Chapter 33
The cleanup of the slain Monstrous Beasts was left to the Imperial Family, and the carriage departed for the Imperial Palace once more.
Since it was Selena's first time witnessing the Rune's Power, she kept glancing at me even after we arrived at the palace.
I hadn't intended to hide the power I possessed, so I'd made the first move, but her eyes were still demanding an explanation, practically screaming, 'Explain what the hell that was right now!'
I considered ignoring her, but given my connection to the Academy, I opened my mouth first.
"Is there something you're curious about?"
As soon as I asked, she was startled.
Blinking her eyes as if surprised, she asked,
"....What you just used, was it Linguistic Magic?"
I fell into brief contemplation.
The Rune's Power wasn't something easily understood through explanations.
I needed to come up with a plausible excuse, but Selena wasn't someone easily fooled by flimsy excuses.
So, I tried to cut the conversation short, but Selena beat me to it.
"At first, I thought you were human. But after seeing that just now, I understand."
"...? What do you mean?"
"You, you're not human, are you?"
What?
"Of course I'm human."
"Human? Have you ever seen a human use Linguistic Magic like that?"
"It's not entirely unheard of."
"No! Yes, it exists! But it's limited to creating small flames, that's all! There's no way a human can kill Monstrous Beasts with just words like you did!"
Strictly speaking, the Rune's Power could be classified as Linguistic Magic.
Upon reaching 'Return' the final stage of Rune mastery, one could manifest power with mere will, but at that point, they would be closer to a demigod than a human.
The Rune's Power is the ability to bend Causality, and it cannot be manifested without a medium like language.
That's why Activation Words are necessary, and from that moment on, if one were to categorize the power, it would indeed be Linguistic Magic.
However.
'How do I explain this?'
There was no easy way to explain it.
More than anything, I couldn't be bothered to explain it bit by bit.
But if I left it as is, her misunderstanding showed no sign of abating.
"...So you weren't human after all."
Moreover, even Rudine, sitting next to me, was swayed by Selena's words.
She even started muttering strange things.
"So that's what they meant when they called him the Sovereign of Demons."
"What? Sovereign of Demons? Hey, what did you just say?"
"A while ago, at some dilapidated temple, a decaying tree called Luke the Sovereign of Demons..."
"Sovereign of Demons..."
Selena muttered while stroking her chin.
Then, as if she'd realized something, she widened her eyes and exclaimed,
"Ha, hahaha...! Now I understand. You, you're a Yonggari, aren't you?"
"Yonggari?"
"Yes! Dragonkin! What you used earlier, that was Dragon Language, wasn't it? Right? Wow, no wonder. You were suspicious even back at the Academy. For five years, you kept doing crazy shit that drove me nuts, but now I understand. You weren't human from the start? But weren't the Dragonkin all extinct?"
"Extinct, yes."
"Then how...?"
She stared at me with a bewildered expression.
I let out a hollow laugh and replied,
"I am human, though?"
"Aha, so it's a secret."
...She wasn't getting it at all.
It felt like we weren't even having the same conversation.
'Dragonkin, my ass.'
The Dragon Race was completely annihilated by the Outer Gods a long, long time ago, along with the Elves.
They're one of the forgotten races mentioned in ancient texts. T
races of the Dragon Race might remain scattered throughout the continent, but they have nothing to do with me.
Just then, in the distance, knights in armor were approaching in formation.
"Are you Luke Richter?"
"I am."
The man at the front briefly checked our group, then nodded and turned around.
"Follow me."
I followed him into the Imperial Palace.
Selena, still behind me, continued muttering nonsense like, 'See? I knew he wasn't human,' but I simply tuned her out.
She clearly wasn't in her right mind, and ignoring crazy women is the best course of action.
As expected, the knight led us to the entrance of the Imperial Palace.
As we ascended the stairs, an attendant waiting by the door hurried towards us to verify our identities.
"The second son of the Richter Family, Young Master Luke Richter!"
Creeeaaak—
With a resounding creak, the tightly closed doors of the Imperial Palace opened.
The gazes of everyone inside instantly focused on us.
Murmurs directed at me spread like ripples, but I ignored them and walked past.
Then, I spotted a familiar face.
The Imperial Prime Minister, His Excellency, who had first sent me to Blackmore.
"Luke Richter, you've arrived?"
"For the Sun of the Empire."
"That's enough formalities. Follow me this way. The Emperor awaits you."
I followed behind the Prime Minister, passing through the corridor leading to the interior of the Imperial Palace.
After navigating turns and passing through the main hall, we arrived at the reception room.
"Your Majesty, Young Master Luke Richter requests an audience."
"Grant him entry."
Creeeaaak—
The Prime Minister entered through the opened door with measured steps.
He was the very picture of a nobleman, not a single movement out of place.
"Everyone except Luke Richter is to wait here. Selena, that includes you."
"Rudy, wait here for a moment."
"...Okay."
"I shall await your return, 6th Lord."
At Balkan's use of the title "6th Lord," the Prime Minister's eyes narrowed.
He then lowered his voice so only I could hear,
"Have you already been promised the Lord position?"
"It's just their wishful thinking. You needn't pay it much mind."
I offered a harmless smile and followed behind the Prime Minister.
