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After staying in Lateran for four days, I went to see Abas. I had heard the news that the elders of the Nostrim family had come to the official residence for the housewarming of my younger brother, and they were demanding to know where the runaway second son was from the eldest son and daughter.

“Oh, Fred. Where have you been all this time?”

Grace Nostrim, the head of the Nostrim Family, was finally welcoming her second son, who had returned at last.

“I’m sorry. Something came up….”

“You seem quite busy. Well done, come in quickly.”

I handed her the gifts I had brought from the Cult and Magic Tower and stepped inside.

Inside the residence, there were guests waiting for me. My older brother Jerry, older sister Adela, father Charles Nostrim, and mother Grace Nostrim, were all gathered together, except for Ayla, who was away on a business trip.

Grace Nostrim opened the front door and announced to the family gathered in the living room that her second son had arrived. Jerry and Adela rushed out, and Charles Nostrim, who had been surveying the residence from the sofa, followed behind. I bowed my head slightly as I walked in behind my mother.

“I’m here.”

“Oh, you finally made it?”

Jerry, who had come out to greet me, ushered my mother into the living room, then lowered his voice so others wouldn’t hear.

“It was total chaos while you were gone. I get that work at the company is busy, but how could you just leave for almost a week without contacting anyone?”

“I had my reasons.”

“And what were those reasons?”

“It’s a secret.”

As I brushed the dirt off my shoes, Jerry squinted at me. It was his unspoken way of showing he was half-exasperated.

“Of course. Can anything at your company not be a secret? If I asked how much toilet paper you bought, you’d probably call it a secret too.”

“That’s just the truth.”

“Whatever. I told our parents you were briefly away on hero-related business, so hurry up and go. They worried a lot about you while you were gone.”

He gestured for me to hurry inside. But I hadn’t even taken off my coat and already opened my mouth to speak.

“I can’t stay long. I need to head out soon.”

“What now?”

“Yeah.”

“Fred, the whole family is here. What are you going to do if you leave?”

I let out a deep sigh.

“What can I do? It’s work.”

“Work again? Where are you heading this time?”

Who knows.

Leaning against the shoe rack, I gazed at Jerry while I pondered my answer.

“The Empire.”

—

Episode 17 – The Tree That Drinks Blood

There’s a word that symbolizes the Kien Empire.

Emperor.

“The Crown Prince has sent a gift in the name of His Majesty, Nikolai VI.”

Duke.

“Is it Kolya?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty? Why so formal? We aren’t strangers; there’s no need for such formality. Just call me grandmother like before.”

“Um, at my age, that feels a bit….”

“Is there a problem with that?”

Chancellor.

The emperor, duke, and chancellor are symbols of the Kien Empire and represent its rulers.

The duke, who protects the empire from the demonic races of the North, is a grand archmage who has etched his name into history and is respected by all mages around the world, not just in the empire. Moreover, being of noble blood, the sister of the previous emperor, there are very few who would dare address her casually except for the emperor himself.

In other words, even the chancellor, who leads the cabinet on behalf of the emperor, wouldn’t dare address her informally.

Thus, the chancellor, Stollipin, found himself in quite a predicament when asked by the duke to call her “grandmother” like in their childhood days.

“There’s no issue, but… Your Majesty, how could I dare address you as grandmother?”

“Why must you speak so bitterly? You used to call me that without hesitation when you were young.”

“That’s….”

Stollipin was at a loss for words.

No, how long ago was that?

The time he had addressed the grand archmage and the emperor’s sister, Alexandra Petrovna, as “grandmother” was already over seventy years past. To be precise, it was an awkward mistake made once in his childhood.

Back then, Stollipin was just over ten, and Nikolai VI was preparing to ascend the throne, taking over for the previous emperor, who was suffering from old age and illness.

Despite being a child, Nikolai VI was not approached by anyone because he was the heir to the throne, while Stollipin, being of a similar age, was his only friend during that time.

When they were momentarily freed from the burdens of royalty, they would sometimes wander around the palace gardens, where they would occasionally encounter a mysterious, silver-haired woman circulating the garden.

