Reward

“Guardsman Armand Elios, step forward.”

The Home Minister calls my name.

A massive crowd was gathered around.

Most of them were imperial bureaucrats.

“—Isn't he the brat who was commissioned this morning?”

“They say he's the youngest Sword Master despite his looks.”

“They say the escort knight didn't protect Her Highness's life, but cured her illness?”

“I don't know the details either. I heard he's the son of a High Priest…….”

“That's quite a hard story to believe.”

“He's a man acknowledged by His Majesty, so it would be best not to doubt him further.”

Countless gazes look at me and whisper. Most are reactions of bewilderment.

“—If I had started by pulling out his fingernails as usual, I would've been truly fucked.”

Among them was Darkan, the Captain of the Imperial Guard, who had tried to pull out my fingernails. His face as he looks at me is etched with deep bewilderment.

‘To think I'd visit the throne room again.’

I am just as bewildered.

Where did it all go wrong?

I had merely tried to kill the princess.

But the situation had strangely flowed in the opposite direction.

The holy sword imbued with aura, far from cutting off the princess's breath, had alleviated the precursory symptoms of her awakening.

I hadn't even known such a thing existed.

Of course, it was because it wasn't in the original story.

As such, the most nefarious Demon Dragon was a boss that appeared suddenly.

‘…Surely I didn't help the Demon Dragon's awakening, did I?’

Groundless anxiety seizes me, but this isn't what matters right now anyway.

“Silence, everyone! His Majesty the Emperor enters!”

An old man wearing a splendid crown appears from behind the throne room.

It is the Emperor who had personally appointed me as the princess's escort knight earlier.

He is a man once called a legend.

A hero who had captured the King of Demons single-handedly.

He isn't called a living hero for nothing.

At the Emperor's appearance, everyone bows their heads and seals their lips. I also bend at the waist in submission.

“Armand Elios, raise your head.”

The Emperor intones my name in a low voice.

It is the same line as during the appointment ceremony.

But the Emperor's face is different from that time.

His wrinkled eyelids are trembling. As if he would burst into tears at any moment.

“…Your Majesty?”

“To think you broke the curse that had tormented my daughter for years-. You are my daughter's.. no, my savior.”

Sincere emotion dwells in his eyes. To the point where I don't know how to respond.

“Home Minister, bring the medal here.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor lifts a shield-shaped medal and continues.

“I bestow upon Armand, who healed my daughter Violeta—the future of the Empire—the Order of National Protection and a reward.”

The medal is pinned onto my Imperial Guard uniform.

Any ordinary knight would have been moved to tears, but as someone targeting the princess's life, I am merely bewildered.

I had tried to assassinate her, not heal her-.

“It is an honor.”

I swallow my true feelings and show propriety before the Emperor once more.

—Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

At the same time, applause rings out.

I have officially been recognized by the Emperor.

But not everyone acknowledges me.

‘But where did the other imperial family members go? I don't even see the princess?’

There is no imperial family in the throne room besides the Emperor.

Of course, the noblest of imperial kin have no obligation to move their feet for a mere knight like me.

There must be some internal imperial affairs I am unaware of.

“Are you looking for Violeta?”

The Emperor asks, as if reading my gaze. Despite his aged body, his senses seem as sharp as ever.

“Yes, I am worried about Her Highness's condition.”

“Hoho, to be thinking only of protecting her even at this moment. Truly a model knight.”

“You overpraise me. I am merely concerned about having left her side.”

“You needn't worry. Violeta is resting for her recovery.”

“Then that is a relief.”

Damn, so she really is fine?

This assassination plan is a perfect failure.

Well, surviving like this is something. And I even got a medal out of it.

‘Should I be happy about this or disappointed?’

As I am contemplating the medal with complicated feelings,

“Anyway, set aside your worries for now and follow me. I have a reward to bestow.”

“A reward, Your Majesty?”

“Indeed.”

The Emperor pats my shoulder and slowly begins to walk.

Toward the back of the throne room where he had appeared earlier—toward the Emperor's chamber.

In other words, that so-called reward is-.

An audience alone with the Emperor.

‘This is driving me crazy with pressure.’

Having tried to kill the princess, I cannot help but feel uncomfortable.

✧

An audience alone with the Emperor is an enormous reward.

Not just anyone can share a seat with the Emperor.

Even if they are royalty-.

