Chapter 212

Rudi sounded out the new surname “Consecratus” in his mouth several times.

It meant “dedication.”

…Among the capital’s court nobles, it had become a trend to register many words conveying meaning as middle names for their families.

Words like dedication, eternity, loyalty, and resolution, which in a way made them appear more distinguished, had already been registered by many families, and to use them, one had to obtain prior permission or purchase the rights at a high price.

In other words, a name like “Consecratus” indicated that she was receiving tremendous favor from the Emperor and the Duke just by hearing it.

Valenciaunos carefully took out a luxurious box from Sererassie’s bag and then drew out a pair of thin glasses.

“These are the tracking glasses made by Marcus. They have a magic that allows you to see at night as clearly as during the day. I wanted to find something that suits you, and it seems I succeeded somewhat,” he said.

They were nearly identical to the glasses he had been using.

Rudi carefully accepted the new glasses and tried them on.

“Ah.”

He felt that his impression looked a bit kinder, and the clarity of his vision improved significantly; despite it being midnight outside, everything appeared as bright as early evening.

“Thank you, Lord Valen.”

“I look forward to your continued support, Count Rudi.”

Rudi forced a smile, but he couldn’t stop his hands from trembling.

“Oh my. I’ve… made it big.”

The Empire’s feudal system had a virtuous cycle of a servant’s dedication reciprocated by the master’s reward, which in turn encouraged the servant’s further dedication.

Rudi felt as though he had climbed onto a larger wheel, and he vowed to repay it with even greater dedication.

“Yes, Lord Valen.”

Sererassie smiled gently.

“Congratulations, Count Rudi.”

Tenitia also clapped her hands with a pleased expression.

“It is truly a beautiful sight. I feel it will be remembered for a long time.”

It felt as if she had seen a page from one of her favorite knight novels.

As Rudi sat back down next to Valenciaunos, the Duke turned his gaze towards Tenitia.

“Lady, it’s troublesome if you make that expression so soon. I was planning to give you something memorable as well.”

“Yes?”

Looking into those golden eyes, Tenitia thought once again that becoming a knight was a good decision.

Before Valenciaunos could say anything, she knelt, and he broke into a grin.

“At this moment, you are the Emperor’s knight. You swore loyalty to Her Majesty Jeilliris and became a vassal, protecting the Imperial Palace as part of the Silver Knight Order.”

The solemnity in his deep voice suited him well.

“Indeed.”

“However, I am a greedy Bandit Duke, so I wish to entice you with treasures.”

Of course, he meant he wouldn’t take Tenitia away from Jeilliris, and they all knew that.

‘Is he planning to buy me a mansion?’

‘Did he get a new magic sword or something?’

‘If it’s His Majesty, he might even be able to hand over gold coins directly.’

Tenitia secretly anticipated gold as she thought of a splendid expression of thanks, but Valenciaunos shattered her expectations with a pleasant surprise.

“Lady Tenitia, I bestow upon you the Ruberstarium estate. When you retire in the future, if you wish, you may go there to govern the territory and establish a new family.”

“!”

The dignified knight looked as if he had been dealt a heavy blow.

“It is a city of 5,000 people nestled between a large lake and river. There are about 25 towns and villages belonging to the estate. The lake has remarkable medicinal herbs, which are said to be the specialty of the territory.”

Receiving land and vassals as a knight held significant meaning.

“Initially, the Emperor’s administrative officers will manage it for you, but you will receive the final net income each year. It is your land, which can be inherited, transferred, bought, or gifted.”

Living by the code of honor and fighting in wars, with nothing but a trained body to rely on, was the reality of a knight’s life.

“Your Majesty!”

Being assured of a life after retirement, which would one day come, meant being one of the chosen among knights.

For the second sons of country lord knights like Tenitia to have their estates meant completely erasing the sorrows of youth that had left home to achieve success.

“You will surely become the best knight. I hope you will continue to strive for me and the Imperial family. I am currently reinforcing the armor with Marcus’s incantation circuits. Yes, I will ensure you can do just that.”

Tenitia felt a lump in her throat.

This Bandit Elder brother knew how to make a knight pledge loyalty.

“I, Tenitia! Swear unwavering loyalty to Lord Valenciaunos and the Solletaras Imperial Family!”

* * *

The drinking party continued afterward.

