episode_0205

It wasn’t long before I returned to the palace.

I was here, staring blankly at a knight.

The strongest man in the palace who brought me here.

Godric of the First Division.

“Wow..”

I couldn’t help but be astonished as I looked at his face.

‘…How on earth does a person’s face become like that?’

The last time I saw him, he was a rather tall and handsome man.

His face right now… yeah. It was like a steamed bun.

His entire face was so swollen that it was difficult to find a clean spot, and there were large bruises around his eyes, nose, and mouth.

I didn’t have any good feelings towards him, but seeing him like this made me feel a bit sorry for him.

It definitely wasn’t like this the last time I saw it… How did it end up like this?

Have you been dealing with some kind of demon?

“…Are you okay..?”

Godric flinched violently, then ran over to me and bowed down before me, his head on the ground.

“I’m sorry!! I didn’t even know my place and treated you so carelessly!”

“Uh…yes…?”

“Just this once! If you forgive me! I will make sure that no one can be rude to you!”

I don’t think I’ve ever raised my voice this loudly even when I insulted the emperor.

I was taken aback by his sudden change in attitude.

“Okay..It’s okay, just get up now..”

“Ah…thank you..thank you..”

As I held out my hand and spoke, Godric slowly took my hand with a moved expression and tried to raise his body.

But as soon as he looked behind me, he let go of my hand and started banging his head on the ground again.

“I’m sorry!! How dare you touch the body of a noble person!! Even if I had ten mouths, I would have nothing to say!”

“Huh..?!”

Ah.. no, why is this person doing this?

When he turned around and looked in the direction Godric had been looking, he saw Athena, Marie, Lily, and Arbes as usual.

“Why are you like that, Hera?”

“Ugh..No..”

When Athena asked with a shrug, I could only reply bewilderedly.

Then Athena slowly approached me, placed a hand on my shoulder, and spoke in a calm voice to Godric.

“I guess you just realized who you messed with. Don’t you?”

“Oh my…you’re absolutely right!”

“Ugh… Okay. I’ll just move on, so go over to the corner.”

As if he had been saved, Godric, moved to tears, started running to the corner as Athena had said.

The emperor, looking at him like that, let out a deep sigh.

“…Yes. Why have our honored guests come back to the palace?”

The emperor speaks with eyes that seem to have given up on something.

I took a step forward and spoke to him as he sat on the high throne.

“I came to request a trade.”

“Deal?”

“Yes. I think it will be good news for you too.”

The emperor nodded as if to continue speaking.

“We will stop the demons.”

“What? Is that true..?”

The emperor’s eyes widened at my unexpected words.

“If you guys help me, right now-!”

“But there is a condition.”

“Speak. I will listen if possible.”

Although he was usually a meticulous emperor who would never show his emotions when dealing with someone, perhaps because the conditions were too unconventional, he was extremely excited.

“Please create a country.”

“Hmm…? Country..?”

“Yes. It’s a country where demons can live.”

The big smile that had been on his face at my words slowly began to disappear.

Soon he became completely calm, closed his eyes for a moment, leaned his head on the throne, and began to think about something.

“No matter how much I think about it, I can’t figure it out. A country for demons?”

And soon after, he opened his eyes and looked at me.

“What on earth are you thinking?”

“We will guarantee certain safety to those who surrender.”

“What!”

With a loud roar, the emperor rose from his throne.

“You’re taking care of the situation of the demons? Do you know how much nonsense that is! Do you think they’ll just follow your words?”

It was an expected reaction.

The demons are fundamentally evil beings.

Of course, demons who have reached a certain level will be able to suppress it sufficiently. Except for a few of them, it would probably be difficult to even communicate.

“Of course you won’t listen to me. But what if you were their king?”

“…….King?”

As if he was quite quick-witted, Barus’ eyes immediately rolled towards Arbes.

If you can’t suppress your ferocity on your own, then you can suppress it by force from outside.

That’s why the Demon King was needed.

“Indeed.”

The Emperor sat down on his throne again and slowly stroked his beard.