After a short walk, my eyes met with the Emperor's, who was sitting at a small table at the end of the reception room.
The characteristic blond hair and golden eyes of the Imperial Family.
A heavy build, an overbearing gaze, and an intimidating aura.
The one and only Sun of the Empire, the Emperor.
Albert Gracia.
He's essentially my boss as an Official.
I immediately followed Imperial etiquette, placing one hand on my chest, bending one knee forward, and bowing my waist.
"I greet the Sun of the Empire."
"Skip the formalities. I apologize for summoning you amidst your busy schedule. Have a seat."
The Emperor smiled amiably and offered me a cup of tea.
I sat down, sipped the tea, and observed the Emperor.
Even I, lacking Mana, could feel beads of sweat forming due to his overwhelming presence.
It wasn't Mana, but the unique charisma exuded by the Imperial Family.
"You must be curious as to why I've called you."
Not really.
I already knew.
But I couldn't just say it outright, so I feigned ignorance.
"Yes, I am curious."
The Emperor chuckled softly and continued in a low voice.
"A woman visited the Imperial Palace a few days ago."
"...."
"Arkan. One of the Six Heavens of the continent and the leader of the Monarch Council."
"Is that so?"
The Emperor tapped his fingers on the small table a couple of times.
"She and I are acquainted. Not close enough to be called friends, but we respect each other's domains as comrades walking the same path."
"...."
"And yet, after decades of absence, she appeared before me and said this. That there's a talent she's interested in, and she wants me to hand him over to the Monarch Council."
I wanted to facepalm.
Her saying she'd visit the Emperor wasn't a lie.
No, I knew she would visit.
I just didn't know she'd barge in so recklessly.
"So I asked,"
The Emperor continued his story as smoothly as flowing water.
"Your name came up."
"...Is that so?"
"She started making demands, insisting that you absolutely must be appointed as the sixth Lord."
"...."
"As you know, Officials fundamentally belong to the Imperial Family, so I trust you understand that her demand was an overreaching imposition."
"Of course."
"Refusing outright is the standard procedure."
The Emperor took a sip of tea, his voice subdued.
He continued speaking with a smile still plastered on his face.
"Perhaps realizing this, she offered me a condition. Would you care to hear it?"
"...I'll listen attentively."
"She said she would break her neutrality. That she would break the centuries-old principle of the Monarch Council and form a primary alliance with the Imperial Family."
"...."
"Additionally, she even offered the Great Lord's seal. A single vow that the Monarch Council would fully support the Imperial Family."
"...."
"A Great Lord's vow carries considerable weight."
Sharp currents seemed to crackle between our gazes.
The Emperor chuckled softly.
Then, his expression turned serious.
"What did you think when I first sent you to be the administrator of the demon realm?"
"....I was puzzled."
"Why?"
"Because Blackmore isn't a place a single Official can manage."
"Indeed. It's not a place an ordinary Official can manage alone."
The Emperor glanced at me indifferently.
"However, you aren't an ordinary Official, are you?"
Huh?
"I've heard enough about you since your days at the Academy to make my ears ring. It was impossible not to know. Every chance they got, a massive number of accusations came pouring in, all overwhelmingly favorable to the Imperial Family. Thanks to you, we've caught over a hundred spies, and recovered over ten million gold coins in fraudulent expenses. Not only that, but the sage 'Lab Room' who turned the academic world upside down, isn't that your alias? The chairman told me your papers have advanced our progress by at least several centuries."
"...."
...None of it was wrong.
It was the optimal route for a good-for-nothing bastard like me to graduate at the top of the Academy and become an Official without any hurdles.
Of course, the process was quite tumultuous, but honestly, I didn't care.
But the things I'd done had snowballed and come back to me like a boomerang.
"After considerable deliberation, we ultimately chose you as the administrator."
"...."
"Even then, I had my doubts. But as soon as you entered Blackmore, you annihilated the Dark Shadow Society, purged the cancerous elements of the Empire, and hunted a total of three thousand five hundred and sixty Monstrous Beasts."
Did I?
It sounds awfully grand when I hear it like this.
"Luke Richter."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"What are your thoughts on the position of the 6th Lord?"
"...."
I was speechless.
However, the Emperor's gaze towards me was already filled with an unidentifiable expectation.
"Your Majesty, I..."
"It's against protocol for an Official to concurrently hold the position of a Lord, but what does that matter? I, the Emperor of the Empire, give my consent."
"....No, I'm not particularly interested in the Lord position..."
"Haha, there's no talent like you. I have great expectations for you. Normally, Special Inspectors are assigned to a new post every five years, but I'm considering making an exception for you. As it happens, Blackmore is also territory under the Imperial Family, isn't it?"
"Excuse me? No, I'm perfectly content with my current position..."
"I'll make you the master of that place. As it happens, Arkan suggested it. A Lord governs their Lord's Territory, so what do you think about making Blackmore the 6th Lord's Territory?"
"....Your Majesty, I'm more than satisfied with my current position, and I have no desire whatsoever to become the 6th Lord. At an appropriate time, I intend to retire and live a normal life..."
At that moment, the Emperor slammed his teacup on the small table.
"Retire?"
"...Yes?"
"I'm afraid there's no such thing as retirement for a Lord."
What the fuck?
"I look forward to working with you, 6th Lord."