#188
The Imperial Palace of the Empire (2)
The Fifth Princess Palace is situated on one side of the palace’s domain.
If you return home after a long time, it’s only natural to greet your parents; if visiting someone else’s house, greeting the host is a must.
However, when the host happens to be the Emperor of the Empire, even a simple greeting wouldn’t suffice.
In that sense, the complicated procedures and meticulous etiquette imposed during the luncheon could be a hassle and a frustrating affair for someone unaccustomed to it.
“Cough, I hate such occasions. I just want to eat in peace. Do I really have to go?”
And among the hero’s party, the macho barbarian warrior Harley was precisely that case.
“Hmm…”
“Sure is a bit…”
Isea, who had spent quite a long time with him, along with Riley, who had only accompanied them briefly, nodded seriously.
The image of him tearing into griffin meat still vividly remained in her mind.
His usual personality, behavior, and even his fashion were so unconventional that he simply did not fit into a formal setting.
“…Honestly, it might be okay if only the Saint goes as the representative. I hate to say this, but the three of us feel like an extra tag-along.”
After exchanging glances with Riley for a moment, Isea shrugged lightly, as if it were no big deal.
“After all, the situation is different for us compared to the irreplaceable Saint. Still, it wouldn’t be right to completely disregard him, so we feel obliged to treat him with respect.”
Unlike the other two, who were at least noble, Harley, being more of a wild man, felt a lack of ‘rank.’
If it weren’t for his background as a member of the Special Task Force, he probably wouldn’t have even been allowed inside the palace.
“Ah— then I’ll step out too.”
At her words, Geos, who had been quietly observing, jumped in as if he had been waiting for this moment.
Though he was a noble from the Resk Kingdom, he had been subtly ostracized because of his commoner origins, making such occasions feel quite unfamiliar to him.
Not to mention, having just come along by coincidence, Hesperon had no business here whatsoever.
“Then can we eat more comfortably? Honestly, I was curious about the chef’s skills at the palace! Hahaha!”
“Yes, I will inform the royal chef. You may dine as you wish.”
Ultimately, only Heinrich, Riley, and Isea were decided to attend the lunch with the Emperor.
And as they left to prepare, Harley and Hesperon naturally approached Geos and happily engaged in conversation.
“Alright— shall we go? I wonder what the royal meat tastes like?”
“Oh! It’s my first time having gourmet food since coming to this world; I’m really looking forward to it! Of course, I’ve pulled out a few things with my abilities.”
“Speaking of which, you said you came from another world, right?”
“That’s right. But please feel free to speak comfortably, big brother! Just call me Heron. Oh, is it okay if I call you big brother too?”
“Hahaha! What a straightforward friend! Then let’s do that, Heron!”
“Krh— I’m really glad to have such a cool big brother!”
The two chatted excitedly, exchanging banter.
If one were to examine the situation closely, it was little more than a farcical display of ‘big brother-little brother,’ but outwardly, it appeared perfectly normal.
“Oh, and Geos, please call me Heron too. Wow— I’m relieved to meet such nice people right after coming out! Hahaha!”
“…Understood, Heron.”
And naturally, their cheerful demeanor was entirely due to Geos Karkin, who was sitting nearby.
‘First, I need to foster a closer relationship between him and Hesperon.’
Before moving from the Rohan Principality to here, he had tentatively mentioned to Heinrich that one of his acquaintances had revealed himself as someone from another world, suggesting it might be an opportunity to gather some information.
‘From what I heard, he’s been in this world for at least 20 years. If that’s true… he must be an Awakened Settler who gave up on returning.’
Settlers.
This term referred to those who, having collected Karma Points, abandoned the prospect of returning home and fully established themselves in this world.
Such individuals often preferred to develop stronger ties to this place while harboring no particular attachment to Earth.
Naturally, he had only encountered them indirectly.
In a sense, this was a good opportunity to directly meet someone with firsthand experience to obtain intel.
‘As a new arrival to this world, it would be best if my close acquaintance Geos could introduce Hesperon to me.’
While it wouldn’t be difficult for Heinrich to meet him, the range of questions he could ask as the Holy Saint of this world was entirely different from those he could ask as an Awakened One from Earth.
“Come on, let’s not dawdle any longer and go tear into some meat! My stomach is literally sticking to my back!”
“Hahaha! Big brother, it hasn’t even been two hours since you had meat as a snack earlier! Oh, Geos, please hurry up too!”
Regardless of the time or place, gathering over a meal has always been the best way to build friendships.
The rugged and fierce warrior Harley and the oblivious, simple youth Hesperon confidently strided towards the dining hall, with Geos trailing along with a bemused expression.
*
The current Emperor of the Empire, Garyo Carte Azerion.
Now nearing sixty, he was a man with faded blond hair and striking pale green eyes, giving off more of a warrior than a scholar’s vibe.
“You’ve traveled a long way, and I appreciate your hard work. I’ve long known of your efforts to protect the world; I feel quite shameless that I’m only now properly greeting you. Furthermore, you have even rescued Princess Riley this time.”
“Not at all. It’s well known to everyone how busy the Emperor is, right? Maintaining the stability of a massive empire during these troubled times is of utmost importance too.”
