The Emperor Who Was Chapter 14 : Chapter 14

Chapter .14

Sothing impossible for

right now. No, what Duke Grimiati and also everyone thinks is impossible.

However, the way to catch an enemy is with another enemy.

'Besides Grimiati, I also have Rhiannon.'

A lifelong enemy versus a lifelong enemy. Fight for the position of my greatest enemy. It is not a jousting match, but I will go with a tournant.

The Empress, who would absolutely not sit still and watch the conspiracy of the First Prince's faction targeting her experintal subject in which she invested heavily, stepped forward just in ti.

As I stood in front of the mirror upon receiving Tess's signal, a word appeared.

Words that Goldmund mouthed while looking at the mirror.

When he wants to convey urgent information to , he stands in front of the mirror and silently says 'Senotel'.

A aningless word created by rearranging the letters of my na.

'It is useless for anyone else to say that word.'

Then, the mark magic I placed on him detects the code and sends

a signal.

Then Tess delivers it to

in a way I decided, so only I can recognize it. Without the complex procedure of secretly contacting a spy like others. I plan to simplify it further gradually. Because such small inventions are fun too.

Goldmund's ssage was sothing I had been waiting for.

Empress Rhiannon has invested trendously in the Lasilex experint so far.

'I gulped down the Empress's gold all by myself.'

However, even if he does not know the full picture of that experint, Duke Grimiati of the First Prince's faction, who must have noticed sothing sohow, was interfering.

Vomiting, lying sick in bed, getting up slowly, back and forth; it is even before any useful experint results have sufficiently co out.

'If he takes

hostage and brings

to his estate, the loss for the Empress will be imnse.'

Perhaps the experint results are already out? Or maybe the Court Physician was bribed by the Duke, sold the results, and kept his mouth shut to the Empress.

The smart Empress would be fully capable of suspecting not only the Duke but everyone.

Moreover, , who could barely speak to won, having a secret tryst with a man and woman in an adulterous affair.

'If my sexual desire increased after taking the dicine, it would look like a sowhat successful result of the experint.'

So the Empress, thinking she could not leave it solely to the Court Physician, sent her confidante along.

Notifying Goldmund only right before sending her. Goldmund must have been busy pretending to fix his attire in front of the mirror just before leaving the Empress's residence with the maid.

Indeed, he was soone trustworthy enough to be the Duke's opponent. A good general candidate in the eyes of the future Emperor.

'If looking only at offensive power, they are evenly matched, so they might as well get married.'

It was regrettable. Because I am sure a child more to my liking than Desmond would be born.

Thus, I welcod the maid who ca with Goldmund with the dignity of a forr Emperor.

"Why have you co so late? Do not make

wait again."

The maid looked flustered, then turned her head sharply to look at Goldmund.

But Goldmund also just blinked with a bewildered face, showing evident surprise. Appropriate to avoid suspicion.

"Greetings, Prince Leontes."

The maid soon composed her expression and bowed politely to .

The middle-aged noblewoman, showing no gaps, asked with dignity.

"Forgive my impertinence, but Your Highness seems to have been waiting for . How did you know of my visit?"

To suspect Goldmund, he also ca here under the maid's surveillance. Rather than Goldmund having already lost the Empress's trust, it was just the Empress's way.

"I received a revelation from the God Traneha."

"...A revelation?"

When the maid asked back dumbfounded, Goldmund shrugged his shoulders even in front of his superior and looked at her. As if asking, 'Isn't he talking nonsense just as I said?' It was acting worthy of a courtier.

"If not for a revelation, how would I have known that you were coming?"

"...I apologize, but a wild guess might have coincidentally been correct."

Originally, when a direct royal family mber is sick and examined by a doctor, it is proper for the Empress to send a maid to check. Rhiannon just had not done so until now.

"If you saw how I receive revelations, you would not say that."

"If so, would you show

once?"

When the maid spoke politely, I commanded Goldmund arrogantly.

"Prepare it."

"Yes, Prince."

Taking the Lasilex Goldmund prepared, I said.

"As I receive the revelation of the God Traneha, although it is painful, I endure it because it is a trial given by God."

When the maid looked back at Goldmund, he whispered.

"Because he thinks like that, he endures vomiting blood and takes the dicine well."

After succeeding in overcoming the toxicity with magic, I thought I would not vomit blood. However, no matter how much I drank, it was the sa. To the point where I felt anew what a truly useless body this was.

But I got used to that terrible taste. If you starve, even water tastes bitter, and eventually, it is all the sa once you swallow it.

Having grown up without the luxury to be picky about food, not knowing taste has its convenient points.

Just as the maid barely managed to compose her expression, I, having drunk the dicine, vomited blue blood.

"Ugh......"

According to legend, the Dragon Slayer Emperor Balaska killed a dragon and covered himself in its blood, becoming invincible against spears and swords. Except for one part of his back hidden by his hair.

There was a legend that when that spot was stabbed with a sword, blue blood poured out.

'Since then, blue blood beca a mysterious characteristic of legendary heroes.'

Along with the unofficial history that it was also seen in the great emperors among the past emperors, blue blood beca a term referring to the Imperial Family. Although now even aristocrats call themselves that.

But blue blood was actually a phenonon that occurred when magic power exploded after drinking Lasilex. Even that happened only briefly after drinking it continuously, and it neither lasted nor had the legendary effects.

'When I stabbed myself directly with a sword, I just bled normally.'

Only I knew about this. Since it was when Goldmund had urgent business and just delivered the dicine before leaving.

If so, I had to hide it in preparation for when it would be useful later. Especially if it was the result of the experint I underwent.

