Chapter 57
The worst-case scenario if I gave Rael a position of power would be external forces—like the Holy Kingdom—desperately trying to place her on the throne.
But considering the Pope’s temperament, it’s safe to assume that the Holy Kingdom won’t be making any more moves.
As for Anon or Zerya… well, they’re not a concern either.
So then, there’s no reason not to entrust Rael with something.
“But what should I give her?”
Now that I thought about it, there wasn’t anything suitable for her.
Sure, the Empire was suffering from a manpower shortage—but not just any manpower shortage.
A royal—especially one like Rael—needed a duke-level territory at the very least, or command over an entire department. But there were no positions open right now. After all, above royalty, there should be only the Emperor.
Still, if she could be trusted—or more precisely, if she wasn’t a threat—there was no talent like Rael. It would be a waste to let her sit idle.
Hmm.
“Rael.”
“Yes, Brother.”
“How about we take a walk through the capital?”
“…Pardon?”
Rael was clearly caught off guard by the suggestion.
She’d come here asking for a role, and now I wanted to take a stroll?
But, of course, there was no room for refusal.
The two of us stepped out of the palace together.
There’s a well-known story: when the Empire’s border was breached, the only high-ranking official who showed concern for the soldiers rather than outrage was Rael Arhan.
Even if I wasn’t fond of it, she was also the first royal in history to be able to use Kiriya’s divine power.
There was no doubt that Rael had a righteous, noble character.
While her other abilities might not match mine in the slightest, her personality and moral integrity were unrivaled—possibly the best in the Empire.
So shouldn’t I find a role that made use of that?
“Rael.”
“Yes, Brother.”
We didn’t bring any guards.
In the past, Feltz would have stubbornly insisted on escorting me, but after that incident with the wolves, he no longer had the nerve to object.
Frio always listens well, so he stayed quiet as expected.
“How is Ari doing?”
I asked about the cadet I had once pinned my hopes on.
Last I saw her, she seemed… half-broken.
I had offered her some words of comfort, but I couldn’t be sure they did any good.
Mental wounds, unlike physical ones, cannot be healed by Kiriya or even the World Tree.
“…She’s struggling a little, but I believe she’ll pull through.”
“I see.”
According to Giel’s report, Ari has become almost obsessively fixated on the letter I sent her—training herself with fanatical intensity.
Her cheerful personality is gone, but her talent with the sword remains. And though she now walks a fine line between madness and loyalty, that blind devotion is… well, useful.
Giel said that once he retires, he plans to promote Frio to commander and Ari to vice-commander.
He claimed Ari would be more than capable of leading the Royal Black Knights someday.
Still, Rael seemed to hold onto hope that Ari would one day return to her old self.
“…Hmm.”
I wonder what will become of that genius girl.
Will she return to her radiant self—one who brightens the room just by being there, as Rael hopes?
Or will she remain a loyal, fanatical knight, as Giel predicts?
The thought intrigued me.
“Rael. How about we make a wager?”
“A wager…? What do you mean?”
“You know as well as I do—Ari is my person.”
“…Yes. You assigned her to watch me, didn’t you?”
Oh?
So she’s figured that much out.
Maybe she’s certain I won’t kill her now. Or perhaps, with her nerves calming, her true nature is showing through.
Considering she’s still an Arhan, the latter seems more likely.
“Right. If Ari returns to how she used to be—then I’ll order her to serve you.”
“…What?”
“Call it a whim.”
To be honest, even if Ari did turn on me for Rael’s sake, it wouldn’t change anything.
And if Rael truly serves the Empire, then her gaining influence isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Besides, I’m curious to see whether Rael can actually restore someone that far gone.
While she stood there stunned, lost in thought, I left her to it and turned my eyes to the Imperial Capital.
There were still scars left by the beastkin attack, but the city was coming back to life.
With no guards, and a cloak covering me, no one recognized me.
The artifact I was wearing had been tucked away in an old archive—said to be something past emperors used when sneaking out of the palace.
And now, stepping outside the palace gates, walking through my capital with my own eyes…
It was a strange, nostalgic feeling.
