Chapter 08
The number one voice I least wanted to hear right now—it was Emperor Perion.
“I pay my respects to Your Majesty.”
“I greet Your Majesty.”
“And our Imperial Palace Diviner is with you as well.”
Our?
It wasn’t only Duke Bordi who frowned at that word. My brows twitched as well, but thanks to the Emperor’s burning gaze, I quickly smoothed my expression.
“By the way, Duke. Do you have so little work?”
The temperature around us seemed to drop instantly. A chill crept up my back.
“To have time to idle about here, I mean.”
Caught between Duke Bordi and Perion, I trembled slightly.
It wasn’t cold at all, yet it felt as though someone had switched on an air conditioner.
‘You lunatics, fight somewhere I’m not present….’
How long did they glare at each other? In the end, Duke Bordi was the first to lower his head.
“My apologies. I shall take my leave.”
“Wait, Duke.”
Perion suddenly stopped him. Both the Duke and I looked at Perion in confusion.
“The Imperial Palace Diviner has something to say to you.”
“…Excuse me?”
I blurted out loud in shock.
That look again. The look that said he was testing me. The look that asked if I didn’t understand what he wanted.
‘Yes… if you say jump, I jump.’
Forgetting the cringing attitude I’d shown earlier, I lifted my chin and addressed Duke Bordi.
“I recently received a revelation concerning you, Duke.”
“…And what would that be?”
“Of the two fruits borne by the old tree of House Bordi, you would do well to manage the first fruit properly. It seems a great incident will occur soon.”
One of Duke Bordi’s brows twitched. Meanwhile, Perion’s lips curled upward in satisfaction.
The old tree symbolized Duke Bordi. The two fruits symbolized his children.
In short, I was telling him to keep a tight leash on his eldest.
In truth, Duke Bordi’s eldest son, Gashin Bordi, was notorious in high society as a fool—high in status but empty-headed, obsessed with women and debauchery.
A man like that causing trouble wasn’t a rare occurrence. Wasn’t it likely he’d stir up another scandal soon? I had merely made a convenient guess.
Duke Bordi gave a chilling smile, as though amused.
“How very thoughtful of you. Should I not offer something in return?”
“The Imperial Palace Diviner serves all within the palace. There is no need,” Perion replied smoothly.
I knew exactly what kind of “return” that would be. I’d be lucky if it didn’t involve poison.
Why was this bastard Perion so determined to pit me against Duke Bordi? I burned with irritation but held it in.
After offering a light bow to Perion, Duke Bordi departed.
‘Surviving between battling whales is no easy task.’
Three days passed after my frosty encounter with Duke Bordi. During that time, I found myself pondering one question.
‘What exactly does an Imperial Palace Diviner even do?’
I’d been lounging around doing absolutely nothing for three days straight. My body was comfortable, but my mind wasn’t.
‘It feels like enjoying the Last Supper before execution.’
I decided I should at least sit upright and look occupied when Benji entered.
“Lady Rani. His Majesty the Emperor summons you.”
The moment I heard that, I felt both relief and disappointment that the Emperor hadn’t forgotten about me.
I straightened my disheveled clothes and followed Benji.
It occurred to me that this was my first time entering the Emperor’s office. I’d only been to his bedroom before.
‘No, that sounds terribly misleading.’
Even though it was just a thought, I already felt ominous about potential slips of the tongue.
Today, I’ll just say nothing! I resolved firmly as we stepped into the office.
Inside, Perion was working with Linen. The desk was piled high with documents.
Linen looked half-dead. It was obvious he wasn’t someone to disturb.
“I pay my respects to Your Majesty, the Sun of the Empire.”
Perion paused his paperwork and looked up at me.
‘Handsome as ever, that rascal.’
I smiled inwardly as I gazed at him, but Perion responded with a cool, unsettling smile.
“You seem to have been doing well.”
“All thanks to Your Majesty’s benevolence.”
I answered without missing a beat. Perion tilted his head as if intrigued.
“Are you not afraid of me?”
“How could I not fear the noble Sun of the Empire?”
At that, Perion set down his pen and rose from his seat. Without warning, he grasped the hilt of the sword beside him and drew it.
Linen didn’t even flinch.
I, however, instinctively tensed and watched him warily.
“When I see that reaction, it seems accurate. Yet your words say otherwise.”
Perion leaned closer as though observing a curious creature.
I tried my best to project innocent harmlessness.
Apparently losing some interest, Perion sheathed the sword and handed me several documents from his desk.
I quickly accepted them, unsure what they were but unable to ask.
“These are documents summarizing the agenda for the upcoming court meeting.”
This time, I couldn’t hold back my question.
“Why are you giving these to me…?”
I realized too late that I’d spoken informally and hurriedly tacked on a polite ending.
Perion looked at me as though dumbfounded for a brief moment, then continued.
“As you said, the ministers’ dissatisfaction regarding your position as Imperial Palace Diviner is no small matter.”
In other words, he could have simply kicked me out of the palace, but instead he was choosing the hard way. I nodded obediently.
“I would like to eliminate them all, but that isn’t feasible.”
“R-Right.”
“So you must prove your usefulness at this meeting.”
“How?”
The moment I asked, I realized how foolish I sounded.
His expression clearly said, Isn’t that for you to figure out? I snapped my mouth shut.
I glanced at the documents—and nearly screamed internally when I saw the meeting date was tomorrow.
“Your Majesty… is the court meeting tomorrow?”
Perion simply nodded.
‘Then why are you telling me now?! I’ve spent three days lazing around!’
“Is it beyond you?”
“It’s not that I can’t, it’s just… perhaps tomorrow’s energy is somewhat unfavorable? I feel a chill down my spine, the vibes are rather—”
I rambled on until I caught Perion staring at me. I flashed a bright smile.
“Unfavorable! But overcoming such things is my duty, isn’t it? Hahaha…”
I never had the right to refuse in the first place.
“I will do my best!”
I shouted boldly like a new hire assigned their first big project.
In front of Perion, at least.
Back in my room, I sank into despair. How exactly was I supposed to prove my usefulness?
With my limited imagination, prophecy was my only option. It’s not as though I could stage a full shamanic ritual here.
I began carefully reading through the meeting agenda.
As I scanned the documents, my eyes gleamed upon reaching the final item.
“If I handle this well, things might go smoothly.”
I pulled out a pen and paper and began writing swiftly.
“Linen, what about what I asked for?”
“Ah, you mean the investigation into the diviner?”
Perion nodded.
Linen rummaged through a stack of papers on his desk and handed one over.
“She lived such a reclusive life that there wasn’t much to investigate.”
Perion read through the document.
[Name: Rani (24 years old)]
[Residence: Benidi Village, Duchy of Calvahes]
[Notable: Orphan. Taken in by a diviner at a young age and raised as one. Signs of abuse present.]
Perion’s gaze stopped at one line.
“From Benidi Village in the Duchy of Calvahes?”
“Yes. That point concerned me as well, so I looked further into it, but there’s no connection to ‘that person.’”
“…Is that so.”
If Linen said so, it was likely true. Yet Perion couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling.
After a moment of thought, he spoke again.
“Has Gideon not yet returned?”
“Given what he experienced, it’s understandable.”
“When he returns, bring him to me.”
Perion felt he wouldn’t rest easy until he looked deeper into this matter.
Watching him, Linen let out a faint sigh.
Perion’s habit of treating diviners poorly was nothing new. He disliked them regardless of their competence.
But recently, he was clearly interested in this particular diviner.
Linen had served at Perion’s side for a long time, yet this was the first time since that diviner that Perion had paid such close attention to someone.
