Children of the Holy Emperor

Bertrand Street.

Located in the western part of the Imperial City, this beautiful street, originally started as a logistics warehouse area, is now the cultural hub with a series of splendid theater buildings. Although most of the old warehouses behind these grand buildings are now used for storing theater props or hosting temporary performances by foreign troupes, a significant number still stand empty.

One of these warehouses served as a meeting place for a group from Rohan.

Late evening.

When Romaine entered the building, he paused upon finding Prince Leonard, unusually sober and sitting quietly. The prince, typically dressed casually, was now neatly attired in traditional Rohan garments and had his hair neatly combed with fragrant oil.

“Hey, Romaine. Where have you been wandering at this late hour? I thought you quit playing with drunks at Darron.”

Romaine, sensing that the impatient prince must have been up to something during his absence, asked cautiously, “Did you go somewhere, Leo?”

Leonard’s attire, though tidy, was hardly fitting for royalty. He shrugged nonchalantly and picked up a bottle of liquor.

“It’s nothing. I was frustrated with how long it was taking to get permission to enter the Imperial Palace as a guest.”

“Surely you didn’t…”

“Yes, I disguised myself as part of a diplomatic delegation and went to the palace.”

Leonard took a swig from the bottle and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

“The palace might stop the royal family of Rohan at the gates, but they allow entry to diplomatic delegations bearing gifts. So I followed the Rohan delegation into the audience chamber.”

Romaine was at a loss for words.

Despite the disguise, Leonard’s face was too well-known to risk such exposure. What a scandal it would be if someone recognized him.

“Don’t worry. I stayed hidden among the crowd and kept my head down. I shouldn’t have been noticed.”

His voice lacked the usual confidence.

“Just wanted to see the princess’s face out of sheer frustration. Unfortunately, I didn’t meet her, but I did get a close look at that damned man causing all the trouble.”

“The Holy Emperor… You met him?”

“Yes. That man, his temperament is…”

“What happened?”

“Oh, nothing much. Just the way he glared at me…”

Leonard suddenly shivered, as if recalling something frightening.

Even amid a crowd of diplomatic envoys, Leonard’s striking appearance seemed to captivate attention. As he fumbled for words and took another swig of his drink, Romaine realized something.

He had been recognized.

And deep down, Leonard seemed to regret this realization a bit.

“He couldn’t have known my face,” Leonard mused.

“You should not have underestimated him as a mere human,” Romaine reminded him, sighing and sitting opposite the prince.

Considering the water had already been spilled, and fortunately, Leonard hadn’t embarrassed himself in front of the foreign delegates, it seemed best to just feign ignorance and return to the palace as a dignitary.

“If Your Highness plans to approach his daughter, who knows how he will react. It’s better to be cautious from now on.”

“Should I really stop then?” Leonard’s uncharacteristically timid response contrasted sharply with his usual bold demeanor, but Romaine wasn’t overly concerned. He knew well enough that by tomorrow morning, Leonard would likely regain his confidence and nag him to arrange another meeting with the princess.

“Oh! Speaking of which, there was something odd during the audience.”

Leonard, now flush from alcohol, rested his chin on his hand and continued.

During the presentation of gifts from Brittany and other regions, just as a page was about to announce the envoy from Asein, the Holy Emperor suddenly raised his hand to stop him.

Amidst a sudden, heavy silence in the audience chamber, the Holy Emperor slowly touched his forehead and closed his eyes. Everyone, puzzled by his actions, watched in confusion. Leonard, standing relatively close to the throne, distinctly heard the Holy Emperor’s low murmur.

—So noisy…

In the vast audience chamber, filled with silent, attentive people, it was perplexing what he found so noisy.

After a moment, the Holy Emperor opened his eyes and the audience resumed as if nothing had happened.

But Leonard was already left with an indelible impression of the Emperor as a remarkably unpleasant and unfathomable man.

Hearing this, Romaine came to a new realization.

His own soul fragment, which had possessed Ashley Betcher, was it destroyed not because it was discovered but simply because it was noisy?

After a while of silently sipping his drink, Leonard suddenly hung his head and spoke in a subdued voice.

“Listen, Romaine. I always took your words lightly, but seeing the Holy Emperor of Delcross up close, he was truly different.”

“…”

“Just sitting there, I could feel how terrifying he was.”

Leonard then looked up, casting a somewhat desperate gaze.

“Tell me, Romaine. Can we really do anything against someone like him?”

Romaine silently met his gaze, then gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

[He has been alone until now and will continue to be. He is surrounded by enemies, and they are extremely powerful. He has nowhere to retreat and will slowly wither away here in Delcross.]

Hearing Romaine’s mystically charged voice, Leonard’s expression visibly relaxed. He nodded and took another drink without a word.

Yet, behind the mask, Romaine’s eyes were shaded with a hint of darkness.

***

At the same time, a long procession of carriages was heading towards the northern gate of Delcross. Despite the late hour, these were the priests who had been on far-reaching pastoral missions, now returning for the Birthday Celebration, thanks to the support of the Orthodox Church.

