Chapter 95
Chapter 95
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Absolute Banquet (6)
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"Outrageous."
The President of the Imperial Assembly glared discontentedly at Logan and Mariposa, who had taken a liking to the warden.
It had only been a few dozen minutes since they had been the ones vehemently insisting that Camillia needed protection.
Yet now, they were showing interest in the warden instead.
"How much is the warden's salary that you're turning it down?"
"Salary isn't the issue. I'm just not one for holing up and doing research."
Mariposa, who had her napkin enlistment form snatched away, wore a pouty expression.
No one could have imagined that she, known in her past life as a fearsome grand sorceress, could make such a face.
"The central palace is better than that dreary Black Tower. Come to the Finance Office."
"I... don't really know much about state administration."
Even the famously cold Imperial Finance Officer showed a regretful expression.
He was the grim reaper of the imperial finance world, infamous for having the highest dismissal rate among all past finance officers.
"......"
Lidas Andalusia alone put on a cold face by himself.
While subtly rubbing the ring on his index finger.
He was the most shrewd and cautious of the three.
True to form as the political heavyweight succeeding Dark, he trusted no one easily.
Not even after his two blood relatives of equal status had already fallen.
"Hmph."
The reason he looked at me displeased wasn't just his personality.
He stared piercingly into my eyes in particular, clearly not liking what he saw there.
'Well, that's understandable enough.'
Try regressing three times to stop the world from ending.
Anyone would end up with rotten, dead-fish eyes, wandering around in a daze.
"That said, even granting your wealth and knowledge are abundant, I still haven't heard your clear ambitions."
As expected, Lidas was concerned about my ambitionless gaze.
He tried to probe my passion subtly.
"Seeing you firmly reject my blood kin's offers, do you have some firm goal of your own?"
The Black Tower Master and Finance Officer caught Lidas rubbing his ring as he asked.
Knowing its power, they whispered to him.
'Do we really need to push that hard?'
'He's still young. We can use the ring's power later.'
The ring's ability was none other than lie detection.
By rubbing the black crystal embedded in it, the wearer could tell if the opponent's answer was true or false.
'No matter how capable, a man's core is ambition. Ambition is a man's vitality.'
The President of the Imperial Assembly responded firmly to their concerns.
'To handle Camillia, he needs matching vitality. That's what I'm checking.'
After that, he stared intently only at me.
"I hear you're not planning to advance further from warden of Berryhill Prison. You even told His Majesty that, right?"
It was a response I'd given only when alone with the Emperor and a tiny few.
Yet Lidas, as a political heavyweight, had that information down pat.
"Is that still your honest truth?"
A faint mana stirred from the ring.
I, who had seen his ring in my past life, sensed the magic's flow.
The lie detection spell that could only be activated once a year.
'Not as potent as Camillia's Confession Magic, but enough to peek into my heart. Any vague answer will register as a lie.'
So I had to answer my life's ultimate goal straight.
But how could I casually say I wanted to bask in the Princess's halo?
I needed some way around it.
"Yes, that's right. I have no desire to climb higher from here."
My gaze was on Lidas, but my true answer was directed at the ring.
My humble and modest sincerity.
"......"
The Heavenly Garden fell silent for a moment at my short, blunt reply.
Only the chirping of rare birds echoed.
"Why?"
"Pardon?"
Why, indeed.
Saying I had ambitions here would make me look like someone out to devour the Princess.
"Why not? Is your ambition and passion really that meager? You can't handle Camillia like this!"
Leading interrogation worthy of the President of the Imperial Assembly.
He even wore a worried expression, though that might be acting too.
"Climbing higher is how you earn honor as the Princess's top retainer."
Lidas Andalusia.
In my memory, this man had maintained neutrality even during the rebellion.
An upright figure who cared more for the empire's welfare than anyone, so I'd assumed he'd despise a villain like me.
That's why I'd tried to slither like a cave snake toward the glittering gold.
'So why is he egging me on to have ambitions?'
As I made a puzzled face, the Black Tower Master and Finance Officer reined in their blood kin.
'Why, Lidas? He's the type to hand over his knowledge for someone else's paper.'
'Brother, he owns ten castles. That's plenty for a private individual.'
Lidas sighed deeply.
Then whispered sharply to his siblings.
'Sure, top-notch as lord-vassal. But that boy's her husband.'
He added with a frustrated look.
'What good is a husband without passion? Don't you know Camillia's personality?'
'Ah......'
Only then did his blood kin grasp the Assembly President's intent.
And they all glanced at the dark-circled, decadent young noble.
'Can a finite guy like that handle Camillia's lust?'
'True, she's the slyest of us... and she takes after her ancestors.'
Mariposa, who as a fellow woman had entered her little sister's chambers, knew in particular.
That the outwardly cold and calculating woman kept a hatchling doll bound in her bed.
'But he beat Stillman, so his lower body strength must be good...?'
'We don't know yet. That's why we need a thorough check.'
Lidas Andalusia had watched several imperial nobles' marriages head to ruin for such reasons.
That's why he himself hadn't married easily.
The women he'd liked were all shallow types eager to suck honey from halos.
He was certain even Camillia, of the same blood, wouldn't lavish affection on a pillar husband.
"One final question for you."
"What is it?"
The President of the Imperial Assembly stopped the murmurs and put on a grave gaze.
Like a general issuing his final command before war.
"You know His Majesty is over seventy now?"
"Yes, I'm aware."
I matched his serious expression in response.
"He could pass any time. After that, the competition between Camillia and Ivan will truly begin."
Lidas stroked his ring.
