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“Here we are.”

Kaiden, sitting in front of me, said as he organized the documents I had laid out.

As he suggested, I waited a moment until a servant opened the carriage door to announce our arrival.

Indeed, the Imperial Palace, where the Emperor resides, was a grand and magnificent structure, far surpassing any building I had seen before, overwhelming my senses.

“I will inform His Majesty, so please head to your room and rest. He likely won’t summon you today. Tomorrow at the earliest, I suppose.”

Kaiden beckoned one of the maids standing nearby.

“Please guide these two ladies to their room. It should be in the eastern wing, out of sight of unnecessary eyes.”

With that rather commanding request, the maid approached us, and Kaiden turned back to speak again.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave. Please enjoy your downtime, and if you’d like, you can even explore the capital. There are plenty of sights, foods, and amusements since it’s the capital, so it could be quite entertaining. That’s all.”

Kaiden gave an exaggerated bow to Selian and me, who were of a much lower status, then left the room.

Then the maid, following Kaiden’s orders, guided Selian and me.

“I’ll lead you to your room.”

We followed the maid, whose gentle voice and dignified demeanor were quite graceful.

The room we were shown to was larger and more luxurious than any room I had ever stayed in. Every single item within looked expensive.

As we unpacked in our respective rooms, I was once again plagued by the worries I had carried over during the journey.

Surely, there won’t be any inquiry regarding the identity of someone who is to meet the Emperor, right?

Perhaps the royal family has already completed their investigation into my identity.

The identity of Elysia Frentz that was created for me was just a flimsy facade made up by a third-rate Assassin Guild, giving me a few coins.

It was a poorly crafted identity meant to remain hidden only until the moment of an assassination.

My shallow, fake identity would likely be revealed quite easily before the royal family’s intelligence.

If it were discovered that I was an assassin posing as a noble, I would be thrown into prison immediately, waiting for execution.

So, there’s still room to keep hope, as I have not been caught yet.

In contrast, when facing the Emperor, I had to be very careful so as not to arouse any suspicion.

Therefore, I recited the details of Elysia Frentz that I had memorized over and over in my head.

*

“I’ll take you to your room.”

The next day, after a dazed first day, the maid who had guided us to our room returned.

I changed into the most formal attire I had received from Yuli and followed the maid.

My weapons had already been entrusted to the palace guards.

Thus, we arrived at the Audience Room.

Not stopping by Selian’s room and not seeing Selian around, it seemed the Emperor intended to see me and Selian separately.

The maid lightly knocked on the door and entered without waiting for a response.

As expected, the Audience Room was overflowing with splendor.

And among all that, the most eye-catching was, of course, the woman seated in the center.

Whether it was because I recognized her as the Emperor or because she radiated an aura, she overshadowed all the opulence around just by being seated.

“I greet Your Majesty the Emperor.”

I knelt on one knee and showed my respect to the greatest Emperor of the continent.

However, the words that came from the Emperor were completely unexpected.

“Cut out the unnecessary formalities; just come a bit closer.”

“Your Majesty…”

Her tone, though meant for an Emperor, lacked some grace. Yet her atmosphere and voice made even that lack of decorum noble.

A middle-aged woman standing next to the Emperor seemed ready to comment on her tone, but the Emperor paid her no mind.

“Ah!”

As I subtly lifted my gaze to look, I inadvertently blurted out a surprised sound.

Fearing I might lose my head for startling the Emperor, I quickly covered my mouth with my hands, but it was too late.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

Fortunately, the Emperor did not seem particularly displeased.

“It’s just that the person next to you is someone I’ve met before…”

The middle-aged woman standing beside the Emperor was the mother of the girl who had gone missing when Selian and I ventured into the city of Felches.

“Oh… heh heh…”

The Emperor turned to the middle-aged woman next to her.

“Isis, your daughter’s benefactor is right here. Heh heh…”

While the Emperor continued laughing for some unknown reason, Isis, the middle-aged woman, didn’t seem to be in a jolly mood.

“…It’s nice to see you again.”

“Ah, yes. Hello. I never expected you to be from the royal family. How is your daughter faring?”

“Ha ha ha!”

Now completely guffawing, the Emperor shot a glare at the middle-aged woman, and she spoke again.

“…Very. Well. Indeed. Problematic.”

I could hear the sound of her grinding her teeth, but… that must be a mistake?

“Heh heh… Well, let’s stop joking around here. The reason I’ve called you is not anything special.”

What that joke was, I had no idea, but the Emperor quickly got to the point.

“I simply wanted to see your faces.”

“Excuse me?”

