episode_0025

Emperor Ishmark von Rebroke.

A man in his mid-40s who is famous for his youthful appearance and down-to-earth personality.

Even though Deltan had such a rough attitude, there was only one reason why he was able to laugh.

This is because it was the Deltans who elevated him to the position of emperor.

“You’re late.”

“It came right.”

“So you’re saying it’s late. Didn’t you make the emperor wait?”

Ishmark said with a grin. The dancer had already left.

“As a noble of the empire, points are deducted.”

“Then what should I do?”

Deltan sat down awkwardly and held a fork. Then, he said while eating the salad placed in front of him.

“Stop talking nonsense and talk. Why did you call me?”

“You know the reason, right?”

“Not for formal reasons. If it had been like that, I wouldn’t have called.”

“I like that you are quick-witted.”

“Don’t say anything gross.”

The Deltan’s expression wasn’t very good. There was no other reason. Although he pretended to be cheerful, Ishmark was a sinister man with at least 100 snakes in his stomach.

In other words, when you talk, you become exhausted.

Ishmark’s smile deepened.

“I heard that you are busy with the dating business these days, so I called you out of curiosity.”

“… It’s a rumor.”

“Are you going to get married?”

“It’s a rumor.”

“I don’t plan on doing it.”

Ishmark nodded as if satisfied.

“Thank goodness. To be honest, it was a bit difficult. If Duke Levadein’s power grows any further, it won’t be a bad thing.”

Words that express his uncharacteristically honest feelings.

Deltan raised a question.

“Isn’t the duke a member of the royal family?”

“The noble faction is trying to recruit him. I know he won’t let it go, but as his authority grows, won’t the courtship from the aristocratic faction become harsher? I don’t want my people to get into trouble.”

“Fucking.”

Deltan burst out laughing. This was because I knew well that he was a cold-hearted person even to his subordinates. Ishmark is an extremely meritocratic person. And he is an egoist.

He was a man who would blow off my head if he harmed me, even if it was my child.

“Is that the end of what you want to ask? Then can I go?”

“I still have business left.”

Ishmark picked up the knife. The way he cut a steak with a fork and knife while keeping his back straight was perfectly formal, including his breathing, angle, beat, and sound.

“Do you have any intention of getting married?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean my daughters. He looks just like me and is quite handsome. It may not be as good as everyone’s first love, but wouldn’t it be enough to cover it with numbers?”

“… .”

“How about five princesses, isn’t that a pretty tempting proposition?”

Deltan sighed. This is because this is not the first time such a proposal has been made.

“As I said, I am not married.”

“Because there is no woman who would not blemish your perfection?”

“Ask something even though you know.”

“Tough narcissism.”

Ishmark took a piece of steak and ate it, making a satisfied face. He said so.

“But that’s it. Even though you say that, it seems like progress has been made quite a bit.”

“What?”

“Pity ticket. Didn’t it fall?”

Deltan trembled. My gaze was directed to my forearm.

As he continued eating, his sleeves were rolled up, revealing the traces of his thorn bush tattoo.

Only then did Deltan remember his regret.

‘… ‘Sneaky bastard.’

Because it had been so long since we had met, there was something I had forgotten. Ishmark was a control freak who felt extremely anxious about things he didn’t know, and in order to relieve his anxiety, he took control of everything, even the arrangement of plates at a meal.

Deltan’s eyes turned to the salad.

With my arm length, I had to extend my arm to reach it.

“I guess you also had a sexual desire. I thought that virginity label would never fall off.”

At Ishmark’s words, the Deltan’s expression became sharper.

“… If you were the emperor, was it okay for you to reveal my personal history? I didn’t know.”

“You are worried about your close friend.”

Ishmark still had a relaxed attitude.

“When you fall into lust, your reason becomes clouded.”

“I don’t think that’s what you want to say.”

“I can say this because I am old. I always save water in case my sexual desire clouds my reason.”

“Just go out and die. The position is passed on to the crown prince.”

“The prince is a good child. It will definitely be a castle. But you’re young.”

“Well, I’m all grown up at 23.”

“You’re so clueless.”

He continued speaking as if he would not give up even for a single word. Deltan felt quite uncomfortable about that.

The mana seeping from his body was a form of blatant display of such emotions.

“… Don’t cross the line. Think again about who you owe it to to be sitting there.”

“Isn’t it thanks to you? I have never forgotten it for a moment. If it weren’t for you, I would have had to fight a bloody war with my brothers over the throne.”

Ishmark’s words were indeed the unvarnished truth.

Three years ago, when the main story was in full swing, in the final chapter, the emperor of the empire committed suicide after being possessed by the king of demons.

The Deltans had already dealt with the demon king, but as the throne was empty, it was obvious that another war would break out for the throne, and the solution the Deltans chose in that crisis was the establishment of a new emperor.

Support from hero Deltan Hebron.

It was clearly one of the most important factors for sitting on the throne at the time, and the reason Deltans chose Ishmark in such a situation was because he was the only member of the royal family who prioritized ability over origin.

“I am always grateful. So please understand. I am so afraid that you will become so blinded by love that you will turn away from me. I want you to be by my side forever.”

“I’m about to give you goosebumps, so just shut up.”

