The Emperor Who Was Chapter 5 : Chapter 5

Chapter . 5

The court physician involuntarily placed his hand on his chest. He could feel the dicine bottle sealed and kept in the inner pocket of his clothes.

‘It is definitely still here…….’

Touching the dicine bottle with his hand, he lifted his head as if possessed and looked at the Prince.

The young Prince looked at him and smiled. The court physician shut his eyes tight and turned his head away.

On the table behind him was the cup the Prince had drunk from. When the Prince dropped the cup after emptying it, he had picked it up and placed it there.

However, that cup was no longer empty.

As if soone were pouring dicine right now, the dicine was slowly filling up.

‘That can't be…….’

The court physician put his hand into his bosom with trembling hands and took out the dicine bottle.

The dicine in the bottle was slowly decreasing. Just as much as the dicine in the cup was filling up.

Thus, the mont the bottle beca completely empty in front of the court physician’s shaking eyes, he dropped the bottle.

CRASH, the dicine bottle shattered into pieces.

The court physician couldn't even scream. His tongue seed to twist and stick to the roof of his mouth.

“Is the dicine not over there?”

The Prince pointed with his hand. Without showing any surprise.

“Did you lie to ?”

“N-No… No, Your Highness! Absolutely not!”

“If not, are you saying you used magic or sothing to transfer the dicine from the bottle in your bosom to that cup?”

The blood drained from the court physician’s face.

The era when wizards were publicly burned at the stake had passed.

However, people believed it was safer than in the past not because wizards weren't evil, but because the Imperial Family strictly managed them. The wizard hunts never ceased.

“N-No! I swear I am not a wizard!”

The court physician denied it frantically.

“Then what on earth happened?”

The Prince asked back. With a face that wasn't curious at all.

Only then did the court physician realize.

No matter how desperately he spoke, he was rely reciting the lines assigned to him in the script written by the Prince.

Anger surged.

“A wizard is―”

He tried to say. That the wizard is the Prince. That he plotted all this to fra him.

But the Prince looked deeply into his eyes and nodded slightly. As if encouraging him, who was out of breath, to continue speaking.

Thus, the court physician shut his mouth.

Realizing the aning of his own words only then.

There was a rumor that the reason the Balaska Imperial Family could ta wizards was because wizard blood flowed in the imperial line as well.

No matter how old the saying was, it was sothing that should never be spoken. Whether he was a powerless prince or not, calling him a wizard would be an insult to the Balaska imperial line itself.

The Imperial Family inherited the blood of the sacred Dragon Slayer Emperor who killed the evil dragon, so naturally, their power couldn't be the sa as the magic that assassinated the Dragon Slayer Emperor. That was the reason those who claid otherwise were burned at the stake.

“N-No… No…….”

The court physician mumbled helplessly. But if the Prince wasn't the wizard here, then he would be the one becoming a wizard.

“If it's not magic, is it a lie?”

The court physician shut his eyes tight. But that was better than claiming with his own mouth that one of the two was a wizard.

“I-I apologize…….”

The court physician knelt on the floor on both knees and begged.

“I lied.”

The court physician gritted his teeth. He just had to get through this mont.

He would go to the Empress and tell her everything. Except for the word wizard.

Then the Empress would take care of it. He would receive a reward too.

“You admitted that you lied. Then, all that remains is to find out whether that dicine is poison or not.”

At the calm words from the young face, the court physician was horrified.

“B-But Your Highness survived!”

“I nearly died and survived.”

“It is not poison! I swear!”

“Since it is not poison, you may drink it. Prove it imdiately.”

If he refused here, the poison that filled that cup might fill his throat next…….

“…Your Highness, please forgive !”

He banged his forehead on the ground and begged.

The position of court physician couldn't be reached by skill alone.

Among the courtiers adept at power struggles, the ability that helped him rise from a commoner the most was his sense of sll.

A herbivore slling a predator from afar. But while others ran away, he was the first to kneel.

Even when the Empress bribed him, he had thanked her for trusting him with the task. The satisfied expression of the Empress at that ti.

He was now a courtier no less than the nobles. Instead of being afraid, he seized opportunities to succeed.

But now he was scared. This powerless Prince was terrifying.

“If you go to Her Majesty the Empress and tell her everything, she will surely reward you for proving to

that it wasn't poison by drinking the dicine yourself.”

“Please spare

just once, Your Highness!”

“Even if I spare you, would Her Majesty leave you alone? If you make even a slight mistake while reporting, your life won't be safe.”

…Those who rose suddenly in the court and then disappeared. If a noble disappears, rumors spread.

Cold sweat trickled down the court physician’s spine. Why didn't he know? The mont he reported the failure of being caught by the Prince, it was over.

Even if he told a lie, if the Prince spoke out, the Empress’s faction would deny it while killing him first to remove the evidence.

“But if you do as I say, you might be able to delay Her Majesty’s decision for a while.”

“I-I will do anything!”

“Tell Her Majesty. That the Prince vomited up the dicine. Thus, it is difficult to say what the result is.”

“P-Pardon?”

Even though he asked back at a superior's order, the Prince did not get angry. He only raised his neat eyebrows under his handso forehead. That was scarier than the Empress’s angry shout.

“…S-So, because Your Highness vomited up all the dicine… as of now… we cannot know if the dicine… has an effect or not…….”

