Surviving as a Saint in Another World

Imperial Palace (5)

There is a lot of snow in the imperial palace.

Those eyes are not only the eyes of the imperial family, but also the eyes of nobles all over the country.

Events in the imperial family and the imperial palace were matters of high importance, no matter how trivial, and it was the same as the basic knowledge of nobles to embed a person who would be their eyes on the imperial family in order not to miss it all.

Therefore, events happening in and around the imperial family would quickly spread to all directions unless the imperial family made up their mind to crack down on it.

For example, it was the case of an expeditionary force entering the capital, and the incident that occurred during the march.

Although the number of nobles residing in the capital was not large, the current events in the capital and the imperial family were spreading to nobles throughout the empire in real time with every move.

And it wasn’t just the nobles who were being informed of what was happening around here in real time.

There was also a person who was informed of the happenings in this area in more detail than the nobles, not as a figurative expression, but literally as if looking at the palm of the hand.

“Your Majesty, Marquis Jesta is moving to where the saint is staying.”

An attendant approached the emperor who was chatting with the first princess, Azalea, who had returned to the imperial palace after a long absence, and calmly conveyed what was happening in the imperial palace.

Azalea, who was drinking tea next to her, looked at the attendant who delivered the news in surprise and then the emperor.

“Marquis Jesta? Is he still staying in the imperial palace?”

As I tilted my head as if I had no idea, Azalea inadvertently squeezed her hand holding the teacup.

To Azalea, who was well aware that her father, the emperor of the empire, could not possibly not know the list of nobles residing in the palace, this situation seemed to be the emperor’s intention.

“Your Majesty, was it for this that you separated me from Saint Ronan?”

“Heh heh, how can it be so to arrange time to chat with my daughter who has returned home after a long absence. It is very unfair. Moreover, if I had intended this situation, someone else would have gone there, not Marquis Jesta. Wouldn’t it?”

The Marquis of Jesta was one of the leaders of the nobility-centered faction.

Even though the current imperial family wielded powerful imperial power with an unprecedented number of masters, a person like Marquis Jesta was not a person who could agree with the emperor’s words without any gain.

If the emperor put that point to the fore and set up this game, why would he have created this situation by letting the nobles who would obey him go so far as to tell Marquis Jesta the benefits? I was saying that I should tell you about the big gains.

“On the contrary, isn’t that why you were able to create the situation without any burden?”

However, Azalea did not give in to the emperor’s condescension.

If the target you want to try is Ronan, it is best to use a person with whom you have a somewhat confrontational angle rather than a member of the imperial family.

Now, it is known that Ronan and the imperial family have a good relationship externally, but the royal family should go and create a good atmosphere in the end. If it is known that there was a conflict, even if the imperial family cuts off the tail, sparks may fly.

However, if a person who was opposed to the imperial family goes and causes a conflict, the imperial family will take care of Ronan and the nobles to check each other, and if they form a friendly atmosphere with the opposing nobles, at least they can understand Ronan’s tendencies and intentions to some extent, so it is a loss. is not

The only problem was how to get the opposing aristocrat to contact Ronan, but Azalea knew all too well that the emperor in front of her was a person who could easily do that much like flipping the palm of her hand.

“If that’s the case, it looks like you’re going to eat your father. Isn’t that saint so good?”

Azalea, who swallowed her breath for a moment at the sight of the emperor creating a sharp atmosphere as if penetrating into her inner self, with the emptiness of the atmosphere just gone, lost her mind and soon remembered Ronan.

“Your Majesty, don’t you know that’s not true. Saint Ronan doesn’t have to be tested like this. He’s definitely not someone to have other thoughts about.”

“There is no absolute in this world, Azalea. The fact that it seems like it can’t be absolutely means that the other person has bewitched you that skillfully.”

“Won’t you meet Saint Ronan tomorrow? Can’t we meet in person and make a judgment? Do you really have to embarrass Saint Ronan like this to clear your mind?”

