221. Last Banquet (2)
“Hmm.”
The emperor’s eyes narrowed.
He seemed to be judging whether Cain’s words were serious or joking, and he immediately opened his mouth.
“Let me explain.”
“It’s just like I said. You can tell the truth from the lies by looking into their eyes.”
“Raise your head and look at me.”
Cain raised his head and met the emperor’s white eyes.
“The departure date of the ark is in 28 days.”
“It is true.”
“There are people who do not have the abilities they have, but have been promised to board the ark by paying a huge amount of money. I have no intention of keeping that promise. Because only those who have proven their ability ‘self’ are the only ones worthy of being the inhabitants of the New World.”
“… It is true.”
The Emperor asked a few more questions.
Each time Cain’s reply continued without hesitation, the emperor’s expression subtly changed.
Hwareuk.
White flames rose above the Emperor’s hand.
At the same time, mana erupted from his body, and the concentration of elements in the office skyrocketed.
“Don’t you think that this ability is too dangerous to keep alive? No matter how talented a person is, I don’t think removing them from here will have any consequences.”
A chill dripped from the emperor’s voice.
A tremendous sense of pressure squeezed Cain’s entire body.
“I am going to kill you right now.”
“It is false.”
The fire disappeared without a trace.
Mana returned to the emperor’s body, and the element concentration in the room returned to normal in an instant.
“I don’t think we’re just talking about looking at each other. Since when did you have that ability?”
“I don’t know exactly, but I’ve had it since I was very young. Sorry for not telling you in advance.”
The emperor shook his head.
“Whoever has to leave at least one last move. It’s okay to tell the truth at the right time.”
The story progressed quickly.
At the entrance to the banquet hall, I agreed with Cain’s idea of writing a guestbook.
“okay. You’ll be able to make eye contact with everyone who enters the banquet hall. When would be a good time for a banquet?”
“I think three days will be good. I know Elder Raitino and Marquis Viper are returning from their business trips at that time. I think it would be better not to notice something and give it time to prepare.”
“I see. Then I will summon all the passengers.”
Lightino and Viper were on a business trip outside the wall for the final inspection of the goddess statue, which forms an important part of the magic circle.
Cain bowed his head again.
And just as the emperor was about to add something, he took the player away.
“I have a request for you, Your Majesty.”
It was a statement that would have surprised anyone who knew the ecology of the imperial palace well.
Asking the emperor for anything could be seen as a challenge to his authority and rudeness that crossed the line.
But Cain was confident.
Now that he has the emperor’s trust, he can make enough ‘requests’.
‘You’d be more than happy to hear it.’
After a long silence, the Emperor’s voice was heard.
“Tell me.”
“If you allow it, I would like to establish a master-slave relationship with your Majesty through an oath. To prove allegiance to His Majesty.”
Even if it wasn’t this way, it was definitely something the emperor would have brought out.
He is not easily vigilant, and he likes thick safety devices.
“It’s an oath. Do you know what that means?”
If they made an oath with ‘loyalty’ as a medium, they could not do anything that would harm the emperor in the future.
“Yes. I know. Your Majesty has already bestowed upon me the great grace of the ‘New World’. My body and soul will move forward only for Your glory.”
The corner of the emperor’s lips slowly rose.
Even if it wasn’t, I couldn’t help but be happy that the other person said what I was going to say first.
“If that’s what you think—.”
“However, there are conditions.”
“Are you talking about conditions?”
“I want you to promise me a high position in the class system of the new world to be built.”
At the same time, the emperor’s face hardened coldly.
The sign of the oath drawn in the air also disappeared.
“Isn’t that normal? In the New World, you will be in charge.”
“My loyalty to Your Majesty is high. Ambition is no less. Please make a clear promise. Through the oath.”
The emperor frowned.
He seemed to know what the mood was.
‘tt. You must be worried about being abandoned in the new world.’
Although versatile, the emotional gap that comes from a young age seemed inevitable.
no.
In a way, you could say it was evil.
In a situation where the basis of ‘false identification’ is exposed, it must be an act to provide a minimum safeguard to ensure one’s wealth and wealth.
It wasn’t difficult to make an oath.
But the emperor was not willing.
‘Johan Kirif. He’s definitely not a very useful person. As long as nothing happens, I will keep you by my side in the new world.’
The emperor was a suspicious person, and the subject of his doubts included the ‘future’.
I didn’t know how the future would change.
No matter how capable a servant was, he could do everything in one day.
I was thinking of throwing it away.
no matter how long you’ve been together
no matter how many balls
Because Shinha was nothing more than a ‘tool’ and nothing less.
A hasty pact was likely to act as a stumbling block at an important time in the future.
The Emperor put his hand on Cain’s shoulder and said.
“I understand your loyalty. The worries I had in my heart too. But there’s no need to be anxious. Because I will never leave you.”
“… … .”
“But I don’t think it’s necessary to even sign an oath to prove it.”
“… sorry. I think it was a rude request.”
“No. It was a request that could be made from your point of view.”
Cain smiled inwardly.
