Chapter 256: Comma (2)
Prepare for the event-!
A cry filled the morning air surrounding the Imperial Palace. The sound of horseshoes clopping around the outside of the palace announced the preparations for the event. However, Sophien was sitting in her bedroom, looking displeased.
“Ahan.”
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
Ahan quickly answered, and Sophien looked out the window.
“I had a dream.”
“A dream?”
“Right. Rohakan was in it.”
“…Oh.”
Rohakan, the Black Beast, though long since dead, remained here to torment Her Majesty. Ahan shook her head.
“Don’t consider what that traitor said….”
“No. It is something worth considering.”
Sophien had a dream. However, it was a dream that didn’t feel like a dream; more precisely, it was a memory that flowed through a gap.
“Anyway, it looks like that d.a.m.n b.a.s.t.a.r.d did something to my head.”
Sophien had faint memories from long ago. Before repeating her poisoning, when Rohakan a.s.sa.s.sinated her mother and left, the day she couldn’t remember no matter how hard she tried.
“Perhaps it’s a memory lock. Rohakan put this device on me when I was very young, so it’s as if the lock grew up with me. It cannot be dismantled by my magic.”
“How about asking the Professor?”
“…”
Sophien looked at Ahan without a word. Ahan shook her head.
“I apologize. I should know my place.”
“No. You are right. It’s very strange. I need to ask Deculein.”
“Strange…”
“Two days ago, Deculein visited Rohakan’s vineyard. At first, I thought it was just to offer tribute.”
Sophien’s brow furrowed slightly.
“…It was no coincidence that I had such a sudden dream.”
“Ah… is that so?”
“Yes. So, I will change the way I’ll conduct the event.”
In an instant, Ahan’s eyes widened.
“Yes? But-“
“It’s okay. After all, isn’t this information that Deculein has already grasped? I’m thinking of changing the order and the number of invitees a little bit.”
Sophien said so with a soft smile.
She was quite bewildered, but Ahan bowed.
“Yes, Your Majesty. It is Your Majesty’s empire. Whatever it is, it is by Your Majesty’s will…”
* * *
“…Now~, that’s it.”
Rohalak. Built in the desert where the daily temperature difference exceeded 60 degrees, the camp functioned like a human wall that blocked the monsters beyond the territory. Unaware of the reality, the continent thought it was better to die than be confined in Rohalak, but their leader Carixel didn’t think so.
“What do you think? It would be less painful.”
During their only free time in the camp, Carixel bandaged Lucy’s face.
“…”
Lucy was shaking without speaking. The impact of losing her sight must’ve been significant. Even worse if the eyes were dug out by Deculein’s steel…
The Demon Blood sat next to her looked worried.
“Carixel.”
“Yes. Long time no see, Miss Lucy. But do you know? The eyes are different from our power source, so they can be recovered if you meet a puppeteer with good skills. So let’s just wait until we get out. We will cover the cost.”
“…”
Lucy bit her lip, but Carixel forced a bright tone.
“It’s fine. I owe a lot to the Elder, so that’s for free-“
“I.”
She raised her head.
“…And we were in Grandpa’s custody. We tried to hide and live in peace without harming anyone. But the Empire and Deculein-“
“It’s okay. We can survive; we won’t die here. All the inhabitants of Padahal have arrived safely in Rohalak.”
“I heard that a gas chamber is being built.”
Lucy’s voice was harsh as if crying. Carixel answered softly.
“It’s okay with the gas chamber as well. We plan to dig underground in the gas chamber to create a shelter. We’ve already prepared everything…”
“If you’re that prepared!”
Lucy shook her head left and right. However, she couldn’t see anything, and in despair, she continued to speak as if crying out.
“You can run away, out of Rohalak! Stop with the lies! Do you think I’m a moron?”
“Of course not. It’s true. We’re not running because Rohalak is the safest place on the continent.”
“What bulls.h.i.t, you come here. Come here!”
Lucy waved her hand in the air. Carixel smiled bitterly as he put his hand on her shoulder.
“The Emperor hates the Demon Blood. That is why we must hide here for now.”
“H-Hide, my a.s.s!”
Tap-!
Lucy shook him off.
“We need your help, a descendant of the Elder.”
“What help are you asking from a blind-“
“In this place, you’re the only one who didn’t have their power source removed. I am rather grateful. It’s selfish, but I’m thankful to Professor Deculein. I’m thankful to him for digging out your eyes instead. We needed one.”
“What…”
For Lucy, it didn’t make sense. The Professor took her eyes, but she was thankful? Thankful?
“Thankful? Thankful? Say it again. Thankful?”
“If you stay here for a while, you will become grateful to the Professor once you get used to life without vision.”
“…I heard grandfather taught you. Repaying good with evil, Carixel. Like a psychopath!”
