Chapter 106

In contrast to my shock, the Emperor merely hardened his expression. He slightly narrowed his brows, let out a deep hum, and nodded.

“Reason enough to erase it from history.”

“…”

Faced with this monumental truth, I immediately checked the Emperor’s reaction. If he were to decide to oppress or uproot Wilhelm and his people…

Wilhelm continued. “It is likely that a large number of the Spinelle Tribe are involved with the Urkel Church.”

“…Since the Urkel Church was able to spread its doctrine and increase its followers because of the monster incidents, that makes sense.” I agreed with Wilhelm.

It felt as though the pieces of a puzzle, hidden from the original story, were finally coming together. A heavy silence fell between the three of us as we were momentarily lost in thought.

When no one spoke first, Wilhelm bit his lip in contemplation, then looked at the Emperor with a look of resolve.

“What will you do?”

“Do about what?” 

The Emperor stroked his beard, pretending ignorance, though he knew the true meaning of Wilhelm’s question. His manner was highly evasive, but the atmosphere was far from relaxed or safe.

Wilhelm’s face grew darker. 

“Will you… subjugate us?”

“…”

The Emperor’s inscrutable gaze seemed to pierce right through him. The silence grew heavier, until even our breathing seemed to diminish. Unable to intervene, I only managed to break out in a cold sweat over their conversation. Then, the Emperor slowly opened his mouth.

“…Hahahaha!”

The Emperor, having completely erased the serious look from a moment ago, let out a hearty burst of laughter. Wilhelm and I, whose hearts had been pounding with tension, stared at him with blank expressions. The Emperor ignored us and continued to laugh loudly for a long time.

Shrrk—

And just as suddenly, he stopped laughing and drew the sword from Wilhelm’s waist. The drawn sword was pointed at Wilhelm’s throat. I barely managed to stifle a scream.

Though the Emperor was a skilled fighter, the Sword Master Wilhelm did not react to the blade aimed at him, indicating that he accepted this outcome. I watched his serene face with trembling eyes.

“Subjugation, you say.”

The sword aimed at Wilhelm’s throat sliced a small, thin line. A bead of red blood slowly trickled down his neck. Wilhelm remained still, like a man prepared to be executed.

The Emperor watched him and spoke in a level voice. “A monster’s blood is blue, isn’t it? But you have red blood, do you not? Then you are humans like us, so how can I subjugate you?”

“But who knows when those with grudges will appear and abuse their abilities again.”

“That would be the fault of the Emperor at that time. Just as it is my fault now.”

Having said that, the Emperor lowered the sword and looked at the distant orphanage with a bittersweet expression. The setting sun, already low, cast a red and dark glow on the Emperor’s face. Wilhelm and I waited quietly, sensing the regret in his expression.

The Emperor turned his gaze from the orphanage, returned the sword to Wilhelm, and called me.

“My nephew’s wife.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Let us return soon. Your nephew will hate me if I keep you away for too long.”

The Emperor instantly returned to his familiar, approachable demeanor and turned to walk away. As he walked towards his horse, something seemed to occur to him, and he turned back to Wilhelm.

“Wilhelm. How about the position of Imperial Knight Commander? The Golden Dragon Knight Commander is due to retire soon.”

“Pardon?”

“What?”

Wilhelm and I were so surprised by the sudden offer that we questioned him simultaneously. The position of Imperial Knight Commander was a great honor for any warrior in the Empire. The Emperor’s offer signaled his first step toward change.

‘If successful, it will be a stepping stone for the minority group’s entry into society.’

It would be more than just a stepping stone; it would be a signal for a possible different future, though it wouldn’t be easy. It could even become a symbol for abolishing discrimination. It was a great opportunity for Wilhelm, both as a warrior and as a member of a minority group.

‘However…’ 

A part of my heart felt a pang of sadness. Before being the commander of a county’s private army, Wilhelm was my long-time teacher who had been with me since childhood.

