11 – Emperor 4
Casten Leonhart.
Born as a prince but rose to the position of emperor by killing the incompetent emperor himself. Possessing the ability to rapidly restore the empire devastated by the former emperor, and armed with the strength to directly kill the emperor and the crown prince.
“Are you not going to answer? I would have asked where you learned the shadow steps,” he said.
Each word of the emperor felt like a direct stab to my brain. The same dominating trait as Lucas.
However, it was incomparable to Lucas. Now, I had to obtain permission even to breathe in the presence of the emperor.
When I remained silent, the emperor spoke again.
This time, it was somewhat relieving to know that the emperor had ceased his domination.
Perfect control of abilities. It represented the gap between him and me.
“At first, I tried to take off the mask. But it wouldn’t come off,” he said.
Well, the mask would never come off unless I personally took it off.
“I considered slashing it with a sword to see if it would come off. But I stopped. I couldn’t risk harming my son’s friend.”
He spoke with a smile, and I responded with a smile as well.
“It’s possible that my handsome face might have gotten injured.”
“Just as Lucas said.”
“Did Lucas also say I was handsome? That’s a bit embarrassing.”
Despite the playful words, my mind did not stop thinking.
‘The emperor definitely mentioned shadow steps.’
As far as I know, the only person who uses shadow steps now is the vanished criminal, Cardinal.
The fact that the emperor retrieved a national treasure from Cardinal is something one can learn by playing Croakka.
During that process, assuming that the Cardinal saw the Emperor using the Shadow Step.
I understand if you think my movements are similar to the Cardinal’s because you watched my test footage.
But if that’s the case, his question can’t be “Where did you learn the Shadow Step?”
It doesn’t make sense for the Emperor to know the exact name “Shadow Step” unless the Cardinal directly revealed that his movement was the Shadow Step.
“What did I miss?”
“Have you turned your head enough? It’s better to answer this time. Where did you learn the Shadow Step?”
The Emperor was already aware that I was turning my head while speaking. If he knew, it would be okay to be a little more brazen, right?
“I’m sorry, but may I turn my head a little more?”
“…Impressive, go ahead and turn it as much as you want.”
The description of the Shadow Step skill book from Croaca says this: “[Other than the Cardinal, no one else has mastered it]”
If this statement is not false, did the Cardinal really explain the Shadow Step to the Emperor himself?
“Why on earth?”
The Cardinal stole the officials’ money and national treasures. The Emperor personally found the national treasure. Then where did the officials’ money go?
The Emperor killed the former Emperor and distributed a large amount of food to the troubled citizens of the empire from his own savings. With what money?
There isn’t much about the Emperor’s past in Croaca, but it is known that he did not live a wealthy life.
Could it be?
“Um, Your Majesty?”
“Have you turned your head completely? Well then, let’s hear the answer.”
“Is Your Majesty, by any chance, the Cardinal?”
The Emperor, still sitting in his chair, casually raised his arm and spoke leisurely, as if it didn’t matter even if he was caught.
“Hmm, why did I think that way?”
At first, I thought the villain Cardinal and the Emperor might have had a cooperative relationship. But then, what would the villain Cardinal gain from it?
If everything he stole was taken by the Emperor, what would he have gained?
The next thought that came to mind was that the villain Cardinal had sworn loyalty to the Emperor as his subordinate.
In that case, it would be understandable that the villain Cardinal had dedicated everything to the Emperor.
But even this hypothesis has a problem.
Later in Croaaka, the Emperor dies without the appearance of the villain Cardinal.
So, there is only one possibility left. The Emperor is none other than the villain Cardinal.
It sounds absurd even as I think about it, but I couldn’t think of any other explanation.
“Is it the intuition of a handsome person?”
But I couldn’t explain all of this, so this was all I could say. Anyway, I have no intention of letting the Emperor die.
“Jim did not deny your words. Do you know the reason?”
“Even if I know, nothing will change.”
Even if I run around the Empire shouting that the Emperor is the villain Cardinal, no one would believe me.
“Did Jim think you would kill him to keep him quiet?”
“Oh, come on. Didn’t I say earlier, he’s my son’s friend.”
“He may have stopped himself from killing you with a sword. He couldn’t let his son’s friend get hurt.”