“But it’s too dangerous. No matter how much the Demon King controls them, you never know when they might turn around again.”

“Tsk-”

With the sound of someone kicking the door.

Kwaaang-!!

A huge, explosive sound was heard, which put considerable strain on the eardrums.

The knights of the palace begin to panic greatly at the sudden attack.

However, the owner of the bizarre explosion was none other than Athena.

“Barus. Why are you being so picky?”

“You…what is this!”

The knights each raised their swords and stood guard. However, Athena quickly cut them off and ran to the front of the throne, planting one foot next to Varus.

“We’ll take care of everything. Why do you keep talking when you can just create a small country on the outskirts?”

“But the demons..”

Athena shook her head at Varus’s words and glared at him with blazing eyes.

“Ah. The demons are scary. Aren’t we scary? ”

It was a situation where they were openly sending murderous threats to the emperor. But no one dared make a move.

Each and every one of them here. They were monsters who could bring destruction to the empire at any time.

As Athena placed her hand on the throne and exerted strength, a large crack began to appear on the throne made of all kinds of jewels.

“I’ll ask you again, Barus. Do as Hera wishes. Okay?”

“…..”

It was clearly a request, but why doesn’t it feel that way at all?

Varus looked at Athena with his eyes shaking violently, then sighed deeply and answered.

“….Okay, I see.”

“That is a wise decision, Your Majesty.”

Athena approaches me again with a smile.

She pecked my cheek and left a lip mark.

“Solved. Let’s go.”

“Uh…yeah..”

I turned my head to glance at the emperor, but he was just looking at the floor with a relieved expression.

…But he is the king of an empire. Can you leave him like that?

“Athena..wait a minute..”

I felt so sorry for her that I quickly walked past Athena and towards the Emperor.

“Your Majesty the Emperor.”

“…something.”

I spoke to the Emperor, who was muttering while looking at the floor, in the brightest voice I could.

“We will definitely solve this war..! Don’t worry too much.”

“….Yeah.”

But despite my encouragement, his expression did not brighten at all.

And I, who knew the reason, lowered my head and whispered quietly in his ear.

“And when this war ends safely…I will return all the credit to Your Majesty.”

“…..What? Is that true?”

“Yes. You have to fix the imperial power, right?”

“You..”

The emperor looked at me with his eyes suddenly brighter.

The reason why the emperor is so gloomy.

Perhaps it was because his reputation had hit rock bottom.

A powerful emperor who must rule the empire. And a palace that must never be breached.

But that place has been broken several times by Athena and others.

It must be a shame to lose face as an emperor.

When the king’s power is weak, the country is bound to falter.

Me. And the empire that their children will one day live in must not be like that.

“Are you…an angel?”

“Yes..?”

While I was flustered by the unexpected words, the emperor held my hand tightly and looked at me with sparkling eyes.

“Huh?”

“My intuition is telling me that I can’t let you go here.”

“Okay..Just a minute..”

“Dude. Have you decided on a spouse? What do you think of our son, who is a loser but has outstanding abilities?”

“Huh?! I…don’t like it!”

“Ah. I see.”

The Emperor looked at Athena, Mari, Lily, and Arbes behind him, and spoke again with a face that seemed to have realized something.

“I was mistaken. You like women.”

“Ah..no that’s..”

“My daughter…what about the princess? I’ll be satisfied since she’s called beautiful. Please accept her as a concubine!”

But his words ended there.

Sarak-

The tiny sound of clothes fluttering.

I couldn’t see anything, I couldn’t feel anything.

But in the blink of an eye, a huge wave of sword strikes swirled around the Emperor, cutting off all of his lush hair.

As I followed the Emperor’s rapidly shaking eyes, I was struck by Lily’s calm yet intense purple eyes, which sent chills down my spine.

“Sister. Come here.”

“Uh..yeah!”

Seeing the pitiful sight of the Emperor stroking his own head, I immediately ran to Lily.

I hope my words will bring some comfort to the Emperor.