Episode 602

Episode 602

“What are you gawking at with such curiosity?”

The skeleton principal, who was walking ahead, looked at Lee Han and asked.

Of course, the capital was the most beautiful and splendid place in the Empire, and the Emperor’s palace located at its heart was the epitome of majesty.

For ordinary people of the Empire, just entering the capital and seeing the Emperor’s palace from afar was a story for a lifetime.

However, this boy of the Wardanaz family was not the type to be overly interested in such luxury.

He’d sooner ask, ‘If we melt down that decoration, how many gold coins could we get?’ rather than care…

“Oh. It’s just, this is His Majesty the Emperor’s palace, but it seems the Empire’s officials use it more.”

Now, the two of them had passed through the capital’s gates and arrived at the central imperial palace via the shortest route using magic.

Alsicle, who had passed through the main gate with them, had gone ahead to the government office where the imperial treasurers stayed, which was also located within the palace.

At first, Lee Han had thought the officials used an annex inside the palace, but that wasn’t it either.

As he walked down the palace hallways following the skeleton principal, he saw that in every room, Empire officials were engrossed in their work with the most tired and exhausted faces in the world.

Wasn’t the palace supposed to be occupied by royalty?

“That’s what you found odd. Well, it makes sense.”

The skeleton principal understood Lee Han’s curiosity.

As smart as he was, he could only pick up on the strangeness faster.

Why, in this palace—broad as a small city—were there only officials walking around and not royalty?

If this were during the old tri-kingdom era, the palace would have been solely for the royal family.

The inner guards would have secured the outside, and only the Emperor’s relatives and their servants would have lived inside.

And even during the seven kingdoms era, the officials would never have been allowed to spread documents all over the floor.

Back then, the palace would have been a sort of salon where nobles from all over the kingdom visited to meet the king, and balls or banquets would have been held every night.

But now, the Empire’s palace was the strangest form the skeleton principal had seen in history.

The Emperor used only a small part of the palace, and the rest was used entirely as government offices by Empire officials.

While the people of the capital, accustomed to it, saw it as normal, someone like Wardanaz, who was erudite enough to ace an Empire history test on the spot, could only find it strange.

“Did the patriarch ever tell you about His Majesty the Emperor?”

“Uh… no, he hasn’t.”

Lee Han searched his memory and answered.

In fact, the patriarch—that is, Lee Han’s father—was himself a grand noble but never spoke on politics or current affairs of the Empire.

Usually, he just talked about magic, or magic, or more magic.

Or he’d curse at divine magic…

“That’s what I thought. Sly bastard. That young punk dedicates himself to magic and dumps the bothersome tasks on me.”

“……”

“Sorry. I sincerely apologize.”

The skeleton principal apologized with grace, fitting an imperial noble.

No matter how much pent-up anger he had, that wasn’t something to say to a son of that family.

Of course, every time he had to manage the Empire’s magical barrier alone, he always wanted to go after the Wardanaz family, but still…

“I haven’t heard anything. But why do you ask about His Majesty the Emperor?”

“I thought you might be surprised if you just met His Majesty.”

Surprisingly, the skeleton principal hesitated a little.

It seemed he was pondering how much to say before they met.

Lee Han didn’t understand.

“I mean, I spent a year in Einrogard; could I really be shocked just by meeting someone?”

“…I already apologized. Do you have to be so sarcastic to be happy?”

“I wasn’t being sarcastic, though…”

Realizing that Lee Han was sincere, the skeleton principal found him all the more annoying.

“Even among officials, only a handful have ever met His Majesty in person.”

“Is it all right for me to take such an honor for myself?”

Instead of feeling happy, Lee Han felt worried.

What if the revered senior officials saw him as an insubordinate junior?

“It’s not that it’s an honor. It’s just that His Majesty is lazy.”

“…?”

“Anyway, as a result, even among the officials, there aren’t many who know about His Majesty. What do you know about His Majesty?”

“I only know he’s ruled for a long time, at best.”

The current Emperor had really lived a long time.

No one knew exactly when he ascended.

In the Empire’s newspapers and many books, they did not dare to mention the Emperor carelessly.

Unlike other histories, outsiders who weren’t royals had no way to systematically calculate or tally it.

But even allowing for all that, it was possible to guess that the Emperor had sat on the throne for a hundred or two hundred years. If the Emperor had changed midway, there would’ve been some indirect reference, no matter how well it was hidden.

“And I suppose he must be an excellent mage?”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because he’s lived so long?”

Ordinary people could extend their lifespan with all sorts of potions and artifacts, but there were limits, and the more you extended, the more unstable it became.

Sometimes, you could infer someone’s power just by their lifespan.

On top of that, seeing the skeleton principal grumble but still obey the Emperor’s words meant he must be a remarkable mage.

“Interesting. Both correct. I didn’t expect you to deduce it that way.”

‘Just what kind of person is he?’

Is he perhaps a demon grand duke?

But if it was a demon grand duke, that wouldn’t surprise Lee Han much.

Lee Han was genuinely curious what about the Emperor’s identity made the skeleton principal act this way.

“By any chance… is he like a chimera you created, principal?”

“…You’re even crazier than the Wardanaz patriarch…!”

Even if no one was listening, the skeleton principal was appalled at Lee Han’s boldness to suggest the ‘Emperor Chimera Theory’ in the imperial palace hallway.

Lee Han drooped a little.

