A woman resembling the wolf of the snowy plains.
Her stature boasted a confidence that belittled any grown man, and her eyes shone like molten gold.
The 1st Princess of the Empire, Ither.
Ither silently gazed upon the throne.
In the presence of the Emperor, whom everyone feared, even in the audience chamber where she could confront him, Ither showed no signs of intimidation. Instead, she wore an expression as if she had much to say.
“1st Princess, I didn’t teach you your manners.”
Instantly, a reply came back.
“Manners. Of course, I’ve learned that too.”
The 1st Princess lifted her chin slightly.
“Thus, I know very well whom manners are directed towards. There are no manners to offer a conman.”
The chalice, levitating in the air, gently rippled.
Who would dare to treat the Emperor like this?
“Hmm.”
Yet the Emperor chuckled lightly, as if he enjoyed this side of the 1st Princess.
“So, what brings you here? Come to show some filial piety after a long time? That wouldn’t be unpleasant.”
“What is filial piety? It requires deliberation. Perhaps, taking a break from your dreary life? Is that filial piety?”
Ither smiled as she looked at the throne.
Perhaps the Emperor smiled back at her.
“You’re still unyielding. Now, let’s get to the point.”
“Emperor, I have a warning for you.”
“A warning?”
The angle of the chalice in the air tilted even more. The Emperor appeared intrigued.
“I have never received a warning before.”
“How clever. I too, have never seen anyone who didn’t heed my warnings.”
The Emperor let out a low laugh.
“1st Princess, you’ve grown a lot since I last saw you. Let’s hear what wisdom you’ve gathered.”
With great confidence, Ither declared.
“Do not touch my teacher, Emperor.”
“….”
The chalice that had been rippling in the air paused momentarily.
A silence hung in the air. It was quite unusual for the 1st Princess to speak of someone else.
“…Ezekiel?”
“Yes, my teacher.”
The liquid in the chalice flowed into the air.
“So you’re saying the 1st Princess….”
The Emperor spoke very slowly.
“You, who boldly visit the Emperor’s audience chamber to merely issue a warning not to touch your teacher?”
“You understood it well. Now keep it as a promise.”
“1st Princess, your childhood must be long gone. Are you truly intending to exchange playful jests with me now…?”
At the same time, an indescribable power began to emanate from the Emperor’s throne. It felt as if a mirage was rising throughout the entire audience chamber.
Yet, Ither matched his intensity, igniting her own aura.
Rumble rumble rumble─
Finally, the entire space began to shake.
—What, what is happening?!
—The entire earth is shaking!
It wasn’t just a tale restricted to the audience chamber, chaos erupted from outside with panicked voices.
—Everything! Everything is collapsing!
—Aaaah!
Just when those outside seemed likely to suffer severe injuries.
“….”
Surprisingly, the Emperor was the first to withdraw his strength.
“Why would the 1st Princess issue such a warning? Let’s hear it.”
Ither sneered.
“It’s not as the 1st Princess that I speak, but as Ither. If you touch my teacher again, you will have to face me, stripped of all my titles.”
“1st Princess, do you think you can win?”
“I am not a coward who fights only battles I can win. I’ve simply won all battles I’ve encountered. I just don’t approach with the mindset of defeat. That’s who I am.”
“Hmm….”
The Emperor chuckled softly.
“Are you really prepared to risk your life for a mere man? Have you lost your mind, or have I underestimated you?”
“Both are wrong.”
“Then?”
“You lied to me. You claimed you found a better opponent than my teacher.”
Ither grabbed a light arrow and aimed it at the throne.
“Your lie. That is the reason for my visit today.”
“That can’t be. I’ve never lied.”
The apple thrown into the air crunch, vanished.
“I turned a guy who loitered in a village into a fine Inspector. This current teacher far surpasses the one before. Is that not so?”
“To think that the Emperor of this Empire has such a preference for mere wordplay. What a shame.”
Ither summoned a bow and nocked the light arrow.
“Emperor, hand over the Sun Elixir.”
“Oh.”
With a strange expression, the Emperor looked at Ither.
“In other words, I should hand over the Sun Elixir because I deceived the 1st Princess? Is that what you mean?”
“Indeed, you grasp concepts quickly. However, is your reluctance to act a matter of stubbornness?”
“How entertaining. Truly entertaining. To demand the most precious Sun Elixir from me, the Emperor! The 1st Princess has finally lost her fear.”
With that said, silence fell for a moment.
Ither calmly pulled the bowstring taut.
How much time passed after that.
At the very moment Ither’s fingertips were about to release the bowstring.
“I will grant Ezekiel the Sun Elixir.”
