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Chapter 258: Dancing with the Emperor (2)

A space outside the world, and so to speak, outside the system. The sky was red as blood and dark. Spirits and ghosts wandered without form outside.

“I didn’t know there was a place like this in the Imperial Palace.”

It was an event that was not in the script. Sophien laughed.

“What, if there is a door connected to the underworld, it would be a very important place. So isn’t it right to be in the Palace?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. So be careful. Ghosts are like humans but in some ways different. They are filled with all kinds of emotions.”

“…”

I looked at the mug. The remaining half of the tea swelled out, red and musty. It was blood.

“Hmph. Let’s go in. The guys around here don’t like us.”

I nodded and followed Sophien into the room.

“Professor.”

Sophien said as she sat down on the bed.

“I’m looking for a soul here.”

“…”

I frowned slightly. Of course, ghosts and apparitions were not demons, but they were similarly spiritual beings, so I felt a sense of rejection to them close to instinct.

“Soul?”

“Yes. There is a historical record that describes the legend of this house in the Emperor’s study. They say it is opened once every six years. To be exact, six years, six months, and six days.”

“It opens once then, so wouldn’t it be unfair to return without getting anything?”

However, I didn’t care about the number.

“Do you still have that book?”

“Haha. Professor, I knew you would say that.”

Sophien laughed loudly, and then she proudly pulled out a book.

[Records of the Imperial Palace]

It was a valuable item holding mana, according to Vision.

“But answer me before that.”

“…”

I looked at the Emperor.

“What kind of soul do you want to find?”

I vaguely knew. Sophien’s mother, murdered by Rohakan.

“The soul of someone and the memory that remains in my head.”

Sophien tapped her temple.

“It’s a ghost that may or may not be here. However, if you see it, you will know it at a glance.”

“Yes.”

I nodded.

“Your Majesty’s request is my duty.”

“…Hmph. It’s a favor. Although I haven’t said it, it’s a favor.”

“Is it?”

“…Tsk.”

A favor. Even if it wasn’t a big deal, the Emperor’s word had more binding force than the law. Sophien was someone who always kept her word, and she knew it herself, so a favor was no different from a political statement.

“This damn Professor.”

I swore allegiance, but I wasn’t swayed by the Emperor. I would become the sharpest sword, but I wouldn’t lower my value. I wouldn’t become a treacherous servant who only sucked up and repeated the right things. A true servant was trustworthy but difficult to deal with, so I would demand a cause from Sophien no matter what.

“Yeah, that’s right. It’s a favor, a favor. I asked you a favor. All right?”

The Emperor handed me the book with a frown. I handed over the Blue-Eyes remake in response. Then, Sophien smiled with tired eyes.

“…Professor. The servants say that every action you take is political.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, that’s for sure. Are you giving me this novel, thinking that this is in return for my request to you?”

“Of course not. Read it. The plot has changed quite a bit.”

Sylvia’s masterpiece contained her feelings. She had grown markedly more mature.

“…Yes. I’ll read it. Leave, for now. Seeing your face makes me tired…”

Sophien beckoned me away.

***

The next day, Sophien called everyone to the Emperor’s office. It was originally where the Emperor and his subjects gathered to discuss political affairs, but it wasn’t much different from the Imperial Palace.

“You must have had a good night. I won’t take the weak complaints that you didn’t. The first week isn’t even over yet.”

Alongside the 58 event participants, officials from the Palace gathered at the old house during a safe morning, and now the office was bustling with about two hundred people. Indeed, she couldn’t just let the government be for eight weeks just because of her event.

“I don’t need a pointless discussion.”

Thank God, Epherene muttered without realizing.

“However, there was a special petition. It means that there is a person here who dared to ask me, the Emperor, to hold a hearing.”

Special petition. Epherene face hardened. Forgetting even the Emperor for a moment, there was murmuring behind Epherene.

“This special petition sets forth sin. It’s supposed to reveal a criminal. But these sins are countless, and three of them are the heaviest kind.”

Sophien rested her chin against her hand.

“First, murder.”

Epherene looked for Deculein. He stood closest to the Emperor.

“Next, murder. And…”

Sophien looked around and then continued sarcastically.

“The attempted poisoning of the Emperor.”

The world seemed to stop.

“…Hmm. Since this is a thing of the past, it would be correct to fix it as an attempt to poison the princess. Anyway.”

Snap—!

The servants came forward with stacks of paper.

“I’m going to put this large poster in the central square. Let those who will be present in this special petition write their names down.”

“…”

At that moment, Deculein’s head moved, and Epherene followed his gaze.

…Right to Julie. The pure white knight faced Deculein.

“For one day, we will receive signatures of any witnesses. With this, the meeting is over. I feel uncomfortable that such a petition arrived during this time of harmony, but this may also be the way to true peace. During your breaks, forget about the petition and enjoy yourself.”

Sophien smiled and looked over the office one last time before rising from her seat.

* * *

…After the meeting there was a party.

The influential figures such as Deculein, Louina, and Betan were popular, but those like Primienne, Lia, and Maho, commoners or royalty outside the empire, were treated like third wheels.

“But don’t you have a boyfriend? Call.”

So, Epherene intentionally returned to her room and played cards with Lia, Maho, and Primienne. The purpose of this event — in Epherene’s opinion — was to promote harmony amid fear. Still, the nobles ignored Lia and Primienne due to their status, and they were only building friendships among themselves.