Azalea complained as if the emperor’s attitude was too much, and the emperor was surprised and pleased with Azalea’s change, who had never uttered a weak voice in front of him even after dying soon, but on the other hand, interest in Ronan, who led such a change, continued. had to increase.

The emperor had heard countless stories about Ronan.

The princess was clinging to him, and if she gave the order herself and she wasn’t interested, it would be a lie.

And the more I listened, the less I knew about the character Ronan.

When the princess first came back inspired by the saint, she thought she was simply an idealist.

An idealist who does not bend his will even in difficult situations has the power to attract people around him. This is because the world they talk about is bright and full of hope.

It was unexpected that the princess was swept away by such childish emotions, but since the princess wasn’t fully mature yet, he thought it was because he was swept away by emotions of the past.

However, when the princess said that the saint could read people’s emotions, that assumption was abandoned.

The foundation of an idealist is, in the end, the idealist’s own good humanity and the false belief that others who derive from that good humanity will also be good.

It is their destiny to start antagonizing humans more strongly than anyone else the moment their false beliefs are broken, or to become fools with incoherent logic.

But if a saint can read people’s emotions, if he notices that there aren’t many people as good as him in the world, if he knows beyond that level that the world is more evil than good. It’s strange that such a saint is an idealist. didn’t you do

How can you love this world when you will encounter the inherent evil of human beings more intensely than anyone else in the world, every moment you open your eyes?

So, the next possibility the emperor came up with was an impostor.

The possibility that the saint is merely playing an idealist, a con artist who is deceiving the world for his own survival.

Assuming that, the majority of questions that could not be explained until now have been solved.

But still couldn’t explain everything.

Then, what the hell is the stigma engraved on that hand?

Does Orion say that the world being swayed by a single swindler is fun?

Did a god who didn’t take care of humans for a long time find fun in playing with humans?

What’s more, the things the saint was doing were too far apart to be something he was doing to seek a direction for survival.

Stepping into the slums to find out the truth of the case, confronting the devil worshipers hiding in the church, and accepting the elf’s request to step into the deadly limbs.

It was like a person looking for a place to die.

In particular, when he received information from Hexen about what had happened in the expedition, even the emperor had no choice but to suspect that Hexen was giving a false report.

Even if all the scenes revealing the saint’s competence were left aside, he committed a suicide-like special attack to save the elven queen. How on earth could that be?

The elf queen’s self-destruction was at least understandable.

Didn’t God give a clear answer?

If such a revelation had come down to him as well, if he compared the value of his own life and the lives of those who had to put it on the scales instead of his own, and decided that dying would be cheaper, he was willing to do so.

However, nothing is certain, and the queen has already risked her life to achieve a definite conclusion by following the path given by God, but isn’t throwing herself into the uncertain possibility of saving an elf an alien judgment even for a priest who serves a god?

Hexen, who even talked about him, was also at a loss for words when he noticed that he was influenced by the saint to some extent.

I believed that a person of Hexen’s size would find out the truth without being swept away by the rumors around him and the acting that the saint himself might be doing, but he missed it beautifully.

It wasn’t enough that this unidentified saint bewitched my daughter, and even the person in charge of an axis of the empire’s armed forces was bewitched as it was.

Of course, Hexen was a person who volunteered to join the expedition because there was a precedent in the academy where a saint cured the family’s forbidden leaves, but until then, it was close to a vague favor, but he openly said that he was looking forward to the future of the princess who obtained the saint. didn’t let go

It is a very obvious fact that you cannot get accurate information about that person from a person who has been possessed by that person.

However, as soon as they met the saint, they were all enchanted, so the emperor had no way to accurately identify the saint.

In the end, the emperor decided to find out about the saint by mobilizing direct means.

The first was an incident that occurred during the march of the expedition mobilized by the Imperial Intelligence Agency.

