Chapter 371: Slave (2)
tnKt4“So he made that request.”P3EN8C
KZsThe Emperor rested his chin on his hand while listening to Garyeon’s report.G9dwGs
8AVyv“Yes…”zMQbiWM
8NOTap. Tap. The sound of fingernails tapping the armrest seemed to grate even Garyeon’s nerves. A chill ran down her back—even though she was just the messenger.os2f
FIl7kwQ‘The content of the message is just too absurd.’mIB
oGQtHistorically, messengers tasked with delivering excessive demands were often unjustly killed. It was the perfect way to signal the collapse of negotiations. In other words, a declaration of war.0SnOF4i
Fe0However, this time was different—regardless of intentions, Garyeon was part of the imperial family.D1C7nOH
R3G3V5RAnd something else was clear to her the survival of the imperial family was top priority. Truly. As she often said herself, the weight of the term “imperial family” on her heart was far greater than for the Emperor himself.YHiI
PjOvaK‘All my actions are for the good of the imperial family.’aFhP8
n5lD1She tried to rationalize it. And in fact, it was true.5u1
Uk4bShe had considered many possibilities.o5F9
KVMyT‘Was allying with the Heavenly Sword the right call?’2SK
Te3JdShe had pondered it over and over—down to the extreme.Pq2ya
RwivlAnd in the end, Garyeon arrived at the same conclusion she had made the right decision. The best thing for the imperial family was not to provoke the Heavenly Sword.YCD
Dgojz‘…Though I didn’t expect him to be so irrational.’G69Ec4
EnmToo late for regrets. As soon as she finished her talk with Kang Geom-Ma, Garyeon headed to the Emperor’s cabin.etDwKP
6h8Her steps felt like she was dragging tons with her feet—but there was no other option. She had to go.X90Ib
jUrda“Hmm.”ZGhdN
E7ZpThe Emperor’s murmur dragged on. The gray bandage over Garyeon’s eyes darkened with the sweat pouring from her forehead.X80y
B9BQKJThe fireplace’s warmth filled the air, and yet Garyeon felt chills. Her hands and feet were cold.xpXZ
nLniYfG“Tell the Heavenly Sword…”Yuw8w
LHFJjlAt last, the Emperor’s voice broke the silence.yitoK5
4pUk“…that I’ll accept one of his demands.”fIT57y
IM5Ju“…?”Hrqf2ds
Jf4Garyeon reflexively lifted her head. Her eyes, hidden behind the bandage, widened like lanterns.8CE
KMi‘He’ll accept that demand?’GZL
L0xHer reaction was clear, but the Emperor continued speaking calmly as he tossed logs into the fireplace.AZEpHPJ
dkDQaou“I promised I’d accept one of his requests.”uUO
q4XWShe knew that.Pop1kSH
w5b‘I know, but…’dHc5GP
cSZdKBased on experience, the Emperor was someone who only made demands, never accepted them.0hhVZA
Fh1L‘So in this case…’LTC
8a0Could it be fear of the Heavenly Sword?O1kY6rI
D6TNever. Impossible.V6yVGj
YQnkpL‘He’d sooner let his head be sliced by sashimi.’sBmRKA
8BuEmONThe Emperor would never submit to anyone—not because of imperial pride, but because of his very nature.cNK
TbWGaryeon began analyzing quickly.Fcq
ys4i‘If I stay quiet now…’Pa9
S12CEfThe Emperor would suspect her relationship with Kang Geom-Ma. Garyeon was a palace official. Her role was to advise the Emperor.9GJhfid
f1OIiuThe palace was full of flatterers. She had to be different.Jfj
DL8JSShe always had been—and must continue to be.UK0W
pZK7nIBut if she showed submission on something this important…1DvPh
8StSH9Even if the Emperor didn’t suspect her, it would be a problem. It would be an admission that she couldn’t fulfill her role.1ES
Noq7O44Crack, crack.D26MEHn
u9SFFirewood cracked in the hearth. She felt her neurons burning, too.V4H4h
7khThe Emperor accepted the Heavenly Sword’s proposal with unsettling indifference.ZWF1D
klNZubToo much indifference, in fact.d0SYou
qE4sB7X‘That means…’CehJOQ
8nOZzS1As she cut away the extraneous thoughts, her hypothesis solidified. Garyeon chose her words carefully.dRr
NYIeog4“The annihilation of the Imperial Guard wasn’t the Heavenly Sword’s order—it was Your Majesty’s. He merely became your sword unknowingly. So his demand is nothing more than rightful compensation—”ciOnL