My citizens. My capital. My empire.
Until now, they’d only existed in Dia’s reports and paperwork.
But seeing it all in person—it felt different.
Maybe that’s why the emperors of old liked to sneak out like this.
The noise of merchants calling out, the chatter of the crowd, the laziness of guards dozing off…
All things I would never see inside the palace.
Caught in the moment, I let out a breath and spoke.
“Hah. What should I even call this feeling? Rael, look around you. And think carefully. Think about what you—Rael?”
Wait.
Where’d she go?
————————
“Your Highness!”
“Bel!”
Finding Rael hadn’t been difficult.
She was wearing a robe identical to mine—one that allowed location tracking. And even without that function, finding someone wearing a unique magical artifact like that wasn’t hard.
When I found her, she had removed the robe and was in conversation with someone.
From the sound of it, the girl seemed to be an Academy cadet.
“Your Highness, could you spare just a little of your time? Everyone really wants to see you…”
“Ah, I… I really want to, too, but…”
What should she say?
That her brother—His Majesty the Emperor—had come out with her and she needed to hurry back?
Could she say that?
Or should she come up with some excuse to politely decline?
Was it already too late? Was I angry?
As Rael’s thoughts tangled themselves into knots, my voice echoed clearly in her mind.
—Whatever it is, go ahead. Just this once.
“…Huh?”
“Pardon, Your Highness?”
“Oh—no. It’s fine. Let’s go. Just for a bit.”
“Really? Really?! Everyone’s going to be so happy!”
I followed Rael, keeping my presence hidden as she walked alongside the cadet.
It wasn’t some crude invisibility spell.
I simply didn’t allow myself to be perceived.
Unless one was a Master on Duke Fael’s level—or a Transcendent—they would never notice me.
I briefly wondered if I should’ve come out like this from the beginning. But no—walking the streets beneath a robe had its own charm.
Rael soon reached her destination.
“…This place is?”
When Rael asked, the girl—Bel—explained brightly.
“This is where we’re staying! There’s a tavern-style kitchen on the first floor, and the second floor is—”
“Wait, wait. ‘We’ as in… who exactly?”
“Oh.”
Bel suddenly seemed to realize that Rael had no idea what was going on.
“Well, you know… that day.”
“…Yes.”
“There were actually a lot of cadets who weren’t at the Academy when the attack happened.”
“…That’s right.”
Rael already knew that.
Those outside the Academy at the time had mostly survived. That’s why she hadn’t been shocked to see Bel alive.
“One of the higher-ups from the palace came to see us afterward. They said a new Academy would be established soon, and that we should stay here until then. So… they arranged this place for us.”
“…Ah.”
Did I give that order?
Honestly, I couldn’t remember.
To be frank, I hadn’t paid much attention to the surviving cadets.
It’s entirely possible I approved it without thinking.
Or maybe one of my administrators took care of it without my involvement.
Providing temporary lodging for displaced students didn’t necessarily require my explicit approval.
“I see…”
Rael looked at Bel with an expression tinged with guilt.
She had known they survived—but hadn’t once considered what happened to them after.
“I wanted to see you after I heard you were safe, but… I didn’t know where to find you…”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think about you all.”
“N-no! Please don’t apologize, Your Highness! You have absolutely nothing to apologize for!”
…No matter what kind of policies I implement, seeing a commoner speak so earnestly to a princess like that is rare.
Was it the unique environment of the Academy? Or the unique nature of Rael herself?
I’m not sure. But… it wasn’t unpleasant to witness.
Perhaps I should make it standard for all future royals to graduate from the Academy.
As the two continued talking about everything that had happened, a few cadets came downstairs from the building. Upon seeing Rael, they gasped and ran back up.
Moments later, over a dozen cadets burst out of the building, rushing toward Rael and surrounding her in joy.
“So Ari wasn’t nearly enough.”
Watching the scene unfold, I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself.
Back then, I’d felt reassured just assigning Ari to watch over Rael.
But in hindsight, even if I’d assigned a full squad of Royal Black Knights, she’d still have built a faction within the Academy.
Well… not that it matters anymore.
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