There are so many eyes inside the imperial palace that if you express your opinion to the saint in any way, there is a possibility that it will get into the ears of the nobles, so it was devised as a way to make contact without revealing it, but at the same time, it was also part of a means to find out the saint’s disposition. .

If it’s true that the saint can read people’s emotions, he’ll see through the intelligence agent’s skillful performance and know he doesn’t really care about the child.

How will the saint react to that? Will he find out that he is trying to deceive himself?

The emperor waited for the intelligence department’s report with a nervous heart for the first time in a long time.

“Saint Ronan said he cured the child.”

That’s right…Why did you treat the child? Because you felt sorry for the child? Because you were conscious of the people around you?

“And…they say he left a message for the agent.”

It would have been easier to judge if I had left a word.

Did you ask why you lied? Or did you simply wish the child a blessing?

In the next moment, the Emperor’s countless families were completely cut off by a report spouted by an intelligence agent.

“If you truly appreciate it, stop using the child. The child is innocent. Your loyalty is a virtue, but I don’t think Orion will be pleased…”

At that moment, the emperor felt the saint’s gaze as if he was looking at him from empty space. And even the chilling feeling that the saint’s gaze was seeing through everything about him.

Even if he reads his emotions and notices that the agent of the intelligence department is lying, what kind of thought flow can he go through from there to come to the conclusion that there is a woman behind him to whom he is loyal?

How far did you read it? Did you even notice that it was you who gave the order?

So, is that actually possible with the human mindset?

“The agent who posted the report is in an extremely confused situation. He is talking nonsense saying that he seems to have a duty to take care of this child…”

My daughter and the master of the empire are not enough, and now I have an agent that I have carefully raised since I was a child.

The emperor noticed my heart, which was still beating.

It was a slightly different emotion from fear of the unknown.

“Do you really think that the saint you believe in would be in trouble for this? Azalea, why don’t you put more trust in the one you put your trust in?”

The emperor, freed from his thoughts, said that to Azalea.

Azalea, who received a face-down from the emperor, looked at the emperor with subtle eyes, as if asking if that was the right thing to say to me now.

“What would you do?”

“yes?”

“I’m asking what you would do if you were in the same situation as the saint.”

“I think it’s hard to meet because I’m going to rest early for tomorrow’s event.”

After thinking about the emperor’s question for a while, Azalea gave such an answer.

“It’s standard. Declaring that I’ll bear the aftermath of it is really Azalea, it’s your judgment.”

Azalea hung her head in silence, thought for a moment, then shook her head.

“No matter what choice you make, Saint Ronan is bound to suffer.”

“If it were you, what judgment would that saint make?”

“Well… I think I’ll listen to the story after meeting the other person first.”

“These are the thoughts of people who have no idea how this place called the imperial palace works. No matter what we talked about when we met, the only word that goes to nobles is that a saint and aristocratic nobles had a meeting.”

“Saint Ronan is not a person who makes decisions based on the political situation. Rather than thinking about what kind of person the opponent noble is, he will value the content.”

“Yes, it would be true if it was a person who was actually naive.

“Isn’t it something Your Majesty created? Did you have to keep Saint Ronan in check?”

“Heh heh, even though I feel unfair. What kind of power do I have to move Marquis Jesta?”

Azalea gave a look of disgust because she knew that the person in front of her who said such a carefree thing was the one holding the most powerful power in the world.

“What will Your Majesty do?”

“hmm?”

“Your Majesty, if you were in Saint Ronan’s position, what would you judge?”

The Emperor fell into trouble for a moment.

Azalea’s method is standard, but there is a possibility of building an unwanted relationship. If it were Azalea, even that would be the result of her own choice, so she would declare that she would accept it, but it was not the emperor’s preferred method.

“Well… First of all, if it’s a Belfar gonom, they’ll move the meeting place to meet in an open place.”

And in public, he would lose his soul by saying useless words about how much he liked the scenery of the imperial palace and how happy the flowers were when it rained a few days ago.