That is how difficult it is to win the Emperor's favor.

In other words, it isn't simply a place to converse.

Through conversation with the Emperor, one could gain power, and another could emerge with enormous amounts of gold and silver treasures.

It isn't called a reward for nothing.

‘This is the Emperor's chamber.’

Following the Emperor inside, a magnificent scene unfolds before my eyes.

Hills of gold coins piled everywhere.

Treasures strewn haphazardly atop them.

The surroundings sparkle with golden light, making it hard to keep my eyes open.

For a moment, I feel as though I have entered a dragon's lair spoken of only in legends.

“How did you save my daughter?”

The Emperor asks as he sits on a golden throne placed conspicuously in the center.

That figure is clearly noble and resplendent, yet somehow permeated with loneliness.

Well, none of that matters.

The Emperor's gaze feels burdensome.

And for good reason—his golden pupils even hold a peculiar excitement.

“I imbued my sword with aura and burned away the energy tormenting Her Highness.”

The princess had likely relayed the whole story anyway. I answer calmly and produce the holy sword from within my clothes.

“Huh, where did that come from?”

The moment he sees the cross-shaped holy sword, the Emperor's gaze wavers. He seems intimately familiar with this item.

“I found it in an abandoned cathedral located in my family's territory.”

“Yes, you said you were from the Elios family. In the end, it has returned to the hands of the rightful owner.”

“Hm? Do you know what this item is?”

“Only too well. It is a sword I used briefly in my youth.”

“…Is that true?”

“It is a sword created solely to deal with demons and demonic creatures. I later returned it when I could no longer wield it…….”

The Emperor looks down at the holy sword with distant eyes.

His face seems momentarily lost in reminiscence.

“If I may be so bold, what do you mean by 'could no longer wield it'?”

“Hm, it's nothing much. This decrepit body was the problem. But more importantly, Armand, how did you know there was a problem in Violeta's chest?”

The Emperor quickly changes the subject.

He seems to be hiding something, but I cannot press the Emperor for answers.

It doesn't really matter. The princess's death is my only goal, after all.

“As you know, I am the son of a High Priest. Perhaps because of that, I've been sensitive to ominous auras and demonic energy since childhood.”

“Hoo, is that true?”

“It is.”

Of course, it is a hastily fabricated lie.

I cannot confess my assassination plot.

Though I am quite good at sensing the killing intent that demons exude.

“Then you mean you sensed an ominous aura from Violeta as well.”

“That is correct.”

“So you stabbed her heart with it?”

“Yes. It may have been a hasty decision, but Her Highness's condition appeared quite serious. And I judged that my power would be sufficient to resolve it.”

“By power, do you mean holy power?”

“Yes. Perhaps due to my father's influence, it was infused in my aura.”

Holy power imbued in aura and the lifting of a curse.

Based on what I had heard from the princess earlier, I can spin a plausible tale.

It feels strange.

If it hadn't been for the princess this time, I wouldn't have been able to make such excuses so easily.

“Hmm, holy power flowing through aura isn't impossible. And with that sword as well…….”

The Emperor trails off and nods.

He looks as though he understands perfectly.

Or perhaps… there is something too awkward to speak aloud.

That doesn't matter to me.

“I apologize for acting arbitrarily.”

Thud. I kneel on one knee on the spot and beg forgiveness for acting first and reporting later.

After all, regardless of the outcome, the fact remains that I stabbed the princess.

“Rise. I called you here to give reward, not punishment.”

However, the Emperor is a benevolent sovereign.

To the point where I feel nothing but guilt.

A reward for me, who had tried to kill the princess-.

“I am undeserving.”

“You need not feel guilty. Without you, she would have been writhing in agony for days on end. To cure a great illness, one must sometimes press the blade to the flesh.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

“That aside, I am curious how Violeta reacted. To your aura imbued with holy power, that is.”

The Emperor's gaze turns once more toward the holy sword.

Deeper wrinkles form in his furrowed brow.

“She felt no pain whatsoever. Rather, she felt refreshed.”

“Is that true? Then what happened to that ominous energy, in your opinion?”

“I honestly cannot say whether it was perfectly removed, but she has certainly improved significantly.”

“Hmm, I like your honesty. Then let us end the audience here…….”

The Emperor turns his gaze and relaxes his rigid expression. Then, the face of a benevolent emperor emerges.

“Tell me what you desire. I shall grant you anything.”