Lucy suddenly reached out and grabbed someone’s hair.
“This is you, right?”
Carixel answered.
“No.”
“…Hmm.”
Lucy let go.
“Then who is it? Hurry up and surrender yourself to me.”
Then Carixel cleared his throat heavily.
“That was right. It was me who you just caught.”
“…This b.a.s.t.a.r.d-“
—Exercise time is over.
At that moment, a woman shouted from the watchtower looming above them. Carixel looked up at her and pretended to be calm.
—Everyone, go back.
Rohalak’s Deputy Chief, Primienne. At her command, everyone entered while Primienne read a newspaper.
“It’s freaking hot in here.”
Now she was lying down in a long chair. Around her, her subordinates gathered to fan her.
“Should I bring more ice?!”
“Hmm. Okay. Bring it.”
“Yep!”
Just as Primienne was skillfully using them, a tiny bird flew over her newspaper.
“…What?”
“Oh! Isn’t that the Imperial hawk?!”
“…”
Primienne quietly straightened and unwrapped the note from its leg.
[The Emperor’s Event Invitation: Lilia Primienne]
“…?”
‘Why did this come to me?’
Primienne was more confused than disconcerted.
“As expected! As expected from the Deputy Chief Primienne!”
“To be directly invited by Her Majesty!”
Her subordinates, who didn’t know the situation, were focused on praising her, but Primienne just cleared her throat.
“Right. This is who I am. Since this is me, go back for now. I need time to think on my own.”
“Yes!”
…
Drip, drip-
A rainy night.
Julie was looking out the window of her room in the Imperial Hotel. She was silently admiring the scenery of the islands soaked by rainwater.
“…Why is there only one bed?”
Reylie gave a short answer to her question.
“We have no money.”
It had been a long time since the house she had bought was sold to the bank during the Freyhem crisis, and 70% to 80% of her monthly salary was held up repaying debts.
Julie was poor. Extremely poor.
“But what are you thinking about? The meat worth 3,000 Elnes?”
“…”
Julie shook her head. It came to mind, but that wasn’t the main point. No, instead, it was the small piece of paper in her hand.
[The Emperor’s Event Invitation: Julie von Deya Freyden]
“Event.”
“Oh~. The Emperor Hearing, right?”
“Yes.”
“Are you nervous?”
The Emperor Hearing. It would turn out to be a case in which people’s lives were at stake.
“…I’m more worried than nervous.”
“About who? The Professor, or us?”
“Both.”
Julie knew a part of Deculein was a slightly changed person. A person who showed proper courtesy to his disciple Epherene and her father, Kagan. However, he still ignored his sins and killed countless people…
“You decided to be determined.”
“…”
At Reylie’s words, Julie looked out the window quietly.
Drip, drip…
She forgot herself at the sound of falling rain and slowly stopped thinking.
…
On the other hand, a magical s.p.a.ce was summoned by Deculein. On Sylvia’s Island, which adventurers call the Field, Lia was leveling up. Given this place had an incredibly high mana concentration, and there were quite a few treasures left behind by the Voice, she had already taken her fill of high-end equipment.
“It came to me as well.”
After returning to a small cave on the island, she showed a small note to her fellow adventurers.
[The Emperor’s Event Invitation: Adventurer Lia]
“…Lia, for you?”
“Wow. That’s amazing.”
“That’s suspicious.”
These were the words of Ganesha, Leo, and Carlos, respectively. Lia scratched the back of her neck.
“Right? Should I not go?”
“No.”
Ganesha shook her head.
“It is more dangerous not to go. I don’t know why, but the Emperor knows you, right? It’s better to go.”
“Um, Okay.”
The Emperor’s event. Of course, Lia knew what it was. She had read the script over and over. But, the reason was why. Of course, she had performed missions for the Imperial Palace a few times as a part of the Red Garnet Adventure Team, but for that reason, Ganesha would be the better guest.
“Then do I have to go alone?”
Even worse, Lia was the only one invited. Ganesha nodded with a slightly reluctant look.
“…Yeah. You have to go alone. The invitation is only for you. Ha, even though… I’m a bit worried!”
She paused for a moment, smirked, and placed the invitation in Lia’s hand.
“It’s time you prepare to learn to stand alone now, right?”
“…”
Then, a sad smile appeared on Lia’s lips for a moment.
“…Yes.”
Her goal wasn’t to be the best adventurer, nor even to remain an adventurer.
“Indeed. I guess I’m very famous now.”
There was only one goal: clearing the main quest and returning home. To change back from Lia to Ara. And…
After meeting that guy, to convey the feelings that she had only now realized.
“I think I caught her eyes to some extent because we were only chasing important missions, not quests.”
“Huhu. I know~. Then, let’s practice hard until you go.”
“Yep!”
