Episode 603

Lee Han exchanged a brief glance with the skeleton principal.

The skeleton principal spoke with his eyes.

‘Don’t let yourself be shaken.’

‘Understood.’

Even before the Emperor, Lee Han’s resolve did not falter.

As promised in advance with the skeleton principal, he continued on.

“I am truly enjoying it.”

Einrogard was not a place of joy, but rather a place that caused pain to races to awaken their magic…

‘No wonder he’s a dragon!’

Lee Han admired the Emperor’s wisdom.

Even sequestered in the corner of the imperial palace, he had precisely grasped the nature of Einrogard.

“No, Einrogard is the Empire’s greatest magic school. We are receiving the best education. We are not hungry. We are happy.”

Looks like you and Osu rehearsed this beforehand.

“……”

“……”

The two master and disciple felt a pang of guilt inside.

How did he know?

The Emperor continued, as if unconcerned about their lie.

You don’t have to speak if you don’t want to. I only asked out of worry. Osu’s disciples have always met a tragic fate. Either tried to burn the continent, or themselves, or Osu…

“When was that ever…”

The skeleton principal grumbled.

There had been too much talk about a few impatient students causing trouble back when magic education was more rough.

From the dragon’s view, your talent is the greatest among Osu’s disciples. That’s why I hope you don’t burn the continent or yourself. For the continent’s races, it would be truly sad if such a thing happened.

‘Seems like he left the skeleton principal out?’

“Do not worry. Wardanaz is different from the other disciples.”

So you had him face the King of Ghouls?

The Emperor yawned widely, then looked down at the skeleton principal with a listless gaze.

“That was not my intention…”

I’m sure. Osu. By coincidence… Odd how there are so many coincidences around you…

“……”

The skeleton principal bitterly held his tongue.

There had actually been too many times he orchestrated things under the guise of coincidence, so excuses would not work.

From the Emperor’s perspective, there was no real difference.

Faced the sea serpent by coincidence too…

“It was a true coincidence.”

Yes, yes.

The Emperor, apparently not wanting to hear any more, snorted. The skeleton principal’s long hair fluttered upward and then settled down again.

Thankfully, I sense no hatred or the destruction of the continent in the disciple’s gaze.

The reason the Emperor had called for Lee Han was to see for himself what kind of person he was.

Since he was Wardanaz blood as well as Osu’s disciple, there was no telling what might become of the Empire if he ever went berserk.

Luckily, despite all the hardships during his first year, there was no hint of hatred or continent-destroying intent in his eyes.

Moreover, judging by the way he came prepared with Osu, it seemed they were quite close.

Young as he was, he was clearly a large-hearted and steadfast magician.

I’m glad you haven’t completely lied to the dragon.

“I have never once spoken a falsehood before Your Majesty.”

Ignoring the skeleton principal, the Emperor addressed Lee Han again.

Sorry to bother you. I simply wanted to confirm for myself. Now that I know you’re more than sufficient, I won’t bother you any further. Go ahead and jump into as much danger as you wish.

“Thank you… But it isn’t as if I like jumping into danger, though.”

Lee Han, about to let it pass, instinctively replied.

He had intended to just let it slide before the Emperor, but he couldn’t possibly admit to that.

So humble, I see.

“Wardanaz’s one flaw is humility.”

You have that flaw too.

“Haha, such jokes!”

Haha. I’m not joking.

The Emperor and the skeleton principal laughed together. Lee Han did not find it funny at all.

‘This is extremely unfair.’

At that moment, the sound of a bell rang out.

As the clear bell resonated through the vast, cave-like residence of the Emperor, the skeleton principal looked puzzled.

It indicated a new visitor.

“Was there another guest today?”

Who knows… Ahh. Look at this dragon’s mind. I forgot—it was the day to create another imperial heir.

“Oh my, you have many hardships.”

“…?”

Lee Han couldn’t follow their conversation.

What do they mean, create another imperial heir?

“Oh right. It’ll do you good to see this as well. It will help you a lot.”

“What kind of crazy talk is that?”

Lee Han whispered in shock, making sure the Emperor didn’t hear.

He couldn’t possibly imagine what this could possibly help with.

But the skeleton principal ignored him and pleaded with the Emperor.

“Your Majesty. Is it all right for Wardanaz to observe?”

Makes no difference to me, but won’t he be surprised?

“It’s fine. He’s a student of Einrogard. He’ll understand if you explain.”

True, he’s your student—he must have seen things far more shocking than this…

“No. Why would you slander me so?”

As the two conversed, the doors opened and a group entered. There were eleven in all.

An orc woman from the swordsman guild, a mermaid woman from a wealthy noble house, a half-lamia woman from the ranger guild, a human woman who led three merchant companies, a rakshasa man who managed the southern magic tower, a centaur woman who led the eastern vigilantes, an angel half-blood woman from the temple, a wolf beast-woman famed as a mercenary captain on the battlefield, a lizard beast-man master baker from the Empire’s western bakery guild, a dwarf woman from the copper dwarf bank, and finally an ogre half-blood woman.

‘Ogre half-blood…?!’

Lee Han was shocked.

While there were other rare species among the group, an ogre half-blood was unimaginably rare.

But his astonishment was only just beginning.

Are you all here?

Those who had entered bowed as formally as possible. The Emperor solemnly declared,

“Conceive!”

‘Word of power!’

Lee Han realized the Emperor had just demonstrated a level of mastery.

