Chapter 36 : Each One’s Time ~ Jeanne’s Chapter

After completing their expedition report, the hero party disbanded for the time being.

Normally, they would hold a feast or be surrounded by their followers who would flatter them, but this time was different.

There was no one to host a celebration or shower them with praise anywhere.

The members of the hero party were ignored and abandoned by everyone.

The reason was obvious.

It was because Esther’s words had spread throughout the country.

<In fact, all the achievements up to now might have been thanks to the abilities of the former hero, Victor Evans. A hero party without Victor is powerless.>

If that statement were true, the party members were nothing more than dispensable scholars whose ties were about to be severed.

If Victor Evans was the cornerstone of the hero party, it meant that the other party members were expendable, like fallen leaves.

They were mere replaceable accessories.

Now, the party members were on the brink of having their status significantly diminished.

If Victor Evans indeed possessed hidden powers, no one could dare to predict how the treatment of the party members would change.

“This is impossible… I can’t be abandoned like this. Absolutely… never…”

Jeanne Grave, a knight of the hero party, had never imagined it would end this way.

She had no intention of gambling with her own safety.

Regardless of how the truth about Victor and the ensuing disputes would conclude, only she had to survive safely.

Every time there was danger, she secretly approached her sponsor, the Emperor—Carlos de Renal.

She already knew the secret passage to the Emperor’s bedroom because the Emperor himself had informed her.

From Jeanne’s perspective, having a clandestine conversation with the Emperor was relatively easy.

She took advantage of the early morning hours to enter the palace’s bedroom.

The Emperor, dressed in his nightwear, was startled to see Jeanne.

“Ms. Grave, what brings you here?”

“Ms. Grave?”

Once they were alone, Jeanne said coquettishly,

“Since when did we become such close confidants, Your Majesty? Have you grown tired of me? Have you taken a new young woman into your inner court?”

“That… that’s not true… I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t had time to embrace a woman.”

“Then I suppose I’m no longer needed. You’re busy with your duties.”

“That’s not what I meant, Jeanne. Please, have a seat.”

“…Hmm.”

Jeanne crossed her arms and perched on the bed.

The Emperor looked tense and asked, “So… what brings you here?”

“Have you come to a place I couldn’t come to?”

“That’s not what I meant. There must be a reason you came to see me at a time like this. Tell me that reason.”

“Then let me ask.”

Jeanne began to get to the point.

“Your Majesty, what are your plans for me?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Let’s assume that Victor Evans truly had immense hidden power, just as Esther said. Then what… or rather, what will happen to me?”

“Well, what happens is…”

“Surely, the arrows that were aimed at Victor won’t be directed at me, right? <In reality, the incompetent ones were the party members. Let’s replace the party members> No… the public opinion isn’t shifting to <let’s punish them> either, is it?”

“Why can’t you answer? I know too. The public opinion about us has deteriorated extremely due to our last defeat. Moreover, our adulterous relationship between me and Your Majesty has become an open secret known worldwide. If Your Majesty tries to give me special treatment now, everyone will laugh at us. They’ll think, ‘What did you do behind the scenes to be like this again…’”

“That… that might be true.”

“But! There’s no turning back now!”

Jeanne expressed her frustration.

“You remember, don’t you? The promise from !!”

“That day… you mean.”

Jeanne reminisced about the past.

It was a story from about a year ago when she had just joined the hero party.

Jeanne was the only member who was not chosen by Victor.

Her joining the party was strongly recommended by the Emperor.

Jeanne took pride in that fact.

She was proud that she owed nothing to the heroes, that she had nothing to bow to them, and that she was on par with them.

With that pride, Jeanne stood up to the hero.

“I am Jeanne Grave. I was once a princess and also a knight who graduated top of the academy. I hope you keep that in mind when dealing with me. If you look down on me just because I’m a hero, I won’t stay silent.”

“Hahaha.”

Victor’s reaction to that was gentle kindness.

“Why would I look down on you? We’re comrades. You joined based on the Emperor’s strong recommendation? Then you must be an incredibly talented individual. I’m looking forward to your contributions, Jeanne. Let’s save humanity together.”

Victor was simply an uninteresting person to pick a fight with.

He was always kind and warm in his responses.

Before long, Jeanne was influenced by Victor’s warm personality.

Even before embarking on expeditions, the time they spent alone together increased.

“Victor. Would you like to go on a date with me today? If you’re free, that is.”

