Chapter 78

It took about another week to return to the capital of the imperial direct territory from the territory of the Marquis Purioaito.

“All the sheep, blankets, and warm wine are ready!”

This time, all the attendants at every Wyvern landing area stopped intermittently to prepare a welcome.

Originally, Jeilliris had planned her schedule to return in early January.

However, due to the chaos in the aftermath of the Marquis’s death, it took about another ten days, so we were only able to arrive at the capital’s Wyvernfit in mid-January.

The festive atmosphere of the year-end and the New Year had already passed in the capital, and the citizens were back to their daily lives.

Jeilliris spoke to the administrative officials.

“If I had no responsibilities, I would have been able to leave early for both the year-end and the New Year. Let us hear about how much progress has been made in cooperation with the provincial high noble families for the maintenance of national roads and the construction of canals during that time.”

Thus, she returned with a forewarning of the onerous tasks ahead.

Her first task was to reward the officials who had worked alongside her since the New Year.

“Duke Sererassie.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

A mage with long navy blue hair and a sharp impression adorned with shimmering gold and blue ornaments bowed respectfully.

The Emperor returned to her throne, smiled contentedly, and congratulated her on her achievements.

“I hereby grant you one week of leave and the right to lean on your staff in my presence.”

“Thank you.”

Perhaps thinking of another study, Sererassie smiled brightly, almost too much for her personality.

…Please don’t skip meals or sleep for a week like last time.

I should check in on her from time to time.

The Emperor continued on cheerfully.

“I also grant you permission for independent research. Once you finish this research, you may explore a topic of your choice and write a paper. The research funding will naturally be provided by me.”

“!”

Sererassie’s eyes widened, filled with joy.

“Is it true? No, really?”

She wasn’t merely happy about the funding.

“You must have grasped a sense of your power during this time. Before you forget, make sure to nurture it well. The birth of a great mage in my court will always be welcome.”

“Your Majesty. Since this is about independent research, I wish to ask…”

“Studies on magical realms, ancient things, and infiltrators are all included. It should naturally be included if you intend to utilize the reagents you obtained this time, right? If you are infiltrated, I will personally execute you, so don’t think of causing inconvenience and feel free to explore.”

“!”

Sererassie’s sharp face turned red like a lovesick teenager.

“Your Majesty is most gracious.”

She stepped back with an ecstatic expression, like a devotee welcoming a saint.

“Lady Trentia?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

A knight clad in full plate armor knelt before the Emperor.

The white plate armor of the Platinum Knights was marked with visible scratches.

Lady Trentia bore the look of someone who had traveled between heaven and hell several times in the last month.

The shadows cast on her handsome face created a forlorn atmosphere.

Despite not knowing the details, I assumed that both the Emperor and I had undergone considerable mental turmoil during our disappearance into the magical realms.

“Duke Valenciaunos will be granting you leave and gold coins, so I must give you what only I can offer.”

Having said that, Jeilliris picked up the red cloak brought by the attendant on a silver tray.

It was a luxurious magic tool that exuded both serene sophistication and fierce flames.

“It will block most ordinary arrows. Wear it when you want to dress comfortably without armor. Additionally, it is immune to flame magic up to 5 circles, allowing you to be free even in the fires of hell.”

Jeilliris personally draped the cloak around Lady Trentia.

“Your Majesty. It is an honor.”

Jeilliris continued with a smile.

“I have also confirmed that you have the aptitude of a Wyvern rider, a dragon knight. I have observed this with my own eyes for two weeks, so you must be treated accordingly.”

“Ah!”

“Take care of her frequently and fly together. Duke Valenciaunos is also skilled at riding Wyverns, so it should be easy to fly together.”

She received a silver-horned trumpet from an attendant and handed it to Lady Trentia.

The trumpet had space for engraving both the names of the rider and the wyvern.

“Come up with a good name.”

“It is an honor, Your Majesty.”

