048 – Neglectful Hospitality

I explained to Miss Ella that I wouldn’t be able to go on a date this week, because the Imperial Family had invited me.

“What’s the reason you have to go to the Imperial Palace?”

“According to Professor Leighton…”

Upon arriving at the Imperial Palace, Professor Leighton had apparently seen a corpse possessing a monstrous amount of aether.

The current Emperor of the Magic Kingdom informed him that the Duke of the Borderlands had brought the corpse, so Professor Leighton assumed that the Duke, who guarded the border, had beheaded the Succubus Queen.

Therefore, when he told His Majesty the information he had heard from the student ‘Mihane,’ who had been kidnapped at the Midnight Auction, exactly as it was.

“Mihane, you say?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

His Majesty then said the following.

“The Duke of the Borderlands also stated that a man named Mihane was of the greatest help in discovering the location of the human trafficking organization.”

“Pardon?”

“Perhaps there might be some connection with the corpse of the Succubus Queen as well.”

And so, the Emperor, having come to believe that I had killed the Succubus Queen, was summoning me to personally verify my abilities.

“Hmm…”

Miss Ella, having heard the entire explanation, nodded a few times and looked at me with a worried expression.

Because…

“…Mikhail-nim?”

“You mustn’t call me that.”

“Um… uuuhm… Even if Mikhail-nim was framed because of a doppelganger… if you can’t prove it…”

I was having the same worries she was.

“If there’s really no hope, we’ll just have to knock them all out and run away, I suppose.”

However, worrying wouldn’t change anything much.

As a joke, I told Ella-ssi, trying to tell her not to worry too much…

“If that really happens, Mikhail-nim,”

“Yes?”

“I have a private villa in my name. Let’s live our lives as fugitives there, you and I.”

The scale was a bit large for a joke.

Living as fugitives with Ella-ssi… it didn’t sound so bad.

…

“Are you Mikhaiel?”

“I greet Your Majesty, the sole sun of the Magic Kingdom.”

Inside the immense Imperial Palace.

I bowed my head deeply, so as not to see the face of His Majesty seated on the throne, and delivered my answer.

“Quite different from what I expected.”

He must be mistaken that I captured the Succubus Queen, imagining me as a strong person.

Unfortunately, I, Mikhail, am a frail thing whose bones could shatter if you poked him.

“…”

Should I laugh, or should I cry?

Not knowing what reaction would constitute lese-majesty, I thought it best to simply remain still.

“Hmph…”

Perhaps displeased by my lack of reaction, a slightly annoyed voice sounded.

“Well, it’s possible I misjudged a person.”

The owner of the voice, his expectations seemingly deflated.

Cut the preamble. And went straight to the main point.

“Bring forth the Orb of Truth.”

‘Here it comes…’

If I could just get through this part.

Soon, His Imperial Majesty would ask a question such as ‘Did you kill the Succubus Queen?’

If I gave an answer such as, ‘Absolutely not,’ the Orb of Truth would verify it as truth.

And upon seeing that, His Majesty would realize he had misunderstood me and send me straight back to the academy.

‘Just don’t let them find out I’m Mikhaiel…!’

There wasn’t even the common small talk between His Majesty and me.

Although I had been falsely accused, there was no reason for me to be found out as the kidnapper, Mikhaiel.

“…”

Maintaining that silence as I waited.

I could see the Orb of Truth being placed before me, along with a luxurious cushion.

At that very moment.

Thunk-

Thunk-

I could feel the immense knights flanking me, radiating a palpable pressure.

“..!”

“Do not misunderstand. The Orb of Verity is a national treasure of our magic kingdom. As long as you do not attempt to break it, nothing will happen.”

“Yes, Your Majesty…”

The Orb of Verity was, after all, a treasure of national importance.

Should the user attempt to harm the Orb, those towering knights would surely deal with them swiftly.

And so, I vowed to choose my actions carefully, ensuring nothing would harm the Orb, and gently placed my hand upon the smooth, spherical crystal.

“Channel your ether into the Orb.”

The Orb of Verity functions much like a lie detector in modern society, judging whether a person’s answer is truthful based on the ether injected.

“Yes…”

With a tense heart, I began to channel my ether.

Within the colorless sphere, I could see a blue flame begin to flicker.

“If you speak the truth, the Orb will maintain its color. If you lie, the Orb will be stained crimson.”

“…”

“I would hope you would not dare to utter falsehoods before me, your Emperor.”

Who in their right mind would lie here?

It would be best to simply speak the truth and escape this place as quickly as possible.

“I shall begin the questioning.”

“Yes, Your Majesty…”

“Are you the man who captured the Succubus Queen?”

Therefore, when His Majesty posed the question.

I could answer without hesitation, delivering the words directly.

“No, I am not.”

Thankfully, the Orb of Verity maintained its color.

“…”

For approximately five or six seconds, the crystal glowed blue, before abruptly dimming.

The Orb of Verity can only be used about once a week, so it likely requires a charging period.

“…”

His Majesty, having confirmed the truth of my answer, seemed disappointed and remained silent.

Just as I was carefully withdrawing my hand from the crystal.