“Of course I’m free, Jeanne. I have nothing to do after training ends. How about we go shopping in the marketplace?”

“That’s a good idea. You must have received a lot of money from the hero support funds, right?”

“That’s not the case. I discussed it with Teresa, and we decided to take the support funds minimally. Otherwise, people from each country who have to pay money would suffer.”

“… Huh?”

Jeanne was surprised.

Emperor Carlos had certainly been levying millions of gold from each country.

Then, who exactly was receiving all that money?

“If… you want, I could extract as much as you want under the guise of expedition expenses… Don’t you need more money, Victor?”

“No. I was summoned to save humanity, so I want to focus on my duty. I didn’t become a hero to indulge in luxury.”

It was truly an answer befitting the epitome of a hero.

Jeanne blushed without realizing it.

‘Someone like him… if someone like him becomes a hero, maybe I could change too…’

Jeanne’s own life trajectory wasn’t endearing either.

Sometimes, she despised and cursed herself.

Why am I so cowardly and mean?

Why can’t I live uprightly?

Why don’t I have courage?

She had had many such thoughts.

She tried to wash away such self-deprecation by being with the cowardly Emperor, who was strikingly similar to herself.

Then, she finally met him.

Someone with a completely opposite character.

Victor Evans.

‘Maybe I even like someone like him.’

Jeanne was gradually falling for Victor.

There was someone who looked at Jeanne with displeasure.

None other than Emperor Carlos.

The ugly jealousy of a middle-aged man further distorted Emperor Carlos’s already grotesque heart.

“Jeanne, it seems like you haven’t been coming to see me lately.”

One day, Carlos called Jeanne and spoke to her secretly.

“No, that’s not… I’ve been busy preparing for the expedition.”

“I received information that you and Victor have been hanging out together often in the downtown area.”

“… Is there something wrong with knights and heroes spending time together? It’s nice if you’re close. Among comrades.”

“Is it really friendship? Or… affection?”

“Your Majesty! What are you saying! I’m just…”

“Do you remember the day the Kingdom of Grave fell? Do you still harbor those feelings? Surely, now that I’m old, you’ve grown tired of me? You prefer the young ones, don’t you? If you keep behaving like this, I will no longer support you. Exiling you from the party is just too easy with my power.”

“Your Majesty! Hey, what are you saying… I’m just…”

“If I’ve misunderstood, tell me now. Love me. You love only me.”

“I, I…”

Normally, Jeanne would have spoken without hesitation.

Flattering those in power was Jeanne’s greatest skill.

But for some reason, now those words didn’t come out easily.

Victor’s face flashed before her eyes, and she couldn’t open her lips.

Carlos became even more maddened by jealousy.

“Hooh. You can’t speak. I understand then. Our bond ends here. From now on, you will be treated as an illegitimate child of the fallen royal family. Exiling you from the party and imprisoning and torturing you will be done without much effort.”

“Wait! I’ll speak, I’ll say it!”

Jeanne desperately closed her eyes and erased Victor’s face from her mind.

Just one sentence.

She needed to utter just one line to survive.

“What I love is only Your Majesty, Emperor. I don’t love someone like Victor at all.”

It was then.

“Huh…? Jeanne…? What did you just say…?”

“…Victor…”

Just then, Victor, who was looking for Carlos to report something to the Emperor, ran into her face-to-face.

Victor looked flustered and broke out in a cold sweat as if he had heard something he shouldn’t have.

“S-sorry. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop… What… I didn’t know you two were in that kind of relationship… I’m sorry, I won’t tell anyone! Don’t worry!”

“Victor! Wait a moment!”

Victor scratched the back of his head and disappeared.

Jeanne tried to catch up with him as he walked away, but was blocked by the Emperor.

“Why are you doing that, Jeanne? What are you trying to do by chasing after Victor?”

“Th-that… well… Victor might hold a grudge and bother me!”

“Don’t worry. If Victor harasses you, I will use all means to protect you and eliminate Victor. I promise.”

I promise.

The Emperor had certainly said so.

Jeanne was reminded once again of the promise from that day.

“Don’t forget, Your Majesty. The reason my relationship with Victor deteriorated was all because of you. If you now abandon me and choose Victor, I won’t have the courage. Please… you must protect me. From Victor! Do you understand?”

“Ah, I understand, Jeanne. I understand…”

Carlos reluctantly replied.

However, he couldn’t even look directly into Jeanne’s eyes.

He looked very unconfident.

To be continued…