Episode 112

I looked down sympathetically at the descending slave knight and baron.

Watching him, I also felt like I was suffocating.

‘I just realized that my throat has been sore since yesterday… Could it be the onset of a cold?’

I left the railing and strolled down the corridor.

Suddenly, I noticed two imperial knights loitering nearby.

‘Are they on patrol?’

Soon, they made eye contact with me.

Then, they approached me with a friendly look in their eyes.

“Are you Sir Vail Mikhail?”

“Yes, that’s me… What’s the matter?”

As I asked, the knights looked at each other and quietly nodded.

“The Minister wishes to see you for a moment.”

The Minister…?

I tilted my head in confusion, as there was no particular reason for him to summon me.

“They say it’s to reward you for eliminating the terrorists last night.”

The knights, usually serious and disciplined, said this with an awkward smile.

Unnecessarily making me anxious.

“I understand. Where should I go?”

“Follow us.”

I found myself walking down the Heavenly Palace corridor with the two knights.

There, nobles of the Eastern Kingdom were quietly conversing among themselves.

Men wearing turbans and wide silk garments.

Their appearance seemed suspicious, as if they were plotting something.

“When does the meeting with Lidia begin?”

“It’s about to start, Your Highness.”

They were discussing the repatriation of Hakim and the legitimacy of Lidia when they made eye contact with me.

“Shall we call all the nobles we prepared in advance?”

“Shh, there are many eyes around. Let’s talk somewhere else.”

The one who seemed like a prince and his servants turned their heads upon seeing us.

And then, they headed towards a more shadowed area.

‘Lidia seems to be in for some trouble again.’

Even after dealing with Hakim, Lidia, being a woman, must compete with other royals in the kingdom.

They were probably discussing that issue.

“This way.”

The knights passed by the nobles indifferently.

Turning a corner, a very quiet garden appeared, in contrast to the bustling banquet hall.

As if it had been prepared in advance to ensure no one could enter.

“Are we there yet?”

“We’re almost there.”

Unlike when they were smiling a moment ago, the knights now had a stern expression.

They led me to a very quiet meeting room.

“Please go inside.”

The door opened.

And, as I entered…

“Your Majesty, I have brought Vail Mikhail.”

“Very well, you’ve done well. You may leave now.”

As I entered, the imperial knights firmly closed the wooden door.

And they guarded the entrance like gatekeepers.

“You look flustered, Mikhail.”

“I greet Your Majesty, the Emperor.”

I carefully bowed my head.

And when I raised it again.

I faced the Emperor, standing solemnly in the middle of the meeting room, and an elderly man with white hair.

He was no ordinary elderly man.

I could feel a very intense and dense mana emanating from his body.

Looking at that mana, I instinctively knew.

That he was a Great Mage.

“This is Godfrey, the Great Mage of the White Tower.”

“Pleased to meet you, Sir Vail.”

The Great Mage was clearly smiling.

However, his face radiated wisdom profound enough to humble anyone.

“It is truly an honor to meet both of you.”

“Hmm, are you sincere? I am sure the Minister summoned you, but aren’t you startled by my appearance?”

I gazed blankly at the Emperor, who stood with his arms crossed.

“Moshian says you would avoid meeting me at all costs, so I borrowed his name.”

The Royal Minister…

Thinking about it, he was quite a cunning person.

“I summoned you to learn the full story of last night’s terrorist incident.”

“The full story of the incident?”

Surely, the Emperor must have already received a report about the incident.

Yet, he summoned me…

‘Could it be that he summoned me to question why I didn’t capture the leader alive and killed him instead…?’

Even so, that was a bit much.

It was nearly impossible to save him in that situation.

How could one stop a bomb that he himself had ignited?!

“I understand. I will respond humbly to whatever you ask.”

“……”

The Emperor looked down at me with a fierce gaze, like an angry lion.

Then, he snapped his thick fingers.

Snap!

At that moment.

Intense Grand Aura mana began to spread throughout the dim meeting room.

“Godfrey, begin.”

“Very well.”

Upon the Emperor’s command, the Great Mage drew out a wooden staff.

He lightly struck the staff on the floor with both hands.

Soon, with a clear sound, blue mana was applied to the Emperor’s barrier.

As if to strengthen the aura.

‘Impressive… A joint barrier by the Emperor and the Great Mage.’

What on earth did they want to talk to me about?

