episode_0090

Pisces clung to me for a long time, acting cute.

Just like a pet crow, she buried her small head in my arms and rubbed against me, then suddenly got excited and chomped on my cheek…

Anyway, after thoroughly chewing, tearing, tasting, and enjoying me, she seemed to be in a very good mood and started boasting.

“Woo-hee-hee…! Now it’s truly Pisces’s era. Rosalie’s tiresome reign is practically over…!”

It seemed she’d been suffering a lot due to Rosalie’s immense impact. She wouldn’t dislike Rosalie, would she…?

When I asked carefully, she buried her head back in my arms and shook her head, answering.

“Aww… I like big sister. But I can’t help feeling jealous. Possessiveness is a desire everyone has… But don’t worry.”

“Yes, good. I want you two to get along…”

Before I could say “well,” our crow quickly cut me off and said what she wanted to say!

“Now that it’s come to this, charming Pisces will definitely take the spot right next to Master-nim!! Heh heh heh… Besides, even before the regression, I was closer to you, and we had a deeper relationship, so it’s my victory!”

Was that so…? The minion who had a crush on me vs. the benefactor who saved my life…. It’s certainly a grand showdown.

Anyway, to summarize, it’s an atmosphere of somehow going head-to-head with Rosalie…?

“Oh…? You’re not going to actually fight… are you? Like pulling hair, or throwing punches…”

I asked carefully, feeling a little worried.

And rightly so, because if a real fight broke out, our poor crow would surely not be able to recover even her bones from Rosalie, a skilled battle priestess.

However, Pisces responded to my worried question with a pathetic look.

“Ugh… your head is just full of thoughts about fighting real women. How could a ‘fragile and lovely baby’ like me trade blows with a ‘monster’ like big sister? Of course, we’ll compete with charm and looks.”

That’s a relief. Since Pisces knows her place, I don’t have to worry about her becoming crow soup.

“Well… Rosalie is kind, but don’t provoke her too much. She’s very strong, so even one gentle smack on the head would hurt a lot…”

Despite my worried words, Pisces paid no attention and chuckled slyly.

“Heh heh… Actually, I already think I’ve half-won. Surely, you wouldn’t attach ‘Ms.’ to a sweet and close romantic partner, right? You call me ‘minion’ very cutely, hee hee!”

“That’s not because of distance; it’s just my habit. I attach it out of special respect…”

Of course, my continuous use of honorifics and respectful language towards Rosalie has nothing to do with emotional distance or age difference.

Rather, consistently speaking formally to her is a form of respect and affection I show towards her.

But Pisces mercilessly cut off my explanation and retorted mournfully.

“I know, so stop talking! Geez… when you’re with me, you should only take my side, and only tell me I’m pretty! You’re so oblivious and mean, Oppa!”

“Oppa…?”

“Yes. Of course I’ll say ‘Oppa’. Plus, you’re actually like ten years older. Hee hee… So, let me ask again. Oppa~ Isn’t Pisces the prettiest in the world~”

“Uh, uh… yeah… Pisces is the prettiest, I guess…”

Pisces, smiling and acting cute, was indeed the prettiest girl in the world at that moment.

The destructive power of the word ‘Oppa’ was so immense that I answered somewhat foolishly, as if being swayed…

“Hee hee hee…! If I keep training you like this, someday you’ll automatically think Pisces is prettier than big sister, right? I’m so smart! This is the fight of the weak.”

She was mumbling something slyly, boasting, but unlike Rosalie, her voice control was so perfect that I couldn’t discern her wicked true intentions.

*

The next day after Ras’s visit, Saturday afternoon, in the backyard of the Lemon Garden.

Lea, not yet a hero, was practicing her swordsmanship, sweating profusely again today, while the Emperor observed her technique, savoring a cup of tea.

Normally, the Emperor would have been pleased to see Lea’s swordsmanship, whose flexibility had visibly improved overnight, but now he was a little dazed.

