Chapter 57
While the confirmed sight of the jet-black hair and eyes, and the woman’s magic, were surprising, what was truly more astonishing to the Emperor was, in fact, this.
The Emperor’s gaze returned to the knight before him. A fierce anger had been etched on the knight’s normally inflexible, sharp, and cold face. It subsided the moment their eyes met, as if it had never been there…
Even though he had received reports that even this Knight Commander was no match for the mage, seeing it with his own eyes was another matter entirely.
Concealing all interest, the Emperor spoke with a grave expression.
“Now, now. What is this disgraceful spectacle on such a fine day? We have before us a honored guest who aided the Empire.”
Hiding his serpentine thoughts, he offered a benevolent smile.
“But, Your Majesty! How can you allow such an ill-omened presence in the imperial palace…? The existence of a witch will disrupt the Empire’s order! Who knows when she might bring calamity!”
“One might think you were the Emperor, Marquis Vapor, with such concern for the Empire’s order.”
“Your Majesty! That’s not what I—”
“Do the rest of the ministers share this opinion? That a mage is not a witch is a fact uncovered by this Imperial Family. Surely you are not expressing doubt towards the Imperial Family itself?”
“N-No! Your Majesty, how could I dare…”
“Ahem! Hmm…!”
Marquis Vapor shook his head in a panic, and forced coughs erupted from various corners. Those who had been chattering animatedly all shut their mouths at once, pretending ignorance.
“You were just talking with me about it! Go on, say—”
“Let us overlook Marquis Vapor’s indiscretion, Your Majesty. A hero who aided the Empire deserves a fitting reception.”
A voice with an overwhelming aura cut off the Marquis’s words in an instant.
“Indiscretion? Who are you—!”
His dignity thoroughly bruised before the young, green nobles, the Marquis turned his head sharply, his face turning red and purple.
“Is that not so, Marquis?”
But when he identified the owner of the voice, he could only tremble, rendered completely speechless. Seeing the Marquis in this state, those standing nearby began to inch away, one by two, fearing they might get splashed by the sparks.
The tall man who had somehow drawn near was staring down at him, pressing for an answer. Marquis Vapor forced his contorted face into a strained smile.
“Ah-ha, haha… Your Grace… Yes, yes… That’s right. I spoke out of turn.”
“Is that so? The formal banquet hasn’t even properly begun yet… Have you had too much to drink, Marquis?”
“Ah…”
“Drink in moderation. You’re not exactly young anymore. Keep this up, and you might… pop off.”
The bluntly spoken words sounded like concern on the surface, but they were nothing short of a threat. The Marquis, who had instantly turned pale, half-mumbled a response and then quickly retreated, despite his cumbersome body. The man who had pushed the Marquis aside turned his head indifferently toward the Emperor. With his thick golden hair and red eyes, the man was tall and imposing despite his age, looking both different and strikingly similar to the knight before the Emperor. He offered a simple, silent salute to the Emperor as a gesture of respect.
“Thank you for stepping in, Duke de Xtion.”
It wasn’t quite the conclusion the Emperor had desired, but the situation had been neatly resolved. While doubts about the mage remained, she was a card the Empire could not afford to lose. The Emperor looked once more at the black-haired mage before him. He deliberately softened his gaze toward her while simultaneously calculating the benefits she would bring the Empire.
The Emperor let out a deliberately short sigh and continued.
“My, my. When the Empire should be putting its best foot forward… Allow me to apologize on their behalf, Mage.”
Yet, lost in her own thoughts, she offered no reply to the Emperor, merely blinking her eyes. Unable to stand it any longer, Ronius called to her, his voice urging.
“Mage.”
Only then did she part her tightly pressed lips with a soft, “Ah.”
“It’s fine, Emperor. Well, what can one do when they are both ignorant and shameless?”
Her pale voice flowed forth, soft and measured, and her eyes curved into gentle crescents. And in the wake of her fading words, a silence colder than any before settled over the hall. The nobles, who had just been openly called uneducated and impudent, couldn’t hide their displeasure, yet they furtively glanced at the Emperor to gauge his reaction. The Emperor, who had spent his life surrounded by sycophants, seemed to be struggling to maintain his mask, but not even he could hide the vein throbbing on his brow.
“…Here.”
Belatedly, she added the word as if tossing it to him, like saying, ‘There, take it.’ Ronius suppressed a heavy sigh, and only the Crown Prince’s tactless, snickering laughter echoed through the hall.
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