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Chapter 225: The Spider and the Empress (2)
The Imperial Capital.
The imperial capital, steeped in over 500 years—nay, countless centuries—of history and tradition, exuded an overwhelming grandeur that left all who gazed upon it in awe.
Streets paved with white marble gave off a faint scent of perfu that teased the nostrils.
Fountains dotted across the city spouted crystal-clear water endlessly, while nobles in opulent attire strolled leisurely along the streets.
Among the myriad architectural marvels, none could rival the towering golden palace at the city's center.
This was the residence of Empress Callia—the ruler of the empire and the pinnacle among tens of thousands of heroes.
“...”
A white-haired man wearing a monocle sighed softly as he gazed at the golden palace.
“Are the preparations complete?”
The man, phisto, slowly shifted his gaze.
Standing before him were a group of masked individuals wearing animal-thed disguises.
One of them, wearing a bear mask, stepped forward.
“Yes, everything is ready.”
“All that’s left is to infiltrate the palace.”
phisto narrowed his eyes, staring at the distant golden palace.
After a mont, he turned his head toward the man in the bear mask.
Looking around as if searching for soone, phisto furrowed his brow and asked,
“Is that person… not coming?”
“No, they said they had other matters to attend to and entrusted the operation’s command to you, phisto.”
“Haah.”
phisto sighed deeply.
“Well… I suppose I should have expected it. The ‘Eternal God’ your group serves isn’t one to act lightly.”
“All will unfold according to their will.”
“Yes, yes, of course.”
Clicking his tongue, phisto shook his head.
“‘Destruction’ has begun to move.”
As phisto’s gaze returned to the golden palace, he bit his lip firmly.
“Everyone, rember this well.”
Taking a step toward the golden palace, he murmured,
“We must ensure… that Empress Callia survives.”
* * *
The day after receiving the Empress's invitation.
I left the academy and headed to the warp gate station located within Valhalla City.
Of course, I wasn’t going to the empire alone.
“You’re here?”
Professor Elisha, who had arrived early, stubbed out her half-smoked cigarette.
“Sorry, I’m late. I had to prepare a few things.”
“Hm.”
Elisha stared at wordlessly.
“…Why are you looking at like that?”
“Well, it’s just the first ti I’ve seen Cadet Dale dressed up like this.”
Elisha smirked as she looked up and down in my neatly tailored uniform.
“Well, I couldn’t exactly show up to et the Empress in my usual attire. Iris nagged about it, so here we are.”
“Oh, so Iris prepared that outfit for you?”
“No, I borrowed it from Yurina. She said it’s the style imperial nobles usually wear.”
I had no idea why imperial nobles were so obsessed with outfits adorned with excessive trinkets.
“It suits you.”
“Ugh. You don’t need to humor ; I know it doesn’t suit at all.”
“Hmm? Who said I was humoring you?”
Elisha took a step closer and gently ruffled my hair with a faint smile.
“I genuinely ant it.”
Her violet eyes held no trace of deceit.
“Ahem. Is that so?”
“Of course, though I must admit it might have suited Cadet Yuren even better.”
“Urgh.”
“Haha, just kidding.”
Elisha chuckled and teasingly pinched my cheek.
“To , Cadet Dale looks more impressive than any dashing noble.”
“…You might want to get your eyes checked.”
“Love is said to blind a woman’s eyes, after all.”
Elisha gave a faint smile as she turned away.
“By the way, are you sure it’s okay for to accompany you? The Empress invited you, not .”
“I’ve told you before; I’ll need your ‘Insight’s Blessing’ for this trip.”
The Church of Eternity’s true motives, the mysterious circumstances surrounding Empress Callia’s death in my past life…
I needed the unique insight Elisha’s blessing could provide to uncover the truth.
“Besides, having you by my side makes feel much more reassured.”
“…I make you feel reassured?”
“Absolutely.”
Though I trusted my other party mbers, none provided the solid sense of reliability Elisha did.
“Hmm? Is that so… I see…”
Elisha’s lips twitched as if struggling to suppress a smile, her expression slightly awkward.
“I feel the sa.”
“Pardon?”
“Ah, nothing. Let’s hurry. The warp gate to the imperial capital is always crowded, and we’ll have to wait a long ti if we’re late.”
With reddened cheeks, Elisha briskly walked ahead.
I suppressed a chuckle and followed her.
Wooooom.
The warp gate activated, transporting us to the imperial capital.
The grandeur of the cityscape befitting the title of the strongest nation unfolded before my eyes.
“…The streets are as noisy as ever.”
“You’ve been here often?”
“Why would a nobody like , from a naless rural village, visit here often? I’ve only co a few tis for work.”
Professor Elisha shrugged her shoulders as she spoke.
The mont we stepped out of the warp gate station.