The Emperor’s face had aged considerably just one day after meeting Ras.

Last night, the Emperor had heard several shocking stories about Leon from Ras, then was harshly reprimanded by Ras, who was old enough to be his son, and finally concluded various negotiations.

Ras had shown powerful strength as if age was just a number, an absurd potential within his inner world, and an unyielding boldness even in front of the Emperor himself.

Furthermore, his magical knowledge was extensive enough that he even knew about the existence and limitations of Geas, which common families wouldn’t normally know about.

He had summoned Ras to shackle him, but in the end, only the identity of the shackles was revealed, and his initial goal was not achieved.

Since Geas is a powerful binding magic, there are limits to the restrictions that can be placed at once, and the scope of binding is not wide, so it must be used very carefully.

For instance, if one were to bring two scrolls and try to cast Geas, the magic would clash and immediately break, leading to a mishap.

“‘I’ll cast it for you. But please use it carefully.’”

Ras’s way of speaking subtly suggested to the Emperor that he was being played like a puppet in someone else’s palm.

‘He’s certainly something. A slippery fellow… If he weren’t in such a relationship with Rosalie, I would have tried to bind him through marriage with Skada…’

Suppressing his admiration, curses, and a touch of regret, the Emperor let out a deep sigh.

At any rate, although it was emotionally difficult to hear firsthand about Leon’s inhumane actions, the ‘negotiation’ with Ras had absolutely no downsides for the Empire or the Emperor himself.

And so, with a deep sigh rising from his heart, the Emperor closed his eyes and slowly recalled the conversation he had with Ras last night.

*

“If you ask for my help with imperial matters, I’ll gladly assist. The wrong was done by Leon, what fault is it of the Empire’s?”

The Emperor was quite surprised by Ras’s straightforward offer. Despite his slightly arrogant demeanor, Ras was surprisingly meticulous about distinguishing between public and private matters.

Of course, it was less strong patriotism and more a calculated move to train the Emperor to his side, as the Emperor’s recovered health meant there was no immediate need to abdicate the throne… but truly, what did it matter?

At any rate, given that the Empire’s current situation and international affairs were like a powder keg on the verge of exploding, the help of a young genius who had reached the inner world was sweeter than rain in a drought.

First, there was the external headache, Azuldah.

“High-ranking demons have crept all the way to Delphi. Spies, well… they’re found in any country, so it’s not strange, but the problem is that their superiors are Azuldah. Those who are fiercely fighting in their civil war sent at least three high-ranking demons to Delphi. Does that even make sense?”

Azuldah was a vast, closed quasi-state with a troublesome ecosystem.

The fact that those who were fiercely fighting among themselves sent as many as three high-ranking demons, a valuable military asset, to Delphi, a deep inland region, was not something to be taken lightly.

“Either someone strong enough to break the stalemate in Azuldah’s internal power structure has emerged, or… Rosalie holds tremendous strategic value that we are unaware of… It must be one or the other… or both…”

The Emperor also actively agreed with Ras’s opinion and conjectured that the situation in Azuldah was unusual.

Even Haimon, whom the Emperor personally struck down, and Antikrea, whom Ras burned to death, were both quite formidable among the high-ranking demons the Emperor had encountered.

Most of the demons the Emperor fought in his youth were those whose forces had been pushed back to the outskirts, but even considering that, the demons who attacked Delphi were strong.

The class of demons capable of being commanded for a small-scale invasion with a high chance of failure would be immense, and it led one to think that Rosalie, who was targeted, must possess even greater value than was superficially known.

“If those guys there get organized into a proper nation, it’ll be a real disaster. If they didn’t have the characteristic of smaller numbers and lack of unity, Azuldah would have devoured the continent long ago. Demons are like that… So, you’ll naturally prepare for war, and my value then? What more needs to be said?”

Already scratched, but with infinitely more squares to scratch… Ras in this situation was like a bursting lottery ticket, guaranteed to win.

