Chapter 103
After that, I had a brief conversation with the Emperor.
No, 'conversation' is a stretch. Mostly, it was just the Emperor rambling on by herself.
“I didn't meet you for any particular reason; I just wanted to see your face. I'm grateful again that you let all the Knights go. There were some unpleasant incidents, but let's forget about them and get along from now on. Still, because things were pushed through so suddenly, many people will look at you unfavorably. So, please understand that...” and so on.
The Emperor I saw was more talkative than I expected. She didn't seem like a dignified Emperor at all, but rather like some sociable Noble. I listened to her and made this judgment.
*...She's like a sly raccoon.*
Naturally, I had also heard about the Emperor from Shin Hanbyeol on the carriage ride here. She said that the Emperor's recent disposition was very prickly and blunt, perhaps due to her heavy workload. This was the complete opposite of the person I had just seen.
If that rumor was true, it meant the Emperor was acting friendly towards me. In other words, she was intentionally showing favor. This was for me, a Manifestor. So, what was her intention in acting this way?
Well... unfortunately, I, who know nothing of politics, couldn't quite figure that out. For now, what was certain was that she supported me. Even if those around her seemed to object.
“Well then, I have a lot of work to attend to. And there are others who wish to meet you, so I should send you off soon. Hey, someone, please escort them to the dining area.”
“Yes.”
And so, guided by a Butler, we exited the Audience Chamber. Hanbyeol, who had been standing awkwardly beside me, reduced to a mere screen, let out a small sigh.
“Phew... I can finally breathe.”
From her perspective, it must have been like sitting on a bed of thorns. She couldn't even utter a single word. And I, too, found the situation uncomfortable. Of course, the Emperor was a burden, but the presence of the Knight standing near her was incredibly strong.
The woman with silver hair and a perpetually expressionless face stood behind the Emperor. At first glance, she seemed to lack presence, but it was clear she was a Powerful Individual. Because mana was surging wildly from behind her.
As I was thinking that, Shin Hanbyeol quietly whispered to me.
“That Knight standing behind her from earlier... that's probably the 1st Knight Commander.” “Really?” “Yeah, it's my first time seeing her in person, but she looks pretty much like how I heard she would.”
The 1st Knight Commander is Eve Macared. Now that I think about it, the 1st Knight Commander is said to always guard the Emperor. That's why she rarely goes to the Frontline.
It was quite unexpected to meet another Knight Commander. Still, it was a relief that we didn't fight like last time. I'd rather not meet the others at all.
“This way, please.”
And so, I entered the Place the Butler guided us to.
Creak- As the door opened, a round table in the center came into view. On it were simple dishes, and two Early Arrivals were already there.
“Gasp.”
Hanbyeol, seeing the two, whispered urgently to me.
“Those are the third Knight Commander Vivian, and the fifth Knight Commander Serena, respectively...”
Goddammit. Hearing that, I swore inwardly. What is this? Are they setting up some kind of hidden camera prank? Was the Emperor's friendly act all a facade, meant to lull me into a false sense of security and then stab me in the back?
As I was having those thoughts, the individuals who were Knight Commanders spoke up.
“Wow, wow... he's handsome...”
“Seriously, *that* guy beat Sir Reilly?”
Those were the voices of the 3rd Knight Commander and the 5th Knight Commander, respectively. First, I entered the room, raising my guard. They might draw their swords and rush me at any moment.
The atmosphere in the room instantly turned chilling. Because of that, their faces stiffened for a moment, but no one actually drew a sword.
“...Just sit down. We didn't call you here to fight. We just... wanted to see who the hell disgraced the Knight Order.”
“R-right... If a fight breaks out in the Palace, we'll be in trouble too...”
“...”
At her words, I took a seat. Although having Knights right in front of me was irritating, it seemed they had no intention of fighting.
Instead, I began to observe them. I never really expected to meet them, but I had at least heard some information about these two from Hanbyeol.
The woman with indigo hair and an unconfident expression was the 3rd Knight Commander, Vivian Moonglow.
The woman with brown hair glaring at me was the 5th Knight Commander, Serena Bright.
Unfortunately, I knew nothing beyond that. All I knew was that the 5th Knight Commander had exterminated Andromalius, but most information about the Knights was kept under wraps.
Still, sitting face to face like this, I could pick up on other incidental details.
“Now that I think about it, that guy, the 4th Knight Commander, isn't here.” “Hmph, someone injured him severely, you see. He's writing a report and recuperating, so he can't come to the Imperial Palace right now.”
