Chapter 162

Chapter 162

Bright yellow.

The Emperor gazed down at me with an intense look, like a predator eyeing its prey.

“...”

I was overwhelmed by his aura.

He is a ruler.

Beneath his feet, I felt the urge to bow my head and swear allegiance. Everyone would, under that gaze.

But here, I managed to suppress my fear for a moment.

I knew something.

If I looked closely into the Emperor’s eyes, the story would change a little.

I looked beyond those predator-like eyes.

They were empty pupils.

No soul, no mind.

There was only one sycophant whispering something into his ear.

The Emperor is, indeed, a stuffed beast.

◆

Apart from his gaze, the Emperor resembled an ancient tree.

His dark complexion, his emaciated body could be sensed even beyond his royal robe.

The stuffed emperor looked like an ancient tree.

Then, who stuffed him?

You just need to turn your head slightly to the side.

An incompetent king with a leeching sycophant is an overused cliché.

If I had become emperor, I would have doubted the people who constantly spoke flatteries around me at least once.

But unfortunately, the Emperor of the Empire could not.

— Your Majesty.

There was a man beside him, looking like a court eunuch.

A sly little mustache, like a rat.

Always bowing, his posture hunched from constant groveling.

But in reality, he was the one holding the emperor in his hands, pulling the strings.

— They deserve a reward. They uncovered the Bloodstone Cult members who had been hiding. Their merit is no small feat.

He whispered something into the Emperor’s ear.

The Emperor’s mouth opened in response.

“You have done a great service. Name the reward you desire.”

Hmm.

The worst question.

Choosing my own reward? Whether I ask for something big or small, it’s a problem.

If I ask for something big, they’ll say I’m trying to take advantage of the Emperor. Slash.

If I ask for something small, they’ll say I’m disrespecting the Emperor. Slash.

The sycophant next to the Emperor spoke.

“Speak quickly. His Majesty himself is offering you a reward.”

“I am satisfied just by having the honor of seeing His Majesty’s face. It is the glory of a lifetime.”

“His Majesty has heard that answer dozens of times. Name a proper reward.”

Tsk. Someone’s already used that line.

I racked my brain.

A suitable reward, not crossing the line...

But I can’t ask for a Number.

... Ah.

Might as well take a little help from the scenario.

“... In that case, may I request some of Your Majesty’s time?”

Curiosity flickered in the Emperor’s eyes, as if my unexpected response caught him off guard. For the first time, his lifeless eyes seemed to regain a glimmer of interest.

“How many minutes?”

“Just three minutes in the future would be an honor.”

The sycophant whispered something to the Emperor.

The Emperor spoke.

“Very well. What is it?”

“I possess a certain talent.”

“What talent?”

“I am quite observant, and I often give advice to my fellow students at Lichten Academy. They say I have a good sense.”

“Observation and intuition... Very well. Speak.”

I improvised a story.

... Don’t tease me.

◆

‘The Second Prince’s Birthday Banquet.’

For the next three days, the royal palace will host a grand celebration.

It’s no coincidence that this event overlaps perfectly with the planned The Emperor’s Assassination’.

The assassination forces must have taken advantage of the bustling and chaotic atmosphere inside the palace.

“Well, I’ll head to the banquet hall first. Before that fox Emilia starts charming everyone.”

Silvia departed for the banquet hall ahead of us.

Asteria and I had a different destination.

As she walked ahead, Asteria turned to me with a sly smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

“Are you ready to receive my reward?”

“Of course.”

“Hmm, I wonder what you’ve decided on.”

She casually adjusted the neckline of her top, emphasizing herself.

“The Numbers.”

“Oh, I’m sure this will feel pleasant too.”

She playfully licked her lips with a teasing grin.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen Asteria in her Sl*t Mode.

The only problem was that there were many people passing by in the palace.

“Please, Your Highness, have some restraint.”

“Tsk, you’re no fun~”

I was still sensitive because the aftereffects of having s*x with Danya, who was in heat.

So I walked for a while, blocking the Princess’s s*x jokes.

We arrived at a rather plain building, considering we were still inside the palace.

It looked like an unimportant structure, sitting there as if it didn’t matter much. But its true identity? The entrance to the royal family’s secret vault.

To be exact, it was the building that housed the underground passage leading to the vault.

“What brings you here?”

As soon as we entered, a guard greeted us.

His attire was that of a regular guard, but I could sense his immense strength.

A highly skilled individual.

Well, that’s expected.

The moment his eyes landed on the Princess, he immediately snapped to attention.

“Your Highness, Third Princess! What brings you here?”

“I’ve come to retrieve something of mine.”

“Understood!”

As the guard moved aside, his gaze landed on me.

“Is this person accompanying you?”

“Yes.”

“Might I request a moment? Non-authorized outsiders must undergo basic external clearance before entering.”

“He’s my guest.”

“Uh... Well, it’s just that...”

Kneeling on one knee as if apologizing, the guard addressed Asteria.

“For individuals not listed in our records, we require at least a minimal identity verification...”

He glanced at me with suspicion in his eyes.

Fair enough. This is an understandable precaution.

But I didn’t want to prolong this conversation, especially when the royal vault was right in front of me.

I was eager to get inside and check out the treasures.

Hah.

Without a word, I smoothly pulled the ‘Pass of Entry’ from my pocket and held it up.

The guard’s eyes widened as his face filled with shock.

“T-This is... A pass? And issued by His Majesty himself?”

“That’s correct. Is that sufficient?”

The Pass of Entry—not only does it grant free passage, but it also signifies that I’ve met the Emperor, thus confirming my identity.

The guard quickly stepped aside.

“My deepest apologies, sir!”

We passed him and walked down the underground passage for a while.

— Clank.

A massive iron door slowly opened, revealing the imperial family’s treasures.