Sophien was staring at the Emperor’s Speech.
“…”
There was only silence as the gaze of the faithful Emperor scanned all the sentences thoroughly. It was different from the past when she read a little bit and then gave up and grew annoyed. The Emperor’s sudden change was very embarrassing to the ministers, especially true for Romelock and Kruhan, who led the two major political factions.
“…”
“…”
They exchanged glances without a word. Since the indolent Sophien had never been interested in politics and internal affairs, they thought that even if she couldn’t become a wise Emperor, a politics of harmony by the priesthood would be possible.
“I will amend the first sentence of this speech.”
“…Ahem. The s-speech?”
This Majesty was very self-centered. Her unwillingness to listen to the ministers and her readiness to even modify this speech was the clear trait of a tyrant.
“Yes.”
“Your Majesty, there are no problems with the speech. This is a sentence written together by Kruhan and myself.”
The sixty-year-old Romelock bowed his head alongside Kruhan. Now their two opposing parties had formed a temporary alliance.
“Yes. That’s right. A very important speech in which all the ministers came together-“
“No.”
Sophien cut them off. Then she pointed to the first sentence.
“Do I need to mention the names of the countries of the continent one by one?”
The first sentence of the speech began by referring to the eight countries of the continent. Leok was first, and Yuren last.
“Just change it to the eight countries.”
At first glance, it was easy to mistake it for a formal speech, but the issue was the order. Which country’s name comes first from the Emperor’s mouth? Even a single word could prove an important diplomatic issue for the continent.
“You can’t, Your Majesty. I beg your kindness. This is the result of the history and diplomacy handed down from the last Emperor.”
“We beg your kindness!”
The cries of the ministers echoed through the hall. Sophien rested her fingers against her temples and shook her head.
“Enough. I’m not bound by the past. I will correct the first sentence, so you know.”
“I beg-“
“Anyway!”
The Emperor stood with grounding. The ministers lowered their eyes at the sudden sharp aura projecting from her.
“I’ll do what I want. This is the end of my morning schedule.”
She walked to her bed. Belatedly, they said, ‘You can’t —!’ but she didn’t pay them attention.
“…Scum.”
So, as soon as she returned to the Imperial Palace, she threw away the speech.
“How much gold was put on this one speech? How much money did they get to write a single sentence?”
Every country on the continent, large or small, bribes the Empire. It wasn’t wrong to say that it was a tribute, but the problem was that more than 70% of it was concentrated on the officials of the political world. That was thanks to the gentle nature of the last Emperor Crebaim.
“That money now belongs to me.”
However, Sophien’s speech this time would be a message to the continent. The bribes you paid to the ministers are no longer of use, so now focus your efforts on the Imperial family. Of course, there were many other parts of the speech that she didn’t like, but if she were too uncooperative, they might respond smartly. It was also important to reduce how much they tried to use their heads.
So, if she didn’t want to be bothered, it was right to pretend to be an impromptu and arrogant Emperor.
“Politics is so annoying.”
Sophien, lying on the bed, suffered from boredom again. Laying blankly, she recalled all her memories of her daily life. Hundreds of years were spent repeating her death and regression. During those days, Deculein was with her, giving up his life. But these days, Sophien was burdened with his hidden feelings.
That sincerity was always uncomfortable.
“…Perhaps.”
Sophien didn’t know Deculein’s intention for not saving Julie. At least rational reasoning was impossible, but that still left emotional speculation.
“He must have left his woman and…”
Sophien couldn’t tell at all. The principle of human emotions was a madness that she hadn’t yet mastered; no, it was forever impossible. Deculein was such a well-hidden guy.
“Hmm…”
Sophien raised her head from the end of the bed and looked at the Snow Globe. It was still snowing inside.
“Keiron, you must not know either.”
A man who lived his whole life alone. An old bachelor who didn’t know women.
“I wish he didn’t bother with me too much…”
Sophien looked at herself in the mirror. Certainly, she was extremely beautiful. It was a fact that anyone on the continent would admit.
“Tsk.”
