45 – Suggestions
“… ….”
White thought.
How did things turn out this way?
Well, I think you know why.
I wanted to deny it.
[Is this the Imperial Palace……. It’s just unnecessarily flashy.]
“Shut up and walk.”
[I have no legs.]
“…… Can’t you just understand?”
A lich on the empire’s blacklist, especially Lucifer, the elder lich with the highest level of danger, would openly walk inside the imperial palace.
White frowned in amazement.
‘…… Well, there won’t be any problems at the point where the imperial family grand mage directly allows entry.’
White’s gaze turned to Friedrich, who was leading the way.
Yes.
If he conceded, and at the same time to the extent of directly stating not to worry too much.
There won’t be any problems, but…….
[White, what kind of painting is this? It’s hard to see a grotesque painting hanging in the center of the palace.]
“… ….”
White’s expression distorted.
Anything else aside, this lich was way too loud.
And by the way, the picture he pointed to was a picture drawn by Chris, the youngest member of the royal family, when he was a child.
It seemed that she had no artistic talent, but as if she was proud of even that, the emperor hung the painting in the center of the palace as if it were stuffed.
It’s like she’s never passed this hallway since she’s gotten to a certain age.
‘No… …. What’s important right now is nothing like that.’
White shook his head once.
Then, White sneaks a glance at Richie.
[Why but?]
Asked Richie, tilting her head.
“… ….”
Should I say that he is truly unmatched in his calmness, no, he is unmatched in his naturalness?
‘I never thought the true form of the immortal Elder Lich would look like this… ….’
I wasn’t expecting anything in particular, but I wasn’t having any fantasies.
For some reason, a sense of futility came over me, so White let out a sigh.
And about that.
“I’m here.”
[Oh.]
Friedrich looked back and opened his mouth.
Kiik-
At the same time, the conference room door began to open wide with a slight noise.
“… ….”
“… ….”
The Emperor and Chris.
Besides that, the heads of the seven families and their successors.
All eyes turned to the elder lich, Lucifer.
[It’s been a while since I’ve received this much attention. It feels like I am reminded of a time in the past.]
Nevertheless, Lucifer was unconcerned.
Just nodding his head a couple of times, Lucifer gave the emperor his last look.
[Are you the emperor of this generation, nice to meet you.]
“…… !”
And at the sight of Lucifer speaking to the emperor very casually, the eyes of everyone in the meeting room changed to an unusual look.
“…… Dare!”
To add a bit more, there were people who exploded in anger because they couldn’t even frown.
Quang!
The father of Julian Schneider, a Marshal who guards the borders of the Empire.
Count Schneider jumped out of his seat indignantly.
“At best, the dead who were brought back to life in a miserable fear of dying, how dare you speak in front of anyone!”
Earl Schneider shouted so ferociously, but the expression on the face of the person who heard those words was rather calm.
[Hmm.]
Resting his chin once, Lucifer’s eyes dimly flashed.
[My close friend, Friedrich. That guy with no blood on his head is talking nonsense like that to me, isn’t it right that I have to put up with it now?]
“…… I know you well.”
Friedrich muttered, lowering his voice, and Lucifer nodded once.
[If you, my only best friend, say that, I’ll take a step back. hehehehe…….]
“… ….”
While saying that, Lucifer really took a step back.
For a moment, Friedrich and White’s expressions became subtle, but Lucifer didn’t seem to care.
And then, trying hard to take his eyes off Lucifer, Friedrich quietly opened his mouth.
“…… Count Schneider. Calm down.”
“Sir Edwald, but…… !”
Although Count Schneider immediately objected to that.
“… ….”
“…… !”
Finally, seeing Friedrich’s eyes approaching coldly, he flinched once.
“… ….”
Soon after that, Count Schneider returned to his seat as if he had softened his emotions a bit.
“Whoa… ….”
As if he was really losing his energy, Friedrich let out a sigh.
He then slightly bowed his head toward the emperor.
“Your Majesty.”
“Um.”
“I’m sorry that I handled things like this on my own. But they all had their own reasons…….”
“Stop, stop.”
After interrupting Friedrich, the emperor waved his hand with a fresh smile.
“You don’t have to explain. It must have meant everything. Isn’t it?”
“Your Majesty… ….”
At the trust the emperor had shown in himself, Friedrich smiled once and lowered his head.
But the emperor’s words are not over yet.
“…… And, you will not be the one to explain about it from now on.”
At the emperor’s serious expression while changing his expression, Friedrich’s complexion also darkened slightly.
“Yes… ….”
Friedrich turned his head again, looking disapprovingly at Lucifer.
“Lucipel.”
[Why are you doing this, my friend.]
“… ….”
For a moment, Friedrich was puzzled by the way he kept emphasizing the word ‘close friend’.
Perhaps he soon decided that it was not very important, so he opened his mouth again.
