"Ah, you said you were hired for money. I didn't realize the Magic Tower's financial situation was that dire."
"Your Highness."
At the quiet call, Heinrich was seized by a strange feeling.
"I generally try not to concern myself with what Dekin does. But even if I wanted to ignore it, I can't help but know. Since that fellow tries so hard, Your Highness should also show yourself to be a worthy lord, shouldn't you?"
The person who came in for investigation was Zenon, yet an unpleasant feeling rose within him, as if he were the one being cornered instead.
"Please seize power on your own. Lady Annelly is busy enough without dealing with matters of this neighborhood."
Perhaps it was a sense of defeat.
In that moment, Heinrich recalled the words Annelly had said to him on the first day he moved his residence to the detached palace.
"Big Sister Frijian told me this. That it was Father's decision to put me on the execution platform, and that everyone suffered because of it."
At the entrance of the detached palace where they would live from now on, she stood rooted to the spot for a while.
"So everyone trying to win my favor now must also be an extension of that great decision."
It was infuriating, but Zenon hadn't said anything wrong. He hadn't wanted to know why Annelly felt at ease with Zenon, but despite that, the reason naturally suggested itself.
'She needs a man who can follow her wherever she goes, rather than a man who asks her to return to this terrible place.'
While he was briefly lost in recollection, strength flooded into his hands behind his back. He cannot have both the Imperial Throne and Annelly. Then, could he give up the Imperial Throne to gain Annelly?
There's no way he could do that. There are still subordinates who believe in him. Because as Zenon said, Heinrich is someone's lord.
Heinrich squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them.
"Is someone outside?"
When he raised his voice, a servant's respectful answer came from beyond the door.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Among the recent letters, there was one from Roam, was there not? Bring it here."
"...Yes, I understand."
A hint of bewilderment colored the servant's voice. However, Heinrich continued speaking without batting an eye.
"And prepare for my outing."
Heinrich had a premonition. Now was truly the time to give up.
So there would be no repeat of past mistakes, and in the end, he would be the one to claim the Imperial Throne.
* * *
The Imperial Underground Mausoleum was not far from the Imperial Palace in terms of distance alone. However, due to the special nature of being a mausoleum, the area was divided by iron bars.
Though it was the same land, the atmosphere inside and outside the bars was completely different. Was it just my imagination that the air felt eerie the moment I entered?
As I was about to gaze at the straight entrance to the underground mausoleum ahead, a trembling voice came from my right.
"You can be honest with me. You actually like places like this, don't you?"
Zenon, whose face had turned pale blue, kept looking around nervously. Seeing him startled every time tree branches shook in the wind, I thought he hadn't changed a bit.
"That's what I told you. I said you didn't have to accompany us. You said you were staying as a guest of the Imperial Palace in the first place. How on earth did you get permission to accompany us?"
"When I heard Lady Annelly was going to dispel the evil energy of this palace, I said I would detect evil magic as compensation for my unauthorized warp. Some pot-bellied chubby uncle enthusiastically agreed to that."
That must be Count Penderon. No doubt about it.
I clicked my tongue softly and looked at Zenon with pity.
"That said, I myself have a question. Why is this holy knight here, and why is he accompanying us?"
In response to Zenon's irritated question, an answer came from my left.
"Where there is a resurrected one, the Temple would surely not fail to make an appearance. Besides, a blessing prayer—there's sufficient justification for me to intervene."
Wouldn't it be better to just shake them both off right now and go in alone?
Such a thought crossed my mind briefly, but I decided to endure it for now. I still couldn't command Durahan within the palace.
By the way, Mintte said she would come out ahead of time, but where on earth is she?
I was looking around in puzzlement when a ghostly voice drifted from somewhere.
"You have arrived…… Resurrected One………"
"Eek, you startled me!"
Startled, Zenon reflexively clung to my arm. Samuel stepped forward with a guarded expression. At the two's sensitive reactions, the other person bowed obsequiously and introduced themselves.
"Hello…… I am Remia, the grave keeper who manages this place……"
The other person was a middle-aged woman with dark circles and ashen skin. Her drawling voice was low and gloomy, as if it might sink into the ground at any moment.
"I have received the message…… Please come this way……"
"She's human, right?"
A frightened Zenon whispered to me. Whether he heard that voice or not, Remia slowly turned to look at Zenon.
"She is human……"
"If she's human, she's human. What do you mean by 'she is human'?"
Zenon muttered with a horrified expression. Remia answered kindly without any sign of offense.
"People who can withstand this powerful yin energy are rare…… so it's very confusing……"
"She is certainly a rare talent. I'd like to recruit her as the administrator of the Temple's ossuary."
"I am under contract with the Imperial family…… I cannot change workplaces without His Majesty's permission…… By the way, what are the working conditions at the Temple……?"
