The Emperor, sitting on his throne, watched as his daughter came over to the bottom of the stairs. His stern expression, long white hair, and the crown on his head conveyed a clear message about his authority and mood. However, the Princess disregarded it all and proceeded to climb the stairs.
The Emperor continued to gaze at the Princess without addressing anything. His face, adorned with a black beard, remained stoic as ever. It was more daunting for Sylvester as it became difficult to decipher the man, especially when there was so much distance between them that he didn't dare ascend the stairs.
"Father! I wish to go to the south city and catch thieves with Jack." She demanded sweetly. "I've trained all my life, and it's time I test my abilities."
The Emperor sighed and rubbed his face with his palm. Right then, the Princess also reached the throne and stopped in front of the Emperor.
'Is he going to scold her?' Sylvester wondered. 'I hope I don't get blamed for not restraining her.'
"Father, for years, I have trained under the tutelage of all the magical and knightly masters you brought. Now, I wish to apply my knowledge to a practical cause," she requested.
'I don't like this.' Sylvester, along with all the other individuals in the grand hall, watched the Emperor with anticipation. The Magistrate General and the Grand Premier standing beside the throne shared the same reaction.
"Oh, my dear Fernis," the Emperor uttered, his deep voice resounding. "Three long months! Only now do you find time to visit your father? How heartless of you, knowing well that you are my sunshine!"
"..."
'What kind of weird family dynamic is going on here?' Sylvester felt his body shiver with the cringe-inducing energy emanating from the Emperor and the Princess.
Princess Fernis knelt by the side of the throne and grasped the Emperor's hand. "Father, I was focused on my duties. I journeyed to inspect the northern lands and train. Only now, I have broken through and become an Arch Wizard!"
'What in the world!' Sylvester silently exclaimed. 'She's an Arch Wizard? At such a young age? Does Masan possess some artificial means to enhance strength? She's merely seventeen or eighteen!'
The Emperor's eyes shined, and he caressed Fernis's face. "I am so proud of you, my child. Perhaps Jinn should learn from you and focus more on his training. Merely being a weak Runemaster won't take him far."
Instantly, Sylvester became aware of the silent internal family conflict going on. It seemed that the second Prince was not considered magically powerful, nor was he interested in power. Clearly, the Emperor didn't like that.
Fernis pointed. "Big brother is the best. He made our lives so much better with his runes. One day he will be renowned in the world for his creations—Ah! I forgot what I came for! Can I please go and catch thieves?"
She attacked her father with puppy eyes. "Jack will be there to protect me!"
Sylvester did not appreciate his name being mentioned as all heads turned towards him, including the Emperor. The man immediately glared at him with interrogative eyes, which made sense as Sylvester had only arrived the day before.
"Oh, he's my new bodyguard. He saved my life from assassins and even put his own life in danger. Since he had no place to go, I took him." Fernis explained to the Emperor. "He's really skilled. Even one punched the Royal Knight Commander."
"Oh, is that so?" The Emperor gazed at him with interest. "Where do you come from, soldier?"
Thud!
Sylvester knelt down on one knee like a knight. "I come from Sandwall County, your Imperial Majesty. I was a slave on Master Yarik's land not long ago."
"SLAVE?!"
"How dare you defile the sanctity of this supreme hall!" The man on the Emperor's left suddenly roared. Old, hunchbacked, and bald, dressed in ordinary gray robes—he was the Magistrate General.
"STOP!" Fernis roared like a lioness. "He's not a slave anymore! He was freed and released. Since he had nowhere to go, I made him my bodyguard. He has been tested, and his loyalty is unquestioned!"
"B-But! He's still an east—"
"Silence." The Emperor waved his hand and focused on Sylvester's masked face. "Masan had deep relations with Sandwall for millennia. Intermarriage between people of Sandwall and Masan was common as sand in the desert in the past. I am saddened by what happened to your homeland, and I offer you a home in Masan."
'I can't judge the scent from this distance.' Sylvester was conflicted about the man.
"Thank you, your Imperial Majesty!" Sylvester lowered his head.
"But!" The Emperor continued. "Fernis is someone I hold dear. Her safety is of utmost importance, so I cannot allow any other Knight to be her bodyguard. Tell me, what is your wizard or knight rank."
Sylvester immediately answered. "I am a peak Diamond Knight and a peak Master Wizard, your Imperial Majesty."
"Oh!"
"Amazing!"
The crowd murmured in awe of his mighty talents. Of course, it wasn't something otherworldly high, but the fact that he was already so strong, and now a servant of the royal family, meant they now gained another formidable talent effortlessly.
"Whoa!" Fernis also exclaimed in delight. "I didn't know you were a wizard as well, Jack. Can you teach me spells from the East?"
Sylvester cursed the girl in his heart and wished she would stay silent. "If that is your command, I will, Your Highness."
Meanwhile, the Emperor stroked his beard with a conflicted expression. "With that strength, I can see how you were one of the survivors from Sandwall. Son, the duty of an Imperial Bodyguard is to prioritize the life of the royal. If a situation arises, can you sacrifice your life to protect her?"
