CH 44.2

“Nice to meet you, Your Majesty.”

The Empress, who put down the teacup, smiled gracefully.

While wandering around this world, I have heard all kinds of rumors at the taverns.

One of the rumors is that the Empress of the Empire is the most beautiful woman on the whole continent.

When I first heard the rumor, I thought it was just one of those rumors that was deliberately spread to lift the name of the Empire.

‘Now that I’m here, I can see why the rumors were circulating.’

I don’t know if she’s the prettiest on the continent, but honestly speaking, the Empress is a great beauty.

The hair on her head dyed in blue and silver, neatly braided. All the splendid ornaments on her hair and dress were nothing compared to her natural beauty.

She exuded the noble presence of the Imperial Royal family.

Perhaps the rumors came from the coachmen and her servants; which entered into the ears of the nobles who admired her, and talked about her.

But why would a person of such a great stature call me?

“It is an honor to meet Your Majesty the Empress. May I be so rude, as to ask for why did I receive such an opportunity? I’m a little nervous because there’s nothing to base my guess on.”

The Empress laughed a little.

She said, “Huhuh, Hero Cloud, this Empress has heard a lot about you from Frillite. We were puzzled because the rumors we heard were different from what Frillite conveyed, we heard about what happened at the banquet too. We were curious. Meanwhile, excuse us for the abruptness.”

Yes, awesome.

“Not at all, Your Majesty. Who would refuse the Empress’s call? So, Hero Frillite conveyed on what happened?”

“Yes, indeed. Frillite and we are close friends.”

“…Yes?”

Frillite told me that I was her first friend?

“If it’s not rude, may I inquire when Her Majesty first became acquainted with Frillite?”

“It’s been since 4 years ago, when Frillite was selected as a Hero.”

As if the Empress recalled some nostalgic past, she had a bright expression on her face.

Four years ago, it was before I and Frillite became friends.

Frillite said I was her first friend, and she’s not a liar.

That is…

‘She has mistakingly started to consider Frillite her friend…’

From Frillite’s point of view, it must have felt like she was just talking to her boss. However, the Empress seems to have interpreted it arbitrarily.

‘They say the Emperor has a hysteria and is in control of his wife’s life, so the rumors were true.’

If it weren’t for that, she wouldn’t have considered someone a friend with just a few words.

…poor woman.

With a heart full of pity, I listened to the Empress’ words, while trying hard to keep attention on what she said. The Empress’ smile widened even more, maybe she was satisfied with the fact that her own words were being heard.

“Oh, right. We didn’t invite Hero Cloud today just to talk, how rude of us. Alfred, can you bring us what we had prepared?”

“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”

Alfred was absent for a while to carry out Empress’ orders.

What he brought was an ornate box adorned with a golden leaf.

“Open it.”

Alfred opened the box.

Inside the box was a light blue jewel necklace.

It was a round, large, sky-blue gem.

“This..?”

“It’s a necklace made of moonstone. It clears the mind of the one who wears it. It goes without saying that it increases one’s resistance to mind contamination magic. We want to gift this to Hero Cloud. How is our gift?”

‘Of course, it’s a no brainer. Who would refuse a necklace of moonstone?’

An ornament made of moonstone.

Although there are no other effects, it is an item that definitively prevents confusion and berserk state abnormalities.

It’s an item I needed to procure for a teammate who will I recruit later.

In the game, Moonstone has a setting that is bizarre compared to its effect, while equipping it, you cannot wear any other accessory

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I carefully accepted the box.

“Why have I been given such a precious gift?”

“It is not an item of great value to the Imperial family, so there is no need to feel burdened. It’s just a personal gift we are giving because we want to get acquainted with Hero Cloud, who will become a noble Hero in the future.”

“I want to know… is it the Empire’s stand?”

The Empress smiled.

“It’s more like our husband’s support.”

* * *

After receiving the gift, Cloud spoke a few more words with the Empress, then he left the Imperial Palace.

There was a woman staring at him from behind as he left…

‘How the hell did this happen..?’

It was the key swordsman of Gis’ Party and his henchman, Adreana.

The reason she was spying on Cloud was simple.

‘That pommel. It belongs to our family…’

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The pommel of the sword, which Cloud had picked up from the floor.

She instantly recognized it, because the pattern engraved on the pommel was the symbol of her family.

‘I was always annoyed by my damn father.’

Her father was a f**king a**hole. While traveling, he slept not only with nobles’ wives, but also with commoners if their looks were okay.

Thanks to him, once or twice a year, her half-brothers would come to their hometown.

Of course, she couldn’t take care of so many half-brothers, so she quietly dealt with the people who came.

But this half-brother is different.

‘I think Cloud must be my younger brother.’

Maybe not.

He didn’t have that pommel before.

However, there is a difference between the Cloud who has the pommel and who didn’t.

When he didn’t have the pommel, he was weak, now that he has the pommel, he is strong.

So she thought.

Maybe he started equipping himself with the pommel because he is now able to protect himself…

‘Don’t they say that Cloud is an orphan?’

In many ways, the situation is matching. Conjecture gradually turned into certainty.

‘As an orphan, he will have a strong attachment to his family.’

What if she digs into it?

Maybe she can pull Cloud into her grasp and use him.

And if that’s the case…

Gis’ love will be hers for taking!

‘I have to thank my damn father for today.’

Thank you, father!