Chapter 84
Kazahr, who had been wearing comfortable clothes, hurriedly changed into his formal attire. As morning broke over the Fourth Outer City, a message arrived: the emperor wanted to see him.
It had been years since the emperor had called for Kazahr. He couldn’t remember the exact time—it had been that long. It was the day after his swordsmanship instructor discovered he could use auras.
“Was I about ten?”
He vaguely remembered the conversation, but he did remember realizing that the man in front of him was not his father, but the emperor.
So, going to the imperial villa with Eluana must have been as significant an event as becoming an aura user.
As Kazahr entered the audience hall, he bowed formally.
“Have you come?” the emperor’s deep voice resonated.
“You’ve grown a lot,” the voice added.
Kazahr looked down at the emperor’s feet and replied, “Thanks to your care, I have been well.”
“I see. You appear to be well.”
He didn’t feel slighted by the words because he expected nothing from the emperor. Kazahr couldn’t think of an appropriate reply and simply stared at the emperor’s feet. The dais in the hall was high, so unless the emperor instructed him to look up, all he could see were the emperor’s feet.
“Do you feel awkward being here?”
The emperor had sent servants to deliver gifts even on Kazahr’s birthdays. Outside of official events, he rarely saw him. It was only natural that he would feel uneasy, not awkward.
“It’s difficult,” Kazahr admitted.
“Of course. It’s natural to feel that way about me. Lately, I’ve been hearing your name a lot,” the emperor said.
“I only hope I haven’t caused any trouble for Your Majesty.”
“You saved Lady Spes, didn’t you?”
“…I merely rescued someone in danger.”
“Well done.”
Kazahr stiffened at the sudden praise. He had been called a ‘genius’ by every teacher since childhood, but this was the first time the emperor had complimented him.
“Since you did well, I should give you a reward. Do you have any requests?”
“May I ask something? There’s something I wish to know.”
“You may ask,” the emperor replied.
Kazahr’s greatest curiosity was the truth about Cantio. But asking that would reveal Eluana’s identity, so he chose a different question.
“Are the ‘Dragon’s Blessing’ the empire received and the ‘Alchemy Ability’ the Spes family obtained truly ‘gifts’?”
“The truth about the Dragon’s Blessing can only be known when you become emperor,” the emperor said.
“Why did you question the founding history?”
“Dragons mentioned in ancient texts were not altruistic. Most records describe them as regarding humans as insignificant creatures.”
“Since you are allowed to ask, I suppose I should give you a clue. The Dragon’s Blessing is a ‘transaction’.”
“A transaction?”
If it was a transaction, something must have been exchanged—or was still being exchanged.
“Since I cannot give you the full answer, I will give you something else.”
At the emperor’s gesture, a servant presented a long box before Kazahr.
The emperor had planned to gift this from the start. Few people would immediately request something when asked what they wished for, so it was prepared in advance.
Inside the carefully opened box lay a plain sword. The blade, hilt, and scabbard were all black.
“It is the sword of the first emperor, Cantio. It seems fitting for you.”
“It may be too grand for me, but I will accept it gratefully.”
Kazahr felt a cold sweat on his back, unsure why he had been given the sword of Emperor Cantio.
“You may leave now,” the emperor said.
Kazahr bowed and left the hall. As the heavy doors closed behind him, a bitter feeling settled over him. Until that moment, he had seen nothing but the emperor’s feet. Now, all that remained was a box containing a sword that could become a seed of conflict.
“Cantio’s sword…”
The potential ramifications of receiving a sword from the emperor troubled him. The crown prince’s sword had already broken, and the Spes family now stood behind Kazahr. People would interpret it in various ways, leading to division.
As he returned to the Fourth Outer City, an unfamiliar servant approached and bowed.
“Your Highness,” he said.
Kazahr looked at him.
“The empress has sent an invitation.”
The servant presented an invitation stamped with the empress’s seal.
At the Spes residence, Duke Spes and Eluana gazed at the sword on the table with concern. Kazahr, the one who had brought the news, finished his explanation.
“This is the sword I received.”
Duke Spes lifted the sword, murmuring, “The sword of Emperor Cantio…”
“Surely you haven’t noticed anything?” Eluana asked.
“It could be a subtle way to commend me for saving you,” Kazahr said. “The emperor seems to be up to something interesting.”
Some might see the sword as a symbol of the new crown prince; others might focus on the fact that it was a sword from the vanished imperial family and interpret it as a warning to stay quiet. Either way, Kazahr would attract attention.
Duke Spes drew the sword. Its unmanaged black blade was chipped in places, clearly left neglected.
“A sword with deep history and beauty, yet one that has not fulfilled its purpose,” he remarked.
Eluana frowned. “Is it because it belonged to Emperor Cantio? Still, it’s strange that it’s so damaged.”