“I’ll help with war, or whatever, with all my might. But, in return, there must be something for me. By the way, I won’t make demands that diminish my ‘face’ like asking you to kill Leon immediately or depose him in exchange for my help. I want to carry out my revenge, whatever it may be, with my own hands. Furthermore, I’ll sit at the negotiation table with my life on the scales. If Leon is innocent, I’ll offer my head for slandering the Imperial Prince.”

Such extreme conditions, where he would put himself on trial just as readily, and without an ounce of hesitation.

The Emperor became afraid of the madness flickering like fire in Ras’s eyes.

Regardless of the fact that Ras was currently weaker than the Emperor, that flickering flame was brilliant but far too hot, and it was impossible to gauge how much further it aimed to ascend.

The Emperor could only quietly continue the negotiation.

“Then what… do you truly wish from me?”

To the question of what he wanted, Ras answered smoothly and without hesitation, as if he had prepared.

“I desire fairness and minimal decency. Please prevent Leon from escaping retribution by relying on his absolute power simply because he is an Imperial Prince. I cannot bear to see a man like Leon ascend to the throne, so I will support Skada. In any case, Your Majesty is still in good health, so there’s no rush now.”

At Ras’s words, the Emperor briefly recalled Skada.

The child he had conceived and brought into the world as if by mistake.

Unlike Leon, born from his beloved Empress, Skada was a child he had never given affection to, nor cherished.

Naturally, Skada nearly hated his indifferent self, and the Emperor strongly suspected that Skada was the one who had attempted to assassinate him.

However… Ras’s finger silently pointed to Leon as the suspect in the assassination attempt.

Even if Ras didn’t know about the assassination, he was asserting Leon’s moral flaws to the extent of claiming, “He’s the kind of guy who would assassinate his own father to quickly get rid of him and secure the throne.”

“Your Majesty, please observe the proof of Leon’s transgressions with an impartial eye. Just as burning incense in a room full of rotten fish cannot mask the stench… Leon will never be able to kill his true nature.”

Leon had, unknowingly, become a suspect in the assassination attempt, but Ras maintained his stance of being completely ignorant about the assassination, merely advocating for consistent ‘fairness.’

In any case, he knew very well that even without his instigation, the Emperor, as the victim of the assassination, would quietly draw his sword and act from beneath the surface, so there was no need for him to intervene.

With no significant evidence remaining, there was no need for Ras to specifically mention the assassination.

Few people knew that the Emperor had been weakened and his life force drained by a curse in the first place, and pretending to know about it could only embarrass Rosalie, who had cared for the Emperor’s body.

Thus, instead of directly asking to ruin and monitor Leon, Ras pulled out a negotiation card with a slightly different nuance.

A card that was not vague but concrete, pulled out for the first time.

“For Leon to receive a proper judgment, the succession competition must also be fair. Surely, you don’t think the current competitive structure is fair, do you? Skada is completely neglected without any foundation, while Leon is backed by Valencia and the Empress Dowager, receiving all sorts of luxurious support? Fundamentally… if I may be so bold, this is Your Majesty’s fault.”

He placed conditions for others, not himself, on the negotiation scales.

Instead of emotionally expressing his private resentment and hatred towards Leon, he was quite skilled at steering the negotiation into an area that served a more public interest and packaging it effectively.

“Indeed… I was too biased. I became so engrossed in my roles as a husband and head of the family that I forgot my position as Emperor…”

And being reminded once again of the part where founding emperor Richard had appeared in his dream and sternly chastised him, the Emperor could only sigh in a solemn state.

“You can rectify it starting now. Pave the way so that Skada can compete with Leon as fairly as possible. The Emperor of the Empire must always be the stronger and wiser one.”

“Are you… confident that Skada will defeat Leon? I don’t know that child well. No, it would be more accurate to say I intentionally turned a blind eye…”

Ras replied succinctly, with a look that said, “What more needs to be said?”