“Your Majesty, the Princess has awakened…!”

Someone burst into the royal palace, shouting that the Princess had woken.

As if I were no longer of any consequence, His Majesty, who had been sitting on the throne, rushed off in some direction.

‘Your Majesty..? …What about me?..’

I had been dismissed so naturally.

The two knights at my sides, perhaps feeling awkward about the situation, dispelled the oppressive aura they had been exuding and carefully took the Orb of Verity away.

And so…

“Well, now…”

With the knight gone, save for those others watching from a distance…

I was truly left all alone, stranded.

“Is this supposed to be… hospitality?”

Neglect-hospitality, is it?

“What in the…”

The Emperor had rushed out without hesitation at the news from that attendant, about the Princess awakening.

She must be quite unwell, it seemed.

‘Could it be…?’

Thinking of the unwell Princess, a single possibility surfaced.

The countless elixirs and spirit pills I possessed.

Things I had hoarded away, requiring a grand resolution to consume even one.

‘To offload… no, for the Princess’s sake, of course.’

If I were to offer these to His Majesty…

A rather brilliant idea dawned: could I not exchange the elixirs for cold, hard cash?

‘…Just one bottle, perhaps, to test the waters?’

Of course, giving away gifts received from the Master of the Magic Tower was incredibly discourteous, not to mention…

I did need to consume as many elixirs as possible to strengthen myself before venturing into the vampire’s nest.

However, selling one elixir to purchase a magical artifact to protect myself would also greatly contribute to my survival.

‘I’ll subtly bring it up when he returns.’

When His Majesty eventually returned to the Imperial Palace, I resolved to subtly attempt a bit of door-to-door sales.

‘He will be back soon, won’t he?’

*

One day a month.

The time when his daughter could open her eyes and be somewhat healthy.

Whether it was the devil’s pity, or the maximum power a human could exert before death…

He couldn’t afford to waste this time.

“Papa!”

“My daughter.”

Forcing back tears that threatened to spill, he began spending precious time with his daughter.

“Don’t cry.”

“Papa will never cry.”

“Liar.”

“Truly, I won’t.”

I love you.

I cherish you so dearly.

I would gladly die in your stead.

But I am sorry I cannot…

And forgive your father, for having to let you go…

“…”

It was the consequence of a contract, cruelly forged.

To deliver peace to the Magic Kingdom, at the cost of a life.

It was the consequence of a contract, cruelly forged.

The price: the life of my child, the one I loved more than anyone in this world.

“Tell me anything you want to eat, anything you want to do. Your father can make it happen, anything at all.”

So, I would use my position to grant my daughter everything her heart desired.

Until that final moment…because I was still her father.

Even if she resented me in that final moment… I had to do what a father must.

“Anything at all?”

“Of course.”

“I want to sleep with you tonight, Papa!”

What could a nine-year-old child know?

What desires could a child, who only awakened once a month, possibly possess?

What sin had this pure soul committed…

“…”

The more I thought, the more my heart tore.

The more I remembered, the more my chest ached.

But…I couldn’t show it.

“Aside from the obvious, isn’t there something else you desire?”

Because I was… her father.

Because I had to be a father who could do… anything.

“Hmm… then… I want to go for a walking game with Papa!”

“Let’s go anywhere, my little one. Your father will take you wherever you wish.”

“I want to see where Papa works too!”

“Shall we go see it?”

“I want to see Papa’s friend too!”

“Well… that friend of Papa’s is busy today… perhaps another time?”

“But I really wanted to see Asher today…”

“…Papa will tell his friend to hurry over…can you wait a little while for him?”

“Yes.”

…

I slowly toured her around the Imperial Palace, matching my pace to my daughter’s small steps.

Whenever she wished to rest, her frail body tired after only five minutes of walking, I abandoned all pretense of imperial dignity and sat beside her.

If she craved a particular treat, I immediately ordered the kitchens to prepare it.

If she wished to see a certain object, I immediately ordered them to find a way to procure it.

“Eugh…I don’t want to eat this…”

“Just one sip for Papa, my dear?”

“Ugh…”

Her lips pouted, refusing the medicinal concoction. I racked my brain, trying to find any way to persuade my daughter.

Realizing that this cup would only extend her life by a day or two at best, she relinquished her hope immediately.

“Aren’t you tired?”

Had it only been a few hours?

Walking through the Imperial Palace with her daughter, who found joy in just walking, the sun had already set beyond the windows.

“A little tired!”

“Shall we just see this last place and then go?”

“Yes.”

She didn’t want to put her to sleep…but she had no choice.

If she didn’t sleep on time, Asher’s condition would only worsen, that was certain.

Just as she was about to show her daughter the place where the throne was located for the last time, and then put her back to sleep.

“This is where Papa always is…”

Inside the Imperial chamber where the throne stood, she could see a man standing alone.

“…Mihan?”

“Greetings, Your Highness…”

“…You haven’t left?”

“You did not say that I could…”

“Ah…”

He was invited, but not granted permission to leave…

‘…I’ll be sure to compensate you later. I’m sorry, Mihan.’

“Hello!”

“Greetings, Princess.”