It’s useless, but it’s true that I had a private conversation with the other person anyway, so it’s also like advertising to the people around me that I haven’t shared anything reluctant with this person while putting the other person’s face on.

As an aristocrat, there was something unsatisfying because I couldn’t have a close conversation, and the people around me had a meeting anyway, so there wouldn’t be any gossip, but it was a neat way in its own way.

If it were him, he would just act out of confidence that the other person would also be interested in what he likes, and that having such small talk with him would actually be worthwhile.

Most other members of the royal family would probably decline the meeting, saying they did not want to act in defiance of the emperor’s authority.

It’s not such a big flaw for the royal descendants to hide behind the skirt of the imperial family, but no one wants to escape the eyes of the emperor.

If it were him, he would refuse, but as a reason for his refusal, he would sell the name of another noble who might be able to keep the noble in check.

Of course, if you make a mistake, one side will criticize you for sticking with the other, and one side will criticize you for selling your name, so you will have to make elaborate adjustments in the middle. You can put a fight on it and lose your strength.

“…That seems like a way that would only seem possible to Your Majesty.”

Azalea shook her head after hearing the emperor’s words. Even just hearing about it, the emperor’s method was a method that was difficult for most nobles, let alone ordinary people, to even try.

It never occurred to me that Ronan would be capable of such complex political actions.

“Yes, if it’s a normal person, it’s enough to be called a single agent.”

No matter what choice you make, it is a given fact that gossip will come out. The only thing Ronan can choose is to show off his ties with the imperial family, or to avoid gossip as much as possible.

but…

This time, the emperor felt a strange sense of anticipation fill his chest.

“Your Majesty, it is said that the saint refused the Marquis Jesta’s request for an interview.”

An attendant who arrived just in time delivered a follow-up report.

Azalea made a surprised expression as if the saint had made an unexpected decision at the attendant’s report, then let out a small sigh.

It seemed like it didn’t matter that it turned out like this anyway, and that refusal wasn’t bad either.

The emperor looked at Azalea and asked the attendant with a slight tilt of his head.

“On what pretext did you say you refused?”

“That is…”

The attendant bowed his head and hesitated to answer the emperor’s question unanswerably.

Seeing that, Azalea drank the tea as if she was anxious to see if Ronan had made a big mistake, and the emperor urged the attendants as if he was interested.

“Come on, tell me.”

“I’m replying to hundreds of letters addressed to Saint Ronan, so I don’t have time, so I’ll meet you when I finish replying to this letter…”

…

The emperor tore his ears as if he had heard it correctly. It meant that the words of the attendant were absurd enough to inadvertently show off exaggerated actions at royal meetings or to discourage the nobles.

When I turned my head and looked at Azalea, I hurriedly put down the tea I was drinking and wiped my mouth with a handkerchief.

It was evident that he had spit it out while drinking tea.

“What did you say now?”

“It’s a fact that I’ve already confirmed several times and there’s no lie at all. The saint refuses Marquis Jesta’s request for an interview because he doesn’t have time to reply to the hundreds of invitations that came to him…”

“Puhahahahaha!!”

As if he had committed a great sin, the emperor trembled and looked at the attendant who answered again, but he could not stand it and burst into laughter.

It was rare for an emperor to express such a large amount of emotion in a private setting, so Azalea, as well as her servants and the knights around her, all looked at the emperor in surprise.

“It’s a masterpiece! It’s a masterpiece! Yes, it’s much better to fight nobles against nobles than to fight nobles against nobles! Marquis Jesta’s face should have been worth seeing, but you missed the fun spectacle! Better than that!”

“Your Majesty, what do you mean…”

As Azalea tilted her head as if she didn’t understand, the emperor replied in a tone that was still mixed with laughter.

“Didn’t I say that I would avoid controversy by putting a fight between nobles? It’s a much more sophisticated method than that. Didn’t I use hundreds of nobles who sent letters in an instant as a shield? You will be criticized, but how do you know if among those nobles there will be nobles that you can’t handle? It’s a tombstone!”