Even this beauty annoyed her. Sophien clicked her tongue and pulled out a folio connected to her old teaching knight, Julie.
“I don’t know what will happen.”
She felt pity for Julie, who resembled Keiron. There was also a little bit of guilt that she stole what was hers. So, when the situation was settled, she planned to make her return to the imperial palace…
••••••
The extreme north where tens of thousands of monsters migrated south to every year. The realm of the frontiers that imprinted on the continent the proverb, ‘The northerners are strong.’ Among them, Julie stood in the square of the Knights of Freyden, a sacred place for the knights that all people particularly respected.
“…Knights of winter.”
The total number of knights in the main building was 300. If you included knights performing missions in various places in the territory, that number was doubled, and each one was full of pride in their affiliation and origin.
“…”
Therefore, the way they regarded Julie was not very friendly. Standing at the very back, they glanced at her as if she was someone disagreeable. Although she was, of course, a direct blood relative of Freyden, it was because she had committed an unacceptable disgrace as a knight.
“Now, the migration to the south is not far away.”
Zeit, who stood on the podium in the square, also didn’t pay any attention to Julie. She took that fact for granted.
“A wave of monsters will crash into the frontier. However, the Holy Majesty has accepted the proposal to support Freyden, and I will place knights at each key point. We will form an unbreakable battle line.”
Zeit and his staff selected a total of thirteen key locations. The knights of Freyden could voluntarily choose one of them.
“Come up to the podium one by one and show your will.”
Then, one of the knights in the front row went up to the podium. He showed Zeit the northern courtesy and made his choice open to all knights in the square.
“I’m Griffin. I will show the bravery and determination of the knights at the walls of Rohel.”
There was not a single place that could be said to be easy among the key points; each of them posed its dangers.
─The descendant of the Mighty Men, Griffin!
That was why the knights of Freyden cheered for the choices of their colleagues.
“I’m Victor. I will protect the villagers from Domon Fortress.”
—Swordsman of Beloris, Victor!
The sound of glorious titles that any knight belonging to Freyden had at least one of filled the square. It was a relic of the old times, which the continent dismissed as childish, but in Freyden, it was still a tradition that inspired the order.
“Bomas will choose the rough terrain of Dokunkan!
—Gerun’s giant, Bomas!
The knights’ choices continued like that, but there was only one, a key point abandoned by everyone. It could be said that it was by far the worst among the eleven key points, but they didn’t avoid it because they were afraid or it was too difficult. It was reserved for the most dishonorable knight. They were allowing her to atone.
“…”
Therefore, when Julie stood on the podium, everyone’s eyes focused on her. There were no cheers that seemed to shake the sky, only darkness. Julie chose without hesitation.
“I will choose Reccordak.”
Reccordak was the prison where only the worst criminals on earth were imprisoned, used as a human wall against the monsters moving south. Julie volunteered for that hellish place where more than 80% of the inmates died within a year of incarceration.
“Okay.”
Zeit looked at her and nodded. The knights in the square did not cheer her on, but their piercing gazes were less angry.
“The knight Deya chose Reccordak.”
Zeit didn’t even call her Julie, but she paid it no mind.
“Yes.”
Julie came down from the platform and met the eyes of the knights who were looking at her. Many emotions reflected toward her; resentment, regret, disappointment, sadness, anger, betrayal…
Julie endured it all. Compared to what that man did to her, this was nothing.
“Now, after one month of training, we will each depart for a key point. Until then, let’s all personally hone our skills.”
Zeit spoke without raising his voice, his charisma proving enough. The knights of Freyden looked up as if they were looking at the king and answered loudly.
“””Yes!”””
* * *
The Imperial University was now entering the midterm exam period. However, there was no midterm exam in my class, so my job as a professor was only to check my research assistant’s thesis.
“Hey. Why is this car so good? The brand is the same as mine.”
On the way back to the Yukline mansion by car, Ihelm murmured from the seat next to me. Without a word, I pulled out a book. It was Sophien’s best-selling Blue Eyes.
[It was still too early for winter. It was snowing heavily on the continent… ]
“What is this now?”
