Chapter 127

The Emperor was resting in a bright room filled with broad-leaved plants, soaking in the sunlight.

Through the large glass windows to the south and west, blooming flowers were visible, and the tall plants that grew up to the high ceiling made it feel as if one were in a forest.

She had removed her joint rings and shoes, lifting the hem of her dress to reveal her white arms and legs.

If an ordinary person were to enter this room, they might think they had encountered an elf brought in by the Emperor as a concubine.

Noblewomen would likely worry about getting sunburned, but she didn’t mind at all since she knew her skin wouldn’t burn even if exposed to fire.

In fact, at times, she seemed to desire to showcase her health.

She covered her eyes with a wet towel dipped in cold water and lay on a long chair.

This ridiculous leisure was her way of reaffirming her power.

Several drops of water fell from the end of the towel and dampened her platinum hair.

Next to her stood a musician, playing a waltz with a violin; though his face was tense, the melody had a leisurely quality to it.

I stood beside Jeilliris, paying my respects to the professional musician.

“My lady. Is it true that you’ve caused trouble outside after giving yourself a day off?”

The Emperor asked in a languid voice.

Though her tone was lazy, the content was cool and sharp.

This time, it was indeed a real trouble.

I had dipped my feet into the corruption of the court magicians and councilors.

Acknowledging that she knew I was bowed my head and replied, “I apologize, Your Majesty.”

Jeilliris sighed softly.

“I was just trying to cover my eyes; couldn’t you at least frown a bit? Why call me back and bother me despite giving you a day off?”

I shook my hands as if to say it was absurd.

“Your Majesty, I wish to live a long life.”

Jeilliris gave a slight smile.

“How delightful. Sit down.”

“What?”

“Isn’t there another chair beside you? I mean, unfold it and sit.”

I unfolded the long chair and sat as Jeilliris instructed.

Even with her eyes covered by the towel, she frowned.

“When I say to sit in that chair, you shouldn’t think of sitting up straight with your fists on your knees and looking ahead, but rather lying back comfortably and relaxing. Isn’t that what comes to mind?”

“I’m not like that.”

“Take off your shoes, undo the cuff buttons and shirt buttons, and loosen your belt. This is the Emperor’s command.”

Feeling a hint of annoyance in her voice, I hastily complied with the order.

A maid came over and covered my eyes with the wet towel.

“Relax your body and breathe out softly.”

As the waltz played faintly in the background, the cool and moist air permeated my lungs.

The sunlight was warm, and my body felt comfortable.

Had it not been the continent’s strongest figure lying next to me, I might have dozed off.

‘Brother Bel.’

I heard a voice like an echo.

Before I knew it, I was no longer lying beside the Emperor but sitting on a grassy field dotted with clover patches.

I could see a small stream flowing below.

A swing hung on a tree, siblings of a similar age were visible here and there, and the ground split open, revealing a massive sandworm popping out… This wasn’t right?

* * *

“Duke Valencius?”

I heard Jeilliris’s voice.

Crazy.

I hurriedly sat up.

It wasn’t that I was on the verge of dozing off; it seemed I had actually fallen asleep.

“Yes! Your Majesty, I apologize. I lost my focus for a moment….”

Before long, Jeilliris had put on all her joint rings and tidied her hair, standing beside me.

Her hair, backlit by the sun, shone brilliantly, and the white arms revealed beneath her sleeveless attire were thin and fair yet showed signs of muscle, and her two irises sparkled with sadistic laughter; my Emperor was beautiful as ever.

“It’s alright. This isn’t your first time here, is it?”

“Yes, it is.”

“All the plants in this greenhouse were presented to us by the elves. They harness the energy of the sun and moon and deliver it to us.”

I had never cared enough about this story before the return.

“Our blood carries the essence of the elves.”

Elves were actively sought after for marriage by many noble families due to their abilities and appearances.

“That’s why when you rest and rise in this room, you feel refreshed in body and mind.”

“Ah.”

My head certainly felt quite clear.

It couldn’t have been just a few minutes since I had felt deeply asleep.

Jeilliris asked with a carefree smile, “What does a duke, who is only eighteen, have to worry about?”

“Your Majesty, I must humbly report that I am a twin.”

I quickly fastened my belt as I replied.

“Right. You’re a twin, aren’t you? Why do you seem to be dying when I live without any particular worries?”

“Ah.”

It must be because of the return.

Knowing the future leads to an indelible sense of urgency and pressure.

The more I try to change the future, the more it diverges from what I know, leaving the urgency and pressure intact while the information disappears.

I can’t help but wonder if I’m doing things right…

“You are innocent. Only I can hold my kin accountable for their sins. You need not worry about what I do not question.”

As I sat there, momentarily dazed, Jeilliris placed her hands on my shoulders.

It felt resolute, as if it could not be shrugged off.

“This is not a story to encourage you. If I were to command you to slay someone, would it not be possible for you to feel pity for that someone or to think my command was unjust and choose not to kill them?”

Her golden eyes pierced through me.

I answered, feeling a long-lost clarity return, “That will never happen.”

“Good. Thus, you need only leave all the considerations of profit and loss, good and evil, like and dislike to me. Being innocent and without blame means just that.”

I froze like a frog before a snake, blinking.

Jeilliris looked at me with a chilling smile.

With every parting of her lips, her sharp white teeth gleamed.

“I’ve called Count Parnesia to grant permission for the mass production of magic tools for civilian use. She will focus on that for a while and plans to resume her personal studies.”

“!”

“In addition, Senator Marcus and Count Parnesia have shown some goodwill toward the Imperial Court.”

The Emperor’s face twisted slightly.