The master of the Empire who holds hegemony over the continent promises to grant a wish. This is no bluff.

If one desired territory, he would grant a fief; if wealth, he is a man who would allow one to take as much gold and treasure from this room as they pleased.

However, my answer is already decided.

“It is fine.”

“…What?”

“Being able to protect Her Highness's side is a great blessing in itself. I respectfully decline.”

I cannot accept anything.

This is absolutely not false modesty.

A reward while I am targeting the princess's life?

It is absurd. It feels too wrong; I simply cannot accept it.

And when I deal with the most nefarious Demon Dragon, I will return to my original world.

So there is little point in receiving anything now. I had no intention to in the first place.

“Hoho…… To think I'd be rejected in a private audience.”

“Have I committed a discourtesy?”

“Indeed, sending you back empty-handed does not preserve my dignity as Emperor.”

“…Ah.”

“So speak comfortably of anything you wish.”

The Emperor keeps trying to force a reward on me.

I want to ask for the princess's life, but I hold back.

Instead-.

“Then please allow me to continue as Her Highness's escort without any change of position. That is enough.”

I request guaranteed tenure as an escort knight. So that I can assassinate the princess at any time.

That is enough.

“Goodness, a rare loyal knight.”

The Emperor exclaims and bursts into hearty laughter.

To that terrible misunderstanding, I can make no response.

“Then it cannot be helped. Instead, if you ever need anything later, come find me anytime.”

“It is an honor, Your Majesty.”

With those words, I am finally able to withdraw.

Meanwhile, the Emperor watches my retreating figure-.

“A knight with an upright nature and holy power….”

“It's as though I am looking at my younger self. Perhaps he might even be able to wield that sword.”

He simply mutters with a satisfied face.

✧✧✧

One day has passed since being appointed the princess's escort knight.

Current score:

1 assassination attempt / 1 failure / 1 rescue / 1 reward pending

Looking back on yesterday, there had never been such an absurd stroke of misfortune.

‘No. Surviving despite failing the assassination is the miracle.’

I mutter while standing morning watch in front of the princess's room.

It can only be described as a miracle.

While it helped that I had inadvertently removed the curse engraved on her heart, the princess's unstable mental state had played a large role.

No matter that the curse was broken, the fact remains that I stabbed her heart.

Yet she glossed over it without a care-.

Truly, there is no madwoman like her. Perhaps it is a reaction befitting the name of the most nefarious Demon Dragon.

“…You've been out there a while.”

Morning watch is almost over.

But as the princess's escort knight, I cannot move freely.

Because she is still holed up in her room sleeping.

The physicians said it would take half a day to recover her condition after escaping the curse.

Naturally, they do not know the princess's true illness. I am not particularly curious either.

Because my only concern is the princess's death.

‘Her condition improved thanks to me-.’

I am worried I might have helped skip the precursory symptoms of her awakening. If so, instead of assassination, the world's destruction would simply be hastened.

If the holy power had perfectly purified the Demon Dragon's blood, the princess should have taken damage. At least a small pain.

But the princess's condition has only grown more vigorous.

“…Ha.”

My head is a mess.

It feels like a scroll I'd never even unfurled is being pulled taut.

That aside…….

Might her not having been in her right mind not have been because of the curse's influence?

If so, will I be meeting the princess in her right mind today?

Standing watch alone, all sorts of useless thoughts come to mind.

If I didn't mutter like this, I'd die of boredom—.

“…Are you outside? Was it Armand?”

Then, the princess's voice comes from inside the room.

It seems she has woken up just now.

“Ah, have you awoken?”

“Yes. Come in and help me.”

“Pardon? With what?”

“The door is open, so come in.”

The princess is willful from the morning, but I am rather glad.

I had thought I would truly die of boredom.

And perhaps today, too, I might find an angle to assassinate the princess.

“Excuse me.”

I knock for courtesy's sake and open the door.

As I open the door-.

“Good morning.”

The princess, her clothes half-undone, welcomes me pleasantly.

“My lady? What is this……?”

“You came at the perfect time. I slept soundly, but my body is still stiff, so…….”

Swoop. The princess suddenly pulls me into an embrace.

*Chuckle.* And then she whispers seductively into my ear.

“…Won't you pierce me like you did yesterday?”

Like hell she'd gotten better.

Today, too, Her Highness is still not in her right mind.