Chapter 02
0. Please shake the carrot. (2)
Meeting a suspicious emperor felt uncomfortable, and honestly, she also kind of wanted to blatantly run away right before the audience and give him a nice slap in the face.
Isn’t throwing in a resignation letter at your boss every office worker’s dream?
Sure, this wasn’t a resignation but rather being labeled an archmage who deserted without permission, but really, how different was that?
Alright. Let’s run.
The carriage stopped the moment she made up her mind. From here on was the dismount zone, where everyone, regardless of status, had to proceed on foot.
“Count Kim, please step down.”
As Selena exited the carriage, the corners of her lips curled upward. Perfect timing. She rolled her eyes, examining the traces of teleport-interference magic circles installed throughout the imperial palace grounds, searching for the weakest gap.
Even with interference magic in place, she could analyze the array in a few seconds, temporarily disable part of it, and teleport out.
Of course, it wasn’t easy.
It was impossible for barely teleport-capable 5th-class mages, practically impossible for 6th-class mages, and difficult even for 7th-class ones.
She was an exception.
Naturally so.
Selena was one of only three archmages in the Empire.
Her sharp green eyes, belonging to someone very aware of how exceptional she was, locked onto one corner.
Hmm. The garden at a forty-five-degree angle had noticeably weaker interference. That would do.
“I feel dizzy after being outside for the first time in a while. I should rest for a bit.”
“Shall I summon a physician?”
“No, it’s not that bad. Sitting in that garden for a moment should be enough.”
The imperial attendant, who dared not rush an archmage, bowed respectfully and guided her.
It wasn’t wartime, not an official summons, and not a criminal appearance request. Just a simple meeting.
Outright refusal would be troublesome, but being a little late was no issue at all.
Especially for an archmage like Selena, who had already decided to leave the Empire.
The Emperor might get annoyed, but so what? Why should she care? Not her problem. She was leaving. She was going to another country, shedding every shackle and restraint the Empire placed on her.
An imperial archmage escaping by teleportation from the imperial palace, the pride and fortress of the Empire.
“Heh.”
Just imagining the nobles’ faces twisting in outrage made her giddy.
In high spirits, Selena fluttered into the garden.
Trees covered in blooming white flowers. Elegant marble bird statues were posed here and there, and smooth tiles, each nearly ornamental, formed the paths.
It screamed imperial garden, lavishly watered with tax money. Which meant it was stunning.
Perhaps because it lay on the route to the Emperor’s work palace, the Ruby Palace, there were barely any people. Only a few palace guards stood at regular intervals like statues themselves.
Selena was satisfied.
Just as she was about to begin reading and dismantling the interference array to cast teleportation—
Her sensitive perception caught a group slowly approaching her location.
Her brows drew together.
Judging by their mana presence, they weren’t ordinary knights.
If she moved mana now, they would sense it and come to investigate.
Guess I’ll have to wait until they leave.
A few minutes’ delay wouldn’t matter, so Selena casually sat on a bench.
She didn’t love the unexpected wait, but curiosity crept in.
Who could it be? Four people of that caliber escorting someone. Given this was a garden right in front of the Emperor’s office palace, someone important enough to stroll here with knights…
Maybe a count, at least.
If so, a simple nod would suffice.
One of her small pleasures was mocking nobles who seethed because she, a commoner-born archmage, didn’t bow humbly to them.
If you don’t like it, become an archmage yourself. Heehee.
“The one and only noble Empress of the Empire arrives. Count Kim, show proper respect.”
There would be no pleasure for her today.
Grumbling internally, Selena rose from the bench, lowered her gaze, and placed her left hand over her right chest. A simplified greeting used when meeting someone of higher rank.
“Selena Kim greets Her Majesty the Empress.”
“It is a pleasure, Count Kim. Please raise your head.”
With the Empress’s permission, Selena lifted her head and looked at her with faint curiosity.
Cotton-candy pink hair. Blue eyes clearer than a dawn-lit lake. Lush eyelashes that looked like they could support five matchsticks without drooping, and lips lovelier than flower petals.
Selena was impressed.
No wonder the current emperor had done something as insane as holding a wedding the very next day after his coronation. If her spouse looked like that, she’d have stamped the marriage papers as fast as possible too.
And it wasn’t just her looks. The Empress had been with the Emperor since his days as a prince in name only, before his foundation was secure. A former count’s daughter who stood by him through the precarious years when he was overshadowed by half-brothers and could have been assassinated at any time, all the way until he became emperor.
Aria Elsaik, former lady and current empress.
Their romance and rags-to-riches life story were famous.
Even Selena, buried in dimensional magic research, had heard bits and pieces.
There was even a romance novel based on them, Love of the Century, published with imperial approval.
Recalling the hopeful, dreamy novel she had read about two years ago, Selena nodded to herself.
If even half of it was true, the Empress would be the Emperor’s most cherished beloved.
…And yet.
For such a remarkable empress, her complexion seemed… off.
Once Selena tore her gaze away from that overwhelmingly beautiful face, she noticed the pale skin, the thin limbs, and the slender neck revealed beneath a simple sleeveless dress.
She looked like she might drop the small basket she was carefully holding at any moment.
…Why the Empress was carrying a basket at all was beyond her.
Was this some new fashion trend?
Deciding that other-world fashion was incomprehensible as usual, Selena clicked her tongue.
Was the Empress ill? If that were the case, the Empire would be in an uproar. Then again, she had heard the Empress was very frail when she was still a noblewoman.
What a pity. Beautiful people should live long and healthy lives to bring peace to others’ hearts.
In any case, she didn’t want to keep a sick person standing too long, so Selena prepared to offer a brief greeting and head deeper into the garden.
But before she could speak, the Empress spoke first.
“Are you on your way to meet His Majesty the Emperor?”
How did she know that? Their official business should be separate. Pillow talk, maybe? Truly the most powerful couple in the Empire. No separation between public and private.
Selena answered honestly.
“Yes.”
Even though she planned to run before that.
Carefully hiding her true intentions, she replied briefly but politely. At least, she thought so. Objectively, there was nothing wrong with her response. She could swear it on her mana.
“……Hic… h-huh… So in the end…!”
That answer absolutely did not warrant the Empress bursting into tears with those beautiful blue eyes!
Selena panicked as tears streamed down.
“Y-Your Majesty?”
What the hell? Why are you crying?! Did I accidentally swear? Did I unknowingly commit lèse-majesté? Are those knights about to carve me up?!
Selena spun the mana ring around her heart, preparing for a possible attack.
Fortunately, a battle between her and the imperial knights did not break out.
“Count Kim, I…”
Just as the Empress wiped her tears with one hand and tried to continue—
One of her escort knights rudely stepped in front of her.
“Your Majesty, you must not say any more. You have already used all three words permitted by His Majesty.”
The Empress’s rose-colored lips closed.
Selena blinked.
…Did I hear that wrong? Three words? Permitted by His Majesty? What…?
Seeing Selena’s confusion, the imperial attendant, who had been bowing at a perfect right angle since the empress arrived, quietly explained.
“By imperial decree, Her Majesty the Empress is forbidden from interacting with others more than three words per day.”
