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“Hmm… Have I been defeated?”

“…To be precise, only I have been defeated, not Your Majesty. There’s nothing more to discuss after that.”

After forcing out the vehemently opposing Isis, only the Emperor and Selian remained in the Audience Room.

“Let’s stop talking about that. The more I hear, the less interested I become. I absolutely despise spoilers.”

The Emperor casually tossed aside the topic they’d just been discussing and instead brought up something that piqued his interest.

“So, Selian. Is your goal still to slay the Demon King?”

“…That’s the role of a Hero, isn’t it?”

It was the role she had heard about from her father, the family head, her kind mother, and her older brother who was five years her senior, from everyone around her since she was young.

“To be precise, you’re still a Hero candidate. It’s better to make that clear. Remember it well.”

“…Yes.”

“Then let me ask you one more time. Is your goal to slay the Demon King?”

“……”

It was the same question as before, but this time she couldn’t answer.

“Right. Your goal isn’t that. You simply want to protect that child.”

And her silence was almost an answer to the question.

“But, you see… That child you want to protect will definitely go on to slay the Demon King. Alongside you.”

Selian’s beautiful features twisted in anger, and she shot a fierce glare at the Emperor. Normally, such an act would warrant immediate imprisonment for its rudeness, but the Emperor didn’t seem to care much.

“Oh dear, someone’s ready to eat someone.”

The Emperor, perhaps oblivious to how he might be perceived, continued with a smile that seemed a little too cheerful for someone in his position.

“…That’s never going to happen. I won’t let her accompany me.”

“Selian, Hero candidate. You know a lot of things. One of them is surely regarding my insight. And yet, don’t you wonder how I can be so certain?”

As the Emperor mentioned, Selian was already aware of his insights. Though his foresight was exceptional enough to be close to seeing the future, it still couldn’t actually see it.

Going to slay the Demon King is more dangerous than anything else in this world. There’s no way she would take Elysia along that path.

Thus, the Emperor’s so-called prophecy wouldn’t come true.

“The formation of a Hero’s party is entirely at the Hero’s discretion. My thoughts won’t change, so Your Majesty’s words can never be kept.”

“Hmmm… You seem quite certain. How about this? Since both you and I are so confident, it could be fun to place a bet when opinions clash.”

The Emperor continued with a delightful smile, as if he had just found an amusing toy.

“What do you say? Will you accept the bet?”

“…How childish.”

“Hehe. Is it childish? Just like you don’t care about those around you, I don’t care about such things at all. Ah! Could it be that you’re just lacking confidence? You kept saying whether you will take her along or not, and it seems your determination is only worth that much. That’s just saying your feelings towards that child aren’t very strong, isn’t it?”

The Emperor taunted Selian with a voice akin to a gambler in a back alley rather than one befitting an Emperor.

And that childish provocation was indeed effective against Selian.

“Fine. If Your Majesty insists, I will accept your challenge. My resolve will never waver.”

“Good. Then the bet is established. But the most important part of a bet is still missing. The stakes.”

The Emperor pretended to think for a moment and then clapped his hands, opening his mouth.

Selian’s brow furrowed again at the useless performance, but as usual, the Emperor didn’t seem to care.

On the contrary, he found her changing expression amusing.

“Since the nature of the bet is about that child, how about wagering her as the stakes? If you win, I will grant you that child, no matter what means I have to use, even if it means upending the Empire.”

“…Elysia is not an object. Even if it’s you, Your Majesty, you cannot insult her like that.”

“Quit the goody-two-shoes talk. There are only the two of us here, after all.”

His voice was like that of someone trying to coax a child.

“Yes. To be honest, Your Majesty’s proposal is certainly enticing. But just as my resolve doesn’t waver, I won’t be captured by desire. What I want is to achieve it with my own hands.”

“Hmmm… That’s a boring answer. Frentz was much more entertaining.”

Once again, she validates what she had felt—that she and the Emperor were simply incompatible.

“Well, let’s just think about the stakes when the time comes and leave it at that. I’ll take my leave now. I expect a more entertaining expression next time we meet.”

The Emperor waved goodbye to Selian just as he had when sending Elysia away.

*

I had been keeping vigil beside the bed when I confirmed that Frecia was asleep and got up from my spot.

However, as I tried to return to my room, I found myself lost, so I had to briefly ask Frecia’s dedicated maid for help to stumble back to my room.

Back in my room.

The gaze of my dedicated maid seemed to say she expected this, and though I felt embarrassed, there was no excuse, so I quietly picked up a book to read.

Knock knock.

“Who… Ah, Sel.”

Just as I hadn’t turned many pages, I heard someone knocking at the door.

Taking the doorknob instead of the maid who was about to open it, I pulled it open to see Selian standing in the hallway.

“Come in quickly.”

As I gestured toward the room, she lightly nodded and entered.

We sat facing each other at a small round table, and even though we hadn’t exchanged many words, the maid who had been waiting brought over teacups and poured tea for us.

“By the way, did you just have a conversation with His Majesty?”

Quite a bit of time had passed since I had talked with the Emperor, so even if Selian had met him later than I did, her audience would have ended by now.

“Yes. It just ended a little while ago. Did His Majesty say anything strange?”

There was a tone to Selian’s voice that felt as if she was interrogating me. However, since I could sense her concern in her words, I didn’t feel bad about it.

Recalling our conversation, I didn’t particularly remember anything strange. Rather, there were just some surprising topics.

“Oh, right. I don’t know why, but His Majesty granted me the title of Count. Well, it’s just in name, though.”

Wrinkles formed around her beautiful eyes.

“Was there any other conversation? For example, about the Demon King…?”

Her keen question made me flinch, but rather than being honest, I opted to lie.

If I spoke honestly, it could lead to her misunderstanding that I was trying to use Selian to fulfill my own ambitions to kidnap the Demon King.

Of course, even if I was contemplating going to slay the Demon King, if I ever did, it would be much more for the sake of helping Selian than fulfilling my own desires.

“I’m not sure. Why? Did His Majesty say something about me?”

“No. It’s nothing. He just talked about the Demon King with me.”

Well, considering that Selian is currently the only Hero candidate, it makes sense that it would come up in conversation.

“By the way, since we’ve met His Majesty, does that mean the purpose of the royal invitation for us is over?”

“…I suppose so.”

“In that case, do you want to go out?”

Seeing Selian’s slightly somber expression made my heart feel heavy. She looked much better with a smile.

“It’s my first time in the Capital. If you’re new too, how about we explore together? If not, could you show me around?”

“Well… I’ve been to the Capital a few times. I’m not sure if the stores I remember from back then are still there, but it should be enough.”

At my suggestion, her previously furrowed brows smoothed out, and her lips began to curl into a faint smile.

“Then let’s stay a bit longer at Selian’s Mansion, and we’ll have as much fun as we can in the Capital for the days we’ve cut short. How about that?”

Well, it’s only the location that’s changed from Selian’s Mansion to the Imperial Palace. After all, the main reason I stayed at Selian’s Mansion was because of her, so the place doesn’t really matter much.

By going out like this, I can lighten Selian’s mood, and at the same time, I can buy snacks for Frecia.

“…You’re not thinking of someone else right now, are you?”

Flinch!