“Not even a single strand of hair was visible no matter where you were hiding, but I suppose you came directly to the Imperial Palace because you were in a hurry after all?”
“Pascal.”
Mother gritted her teeth and glared at Uncle.
“Are you really going to keep acting this pathetically until the very end?”
“Pathetically? I’m merely trying to preserve the order of the Empire. I don’t believe anyone should deceive His Majesty the Emperor with a fraudulent marriage.”
Uncle Pascal grinned.
The exaggerated smile he wore while feigning innocence looked nothing but vile.
“Of course, I’m not saying that’s what you’re doing.”
“Rayna, let’s stop this and go inside.”
Calling Mother by her name instead of the title “Lady Arno,” Marcus gently took hold of her arm.
This time, Uncle Pascal glared at Marcus.
“I don’t know which guild you’re from, but things won’t go your way. How dare some bastard who came from who-knows-where try to act as Rayna’s husband?”
Ignoring Uncle Pascal, Marcus led Mother and me into the Imperial Palace.
When I glanced back, I saw Uncle Pascal following us with a relaxed expression.
It was as if he was certain that things would not go well for us no matter what brought us to the Imperial Palace.
I had a bad feeling.
‘Marcus is definitely capable. But he tends not to do anything illegal because he wants to uphold justice.’
In other words, he would never do something like seize someone’s fatal weakness and blackmail them.
But Uncle Pascal?
The Uncle Pascal I originally knew would never have done such a thing, but the uncle I had seen recently seemed fully capable of it.
Perhaps Uncle Pascal was not merely acquainted with the palace officials but had bribed them through dirty means.
“What brings you here?”
“We submitted a marriage permit application, but it has not yet received His Majesty’s approval. Due to personal circumstances, we need the approval as quickly as possible.”
“Your name?”
“Marcus Elden. And this is Rayna Arno.”
“Arno?”
At that moment, the employee’s gaze shifted behind us.
Toward Uncle Pascal, that is.
The employee rifled through some documents before speaking coldly.
“Rayna Arno’s marriage permit application is currently under review suspension.”
“For what reason?”
“Upon examination, we found inheritance issues involved. The timing of the marriage permit application is rather suspicious, so additional review is necessary.”
“Then the documents were never even delivered to His Majesty?”
“We cannot present documents with unclear intentions to His Majesty.”
“Why are subordinates making that judgment on their own?”
“We’re not making arbitrary judgments. That’s our job.”
Apparently unwilling to continue arguing with us, the employee’s expression hardened as she dismissed us.
“I’ve explained the situation, so please return and wait until we contact you separately. There are people waiting behind you.”
“Yes, Rayna. Stop bothering an innocent employee and go back. They’re already busy enough, so don’t keep them any longer. Come to think of it, you still haven’t properly toured the capital, have you? Shall I show you around?”
Uncle Pascal cut in as though fanning the flames of a burning house.
Even then, when we showed no intention of leaving, the employee began to lose her temper.
“If your business is finished, please leave now!”
At that moment, Marcus, who had been contemplating something, tore off a necklace I hadn’t even realized he was wearing and slammed it onto the table where the employee sat.
“Our business is not finished yet.”
“…Excuse me?”
The look in Marcus’s eyes as he stared down at the employee had completely changed.
“Inform His Majesty that Klaus Decarean of the House of Decarean has come to seek an audience.”
The moment I heard those words, my vision wavered.
‘What? The House of Decarean?’
The House of Decarean was one of only four ducal houses in the Empire.
In particular, it was a family that had produced the greatest number of Sword Masters in history, to the point of being nicknamed the Sword of the Empire.
The current Duke of Decarean and the Young Duke who had disappeared years ago were both Sword Masters.
The Young Duke, especially, was famous as the youngest Sword Master ever.
I was fairly certain the Young Duke’s name had been similar to Klaus.
‘But Marcus is saying he’s that Young Duke of Decarean? That Klaus Decarean who left his family ten years ago?’
That was impossible.
Because…
‘Klaus Decarean was the final mastermind who fiercely opposed Erwin, the male protagonist!’
The very same Klaus Decarean who repeatedly tried to kill Erwin, and Marcus Elden, who cherished Erwin like his own son, were the same person?
