115 – Scene 115# To the Imperial Palace
*
next day. I prepared for a late outing.
“Count. I’ll tie you a tie.”
“Well.”
Helga gently wrapped her tie around my neck. Her hands held the shape of the tie quite skillfully.
“Your skill has improved.”
“You are over-appreciating.”
It has been more than a month since Helga served on behalf of Wendy, who was concentrating on her studies.
At first, everything was just awkward.
It was unreasonable to expect Helga, who was originally a berserker on the battlefield, to have the level of delicacy of a mansion maid.
“braided. It’s all done.”
After being praised once, Helga boasts.
I looked in the mirror and saw that the tie was just slightly crooked.
Maybe it’s because the demeanor of an aristocrat is ingrained in her body after being possessed? I couldn’t get over it when I saw such a trivial thing.
I decided to teach Helga myself.
“The finish is clumsy.”
“… ah.”
I took her hand and made her tie her tie again.
“Be careful when tying this part. If you do that, it’s perfect.”
“Ah, um… . Yes.”
Helga, uncharacteristically hesitant, straightened my tie.
“You must not be conceited.”
“… Yes.”
“No mistakes are tolerated.”
“… Yes. sorry.”
“Always keep in mind. My dignity is made by your hands.”
“Yes. I will keep in mind and keep in mind again.”
“Do you think it is harsh?”
“Nope. Please keep scolding me. Count.”
Having said that, Helga looked up at me.
Inside the odd-colored eyes were filled with my own image. There seemed to be no room for anyone else to enter.
“It is of no use to you.”
“oh. Why?”
“Aren’t you enjoying the punishment anyway?”
“Heh… . Caught? But I’m not asking anyone to scold me either.”
Helga covered her mouth and laughed.
“Only the Count can scold me.”
“… Don’t be cocky.”
I let go of her hand
I looked in the mirror and saw that my tie was perfectly tied. Now it’s perfect.
Helga looked at me with satisfaction.
“Whoops… . You look very nice today. Count.”
“… You seem to be quite concerned about that.”
Unlike usual, Helga was wearing Aslan’s uniform. Wearing a black military coat and boots, she had the appearance of a fairly well-rounded soldier.
As if he had returned as Aslan’s vice-captain, his shoulders were full of strength.
“Yes. We are going to war from now on.”
Yesterday, the SS knight had to leave the office as if being chased, leaving behind only a letter from the emperor.
It was a cool sight inside, but that was for a while. After checking the letter sent by the emperor, I couldn’t help but think.
To summarize the content of the letter:
He said he wanted to give commendations and rewards for solving the runaway incident in the demon world.
And if you really want to be recognized as a member of Chilsung, you must have an audience with the emperor.
It was quite an honor to receive a commendation from the emperor, but it didn’t mean much to me.
Perhaps the emperor sent a letter conscious of public opinion.
Because the emperor could not ignore the influence of the nobles of the Ruelberta family.
If it was the original Tristan, he would have ignored it.
Moreover, the relationship between the imperial family and Ruelberta is the worst of the worst. For Tristan, the head of Ruelberta, going to the imperial family was no different from going to the enemy camp.
However, I decided to go to the imperial family.
It’s something you only have to experience once.
It was a gateway that even the emperor had to pass through in order to move this world according to my will.
I gladly agreed to accept the imperial family’s invitation.
“My shoelaces are untied.”
Helga knelt down and started tying my shoelaces.
I looked at him and opened my mouth.
“Hello.”
“Yes.”
“You may stay here.”
At that, Helga’s hand, which was tying her shoelaces, stopped.
“From now on, the place I will go is a thorny road. You, who have shown unwavering loyalty to me until now, deserve to live unscathed.”
I continued talking quietly.
“Even if you don’t protect me, I won’t fall. won’t break If you’re feeling uneasy, you can take Aslan’s leader, Wiley. So you-.”
“Count.”
Helga, who was kneeling, quietly interrupted me.
“I’m sorry if you said that. I am the Count’s sword and shield.”
There was no wavering in her voice.
“The reason for my existence is to hurt you on behalf of the Count and to be hurt on your behalf.”
jjik.
Helga tore her stockings open over her boots with her sharp fingernails.
