42 – Episode 5. You were just pretending to be a fool? (4)
“There is no need to do this.”
“No! “Aren’t you going to have an audience with His Majesty the Emperor?”
The employees are busy with me and adjusting my clothes. I had no intention of picking up anything and wearing it to enter the palace, but doing it this way was inconvenient.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror.
It was a suit with red embroidery on black fabric. The tie was also red. It felt as if the colors of the Sirius family had been taken out.
“It’s cool! Abel!”
Clara shouted as she was examining my features.
She clenches her fists daintily and nods her head one after another. She said thank you, making me laugh involuntarily at her innocent reaction.
“Let’s leave quickly and not be late.”
“If you take a carriage, it will take less than an hour, right?”
Because I skipped afternoon class, there were still two hours left until 5 o’clock.
“But we have to go quickly! “Isn’t this an audience with His Majesty the Emperor?”
“Okay. Okay.”
Unable to resist the urging of the employees, I had no choice but to get on the carriage that was waiting in front of the dormitory. I saw Clara waving her hands vigorously as she placed her buttocks on the carriage seat.
“Clara.”
When the employee called Clara right before closing the door, the employee stopped his actions. He takes one look at me and then back at Clara.
“Yes?”
“What are you planning this weekend?”
“Hmm. Unfortunately, there isn’t any. Because I don’t know anyone here. “Why are you doing this?”
“It seems boring to stay in the dorm.”
She waves her hand urgently at my words.
“Oh, no. I also went for a walk sometimes. But…… Maybe it was because of my divine power, but it drew so much attention that I couldn’t do much…….”
Although I cannot see it with my eyes, anyone who can feel mana would be surprised to see her vast divine power. Considering Houston’s shocked reaction, it was safe to say that the amount was more than I expected.
It would be nice if her divine power could be stored like mana, but there is no information related to that.
There was no saint in the original work, but I couldn’t tell because the people of the church had no reason to go around hoarding divine power.
I may need to get help from the church for this part.
“Still, I’ve come this far, so I have to experience this and that. If you have time on the weekend, let’s go play together. How is it?”
Honestly, I also want to visit Ferrator. If I do well in this audience with the Emperor, I will have some time to spare. I have to go play with Clara.
“Yes. Song. Together.”
She smiled brightly with an expectant look on her face.
“Okay. “Then I’ll come back.”
“Please be careful. “I’ll be waiting.”
She smiled as she saw Clara bowing her waist politely. As soon as Clara and I finished talking, the owner closed the carriage door.
Just like that, the carriage I was riding in departed for the imperial palace.
· * * *
“It’s so big.”
I was amazed at the majesty of the imperial palace visible from the window.
I thought the Sirius family’s mansion was big, but I don’t think it could be compared to the imperial palace.
No matter how much you tilt your head, you can’t see the end. Wouldn’t this be on the level of the Demon King from a fantasy novel?
…… Come to think of it, this was also in a fantasy novel. hahahaha.
From Noble mtl dot com
As the carriage stops in front of the outer wall of the imperial palace, the imperial knights approach. As I was quietly watching the conversation with our driver, the drivers took a quick look inside the carriage. Eventually, when our eyes met, he quickly gestured as if to go in.
Safely enter the imperial palace and pass through the large garden. Gardeners and other employees were busy walking around the well-maintained garden, and knights were patrolling the palace to check for intruders.
The carriage passed through the garden and stopped at the entrance to the imperial palace.
“We have arrived. “Master Abel.”
“You worked hard.”
I got off the carriage, spoke to the coachman and driver, and looked at the entrance. A middle-aged man with graying hair was standing there watching me.
The man, with his eyes narrowed and expressionless, gave the impression that I had no idea what he was thinking.
He was dressed in a neat, inconspicuous suit. It was not decorated with patterns or jewels, so it was far from flashy, but it looked very clean and clutter-free.
Also, there was no disorder in his posture, giving the appearance that he would strictly adhere to the principles.
And I knew about a person who looked like this.
“Nice to meet you. Count Isis Tentia.”
As if unexpectedly, his eyes open slightly and his gray eyes are revealed. As Lee Chae faced his frosty eyes, he opened his mouth.
“… Do you know me?”