Azalea suddenly remembered Ronan, who had been giving her a pitiful look as if she had been betrayed by her before coming here.

It didn’t match that such a saint broke through the situation using a sophisticated method that even the emperor of the empire admired.

“Saint Ronan probably didn’t have that intention. He would have refused to reply with a really pure heart.”

“Well…”

On the other hand, the emperor was still recalling the report posted by the intelligence department agent, who was still in awe.

A person who has the ability or intuition to see through everything in the world, but who is doing good deeds for some kind of will.

Whether that was intentional or not, it was clear that Ronan was not an outlandish figure like a swindler who was simply trying to trick the world for his own comfort.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

The Emperor was eagerly looking forward to midnight tomorrow.

* * *

My ears tickle. Who is talking about me?

From nob le mt l. com

Look at me. I’m writing hundreds of letters right now to reject you.

Write… No matter how much it was chosen for my reputation, I think it was a bit too much to reply to hundreds of letters.

Because of the wrist that was gradually aching, he was using divine power to move only the pen instead, but the mountain of letters still showed no signs of diminishing.

When will the princess come back? Can’t I ask the princess to share some of these? Or even the maid standing next to her…?

I watched the maid next to me who didn’t even think to hide her feelings of admiration and awe, and quietly listened to the next letter.

can’t it…?

conferment ceremony

The story of the saint’s eccentricity had already passed through the imperial palace and reached the ears of all nobles before Marquis Jesta even returned to his place in a huff.

A handful of stupid nobles who just didn’t like that the saint was treated favorably, upon hearing the news, clicked their tongues and gossiped about the saint.

Most of the nobles were busy speculating about the saint’s tendencies, talking about the saint’s naive fundamentalist aspect and way of thinking. I paid attention to the accepted part.

They discussed whether this was a measure given by the imperial family to keep the aristocrats in check, and questions about whether or not the royal family and the saint were maintaining a closer relationship than expected came and went.

And beyond that, some old nobles who knew the emperor’s tendencies knew that if the emperor instigated Marquis Jesta’s actions, he would never be the one to give the saint a political solution.

If so, where did the alternative saint’s method come from? Did the naive 1st princess, who used to hang out with the saint, have developed that much?

Naturally, the attention of numerous nobles flocked to the awarding ceremony, which was scheduled for an official meeting between the emperor and the saint.

* * *

The Great Hall of the Imperial Palace lined with all sorts of decorations, as if to personally tell them that this is what splendor is all about.

There, along with all the officials and nobles working inside the imperial family, an event of enormous scale was being held, including the imperial family.

Given that the host of this event was the emperor, it would be meaningless to discuss the scale of this event any longer.

“Now, there will be a medal ceremony for His Majesty the Emperor, the eternal sun of the Dennis Empire and the father of all people. The medals awarded from now on will be awarded to those who have contributed greatly to overcoming the disaster situation of the empire. As a golden cup medal…”

All kinds of ceremonies were carried out according to the order of the ceremony, and finally the time came when the emperor handed out medals to the members of the expedition in earnest.

People in attendance involuntarily swallowed saliva and alternately looked at the emperor and the saint.

Everyone in the expedition, including those who nominally received medals, was said to be the main character, but everyone in this room knew that the true protagonist was a saint who stood at the forefront and maintained a calm expression.

And even though it would be the first time for Seongjae, who is the main character of all sorts of rumors, the event was proceeding without any hesitation.

When the saint first met the emperor, it ended with the saint expressing standard courtesy to the emperor like the people around him.

It was controversial that the saint bowed his head toward the emperor for the first time, but it was unreasonable to say that the saint fully obeyed the emperor because it was an act in accordance with the etiquette.

But what about the moment when the emperor directly attaches a medal to the saint’s clothes and encourages him?

Will the saint really step into the shadow of the emperor? After the collapse of the Holy Empire, it was not strange for the church to show the appearance of bowing to the imperial family, but can the saint enter under the emperor? Then the church will establish an irreversible hierarchical relationship. .

Coincidentally, even the imperial family was giving away medals, which was unusual.

Originally, considering that it is common for the first person to receive the decoration at such an event to be the representative of the group, this must have been intended to emphasize the exchange between the saint and the emperor to others.

As most of the people began receiving their decorations and were nearing the end, the tension in the room grew higher and higher.

It was a very unusual situation compared to the tension that usually decreases towards the end of such a medal ceremony.

“Heh heh, Lord Hexen.

“I don’t know if it’s a good thing or not that it’s a good thing that I keep getting medals.”

“It’s not the worst in terms of being able to finish with a medal!”

Finally, the emperor’s awarding ceremony reached the leaders, and people’s tension reached its peak.

At least Hexen had a conversation that was close to a joke with the emperor, but the princess sitting next to him, and even the princess, were clearly nervous.

Even in this situation, the nobility began to look less like a human being than the saint, who clapped vigorously with a calm smile as if everything was his own business.

No matter what the saint’s disposition or ability was, it seemed clear that his heart was working in a different way than normal people.

“Princess, it is not enough to praise her many times for taking the initiative in solving a problem that could have been a major disaster for the empire.”

“It is an honour.”

“Princess, although she has gone through bad things, she has resolved the hardships and adversities together, so I hope that this will deepen the friendship between the kingdom and the empire. I hope it becomes a token that symbolizes.”

“The kingdom will never forget the actions of the humans who did not betray their faith and reached out to the elves when they were in need. As the emperor said, the friendship between the two countries will only flourish in the future.”

“Good.”

gulp.

A heavy silence settled in the hall, enough to hear someone swallowing saliva.

Now, only one person remains to receive the medal.

The sound of the emperor’s footsteps echoed through the Great War like thunder.

The attendant, who was following with a medal, held up on tiptoe with all his might and followed the emperor as if he were wary of even making footsteps.

Finally, the emperor and the saint faced each other head-on.

Unlike before, the emperor calmly took a look at the saint without congratulating him.

Is this the beginning of a fight? Is the emperor doing this to imprint that I am in a position to give you a medal?

“Yes, Saint Ronan. The protagonist who solved all this situation.”

As the emperor opened his mouth, the tension that was about to explode was temporarily relieved.

If the words of congratulations continue like this, it will end with an ordinary conferment ceremony no different from those who have received other medals.

However, everyone’s expectations were shattered by the words of the next emperor.

“You’ve already been decorated by the elves for this, don’t you think it’s petty to receive another medal from a human for the same job? It doesn’t seem equal.”

Seeing the leaf-shaped brooch on the saint’s cape, the emperor spat out such a bombastic remark.

“It’s great. Cool…”

The sound of the princess’ cough that she couldn’t hide came from the side, and most of the people in the hall also looked at the emperor in amazement.

In fact, it was nothing more than a rebuke for building friendship with the elves. The insistence on the word equality reminded the saint of rejecting the marquis for an equal meeting the day before, so it was quite an intentional argument.

It may seem forced to say such a thing after talking with the elven princess just now, saying that she wants the bond with the elves to last forever, but the emperor of the empire had the power to make such a forced statement no longer forced.

Moreover, for the emperor to use such an aggressive expression in an official, not private setting, was no different from the emperor declaring that he would make a life-and-death decision with his opponent.

I don’t know exactly what the relationship between the saint and the imperial family was, but most people who thought it was enough to maintain a strong relationship, but the emperor’s sudden change of attitude took their breath away.

In particular, the faces of the nobles who sent letters to build a bond with the saint turned blue.

If the emperor made up his mind to kill the saint, there was no guarantee that the people involved would also be safe.

Everyone’s eyes moved from the emperor to the saint.

Depending on how the saint behaves at this moment, this honorable conferment ceremony may be stormed… but…?

The saint, who had been pressured by the emperor, was still staring at the emperor with a calm expression.

It was as if he did not understand that the person in front of him was the most powerful being on the continent, capable of controlling thousands of lives with a single word.

“I think so. But this is because Belluna-sama gave me a token of goodwill. It seems difficult to remove for that decoration, but what should I do? Should I give up?”

People couldn’t even hide their gaping mouths anymore.

The saint also dropped a bomb comparable to the emperor with a calm expression and a pleasant voice.

I don’t know if the saint really had such intentions or not, but according to what I heard, it could be interpreted as saying, “What’s wrong with me being good and making friends with elves?”

Silence fell again between the emperor and the saint.

“Bring it.”

What broke the silence was a word from the emperor.

“Something…”

The attendant who followed with the medal asked back, confused whether the emperor had asked him to bring the medal or the sword to cut the saint right away.

“Heh heh, have you eaten the heat? Where else can you bring me other than medals?”

“I’m sorry!”

At the emperor’s condescension, the attendant trembled and handed the last remaining medal to the emperor.

“It’s something you shouldn’t give up on. At least handing you a medal, wouldn’t there be something to promote that you’re sharing friendship with a saint like this in the imperial family?”

Saying so, the emperor placed a golden goblet-shaped medal next to the saint’s leaf brooch.

“It suits you well.”

While the majority of people were confused and unable to adapt to the sudden change of atmosphere, some elderly nobles looked at the saint and the emperor alternately, unable to hide their astonishment.

The fact that the emperor agreed with the saint’s words just now and gave him a medal was not a trivial incident, such as a simple change of heart.

Until then, this place was a place where the emperor praised the efforts of the members of this expedition and gave awards.

However, at the last minute, the medal given to the saint changed its meaning.

First, the emperor mentions the brooch the elves gave to the saint and says he doesn’t want to give him a medal.

At that time, the medal that the emperor changed his mind was no longer a token of congratulations given by a superior to a subordinate.

Didn’t the emperor himself even mention it?

Just like the brooch the elves wore, it came close to a concept similar to a token given by the emperor to deepen friendship with a saint.

At some point, in an equal relationship, it became a situation where the emperor handed over a gift saying that he wanted to be close to the saint.

Just two words of conversation.

With just that conversation, this place changed from a place to confirm whether or not the saint would agree to step into the emperor’s shadow, to a place to prove that the emperor and the saint were equal.

The few nobles who noticed him were confused.

Is this a deliberate situation? Is it a play between the emperor and the saint? Is it possible to change the situation like this with just such a short statement without intention?

The emperor is a monster of politics, so even so, the saint was still too young to fit in with him, and he must have lived a life far removed from politics.

If so, all of this is the emperor’s intended situation, but what benefit would the emperor gain by acknowledging the saint’s authority as equal to himself?

“Is there anything you want to say?”

Unlike before, the emperor who gave him the medal neither praised the saint’s achievements nor continued to say that let’s get along well in the future.

I only briefly asked about the saint’s intentions.

At that point, people expected this chaotic bestowal ceremony to end.

Since the saint had already achieved great results, he now blessed the future of the emperor and expected that the conferment ceremony would end warmly.

This was no different for nobles who thought that the emperor had completely obtained the saint.

“Is there anything you want to say to me?”

However, this chaotic conferment ceremony never went as they expected from the moment the saint and the emperor met face to face.

Most people have given up following the conversation between the emperor and the saint any longer.

Shouldn’t this kind of conversation be held privately in a secret place? ?

“What do you want to say…?”

“Anything is fine. If there’s anything you want to say, I’ll listen.”

People hurriedly turned their heads at the saint’s attitude, as if he was inducing a confession, as if the emperor had a sin and would forgive him if he confessed it.

The thought that they were seeing a sight they were not supposed to see, and that their hair could be blown off by the Imperial Knights the moment they left this place, did not leave their heads.

“Does this seem to have paid off enough?”