“We are approaching the gates of the capital, Sister Sisle. My heart flutters, which shows how long we have been away.”

Inside the gently rocking carriage, a young girl, engrossed in a book, lifted her head. Her long, silvery hair flowed softly, adding to her angelic appearance, like a celestial being from a sacred painting.

“I didn’t realize you missed the capital so much, Sister Ursula,” she remarked.

“Me? Didn’t I tell you how much I love Delcross?”

Sister Ursula, slightly dramatic, peered out of the carriage window with excitement. “If it weren’t for our mission to spread the grace of the Divine across the continent, I wouldn’t have left home for so long.”

The girl tilted her head, puzzled. “Weren’t you the one who always complained about being stuck in the capital, longing to travel on pastoral missions?”

Sister Ursula chuckled, admitting that her recent experiences had reaffirmed her love for Delcross.

Closing her eyes, she deeply inhaled, savoring the air of Delcross. “Indeed, nearing the capital feels different! I thought the sisters were exaggerating, but returning after a long absence, I can sense the immense influence of His Majesty the Emperor.”

Sister Ursula wasn’t particularly powerful in divine energy, but even she could feel the strong holy aura intensifying as they neared Delcross. It was no wonder that visiting clergy from distant lands often stopped near the gate, overwhelmed with tears of emotion.

She clasped her hands together, overwhelmed. “Such a powerful presence! Truly, Delcross under the care of the Divine’s representative is a blessed holy nation, Sister Sisle!”

Sister Sisle’s expression darkened slightly. Ursula, puzzled by her subdued response, was soon distracted by the commotion outside. The inspection at the gate was unusually stringent, causing the procession to slow down.

“Today’s inspection seems particularly strict.”

Indeed, armed knights and guards swarmed out, checking each carriage and its occupants. Usually, a quick confirmation of the identities of the leading knights and priests sufficed, but the heightened security seemed excessive, even considering the upcoming Birth Celebration.

Soon, it was the turn of the carriage carrying Sister Sisle and Sister Ursula. The inspection officers arrived at their door.

He knocked politely on the carriage door and cautiously opened it. The knight was from the 5th Knight Order, assigned to guard the gate.

Seeing two people in radiant religious attire, he quickly bowed his head. Every citizen of Delcross would recognize the face of the young Saintess with her long silver hair.

“The grace of the Divine descended upon Delcross is before us!”

The knight respectfully greeted them, prompting Sisle to inquire, “Is there a problem in the capital?”

“Yes, Saintess. Recently, a creature called a ‘monster beast’ appeared in the capital, causing some disturbance. This has made the inspection process at the Birthday Celebration more stringent.”

Monster beast? What’s that?

Sister Ursula blinked in confusion, while the young Saintess asked with a trembling voice, “A monster beast? How can that be?”

Sisle’s clear grey eyes reflected her dismay. She quickly flipped through her small diary, found a page, and stared intently at it.

“It can’t be. A major gate opening in the capital was not due for several more months…”

“Huh?”

Sisle’s incomprehensible murmur left Ursula and the knight exchanging confused glances.

“What’s… what has changed?”

The knight, noticing the young girl’s face turning pale, quickly reassured, “But don’t worry! The Holy Knights of Delcross quickly exterminated the demon beasts. The capital is now safe.”

Sisle remained silent, contemplating.

“Moreover, Prince Morres, the 3rd Prince, personally slew the largest of the demon beasts. He is leading a special task force called the ‘Monster Special Task Force’, so such vile creatures won’t dare tread in Delcross anymore!”

“His Highness… Morres?”

Sister Ursula’s expression turned awkward, but the knight vigorously nodded, adding, “Yes, indeed! It’s the second time His Highness has slain such a creature. Previously, he saved students from an attack at the Academy. Despite various rumors about the Prince, he is truly a noble member of the imperial family…”

“Morres…”

Sisle repeated the somewhat unfamiliar name, flipping through her diary again.

Certainly, around this time, it was noted that the chubby troublemaker had decided to focus on swordsmanship.

Monster Special Task Force.

She couldn’t recall reading about such a unit, and unsurprisingly, her diary had no mention of it either.

“Sisle,” Sister Ursula said softly.

Sister Ursula’s worried voice reached her from beside her.

“The Monster Special Task Force.”

The Saintess’s eyes settled with a calmness beyond her years. If something differed from what she knew, it likely wasn’t unrelated to this unfamiliar unit.

She closed her diary and held it tightly against her chest.

Let’s not panic.

Once back at the palace, she planned to thoroughly investigate this Monster Special Task Force. And then…

“…I need to meet him, Morres.”

To her knowledge, Morres, who should have been wandering aimlessly for a long time unable to accumulate aura, was now a skilled warrior capable of slaying monster beasts. Wasn’t he leading the Monster Special Task Force too?

Perhaps.

He might just be the crucial wildcard that could help her escape her destined fate.

Staring quietly in the direction of the palace, a resolute light flickered in the young girl’s grey eyes.