I unintentionally repeated myself without realizing it, then quickly closed my mouth after recognizing my mistake, but the Emperor didn’t seem to mind.

“I wanted to see the current Hero and their companion.”

“…I thought Selian wasn’t officially a Hero yet.”

At this point, Selian was still merely a Hero ‘candidate’; she wouldn’t become a true Hero until the Holy Sword chose her.

Of course, since there were no other Hero candidates besides her, it made sense the Emperor would say that.

“And I’m unsure if I’m skilled enough to join as Selian’s companion.”

“Hmm. You aren’t lacking in ability whatsoever. I assure you, you will accompany Selian to confront the Demon King.”

His words were filled with absolute conviction. I wondered if the Emperor knew that one of my concerns was going to face the Demon King alongside Selian.

Even now, I was unsure if I could reject Selian’s potential offer to join her as a companion.

For my own sake, it would obviously be best not to tag along, but when I think of Selian’s face, I would probably accept her proposal without hesitation.

I couldn’t help but wonder if the Emperor considered all these aspects while speaking with such certainty.

“By the way… Elysia Frentz?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Having been called by name, I bowed my head again and paid my respects.

“You’re the sole survivor of House Frentz… Well, I convey my heartfelt condolences for your family.”

I gulped without realizing it.

The very concern I had been worried about ever since being called to the palace stood directly before me.

Now all I could do was pray that the Emperor wouldn’t catch onto my fake identity. I sincerely hoped the royal family’s intelligence service slacked off.

“Don’t worry too much. Your identity is more solid than you think.”

For some reason, I felt a chill, as if my innermost thoughts had been revealed, but I maintained my composure.

“Moreover, there’s no need to fret; I’ve dabbled in things quite intricately. Someone out there holds dear regard for you.”

What could that possibly mean? At first glance, it seemed the Emperor knew about my false identity, yet it also seemed he did not.

He was clearly saying something, but I, the subject of discussion, couldn’t quite grasp it.

The only relief was that the Emperor didn’t seem to find it a significant issue?

“So, Elysia Frentz?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“What is your objective? Is it self-preservation? Or perhaps wealth to live comfortably? Or is it the honor of being revered by others?”

What immediately came to mind from the Emperor’s words was indeed her mention of my self-preservation.

But right after that, an idea stirred in my head.

“Elysia Frentz.”

The debt I owed her.

Even though no one knows about that debt, why does it refuse to leave my mind?

It felt like a kind of promise and vow, almost a curse.

Ultimately, whether by my own will or not, the words escaped my lips.

“I seek the restoration of House Frentz.”

Once I said that, I was unsure if it was the right thing to do, but I could certainly sense a weight lifting off my chest.

“Hmm… this is a bit unexpected. I didn’t think you’d bring that up first. You truly are interesting.”

I was curious about what was anticipated and what was amusing, but of course, I stayed silent.

The Emperor stood from his chair, approaching me.

As I couldn’t dare stand at eye level with the Emperor, I knelt on one knee to show my respect.

“Your Majesty.”

Isis tried to intervene as the Emperor walked closer, but he merely raised a hand to halt her, continuing his approach.

“Elysia Frentz, I promise you. You will go forth to combat the Demon King in the future. This is neither speculation, nor command, nor prophecy—just an undeniable fact. If you succeed in defeating the Demon King, not only will House Frentz be restored, but you shall be appointed a Marquis.”

The Emperor extended his hand and placed it atop my bowed head.

“Though there are supposed to be ceremonies and procedures, what do those matter? Ultimately, my words and will are the ceremony and procedure.”

The Emperor’s tone, which moments ago had contained a hint of jest, shifted to one of utmost solemnity.

“Sole survivor of the Frentz family. At this very moment, I bestow upon you the title of Count. But remember, I am only granting you the title of Count, and nothing else. Restoration of House Frentz—and further elevation to Marquis—will occur only after the Demon King’s defeat.”

I almost involuntarily lifted my gaze up when the Emperor said that, but since his hand remained atop my head, I managed to restrain myself.

“What I can grant you right now is merely a name that will keep you from being disrespected wherever you go. Once the Demon King is defeated, I will provide full support to rebuild your house, so fear not. Of course, by then, the power and wealth will flow towards you to the extent that you’ll wonder if you even need support.”

The Emperor returned his light-hearted tone, removed his hand from my head, and returned to his chair.

“I thank you, Your Majesty.”

I offered an absolute bow and lifted my head to look at the Emperor, but she merely waved her hand dismissively and handed down a dismissive gesture.

It was so utterly unexpected that even after leaving the Audience Room and returning to my quarters, I struggled to process what had just occurred.