I swallowed deeply.

And then, in the perfectly soundproofed space, I faced the ruler of the continent.

“Vail Mikhail. From now on, there must not be a single lie in what you say.”

The Emperor spoke with a stern voice, like a chief of justice.

Then, the Great Mage approached me with him.

“How could I possibly lie to the Emperor?”

I knelt and obeyed his command.

“Godfrey…”

The Emperor raised his hand into the air.

He looked down at me with a displeased expression and said,

“Begin the confession magic.”

The Great Mage reached out his hand to my shoulder.

And the moment his hand touched me…

“From now on, if you lie, the magic circle will glow red.”

A circular magic circle appeared beneath the space where I was kneeling.

“If you speak the truth, it will glow blue, so I hope you answer my friend’s questions honestly.”

“I understand…”

The Emperor looked at me, kneeling, with satisfaction.

And then, he began his formal questioning.

“Now, let me ask the first question.”

I looked up at him with a firm gaze.

Then, the Emperor asked firmly,

“What did you do to Irina when you were trapped in the debris last night?!”

“What…?”

An unexpected question was raised.

I made an uncertain face at the question.

“Since she was trapped there with you, Irina has been smiling at me more frequently!!”

Wasn’t it good for a daughter to smile at her father?

I asked him with a puzzled look,

“Is it wrong for her to smile…?”

“She has never once smiled at me like a lady before!!”

At the Emperor’s outcry, Godfrey, who was standing beside him, also nodded.

“Irina has always been expressionless towards Leon since she was young. Something changed after that day.”

He, too, having watched Irina for a long time, seemed to vaguely sense something unusual.

“That cold child started smiling softly at me and even dressing provocatively!!”

The Emperor’s voice rose with irritation.

He seemed like he might collapse from high blood pressure before anything else.

“It must be because of you…! Speak up now!!”

I wondered if this was the same person who had been conducting a ceremony in a solemn voice just before.

He kept asking me with a very serious expression.

“Confess…”

When I did not answer, the confession magic cast by the Great Mage began to react.

My lips itched unbearably to speak.

“I understand….”

I took a deep breath.

Then, I honestly answered about what happened when Irina and I were trapped in the debris.

“When trapped with Lady Irina, we first made sure that each other was safe.”

As I spoke calmly, the magic circle vibrated.

It was blue, indicating truth.

“Continue speaking.”

“Lady Irina used her last Grand Aura power to protect me.”

At that, the Emperor’s eyebrows twitched.

She had used the precious power inherited from him for me.

“……”

The Emperor closed his eyes for a moment.

However, he acknowledged that I jumped in to help her and decided to understand it for now.

“I thanked her for her actions. Then, hearing the rescue from above, we fell asleep.”

Again, the magic circle glowed blue.

“That’s all there is to it. I really lost consciousness after that, so I know nothing more.”

I spoke to him as respectfully as possible.

Sure enough, the magic circle continued to flicker blue.

“Is that really true…?”

The Emperor pursed his lips upon hearing my words.

A healthy answer, far different from his thoughts.

This alone could not explain his daughter’s transformation into a lady.

“Godfrey, are all these words true?”

“I see you doubt my magic. Sir Vail speaks only the truth.”

The Emperor sighed deeply after hearing the Great Mage’s words.

Then, he asked his friend to stop the magic.

“Sorry, you were the only one I doubted…”

“Not at all. But has Lady Irina changed so much from her usual self?”

I asked as I rose to my knees.

The Emperor nodded calmly.

“Yes, she used to wear plain, old dresses, but now she wears tights that clearly show her figure…”

The Emperor muttered like a familiar father.

“And the dress today… I didn’t show it, but it was really breathtaking…”

He slumped into the chair in the conference hall.

And sighed deeply, his forehead in his hands.

“Irina is twenty now, an age very interested in appearance.”

“You don’t have a daughter, so you don’t know. If you were in my position, you would have reacted the same.”

The Emperor waved off his friend’s words.

After all, the mage had remained unmarried past 60.

“Indeed, I fully understand your feelings, Your Majesty.”

I smoothly interjected into their conversation.

And answered with a bright smile,

“However, I would appreciate it if you acknowledged my innocence.”

“Thank you, Vail. I almost doubted your loyalty.”

The Emperor returned to his kindly sovereign demeanor.

And he looked at me appreciatively for not harboring any ill intentions towards Irina in the secret room.