Sensing my feelings, Wilhelm looked at me without answering. His eyes seemed to imply that he would follow my decision, so I let out a deep sigh.

“It would be a waste to keep your skills confined to a county’s household.”

Despite my sadness, I naturally had no intention of holding him back. Wilhelm, a Sword Master, had been confined to a county’s private army solely because he belonged to a minority group. This was only possible because the Blueberry county was the one family that did not discriminate when no other family would accept a member of the Spinelle Tribe. Wilhelm might think it was his luck to have come to our family, but in fact, the opposite was true. And Wilhelm was a person who deserved to seize a greater fortune than I could offer.

“That’s wonderful.”

I congratulated him sincerely with a smile, causing Wilhelm to halt. His expression was hidden as the sunset was behind him.

The Emperor took the reins of his horse and called out. “Then let us return. By now, the chamberlain will have soaked his handkerchief with tears. Hahaha.”

***

Back at the Imperial Palace, I was so exhausted physically and mentally that I wanted nothing more than to immediately collapse and sleep.

But…

“Nine will scold me for letting his wife go hungry.”

‘…’

The Emperor’s damp eyes—like a familiar uncle’s—made it impossible for me to refuse the meal. His slumped shoulders, though as wide as the Pacific Ocean and not at all pitiful, conveyed a presence that could not be ignored.

Eventually, after changing into a dress, I went down to the banquet hall, where the Emperor greeted me with a good-natured smile.

“Welcome. I personally instructed the chef to prepare all the dishes you enjoy.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

I offered the appropriate formal greeting and took the seat he offered. By now, I was accustomed to this side of the Emperor and wasn’t as tense as before.

However, I couldn’t think of anything to talk about during the meal. Since eating in silence wasn’t an option, I worked hard to think of a topic. The Emperor was the one to speak first.

“My nephew’s wife, is there nothing you are curious about?”

“Pardon?”

Something I was curious about. It wasn’t anything major, but there was something I was indeed curious about. I simply hadn’t thought to ask, given the person I was speaking to was the Emperor.

I hesitated for a moment but decided to ask anyway. The Emperor was looking at me with subtle expectation, and since he asked first, a simple question would likely be fine.

“Then… I would like to ask if you have any connection to the Eclipse Ducal House.”

The Emperor’s eyes lit up with amusement, as if he immediately understood why I was asking the question.

“It is time for me to tell you a long story.”

The Emperor set the mood as if to launch into a tale of ancient history, but what came out was a surprisingly interesting story.

“You wonder why I hold the Eclipse family so close, don’t you? In fact, there was a time when I, as a Prince, took refuge at the Eclipse Ducal House.”

“Refuge?”

“I am healthy now, but I was weak as a child. I used that as an excuse to go for ‘recuperation’.”

It seemed the Emperor had taken refuge during the time of the Duke two generations ago. He spoke of that time with an unending smile, as the place he had retreated to—after being pushed out of the succession dispute—was comfortable and enjoyable. Even after he eventually ascended to the throne, despite having been exiled, he maintained a steady exchange with the Eclipse family.

I listened intently, and soon the Emperor was recounting stories from the time Nine was first born.

“I still have the videographic records of young Nine somewhere in the Imperial Palace… Shall I show you?”

“Yes!” I nodded enthusiastically, a clear affirmation.

I desperately wanted to ask him to show me right away, but the main course arrived just then.

“Ahem.”

The chamberlain, standing beside the Emperor, gave a small cough when the main course was served. It was a subtle sound, but we both understood that it contained a gentle admonishment to eat properly. The Emperor and I immediately fell silent and picked up our forks and knives.

The beef steak served as the main course was, as expected of a dish from the Imperial Head Chef, incredibly tender. Juices oozed from the perfectly cooked, pink interior of the steak. The savory aroma of butter-kissed steak was enticing. Since the Emperor had personally requested it, the steak was cooked exactly the way I usually liked it.

It should have been.

“Ugh!”

My stomach violently turned, and I quickly covered my mouth.