Chapter 252: Questions and Answers
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 252: Questions and Answers
Good thing I made my move early...
Muen couldn't help but feel the relief of a pig that had spent the night ravaging a vegetable garden and somehow escaped being slaughtered.
Regardless, if Celicia still loathed him as she once had, then after last night’s events, he truly might have become a vengeful ghost at the hands of the cold and haughty Princess, just as Audrich III had suggested.
What Muen still couldn't quite grasp, however...
Was why His Majesty—who had watched everything with cold indifference and done absolutely nothing from start to finish—was so certain of this outcome.
Was he not afraid that something might actually go wrong with the engagement between Muen and Celicia?
Logically, the Emperor should have been desperate for this engagement to succeed. He needed the Campbell family—or rather, the Campbell name—to help him keep the corrupt noble factions in check.
He’s impossible to read...
Muen stole a cautious glance at the Emperor. The supreme ruler of the Empire sat right before him, yet he seemed shrouded in an impenetrable mist.
Even now, Muen wasn't entirely sure why he had been summoned.
Surely the man wasn't so lonely in the depths of his palace that he’d hauled Muen in just for a chat...
...
Just as various theories were swirling through Muen’s mind, Audrich III suddenly shed his drowsy demeanor and rose from the oversized sofa.
"Campbell boy, follow me."
He turned and walked toward the other end of the room.
Muen followed silently behind him.
Just as he assumed Audrich III was taking him to see some special object or meet a specific person... the world before Muen’s eyes suddenly brightened.
They stepped outside onto a balcony.
Through a balustrade carved from white jade into intricate patterns, the sun was sinking over the vast western plains. It set the sprawling clouds ablaze, bathing the towering city below in a magnificent, crimson light.
From this vantage point, one could look down upon the better part of Belland.
Audrich III rested his hands on the white jade railing. His eyes, deep and dark enough that even the sunlight couldn't penetrate them, gazed down at the grand city beneath his feet.
"Muen Campbell, standing here at this moment, at the highest point of this city... what do you see?" he asked suddenly.
"What do I see?"
Muen was taken aback.
He was about to ponder the deeper meaning of the question when Audrich’s voice rang out in his ear again.
"Answer me now."
The voice carried an infinite majesty, seemingly laced with a peculiar power. It scattered Muen’s thoughts, and he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
"The sunset is beautiful."
"...And?"
"And... the rivers flowing under the sunset are also beautiful. They remind me of a certain scene I’ll never forget as long as I live."
A smile played on Muen’s lips, his gaze softening.
"..."
Audrich III glanced at him, a brow twitching slightly. He tapped the railing.
"I told you to look at the city."
"The city..."
Muen lowered his gaze, overlooking Belland.
In the reflection of his lake-like eyes, more than half of Belland was captured. From this position, it felt as if nothing could escape his sight.
It was a wondrous sensation—having everything within view, everything appearing so small, like ants beneath his feet.
His expression turned profoundly solemn.
"There..."
"There?"
"On that street..."
Muen pointed in a certain direction, his expression incredibly grave.
Even Audrich III was drawn in, leaning over to look seriously toward the famous Queen's Avenue where Muen was pointing.
"What about that street?"
"On that street..."
Muen took a deep breath, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
"That girl in the short skirt—her chest is huge, and her thighs are so white!"
"..."
In the ensuing silence, a crisp crack echoed as Audrich III withdrew his hand from the railing. Ignoring the spiderweb of cracks he had just left in the stone, he turned back to scrutinize the blond youth once more.
Muen snapped out of it with a shudder, immediately realizing he had screwed up.
What the hell is wrong with me? Why did I just say the tru— I mean, why did I say something so disrespectful in front of His Majesty?
What now? Is he going to execute me for lèse-majesté? Or will he snitch to Celicia and let her kick my ass again?
But just as Muen was spiraling into anxiety, Audrich III suddenly burst into laughter.
"Ha... Hahaha! 'Chest is huge, thighs are white'? That is the first time I have ever heard such a response."
For the first time, Muen could sense a genuine, unmistakable mirth from this man shrouded in mist.
The Emperor’s sharp brows—identical to Celicia’s—lifted like unsheathed swords.
It felt as if the entire world vibrated along with the man’s laughter.
"Muen Campbell, you are far more interesting than I imagined."
"Huh?"
Muen wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "I’m not sure what Your Majesty means."
"Even within these palace walls, I have heard many tales of your exploits," Audrich III paused. "Not particularly good ones..."
"Rumors! Those are just slanders spread by people trying to blacken my name! Your Majesty must not believe them!" Muen’s eyes widened in indignation.
The old Muen was one thing, but the current him had absolutely nothing to do with those so-called "bad exploits."
"And yet, not long ago, someone came to me to complain. They said you were using your status as a Duke’s son to do whatever you pleased in the Academy, committing scandalous and un-noble acts... like streaking, for instance."
"Pfft..."
Muen nearly coughed up a mouthful of blood.
What the hell? Why would a trivial thing like that reach the Emperor’s ears in the palace?
Your Majesty, are you really that bored?
"Then there were the stories of you bullying other noble children, your decadent private life, and how you were dating a dozen girls at once. I won't list them all; I’ve heard enough to grow tired of them."
Audrich III spoke casually. "But recently, I started hearing different news. They say you’ve turned over a new leaf at the Academy, that you’re studying hard and behaving like a true son of a Duke. It’s as if you’ve become a different person."
"...With the weight of the family... and my parents' expectations on my shoulders, I had to try and make an effort, didn't I?" Muen smiled.
"Heh, is that so?"
Audrich III remained noncommittal and continued, "I was naturally curious how a person could change so abruptly. So, I thought I would call you in to see for myself whether the rumors were true or false."
"...And has Your Majesty seen anything?"
"..."
Audrich III turned back, offering a faint smile.
"Take a guess."
Pfft...
Your Majesty, do you have to be such a tease?
Muen felt a lump of frustration stick in his chest at Audrich III’s sudden playfulness. It was incredibly uncomfortable.
But then, a flash of realization struck him.
His Majesty... is testing me? Or rather, testing the Campbell family?
"Muen Campbell, I will ask you one last question."
Audrich III stopped looking down at the city and turned his gaze toward the setting sun.
"What do you want for the future?"
"The future?"
"Correct," Audrich said. "Right now, you are the son of a Duke and the fiancé of the Princess. You have noble status, endless wealth, and power within your reach...
"One can imagine how bright the future awaiting you will be. But once you step into that bright future, once you possess things that ordinary people couldn't obtain in a thousand lifetimes... what will you want then?"
"I..."
Muen hesitated.
What do you want in the future? That was perhaps the hardest question in the world to answer.
Because no one can say for sure who they will be in the future.
But for Muen, the answer to this question had long been decided.
And so, under the gentle light of the setting sun, Muen scratched his cheek. With a hint of bashfulness, like a child declaring his dreams to a parent, he spoke softly.
"I want to live... happily."
That was it.
To live happily.
This was the ultimate goal that had never changed, even after everything he had experienced since transmigrating into this world, after all the things he had faced, and all the times he had brushed past death.
He was the yellow-haired villain of the story.
He was watched by Evil Gods and hated by Fate.
But he still wanted to live.
And be happy.
It was that simple.
"Is that so?"
Audrich III suddenly turned back, looking at him with a gaze full of pity.
"For you, that might just be the hardest thing in the world to obtain."