Naturally, a luncheon between the Emperor of the Azerion Empire, the largest power in Auterica, and the Holy Saint of the Holy Church Order was not merely a casual dining affair.
At least now Heinrich wasn’t sitting there as the representative of the order but rather as the leader of the Special Task Force, which alleviated some pressure; if not, the suffocating tension would render any thought of dining impossible.
‘Ugh— I should have just stayed out of this! I thought I could help Riley somehow, but… how can I eat in this atmosphere!’
Of course, the current setting wasn’t particularly conducive to a pleasant meal either.
With a sigh, Isea subtly checked her surroundings while only picking at her food.
She wasn’t in the mood to eat at all, but it wouldn’t do to just sit there idly while everyone else was having a normal meal.
“Isea Pristine, Duke.”
At that moment, her body stiffened.
She hadn’t particularly done anything wrong, yet she was caught off guard by the unexpected call from the Emperor while already on edge.
But that moment of hesitation was just a brief flicker.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Please command me.”
Back on Earth, she had been an ordinary girl, but now she was a Grand Mage knocking on the walls of transcendence.
The tension she had felt was merely her ‘high school girl Isea’ persona taking over; when the situation arose, her mind settled calmly, allowing her to observe the situation from a step back.
“Due to how urgently things have unfolded, I’m finally bringing this up. Thanks to your intervention, our Empire has saved face. Once the situation stabilizes, good news will soon come your way as well. So, I ask for your continued support.”
He referred to her stirring up some action as a companion of the Saint, who was currently active in the hero’s party.
While her decision to step forward to rescue Riley was made out of necessity, there was no need to reject a compliment or a promise of reward.
“I am deeply honored, Your Majesty. I merely acted as required.”
The Emperor nodded slightly at her humble words and turned his gaze toward Riley this time.
His previously stern expression faltered for a brief moment as he looked at her, but he quickly regained his composure and spoke to her calmly as if nothing was amiss.
“I’m glad you’ve returned, Riley. You’ve had quite the ordeal.”
“…Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“But I have one question to ask…”
The conversation between the long-separated father and daughter felt stiff, not merely due to the formality of the occasion.
It was as if, despite familiarity, a natural ease still eluded them.
The Emperor’s question, which surely anyone would have found puzzling, revolved around how she had been able to escape “alone.”
‘It really is an issue that can’t be easily overlooked. It does seem rather inconceivable.’
Heinrich quietly nodded, slicing his steak with a knife.
If the Saint hadn’t saved the princess, she likely wouldn’t have been able to regain her position so smoothly now.
In fact, even now, due to the Saint’s reputation, she could hardly act openly as her rivals were spreading all sorts of rumors.
From claims that she was an impersonator of the princess to concerns that she had secretly concealed a deadly curse to set off amidst the nobility, and the absolute conviction that Riley had been brainwashed to become the Undead King’s minion.
Each theory was based on the assumption that Hans had intentionally freed her.
“I was able to escape thanks entirely to the abilities of another person who was trapped with me. Without him, I wouldn’t have even dared to dream of escaping. I was merely lucky to be beside him.”
She then began to calmly recount the circumstances leading up to her escape.
The disappearance of the Crown Prince, the emergence of a special man with unique abilities, the subsequent magical training, and the sudden glimmer of hope.
Naturally, she left out the disputes she had with the Crown Prince at the end.
There was no need to stir trouble by mentioning that aspect.
“Hmm…”
As her story concluded with the critical situation that arose right after they escaped the Undying Castle and the sudden appearance of the Saint who saved them, the Emperor closed his eyes gently with a heavy sigh.
He had hoped, but listening to her, it seemed virtually impossible for the Crown Prince to have escaped the same way.
There seemed to be no way to use that against them either.
Riley’s escape involved multiple factors intertwining with a series of coincidences and strokes of luck.
What had occurred was typically improbable, bordering on contrived.
But since it actually happened, it couldn’t simply be denied.
Coincidences turned into inevitabilities, and minuscule, seemingly impossible probabilities manifested into reality.
…We usually call that ‘fate.’
Swish—
With a slow blink, the Emperor turned his gaze back to Heinrich.
“…Speaking of which, the Second Continental Summit is fast approaching.”
“Indeed. There’s little time left now.”
Unlike the first summit, Heinrich had been busy with the affairs of the hero’s party, but he was still receiving updates from the order.
He even heard rumors that the Holy Maiden was being reassessed.
“I shall send Princess Riley as the representative of our Azerion Empire’s delegation.”
The Emperor continued with a calm tone.
In the wake of the capture of Crown Prince Simon and Princess Riley, where the Second Prince and the Sixth Prince had been fiercely competing for dominance, it now appeared meaningless with her return.
Finally…!
Riley and Isea simultaneously clenched their fists.
While it was merely a representative of a delegation, it was significant that the Emperor himself had said it in front of the Holy Saint.
There was undoubtedly a deeper meaning behind that statement beyond just its literal interpretation.
The temporary ceasefire in Riley’s personal war—was about to reignite and obliterate her rival factions in an instant.