“Didn’t you already see it with your own eyes? Both of them are, well, pathetic little squirts from my perspective… but Skada was the one who endured Antikrea better. If they fought head-on without tricks or political power struggles, Leon would have no chance of winning.”

The situation of his own son, completely marked by the Empire’s strongest rising star…

Moreover, whether his son had a narrow perspective or something else… he didn’t even know how terrifying his own schoolmate was, leaving the Emperor with a heavy heart.

“Very well… I will personally oversee Skada and Leon’s competition to ensure it proceeds as fairly as possible. Tell me more.”

And then, Ras’s main point followed.

“Please protect my family and Rosalie, along with anyone else who could become my weakness. Leon will undoubtedly try to harm those around me. I can crush threats that come with force, but schemes like framing someone can only be stopped by greater authority, can’t they? If proper protection isn’t provided, it will be war with the Empire.”

All in all, unlike the rather gentlemanly atmosphere until now, his threatening demeanor, even cloaked in faint inner world flames, made him seem like a different person.

Although he dared to use the word ‘war’ with the Emperor and pushed aggressively, the Emperor promised, sensing a fervent yet desperate sincerity.

“Are there no further conditions you wish to propose?”

“Negotiations aren’t usually concluded in a single day, are they? Wouldn’t you like to maintain a good relationship by staying in continuous contact? With your loyal subject of the Empire, Ras Etgard.”

It felt like his lifespan would be cut by ten years if he met him again, but the Emperor, who desperately needed help, nodded in agreement.

Ras, looking smug as if the negotiation was satisfactory, then made a confidential offer as if something had just occurred to him.

“By the way… aren’t you curious how I found out about Leon’s schemes targeting me?”

“Didn’t the friend who drugged you confess?”

Ras shook his head at the Emperor’s slightly dismissive remark.

“You’re mistaken. I couldn’t possibly know everything just from a foolish fellow’s testimony. There’s a way I separately tracked the actions of Emma, the initial culprit, and her superiors, Leon and Lizley.”

“What… is that?”

“There’s a truly amazing detective and problem-solver on my side, you see… a master of tracking and information gathering whom I frequently use. Since Your Majesty and I are now partners, isn’t it a subject’s duty to provide you with a skilled secret connection outside the Imperial family? I’m offering to serve as Your Majesty’s eyes and ears, among other things.”

With such smooth salesmanship, as if oiled, the Emperor was caught off guard and completely swayed.

That day, the target Ras eagerly ‘sold’ to the Emperor was none other than…..

“So… that’s how it is, Pisces. No matter how cute you are… you have to do what you have to do. You’re fundamentally my ‘minion’.”

“Caw…! So… I have to meet Uncle Emperor alone now, and get missions or something…? Eek… I’m scared!!! Take me out of it!!!! Pisces is a wimp and can’t do that…!”

Pisces, who thought of herself as something like alley moss, immediately threw a tantrum and made a fuss to be exempted the moment she heard about the ‘Emperor’, a being on the level of the scorching sun, far beyond the sunny side of things.

However, Ras had no intention of letting the capable Pisces lazily scratch her belly in the back room, so he gently provoked her.

“You said you’d follow me to hell or a pit of ice…! Rosalie said it was nothing to her, and to just ask for anything… *Sigh*… Is this perhaps the dignity of the legitimate wife…?”

“Eek…! Legitimate wife!!”

Our poor crow, who was throwing a tantrum out of fear, stopped her fit at the mention of ‘legitimate wife’ and groaned for a long time.

Her pose, grasping her small head and contemplating, was truly adorably worth seeing.

“Alright. But can I run away immediately if I’m in danger…? Pisces wants to live a hundred years with Master-nim… and have lots of babies too…”

In the end, Ras reassured Pisces, who was shrinking but still burning with the will to be the legitimate wife, telling her not to worry.

