Chapter 52: Chapter 52

Chapter 52: The Emperor and the Demon (2)

It was just as the Emperor had anticipated.

Ira had fled, avoiding the soldiers. It had been a show meant to drive her away from the start. The outcome was only natural.

However, the soldiers had taken considerable damage in the process.

Their appearance was wretched. Among them were those with limbs barely intact—proof that a fierce battle had taken place.

‘Still, I don’t see any dead.’

As expected from soldiers trained by the Emperor.

Though there were injuries, there were no casualties.

The remaining wounds seemed like they could be healed with a few weeks of rest.

Considering they had fought one of the Demon King’s Seven Apostles, their injuries were surprisingly minor.

The problem began after that.

“You mean that Conqueror’s son? The one who repelled dozens of demon beasts single-handedly?”

“No wonder his growth was extraordinary… so he really inherited the Conqueror’s blood.”

The comrades who learned that Leon was the son of the Conqueror were deeply shocked.

Everyone except Ryan, who already knew, couldn’t hide their confusion. Kazan, in particular, was at a loss for words—his lips trembled soundlessly.

It was a natural reaction.

The Conqueror was the strongest being in the world, without question. A demi-god with power that transcended humanity. And now, the son of that very being was standing before them. It was only natural to be shaken.

At that moment, I once again felt how high above the heavens Zeke stood.

“Looks like things are wrapped up here too. By the way, I sensed a strong presence in the area just now. What was that?”

It was then that Garan appeared.

He was covered in wounds from head to toe. Though he spoke casually, his face was filled with exhaustion.

It was clear he had just returned from a grueling battle.

“Captain, you’ve returned,” said Kazan flatly.

It was Garan—the man who had faced six powerful opponents alone. He should have been worried, but he wasn’t.

He simply wore a calm expression, as if victory had never been in doubt.

“It’s nothing. A bit of spit will fix it. Anyway, you did well repelling those four. I don’t see any with severe wounds. It seems things went smoother than I expected.”

“That’s not quite true. Leon handled one of them alone. Thanks to that, Retina and I had it much easier. We could fight comfortably.”

Garan turned his gaze toward Leon. His sharp eyes gleamed with interest, his expression not of surprise but rather of satisfaction—like someone whose expectations had just been met. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel{f}ire.net

“So the training paid off. Still, a one-on-one must’ve been tough… Did you win? Or was it a draw?”

“That’s impressive. You absorbed all of my special training, then. The more you’re pushed, the stronger you become… As expected of his son.”

“……Captain, did you already know that Leon was the Conqueror’s son?”

Kazan asked. His tone was calm, but his face was sour—as though accusing him of hiding it.

“Leon asked me to keep it secret. It was the request of my benefactor. I had no reason to refuse.”

“……I see. You had no choice.”

Kazan sighed—a breath that carried both understanding and frustration.

“Anyway, Kazan. Why are the Emperor’s soldiers here? Does it have anything to do with that overwhelming energy I felt earlier?”

At that, Kazan’s face hardened. He seemed to recall what had just happened.

Soon, he explained everything he had experienced to Garan.

“……I see. A demon called Ira, huh. It might be connected to that one we met before—Superbia.”

Garan muttered under his breath, his face rigid. The trembling in his pupils reflected the disturbance in his heart.

“In any case, everyone’s safe. That’s what matters.”

Garan turned to look at Rahan and Lenel.

“You two aren’t hurt, are you?”

“We’re fine. But Elbin’s in danger.”

Rahan’s voice trembled. Elbin must have been someone precious to him.

It wasn’t a reaction born merely from kinship. Their bond had to be much deeper.

“Let’s continue this conversation at the Imperial Palace.”

A man’s voice interrupted the conversation. His face was expressionless—it was the Emperor’s aide.

“His Majesty has ordered that such trivial discussions wait. I will brief you on what you need to know on the way. For now—”

The aide’s gaze shifted toward Leon.

“Please come with me.”

Leon frowned slightly.

At first glance, the aide’s tone was purely professional. But Leon could tell.

That this man was assessing him.

‘Is it because I’ve partially awakened the Warrior’s Mana? I can sense things I never could before.’

For instance, the nature of this aide’s gaze.

‘He doesn’t look like a skilled fighter, but… how is he measuring my level?’

It wasn’t a simple look of observation. The Emperor’s aide was probing into the depths of his very body.

‘Most experts judge others based on the aura that leaks from their surface. But this man… he’s scanning through every corner of my body.’

It meant that he was observing not only the body but also the energy flowing within it.

It was a strange thing indeed. The man appeared to be an ordinary human, one in whom not even a speck of mana could be detected. It should have been impossible for him to assess Leon’s level.

That could mean only one thing.

‘He’s concealing his strength.’

There was an old saying — a person who reaches a certain realm no longer reveals their power outwardly. Unless one stood at the same level, it was impossible to perceive their strength.

‘I didn’t even get this feeling from Garan… Could this man actually be stronger than him?’

If he was truly hiding his power, then it was possible. Above all, he was the Emperor’s aide — he was no ordinary man, that much was certain.

Following the aide’s lead, Leon headed toward the Imperial Palace.