That was something that neither could nor should be possible.
‘Could Marcus be impersonating him? Maybe he’s taking a desperate gamble to meet the Emperor.’
It didn’t seem like something a righteous person would do, but if we missed this opportunity, there was a high chance the request would fail, so perhaps he was willing to try anything.
However, as though mocking my confusion, the necklace placed on the table bore the twin-headed emblem symbolizing the House of Decarean.
The employee, who had been examining the necklace with a face as serious as mine, soon turned pale.
“Th-this is…!”
Her reaction said it all.
The necklace Marcus presented was a genuine symbol of the House of Decarean.
“Please wait a moment. I will bring a superior immediately.”
Her attitude changed in an instant, and she hurried off somewhere.
“…Decarean?”
At that moment, Uncle Pascal, whose existence I had completely forgotten because of my shock, muttered quietly.
His voice trembled with an emotion that was hard to identify as either anger or bewilderment.
“What is this…?”
Unable to comprehend the situation at all, he blankly muttered to himself.
He didn’t even pick a fight with Marcus.
Not long afterward, the employee came running back from behind Uncle Pascal, whose face was deeply furrowed.
“This way, Chief Chamberlain.”
A middle-aged man stood behind her.
After looking at Marcus and the necklace, he bowed toward Marcus.
“I shall escort you inside, Young Duke. The two ladies may accompany you as well.”
“I’ll come too.”
Uncle Pascal interjected without any sense of tact.
At once, the eyes of the man called the Chief Chamberlain turned sharp.
“On what grounds do you believe you may accompany them, Sir Chepelt?”
“I am Rayna’s cousin—Lady Arno’s cousin—and therefore the guardian of these two ladies.”
Guardian?
Even a passing dog would laugh at that.
Marcus seemed to agree with my thoughts, judging by the mocking smile on his face.
“That can’t be right. I am currently Rayna’s and Vivi’s guardian.”
After straightening his clothes, Marcus signaled to the Chief Chamberlain.
“This isn’t exactly appropriate attire for an audience with His Majesty, but given the circumstances, it couldn’t be helped.”
“I believe it is more than sufficient as it is. Then let us proceed.”
Following the Chief Chamberlain, Marcus extended his hand toward Mother and me.
‘We’re going too?’
When I alternately pointed at Mother and myself with that meaning, a mischievous smile appeared on Marcus’s face once again.
“If your legs hurt, shall I carry you, Vivi?”
“N-no!”
Afraid he might actually pick me up, I immediately stuck close to Mother’s side.
Mother looked confused by the sudden turn of events, but soon straightened her posture with dignity.
And I’m not saying this just because she’s my mother—her movements were so graceful and elegant that they instantly drew the attention of everyone around her.
“Alright. Let’s go.”
Before I knew it, I was being led deeper into the Imperial Palace by Marcus and Mother.
When I glanced back, I saw Uncle Pascal trying to follow us, only to be stopped by the Imperial Knights.
☆☆☆
As the enormous doors engraved with the giant World Tree, the symbol of the Empire, swung open, a vast audience chamber came into view.
At the end of the red carpet, seated atop a towering platform, was a middle-aged man whose hair and long beard were streaked with gray.
Anyone who saw him would immediately think, *I am the Emperor.*
I was practically dragged along by Mother and Marcus until we stood before the Emperor.
After barely managing to bow my head properly, a heavy voice descended from above.
“Raise your head.”
I hesitated, but at Marcus’s reassuring pat on my back, I lifted my head.
The Emperor’s gaze swept over the three of us from head to toe.
It was sharp, yet at the same time filled with curiosity.
There was no arrogance or conceit in it.
He was a man who had stood above everyone else since birth, so he had no need to feel superiority toward others.
For the Emperor, having people bow before him was likely as natural as breathing.
“I was told the Young Duke of Decarean had come to see me.”
The Emperor, who had been observing us, looked down at Marcus with a somewhat doubtful expression.
Even though the gaze was not directed at me, it carried enough pressure to make my legs tremble.
But Marcus, the person at whom it was aimed, did not so much as blink.
☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆
