CHAPTER 70…………………..
After a short while.
I arrived at the imperial palace and, guided by the attendant sent to greet me, reached the reception room without getting lost.
The moment I stepped inside, I wondered if everything in the room was made of gold—it was that extravagant.
As I sat waiting for the Emperor, I began to grow tense.
What if he pulls out a sword and starts swinging it around?
Two hours later…
“Yaaawn.”
The tension had drained out of me along with my discipline, and I slouched on the sofa, stretching out a long yawn.
Seriously, when is the Emperor going to show up?
Suddenly, I remembered the letter I had received from Callisto just before leaving the mansion.
Let’s see… how’s Lennox’s study abroad going?
I pulled the letter from my pocket and unfolded it. Then I blinked in disbelief.
Clen, Lennox refused to study abroad. I’ll try persuading him, but… you’d better prepare yourself just in case.
“…That idiot’s right here, isn’t he?”
Or maybe I was dreaming.
But before I could think more, the door suddenly opened, and I jumped to my feet in alarm, forcing myself to look composed despite my head still reeling from the letter.
There was only one person who would barge in without knocking.
A man with blond hair, dressed in clothes embroidered with golden threads, walked in.
At the sight of him, I almost doubted my eyes.
…That’s the Emperor?
I’d heard he was over forty, but he looked much younger—mid-thirties at most.
On top of that, he seemed rather ordinary, even normal.
No wonder Alfeo was handsome; clearly, it ran in the family.
And yet, with that face, he framed and executed two of his own sons for treason…
Why is this world so harsh?
Once again, I felt like the gods hated me for reincarnating me into this kind of novel.
“You must have waited quite a while, Count.”
But he wasn’t alone.
A middle-aged man with sharp blue hair followed behind him.
The moment I saw him, I recognized him.
Duke Penelope?
This hadn’t been mentioned beforehand.
So he’s included in this conversation too?
That made things even more uncomfortable.
The succession of the earldom, the White Tiger spirit beast, the broken engagement with the young duke—my entanglements with him had been more troublesome than with the Emperor.
“I greet the Sun of the Empire, His Imperial Majesty.”
The Emperor sat at the head of the table, wearing an expression of indifference.
Duke Penelope took the seat to his right.
Looking between them, I ventured,
“If there’s a private matter you two wish to discuss, I can excuse myself.”
Truthfully, I really didn’t want to be here.
“No, Count. You stay.”
The Emperor waved me to sit with an arrogant flick of his hand.
Suppressing a sigh, I gingerly sat on his left, facing Duke Penelope.
I quickly offered a greeting.
“It is an honor to finally meet you, Duke. I have long heard of your reputation.”
It was the perfect formal greeting, by any standard.
The Duke chuckled softly.
“I had wished to meet the new head of House Jacqueline sooner. It is fortunate we meet now.”
I just hoped his desire to see me wasn’t out of spite.
I darted my eyes, thinking quickly.
If Penelope is here, this must be about business.
Why was nothing going the way I expected lately?
I bit back another sigh. Sighing in front of the Emperor would be suicidal.
“I heard you’ve created a flying machine. What was it called again…?”
“An airplane, Your Majesty.”
“Ah, yes. That. The Duke seems interested as well—why not work together to contribute to the Empire?”
There it was—the real reason I’d been summoned.
From the Emperor’s mouth, “contribute to the Empire” could only mean: Turn that airplane into a warplane.
This man, a warmonger, often sacrificed imperial soldiers without hesitation if it meant victory.
I swallowed hard, thinking of the letter I’d just read.
If… just if Lennox really ends up drafted…
Would this aircraft end up being the cause of his death?
It was an innovation not present in the original story—so unlike in the novel, his death on the battlefield was a real possibility.
Still, outwardly, I clasped my hands and smiled as though awed by the Emperor’s brilliance.
“Oh! Such a perspective had never occurred to me! Thank you for granting me such insight. I shall prioritize investigating whether it is technically feasible!”
Rejecting outright here would only provoke his wrath.
Never forget: in this world, status is everything.
With that bit of flattery, the conversation flowed more amiably.
“Does the absence of your father weigh heavily on you, Count?”
Duke Penelope asked with feigned concern.
“Yes… but I believe this too is the natural order, so I am striving to grow accustomed.”
The truth was, I’d been too busy to even feel his absence, but saying anything unusual here would only backfire.
Besides, it’s obvious he’s probing for my weaknesses.
I could tell Duke Penelope was wary of me.
I had a good idea why, but I wasn’t interested in dragging out this war of nerves.
“Ah! Then, with His Majesty’s permission, may I excuse myself to begin reviewing the technical aspects he mentioned?”
I wore an expression of reluctant duty, as if I’d rather stay but had no choice.
“Go on, then.”
The Emperor dismissed me with little interest.
Finally free, I left the reception room and let out the sigh I’d been holding back.
“Finally, I can breathe.”
Then I looked up—and froze.
A boy with familiar curly blond hair stood there, pale-faced.
“…Alfeo?”
Why was he here, not at the academy?
But he only glared at me in silence.
Unsettled by this uncharacteristic look, I glanced around, then whispered,
“Take me to your secret place.”
Too many ears were around here.
As an illegitimate child, Alfeo had grown up beaten by his brothers.
So, it wasn’t hard to guess he’d have a hidden refuge.
“You came here because you wanted to ride horses? You really have odd tastes.”
“Yeah.”
Apparently, his secret spot was the stables.
To avoid suspicion, I kept up casual chatter as we walked.
At last, we arrived.
Alfeo went straight to the point.
“Why were you late today?”
“What?”
“Is His Majesty’s command a joke to you?”
His sudden outburst left me more bewildered than anything else.
This wasn’t the easygoing Alfeo I knew.
“And you—why are you here?”
He jerked his chin at me.
“For the same reason as you.”
Ah—about modifying the airplane.
“So what are you going to do?”
“I’ll refuse, of course.”
Alfeo’s face went even paler.
“Do you have a death wish? If you want to die, do it alone.”
“Scared you might die?”
“No one isn’t afraid of dying.”
For the first time, Alfeo revealed his true feelings.
I had thought he lived without a care, like a wastrel.
But if he’d witnessed his brothers’ deaths firsthand, of course he’d be terrified.
Still, even if he obeyed the Emperor like a loyal pup, he wouldn’t survive long.
According to the original story, Alfeo too would die a few years later.
The killer was never revealed, but putting everything together, the culprit was obvious.
Emperor Seriel.
For a moment, I felt a bitter pity for him—an extra who tried to escape death, only to end up meeting it anyway.
It was just like Clemens in the original novel.
“If it comes to it, fly away in the airplane.”
“…?”
Alfeo frowned, as if I’d spoken nonsense.
“If you can’t take it anymore, just fly away. I’ll stash plenty of money in the cargo hold.”
After all, the contract terms had already been “a massive sum of money.”
