Bright yellow.
The Emperor gazed down at me with an intense look, like a predator eyeing its prey.
“…”
I was overwhelmed by his aura.
He is a ruler.
Beneath his feet, I felt the urge to bow my head and swear allegiance. Everyone would, under that gaze.
But here, I managed to suppress my fear for a moment.
I knew something.
If I looked closely into the Emperor’s eyes, the story would change a little.
I looked beyond those predator-like eyes.
They were empty pupils.
No soul, no mind.
There was only one sycophant whispering something into his ear.
The Emperor is, indeed, a stuffed beast.
◆
Apart from his gaze, the Emperor resembled an ancient tree.
His dark complexion, his emaciated body could be sensed even beyond his royal robe.
The stuffed emperor looked like an ancient tree.
Then, who stuffed him?
You just need to turn your head slightly to the side.
An incompetent king with a leeching sycophant is an overused cliché.
If I had become emperor, I would have doubted the people who constantly spoke flatteries around me at least once.
But unfortunately, the Emperor of the Empire could not.
— Your Majesty.
There was a man beside him, looking like a court eunuch.
A sly little mustache, like a rat.
Always bowing, his posture hunched from constant groveling.
But in reality, he was the one holding the emperor in his hands, pulling the strings.
— They deserve a reward. They uncovered the Bloodstone Cult members who had been hiding. Their merit is no small feat.
He whispered something into the Emperor’s ear.
The Emperor’s mouth opened in response.
“You have done a great service. Name the reward you desire.”
Hmm.
The worst question.
Choosing my own reward? Whether I ask for something big or small, it’s a problem.
If I ask for something big, they’ll say I’m trying to take advantage of the Emperor. Slash.
If I ask for something small, they’ll say I’m disrespecting the Emperor. Slash.
The sycophant next to the Emperor spoke.
“Speak quickly. His Majesty himself is offering you a reward.”
“I am satisfied just by having the honor of seeing His Majesty’s face. It is the glory of a lifetime.”
“His Majesty has heard that answer dozens of times. Name a proper reward.”
Tsk. Someone’s already used that line.
I racked my brain.
A suitable reward, not crossing the line…
But I can’t ask for a Number.
… Ah.
Might as well take a little help from the scenario.
“… In that case, may I request some of Your Majesty’s time?”
Curiosity flickered in the Emperor’s eyes, as if my unexpected response caught him off guard. For the first time, his lifeless eyes seemed to regain a glimmer of interest.
“How many minutes?”
“Just three minutes in the future would be an honor.”
The sycophant whispered something to the Emperor.
The Emperor spoke.
“Very well. What is it?”
“I possess a certain talent.”
“What talent?”
“I am quite observant, and I often give advice to my fellow students at Lichten Academy. They say I have a good sense.”
“Observation and intuition… Very well. Speak.”
I improvised a story.
“As I entered, I saw a long, thin shadow cast above the palace. Following that shadow, I saw a snake slithering along.”
“… A snake?”
“Yes. Both the shadow and the snake represent yin energy—dark forces. In other words, they symbolize a singular dark energy. The fact that it looms over the top of the palace, which protects Your Majesty’s imperial body, signifies imminent danger.”
“… Danger? That’s quite an ominous fortune.”
“It is not ominous but auspicious. Now that you are aware of the danger, you can prepare for it. I wish for Your Majesty’s peace and safety.”
Even if he’s merely a figurehead, the Emperor must remain alive.
If he were to die now due to this scenario, the Empire would fall into chaos.
There’s a proper time for his death.
“Knowing the danger makes it auspicious, you say. Your words flow smoothly. So, what is the solution?”
“If Your Majesty permits me to walk the grounds, I will prevent any misfortune that may arise.”
“Ha ha. Amusing. Give this young one a pass of entry.”
Wait.
What?
‘… A pass of entry?’
I only hoped for the right to roam around the palace a little, to resolve the emperor assassination plot and perhaps obtain some hidden pieces.
But suddenly, I received an additional reward out of nowhere.
The ‘Pass of Entry’ is a top-tier special item.
It allows access to any area, unless it’s classified or related to the military, without requiring further permission from the Emperor.
Most impressively, this item doesn’t just apply to the palace; it works everywhere.
For example, restricted areas at Lichten Academy. It bypasses all those barriers.
I stared blankly at the pass in my hand.
“If you truly prevent the threat to me, I shall grant this to you permanently.”
The sycophant standing next to him nodded approvingly.
… In hindsight, even he values the Emperor’s life.