At that, a look of confusion crossed Ither’s face.
Unlike before, Ither now understood how precious the Sun Elixir was. She knew the Emperor was not someone who would waste such a treasure.
She never expected he would relinquish it so easily.
With a puzzled expression, the 1st Princess looked at the Emperor, who merely continued to let the chalice ripple leisurely.
“1st Princess, but don’t get it twisted. The Sun Elixir is not given because of your demands.”
“What do you mean? Explain.”
“I already made a deal with Ezekiel. The terms were to purchase his portrait with the Sun Elixir. In other words….”
The Emperor’s teeth showed in the air.
Smirk, revealed white teeth.
“The reason I comply with your warning not to touch Ezekiel is that I will continue to touch him countless times. Don’t get it twisted.”
“You have finally lost your mind.”
The next moment.
Boom──!
Ither’s spear exploded from the throne.
No, just before it could explode, the space warped.
Whoosh──!
The distorted space consumed the spear.
The Emperor, chuckling softly, began to descend the steps connected to the throne, his robe adorned with countless decorations trailing behind him.
“1st Princess, the story from here on is very important. Shall we discuss it over some fruits?”
“Emperor, I commanded you not to touch Ezekiel.”
“Ha… listen to me first.”
The apple thrown into the air splat! disappeared from view.
“As you know, you, who leads the monster subjugation, must be aware that the movements of the Demon Realm are troubling. It is obvious that a great disaster will soon engulf the entire continent.”
“And?”
“Does the 1st Princess know this flower?”
The Emperor suddenly presented a flower.
It looked wilted yet held more mana than any other flower. Because of its peculiar nature, Ither was very familiar with it.
“…Ezekiel?”
“Yes, there once was a boy who survived until the end in the Palace of Penance long ago. He named this flower because of its resemblance.”
Ezekiel’s essence was trapped within the chalice.
Puff──!
In an instant, it turned to powder and fell away.
“It is not common and difficult to cultivate. You must give it just one drop of water right before it dies. Otherwise, it will perish.”
“…”
“However, if nurtured well, it yields tremendous results. Just one bloom holds the mana of an entire mountain.”
“So?”
“That’s not the main point.”
The robe swirled and turned as it began to slowly walk back up the steps toward the throne again.
“Right now, with the Demon Realm being troubling, the continent needs a weapon, and Ezekiel is a human who must be painfully raised. There’s a method for using him.”
“Emperor, how dare you….”
“Emperor, well said. Why am I the Emperor?”
The robe had returned to the throne atop the steps.
“Because I am the strongest? Not at all.”
“Then?”
“Because I sacrifice myself for the continent. With the Demon Realm being troublesome now, Ezekiel is the only one who can hope for the continent. Hence, he must be nurtured in the right way.”
“…”
Ither held her silence for a moment.
She seemed to have lost her words.
So, this was the way of thinking of the Emperor, even if it ultimately meant torturing Ezekiel, torturing him again and again, pushing him to the brink of death, forcing him to endure pain, torturing him with hope, making him taste despair.
“Ha….”
Ither finally chuckled.
“Hahaha! Hahahaha!”
And her chuckle quickly turned into a cackle.
Ither gazed at the throne with a bright smile.
“Emperor, I have finally understood your intentions.”
“Indeed. You finally understand my deeper meaning.”
Another chalice was swiftly thrown toward Ither.
It was filled with fine apple juice.
“Today, let’s toast in celebration of the 1st Princess gaining enlightenment. There will be no more childish behavior from you.”
Ither nodded eagerly.
“Indeed. I have gained enlightenment today.”
But in the next moment.
The movements of the two chalices crossed paths.
The Emperor’s chalice merely tipped, but Ither’s was hurled forcefully to the ground.
Crash─!
“…”
The Emperor seemed to look at the spilled apple juice on the floor.
“1st Princess, what are you doing?”
“Leave the peace of the continent to you. Peace, justice… Do you think I’ve become stronger for such things?”
“What then?”
“Emperor, I think I shall get married now.”
Ither sneered loudly.
“You, who raised me so dearly, are saying I will marry the man you’ve raised most harshly. Is there any more rational karma than this in the world?”
“…You, what are you saying?”
“Shut it. If you want me to stop, then kill me now.”
Ither turned her back without hesitation.
The foot that stepped outside the audience chamber, the massive door beginning to close silently, the 1st Princess paused once.
“Ah, one last thing I’ll give you.”
“…”
With her back to him, Ither slowly raised one hand.
And then very slowly.
Very slowly.
“…”
She folded four fingers, excluding her thumb.
Up until the moment the door completely shut.
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