As I read the first sentence, Ihelm kept fiddling with the seat belt. For reference, the belt was the result of my direct involvement in the car’s design. The concept of safety devices was still insufficient in this world. There were not enough cars to cause an accident in the first place, however.
Ihelm was having fun while stretching and shortening the seat belt.
“Is this a magic item?”
It was quite annoying. I put down the book.
“Shut up.”
Ihelm shrugged.
“You could just explain what this is.”
I fastened his seat belt with Psychokinesis.
Ugh-
Ihelm made a choking sound.
“Oh, it becomes bondage. So it was for transporting prisoners.”
“…”
I didn’t bother to correct him. I would just consider this man who shamelessly got in the car as soon as I ran into him a prisoner.
“Huh? Hey, isn’t Leaf over there?”
Ihelm pointed out the window.
“…”
Epherene, wearing a backpack, was waddling back and forth like a penguin. Behind her, some boxes followed like pets. It was a pretty cute use of Psychokinesis. Ihelm grinned and opened the window.
“Hey!”
“Aaah!”
Epherene, jumping like a startled cat, turned around.
“What!”
“I just felt like calling you. Why?”
“Ah, what are you doing… uh, Professor?”
The growling girl saw me, tilting her head.
“Are you two going together?”
“Yeah. We were going in the same direction. And you, Leaf?”
“…I want to put down my luggage first. I passed.”
Epherene glared at Ihelm with displeasure. I didn’t know if it was because of Ihelm, but Epherene was famous as ‘Leaf’ these days. Soon, even Allen would use the nickname.
“What did you pass?”
At that question, Epherene glanced at me. She was just scratching the back of her neck without answering until Ihelm asked again.
“Why? What did you pass?”
“…Yukline wizard training.”
“Hmm? Oh~ that? Hasn’t it been announced yet?”
“I pre-passed the exam.”
“Pre-pass?”
Ihelm looked back at me. Continental Yukline Wizard Training was a wizard development program held every winter on the Lake Island of the Yukline Territory. Usually, only university wizards with exceptional talent were selected, and several famous wizards came as daily mentors…
That’s what I heard from Yeriel. However, I didn’t know that Epherene would also have passed.
“Your Professor seems to think of you a lot, huh? He even let you pass such a famous program in advance. How corrupt.”
“W-What? It’s not corrupt.”
Seeing Epherene bewildered, Ihelm grinned.
“By the way, Leaf. Have you finished your midterm exams?”
“No. There are about half left, and I think I got almost a perfect score on everything; no, more importantly, I said don’t call me Leaf!”
“Oh? Perfect score?”
“…Yes.”
“How many days will you stay for training?”
“It’s a week-long schedule. Isn’t that right, Professor?”
Epherene turned to me. I closed the window without answering. Outside the window, Epherene stood perplexed, but I didn’t know much about the training either. I didn’t want to say, ‘I don’t know.’
“Right. Deculein. Have you hired a training mentor?”
“…”
Yeriel did ask me to hire someone. I didn’t look for anyone yet, but I didn’t think it would be too difficult. Rose Rio, Gindalf, Louina… my network wasn’t narrow.
“Hey. Judging from your look, I don’t think you hired any. Should I go?”
Ihelm looked a little cheeky. I narrowed my brow and glared at him, but he grinned and continued.
“Instead, it’s a deal. Just tell me why you didn’t save Julie- uh-oh!”
I immediately opened the car door and released Ihelm.
* * *
…I started recruiting mentors in earnest. If the name was Yukline’s training, and the list only included professors like Relin and Ciare or something like that, my reputation would be in trouble. The first was Rose Rio. I called her on the pretext of interviewing students.
“Rose Rio. Would you like to participate as a mentor in the Yukline training?”
“Huh? …Oh~, hehehe.”
Rose Rio’s attitude changed to arrogance almost immediately. She looked at me with her arms crossed.
“Hm~, but you should know. I don’t have much time these days-“
“Rose Rio. You know.”
I cut her off.
“It is up to me to remove students from my lectures.”
“…”
Rose Rio’s eyes narrowed, but I took that gaze indifferently. Then a very cold smile worked its way onto her lips.