“The truth is, I didn’t summon you here just to interrogate you.”

Leonhardt cleared his throat.

Then, with the dignity of a Conqueror Emperor, he asked,

“I intended to separately commend you for your role in eliminating the terrorist leader.”

“If something had happened between us, honor or not, my head would have probably been the first to go…”

“Now, tell me what you desire. You have performed a great service.”

The Emperor extended his massive palm.

And promised to grant me whatever I asked for.

“If you need a domain, a domain it is; if you need gold, I will provide it immediately.”

Hearing his words, I pressed my lips together.

As for a domain, I had already acquired one next to Rea’s villa.

Gold could be obtained from Camilla, and Irina had already covered the cost of the mansion.

The crops were also scheduled to be supplied to Lidia’s eastern market.

“I…”

What could I possibly need right now?

“I desire the remnants of the deceased terrorist leader.”

That was a sign of my absolute ‘trust’ in the Emperor.

“What…?”

“Exactly as I said. I made the mistake of killing him but failing to prevent the explosion.”

I placed my fist over my left chest.

And answered calmly with the sharp eyes of a knight,

“Thus, I intend to study the dead man’s magic and report countermeasures to the military.”

This time, the Emperor and the Great Mage were taken aback.

They seemed amazed, chuckling at each other.

“You want just that as a reward?”

“Yes, it’s very important to me. I’d be grateful if you could understand.”

I humbly spoke, looking down at the floor of the meeting room.

“Leon, it seems our vision has become quite dim.”

The Great Mage chuckled and looked at the Emperor.

“To suspect such a loyal subject of being a shameless philanderer. It’s embarrassing for me.”

“……”

The Emperor was speechless at his old friend’s words.

He frowned at my attitude of working for the empire instead of seeking rewards.

“Yes… I thought you were a cunning fox… I made a big mistake.”

The Conqueror Emperor was ashamed of his actions.

And he extended his palm in approval.

‘Very well, Mikhail. I will give you all the remnants of the deceased leader, as you wish. However, you must report the results of your research to the academy.’

“I will do as commanded!”

I responded to the Emperor’s command.

However, inwardly, I relished having outsmarted the ruler of the continent.

“Yet, it’s hard to call it a reward. Since you declined the reward, I will autonomously decide something else for you.”

“Autonomously, you say…?”

“Yes, I highly value your service in protecting the royal family, so you can look forward to it.”

Certainly, it was a happy matter.

But, for some reason, it sent a chill down my spine.

“I’d rather not have it…”

My senses, honed in crossing battle lines, detected something chilling.

“I hope you continue to work hard for the empire, Mikhail.”

The Emperor chuckled and ordered me to leave.

Thanks to that, I was able to leave the conference room.

“Thank you, Your Majesty….”

“….”

After I left, the Emperor and the Great Mage remained in the meeting room.

The Great Mage asked his close friend with a friendly smile,

“It’s unlike you to offer additional rewards.”

“Do you think so?”

“Indeed, when you called for him, you were incredibly suspicious of him.”

At the Great Mage’s question, the Emperor chuckled.

“I still have my doubts.”

“Then, could it be…?”

The wise Great Mage’s eyes, filled with wisdom, caught on to the Emperor’s intent.

Responding to this, the Emperor calmly said,

“He is a suspect but also a capable talent. Thus, I plan to keep him close and observe him continuously.”

“Are you thinking of granting him a title?”

The Great Mage chuckled and prepared to leave as well.

Then, the Emperor’s lips curled into a sly smile, his blue eyes sparkling.

“Yes, only such a position would tie him to the capital.”

“What rank do you intend to give him?”

Leonhardt stood up.

And, with his hands behind his back, he gave a fierce smile and said,

“Well, perhaps a ‘Baron’ would be fitting?”

After capturing Hakim, who almost plunged the East into civil war.

And eliminating the would-be terrorists at the Imperial Palace.

And also harboring the talent of a Grand Master.

How could he easily let go of such talent?

“Once he becomes a noble, indulges in wealth, and meets beautiful ladies, he won’t be able to easily break free.”

The Emperor chuckled like a tyrant.

“If he fathers five or six children, we can make use of him forever.”

His laughter echoed grandly in the meeting room.

The Great Mage looked at his friend with a curious expression.

As if there was something left unsaid from the earlier interrogation.