“Besides that, there’s another reason.”
“What is the other reason?”
“Of course, it’s because I am the talent of the empire!”
“What? hahahahaha!”
The emperor laughed for a while, then stopped and looked at me. His gaze was that of someone who had found something they liked.
“You are truly fascinating and likable. If you had been at the academy back in the day, I would have recruited you right after them, without a doubt.”
This was the highest praise the emperor could give.
During his time at the academy, the emperor had cautiously and secretly gathered his allies. The ones the emperor mentioned were the current Duke Adelian and Duke Freya.
It might be an exaggeration, but it meant that the emperor highly valued me to the extent of saying that I should be recruited right after them.
“hahahaha, thank you for the praise, Your Majesty. I would like to pass down the praise I received from Your Majesty for generations. May I take my leave then?”
“Stop.”
It was a very cold voice and a serious expression that made it hard to believe that this was the same person who had just been laughing.
“You have not answered my question yet. Where did you learn the Shadow Step?”
Tsk, I guess it won’t be that easy. I was just about to tell the truth.
“It’s a repayment for making me happy. Just once, just once, if your attack reaches me, I won’t ask about the Shadow Step.”
Well, attack the emperor? I wouldn’t do such a crazy thing. I just have to tell the truth.
“If it’s a bet, there should be a reward. If the attack reaches me, I’ll have a potion given to you.”
I drew my staff and rushed at the emperor, swinging it. I couldn’t resist the potion.
The emperor, still sitting in his chair, only turned his head slightly to dodge my attack.
This time, I attacked from top to bottom to prevent him from dodging by turning his head.
Thud!
My staff was stuck in the empty chair.
The emperor was suddenly standing behind me.
I rushed at the emperor, utilizing shadowy steps.
Anyone else might have missed the unusual movement, but the emperor simply dodged leisurely.
The emperor’s movements were not extraordinary. Just a step at a time.
Yet, with just that, my staff didn’t reach the emperor.
“I’ve seen it in the video the headmaster sent, but your swordplay resembles that of Adellian Duke.”
Swish.
The emperor, avoiding my sword, calmly spoke.
“Come to think of it, I’ve contacted the Duke before. He said the Duchess has fully recovered.”
Swish.
“It’s a great thing for both the Empire and him. The Duchess was close to the empress, so he even sent a gift.”
Swish. Swish.
“I heard the one who cured the Duchess, whom no one else could, is surprisingly young. The Duke promised anything to the one who cured her.”
Swish. Swish. Swish. Swish.
“The Duke mentioned teaching the one who cured the Duchess how to fight. Although he doesn’t use a sword, he’s exceptional in combat, so there shouldn’t be any issues.”
Swish. Swish. Swish.
“He spoke a lot about the child he’s teaching, describing them as a wild beast. He even said he wants to accept them as his own apprentice, given their similar spirit.”
Swish.
While effortlessly evading my consecutive attacks, the emperor spoke. My attacks didn’t even graze him.
“Looking at you, I don’t get the impression of a wild beast.”
“hehehe. Calling me a beast, huh? That’s a story from my naive days.”
Looking back now, my past self is nothing but an embarrassing black history that I’d rather not recall.
By the way, that duke said he wanted to take me in as his adopted son. I’ll have to tease him about that when we meet again.
“You’re stopping the attack. Are you giving up now?”
“Give up? I still have plenty of killer moves left up my sleeve.”
Just like when facing the golem, I created nine illusions in a fantasy.
Using the illusions, I dashed towards the emperor with shadowy steps.
“It’s a unique and amazing magic, as I saw earlier. But you still have a long way to go.”
The emperor, who had been retreating, only took one step forward.
But the impact was not small.
Before I knew it, all the illusions had vanished, and the emperor’s sword, whose draw I couldn’t even discern, was now halted in front of my neck.
Most people wouldn’t have been able to assess the situation, but I could.
The emperor used the same shadowy steps as me.
However, the level was far beyond mine.
The emperor, unlike Johanna, didn’t bother distinguishing what was real.
He simply slashed through all the illusions, and the sword stopped in front of my neck.
“I’ve lost.”
My declaration of defeat quietly echoed in the silent space.