All things depend on a person’s determination.
Even if I wear silk clothes and bite into sweet fruits, if my heart is not at ease, my whole body aches and I feel nothing but pain.
A soft bed and dozens of attendants.
Chewing on a sweet apple shaped like a rabbit that a maid carved, I fell into deep thought for the first time in a long while.
My body is certainly too comfortable, but my heart is not at ease.
I had witnessed in my mind scenes where the demon who toyed with the royal family turned the emperor into a terminally ill man and made the empress forget even her own children—the worst villain.
“I will not be crushed by the likes of you!” he declared, killing the demon.
In reality, excuses like “I didn’t do anything” or “I only placed a few spoons on the banquet table prepared by the 5th princess” did not work at all.
Instead, even my role in finding the hero was added to my merits, leading people to suspect that I might be the envoy of the gods.
I am being held captive without any choice, receiving lavish treatment.
They wash me, cook for me, and cater to my every desire without me moving, making me feel like I might undergo a retrogression.
‘I’m human too, so I don’t dislike this kind of treatment.’
The problem is that there is a price to be paid.
The empire’s royal family was destined to fall someday.
As written in the crystal sphere, there was no doubt about that fact.
Of course, I could be optimistic that by killing that demon, I avoided the fate of destruction.
But hearing the demon’s last words, it seems their purpose was to destroy the empire.
They wouldn’t leave the royal family alone, so they would undoubtedly continue to invade and threaten my life.
It’s no different from the academy.
No, perhaps their situation might be better.
After all, the protagonists and Si-jo-ryong are there.
Even if enemies attack, if we can hold out, those two will handle it.
This place is a nightmare far more terrifying than the academy. Unless you’re a magician, most magic is sealed in this wasteland, making it an unsuitable place.
***
“Just wait a little longer. I will promptly secure a position and rank befitting your merits.”
But this was what the emperor of the empire told me.
“I still find you lacking. I tried to protect you, but I ended up only receiving help. If you are disappointed in me, it’s unforgivable… But still! Someday! I will definitely become a hero worthy of you. So, could you become my knight again then?”
This was what the 5th princess said when she approached me.
She mumbled her words, chewing her tongue and ran away feeling embarrassed, but she still occasionally comes to ask me for various advice.
Of course, I have never learned swordsmanship or anything.
I roughly told her nonsense like ‘If your mind doesn’t waver, your swordsmanship won’t either,’ and sent her away, but the girl seemed sufficiently satisfied with that.
Her gently smiling face is so cute that I might end up becoming the imperial court’s magician and the 5th princess’s swordsmanship instructor.
…I need to avoid such an ending.
***
After pondering for a while, I made a decision.
Since the emperor wouldn’t simply let go of a human whose life I had saved twice, what is needed in this situation is an extraordinary measure among extraordinary measures.
To break the will of someone as high as the emperor of the empire, naturally, I would need the power of an entity greater than him.
Therefore, the strategy I chose was I-dok-je-dok (using poison to counter poison).
It was a gamble, seemingly suppressing poison with poison.
The risk was high, but leaving here without taking even this much of a gamble would have been impossible.
With that judgment, I didn’t hesitate and immediately contacted the academy, seeking help from Sion.
***
The situation didn’t improve but got worse.
“Are you truly trying to test my patience?”
The ground trembled at the girl’s voice.
The emperor of the empire, standing before the head of state, displayed a proud and insolent attitude, yet no one gathered here dared to point out her behavior.
That woman herself was the great Si-jo-ryong of the empire.
She had been the guardian of this country since its founding.
“Do not take my goodwill for granted. Even if you are the descendant of a friend, it does not give you the right to interfere with my actions as you please.”
In terms of technology, the republic side was superior.
In terms of stored resources, it couldn’t keep up with the kingdom.
Yet, the empire could seize hegemony solely because that dragon was on the empire’s side.
A being that, if determined, could single-handedly destroy the empire.
Even if you are the emperor of the empire, you would have to step back in this place…
The situation was getting stranger.
Ignoring Si-jo-ryong’s warning not to cross the line, the emperor stood resolutely before her and began to speak.
“I’m sorry, but this time I cannot back down.”
No matter how many thousands of years Si-jo-ryong had sworn to protect, nothing in the world is unchanging.
If the enraged Si-jo-ryong were to abandon the empire, it would surely become an irreversible problem, yet the emperor seemed absolutely unwilling to back down.
An act threatening the national security.
The reason the emperor was taking such a risk was, “I have a debt to repay to that young man.”
To me. That old fool chose to fight Si-jo-ryong just to keep me detained.
“I hope that Si-jo-ryong can kindly allow that young man to stay in the palace for the time being.”
