The conversation between the Emperor and Ezekiel resumed.
“Two times the gold coins would be fine.”
“Got it.”
“Maybe three times.”
“Not interested.”
“….”
Verd was the master of the imperial family—no less than the Emperor himself. No matter how crucial Ezekiel was to his plans, he couldn’t be dragged around like a puppet.
The Emperor absentmindedly swirled the chalice.
It seemed he had come with a clear intent, and the Emperor was equally determined.
“Don’t mistake the Audience Chamber for a pawnshop. There are limits to what I can offer you right now. If you firmly decide on the amount of gold coins, I can give them to you step by step…”
“Sun Elixir.”
“…?”
“I want the Sun Elixir. The rest is fine.”
The Emperor was momentarily speechless.
Just the fact he mentioned the Sun Elixir so easily was shocking. Even if the Emperor himself fetched it, he could only obtain a few drops in a month.
But there was something even more surprising.
‘Has he started to grasp my true value?’
The exact value Ezekiel called out was what the Emperor had vaguely thought of.
He couldn’t possibly ignore it now.
Ezekiel’s blue eyes shone brightly. His resolute intent to obtain it was clearly written all over him.
“Hey… Ezekiel.”
The Emperor swept his robe through the air.
He was brushing his face with his hand.
“I’ve given all the Sun Elixir I had to the 1st Princess. There’s nothing I can offer you now.”
“I know.”
“Hmm?”
“How could I not know how precious the Sun Elixir is? It must be hard for you to obtain as well.”
“True. Your understanding is correct.”
“But I’ve thought it through.”
“What do you have in mind?”
At that, Ezekiel confidently replied.
“Please give me just one drop a month. It should be possible to give me a total of two drops like that.”
“….”
“It seems like a very simple solution.”
Simple? Indeed, it was.
…Did I not know that?
Even the Emperor was not ignorant of that.
“Newly rich people easily forget the value of gold coins. Aren’t you the same, Ezekiel? Have you already forgotten the value of the Sun Elixir just because you’ve encountered it once?”
“I know it’s precious. But I’m precious too.”
“…Hmm.”
That’s not wrong.
Still, the Emperor shook his head. He was concerned that Ezekiel might develop a bad habit.
“Forget any lingering affection for the Sun Elixir. It’s not an exaggeration to say it’s the most precious thing in the world. Yet, you keep asking for it every time you want something? No way.”
At least he wasn’t lying.
The Sun Elixir, a sacred liquid promising immortality, was indeed precious.
“Then I guess there’s no choice.”
Ezekiel turned to leave the room.
“Throwing a tantrum like before won’t work.”
The Emperor muttered as he fiddled with the apple’s skin.
It was strange that Ezekiel, who had been like a doll, now displayed such unexpected behavior, but he had somewhat adapted. After all, it was the Emperor who held the power over this continent, right?
There was no reason to lose composure.
“Are you planning to write your will and die? You’ll give a huge scar to the princesses. Isn’t that an utterly irresponsible act? You’re full of selfish thoughts.”
“I’m not looking for a funeral.”
The Emperor tilted his head slightly.
“Then where are you headed?”
“I might wander the world, traversing hard-to-track places. After all, I was born to be idle.”
“What’s with the sudden wandering?”
“With a terminal illness, wouldn’t it be shocking for the princesses to see me die? I’d rather quietly disappear and meet my end alone.”
“….”
The Emperor’s grip tightened around the apple.
“…You plan to vanish without a trace?”
“Yes. You pointed out that I’m selfish, but wouldn’t this be a way for the princesses?”
“…”
The Emperor slowly took a deep breath.
“This brat….”
Now, Ezekiel would just vanish?
That’s a loss. A massive loss for the imperial family.
Why was the five conditions created in the first place?
The Emperor had opposed the marriage vehemently, but the five princesses eagerly accepted Ezekiel’s proposal. He couldn’t withstand the pressure of their approval.
In other words, it meant the princesses had opened their hearts to Ezekiel, and if the main character, Ezekiel, disappeared, things would inevitably become distorted.
‘…After all the effort put into raising such children.’
If the imperial family was a grand mansion standing tall in the continent, the five princesses were its pillars. Whether those pillars would collapse depended on Ezekiel.
“Consider the matter concerning the 1st Princess a failure. I’ll live simply for the rest of my life and depart.”
“…Wait.”
“Yes?”
“I said to wait.”
The Emperor exhaled a deep sigh and spoke.
If Ezekiel vanished, it was not only a loss of a great talent but also a problem that the princesses would then begin to search for the reason behind his disappearance.
It wouldn’t be just a matter of blaming the Emperor. After throwing everything aside, they’d probably search the entire continent… no, it would be evident they’d cause chaos to find him.
It would be an enormous waste of manpower and time.
“Fine. Give him two drops.”
“Hmm?”
Ezekiel tilted his head casually.
“Why two drops?”
“What?”
“Your Majesty, it’s three drops.”
“You just mentioned two drops.”
“Thinking about it more, I should receive a larger amount. I’ll be getting balance through the 1st Princess, right?”
“…”
“No, three drops would still be insufficient. Given that I’m feeling ill and might need to prepare for my next journey, five drops would…”
“…Let’s make it three drops. Three drops.”
“Thank you.”
Quack—!