Watching Samuel seriously considering recruitment and Remia subtly trying to confirm contract terms, the fear I felt for a moment turned into something illusory.
Zenon too seemed to have relaxed a bit, letting out a sigh as he released my arm.
The path to the underground mausoleum entrance was not far. In front of the stone building filled with ornate carvings on its outer walls, a black cat sat demurely, waiting for me.
[Boss!]
"Oh my… why is Mimi out here…? Come here…"
Mintte, who had been meowing happily at me, recoiled with a look of distaste and bounded away.
"Mimi…?"
[Boss! Please stop that woman! She's too formidable an opponent for this body to handle!]
Mintte's urgent voice was translated as feline chattering. Remia drooped her shoulders gloomily.
"Mimi… you are such a difficult woman…"
[Boss!]
If I watched any longer, Mintte might hold a grudge against me. I quickly stepped forward and reached out my hand. Mintte leaped into my arms as if she had been waiting.
Easily catching Mintte as she jumped into my embrace, I said to Remia,
"This fellow is my lost cat. I didn't expect her to be here, but it seems you took good care of her. I'll take her now…"
I was speaking smoothly when I found myself meeting Remia's wavering gaze. The shadow under her eyes, which seemed even darker than before, felt chilling for no reason.
…I hope I haven't incurred Remia's grudge instead of Mintte's?
Remia watched Mintte persistently until we disappeared from her view. Mintte, perhaps sensing that gaze, trembled and buried her head in my arms.
[If you had been any later, I might have gone mad. That woman was incredible.]
"Looks like you had a hard time."
[She tried to feed me mice, calling it a special meal!]
Ugh, that's a bit…
[And such a terrible name too.]
"Why? Mimi is a perfectly fitting nickname, isn't it?"
Mintte looked up at me without a word. Facing her yellow cat eyes that held no warmth at all, I cleared my throat and gently set her down.
"Of course I was joking, Mintte."
[I will guide you, Boss.]
Mintte said sternly and took the lead. She must have toured the interior several times already, for she went down the stairs without getting lost.
Samuel, holding the lamp received from Remia, illuminated the path at our feet. I had been aware of the cold, damp air, but seeing the surrounding scenery lit by the firelight made it feel even more certain that this was an underground mausoleum.
"This is the Imperial Underground Mausoleum…"
I had thought the interior might be decorated in gold, but surprisingly, it was quite modest.
The structure wasn't complicated either; after descending the stairs to the end, what appeared was a single large hall. In the hall, stone coffins were placed at regular intervals on both sides, with the center as the reference point.
[The key is in this hall, but I couldn't narrow down the range any further than this. I apologize.]
"This is basically the same as finding it."
"What does it look like?"
Zenon asked curiously. I shrugged at him.
"I don't know."
"If you don't know, how will you find it?"
"I don't know, but I'll recognize it when I see it."
Answering thus, I slowly looked around the hall. The light of power feels different from ordinary light.
Rather than illuminating the surroundings, it's a form that reveals its own existence, so to speak? It's light, but it's light with visible outlines, so distinguishing it wasn't difficult.
The hall was wide, so I decided to take one big loop around first. Looking by eye, each stone coffin was crafted with delicate carvings.
That level of carving must have required a sculptor of considerable skill.
As I walked, secretly admiring the quality of the carvings, I reached the end of the hall before I knew it. At the end of the path crossing the center of the hall, a stone coffin was placed on a raised platform.
I could immediately tell whose coffin it was. A nameplate was hung on the front of the coffin.
"The first Emperor's coffin."
I looked at the coffin almost spellbound without realizing it. Compared to other stone coffins, it wasn't particularly more ornately decorated.
The level of carving was similar, and aside from the raised platform, there was no sense of special attention paid to it.
Yet the reason it looked special was, of course, because of the first Emperor's majesty… or so I thought.
"It's glowing."
"Pardon?"
"Hmm?"
Samuel and Zenon, who had been looking elsewhere, simultaneously turned toward me. Mintte had already approached my feet.
"Looks like it's inside this stone coffin."
Light was spilling from the gap where the lid met the coffin. As if urging me to recognize it quickly.
* * *
"No matter how turbulent the palace is, how could you permit outsiders to enter the Imperial Underground Mausoleum!"
As soon as he recovered from the mental shock, Maxel rushed to the Emperor's office. The reason for his shock was that the Emperor was taking Annelly's words seriously.
That was tantamount to saying he would reexamine Maxel's qualifications as Crown Prince.
"Given the disturbances that have occurred in the Imperial Palace lately, we must at least try such methods."
At Heinrich's words, Maxel's expression turned viciously distorted. However, instead of responding to Heinrich, he turned to the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, please dismiss everyone around us."