“Yes. I know. “Aren’t you the chief aide to His Majesty the Emperor?”
“Huh. “I didn’t know you cared about me.”
In the novel, this is a person that Mine must go through every time she meets Frey. I don’t know, can you see it?
“…… Well, it’s been a long time since I worked by His Majesty’s side, so it would be strange not to know.”
He mumbled something and raised the corners of his mouth happily.
“Welcome. Prince Abel. “This is Count Isis Tentia, His Majesty’s chief aide.”
He willingly extends his hand towards me. I held his hand and smiled lightly.
“Nice to meet you. Count Isis.”
“…… “You’re more polite than I expected.”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
No matter how much Abel Sirius is the son of a duke, he is not higher than an earl.
If I were the eldest son of the Sirius family like Gionil, it would be okay to treat him poorly, but his third son, Abel Sirius, had to be treated well to be at the level of a viscount.
Furthermore, if he was a direct aide to the emperor, he would be treated differently even if he was a count.
So, it is better to show respect clearly than to speak informally.
Of course, I have no intention of showing a diminished appearance. I wasn’t brought here for being a b*tch. Since the emperor had summoned me on some business, I planned to go out with dignity.
“His Majesty the Emperor did not say that you have changed for nothing.”
“Did His Majesty tell you that I have changed?”
“…… Yes. “I will personally meet with His Majesty the Emperor and find out more about it.”
“Yes.”
Come to think of it, the letter from the imperial family said that they were interested in what I had done so far.
If you just look at his actions, it would be safe to say that things have changed.
“By the way, how long did you wait?”
“I didn’t wait too long. “I heard from Princess Mine that you left the Academy.”
“Is that so?”
It looks like Mine used a scroll of war books.
“Come in. “I will guide you to His Majesty’s office.”
…… Office? Not the throne room?
I was a little taken aback by the unexpected choice of location.
“You have a questioning expression.”
He was running ahead of me, stomping his feet, and laughed. I think he noticed my agitation that was revealed for a moment.
“Oh, yes. “I understand that usually when His Majesty the Emperor formally calls you, you meet His Majesty the Emperor in the throne room.”
“That’s usually the case. But…… “His Majesty said that since they would be having private conversations, his office would be better than the grand throne room.”
I immediately understood the emperor’s intention from those words.
In short, he is saying that he will decide whether or not to keep me by his side depending on what conversation we have today.
Considering the nature of bringing people to the academy without hesitation, even if they are beastmen, there is no way they would miss out on talented people who could be helpful to the empire.
The reason they did not call the imperial family even though they knew about my actions until now was probably because there was no justification to involve me.
However, since a good group called the assassination team came to him, it was clear that he was planning to use it to catch me.
This is difficult. It’s already obvious that I’m going to be swayed.
It’s good to create an atmosphere for trading, but since the person I’m facing is the emperor, I have no choice but to be the absolute ‘B’.
Whether we like it or not, we have no choice but to follow the emperor’s orders.
Even if he were the son of a duke, it would not be surprising for him to have his head chopped off for refusing the emperor’s will.
Just as I was sighing, the escort who came with me shouted.
“Ah, we will pack up the carriage and go towards the office. “Go first.”
I nodded to him and followed Isis to the office. He didn’t say anything the entire way to his office. He may have questions, but he doesn’t open his mouth.
This is probably largely because most of the information is shared with the emperor. He probably thinks he can hear the conversation I had with the emperor, so he’s impatient and doesn’t ask.
“Go in. “My role ends here.”
After saying that, Isis knocked on the door of the office.
“Your Majesty the Emperor, I have brought you Abel Sirius. “Can I come in?”
“Come on in.”
Hearing the words coming from inside, Isis opens the door without hesitation. Both doors powerfully opened, revealing the emperor’s office.
The first thing I thought of when I looked inside was that it felt similar to a student council room, perhaps because of the furniture arrangement.
Of course, its splendor was such that it was difficult to compare it to the student council room. Needless to say, it was large enough to be the emperor’s office, and the interior was so extravagant that it seemed like a year’s worth of taxes from the empire had been spent.
Will you be able to concentrate well if you work in such an obvious place? It was a feeling I couldn’t understand.
I quickly corrected my rolling eyes and entered the office. Place your right hand on his left chest and slightly bend his waist.