"Are you Mr. Dale Han?"
A knight wearing armor emblazoned with the Imperial crest approached.
"Yes, that's ."
"May I take a look at the invitation from Her Majesty Callia?"
"Here you go."
After checking the invitation, the knight saluted with precise formality.
"Thank you for cooperating with the verification process! We will escort the honored guest safely to the palace!"
An honored guest, huh?
From what Principal Lionel said, Her Majesty was supposed to be quite capricious, but it seems they're giving proper treatnt.
"Please follow ."
"Alright."
"But, um, the person beside you is...?"
"She's a professor who ca with ."
"Uninvited guests are not..."
"If she can't accompany , then I’ll just turn back."
"Um… please hold on a mont."
Looking flustered, the knight activated his Hero Watch and exchanged ssages with soone.
"Are you Professor Elisha Baldwin?"
"Yes, that’s correct."
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"Understood. You may both co along."
We followed the knight and arrived at the Imperial Palace.
The golden palace and its towering gates stood steadfastly before us.
'This is truly a palace worthy of its na.'
The sheer number of magic circles engraved on the gates was no fewer than ten.
Each one looked powerful enough to be used for fortress defense.
'With security like this, it makes sense why they wouldn’t worry about threats from the Eternal Order.'
The defenses were so secure that even calling them impenetrable felt like an understatent.
'The problem is that phisto is on the Eternal Order's side.'
The Archbishop of Corruption, phisto.
A demon specializing in infiltration and disguise, his skill in bypassing protective barriers was unparalleled.
'If it’s phisto… he could pull it off.'
I clicked my tongue as we passed the gate, densely packed with magic circles.
"This way."
We traversed the labyrinthine palace corridors and arrived at a massive platinum door.
The knight who had guided us from the warp gate bowed slightly and stepped back, signaling his task was complete.
Creak.
As I approached, the platinum door emitted a radiant light and opened.
Inside was a grand hall.
Lavish jewels and priceless artwork were scattered about as if they were re trinkets in a market.
"Hmm."
At the far end of the hall, which was vast enough to resemble a stadium, a woman lounged on an overly long chair that could barely be called a throne.
A platinum-haired woman dressed in a thin garnt resembling sleepwear.
Her languid eyes, as though she might drift off at any mont, t mine.
"Are you the candidate I’ve heard rumors about?"
"......"
I had no idea what rumors she ant.
"Yes, I am Dale Han."
I gave a slight nod toward the Empress.
For a brief mont, Callia's expression twisted slightly.
"...Candidate Dale. Kneel."
Elisha, like a loyal knight, tugged on my arm and dropped to one knee.
"My apologies. I’m unfamiliar with the Empire’s customs."
As I prepared to follow Elisha’s lead and kneel.
"Rise."
Callia’s voice was low and calm.
"I am not so petty as to demand manners from the unlearned."
"......"
"Still… I only summoned one person. Who are you?"
Her gaze shifted to Professor Elisha.
"I am Elisha Baldwin, professor to Candidate Dale."
"Elisha… Elisha Baldwin… Ah, yes, I recall."
Callia’s languid voice carried on.
"Are you the one they call the ‘Cursed Spider'?"
"I am ashad to admit so."
"I heard you were from the Empire."
"I hail from a naless rural village, nothing more."
"Hoho. It matters not whether you co from nobility or a humble background."
Callia plucked a grape from a table beside her and popped it into her mouth.
"After all, everything in this world, save for , is nothing more than insignificant vermin."
"......"
"In any case."
Callia gestured toward Elisha with a tilt of her head.
"You are of no interest to . Stand back."
"...Understood."
Elisha rose and moved to stand near the door.
"Now then... Dale Han, was it?"
"......"
I knew I was in the presence of the Empress, but her haughty and dismissive attitude toward Elisha, as if she were her servant, stoked an unshakable annoyance within .
"...Yes."
Exhale.
Alright, let’s hold it in.
Patience. Just be patient.
"Hmm… Just looking at you, I’m not sure."
Callia stared at with drowsy eyes, then let out a yawn.
"It seems I’ll need to verify things with my own eyes, rather than relying on rumors."
"…Verify, you say?"
Snap.
Callia snapped her fingers.
Rumble!
The hall shook as though an earthquake had struck, and knights clad in iron armor erged from the floor.
The ironclad knights drew their swords and surrounded in an instant.
"Now, let see you perform for ."
Callia tilted her head, her lips curled into a languid smile.
"…Hah."
I let out a deep sigh as I surveyed the iron knights surrounding .
Whoosh.
I began to summon embers of ash as I glanced at the flustered Professor Elisha, who seed unsure of what to do, and Callia, who looked down at with a smug gaze.
'A performance, huh?'
Alright, if that’s what you want, I’ll give you a performance.
One you’ll never forget.
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