“Valen, did you see the newspaper? They referred to Lady Tenitia as the ‘red knight.’”

Sererassie said playfully.

“Hahaha. What a cool nickname.”

Valenciaunos had a hearty laugh, his face glowing red.

“Indeed, Your Majesty. I must be quite splendid. After all, whose knight would I be if I weren’t?”

Tenitia looked up, wearing a proud smile.

“You foolish swordsmen! That’s an insult! Try to grasp the essence of it!”

Sererassie grabbed him by the nape.

“Your Majesty! For knights, infamy exists alongside renown.”

Tenitia rebutted.

“You chastised Valenciaunos for being righteous and sincere, yet in the end, you fought just like me against the paladins! Now accept it calmly. The church folks don’t understand reason!”

Drunk, Sererassie vented everything she had been wanting to say.

“I fought honorably, and the church did the same. It’s only natural that the church does not compromise on doctrine, that I cannot hand over my lord, and that a clash between two beings unable to compromise is entirely expected. Therefore, it’s unwarranted to say we don’t understand each other. We asserted our claims with swords, and I persisted in my will.”

Unexpectedly, Tenitia made a logical retort.

“No. How is clashing swords a conversation!? You don’t even get along with knights!”

Sererassie grabbed him by the nape again.

Rudi chuckled lightly as he watched the scene.

However, every time Valenciaunos’s gloves shimmered inside, it made him acutely aware of the inhuman energy emanating from him.

‘My cursed lord.’

He hid the sad feelings that arose inside from showing on his face.

Knock, knock.

At that moment, there was a sound of knocking at the separate palace door.

“…”

Rudi frowned slightly and went to the entrance.

Anyone of a different status than the homeowner should use the side or back door to enter unless they came together.

In fact, all attendants used the back door, and the main palace’s attendants used the side door to enter the separate palace.

Since Valenciaunos didn’t usually invite many people, the only ones who could enter through that main door would be other members of the royal family, like Sererassie or Helena, or knights like Tenitia.

‘Who is it? Could it be… Duke Cariousa or Duke Seberic?’

Rudi peered outside through the small hole in the door.

Someone stood there, holding a bag with a wine bottle inside.

‘They must be a servant from the main palace. I should give a warning. The knight might beat them for being rude.’

Logically speaking, it was absurd for a servant to use the same door as Elder Brother Valenciaunos.

Thus, Rudi’s gesture in opening the door was rough, and his tone was somewhat sharp.

“Who is knocking at this hour?”

Tenitia also frowned and shouted toward the entrance.

“Who is it!”

Having been attacked by the heat once or twice just an hour ago, it couldn’t be helped that they were sensitive to intruders.

“It is I.”

But the one standing at the door was Emperor Jeilliris.

His white hair and golden eyes gleamed brightly in the moonlight.

“?!”

Rudi collapsed to his knees.

“Your Majesty!?”

“Please forgive me!”

Tenitia and Valenciaunos set down their glasses and rushed out, bowing their heads in front of the entrance, while Sererassie tried to flee out the window but locked eyes with Jeilliris instead.

Rudi felt his mind turning blank, guiding the precious guest as the official of the palace.

“Your Majesty, please, this way.”

The Emperor emanated a presence like the sun, making her tremble all over.

“W-what is this? Hahaha.”

Rudi, feeling faint, brought a new glass.

Among the maids, some had genuinely fainted.

‘Nothing will happen, right? Nothing at all. Nothing must happen. Please let there be nothing.’

The Jeilliris before him was no longer the one who had been dozing alongside Valenciaunos at the desk that one morning.

The aura was so overwhelming that he couldn’t properly open his eyes; with just a gaze or gesture, she felt frozen, and the inhuman energy that radiated from Valenciaunos felt even stronger.

‘Oh my, oh my, oh my, oh my.’

Rudi’s mind did not slip away because of his instinct to protect Valenciaunos.

“Valenciaunos.”

The Emperor, embodying the essence of the world, light, and darkness, sat down across from her Duke.

Rudi strained to listen to her words.

If the atmosphere turned to one where Valenciaunos might be reprimanded, he needed to distract them with some tricks.

The Emperor’s red lips moved.

“Just now, the heat has been moving about. Despite the sudden visit, you handled the negotiations well without being flustered.”

“Ah.”

Rudi observed Valenciaunos’s face changing with each passing moment.