"I can!" Sylvester wasted no time in answering. "The Princess is…a benevolent person. Any harm directed towards her must first face me. I would have done this even before becoming her bodyguard. Now—my sword and life belong to her and Mirmasan."
"Hah!" the Emperor chuckled fondly. Clearly, he liked the answer as he nodded continuously. "I had no doubt about the loyalty of a Sandwall. Very well, you shall serve as her blade and shield and lead her to train in the Southern City. Let her gain some experience in killing and apprehending a few scoundrels."
"Yes!" Fernis jumped and hugged the Emperor, wrapping her arm around the old yet dignified-looking man's neck. She even planted a few kisses on the man's cheeks, making him laugh heartily. "I'll be going then."
Happily skipping, she descended the stairs and patted Sylvester's shoulder plate of armor. "Let's go, Jack."
Sylvester bowed his head to the Emperor once and then followed the Princess closely to the exit. He just wanted to leave the vast yet crowded space as he felt uneasy there. Everything was so grand that the distance between him and the people rendered his abilities useless.
However, his ears were sharp, and he heard the exchange between the Emperor and the Magistrate General.
"Your Majesty, you spoil her too much," the man said in a low voice.
"Magistrate General—Say that again about my Fernis, and I will tear out your throat with my own hands."
Cold! Absolutely cold. That was the true nature of the Emperor. Sure, he may transform into a cheerful and gentle old man in front of his daughter, but that was expected from a loving father. But, an Emperor, on the other hand—ruthlessness was all that befitted him.
'Of course, everyone is carrying double faces in this castle.' Sylvester thought and glanced at the Princess' back. 'I wonder what her other, true face is like.'
…
In no time, they set off for the Southern City. Princess Fernis also wore feminine armor concealed beneath her loose robes. As for Sylvester, he could not remove his armor as per the protocol. He was meant to appear imposing and silently convey the message—do not mess with me.
After mounting their steeds, they set off, traversing the artificial canal until they arrived at the southern gates of Hundred Castle City. A single glance beyond the gates revealed the nature of their expedition.
The main road leading to the impoverished city's extreme southern boundary was wide and well-paved. However, the structures flanking it were tightly packed, almost slum-like in appearance.
However, it was not a slum as the buildings all went at least five stories high. They were made so close to one another that it was hard to notice the gaps leading between them. Regrettably, their condition was deplorable. Most exhibited signs of neglect, with black mold on the walls, chipped paint, and even exposed bricks. The inhabitants, though not naked or clad in tattered garments, appeared unclean and unsanitary. Meanwhile, the side streets harbored open sewer lines, thankfully not connected to public toilets, instead serving various shops and industries.
'That must be the monastery.' Sylvester noticed the imposing structure to their right, a short distance beyond the gates. It likely stood as the largest building in the southern city, perhaps even the grandest monastery throughout the western lands.
"Let's go to the monastery and see the names and sketches of all the recorded criminals in the city," Fernis suggested, steering her horse toward the big building.
Intrigued, Sylvester silently trailed behind, dissuading any troublemakers who obstructed their path. Being rich just from the looks of it, there were enough men and women with guts to try and sell them their goods, from beautiful carpets to pottery and clothes.
Eventually, they arrived at the monastery and ventured inside the colossal structure. Unlike the monasteries in the East, which adhered to a uniform architectural style, those in the West embraced the Western esthetic, characterized by sandy brick walls, towers, and magnificent domes crowning their summits.
'Shouldn't the Saint Cardinal of the West be in this building?' Sylvester pondered, cautiously entering the premises.
The clergymen at work there recognized Fernis right away and gave way to let her enter. Only the higher clergymen of Bishop or above rank dared greet her.
However, Sylvester noticed a troubling sight. These clergymen did not don the traditional pale-golden robes with red capes associated with the Church. Instead, they wore matching sandy-colored robes, complete with sandy capes. Their mitres mirrored the same hue, and to his further concern, bore the emblem of an eagle.
'Did…Masan succeeds in making the clergymen loyal to them before being loyal to the Church or the faith. If so, this complicates matters significantly. The division between the Eastern and Western branches of the Church is merely a question of time.'
"Ah! Saint Cardinal!" Fernis suddenly exclaimed, hastening her pace.
Sylvester also quickened his stride, eager to see the man he sought to eliminate. He contemplated what the Cardinal would be like and whether killing him would prove simple or not. Yet, despite his attempts to suppress astonishment, he was taken aback by what he saw.
'This is the saint Cardinal?!'
Before him stood an elderly, frail figure with a sickly physique. He was clad in silky sandy robes from head to toe, adorned with multiple gold chains around his neck.
However, the most striking aspect was the feeble, tormented slave before the Cardinal, moving while remaining on his knees, which continuously bled. On the slave's back was a marble podium that held a thick book and a few candles.
The Saint Cardinal recited from the tome, scowling and scrutinizing his surroundings, bestowing blessings or curses upon those who passed by.
'And then there is the eagle emblem on his mitre—It seems the western branch of the Church has been compromised! This is bad… truly, utterly bad!'
[A/N: See The Emperor and Saint Cardinal]
Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.