The apple held by the Emperor burst under the pressure. Normally, Ezekiel’s head should have been the one to burst. What’s going on here?
‘To think I’d really come to raise this brat like a son-in-law.’
The Emperor was fundamentally indifferent to everything.
When he had discovered Ezekiel in the Palace of Penance, he only felt like he had salvaged the most exquisite doll weapon available. Just a mere replaceable part. That was it.
However, Ezekiel was changing a lot.
He had changed himself, transformed the princesses, and now, perhaps… he was affecting even the Emperor.
The Emperor suddenly looked down at his robe.
‘…Am I truly being influenced? Me?’
It was the first time he experienced such a thing. A genuinely unfamiliar change.
Anyways, it had now become something he couldn’t dismiss.
“Ilaref, show yourself.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The space in the Audience Chamber shimmered like a mirage, and a tall man appeared. It was Ilaref, quietly acting as the Emperor’s subordinate.
“Draft a contract. It should say that three drops of Sun Elixir will be distributed over three months.”
“Three drops? You’re granting a generous three drops?”
“Don’t question it.”
“…I apologize. I will comply.”
As Ilaref promptly vanished, Ezekiel nodded satisfactorily.
“Thank you for your great generosity, Your Majesty.”
“I didn’t realize your mind had gotten this deep.”
As humans grasp more honor and power, they grow more careful to maintain their dignity. Eventually, this dignity becomes a shackle, and they tend to avoid doing anything that will damage their reputation…
…But Ezekiel was a terminally ill person with nothing to lose. Instead, he stepped forward confidently, which made it quite uncomfortable for the Emperor.
“Thanks to the Sun Elixir, your life will surely be prolonged greatly, but be prepared for it to be ‘squeezed’ a lot.”
“There’s nothing I can’t do for the Sun Elixir.”
“Hmm.”
The Emperor slowly drank from the chalice.
‘Yeah, three drops are still reasonably cheap.’
In fact, he had tried to create more weapons after Ezekiel but failed to produce another masterpiece like Ezekiel in the continent.
While the Sun Elixir was precious, it was also true that Ezekiel’s growth was dazzling. If Ezekiel lived long and worked, it would be worth it for the Emperor.
‘Thinking about it, it’s not too bad.’
Just as the Emperor was pondering this,
Ilaref reappeared.
“Your Majesty, the contract has been completed.”
“Good work.”
“In addition, here is the elixir you promised earlier.”
At that, the Emperor’s hand, still fiddling with the apple, halted.
‘An elixir? Why those from the imperial treasury’s third floor…?’
Ilaref had carefully selected the best elixirs among many. At a moment like this, should he praise him for a job well done or scold him?
“I promised to provide the Sun Elixir, so it really isn’t necessary to provide an elixir as well. Return it to its rightful place…”
“Thank you.”
Before the Emperor’s words could finish, Ezekiel snatched the elixir out of Ilaref’s hand.
Chug chug chug—
Like an idle person drinking alcohol, he naturally chugged it all down in one go without saying a word.
“I feel a bit more strengthened. Thank you.”
“…Right.”
Now, the Emperor simply wanted to drive Ezekiel out.
The robe fluttered in the air, as if signaling him to leave the Audience Chamber.
“Since we’ve done the contract, go. Let’s not see each other for a while.”
The great stone door of the Audience Chamber opened.
“Looking back, it wasn’t a bad deal. However, remember one thing. If you gain a long life, you must bear a heavy responsibility.”
“Yes.”
“Work hard to fulfill the five conditions and think deeply about the princesses. You say you’ll vanish? There’s no place in the continent where I can’t see you. I’m merely indulging your tantrum today.”
“I understand.”
However.
Even after the door opened, Ezekiel did not leave.
“By the way, I have one more request.”
“…?”
Ezekiel waved the 1st Princess’s time check.
“After receiving the elixir and the Sun Elixir… well?”
“I’d like you to create four more checks.”
Boom—!
With a strange power, the Emperor instantly increased the check Ezekiel was holding to five.
Ezekiel, surprised by the quick acceptance, tilted his head.
“…You’re granting this without even hearing me out?”
“Yeah.”
“Umm?”
Ezekiel regarded it as good news.
Originally, he’d only had one and was troubled, but now with five, wouldn’t he just have to give one to each princess? It certainly made things much easier.
It was as if the Emperor read his thoughts and spoke up.
“Ezekiel, your thoughts are too obvious. You’d think if you give one to each princess, there’d be no problem.”
“Yes. Thanks to you, it has become possible.”
“You really don’t understand a woman’s heart.”
The Emperor started to smile subtly.
It was somewhat unsettling for Ezekiel, who had gained significant benefits since visiting the Audience Chamber, feeling somewhat anxious.
“What do you mean?”
“When one becomes five, they’ll expect all five to be given to themselves. That’s what a woman’s heart is. It means it won’t turn out as you expect.”
“Hmm?”
“Well then, whether you’re squeezed dry or split into five and thrown away, it’s up to you. I’d rather not get involved.”
Ezekiel hurriedly pushed four checks.
“Your Majesty, let’s just disregard this…”
“Get lost.”
Boom—!
With a massive sound, the door to the Audience Chamber slammed shut.
Ezekiel stood there, staring blankly at the five checks in his hands.
Uh…
Uh…?
Everything was good, but it felt like he had made a huge mistake at the end.
…A colossal mistake.
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