The youthful Duke’s face flushed gray.

“Your Majesty! Then—”

Lightning flickered in the golden eyes.

“Yes. It was a success! The southwestern great lords he led also pledged their loyalty to me!”

“Congratulations. Serving someone like Your Majesty is the utmost blessing, and he has realized that as well—”

The suffocating presence of the Emperor quickly faded.

“That flattery is excessive. It is due to you. All because of you.”

“Not at all.”

“It’s a feeling. Valenciaunos. I will also bestow upon you the position of Commander of Knights. Continue to assist me in the Empire’s affairs.”

“Isn’t it a tiring position to harmonize the knight order who quarrel and become jealous every day? I ask that you reconsider just once—”

“In return, you will oversee the allocation of various magic tools and spirit pills as well. Take care of your health more during this opportunity. I may not be the one to say it, but it is a position traditionally held by the royals. Comply willingly!”

Eventually, Valenciaunos bowed his head to accept the command, and Jeilliris laughed melodiously.

Rudi recalled what Valenciaunos had said earlier.

‘The mischief of the great lords is always for a reason. Put another way, once that issue is resolved, they will just be people burdened with many things.’

He recalled that this divine Jeilliris was in fact the same age as Valenciaunos and even younger than she was.

“Today, we shall toast. Follow me!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Before long, Jeilliris and Valenciaunos were facing each other, laughing heartily as they exchanged glasses.

“It has been a long time.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. It has been long.”

Bottles of strong liquor piled up rapidly, and Sererassie fell over, and finally, even Tenitia sprawled on the table, leaving only the twins.

They no longer seemed like the lovely young angel they had been when seated across from each other in the office.

Both their golden eyes gleamed with the essence of Imperial blood, shimmering like hidden blades, and their red lips bore a distorted smile alongside their path, with their cheeks hollowed, as if proving the weight of their burdens.

An inhuman energy wafted from the Emperor’s body and the tips of the Duke’s fingers.

However, Rudi sensed that they were cherishing and supporting each other.

“All my tomorrows to come are exciting.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I too look forward to all my tomorrows with you.”

As she watched the two smiling as if only they could see each other, she reflected.

It might be natural that the royal family and noble lords were all of heterogeneous races, thus feeling an increasing sense of inhuman energy.

But if they cherished each other and fulfilled their responsibilities for what they held,

Even if they were not human, they would still be people.

“I shall… save this world. With you and… my brother by my side…”

“I will bring glory to Your Majesty’s name. This time, this time I—”

* * *

Not all captives shared the same fate.

Marcus received some weapons and negotiated the estate concession while being served by twelve maids in a luxurious room in the main palace.

On the contrary, the boy with white hair and red eyes, who didn’t even have a name, was bound in shackles adorned with various magic and incantations, groaning in the underground prison of the Imperial Palace.

“Ah.”

The boy was aware of the existence of ‘that,’ secretly implanted by his creators.

There was a spell that would activate under certain circumstances, regardless of the boy’s will.

“I know. I am just a created doll. Still, since I was given life, I wanted to live. That was all.”

However, the boy willingly accepted that spell.

Thinking of the bloodline uncle who betrayed his promises like a worn-out shoe.

“Valenciaunos. What you wish will not come true. Jeilliris will forever be a tyrant.”

Thunk.

A sound of something breaking echoed, and the boy’s red eyes lost their light.

At that moment, the soul, adorned with the bloodline of nobility and tinged by the old powers, shone brilliantly yet ominously away from his body.

Only a handful of sorcerers, including the highest-ranking clergy like Matheos, could accurately sense the existence of the soul, but if one broadens the scope to include the old ones, the story would change.

The magic engraved on the soul spread its sweet scent widely.

“…!”

Some being on the other side caught that scent and opened its mouth to this world.

And so, deep in the night, during the darkest dawn,

In the capital of the Solletaras Empire, Solletaraon.

1.8 kilometers above the central canal dock,

The summer rain clouds that had gathered became a curtain in the sky.

Boom.

A core, glowing with such strong turquoise light that it seemed as if two moons had risen, appeared.

Crackling!

The core spread pale waves of turquoise light in all directions, forming a magical realm of 500 meters in diameter.

The ancient entity that created the core sent a portion of itself to fetch the sweet soul.

Thus, it sent part of itself.

Humans decided to call it the foreign entity.