po172w“If my children were half as worthy as you, I wouldn’t ask for more. Though Victoria is fine, she still lacks experience.”HqnglP
NDNR4Z“I’m honored. I vow to serve Her Highness Victoria with absolute devotion.”7taHi
A4GoP9n“So you think her reign is near?”DHT6
xIv“No… That wasn’t my intention.”zFS3
fmpThe Emperor smiled at the flames.E9C3mbQ
e8c4VxV“Nor was it mine.”CD3W0
Uj1i“…”xpYXA9
rn1“What’s the most basic mechanism of politics?”mrMhu
9A900Ar“Giving in proportion to what one receives.”Wb6Mr
4k5iMKrThe foundation of politics is trust. You must repay in kind. Only by respecting that principle can you earn the people’s trust.AqEdWG
CsxJ1tVBut it’s not enough to respect it—you must also use it shrewdly.kWOqYXB
7ObE“Don’t tell me…”iaVRvn
YCyX4kGaryeon’s lips went pale.abjDP6
2c5“You plan to bring the Black Dogs into the light?”gVmHwS9
mzeIIThe Emperor stirred the firewood with a poker as he replied.t5Yhd
36W“This situation has made it clear. The Imperial Guard’s ego has grown too large. That Oscar got involved with the queen—yes—but more importantly, the soldiers no longer swear loyalty to the throne.”OLHH1mH
JnTA“And what made you think that?”c5wV6c
MrOYThe Emperor fixed his gaze on Garyeon.27nEDqA
7qNJYnI“If they were truly the imperial family’s army, they would’ve killed Oscar on the spot. But what did they do? They carried him off on a stretcher to the hospital.”4dBB
BpGP4H“Ah…”7nuBJ2m
HIAR5“There’s no other option.”6Awb
v7C1HJThe Emperor shrugged and turned back to the fireplace. Garyeon watched, thinking.i0a7D
j67tLGIn this man’s mind, the honor of the imperial family means nothing. Worse—it’s an obstacle.zbVO
6krAnd so—pBWF3BB
FPT‘There’s no other choice.’136
OfV4The scale in Garyeon’s chest, which had been swaying ceaselessly, tipped completely.bIWu3D
kRJ5JT“I accept the will of the sun.”qIq3Mx
TD1She lifted her skirt’s hem and bowed before exiting the cabin.iGbHN
cl4yc***Eop
6HIrp4iA warm and cozy bedroom.ZCWhnrY
x35az72The morning bell rang. I stretched an arm out from under the comforter and smacked the nightstand. After groping around five times, I finally found my phone and pulled it under the covers. The one who interrupted my sweet sleep was Garyeon.AAC
tWvH7“Ah, I see. Understood.”twpzqM
hDk3I replied drowsily.2cMJ
GxHAfter the brief call, I dropped the phone back in place. Just then, I heard a rustle beside me.peCBJdz
RRt“Sorry for waking you.”H1QAWX
88UJG“It’s okay. Time to get up anyway.”fePgk
LOBuRyozo rubbed her eyes with a fist.74IG6
zZtyzX5“A call this early?”BWPbPYN
xigaRVShe asked while sitting up.1Dtzaoi
BSMTWith her other hand, she pulled the white comforter up to her collarbone.WQh
kUzefMorning sunlight sparkled on his neck.8xUJ
WU3“It was from the Imperial Palace.”oKp5
4fpZeYS“…The Palace?”H6gw
fy7CsBS“I contacted the palace officer last night. They’re thinking about founding a graduate school in the Academy and want access to knowledge from the Infinite Library.”gTsR
KUok“And what did they say?”XLh
g7aBHjpRyozo leaned closer. The comforter slipped to her navel.RRaw
CtL5dd“They agreed.”6Hz88R
kTh8k“What?!”LLAS
U5GddpVRyozo’s surprised eyes were rare. I wanted to see more of them, so I added.hbEChb
IAt“What do you think is Incye’s best bottomless chest?”Mz8jbH
ksJ9“…They’re giving you money too?”ZV1HG
QE7CKn“Seems like it.”BSgZh
50alAG“Geom-Ma, let’s be real. Did you threaten the emperor again?”vpMO9r
f79Again? Though it stung a bit, I pretended not to hear.StSNc
lSka6“I’m not that rude. I spoke with him adult to adult. Fortunately, he’s not too dense. If he accepted the demand, it means he understood well.”9u59wld
YSP“…”BLwN
9eKFfRyozo went silent for a moment.VoYNEe
QNPT5If it were her, she’d be happy, right? Didn’t this solve that muscle strain issue?9Ysmd
NKuulP“Still… it feels fishy.”q0CvR03
89rfqpRyozo wasn’t exactly optimistic.ofVj9b
AhQMjMore than pessimistic, she was an expert at objectifying everything.vvYDy2
OJG2zO8“In politics, the most important thing is…”FAlOR5h