“The people gathered here are the owners of one of the best families in the empire. Not only me, but also the Duke of Qliphort and the Marquis of Lyicanter are strong enough to fight against you.”
[…] ….]
“Do you know what this means?”
At Friedrich’s gaze, as if he understood his words, Lucifer fell silent once.
However, as if he had just sorted out his thoughts, Lucifer nodded his head slightly.
[It means don’t have stupid thoughts. Do you have to say it in a difficult way?]
“… ….”
[Keuhehehe, you don’t have to worry. I should have said, but I’m not here for a fight today.]
At Lucifer’s words, Friedrich narrowed his eyes to see through his true intentions.
However, Lucifer was also a great mage of the 9th circle, on the same level as him.
“Whoa… ….”
In the end, with no success, Friedrich took a shallow breath.
And what that sigh meant was, in effect, tacit permission.
[Can I sit here?]
Lucifer let out an eerie laugh and pulled a chair back.
“… ….”
And then, there was a boy who cast a longing glance at Lucifer.
Boy, White once flashed a meaningful light in his eyes.
‘…… Can you sit in a chair? Isn’t the body made of bone fragments?’
…… Inside, while thinking silly thoughts that don’t go well with those eyes.
‘Otherwise, he assumes a formal sitting position and continues to float in the air?’
Having the thought of wanting to remove that black robe that Lucifer was wearing.
White looked straight at Lucifer with a tenacious gaze.
[…] … ?]
At that point, Lucifer tilted her head at the strange gaze that felt continuous.
[Hmm…….]
In the end, unable to find the source of the gaze, Lucifer scratched her skull with a dejected expression.
*****
[Emperor of the Empire, I have come to make a suggestion.]
“A suggestion.”
Lucifer listened to her words in a deliberately serious tone, and the emperor’s eyes changed seriously.
Suggestions.
From noble mtl dot com
The word itself was really light.
What if the target of such words is none other than an elder lich with the highest level of danger?
The weight of those words will also be much different.
The emperor began to look at Lucifer with a slightly nervous expression.
“Keep talking.”
[My proposal is simple.]
Lucifer nodded her head lightly and continued her words.
[It should be expressed as an empire, and then a continent.]
After interrupting her once, Lucifer’s dark eyes glowed eerily.
[You know better than anyone that there is an unusual current flowing on the continent.]
“… ….”
At that word Lucifer had uttered, not only the emperor, but everyone in the conference room narrowed their eyes.
Of course, as he said, the fact that the situation on the current continent is not serious was a part of them that they felt keenly.
Because I couldn’t possibly predict Lucifer’s intentions or hidden true intentions when he said those words.
Everyone looked at Lucifer with their eyes full of meaning, and at that point the emperor opened his mouth again.
“…… So? What do you want to say in the end? Are you trying to conquer the world by taking advantage of this chaotic continent?”
[Kuhuhh… ….]
At that, as if he had heard a funny joke, Lucifer let out an unpleasant laugh.
[Unfortunately, I have no ambition to conquer the world. I don’t want to waste my energy on useless things like that.]
Lucipel’s jaw and mouth engaged, creating an unpleasant squeaking noise.
Most people frowned at that, but Lucifer didn’t seem to care about such a reaction at all.
Just calmly letting her eyes shake, Lucifer continued her words.
[There is only one thing I want from you.]
“… ….”
In a strangely serious atmosphere, everyone’s attention in the conference room was focused on Lucifer.
And at the sight of them listening to her own words, Lucifer happily smiled.
Soon.
[─Cooperation in dealing with the 12 demon lords.]
“…… !”
Lucifer began to speak her own true goal.
[…] … If you guys, if the Empire is going to join me when it comes to dealing with the 12 demon lords.]
Slowly, Lucifer’s voice began to sink gloomy and low.
In no time, his own eyes were shining fiercely.
[I will provide you with an important piece of information.]
Muttered Lucifer in an inorganic voice.
“…… Information, you say? What information is that referring to?”
[Kuhuhh… ….]
In response to the emperor’s question, Lucifer once again let out his peculiar, eerie laugh.
[Do you want to know?]
“… ….”
Most of the figures, including the emperor, shone with positive meaning.
And towards them, he lowered his stance with a serious attitude.
[There’s nothing I can’t tell you.]
In a lower voice, Lucifer murmured.
Yes, that was a serious attitude.
Soon, through Lucifer’s mouth.
[…] … Two of the 12 demon lords, I know their location.]
“…… !”
Befitting that serious attitude, the words came out.
The eyes of everyone, including the emperor, opened wide, and Lucifer gave a deep smile.
[You must have been annoyed by the unmatched might of each of them.]
“…… That means.”
[Yes… ….]
Raising her voice once, Lucifer scanned her in all directions with mad eyes.
[How about, why don’t you confront them head-on with me?]