“You said I might be surprised, so I was just guessing.”

“Y-yeah. I suppose it is surprising. I’m surprised myself…”

While talking, Lee Han realized at one point that it had gotten very quiet around them.

He felt no sign of people at all, but the palace scenery remained the same.

Countless masterpieces and sculptures. Ceilings and walls decorated with gold and silver.

Stained glass made not from windows, but from amethyst, malachite, chrysoprase, and more.

At first, you’d think that they’d just come in deep and lost the sounds of people, but Lee Han’s sharp instincts picked up on another possibility.

“Don’t tell me, is this a magically hidden place?”

“!”

The skeleton principal, startled in the middle of talking, was surprised.

He hadn’t expected this young student to notice.

“That’s right. Amazing!”

“Haha. Do you know how much I struggled in the punishment room at Einrogard?”

“This isn’t even comparable. Don’t say such nonsense.”

This palace within a palace, the Emperor’s inner sanctum, was surrounded by an external maze created by the Empire’s best mages.

The Emperor, not wanting to waste his expensive palace, had the officials work here, but also wanted to prevent anyone from wandering into his residence.

He could’ve taken more violent and forceful measures, but the Emperor did not want to hurt anyone that way…

So mages had to put even more effort in.

Still, thanks to that, this outer maze was completed as a masterpiece of magical art, so beautiful that archmages of the past would have been enchanted.

It was as if the very space itself was alive, allowing only those the Emperor wished to meet to pass inside.

And through that, there was no sense of discomfort or confusion. Even if two walked the hallway together, when they came to their senses, one would be in the inner sanctum, and the other still wandering the palace corridors.

“I thought there must be some kind of magic.”

“You rascal…”

For once, the skeleton principal looked genuinely pleased.

The greatest reward a disciple could give his teacher was to exceed expectations.

Sure, the whole first-year outing thing was also unexpected, but that didn’t count…

The look young Wardanaz was showing now was exactly what pleased the skeleton principal.

The small satisfaction that made running this damned Einrogard worthwhile!

“We’re here. It’s best to see and judge His Majesty for yourself. But before you go in, I must warn you of a few things. Normally, those who meet His Majesty are placed under a geas—to prevent them from speaking of him outside.”

“Like in Einrogard?”

The skeleton principal struck Lee Han on the head with his staff.

“Yes. Satisfied?”

“Yes…”

“But you can’t be put under a geas. Just like in Einrogard, they can’t afford to spend the Empire’s entire half-year budget for one geas on you.”

“That’s too much of an exaggeration.”

“It’s not an exaggeration, though?”

“……”

“In any case, watch your mouth. If you talk about His Majesty outside…”

“What will happen?”

Lee Han felt a bit nervous.

Would he be punished according to imperial law for something like lese-majeste?

“His Majesty will sulk.”

“Uh, are you joking?”

“I’m not joking. And if His Majesty sulks, keep in mind it’ll be much more of a hassle than you can imagine. Now. Are you ready?”

“…Yes!”

Lee Han took a deep breath and nodded.

Even if the person in front of him turned out to be a chimera made by the skeleton principal, he would not be surprised and would be ready to bow and say, ‘Your Majesty! Your humble servant has arrived!’ and kiss their instep.

“All right. Let’s go in.”

The skeleton principal opened the door.

• * *

The Emperor’s residence really had nothing in it.

No paintings, no sculptures, no decorations, no jewels.

Inside, it looked more like a vast cave than a palace. If Lee Han was told to find the difference between this place and the giant cave of Einrogard, he wouldn’t be able to right away.

However, Lee Han couldn’t pay attention at all to the barren appearance of the residence.

Because of the Emperor’s astonishing majesty, seated at the center.

A giant body, as if it filled the vast room completely.

Wings so majestic that they could rightly be called more beautiful than any gold.

Even the wise and benevolent gaze, slowly blinking while looking at Lee Han and the skeleton principal.

The Emperor was a gold dragon.

“……”

Lee Han was so surprised he couldn’t even make a sound.

The skeleton principal, as if he understood, lightly patted Lee Han’s shoulder and greeted instead.

“Your Majesty. By your command, I have brought Lee Han of the Wardanaz family.”

Osu…

The Emperor looked toward the skeleton principal and spoke.

The conversations you had with a dragon half a year ago must not have been that important to you…

Lee Han saw the skeleton principal nervous for the first time.

“There’s a misunderstanding, Your Majesty.”

Is your name Osu, or Ohhae?

“Haha! Your Majesty’s sense of humor can make even an old mage like me laugh.”

“……”

Lee Han was left speechless.

What old mage… you’re still young. Brightly young. Compare that to the dragon. Lived longer than mountains and rivers. Even after other dragons ascended, he still can’t leave. Because of a vile oath.

“You’re doing that again, Your Majesty. Wasn’t it your own oath?”

The dragon swore in good faith. He trusted people… But people deceived the dragon and used him. Such vile people as these must be the first since the mountains and rivers were born.

The skeleton principal frowned.

Lee Han detected a familiar feeling in that expression.

It was close to the expression students made when a professor, drunk, started talking about their difficult life.

To put it crudely, it was the ‘Here we go again’ face.

“Your Majesty. There really is a very young mage listening.”

Ah… right. Sorry. I must watch what I say in front of a really young mage. Are you enjoying your life in Einrogard?

“Yes.”

Don’t lie.

“……”

“……”