There wasn’t a single person in sight along the way. Perhaps it was because a demon had appeared in the heart of the capital; the area seemed to be under strict control.

When Leon arrived at the palace, he couldn’t help but be astonished.

He had thought the Duke of Kellyburn’s mansion was magnificent, but the Imperial Palace couldn’t even be described with the word splendid. It was far beyond that.

‘Amazing. Everything in sight looks like a luxury item.’

It was so lavish that it almost seemed excessive — truly befitting the name of an imperial palace.

It was the most dazzling sight he had ever seen.

Even Rahan and Lenel wore expressions of awe. They were High Elves, considered royalty among the Elves, and yet even they could not hide their astonishment.

That alone spoke volumes about the palace’s grandeur.

The aide guided Leon into a certain room.

There wasn’t a single servant in sight, though one would expect them to be everywhere in the Imperial Palace.

‘A meeting out of the public eye… It seems he doesn’t want this encounter to be made official.’

Leon recalled hearing once that when nobles sought private audiences, it was usually because they wanted to make a personal request. It wasn’t a good sign. He had the uneasy feeling that something troublesome was about to happen.

When he entered the room, the Emperor was already seated, welcoming him. Merely by sitting there, the Emperor radiated an overwhelming dignity.

Leon thought to himself,

‘Strange. I heard the Emperor never learned swordsmanship or magic. But the presence I feel from her is stronger than that of a well-trained soldier.’

His body instinctively tensed. The Emperor was weaker than him — there was no reason to fear her.

Yet his instincts warned him not to avert his eyes.

“There are plenty of seats. Don’t just stand there — all of you, sit.”

The Emperor spoke. Though it sounded like a request, the Emperor’s words carried the weight of an order. They had no choice but to obey.

As Leon sat down, the aide poured tea.

Its faint fragrance spoke of fine tea leaves — clearly of the kind that only the Emperor would drink.

“First, allow me to thank you. I heard you stopped Flower. You must be exhausted, yet you still found time to come. I appreciate it.”

“It is an honor, Your Majesty.”

Garan replied — his tone steady, though his expression showed clear discomfort, as if he wanted to leave the room immediately.

“I heard the merciless warriors of the Black Dragon have recovered from their wounds. Congratulations. It seems the Black Dragon will soon resound through the world once more. I won’t keep you long — I just want to hear what you’ve experienced.”

Garan recounted everything without leaving out a single detail. Of course, his account alone wasn’t enough.

Since Ira had appeared before Garan’s battle had ended, Kazan and Leon supplemented the missing parts.

“I see… it matches our investigation perfectly. Though I already knew, hearing it directly from you puts me at ease. Now then, let’s get to the main issue.”

At that moment, the Emperor’s eyes turned toward Rahan. Her gaze shone with curiosity and intrigue.

“Your names were Rahan and Lenel, were they not? How long have you stayed in the Empire?”

“……About three years.”

“Three years, hm. Quite a while. Yet for all that time, I knew nothing of your presence. Why is that?”

“Is there some restriction upon you? Why won’t you answer?”

“……My father told me not to associate with the Emperor.”

The Emperor’s eyes curved like a crescent moon, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

“And why do you think he said that?”

“I don’t know. But he told me one thing — never to underestimate the Emperor when standing before her.”

The Emperor let out a quiet laugh, like one amused by a small animal performing a trivial trick.

“You have spirit, I’ll give you that. Everyone but Rahan, Lenel, and Leon — leave us.”

“All but the three of them, Your Majesty?”

Garan asked, his voice trembling slightly, unease flickering in his eyes.

“Do you think I’d kill them? Don’t worry over nothing. Leave.”

Though it sounded like a request, it was still an imperial command. The Black Dragon had no choice but to withdraw, leaving Leon behind.

“Now that there are no eavesdroppers, we can speak freely. High Elf, do you know why your father told you not to underestimate me?”

“Because your Elves stole the Empire’s name.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Rahan asked, confusion and disbelief flickering across his face. It was only natural — stole the Empire’s name? What nonsense was this?

“Just as I said. Do you know the name of our Empire? Do you know my surname — that of Irena ■■■■?”

At that moment, Leon felt an odd sensation.

‘Irena? What did she say after that?’

Her lips had moved, and he had heard the sound — but the words vanished from his memory in an instant.

‘I definitely heard the Emperor’s surname. And the name of the Empire too. I’m sure I did.’

Yet somehow, they were gone.

As if erased by magic.

‘No… if that were the case, I would have noticed.’

Using magic required mana, and there was no way he wouldn’t have sensed its flow.

“Confused, are you? Of course you are. The spell the Elves cast upon the Empire twisted the world’s very perception. You must have heard of it — the name of a god who once betrayed humanity by aligning with the Evil God’s thoughts. The god who was sealed by her own child.”

Hatred burned brightly in the Emperor’s eyes.

“The World Tree — Yggdrasil. I’ve heard she is sealed now, in a place called the Prison Forest Ground. The reason your father told you not to underestimate me is simple. To me, to this Empire, your kin are enemies — the ones who stole our name. I’ll ask once more. You will not get a second chance.”

The Emperor’s cold, imperious gaze fixed on Rahan.

“Tell me everything that happened during your three years here — every last detail. Now. Immediately.”