Debt. The emperor’s words were heard exceptionally clearly in the ears of some nobles.

Could it be that this situation did not arise because the emperor was convinced that he could completely handle the saint, but that the emperor owed the saint some kind of debt and did it to cancel the debt?

Paying off a debt to the emperor of the continent and proudly receiving the price. Who the hell is saying that such a thing is possible?

The eyes of the nobles turned to the saint.

“What I want is not reward or recognition. A sincere word from the Emperor.”

Even though the emperor recognized the saint as equal to himself, is that not enough? Or do they have a different story?

The possibility flashed through their minds that the saint might not be merely a puppet playing in the hands of the emperor, but a real equal of the emperor.

What kind of person would you have to be at such a young age to have something that the emperor could truly acknowledge as his equal? Is he right in the first place?

The name of a saint came heavily to the few nobles who reached that conclusion.

Perhaps we have underestimated the name of a saint who has not been seen for hundreds of years.

“…”

The emperor looked at the saint in silence for a moment.

The saint was looking at the emperor with warm eyes, as if telling him to speak comfortably.

“I do not regret my ways. I am the kind of person who thinks my regrets are an excuse for the lives that have been placed on my shoulders. So I have nothing to say to you.”

“…is that so.”

“It was a fun time. I hope you can rest in peace.”

The emperor shook off the saint’s gaze and turned around while speaking in a cold tone, and the saint looked at the departing emperor with rather sad eyes.

It was a very simple farewell for a series of explosive remarks.

In fact, there was no communication process between the two except for the level of remarks.

However, it was a scene that showed that there was an emotional exchange between the two that others could not understand, and that at the end of the exchange, the emperor rejected the saint’s outstretched hand.

The emperor and the saint had never met privately, but when and where did the conversation come and go?

The nobles’ heads became infinitely more complicated.

Ignoring the confusion of the people around him, the saint stood and looked at the place where the emperor had left. For a very long time.

* * *

I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the emperor as he walked away.

Isn’t this emperor really senile?

Is this cheat’s eyes broken? Why doesn’t it appear that the emperor is senile?

What kind of regret are sudden regrets?

Don’t suddenly catch the mood and eat dog grass, ask me to tell you how to get to the annex at midnight!

I insistently asked how to get to the annex at midnight, but the emperor left without saying a word about it.

No, weren’t we supposed to meet at midnight today? Are you really asking me to come out on my own…?

I felt it from the time he played with medals on me, but he was a really nasty man.

I was going to learn the basic etiquette from the princess as an attribute, just like I did when receiving awards at school or in the military, but I was really scared when the emperor suddenly joked with me.

There’s always one person everywhere, the type of manager who thinks he has a great sense of humor. Even this time it wasn’t the manager, it was the chairman.

When I stumbled on the elf’s brooch, I felt the emperor’s playfulness and anticipation rather than malice, so if I hadn’t been able to properly match the emperor’s words, I might have panicked right on the spot and threw the brooch to the ground.

After that, the emperor joked about it, but when he said it, the atmosphere was just the same. Especially, the favorability of the princess right next to him plummeted.

Do you think I am here because I want to receive a medal?

I appropriately packaged my sincerity and the words appropriate to the situation and matched the emperor’s joke, and the emperor quickly stopped joking around and gave me a medal.

Still, it was fortunate that he was a nobleman who knew how to make jokes short and bold.

After that, it was a problem because he was talking nonsense.

What kind of regrets are regrets?

You seem serious. Did I not understand the code the emperor left?

If that’s the case, I can only say that the emperor overestimated me.

I’m not a genius. God doesn’t even whisper the correct answer in my ear. If you suddenly leave such an unknown password, you won’t understand it!

I sighed as I tinkered with the poor medal.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been a righteous thief… should I?

Is there any other madman in the world other than me who was not caught as a criminal in the imperial palace, but came to get a medal and climbed the imperial palace wall in the middle of the night?

It probably didn’t.