Chapter 602
"What's so amazing that you're looking around like that?"
The skull principal, who was walking ahead, asked Yi-Han.
Of course, the capital was the most beautiful and splendid place in the empire, and the emperor's palace located at its heart was the essence of majesty.
An ordinary imperial person would consider it a lifelong story just to enter the capital and see the emperor's palace from afar.
However, this boy from the Wardanaz family was not the type to pay much attention to such splendor.
Rather, he might ask, 'How many gold coins would come out if you melted that decoration?'...
"Ah. I'm saying that even though it's His Majesty the Emperor's palace, it seems like the imperial bureaucrats use it more."
The two had now passed through the capital's gate and arrived at the central imperial palace using the shortest route, the imperial road.
Alcicle, who had passed through the main gate together, had already gone ahead towards the government office where the imperial treasurers stayed, which was also located inside the palace.
At first, Yi-Han thought the bureaucrats were using an annex inside the palace, but that wasn't the case either.
As he followed the skull principal and walked through the palace corridors, in every room that came out, imperial bureaucrats were immersed in their work with the most tired and exhausted faces in the world.
Weren't palaces usually where the imperial family stayed?
"So that's what you were amazed by. Indeed, it's understandable."
The skull principal understood Yi-Han's curiosity.
Being smart, he couldn't help but catch the sense of incongruity faster.
Why were there only bureaucrats and no imperial family members roaming around in this palace, which was as wide as a small city?
If it were the era of the Three Kingdoms, the palace would have been a space solely for the imperial family.
The royal knights would have guarded the outside of the palace like an iron wall, and only the emperor's relatives and the eunuchs serving them would have lived inside. �
And even if it were the era of the Seven Kingdoms, the bureaucrats wouldn't have been able to spread piles of documents on the floor.
At that time, the palace would have probably become a salon-like place where nobles from all over the kingdom who wanted to have an audience with the king visited, and balls or banquets were held every day.
However, the current imperial palace was the most unique form the skull principal had seen in his history.
The areas used by the emperor were extremely few, and the rest were all used as government offices by the imperial bureaucrats.
People in the capital who were used to it might think it was natural, but someone like Wardanaz, who was knowledgeable enough to get a perfect score on an imperial history exam right now, couldn't help but find it strange.
"Did the head of your family ever tell you about His Majesty the Emperor?"
"Uh... No, he didn't."
Yi-Han racked his memory and answered.
In fact, the head of the family, that is, Yi-Han's father, never talked about the empire's politics or current affairs, even though he himself was a great noble.
Usually, he talked about magic or magic or magic.
Or he cursed holy magic...
"I thought so. That despicable bastard. The young bastard devotes himself to magic alone and leaves the bothersome tasks to me."
"..."
"I'm sorry. I sincerely apologize."
The skull principal apologized as a dignified imperial noble.
No matter how much anger had accumulated, it wasn't something to say to the son of that family.
Of course, every time he had to manage the empire's magic barrier alone, he had the urge to visit the Wardanaz family, but still...
"I didn't hear anything. More importantly, why did you ask about His Majesty the Emperor?"
"I thought you would be surprised if you just met His Majesty."
Surprisingly, the skull principal seemed to hesitate slightly.
It seemed like he was contemplating how much to tell before meeting.
Yi-Han couldn't understand.
"No, I've spent a year at Einroguard, so how can I be surprised just by meeting him?"
"...Didn't I apologize? Do you have to be so sarcastic to be happy?"
"I wasn't being sarcastic..."
The skull principal, who realized that Yi-Han was sincere, found it even more annoying.
"Even among the bureaucrats, only a very few have met His Majesty in person."
"Is it okay for me to monopolize such an honorable position?"
Yi-Han was more worried than happy.
What if the senior bureaucrats, who were like the sky to him, thought of Yi-Han as a rude junior?
"It's not an honorable position, it's just that His Majesty is lazy."
"...?"
"Anyway, that's why even among the bureaucrats, there aren't many who know about His Majesty. What do you know about His Majesty?"
"I only know that he has reigned for a long time."
"You're exaggerating too much."
"Am I exaggerating?"
"..."
"Anyway, I'm telling you to watch your words. If you talk about His Majesty outside..."
"What will happen?"
Yi-Han tensed up slightly.
Will he be punished according to imperial law for something like lèse-majesté?
"His Majesty will be upset."
"Uh, are you joking?"
"I'm not joking. And keep in mind that if His Majesty gets upset, it will be much more troublesome than you think. Now. Are you ready?"
"...Yes!"
Yi-Han took a deep breath and nodded.
Even if the person in front of him was a chimera created by the skull principal, he was ready to not be surprised and kiss his feet, saying, 'Your Majesty! Your lowly servant has arrived here!'
"Okay. Let's go in."
The skull principal opened the door.
***
The emperor's residence was really empty.
No paintings, no sculptures, no decorations, no jewels.
The inside looked more like a huge cave than a palace. If Yi-Han were thrown here and in Einroguard's giant cave and asked to find the difference, he probably wouldn't be able to find it right away.
However, Yi-Han couldn't pay any attention to the barren appearance of this residence.
It was because of the emperor's astonishing majesty occupying the center of the residence.
The huge body that seemed to fill the vast residence.
The majestic wings that could be called beautiful more than any gold.
The wise and benevolent gaze slowly blinking and looking at Yi-Han and the skull principal.
The emperor was a gold dragon.
"..."
Yi-Han was too surprised to even speak.
The skull principal tapped Yi-Han's shoulder lightly as if he understood and greeted on his behalf.
"Your Majesty. I have brought Yi-Han from the Wardanaz family here as ordered."
-Os...-
The emperor spoke, looking at the skull principal.
-The conversations you had with the dragon half a year ago didn't seem very important to you...-
It was the first time Yi-Han saw the skull principal looking tense.
"There's a misunderstanding. Your Majesty."
-Is your name Os or Ohae (misunderstanding)?-
"Haha! Your Majesty's sense of humor makes even an old mage like me laugh."
"..."
Yi-Han was dumbfounded.
-What old mage... You're still young. Freshly young. Look at the dragon in comparison. It has lived longer than the mountains and rivers. Even when other dragons ascended, it couldn't leave. Because of a despicable oath.-
"You're saying that again. Your Majesty. It was an oath you made yourself."
-The dragon made the oath with good intentions. Trusting people... But people are deceiving and exploiting the dragon. Such despicable people must be the first since the mountains and rivers were born.-
The skull principal's expression frowned.
Yi-Han felt a familiar emotion in that expression.
It was close to the expression disciples made when a professor got drunk and talked about their difficult life.
To put it crudely, it was an expression of 'Here we go again.'
"Your Majesty. A really young mage is listening."
-Ah... Right. I should be careful with my words in front of a really young mage. Are you enjoying your life at Einroguard?-
"Yes."
-Don't lie.-
"..."
"..."
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