“Haha. Are you threatening me now?”
“…”
I didn’t say anything. I just pulled out the student list from the drawer and held a red ballpoint pen. For a moment, Rose Rio’s body shook.
“…I said I don’t have time. It’s a week-long schedule.”
“The following content of my class is the pure use series. It will be a lot more difficult than it is now, but it will be a valuable learning experience.”
Rose Rio began to sweat.
Gulp–
I moved the pen slowly. If I drew just one line with this red pen, Rose Rio would be removed from my list of students.
“…”
Rose Rio’s eyes widened, and the sweat pouring from her temples ran down her chin. The moment the red pen finally touched against the paper…
“Ah, all right! Really! Do you have to be mean?”
Rose Rio reached out and snatched away my red ballpoint pen. I hid my smile and nodded.
“Good. Let’s write a contract.”
••••••
Next was Louina.
“Okay, well.”
Louina immediately complied with the conditions I suggested. There was no negotiation, no worries, no delays.
“I am satisfied with these conditions.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. Then see you at training? I’m busy with my research right now.”
Louina, flashing a smile, stood. She then stopped, looked back at me, and said.
“Right, Boss. Take care of your health. So you don’t get sick…”
••••••
The third was Gindalf. I put special conditions on Gindalf in the form of money.
“Hmm… I don’t know… this old man doesn’t have a lot of time…”
Gindalf nevertheless looked troubled, but I put a tortoise on the table. It was a long-lived tortoise made of diamond holystone, the most expensive available for purchase.
“…Ahem!”
Gindalf, coughing loudly, secretly put the tortoise in his pocket.
“Okay. You’ve been sincere, and I’ve done a lot of wrong to you in the past. I’ll take it as a commemoration of our reconciliation!”
Hahaha-
Gindalf laughed out loud and signed the contract.
* * *
Three days later, the final period of the midterm exam.
Epherene, returning to the tower while drinking coffee, was startled by the crowd of people around the bulletin board.
“…What is that?”
The tower bulletin board. Various training, programs, missions, and quests were posted there. Approaching curiously, Epherene found a few familiar figures in the group.
“Oh~ Leaf!”
It was Julia, but suddenly she changed from ‘Ifi’ to ‘Leaf’ thanks to Ihelm. Leaf, or Epherene, sighed deeply.
“…Can you just call me Ifi?”
“Huh? Yeah, Ifi!”
“But what are you doing here? …Oh, she’s here too. Lucia.”
Lucia, a magician from a prestigious family who had a pretty bad relationship with Epherene. She was staring blankly at the poster on the bulletin board.
“Oh~, you know about the Yukline training program. The list of mentors has been announced.”
“Yeah. So what?”
Epherene had already been notified of acceptance in advance. Maybe it was because of Deculein.
“So what? Ifi, look at the list of mentors. It’s crazy.”
Julia pointed at the expensive artifact the names were etched into. The first name was Deculein. That was, to some extent, expected, but… Rose Rio, Gindalf, Louina, Ihelm, and even the addicts Astal and the elder from Bercht?!
Epherene was astonished.
“W-What is this? An elder from Bercht is coming down?”
“I know! That’s why it’s a mess here now.”
“Dzekdan?!”
“No. Not the chief elder, just an elder.”
“Oh…”
It was super luxurious. No, it was a training program that a commoner wizard would not be able to experience in their lifetimes. There was a reason it was crowded.
“So now the tower is completely in an uproar. If they could buy entrance, it would be worth a few hundred thousand Elnes.”
“Hundred thousand?”
“Yeah. Ifi, did you say you passed the pre-recruitment? I’m jealous.”
“…”
At that moment, the attention of those surrounding them focused on Epherene. Each of the wizards bore a cold and scary look.
“Then Julia. I’ll be going then.”
A-Ahem.
With a cough, Epherene sneaked away from the crowd.
“…Hu.”
But for some reason, her steps were very light.
“Fuhuhuhu! Hehehe~!”
Epherene walked down the hall of the tower with a feeling like she was flying.