After all, it’s no easy task to create a new puppet.
“I am deeply grateful.”
This is a major win!
◆
Asteria’s quarters, befitting her status as a princess, were grand and beautiful beyond words.
We walked across the garden in front of her residence.
“An assassination attempt on the Emperor…”
Silvia hadn’t heard what happened inside, as she was waiting in the reception room.
Asteria’s murmur caught her by surprise.
“Your Highness, are you seriously considering a rebellion?”
“Silvie, could you refrain from speaking as if I’ve been dreaming of rebellion all along?”
“… But it’s true.”
Good question, Silvia.
When I first encountered this storyline, Asteria was the first person I suspected.
The image of a ‘Princess of Rebellion’ is ingrained in her character, after all.
… But.
“It’s not me, Silvie.”
This time, she’s innocent.
Currently, Asteria’s power is growing faster than anyone else’s, thanks to her control of the North.
Aside from the leading First Princess, she’s catching up right behind the Second Prince.
Would she really assassinate the Emperor and plunge the continent into chaos?
It would be a loss. A huge loss.
“Then who could it be?”
“That’s the question, isn’t it?”
Asteria and Silvia both turned to look at me, puzzled.
“… Why are both of you looking at me like that?”
“Because we think you might know.”
“Ian, with your information.”
That’s a misunderstanding, you know.
Still, I can say one thing with certainty.
“The one who stands to gain the most from this incident is likely the culprit.”
It’s an obvious statement, but necessary.
“Ian, your insight never fails.”
“As expected of Ian.”
… Don’t tease me.
◆
‘The Second Prince’s Birthday Banquet.’
For the next three days, the royal palace will host a grand celebration.
It’s no coincidence that this event overlaps perfectly with the planned The Emperor’s Assassination’.
The assassination forces must have taken advantage of the bustling and chaotic atmosphere inside the palace.
“Well, I’ll head to the banquet hall first. Before that fox Emilia starts charming everyone.”
Silvia departed for the banquet hall ahead of us.
Asteria and I had a different destination.
As she walked ahead, Asteria turned to me with a sly smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
“Are you ready to receive my reward?”
“Of course.”
“Hmm, I wonder what you’ve decided on.”
She casually adjusted the neckline of her top, emphasizing herself.
“The Numbers.”
“Oh, I’m sure this will feel pleasant too.”
She playfully licked her lips with a teasing grin.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen Asteria in her Sl*t Mode.
The only problem was that there were many people passing by in the palace.
“Please, Your Highness, have some restraint.”
“Tsk, you’re no fun~”
I was still sensitive because the aftereffects of having s*x with Danya, who was in heat.
So I walked for a while, blocking the Princess’s s*x jokes.
We arrived at a rather plain building, considering we were still inside the palace.
It looked like an unimportant structure, sitting there as if it didn’t matter much. But its true identity? The entrance to the royal family’s secret vault.
To be exact, it was the building that housed the underground passage leading to the vault.
“What brings you here?”
As soon as we entered, a guard greeted us.
His attire was that of a regular guard, but I could sense his immense strength.
A highly skilled individual.
Well, that’s expected.
The moment his eyes landed on the Princess, he immediately snapped to attention.
“Your Highness, Third Princess! What brings you here?”
“I’ve come to retrieve something of mine.”
“Understood!”
As the guard moved aside, his gaze landed on me.
“Is this person accompanying you?”
“Yes.”
“Might I request a moment? Non-authorized outsiders must undergo basic external clearance before entering.”
“He’s my guest.”
“Uh… Well, it’s just that…”
Kneeling on one knee as if apologizing, the guard addressed Asteria.
“For individuals not listed in our records, we require at least a minimal identity verification…”
He glanced at me with suspicion in his eyes.
Fair enough. This is an understandable precaution.
But I didn’t want to prolong this conversation, especially when the royal vault was right in front of me.
I was eager to get inside and check out the treasures.
Hah.
Without a word, I smoothly pulled the ‘Pass of Entry’ from my pocket and held it up.
The guard’s eyes widened as his face filled with shock.
“T-This is… A pass? And issued by His Majesty himself?”
“That’s correct. Is that sufficient?”
The Pass of Entry—not only does it grant free passage, but it also signifies that I’ve met the Emperor, thus confirming my identity.
The guard quickly stepped aside.
“My deepest apologies, sir!”
We passed him and walked down the underground passage for a while.
— Clank.
A massive iron door slowly opened, revealing the imperial family’s treasures.