I couldn’t understand that action.
If you want to repay a debt to me, there are many ways other than keeping me here and treating me.
Perhaps, treating me as an indispensable talent that must never be lost.
But no matter how outstanding a talent, if you have to go against Si-jo-ryong’s will to obtain it, it wouldn’t be worth the cost-benefit.
What on earth was that old man thinking? As I contemplated for a moment while watching his behavior, I realized.
His gaze was glancing toward the 5th princess.
Even the emperor of the empire is ultimately human.
It seems the demon had tampered with the minds of those around me to thoroughly break the will of the hero candidate.
The scars remaining here and there on the girl’s body.
Perhaps the demon made her father control her to commit inhumane acts against her daughter.
Of course, naturally, it was not the emperor’s fault but the fault of the one who established the emperor.
Human emotions are not that simple.
Even if unintentional, how many fathers can remain sane upon realizing they have hurt their beloved daughter with their own hands?
”In such a situation, if my daughter asks me not to part ways, I can’t help but agree.”
Having roughly grasped the situation, I immediately took a step.
The small culprit who caused this major incident.
Standing before her, I tried to offer the kindest smile possible.
“Princess, you have been treating me so well. I am overwhelmed by your boundless grace and do not know how to respond.”
Lucie listened to my story and smiled brightly.
Seeing her smile makes me feel a little guilty, but unfortunately, I cannot remain in such a place.
“But Your Highness, sometimes you have to let go even when you care. A bird is not born to be trapped in a cage but to fly freely.”
I spoke indirectly to avoid hurting her feelings as much as possible.
Even if the analogy is somewhat clumsy, it’s better than being direct.
“I have students I need to teach. There are children who, like you once were, have lost their way and are wandering alone, and I need to guide them.”
Tears welled up in Lucie’s eyes.
I firmly held her hand and asked, “Therefore, could you please let me go?”
Her sobbing intensified.
Lucie held my hand tighter than before, as if she did not want to let me go.
However, she was braver than I thought.
The girl, knowing what the right choice was, nodded her small head despite stumbling so much she couldn’t look ahead.
Seeing that, the emperor of the empire finally felt relieved.
Even though she was an emperor, she seemed to fear going against the great Si-jo-ryong’s temper.
“You always seem to be indebted to me.”
The emperor, who had declared she would take this young man away as she wished while apologizing for being rude to Sion, said to me.
Normally, in such situations, it would be appropriate to politely decline and accept the excessive words graciously.
But this time, the situation was slightly different, so I cautiously spoke to him, “Your Majesty, if you allow me, may I make one last request?”
Fortunately, the emperor nodded.
In this situation, what I had to say was decided.
“I would like you to thoroughly erase all memories related to this incident from those involved.”
“If it’s about that, we are already in the process. I don’t even want to imagine what kind of chaos would break out if the information that the royal family was being controlled by demons spreads.”
“What I’m asking is truly to erase this matter from the memories of ‘all’ involved parties.”
The emperor was taken aback by my statement.
Not missing the chance, I continued speaking.
I have admired Your Majesty’s fairness and justice.
However, if Your Majesty were to consider that I owe you a debt and make personal judgments, it would result in me destroying your idol with my own hands.
Therefore, I hope you can erase from everyone’s minds who the person was that dealt with the demon.
An excuse I concocted to sever ties with the royal family.
Though it’s somewhat unconvincing, I had a cheat code in Si-jo-ryong.
By signaling her and slightly borrowing her authority, getting approval was a piece of cake.
“Once the matter is settled, let us return together. You’ve achieved great feats; why not ride on my back as a reward?”
Si-jo-ryong asked playfully, her eyes sparkling.
My head already hurts thinking about how to lower the evaluation raised by this incident.
Well, it’s a manageable risk.
Thanks to that, I could neatly part ways with Lucie and cut off ties with the royal family.
Satisfied with this outcome, I boarded the carriage with Si-jo-ryong.
It was time to return to daily life once again.
The carriage carrying the VIP departed.
However, as I looked at the man in the carriage, the emperor never forgot who the author was, avoiding any confusion.
To forget such a man.
How could that be possible?
”I’m worried that thinking I owe him a debt might entangle me in personal emotions. That young man certainly said so.”
If it’s for the author, I don’t mind abandoning fairness and justice.
He saved my life several times.
He freed me from a destiny of being controlled all my life.
And most importantly, he reunited me with my beloved family.
To repay such a benefactor, I could break any values I had held onto my entire life.
My daughter, begging me to enter the academy next year even if it breaks age regulations.
Holding her hand tightly, the emperor gave a final farewell to the departing carriage.
…The empire will never forget this favor forever.