With a noticeably brighter face, Lady Trentia took her leave.

I approached her, slipped her a coin purse, and whispered softly.

“I’ll see you in two weeks.”

“Yes?”

“It’s the combined value of your year-end, New Year’s, and special holiday leave.”

“However…”

Lady Trentia wore an expression that suggested that was impossible.

I spoke firmly, as if refusing any rebuttal.

“I won’t step outside the palace even a single step. If you want to drink, come find me then. I plan to stay in a drunken state for a while.”

She smiled, as if that thought somewhat pleased her.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Jeilliris and I sent away the two loyal servants first and then moved to the office.

The splendid chandelier and the desolate room were unchanged.

She stood me in front of her desk for a moment while she scanned the urgent documents piled high.

She occasionally let out a groan, clearly very pressed for time.

As she stamped documents with her companion, she muttered.

“It seems Duke Sererassie truly has no other intentions.”

I replied to her murmuring with familiarity.

“Yes, Your Majesty. If there were even a slight ulterior motive, I would have plotted for the throne in collusion with the Marquis or his son.”

“Her nature is that of a mage. She has no interest in what humans create.”

“Indeed.”

“That’s why it’s sad. All powerful mages in this world can only be noble.”

The face hidden behind the stack of documents must be smiling cruelly by now.

“Yes, it is indeed a sad thing.”

“I’m just grateful that you can endure it.”

“I believe I can continue to do so moving forward.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I will be helped to endure. To live as a mage, as is my nature.”

A brief silence fell.

Eventually, Jeilliris gave a faint smile in response.

“I shall believe you. If anyone can manage it, it is surely the Duke.”

* * *

I returned to the palace in high spirits, having received a two-week leave, new liquid armor ‘Aquatech’, and 200 gold coins.

In the palace, Rudi was instructing the attendants as they organized the supplies she had just brought.

“Eight barrels of wine, thirty bottles of whiskey, twenty bottles of wine, smoked ham and sausages, dried fruits, and fresh fruits. Everything is organized. The new uniforms will be delivered from the tailor tomorrow. Should I heat the wine for you?”

Today, she was dressed in neat maid’s attire, layering a black dress over a white blouse.

Her brown hair was tidily tied up, her green eyes sparkled with shine, and a kind smile adorned her face.

She was the perfect image of a maid that any employer would welcome.

But I knew she wore leather armor, that she practiced meditation, and that she was an elite archer and dagger user.

She had become that way because of me.

“Rudi. You really worked hard. I’m sorry…”

“Lord Valenciaunos, please don’t apologize.”

She raised her head as she spoke.

The gentle warmth in her green eyes sparkled from behind her glasses.

“Please praise me. I worked hard. I’ll do even better next time.”

“!”

If she had simply wished to live a normal life, it might have been better to have fired her on the day of my return.

To prevent her from getting entangled in this world.

Yet she had already sworn allegiance to me and had shot Lancea at my command.

Apologizing here would be too selfish.

I smiled like a typical nobleman of Valenciaunos, like the capital’s greatest bandit.

“Exactly. Rudi. Thank you for holding on, and for welcoming me back.”

“There’s no need for such words.”

“Is your family in the capital? I’d like to give you about a week’s leave.”

She smiled awkwardly.

“It’s embarrassing to speak in front of Your Highness, but my family is a notorious mess.”

“Then would you like to go cause some trouble? I can lend you some jewelry and help you with some prayers in the red-light district.”

“Lord Valenciaunos!”

She playfully shouted and vigorously shook her head.

“Being beside Your Highness is my greatest rest.”

I felt genuinely pleased.

“Please heat some wine. Let’s drink together.”

“Yes, Lord Valenciaunos.”

Knock, knock.

Just then, someone knocked on the palace door.

“Lady Trentia? Haven’t you gone back to your quarters yet?”

She was dressed in gray training armor after taking off her combat-ready white armor.