“No. What about you? Don’t you have a boyfriend? I’m calling too.”

Lia asked, betting 10 Elnes. Epherene shook her head.

“I don’t have time. But there are a lot of men who hit on me. You saw it, right? Even the nobles speak to me.”

The title of being a disciple to Deculein seemed to be important, and there were many famous wizards who invited Epherene to have a meal, such as Betan, Delpen, and even the elder Gaelon.

“But why didn’t you go? There was also the elder from the Round Table.”

“I didn’t want to. The way they treat people is too different. As for Maho, and also for Deputy Chief Primienne.”

“That’s right~; it almost hurt~. I’m a princess, but I wasn’t even treated as a baroness~. I’m out. Everyone, show your decks~.”

“…”

Maho pretended to cry, and Primienne showed her cards silently.

“Four of a kind of three. I won.”

“Ah!”

The former Deputy Chief of Public Security took the Elnes piled up on the table.

“What are the chances~?”

“I know, right.”

Epherene threw away her cards and buried herself in her chair. Lia let out a sigh.

“Huhu.”

With a smile, Primienne shuffled the cards again.

“Lia, why did you become an adventurer at such a young age?”

“I have a goal.”

Goal. Epherene thought for a moment, what was her goal? At first, it was revenge against Deculein. It was just revenge, but…

What about now?

Epherene looked to Lia again.

“I heard that you get injured a lot when you do things as an adventurer. Doesn’t it hurt?”

“I am very used to the pain. Almost nothing hurts anymore.”

“…”

Epherene and Maho sank into silence while Primienne distributed the cards.

“Call.”

Bang, bang, bang-!

Rather than a knock on the door, it sounded more like rapid punches.

“What the, who-“

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang-!

“…”

“…”

At that moment, Epherene, Maho, and Lia hid behind Primienne’s back. They hugged each other tightly and looked at the door.

─…

When there was no response, the knocking stopped. However, a voice sounded out instead.

—Epherene. Are you there?

Epherene pricked up her ears. It was Deculein’s voice.

—Open the door.

He told her to open the door. Epherene swallowed hard and answered in a low voice.

“…Professor?”

Lia caught her as she approached the door.

“Shh. Look out the window.”

Lia pointed out the window.

“The sun has already set.”

The sun was obscured by dark clouds, and one rule came to mind.

[Don’t leave your room after sunset]

“It won’t be Professor Deculein. The Professor is someone who keeps the rules.”

“Then-“

“A ghost that only imitates a voice.”

Primienne said. She approached bravely and peered through the door’s peek-hole.

“…Professor Deculein?”

She frowned and muttered.

“Hey. It’s the real Professor Deculein.”

“What? Really?”

Epherene ran over to check.

“Huh? It’s the real one.”

Indeed, Deculein was there. He was standing in front of the door.

—Doubt is a virtue. Okay, listen carefully. Not all rooms are safe, especially when the sun isn’t out. At that time, even the guest room isn’t safe. Look for me, or visit Her Majesty, or Julie.

“Yes? Oh, okay, Professor. But what was that now? Were you knocking on the door?”

-No. It was a demon.

“OMG.”

—I’ll go now.

Stomp, stomp.

Deculein moved away, and sunlight seeped in again. Soon, the dark clouds disappeared.

“…I guess we can go outside now, right?”

The three others stopped her, but Epherene immediately opened the door.

Creek-

The door opened normally. She glanced around both sides of the hallway and carefully stepped forward.

“Oh, right. The special hearing. I have to go sign as a witness.”

Epherene looked back.

“Did you guys do it?”

But as if everyone was too scared, they stuck to the wall.

“G-Go first. We will follow you.”

“…You’re all chicken-hearted.”

Epherene pouted but walked to the square.

[Signature draft for membership]

A large poster was placed in the center of the square. Epherene approached it and was about to sign her name but suddenly narrowed her brow.

“…Why are there so many names?”

At a glance, more than 200 signatures. Too many names filled the space. As she tilted her head and looked up, she realized at some point-

“…Wait.”

[Deculein von Grahan Yukline]

[Iggyris von Kreil Freyden]

Deculein’s name was normal. However, below it, Iggyris von Kreil Freyden.

“This…”

Epherene knew this name, feeling goosebumps. In the first place, it was a name so famous that it even appeared in fairy tales.

“Soooo creepy—!”

“What is so surprising?”

Epherene looked back with a pale face to see Deculein standing behind her.

“P-Professor! P-Professor-!”

“Are you crazy?”

Epherene quickly ran to Deculein and tried to be embraced in his arms, but she was stopped by Psychokinesis.

“No, look at this!”

She quickly pointed to the poster. Deculein looked to the name Iggyris and all the names of the dead below it. Deculein frowned a moment but then cleared his expression with a nod.

“What is the problem?”

“I mean, aren’t they all dead?”

“Yes. Everyone under Iggyris.”

“That’s the problem…!”

“This is a cursed house. It is also the threshold to the underworld.”

“What, u-underworld?!”

Epherene’s jaw dropped in surprise, falling low enough to touch the ground.

“When the sun goes down, the ghosts can interact with us.”

On the other hand, Deculein spoke calmly as if he was reciting a passage from a book.

“Here.”

He pointed to another name.

“There’s even Decalane’s name.”

RUMBLE-!

Thunder echoed overhead. Startled, Epherene looked up.

“…Gulp.”

The sun was obscured by dark clouds, and the world was colored in darkness…