Through the torn black stockings, her bare legs were bare and white.
“I am prepared to accept any wounds for the Count.”
“… Even if I don’t want that?”
“Yes. sorry.”
Helga took my hand as she was still on her knees.
“This body and mind belong to the Count from the beginning.”
She quietly kissed the back of my hand.
“It’s okay to break. It’s okay to be broken. It’s okay to be abandoned. I just want to live as the Count’s last. So… .”
Her soft lips fell from the back of her hand.
“I will follow the Count with the thought that today is the last day.”
Helga looked up at me with a bewitching smile.
Seeing that face reminded me of the girl who lost her life while devoting herself to Tristan in the original story.
In the end, I no longer had the confidence to break her upright heart.
I touched my clothes and let out a sigh.
“yes… . Do what you like.”
“Yes. whooping… . I’ll do whatever I like from now on.”
After everything was ready, I went downstairs with Helga.
And the moment I opened the door, I was inwardly amazed.
All the servants of the mansion were standing in a row.
And in front of the carriage at the end of it stood a man with a large body.
“Wylie.”
“Yes. Lord.”
Aslan’s general manager, Wily Vives, ignored me. He was in uniform, just like Helga. And behind them, Aslan’s soldiers in black military coats lined up.
“We will take you to your destination.”
“Well.”
Rumble.
Thunder was heard through the dark clouds.
The weather was like lightning striking the dry land.
Maybe it’s the perfect weather.
For the day when the best person in this country and the worst villain in this country meet.
I said as I got into the carriage.
“Depart for the imperial palace.”
*
“your majesty.”
The throne room of the imperial palace.
Imperial Chancellor Odel Ryumin appealed to the Empress beyond the screen.
“Please reconsider.”
“Odell. didn’t you already tell me As you said, I will recognize him as a member of Chilsung. only… .”
There was a mysterious atmosphere in her silhouette seen through the screen.
“After the count showed his face in the imperial palace.”
The antlers on his head swayed.
Because of the mask that always imitated the shape of a deer, the silhouette looked like a beastman.
However, the shield and the mask were just a way to hide her identity.
Odell shook his head at the emperor’s stubborn attitude.
“Then he will give up his position without regret.”
“Then there is nothing you can do. What kind of place will Jim give to those who do not even show their faces?”
“your majesty… .”
“Noisy. Odell. Asking me not to give up the title of count is Jim showing enough mercy.”
“… Maybe what he said is true.”
Odell remembered what Tristan had said at the reconciliation meeting.
It was said that a warrior had appeared.
That is an obvious sign of the coming crisis in this world.
On the spot, he showed no evidence. But in many ways, there was no reason for him to lie.
‘Perhaps, as the Count said, the hero will exist… .’
Besides, the notorious Tristan had proposed cooperation first.
In Odell’s mind, this was a unique opportunity.
“If it is true that there is a crisis coming to this country in the future, it is beneficial to have him as a member of Chilsung.”
“I believe in you too.”
“your majesty… ?”
Odell couldn’t help but wonder.
To believe the emperor who always doubted meekly.
The emperor spoke in a calm voice.
“Odell. It’s not like I don’t want to cooperate with him either.”
“Then why… .”
“The reason is simple. I have no intention of cooperating with a man who neither pokes his nose nor shows his face. It’s a matter of trust. Besides, just in case, Jim sent a letter yesterday, and it seems that he came because it was an article.”
As the screen shook in the wind, the emperor’s silhouette swayed.
“What kind of cooperation do you have with a man like that? yes. It’s the same story after all. Count Ruelberta would not come anyway. Jim and he can’t even have a conversation.”
“… … .”
Odell was silent at the end.
Because I realized that there is no way to convince the emperor right now.
‘As expected, I have no choice but to bring the count myself… .’
The moment I was thinking about it like that.
“your majesty!”
A man’s urgent voice came from beyond the door.
Probably a knight of the Royal Guard who serves the emperor.
He couldn’t bring himself to enter the throne room, but his urgency was fully conveyed.
“What is going on?”
the emperor asked calmly.
Then the knight beyond the door shouted.
“Now Count Ruelberta’s privates are approaching the imperial palace!”