“Don’t worry. It doesn’t mean anything sexual. No matter what country I am, I have an aversion to hanging out with men.”

Ishmark chuckled.

“So, what was everyone’s first love like? I, too, saw it once 7 years ago and that was the end.”

“No bad hair. As much as you.”

“Wow, there is such a person. This is another interesting story.”

“You’re swearing. You idiot.”

“If it’s your curse, I’ll be happy to listen to it.”

Deltan frowned and stopped talking. This is because I already felt exhausted.

As Ishmark continued to eat alone, Deltan remembered something he had forgotten in the silence.

“… Oh, that’s right.”

“Hmm?”

“I was going to ask you something. I remembered it now.”

“Something?”

“Are any of your daughters close to the princess?”

A woman who instilled strange knowledge in Agnes. I had to find that woman.

Ishmark pondered ‘Hmm’ and then shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, I don’t know because I’ve never paid much attention to who my daughters are friends with. I’m a laissez-faire person.”

“It’s not laissez-faire, it’s laissez-faire.”

Deltan thought so. Ishmark had 47 children, 18 of them daughters.

Naturally, it was difficult for him to know who his daughters were close to.

Of course, it is clear that one would pay attention to a relationship that could bring about changes in national affairs, but the relationship between the two that Agnes had heard about was not like that.

“It’s okay if you don’t know.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t help you.”

“I didn’t expect it.”

“Are you going?”

These were the words he said as he watched Deltan get up from his seat.

Deltan responded to that indifferently.

“Uh, I should go soon.”

“Take care. I’ll handle things related to magic appropriately.”

“So.”

“Ah.”

“What else.”

As if Ishmark had remembered it too late, he caught Deltan who was about to leave.

Of course, Deltan was not fooled by the smoke. Now all the tension has returned. He knew that what Ishmark would say to him at a time like this would be quite troublesome.

All humans tend to give a hasty answer due to their impatience at the moment of leaving, so Ishmark would have caught that timing.

“Are you planning on attending the banquet?”

The prediction was correct.

“I’m not going.”

“It would be nice if you could come.”

“Why again.”

“Isn’t the Saint Hall breached this time? Some people are feeling anxious.”

“Fuck, it was resolved right away that day. There was no damage.”

“Strictly speaking, there is no damage. Some merchants in the commercial district are experiencing aftereffects.”

“It’s probably not my fault.”

“Please understand. Don’t stupid people always need someone to blame?”

“… I just don’t move.”

“I heard there’s something you’re looking for these days. I will help you at the level of my imperial family.”

A strange look appeared in Deltan’s eyes.

‘This is quite… .’

It was an appealing offer. Currently, the cuckoo is in charge of finding information about DLC materials, but as an imperial researcher, he can handle areas that are beyond their reach.

The worries didn’t last long. What Ishmark wants is to attend the banquet. There was no need to show anything more than that, so all I had to do was stay where I was and get out.

“Send me the schedule.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m really going.”

Deltan hurriedly left the restaurant.

thud.

The restaurant’s door was closed.

Only then did Ishmark relax his shoulders and sigh.

‘… It’s difficult after all.’

Cold sweat had already formed on his forehead.

Even for Ishmark, who is said to have had 100 snakes in his stomach, a superhuman who could destroy the plan itself with force was an extremely difficult opponent.

*

The Deltans walked into the imperial castle.

Although there was no one to guide him, he never got lost.

Speaking of Hwangseong, this is because it is a place where people come and go as if it were their own home when the main story is in progress.

As it had been quite a while since we stopped by Hwangseong, Delta Inn did not return right away.

‘I think there’s at least one hidden piece that I haven’t found yet.’

It was none other than a search for a hidden piece.

The imperial palace was a place with as many hidden pieces as its history and wealth.

All of the representative hidden pieces had already been scraped off, but that was still the case.

As DLC has begun, there is anticipation that at least one new hidden piece will be created.

In front of the imperial rose garden.

Deltan arrived there after walking leisurely and stopped at a familiar figure.

‘Duke Levadein?’

Agnes’ father, Duke Levadeine, was there.

I was having a conversation with a girl who looked quite young.

Deltan tilted his head.

‘The princess?’

One of Ishmark’s daughters, whose face I didn’t know, but I couldn’t help but think of that confidence.

This is because her hair was white, just like Ishmark’s.

She was a woman with a neat appearance.

She had such unspoiled innocence that it was obvious she had been grown as a flower in a greenhouse.

As the princess laughed, Duke Levadein laughed empty-handed.

As the Deltans’ doubts deepened at the sight, Duke Levadein discovered the Deltans.

“Ah, Count.”

Deltan briefly bowed his head.

Then Duke Levadein introduced the princess to him as if it was a good thing.

“7 This is the princess. He is a kind-hearted person who always comes to the mansion and spends time with my daughter.”

Damn.

Deltan’s expression hardened.

“Is that him?”

I couldn’t help the words I said without realizing it.

That’s because the 7th Princess had a very neat and innocent face for a woman who taught Agnes such dirty talk.

Meanwhile, the 7th princess smiled slightly.

“I’m always listening to Agnes. This is 7th Princess Elina von Rebroke.”

Deltan fell into cognitive dissonance.