Rudi and I both turned pale simultaneously.

“Your Highness, Duke Valenciaunos. Rudi. Now that I have returned to the palace, we must resume our duties.”

“Lady, please wait a moment. Are you not tired? You’re on leave right now! I’m on leave too!”

The last words nearly turned into a scream.

“For every minute you keep us waiting, I will add an extra lap to the training grounds. This time it seems you resolved your duties without causing trouble, which is very good. I will engrain that spirit into your body. Like a true knight.”

“Here, there’s only you as a knight…!”

“59.”

“No…!”

“58.”

“Ahhh!”

* * *

In the imperial palace, there were several large and small reception rooms, and Jeilliris often favored one adorned with sunset-hued tapestries and a chandelier with an orange shade.

After a two-day night shift processing the accumulated documents from the past month, she summoned me there.

As I hurried over, she was sunk into a plush sofa.

Her platinum hair was comfortably let down, cascading over her shoulders and back, and the golden hue in her eyes had softened.

She wore only a thin purple dress without a shawl and, unlike usual, was not wearing her ring on her joints, exposing her white arms.

Thanks to the fireplace, the room was warm even in midwinter.

“Duke, pour yourself a drink.”

She said sweetly.

The wide table was filled with wine from the best vineyards of the empire: ‘Tears of the Wasteland’, ‘Ecstasy of Blood’, ‘Praise of Diamonds’, and more.

It seemed she had already drunk quite a bit, as several empty bottles were lying under the table.

Even before my return, Jeilliris had enjoyed her drink.

Her detoxification ability was so strong that she rarely got drunk, but she knew how to appreciate the taste, aroma, and mood.

I picked up ‘Praise of Diamonds’ with both hands.

Jeilliris clicked her tongue.

“Don’t touch that bottle. It was poisoned.”

“Yes?”

I immediately placed it back down under the table.

“Call an attendant or a servant immediately…!”

“I already sent someone through Wyvernfit.”

“Quite a considerate decision.”

“We need to appoint a regent soon. It’s unacceptable for me to have been absent from the palace for a month.”

“Your thought is wise.”

I rolled my tongue around in my mouth.

Of course, I wouldn’t normally act so coy, but when she had made up her mind to drink, that was the most sensible course of action.

I courteously poured her ‘Ecstasy of Blood’ and shared with her the story of how Lady Trentia had rolled me and Rudi up from the very first day of her leave.

“Thanks to that, I ended up sleeping soundly.”

“Haha. As expected, she is diligent. She will surely reach great heights.”

“I think so too. I am grateful for Your Majesty’s grace in having such a knight by my side.”

Jeilliris finished her cup.

For a moment, silence settled between us.

“Duke.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I see that you are truly grateful.”

“…I believe gratitude is only right.”

“That’s why you put your life on the line for me?”

“Ah.”

At that moment, I performed the dragon’s rite within the magical realm.

I had consumed the heart of a dragon, that beautiful and savage piece of flesh.

“I could have died.”

“I know.”

“I can no longer live as an ordinary person.”

In response to her ambiguous question, I answered ambiguously as well.

“I too am of royal blood. I have never been an ordinary person since my birth. Even before consuming the dragon’s heart, I was not ordinary, and I am still not, so nothing has changed.”

My duties, my rights, and my literal bloodline signified I was anything but ordinary.

Jeilliris smiled faintly at my reply.

“You have posed a silly question.”

But that smile did not last long.

“Loyalty is a contract.”

The essence of the feudal system that governs this world is indeed a contract.

“Lady Trentia serves me for honor and gold, and in return, I grant her gold and trust to maintain her strength. All relationships in this world are contracts.”

Honor, love, coercion, romance, gold; I viewed them all as mere pieces to be weighed on the scales.

“Yet you always try to give more than what I offer you. I don’t seem to have shown you a romance worthy of sacrificing your life.”