Deciding to use the once-a-year ring today.
The lie detection magic, invaluable to a politician.
"In that rebellion, what do you plan to do?"
A question of whether I could truly aid the empire.
The final hurdle, where my answer mattered most.
"Hunker down in the boonies with your vast wealth and knowledge while Camillia struggles alone? Hiding in her shadow?"
Honestly, I did want an easy life.
My body and soul were worn out from repeated apocalypse averting.
"It's true I want to live wealthy and comfortably. True I want to hide in Her Highness Camillia's halo."
But that didn't mean I'd abandon this world.
"However, if someone dares threaten Her Highness the Princess who grants me that peace, I won't stand idly by."
I narrowed my snakelike eyes even thinner.
And counterattacked with a gaze honed far longer in politics than Lidas's.
"For my own comfortable rest, the empire must remain strong."
"You'll help keep Camillia safe just so you can rest easy?"
A vague answer implying mere support.
Lidas looked displeased.
But my next words left him stunned.
"That is my answer to the ring you're wearing."
Because I'd known he was secretly using the imperial secret artifact.
Even phrasing it circuitously to avoid lie detection.
"I know everything about this empire."
Thick clouds drifted over the Heavenly Garden.
Shading only where I sat.
"And if this place vanishes, so might I."
I extended my hands nobly.
And as a regressor, answered them earnestly.
"You uphold the empire, and Her Highness Camillia remains strong—that's how I can exist."
I pulled an envelope from my inner pocket, prepared in advance.
A secret letter secured with powerful encryption magic.
"To that end, I'll aid you from the shadows."
The letter slid across the table to Lidas.
To the imperial who worked tirelessly for the empire's welfare.
"That's the ideal relationship I envision."
The President of the Imperial Assembly frowned deeply as he opened the envelope I'd handed him.
That instant.
"Isn't this internal corruption data on the Walter Group...?"
He alternated wide-eyed stares between me and the document.
Understandably so.
The Walter Group was one I'd doggedly investigated even as Prime Minister, barely uncovering their corruption.
"I may lack ambition for promotion, but I never said I lacked passion."
From the shaded seat, my venom-filled eyes gleamed.
"I'll aid those on my side to the end. For my comfortable life, that is."
"......"
The Black Tower Master, peeking at the document, covered her mouth.
Logan let out a scoff at the illegal funds they'd siphoned via corruption.
"If you wish, after His Majesty passes, I can list all those likely to incite rebellion."
They all stared at me blankly.
Not just vast wealth or herbal knowledge, but...
A man hiding far more dangerous weapons.
"How do you have such classified intel...?"
"Even our Black Tower couldn't find this."
"It wasn't there when I audited the Walter Group's finances..."
I smiled brightly at the sunlit imperial nobles.
With a shady grin from the shadows.
"Because I'm from the shadows you all wary of."
I flaunted my abilities to those already thinking I'd emptied the Walter Group's vaults.
"This document's validity should be proven by the Walter Group vaults I've commandeered, right?"
"......"
Lidas finally dropped his stoic mask.
Clutching his forehead, he burst into the haughty laugh inherited from his late Empress mother.
"Looking forward to working with you, Derek..."
He trailed off, then muttered softly.
"Andalusia."
Only a greater monster can tame a dark lion.
And Lidas realized the one before him wasn't a mere serpent.
He was a massive hatchling eyeing the dragon's throne.
He could only hope Camillia leashed this talent tightly and kept him chained to her bed.
After the cumulus clouds blanketing the sky cleared away.
Heavy footsteps soon echoed into the Elysian Garden.
Camillia arrived in casual clothes, unlike her usual uniform.
She strode boldly into the garden.
"Hm?"
The appointed time was noon sharp.
Yet from ten minutes prior, Derek's and her cousins' voices had carried over.
As if they'd met early ahead of her.
"No way these people..."
Camillia narrowed her eyes predatorily.
She'd strictly warned them never to touch Derek, yet her relatives had ignored her plea and tried to assert dominance early.
With intent to punish them immediately.
"This won't do. Time for a full financial audit on the Imperial Assembly and Magic Tower."
A voice haughty as a queen's, contrasting her beautiful face.
She entered the garden with her chilling soliloquy.
But...
"Brother-in-law, you're really not joining the Black Tower?"
"That's tough, but I'll serve as an invited lecturer to share knowledge. Let's research together occasionally."
"Really? Promise?"
"Of course. It's an honor to research with the Black Tower's master—."
For some reason, the voices from the garden held no interrogation vibe.
Rather, it felt like a warm family chat.
"Oh, Camillia, you're here?"
"Welcome."
"We were just greeting him early."
Her relatives welcomed her with bright smiles.
Her sister scowled at the awkwardness.
"What? What's going on?"
The blood kin all rose and approached her.
And said in unison.
"Marry him. Or hand him over to us."
Before the dark lioness, the foxes eyed her greedily.
As if tasting meat for the first time and coveting the predator's prey too.
"What on earth happened? You were all dead set against it before."
Camillia looked at me in bewilderment.
After charming all her difficult relatives.
Lounging, sipping hot tea in the warm sunlight.
"What in the world is that kid..."
The Princess stared blankly at the imugi that had bewitched even her blood kin, then lifted the corner of her mouth.
And thought.
"Can't leave him alone after all."
She planned to finally unbind the leash on her hatchling doll.
As if finding a new one to chain.
"Just need Father's permission now, and he's mine..."
She sank into happy deliberation for a moment.
The Emperor was cold on the surface but always respected her judgment.
She thought he'd approve readily this time too.