“There’s nothing very dangerous, so don’t worry, and if it gets even a fingernail’s worth of dangerous, run away immediately. I’m intentionally sending you into the light because I don’t want you to stay only in the shadows. Anyway, once the work is done, I’ll extract all sorts of things as compensation, so look forward to it.”

“Yes, Master-nim, I really trust you?”

And so, Pisces, who used to make and sell vitality tonics that caused hair loss as a side effect, was about to have her status elevated to nothing less than an assistant to the Emperor of the Empire.

Life is full of unpredictable turns, like the horse and the old man by the frontier fortress [a proverb about how fortune and misfortune are intertwined and unpredictable].

*

Meanwhile, Lea, who had been passionately swinging her sword, saw the Emperor sighing after reviewing his negotiation with Ras and asked teasingly.

“Old man, what are you thinking about so intently? Your ugly face has aged so much again. Has your illness returned, perhaps?”

At this point, Lea, not yet a hero, a ‘secret weapon’ of the Heavenly God Cult with peerless beauty, loved to tease the Emperor.

However, the Emperor seemed accustomed to Lea’s teasing way of speaking and calmly answered her question without much fuss.

“No. It’s not that. I’m just a little tired. And I’m feeling some doubts about my life.”

“That’s right. Old man, you should regret a lot and be more worn out. How can you treat a delicate and pretty woman like me this way? That’s why you get lectured by a brat who hasn’t even dried behind the ears!”

The Emperor swallowed the words, *sigh, look at that brat’s mouth…*, internally.

However, since he was a man of action rather than words, instead of scolding with words…

Swish!

He preferred to scold Lea by drawing his wooden sword like lightning and smacking her impudent head.

However…

Thwack!

“Heh!!! That won’t work anymore. I guess I had a bit of an epiphany after fighting that guy yesterday?”

Surprisingly, today Lea easily blocked the Emperor’s strike and boasted with a triumphant expression.

Lea, who had only recently begun seriously learning swordsmanship, had not been able to properly respond to sudden strikes or irregular attacks.

Usually, after teasing, when the calm-faced Emperor attacked fluidly like this, she would just get a bump on her head from a smack.

And so, grabbing her aching head and glaring venomously at the Emperor… this series of events was their golden pattern.

However, the fierce duel with Ras, who fought dirtily and messily, seemed to have rapidly made Lea grow once more.

The Emperor couldn’t help but sigh again, thinking that both Lea, the possessor of absurd swordsmanship talent, and Ras, a talent even superior to Lea who could easily overpower her, were truly exasperating individuals.

“*Sigh*… It seems he’s even better at raising disciples than I am…”

“Huh…! Old man, instead of being happy about your disciple’s growth… are you whining so pettily? How many times have I been smacked on the head so far… and you get sulky just because I blocked it once.”

Seeing the Emperor sigh heavily without praise, Lea showed her sulkiness openly, all her triumph gone.

“No. You’ve truly done well. Although we haven’t met long, there’s not much left for you to learn from me. I’ll let you go independent soon, so think of it as an old man’s nagging and follow me for just a little longer.”

In a typical good master-disciple relationship, when the master recites such lines, the respectful disciple would usually…

‘No, Master. I am still very lacking. I will serve you for a very long time.’

…utter heartwarming lines like that.

“Yay!! Really? Let me go independent quickly then. I’ll go find the Etgard’s house, hee hee!! I’ll stay there as a houseguest and ask him to spar with me every day. If I roll around sweating with him for about three months, I’ll become stronger than you, old man, and then I’ll come back and get my fill of revenge for all the head smacks~”

Lea and the Emperor had no accumulated time or memories to form a good master-disciple relationship, so Lea was simply openly delighted at the thought of escaping the nagging, harshly training Emperor.

………

Watching Lea openly declare she would smack the reigning Emperor, the Emperor somehow felt that the insolent Ras and Lea were quite a match for each other.

‘If rumors ever surface that those two are getting along… I’ll have to tell Rosalie….’

The thought that occurred to him at that moment was so petty that the Emperor didn’t dare voice it.