A powerful high magic that changed the order of the world with a single declaration!

Just conjuring wind or summoning water would require a dizzying level of skill, but this was making someone pregnant.

He was too shocked by such magical mastery to even be surprised at the events themselves.

‘No. No…!’

Finally coming to his senses, Lee Han realized what was happening.

Right now, before his eyes, the Emperor was magically creating new imperial royalty!

It’s done. You may go.

At the Emperor’s words, those who had come in gave their utmost respectful bows and exited.

The dragon gave a weary sigh through his nose, his eyes more tired than ever.

Hopefully this time there’s a decent heir. Osu.

“I’m sure there will be, Your Majesty.”

Don’t tease a dragon with no real expectations. More importantly, you’d better explain it quickly to your student.

The skeleton principal belatedly realized Lee Han’s aghast stare.

For someone who stayed calm even if the sky fell or giants invaded, he had never expected Lee Han to be this shocked.

“Hm. Should have explained it in advance, I suppose?”

“…Please, from now on, explain first if there’ll be anything like this.”

• * *

In the continent where countless kingdoms and empires have risen and fallen, the founding Emperor of the present Empire had one unique distinction.

That was, quite simply, that dragon blood was mixed into his soul.

Had it remained merely a claim, its authenticity might have been doubted, but the Emperor had a relic of promise to prove it.

This relic was not only proof that the Emperor’s ancestor had made a pact with a dragon, but also a promised relic—one the ancestor’s descendants could use to obtain help in exchange someday, if needed.

Fortunately, the first Emperor was able to found the Empire without calling on this relic.

But, as with all flourishing empires, time brought decline.

Plague, rebellion, civil war, raids…

As the Empire’s fate waned, war continued on, seemingly forever.

Every imperial royal, claiming the right to the throne, raised an army.

Betrayal, assassination, bribery, surprise attacks…

By the civil war’s end, all the imperial royals were wiped out in tragic succession.

And still, war did not end. This time, ambitious grand nobles laid personal claim to the throne.

With things at such an impasse, a few serious and loyal heads of great noble families came together to solve the crisis.

How could this chaotic age of war possibly be ended?

Thankfully, the Empire still had fortune on its side. Among those was an exceedingly wise and sagacious archmage.

“……”

Lee Han looked at the skeleton principal, who wasn’t fazed, and simply continued the explanation.

That wise and sagacious archmage, together with the heads of house, uncovered both the dying words of the last royal and the founding Emperor’s relic.

She combined the two and devised a new interpretation.

-Great dragon, by the final wish left by your descendant, we use this relic. Until a proper heir for the throne is born, please rule over the Empire!

Naturally, the dragon was not pleased.

No dragon liked ruling kingdoms. What dragons liked was meditation and seclusion, not dominion and rule.

But an oath is a sacred law.

In the end, the dragon had no choice but to accept the throne.

At the time, the dragon had thought that when the Empire’s chaos ended and an heir was born, he could stop being Emperor.

Most races of the continent were extremely power-hungry…

Chaos only now, but surely they’d come back soon!

“…That’s roughly the hidden history of the Empire.”

The skeleton principal spoke in a serious tone. The Emperor glared at him from behind.

“Th… That’s truly astonishing.”

“Yes. Deeply moving, isn’t it.”

‘I never said I was moved, though.’

“Ah! How many sacrificed themselves to bring that chaos to an end!”

“But, principal. There’s still no heir. What happened with that?”

“That’s not even worth asking. It’s simply because none have been suitable as heir.”

The dragon had misjudged that, since the continent’s races were so power-hungry, they’d soon come for the Empire again.

The heads of great nobles truly loved the present Emperor. None ever wanted new chaos by changing Emperors.

If you had a perfect Emperor, why replace him with an uncertain successor?

Filthy worms. Garbage who enjoy subjugation. Born as slaves…

Ignoring the voice from behind, the skeleton principal launched into another speech.

“There’s one thing not to be misunderstood. Those who determine heirs judge coldly, utterly without self-interest. Understand?”

Osu… The dragon agrees. Of course, all nine of the dragon’s children are failures as emperors. But those after are pretty decent…

“How could those types rule the Empire?”

The skeleton principal shook his head firmly.

His heart ached (though not really), but this couldn’t be helped.

To produce an outstanding heir, the Emperor had first produced nine children by himself.

But these nine inherited the dragon’s traits too strongly—completely unfit as emperors.

How could those who spent their time meditating and in seclusion ever rule the Empire?

Realizing the mistake, the Emperor from then on sought partners and diluted the dragon blood as much as possible.

So faint that only a distant progenitor had ever connected to dragons.

What the Empire’s nobles wanted was legitimacy linking back to the first Emperor, not strong dragon blood.

“So then what happened?”

Lee Han asked without thinking.

It was just too astonishing a tale.

“What do you think? If they were any good, I’d have passed on the throne by now.”

The skeleton principal answered matter-of-factly.

The stronger the dragon’s blood, the more able but the lazier they became.

The weaker the dragon’s blood, the less benefit there was in ability.

In the end, they were just noble brats born to comfortable houses—how could such types ever surpass a dragon as an emperor?

Most were just ambitious fools.

Come to think of it, aren’t there some royals among your friends? What do you think?

The Emperor asked Lee Han.

There was a twinkle of anticipation in his eyes.

“Uh, um, well, you see…”

The skeleton principal shook his head in pity.