So until now, I had changed the vomited blood to red with a simple illusion magic.

"Blood, the blood... the blood is blue!"

This ti too, the blood looked red, but pointing at it with my hand, I spoke as if I was surprised.

"Pardon? It is red blood!"

Goldmund said in panic.

"Is it not blue blood? The blue blood of the Dragon Slayer Emperor Balaska; indeed, the First Emperor looks down upon , his descendant."

Although embarrassing, I was not the only Emperor who did this.

Instead of defeating enemies, many Emperors claid to be heroes by fighting beasts, singing songs of fire, dancing the sun dance, and doing all sorts of things, and each ti, sycophants who claid to have witnessed their blue blood rose to power. So that phrase solidified into a single term.

Goldmund, being an excellent courtier, also chid in blindly.

"Yes, yes, here, please calm down first and lie down."

"Did you also see it clearly?"

I asked the maid. Then, the maid who had been looking at

sharply relaxed her expression and smiled gently.

"Yes, it is indeed blue blood."

As expected of the Empress's confidante, she did not betray my expectations.

Before the regression, because I lost consciousness and was sick for a long ti as soon as I drank Lasilex, my brothers did not drink it. But this ti, although I vomited the first few tis, I was still holding on.

'The fact that all my brothers except

failed the contract is actually strange.'

Even then, if anything, they were stronger than , not lacking in any way.

Perhaps if not for Michelon, everyone might have succeeded in the contract. It also ans Michelon's resistance was that strong. Because he endured, prepared to die inside the egg.

'I only succeeded by unintentionally deceiving such a dragon.'

If so, to protect Michelon with certainty, I had to prevent my brothers from drinking Lasilex and instinctively using magic to increase their magic power. Like those who beca Emperors since passing the test. Because if Michelon happened to fall into their grasp, he would not be able to resist like back then.

'I have no choice but to invent side effects and show them.'

It is also good for my brothers. Since they will avoid drinking dicine that might be poison. Otherwise, they might linger in illness like

or die.

'I am too rciful.'

To save even such guys.

"Indeed, you are a descendant of the Dragon Slayer Emperor Balaska. My joy also knows no bounds."

The maid, whose face brightened at my crazy act, even praised .

She must think that my mind beca clouded from drinking poison and I am dreaming vain dreams.

"Haha, but to say you are happy to soone who just coughed up blood is a bit... Haha......"

Goldmund gave a hollow laugh, but the maid pretended not to hear the words of a commoner.

"Since Your Highness is happy, I am rely happy as well."

I responded with a voice soaked in emotion.

"You understand ."

It is important for

to know the enemy, but it is also important for the enemy not to know .

They must not know what I can do and what I cannot do. Especially the forr.

Because the enemy must only see their own predictions about .

"Looking back, Your Highness's prophecy regarding my visit was truly accurate. I cannot help but admire it."

"Since God gives revelations, I prophesy."

Where would be the authoritative place for

to prove my innocence?

People usually think of a court of law.

Then what if I sue Duke Grimiati for defamation and murder and make him stand in court?

'Whatever happens, I will likely win the case.'

The single flower of chivalry would admit to all charges, claiming it was for the child of the woman he adored, and would not even try to make excuses.

Then the First Prince's faction would step in to get a pardon from the Father Emperor, and I would beco an ungrateful person who dared to accuse a savior and a paragon of court romance, receiving even more criticism.

'Becoming an immature brat so deep in an adulterous affair with a man and woman that I resent my benefactor.'

Receiving everyone's finger-pointing, saying the Duke must have done so because he couldn't bear to watch any longer.

However, if it was an official audience with the Emperor, it was different. I could set my own stage without being swayed by the Duke's design.

"I have a revelation to tell His Majesty the Emperor in front of everyone."

A direct royal family mber did not even need an official audience.

But the Father Emperor rarely held audiences since the dragon Ilaves died. Even before that, he had frequently refused my audiences.

So even if I requested an official audience, there was a high possibility of being rejected, and on top of that, the First Prince's faction would interfere. I would be ridiculed even more, saying I only incurred wrath and was rejected while trying to borrow the Father Emperor's power.

It was ti to give a mission to the Empress's faction as the future Emperor. Consider it an honor.

"Of course, if you received a divine revelation, you should naturally tell His Majesty the Emperor."

Naturally. How could the Empress's face be saved if the precious body, whose side effects might appear at any mont, was taken by the First Prince's faction?

However, for her to personally arrange an opportunity for

to be active in front of the Father Emperor and courtiers, this ti the Empress's pride would not allow it.

But what if I were crazy?

So if I were to dig my own grave in front of everyone, the Empress's rcy I expect is that she would gladly arrange the seat.

'Since the Prince's mind is strange, rather than sending him to recuperate at the estate of a maternal uncle who is a foreign ambassador, I will personally take care of him; roughly like this, making it good to intervene.'

Especially if the arrangent itself was by the Empress, outwardly the Empress's benevolence would outshine the Duke's. Like that, smashing the First Prince's faction's trick at once and bringing back the experintal subject she spent a fortune on.

Rhiannon was soone who would recognize the true value of how good a stage I had set up.

She would gradually find out the fact that it was actually my stage, but.

"Tell Her Majesty the Empress, who loves Armatia, that it is for the sake of Armatia."

"I will do so. Her Majesty the Empress will also highly value Your Highness's loyalty."

The maid and I smiled amicably and parted ways.

The audience date was set imdiately. Indeed, the Empress's faction worked well. As expected of the Empress who had most obstructed my official audiences until now, she also made it happen the fastest.