“I am not one who controls everything with outstanding information. Even if I could, I wouldn’t want to. Planning and advancing strategies to fight against godlike monsters is exhausting enough; I have neither the eye nor the heart for petty power struggles.”

I understood.

Even the me before the return sometimes thought this world looked too fragile; how much more so for her.

“However, I am now sitting in this position, expecting the hopes of my citizens like grains of sand. If a situation arises that you cannot handle, I will step in and handle it appropriately, so you concentrate on your own matters.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The castle is most magnificent.”

“I spared the guilty to protect the innocent. As the ruler and sovereign of five races, I find that not unacceptable.”

“Yes?”

I felt breathless at the realization that she knew much more than I had expected.

Thinking back, she said she had already met Parnesia.

I didn’t know if she had summoned Parnesia or if Parnesia had come to her, but she had likely heard all the details.

The troubles involving the senator, the envious magician, and the slum gang leader.

“I have a duty to uphold justice and stability. However, unlike justice, which varies with the times and daily mood, today’s stability must also be stability a thousand years from now.”

The Emperor was praised as a wise ruler who allowed citizens to engage in their livelihoods without worry.

Jeilliris murmured languidly, “You have made the deals, and I have burnt the knots to tidy them up.”

She seemed to be telling me not to linger on the fact that I let Parnesia and Marcus go unharmed.

“Those who have maintained their positions are also capable individuals. Do not think about it any longer, nor shake them.”

I had said this to Seberik and Lysena when I captured the notorious leader.

“Your grace.”

As the boundless fool I was, I bowed my head in greeting, and the tyrant Jeilliris released her grip on my shoulders.

As she turned to leave, she paused for a moment.

“Duke. Just one more thing.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Was the rebate sweet?”

“!”

My eyes nearly bulged out, and I felt my jaw drop.

“I’m not telling you to live on the salary of a torture position. Just make sure to eat moderately.”

* * *

I was strolling with Sererassie along the street beside the Academy, browsing magic tools.

“Since you mention it, it can be interpreted in two ways.”

“Oh? No matter how I think about it, it only seems to stand as one.”

“Interpretation one: This much is ‘moderate,’ so only eat like this from now on. Interpretation two: You’ve pushed your luck enough, so restrain yourself now. Which way do you think it leans, sister?”

Sererassie turned towards a shop as she spoke.

“I don’t know. What kind of answer do you expect by asking me that? I don’t understand human hearts.”

I found her answer outrageous rather than just surprising.

“You just said it can only be interpreted one way? Why is your stance shifting so much? A wizard chasing the truth should be consistent.”

“Be quiet. I just said it could be interpreted in two ways because I wanted to oppose you.”

“This is exactly why those so-called genius wizards get scorn from the Church. Why is this happening?”

“I’m just annoyed because I understood Senior Parnesia’s heart and desires a few days ago. Indeed, I shouldn’t have observed people like that.”

I didn’t understand why she was staring at me intently while mentioning Senior Parnesia, nor did I grasp the reason behind her clicking her tongue.

“Let’s check this one out. They look like they sell a defense magic tool.”

Without a knight or defensive magic tool, a magician becomes too vulnerable to attacks.

With plenty of money, she decided to buy one, and I was secretly pleased at the prospect of tagging along.

“Welcome.”

As we entered the shop, a magician who appeared to be the owner came to greet us.

The inside of the shop looked haphazardly arranged to appear mystical, and the owner didn’t seem particularly skilled either.

‘I heard someone muttering about imitating Duke Valencius. How strange.’

Sererassie picked up a magical tool that resembled a necklace hanging on one side.

It seemed to be a complex arrangement of small gears and rings made from leather.

“Is it a defense tool?”

The shopkeeper looked at us as if wanting to ask why I was using informal language.

“Yes. It can block up to the third circle.”

“Can I test it?”

As he nodded, Sererassie draped the defense necklace around my neck.

“Sister, wait…!”

Taking three steps back, she flashed a mischievous smile, and an invisible magic instantaneously struck my body.

Zap!

Without a word, the shopkeeper’s jaw dropped as the spell activated.

At the same time, the necklace glowed, forming a translucent blue shield that enveloped me.

Crash!

The shield shattered immediately after being struck by the magic, making the sound of breaking glass.

Smoke started to rise from between the gears of the cold necklace.

“… I knew this would happen.”

At my words, Sererassie shook her head.

“I didn’t think it would actually create a defense tool at the start.”

“Then were you truly planning to zap me with invisible magic under the pretense of testing the defense?”

Sererassie replied with her differently colored eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Oh, no.

The shopkeeper watched us bicker, hastily putting away his surprise expression.

It seemed he hadn’t shaken off the impact of the invisible magic yet.

“No! How could you break this? Do you know how expensive a defense tool is? It costs over eighty gold coins! Since you’ve already broken it, you must buy it!”

A properly made defense tool costs eight hundred gold coins.

This was ridiculous.

“Sister, what circle did you just use?”

“Second circle.”

The shopkeeper was visibly shaken.

I used my strength to tear apart the defense components and check the internal magic circuit.

The design engraved with silver looked like doodles.

“Owner! You’re saying you’d sell this for eighty gold coins? Want to get hit eighty times?”

As I lowered my voice, the owner rushed out from behind the counter.

“Oh, customer! You see, I’m not originally a defense spell specialist, but an anti-poison spell specialist…”

Just then, the shop door burst open, and shadowy figures in black suits barged in.

“Hey! You bastard! What does it matter if you’re an anti-poison spell specialist? Before I twist your neck, hand over the money!”

“You all?”

They were guards working for an enemy clad in black masks.

“Our sister was poisoned because of the cheap defense tool you made!”