Lia exclaimed loudly.
* * *
…Royal Command—!
A shout that shook the earth announced the start of the event. Called the ‘singer’, it was a servant whose job was to shout. The voice of the singer spread throughout the islands.
“Oh. I must have had a dream, Professor. It’s very different from what I saw.”
I was sitting with Epherene in the garden of the Imperial Palace. About 1,000 people attended the event. On the surface, there were many, but less than 10% of them would face the Emperor directly.
“How could a fool like you have a precognitive dream?”
“…I beg your pardon?”
At the disrespectful remark, Epherene narrowed her eyes, but I couldn’t help it. Her talent was a misfortune. Being aware of time, and not being bound by time, was a curse for a human.
Royal Command—!
Second call. At the same time—!
Boom-! Boom-!
The vibrations from a resounding drum. After that, the singer shouted a third time.
Royal Command—!
Just then, Sophien, who had been watching us from the podium in the garden, stood. She looked around and nodded.
“We will begin the event. May everyone enjoy it.”
And then she turned around. It was very like Sophien, who hated introductions and annoying formalities.
“Professor. What are we doing now?”
Epherene asked innocently. Her eyes were already fixed on the food.
“You-“
“Oh, it’s a cake.”
Before I could say anything, she was seduced by a waiter with a tray of food and followed him.
“…”
I looked around the area with a gla.s.s of whiskey in hand. Julie, Lawaine, Primienne, Betan, Louina, Ihelm, Adrienne, Maho, and royalty from many other countries. It was full of famous names inside and outside the empire. But.
“…?”
I frowned as I noticed a kid hopping around like a bunny through the colorful foods in the garden.
“Why is that one…”
“Lia. You already know. The kid we saw at Reccordak is now a famous adventurer.”
Primienne, who came out of nowhere, explained instead.
“The Brahon Thief Incident. I heard that kid solved it. Her Majesty gave her the jewels they stole.”
“…”
I stared at Primienne. She shrugged.
“What. That’s the explanation.”
“You are brave to come here.”
“It is the Emperor’s orders. Of course, I prefer to live in hiding, but if I avoid this event, I’ll die sooner.”
Royal Command—!
Then, the fourth cry echoed out. Everyone who was enjoying the dinner turned around.
“Attention, please.”
A eunuch was standing beside the singer.
“This is eunuch Jolang. From now on, before the full-fledged event begins, there are guests here who have received special invitations, stamped by Her Majesty herself.”
Primienne showed me an invitation.
“Is this one?”
“Right.”
I also pulled out my invitation.
[Emperor’s Event Invitation: Deculein von Grahan Yukline]
“Only those with a stamp, please come and follow me.”
A few of the thousand moved to follow Jolang.
* * *
The place that Jolang led them was the backyard of the Imperial Palace, to an old house.
“Haha. The Imperial Palace is very big, right? The inside of this old house is bigger. Of course, Her Majesty is also in here.”
Jolang said with a smile in front of the gate.
“From now on, you will be staying here for eight weeks.”
Eight weeks. It was a pretty long time. Even Epherene, who was eating bread next to me, was startled.
“Oh, of course, outside work through the crystal ball or radio walkie-talkie is always available. But it’s an event, right? Please be understanding.”
Jolang clapped twice. The royal guards came over and delivered a bunch of cards.
“First, Her Majesty wants this event to bring harmony between different families. The 58 people gathered here are truly representatives of the Imperial family.”
I watched Jolang quietly, observing for even the slightest change in his expression.
“Also, this old house is one of the magical s.p.a.ces of the Imperial Palace. I don’t know when it was created, but it’s a by-product of a curse. No one knows what might happen in this place.”
“But, Her Majesty is also there—”
Julie intervened.
“Her Majesty is fine, of course. She’s being escorted by knights.”
“…”
Julie cleared her throat.
“Anyway. Her Majesty will introduce the concept of unity as your guardian angel and give you a chance to get to know each other even more.”
Guardian Angel. As soon as I heard it, a modern word came to mind.
‘Manito.’ [TL:Similar to Secret Santa)
“Look at this card.”
Jolang held up a card.
“These cards have your names written on them.”
I looked at Epherene next to me. She was eating bread again. There was a large bag full of food in her arms.
“When you draw this card, you have to secretly help the person whose name is written on the card. The way you help is arbitrary, and however you wish.”
Hearing it, it was really like manito.
“This is a very dangerous place, but at the same time, it is a very important tradition of the Imperial Palace. It is also proof that the First Majesty defeated the demon and purged the realm.”
Jolang gave them a big smile. It looked sinister.
“So, please partic.i.p.ate without causing any excessive damage. Now, once you go in, there will be a more detailed explanation.”
He left, and the knights opened the gate.
Creeeeek—
I stepped inside first.