“Being a sword handed down through generations, it was probably damaged on the day of the rebellion. They couldn’t melt it down because of its historical significance, yet preserving it was tricky. So it may have been left somewhere,” Duke Spes explained.
Eluana looked at Kazahr. “After visiting the Tuna territory, I’ll repair it. If we leave it with anyone else, word will spread that a sword too damaged to use was given.”
Her repair would invoke her ‘Alchemy Ability.’ Kazahr did not refuse.
“That would be great. I was planning to carry it proudly anyway. And when we left the audience hall, the empress’s servant was waiting with it,” he said.
Kazahr placed the invitation beside the sword. Duke Spes opened it.
“I invite my son, Prince Kazahr, and Lady Spes to dinner tonight. It would sadden me greatly if you refuse.”
Eluana read over his shoulder, frowning. “‘My son’? And the dinner is tonight at the imperial villa… seems like a challenge.”
“Looks like we’ll have to accept. The empress is up to something,” Duke Spes said, crumpling the invitation along with the imperial crest.
“Why summon us all of a sudden?” Eluana asked.
“She probably wants to verify the truth. She’ll be curious if your relationship is genuine, if you truly are Stella’s daughter. She’ll want to know what was discussed when the emperor gave Kazahr the sword. It seems she has many questions, so we should pay a brief visit,” he replied.
Eluana and Kazahr were surprised at the ease with which he suggested accepting the invitation. Inviting someone on the same day was impolite, even for the empress, implying a degree of arrogance.
“I thought you might refuse,” Eluana said.
“It’s an event that must happen eventually. Refusal would only give the empress a reason to find fault. Better to prepare in advance since she’s suspicious,” Duke Spes explained.
While correct, Eluana was not pleased. Thoughts of the kidnapped children weighed on her, and even using the teleport gate, it would take half a day. Yet they couldn’t refuse the invitation.
Eluana looked at Cantio’s sword and said, “…We’ll have to stop by the imperial palace first.”
“If we leave the palace and head directly to Tuna, it won’t disrupt our schedule,” Duke Spes replied, pressing his temple in fatigue.
Another concern lingered:
“The empress knows Stella,” he added.
Eluana’s worry deepened—another person who knew her mother had appeared, and unlike before, this one had malice.
Kazahr spoke. “I’ve always wondered why you chose the ‘resemblance’ strategy?”
“Using artifacts to change hair or eye color to manipulate information is easy. But I didn’t want Eluana to live her life in hiding.”
Eluana’s eyes widened slightly. She hadn’t expected Duke Spes to think that way. Her eyes stung.
Duke Spes continued, “I adopted a child resembling Stella, letting others believe she was cherished. That’s why I didn’t accompany her to Aden and why I overlooked certain misbehaviors by Eluana and Louis. Someone might suspect and gossip, but no noble would dare mention Stella’s name without evidence.”
Kazahr reflected silently on the strategy. Though rumors of resemblance circulated, no one connected it further. Publicly, the duke’s reaction was merely about ‘adopting a beloved daughter.’ Witnesses at the tea party claimed exaggerated reactions, but most dismissed them.
Occasional overreactions were tolerated because of her resemblance to Stella, though how long this delicate balance would last was uncertain.
“You should change your clothes,” Duke Spes said. Eluana wore a travel dress, unsuitable for a dinner with the empress.
Eluana recalled her newly tailored Rosette dresses.
“How much does the empress know about me?”
“Consider how the maid Cindy, who stayed with you, would perceive you.”
Her first days at the Spes residence were filled with reflection. She did nothing, read books, or gazed out the window worrying about the future. She didn’t notice Cindy sneaking food.
“A naive, easily deceived girl?”
“Exactly. That impression would have spread through Cindy to the Pegimul family and the empress.”
“No good things would have been said,” Eluana muttered.
Duke Spes smiled lazily. “So she’ll be somewhat off guard.”
“But I’ve met Shavia. I beat her when she tried to attack, though maybe I should have let her win,” Eluana admitted.
“Lady Pegimul will never admit defeat. Even if she did, she wouldn’t tell the empress.”
“The empress and the Pegimul family aren’t in a hierarchy. They’re allies,” Kazahr explained. Eluana now had a rough idea of their relationship.
“They walk the same path without showing weakness or vulnerability to each other.”
So there’s no trust, meaning misunderstandings must be layered carefully.
“What image should I project? Suddenly wealthy and indulging in luxury? Or naive and unsure?”
“The more important question is how you wish to be perceived.”
“Being naive would help me. It keeps them off guard.”
Kazahr laughed. “If you accompany me, even standing up mid-meal to dance a waltz will help. People will focus on the fact that you and I greeted the empress together.”
“I haven’t learned to dance yet. I’ll try next time,” Eluana said, lifting her eyebrows in determination.