BLwM“The payback.”rrnA7y
QmN2yl5Ryozo blinked. Sometimes, when I get lost in thought, she looks at me like a stranger.qshV
8IUhf“Giving in proportion to what one receives.”lzI
1utOQThough it’s embarrassing to admit, in my past life I spent a lot of time rubbing shoulders with politicians. They say even a school dog learns something in three years, so with my time among swords, I was practically a three-term congressman.gp5f
brsGAt one point, I was number 7. I said it proudly.9Ez7Dp
v0dLOXI“I was curious too. I saw the emperor in person, you know? He’s not the type to just accept things. If he can squeeze something, he will. I was about to ask the caller about it, but he beat me to it.”Xf9Q
ByIg“What did he say?”2Ll
lRlsAHv“That since I spared him the trouble of cleaning out the Imperial Guard, he accepted my demand. Looks like the Guard was his weak spot.”PhHJIk
aCGbdcsI’d explained it in advance. With Choi Seol-Ah and Shail present, the info flowed smoothly.njm3
9MWA8Ryozo, listening, was silent for a few seconds. Then she murmured.OJS
s23“If the Imperial Guard disappears, new power will be needed to fill the gap… And the only group I can think of is them.”T380kX
vaS“Feeling guilty about something?”blRUiuM
J2v7“Hmm, do you know the Black Dogs?”xHHX
sAQwI2gI slowly closed my eyes—and then opened them.04Y
qAK“I’ve heard of them. Something about Offri…”zcBBqy
zo6HpYE“It’s the blood name of the Oprichnik (опричник).”PO0m
OljGEThey weren’t a group that appeared in Miracle Blessing M. As expected, I didn’t learn of their existence until I’d spent a long time in this world.zOvE
Yo3rMq“If the Guard lives in the light, the Oprichnik are a private force in the shadows. Since I come from the family I do, I’d only vaguely heard of them—but I don’t know much more. Still… you gave them the excuse to come into the light. That’s why the emperor accepted so easily.”zaXRZX
RmOeRyozo deduced the Green Emperor’s intent with near-perfect precision from scattered clues. Impressive.odTjH
nSRwKqt“The Guard was filled with sons of noble families. It was a generational tradition. He couldn’t just wipe them out in one swoop, but he took the opportunity and cleaned house without triggering an explosion. It’s only natural he’s grateful to you.”S9FGc3r
J9Nn“I didn’t know he had that intention.”ihgrh
egyMJF9“Neither did I. Sometimes, our most insignificant choices cause the biggest ripples.”djf
L1qN2“If it weren’t for the person who called this morning, I wouldn’t have known either. What a grateful soul, huh?”1ay
808N“…”NDp
PB2“What do you think?”U4J
bDxo“Well, yeah.”LDtKdOh
yhnVj“That’s it?”W4iqj
w8WwT“Ryozo, don’t tell me…”tKRE6
h6zbChirp, chirp, chirp. Morning birds chirped energetically.uaJ
DWK“Huh, it’s not that.”17Ea2gC
Yszd“Is it a woman?”4DA5Ba
cnVpaEARyozo smiled and tilted her head.vrTLA
lBJ5O“Is it a woman or not?”PNnlX
yChs“In terms of daily life?”JrLo
FkZK4“Uh-huh.”s2sxLB
nfSIshSwoosh.GtLm
MPaji“It’s none of that.”TrQmPJ
PP4“What is it then?”9zUI31
nmnE“It’s strictly a business relationship.”akXXt
qtc“I never said otherwise.”mWhCAN
ErxppRyozo walked to the wardrobe, dragging the bedsheet like a wedding gown.obDqWkd
QGsMIn the space left behind, cold air swept across my chest.Z8Zf9
jNhDQf7…Tiiing.203h3
A1HQlThe bow twanged crisply. Ryozo had taken out her S-grade weapon, the Baeksi of pure light, and was drawing and releasing the string multiple times.WKw
wIyB9Qz“Did I heal too much? I feel tense.”pkg8nu
admkKPy“You’re with me. You won’t need to use it in your life.”KzAIbc
KuJn8kg“You never know.”3xDdL
N1EEb1Their eyes gleamed sharply.wNSo8
5vx38“Maybe that you never know won’t affect you. But I can’t stop you.”37AwZ
3eOgTRSA cold, terrifying objectivity.hFMUI
HI8BH1j“…”MhozQP
sgTzH“But the other one is different.”ANs
avWGDaI masked my discomfort as best I could.uWm
TNrMSouthern base. Media. I calmly erased the wave of suspicion and responded with a teasing smile.8qt7s
9TW“Who knows?”lhK3y
