating every last one of those cruel villains. It was only proper to receive him with due formality.
The emperor, who had been clumsily adjusting his attire, eventually grew irritated and summoned the chamberlains to handle his grooming. After some time had passed, a chamberlain waiting outside approached with cautious steps.
“Your Majesty, Princess Ludmilla and Lord Edanant request an audience.”
“Let them enter.”
The man and woman waiting outside proved their meticulous nature by requesting an audience the very moment the appointed time arrived. The request was granted. Soon, his dignified daughter entered the audience chamber accompanied by a man dressed in elegant formal attire. A small girl followed behind with visibly nervous steps.
The scene looked so much like a harmonious family that Barbarossa’s expression grew strangely meaningful.
“So you are Edanant von Hohenberg.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Edanant bowed his head, displaying refined grace that spoke of long training in imperial court etiquette. It was an excellent bearing. He must have studied court manners for many years.
Barbarossa had intended to show clear displeasure toward the scion of the Hohenberg family—whom he regarded as little better than enemies—but instead cleared his throat to mask his discomfort. Had Edanant shown any clumsiness in etiquette, he would have used it as an excuse to vent his anger.
“I hear you subjugated the damnable villains who set my city ablaze. A splendid achievement.”
“It was merely the duty of an imperial subject, Your Majesty.”
At Edanant’s humble reply, Barbarossa’s shoulders rose slightly. He knows his place. For a rural young lord, his eloquence was rather impressive. He was on an entirely different level from that scoundrel who had forcibly broken off the engagement and fled.
Perhaps impressed by the fine display of rhetoric, Barbarossa refrained from bringing up any matters related to the Hohenberg family. It was also because Edanant left no openings whatsoever. Of course, his ill feelings remained unchanged. The resentment rooted in his narrow-minded heart would not be easily erased.
“How could there be no reward for a hero who has shown loyalty to the imperial family and the empire? I am a magnanimous and broad-minded ruler. Therefore, Lord Edanant, speak your desire without hesitation. I shall grant you anything you wish.”
“Y-Your Majesty is too generous…”
The sovereign who held absolute power had just declared unlimited rewards. I am benevolent. As if to prove his vast generosity and tolerance, he spread both hands toward Edanant. Startled by the sudden grand declaration, Edanant froze with tension. Judging by his tightly sealed lips, he seemed to be deep in thought.
“……”
Ludmilla’s gaze remained fixed on Edanant. Speak. Speak now. Hurry up and say something. Strangely, although it was Edanant who had been granted the right to request a reward, the one reacting with greater fervor was Ludmilla, who stood beside him watching. The fierce gleam in her crimson eyes made that perfectly clear.