It was a situation that was able to induce because he knew the character characteristics of the emperor.
The emperor would certainly regret it.
What I didn’t sign an oath to today.
fiercely. very much.
***
D-25.
Two rumors shook the capital.
“The border guards are struggling with the attacks of the Resistance led by Cain.”
“Soon the world will perish, and only the elect will survive.”
The first rumor made me nod my head.
The fighting between the garrison and the resistance was taking place at the border in real time, and in fact, walls were falling apart.
“The resistance armed with advanced weapons. Suspicion of military companies as a behind-the-scenes force.”
“Is the wall falling apart like this? What is the future of the empire?”
Several articles poured in, and the citizens trembled in anxiety.
However, the second rumor was not believed.
It was a rumor that spread from outside the wall, and the content was so absurd.
But the case of the ark passengers was different.
Everyone could intuit that their ‘secret’ had been revealed to the whole world, and that information had leaked out.
And those with a keen eye noticed that the purpose of the banquet was something else.
1 hour before the start of the banquet.
An outdoor banquet hall located in the main palace of the Imperial Palace.
“I think it is possible that Elder Raitino and Marquis Viper will not appear. If you look at the rumors about the ark already… .”
“If you don’t show up, that means you have proven your guilt.”
The emperor’s face was more uncomfortable than ever.
last two days.
The Emperor sent agents to covertly search the homes and offices of Laitino and Viper.
All kinds of evidence that could serve as a basis for judgment were collected, and some of the letters were found in the safe and in the secret space under the drawers.
“Everything goes as planned. For the four people who will become the true masters of the new world.”
It matched Cain’s handwriting registered in the National Police Agency database.
The fingerprints of the letters were also Cain’s.
I had no choice but to do so.
Because both letters were prepared by Cain himself.
4 people.
The phrase was particularly offensive.
viper. litino. gerat.
It was said that the dogs that had been raised so far worked together to bite their owner’s feet.
‘Gerat. I guess he wasn’t dead. Is my seat so coveted? Foolish things.’
The other one must have been Cain.
With a high probability, it was the person that Gerat would have been attracted to.
“I think it’s very likely they will show up. Without the ark, it’s impossible to go to the New World. They’ll try to steal it somehow. And if you appear in the banquet hall, a guy named Cain will be with you.”
The emperor was convinced that Cain was on the list of occupants of the ark.
With a different identity and name for disguise.
“You said that Cain’s fingerprints were all over the offices of Laitino and Viper in addition to the correspondence.”
“That’s right. It’s proof that you’re in and out of the wall and communicating with traitors.”
I checked the CCTV, but there were so many people who came and went, including a lot of people on the ark.
It was difficult to identify ‘Cain’.
‘You must be using transformation magic. It will surely appear as a fake face in the banquet hall.’
But it didn’t matter.
No matter how sophisticated he used magic, he couldn’t fool his own eyes.
wow.
The surrounding elements fluctuated as if to represent the emperor’s uncomfortable feelings.
Meanwhile, Cain was concentrating on his mana circuit.
‘Adaptation of the absorbed mana is faster than I thought. If this is enough, I might be able to face the emperor with the next one.’
last two days.
Cain descended into an underground cavity and drained the tank’s mana twice.
He changed his face to that of the emperor with transformation magic and passed through the corridor.
The elevator operation was also successful using the blood of Julia, the ‘Imperial’.
“Are there going to be fuss at the upcoming banquet? Will you be able to go outside then? finally?”
Julia ran around with a face full of emotion, and it wasn’t difficult to collect a few drops of blood from her finger.
The trap installed in front of the tank was also able to break through by investing all of the characteristics acquired by raising the circuit level to 4 in ‘improving the quality of mana’.
immediately after passing.
Although it was in a state similar to exhaustion.
The remaining mana of the tank that I looked directly at was much larger than expected, thanks to which I was able to absorb a larger amount than planned without fear of being caught.
All of this was done while the emperor’s nerves were focused on the outside.
“It’s coming soon.”
Cars started arriving one by one in the parking lot.
“It’s 500 people. It has been a long time since such a big banquet.”
A total of 500 chairs are prepared in the banquet hall.
It was a number that exactly matched the number of ark occupants that were even filled with Cain’s recommendation.
The emperor looked at a woman getting out of the car and said.
“Jabir Kalta. Are you sure it has nothing to do with my father?”
“Yes. He is a person who does not have much contact with former Commissioner Gerrat.”
“I didn’t think of contacting him at all because I thought it was not suitable for the plan. It’s your recommendation, so trust me.”
“You will not be disappointed. You cannot judge a person by looking at the outside.”
The emperor laughed lightly, as if he was very pleased with the words.
Meanwhile, Zervia approached the two of them.
Braided hair in a blue dress.
She covered her chest and bowed her head toward the emperor.
“The glory of the empire. I see your Majesty the Emperor.”
“Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot from John.”
“I am only grateful for this valuable opportunity.”
After a few greetings.
Zervia raised her head and looked at Cain.
“… … .”
“… … .”
Unknown glances passed.
She remembered her meeting with Cain at dawn.