mSv3A“I don’t think it’ll happen, but if it does… what would you do?”hodHp
pTeLdjRRyozo spoke firmly.9ufw9
B9Yc“I’m curious too.”1QEMhc
QfN***ElS9Cc
tm2A day that began by smoothing over the morning chaos with my dazzling wit (adult matters).dpO4MuH
TpAajWI must’ve looked visibly worn out—no one dared bother me.DqX3fIy
gwCSIn fact, I broke into a cold sweat.FWOG
zipiUr“Egh…”pmTUfZ
2kRvL2mThat’s what I get for doing something suspicious.lVnr
pyhWzsI regret my past self. If I’d wanted to, maybe I could’ve stopped Media from becoming so active early on, right?50u4nE
OZuBRIt was such a surprise I froze. So it wasn’t my fault—it was an act of God. By the time I tried to step in, Media had already disappeared.9Xb
9SM‘Gotta watch my behavior.’nxm61
Xq17Ryozo is someone who stays calm in any situation. Even when a shadow looms over the Academy or during management struggles. Ryozo rarely shows emotion.AQ0HB7
OhuXBut it was that same person who warned me with raw feeling. She didn’t say it aloud—but that made it hit harder.mBs9o
TLQ70bp‘If that case comes to pass…’jU37
ARoI shook my head.l3M2F
F8ED‘Better be careful.’rFgc
JnuM2ZvI spent the whole day in thought.pE2Qz4
FcrAnd before I knew it, dusk had begun coloring the sky.M4r9S
zGy‘Already?’QLDaj
PCqFeI repeated that same phrase into the evening.QIEDSic
1JV“It’s been a while, Mr. Heavenly Sword.”UcwYfUy
jwlqPalace officer Garyeon had come to Joaquin Academy. It had only been eight hours since I made the request.vTyt
upj8She waited in the reception hall, posture straight. Around her, a line of suitcases formed a sort of barricade.xybOY
pngOMDid she use a subspace gate? But the Imperial Palace doesn’t have that kind of transport.JMRxp
qN1jru“Since it was urgent, I came on the palace’s private jet.”XELKk
eL1JGaryeon tapped one of the suitcases stacked like a mountain.Rus
0PxzQ“This is the knowledge you requested, Mr. Heavenly Sword.”iLioU
UA7aW“That fast?”atJ7
hKbKsV“His Majesty hates leaving things undone. And it wasn’t something that should be delayed. In fact, I planned to deliver this and leave immediately, but since flying at night is dangerous, I’ll spend the night nearby before returning. I hope that’s alright.”LfiA
HnJkqz“No problem.”oiG4I
BRrXPI gestured toward the suitcases.1gS
AqiA“The deal included exclusive rights to this knowledge. That’s why I intended to visit the emperor once everything was ready.”Wc3XR
qiYy“No need to worry.”yziNv6
Uud5k68“Saying no need to worry when it’s the emperor we’re talking about… coming from someone who knows him so well—how can you say that?”8aDU0
G4jph6E“…I was careless.”bHUFxKY
Fr3“Well, no matter now.”gogwh
nC69XtI gauged the size of the suitcases by eye.ffgOIw
8YyJust as the emperor promised, it was an overwhelming amount. Maybe even more than expected.py4
5wXo347‘This should be enough to prepare the graduate school.’bLjco6S
t8PA satisfied smile crept across my lips. But it was too soon to relax.2bnfTC
x1RudfU[The blessing of the Sword God manifests.]trAQi8
ulQKlvGaryeon flinched at the sudden sword resonance. Funny. Why does everyone get so tense whenever I draw my sashimi?L2Rc
E0wJBI really don’t get it.DSGoJLB
Y0nFI squinted.wRgmRFj
AtkfA red line etched itself into my retina. The starting point—the pile of suitcases. The destination—the source of that knowledge.wLqCw0
fZaipx“Tell the emperor…”IH08kH
wXOWAs I approached with the sashimi, the line snapped.zT6OuEJ
T9Qv“That he promised me exclusive rights.”ThJ5H
n4LTAA“…!”JPjz
jf8inzGaryeon covered her ears. She must’ve been communicating with the emperor via transmitted sound.Cjs2dco
U2KQSo at this very moment, the words were likely echoing in his ear.xzD7mf1
vi7kKyaaaaaaaaaa!kNbjvgk
fZRSince he used me at his convenience, I’m just returning the favor.UNz7
UALXBHBGive in proportion to what you receive.CJs
laQ19++++++++++++++++++++++++mYRdAO
E7LpO《May the blessing of the gods be with you.》LGP
4YepGK++++++++++++++++++++++++lCj
bJDtVPBut double.krL
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