While the court physician exhausted himself guessing the Prince’s intent, the Prince nodded slightly. The court physician gathered his strength and continued.

“Are you saying… I should tell her… that we must give Your Highness more of that dicine?”

He was unsure even as he spoke, but the Prince smiled.

“Exactly.”

I got it right! An untily joy arose in the court physician’s heart. It rivaled the satisfaction when the Empress gave him gold coins.

“B-But then Her Majesty the Empress will order to offer that dicine to Your Highness again…….”

Surely he intends to drink it again?

“Do so.”

“…T-Then will Your Highness continue to take that dicine?”

He asked inadvertently, and the court physician almost slapped his own mouth. How could that be? He nearly died because of that dicine.

He probably intends to collect the dicine. To use on the First Prince or the youngest Prince.

But the Prince’s answer was completely unexpected.

“Yes. Each ti, I will tell you how to speak to Her Majesty the Empress like today. Then you will live. Since Her Majesty will wish to be reported the experintal results regularly.”

Of course, it was a huge grace, but…….

“B-But it might be p-poison, might it not?”

“Even poison becos dicine if used well. Just as I made you, who ca to , my person.”

Pardon? He was about to ask back again, but this ti the words didn't leak out.

His tongue stiffened like a stone in his mouth, and the saliva pooling didn't go down his throat. Perhaps it was just a feeling…….

“Goldmund.”

What is he suddenly saying… There is no one with such a na here.

“It ans golden mouth. A new na to purify your mouth that spoke lies.”

The Prince said benevolently.

“Do you not also want to watch your own change, to see if it will indeed beco so in the future?”

…That was true. Piercing even through the fear, he beca so curious about what result this would bring……. But perhaps, it was because the Prince allowed him to harbor curiosity instead of fear now…….

“Her Majesty the Empress made you commit falsehoods, so she has no right to hear the truth. That is why you are a dead man if you tell her the truth.”

“Y… Yes…….”

“As you can see, I survived Her Majesty’s conspiracy, so if you follow my words, you too shall live.”

“Y… Yes…….”

“Unlike Her Majesty, I do not harm you. Because I need you more than Her Majesty does.”

These words really touched him.

For the Empress, it’s enough to replace him with soone else. Of course, the Prince would deal with that other person too, but before that, if he becos an irreplaceable existence at least to the Prince… by proving his ability and loyalty sohow…….

“Will you receive the new na Goldmund?”

“Yes, I will receive it.”

“Then, receive the protection bestowed in the na of God Traneha. Under the watchful eyes of God, that protection shall connect you and , and protect you.”

Saying that, the Prince raised his hand. Then he began to write sothing in the air. Just waving his bare hand, golden lines began to be drawn in the air.

Magic… It can't be! Don't even think of that word, the Prince he will serve called it the protection of God Traneha! …That's why it is so beautiful… Unlike that evil power… This is truly the miracle spoken of in religion. He watched in awe.

Mysterious and sacred……. A power shining so brightly he couldn't take his eyes off it… A face shining even brighter wielding that power…….

When the Prince’s hand stopped, golden letters remained clearly in the air.

Just like the na Goldmund.

“That na is a secret between you and

for now. But if you beco a person worthy of that na, everyone will call you by that na.”

There was deep aning in each of the Prince’s words. It wasn't just done by chanting a spell like magic, but it was more aningful because it required his own participation.

“Hold out your hands.”

At the Prince’s words, he, who was still kneeling, held out both hands.

The golden na settled in his hands, illuminating the court physician brightly, then wrapped around him like a halo and disappeared.

As if absorbed into his inner self.

A well-founded confidence overflowed. Strength surged. His nostrils flared vigorously.

“Strive so that under my guidance, this na becos your title.”

A title. Even nobles have to build rit to obtain a title. A commoner would have to build even greater rit, and even at the university he graduated from, only the president received one.

But now the Prince had already bestowed a title that would beco his if he just worked hard.

“I, Goldmund, swear to beco a loyal subject of Your Highness Prince Leontes.”

Then the Prince laughed. Goldmund, who was staring blankly at that face, snapped to his senses only then.

The Prince’s power.

The Empress’s faction, the Emperor’s faction, the First Prince’s faction, and the Illegitimate Son’s faction were all strong. But this powerless Prince was stronger.

Without any authority, could there be another existence capable of captivating a seasoned courtier like him?

‘Prince Leontes… was he hiding his power and waiting for an opportunity all this ti?’

Suddenly, a legend ca to mind about a person who secretly approached a sleeping dragon and was blinded as if staring directly at the sun the mont the dragon’s heavy eyelids lifted.

Above all, if the power of others felt unrelated to him, the Prince’s power was different. Not paying him to use him, but as if granting a sacred duty…….

He wanted to watch how high such a powerless, no, a Prince in an even more difficult situation would rise. Along with the belief that the Prince would achieve it, although it wouldn't happen to him.

His heart was overwheld with that expectation, elation, excitent, and interest, the emotions the Prince allowed him instead of fear.

He left the Prince’s residence with light steps and headed to the Empress.

“Your Majesty, a truly strange thing happened. Even I, who am reporting, am at a loss as to how to tell Your Majesty. But please, listen to my words to the end. It is such a strange thing that I don't know where to start either. What I can only say is, I offer a presumptuous warning in advance not to be too surprised―”

“Report it imdiately!”

Along with the Empress’s angry shout, the story he began captured the Empress’s interest.