Ah, I didn't want to see the Emperor.
But this bell had never been wrong. I stubbed out my cigar and quickly stood beside the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister straightened his clothes. He didn't smooth out his furrowed brow.
He was the only one who could treat the Emperor so casually.
Finally, the door opened.
The being who entered the room did so slowly. He was accompanied by his two children, escort knights, a mage, a priest, and maids.
It had been nine months since I last saw the Emperor, and he hadn't changed much from then. Was that to be expected? He had now grasped eternal life.
A being who seemed to have held the royal scepter even when lying in his cradle.
Kisis's appearance closely resembled this man.
But the Emperor had sky-blue eyes.
"Grand Duke Zack. Are you busy?"
Beside me, who saluted according to knightly etiquette, the Prime Minister smirked.
"I see you, Your Majesty."
"I came to talk about the diamond mines in the north..."
The Emperor's blue eyes, always seeming bored, turned to me.
"It seems I interrupted your conversation."
I didn't avoid his gaze.
The Emperor was not a tyrant. Kyle still hated this man and despaired at the fact that he couldn't take revenge, but even he had said the Emperor was no tyrant.
A being called a wise ruler to the empire's citizens, though extremely cruel to those outside.
Many revered the Emperor.
I didn't like him. Not because of Kyle, but because that boredom never left his eyes, even when he wielded violence. It was unsettling.
He never got excited.
"You look familiar from last time... He must have caught your eye."
"He's a good one to keep around."
"In what sense?"
What?
I was flustered, but the Prime Minister wasn't.
He chuckled and stroked his beard.
"Watching the fledgling squirm is quite entertaining. His skills as an escort are decent too."
"Is that so?"
The Emperor clasped his hands behind his back and looked at his escort knight.
Castlin, the knight said to be closer to Swordmaster than anyone else currently, smiled faintly.
"Yes. It's true. Sir Kisis praised him a lot."
I felt my eyes widen.
"He said that with just a bit more experience, he'll reach Swordmaster without issue. He's a knight I'm keeping an eye on too."
"Ah, excellent."
The Emperor replied in a voice that didn't convey sincerity.
His words never did.
"Which division?"
"The Western Division."
"Then he'll walk the path of the sword in no time."
Throughout the conversation, I kept my mouth shut.
It was the natural attitude since I hadn't been given permission to speak. As a knight, at least I didn't have to lower my eyes. If I weren't a knight, I'd have been dragged to prison just for looking at him.
It was a country where objects touched by the Emperor's hand became holy relics.
One word from him could separate my head from my body.
"Don't just stand there like a fool. Sit in any chair."
Of course, Grand Duke Zack could speak to the Emperor like that.
"Or will you stand the whole time?"
"Why did you cut down the sacred tree?"
The Emperor asked in a voice as if he'd just woken up.
To me.
I slowly closed and opened my eyes.
"I cut it down because they say making a sword from the sacred tree can kill even creatures protected by magic and holy power, Your Majesty."
"Was that creature human?"
His blue eyes, filled with boredom, looked at me.
I didn't avert my gaze.
"Yes."
The Prime Minister snorted.
Castlin didn't erase the well-shaped smile on his lips. The eldest son and daughter standing beside the Emperor each threw different looks my way.
The First Imperial Prince scanned me with displeased eyes, while the First Imperial Princess's eyes sparkled as if appraising my value.
The Archmage, who lived as she pleased, narrowed her eyes at me.
The priest, who had evaluated my song a few months ago as "not exceptionally talented but decently average," looked at me with pity in his eyes.
Only the Emperor's expression remained unchanged.
"What formation did you use to reach the World Tree?"
"I went alone."
"To receive eternal life."
Suddenly?
"Prime Minister, you've heard about the mine discovery, I assume."
"You're finally sitting down?"
...Is the conversation over?
I couldn't adjust to the sudden shift in topic for a moment. But as the people who had followed the Emperor poured in and shot me looks to leave, I snapped back to reality.
They were an impressive group. If I hadn't caught the Grand Duke's eye, I'd never have seen their faces properly in my lifetime.
Anyway, I hoped they'd forget my name and existence.
Wishing that small wish, I turned my body.
That wish was immediately denied.
"Sir Hildebert."
It was the Emperor's voice.
I barely hid my surprise and whipped around.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Is a knight's salary adequate?"
...Why ask something like that all of a sudden.
I had no idea how to answer, so I kept my mouth shut.
The Emperor continued, looking at me.
"I'll not reprimand you no matter what you say, so speak honestly."
"...Honestly, I have no particular complaints."
"Is that sincere?"
"Yes. This month, I even bought a limited edition item I'd been eyeing. By saving for a few months, I can afford such things, so I really have no complaints."
"Limited edition?"
The Emperor leaned back lazily in his chair and asked again.
I hesitated for a moment before speaking.
I'd planned to keep it secret until giving the gift.
But with the recipient right there asking, I had no choice. How could I lie to the empire's supreme ruler?
I replied with an awkward smile.
"For the Grand Duke's sixtieth birthday, I bought a cigar said to contain a branch from the World Tree... for 300 lira..."
Suddenly, everyone in the room froze.
Gazes flew and stuck to me. I blinked at the several pairs of wide eyes.
Why was everyone looking at me like that?
Did I say something wrong?
Ah.
Maybe a cigar with a World Tree branch was illegal.
If so, was my head going to fly? I should have vaguely said I bought shoes instead of speaking so thoughtlessly.
I'm done for.
The moment I thought that, the silence shattered noisily.
Because Grand Duke Zack threw his head back and burst into laughter.
"Khahaha!"
Why were you laughing like that?
"Khahaha! Uhahaha! Uhahaha! Uhaha... ha... Yes, kid. A 300-lira cigar is expensive, isn't it?"
"...Why are you laughing?"
"Khahaha!"
"You've never bought a cigar before?"
The First Imperial Princess looked at me with a bright smile.
I pressed my lips into a line and nodded.
As if I could afford that normally.
Seeing my sullen expression, the princess's smile deepened.
"So you have no idea about cigar prices?"
"...Yes."
"How cute."
Why?
"It's certainly not a small amount of money, 300 lira."
"Considering a knight's salary, it's high."
"...I don't know what it is, but I made a mistake. I'm sorry."
"Since you're recommending cigars, why not give a good one, Grand Duke?"
The First Imperial Prince looked incredulously at me and the cigar I'd been smoking, examining it.
"Giving him something ordinary like this makes him think a 300-lira cigar is a reasonable sixtieth birthday gift."
"Isn't it cute? Khahaha!"
"The average price of cigars in the imperial capital is ridiculously high, right?"
The mage smiled wryly at me too.
It was the face of someone barely holding back from laughing louder.
"But what's most important in a gift is the sentiment, isn't it, Grand Duke? Happily accept it when this young knight brings it as a sixtieth birthday gift."
"Of course."
The old man met my eyes, grinned, and replied.
"I'll treasure it. Put it in a glass case and display it in the reception room."
Bad guys.
Just because I'm from commoner stock...
I stood there sullenly until they finished laughing. Without hiding my grumpy expression, I stared down at the ornate carpet.
In the process, I learned useless information for life: the average price of cigars smoked by nobles was 500 lira.
And that cigars sold in the imperial capital weren't touched by nobles.
And how the Emperor smiled.
It was a day I gained only information I truly didn't want.
Bunch of beggar nobles.
*
The Count of Renoir disliked me.
Kyle didn't hate him, but I did. The reason: he thought Ray came to the Western Division because of me. He resented that his friend followed him to a rough unit and got injured here and there.
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