It seemed the 5th Knight Commander didn't think highly of me. Well, from her perspective, I was the one who defeated her comrade, after all. Plus, I was a Manifestor. It was the reaction I expected, so I didn't think much of it.
The 3rd Knight Commander...
“...”
I don't know. She would occasionally glance at me, but mostly kept her face down, making it hard to guess her emotions. It seemed like she might be embarrassed about something, seeing her ears turn red now and then...
Nah, couldn't be.
I tried to ignore such conjectures for now. Still, she was one of only five Knight Commanders; surely someone of that rank wouldn't be shy around a mere person? What idiot would put someone like that in a Commander position? The Empire I knew couldn't possibly be that doomed.
“Honestly, when is *that person* going to arrive?”
As the awkward silence continued, the 5th Knight Commander muttered quietly.
I soon found out who “that person” was.
“Phew, sorry, sorry. I drank a bit too much last night, you see.”
Creak- The door opened, and another woman entered. Her red hair was disheveled, as if she'd rushed here, and she wore comfortable everyday clothes.
A deep cleavage was visible within her low-cut V-neck. She was a woman anyone would call a beauty, enough to satisfy the Men of This Place. However, I felt no particular attraction.
It was my first time seeing her, but I knew who she was. In a way, she was the most famous among the Knights, after the 4th Knight Commander.
The 2nd Knight Commander, Odelia Fafnilla. The Empire's foremost *whore*... no, *Casanova*, to the point where even Amdusias couldn't contain his rage. I heard she enjoys *sex* with three men a day.
“Wow, is this the Person? The one who thrashed our Reilly? I heard about it, but her looks are truly outstanding.” “Don't call him “our Reilly”!” “If Sir Reilly hears that, he'll definitely draw his sword first...”
Tackles came from all directions, but she brazenly ignored them. Soon, the 2nd Knight Commander approached me. Her face was full of interest.
“Hmm, I don't think I've ever embraced a Manifestor before...”
Looking at her, I suddenly had a thought.
Now that I think about it, there was a science-related YouTube video I watched in the past.
It was a video on a rather intriguing topic: “Can you cook meat by slapping it?”
The idea was that when you hit something, heat is generated, so could that heat cook the meat?
At first glance, it seemed like an absurd experiment, but surprisingly, it succeeded. If you roughly slapped the meat hundreds of thousands of times, it would, astonishingly, turn golden brown and cooked.
Why did that video suddenly come to mind when I saw the 2nd Knight Commander...?
“So, how about we have some fun tonight?”
Perhaps it's because her lower body is no different from meat cooked to a golden brown?
Considering all the rumors I'd heard so far. The total number of times other Men had *been between her legs* must surely be in the hundreds of thousands. Her *pussy* might already be overcooked, even burnt black. In other words, she could be called a *thoroughly seared cut* in the truest sense of the word.
Therefore, I gently slapped her hand away and politely refused.
“Sorry, I don't like my meat well-done.”
“...Well-done?”
She probably expected the refusal, but it seemed she didn't understand the joke itself.
She tilted her head blankly. Not just her, but Hanbyeol and the other Knight Commanders next to me were also confused. Ah, they were still too low-level to understand my sophisticated joke.
“Pfft...!”
“Huh, Vivian?”
“Pffft, pffft...”
Correction, one person seemed to understand: the 3rd Knight Commander, Vivian. Seeing her desperately trying to suppress her laughter with her head bowed, it was clear she got it. And to think she understood that... what the hell does that *bitch* usually think about?
“Enough! Didn't you say there was something to discuss? Shouldn't we hear that first?”
Perhaps sensing the slightly uncomfortable atmosphere, the 2nd Knight Commander hastily spoke up. This was news to me. It seemed this wasn't just a simple face-to-face meeting after all.
“Oh, right.”
Hearing that, the 5th Knight Commander immediately hardened her face, as if remembering something important.
And then she said:
“A Demon... has descended.”
“Huh, again?”
Hearing that, the 2nd Knight Commander's expression instantly soured. Because it was familiar news, yet never welcome. I, too, frowned for a moment upon hearing it. She pressed, asking:
“How did it descend this time? Did Lemegeton find another Altar? Or did a Demon-person appear somewhere? I thought we'd finally get some rest.”
“The thing is... there was no cause.”
“Huh?”
“Lemegeton wasn't involved, and no Demon-person appeared to cause trouble.”
Finally, the 5th Knight Commander, Serena, said with a serious face.
“This Demon descended naturally.”
It was quite unsettling news.