“I meet His Majesty Emperor Frey, the Sun of the Empire.”
“… No more awkward greetings. “When you do it, it somehow seems pretentious.”
I lifted my head slightly at his words. A platinum-haired man sitting at the innermost desk was flapping his hands.
This is Frey Illuston Perator.
Is this the emperor of the empire?
The impression is strong, perhaps because of the concentration of golden light seeping into his eyes as he looks at me. His eyes were also slightly raised, which naturally created an intimidating impression whenever he made an expressionless expression.
At first glance, his distinct features appealed to him as being handsome, but when he was face to face with me, the pressure was so severe that I inadvertently looked away.
“…… Is that so?”
“You’re kidding. hahahaha!”
She humbly raised the corners of her mouth as she looked at the emperor, who burst out in a lively laugh. Doesn’t a joke have to sound like a joke to be a joke? I’ll give you full marks for comedy.
“But why were you looking around so much?”
“Ah…… I thought that the office His Majesty uses resembles the academy student council room. “I’m sorry if I was rude.”
“It’s not rude, so don’t worry. Rather, to answer that question, it is inevitable that they will resemble each other because it was the burden of refinishing the interior of the student council room.”
It was like that.
“Isn’t it possible that Payton will be involved in political affairs here in the future? So, I designed the structure of the student council room to be similar so that you can get used to it as quickly as possible. “Now that I’ve graduated, it doesn’t mean much.”
“…… Is that so.”
You’re talking as if you don’t care about Mine.
Well, Mine is also a woman and she grabbed the sword to kill Payton. It was natural for her that Mine was out of sight of Frey.
However, her fault is that she does not know that it is Mine, not Peyton, who is really good at political affairs.
“Don’t just stand there, sit on the sofa.”
“…… All right.”
As soon as I sit down on the sofa, employees from the imperial palace come into the office, saying they will excuse me. With a simple movement, he puts tea and dessert in front of me and bows his head. There was no disruption in my posture as I left.
It must be quite difficult to live here as a worker.
“Okay. It seems like it’s been a long time since we last met. Abel Sirius.”
“Yes. I’m glad to see you looking healthier while we haven’t been able to see you. “Your Majesty the Emperor.”
“I think you’ve changed a lot in that time.”
“Is that so?”
“Okay. “I think there’s a lot of flattery.”
Are you being sarcastic? However, if you want to live a social life, flattery is a basic requirement.
Honestly, I don’t like the idea of putting himself in Eul’s position, but since the opponent is the emperor, it was obvious that acting like a fool wouldn’t work.
So I’d rather focus on my purpose.
In any case, one cannot escape the absolute position of Eul. In that case, when the emperor asks me for something, it would be better for me to make a deal and achieve my goal.
“I am speaking from the bottom of my heart. “How dare I have the shame to flatter His Majesty the Emperor.”
“I guess so. But this… “It’s not like Abel.”
“Yes? What is that…….”
“After meeting you, I think I know for sure. Without shrinking or creaking in front of me. Rather…… “They’re looking at me curiously.”
I was startled by his unusual tone.
I recognized in my head that my pace was slowing down, but I couldn’t easily open my mouth. It was because I had no idea what he was going to say.
Frey twisted one corner of his mouth. She was slightly horrified.
“Jim called you not because he meant it, but because he wanted to hear the ‘truth.’ Taking up my time with useless words like flattery is like slowing down the development of the empire. Do you understand what this means?”
“…… Well.”
“I’m asking you to tell me first before I question you.”
As I watched Frey speak softly, I mumbled without realizing it. It was because I couldn’t choose what to say.
“…… “What do you mean by truth?”
“It’s everything you know.”
“… ….”
Everything I know.
It was a very implicit and key question.
“But if you ask me if there’s something you want me to know first… …. “That would be good.”
“…… “What is it?”
I asked cautiously, even though I felt uneasy. Frey glanced at me and smiled, clasping her hands on her desk.
“Why did you hide your true personality and ‘pretend’ to be an asshole?”
“Yes… ?”
Pretending to be a fool. It’s true that Abel is an idiot.
“I believe that, as a subject, you will definitely tell me the truth. “It’s not something like flattery.”
“… ….”
“Now, tell me something.”