The child, seeing the enchanting figure reminiscent of a fairy tale sorceress, casually approached her and called her “sister” without a care.

This wasn’t particularly unusual. The woman, having reached a high level, of course, appeared youthful to anyone who saw her.

The real issue was that she wasn’t just any palace magician; she was a grand archmage who oversaw all palace magicians and the emperor’s own sister.

Alexandra Petrovna recalls that brief but intense encounter with the little boy.

“It was quite embarrassing. I had never been addressed that way before. The palace magicians were surely shocked as well; they looked utterly flabbergasted.”

The palace magicians, seeing a boy call the duke “sister,” could hardly believe their eyes and nearly fainted.

Now, she may be treated as a respected elder, but at the time, she was the sister of the living emperor.

It was shocking for the child of a noble family to address the emperor’s sister so casually without any honorifics, leaving the court magicians in a state of utter disbelief.

They trembled in fear, worried about incurring the emperor’s wrath, but fortunately, the duke brushed off the boy’s gaffe, stating that it was understandable. The emperor himself laughed, “So this is what it means for Sasha to hear someone call her sister someday.”

From that day forward, Stollipin frequently called the duke “grandmother.”

Despite the education he received, he hadn’t formed the habit, and it was the duke’s small consideration for a child unable to adapt to the complexities of royal etiquette.

That was the duke’s remembrance of their first encounter with the young chancellor.

With a kind smile appearing on her face as she reminisced, the duke said, “That memory is still vivid, isn’t it? You remember, too?”

“How could I forget….”

The incident from seventy years ago is a famous anecdote still recounted by gossipers today, for it was the only time a mere noble of the empire called the duke “grandmother,” neither a royal nor a descendant of a grand archmage.

No one ever reproached Stollipin for using informal address; the late emperor had laughed off the incident when he saw his sister’s face, and the duke herself had first permitted him to call her “grandmother.” Thus, there were, and still are, no individuals blaming the chancellor for past events. It was a jest to tease someone about their foolish youth, perhaps.

Of course, no one had so much respect back in those days for the position of a foolish young boy. Consequently, when faced once more with his past, the chancellor could only cover his face with his wrinkled hands.

“…I wish you’d forget that incident, Your Majesty.”

“What’s so embarrassing about it? It wasn’t a bad memory.”

“My grandson is graduating from the academy this year, so please don’t say that….”

I’m over eighty; isn’t it about time to start forgetting? If my grandson hears this, it would be quite embarrassing. Such was the nuance of his request.

Of course, the chancellor’s grandson was already well aware of Grandpa’s youthful blunders.

From a young age, he would accompany his grandfather to royal events and hear stories starting with, “Your grandfather back in the day…,” every time his friend left his seat. Even more so, the one exposing his grandpa’s youthful folly was none other than the emperor, Nikolai VI.

Could the one who witnessed the events not know what was common knowledge throughout the empire?

Thus, the chancellor’s grandson grew up listening to tales of his grandfather’s youthful indiscretions from the emperor whenever he got the chance.

However, just because everyone knows it doesn’t mean that the embarrassment disappears; rather, the more people know, the more it intensifies.

Stollipin continually washed his face with dry hands while watching Alexandra Petrovna chuckle happily at his state.

“Yes, it feels just like yesterday when you called me so informally. Look, you’ve grown old too.”

“Your Majesty, you remain as spry as ever.”

“Oh please, you’re the one thriving. You’re living more fiercely than ever!”

“…….”

The chancellor’s expression hardened as he rubbed his cheek. He was no fool not to grasp the meaning behind the duke’s words.

The duke began to speak in a calm and serious tone.

“Is there any progress in Kolya’s treatment?”

The chancellor’s countenance dropped, and he responded in a gloomy voice.

“…There’s been no effect.”

Everyone present knew the emperor, Nikolai VI, was suffering from a severe illness.

The duke, being the emperor’s aunt, and the chancellor, who had served as the emperor’s close aide for seventy years, both understood that something was amiss with Nikolai VI’s health.

There’s no way I could be unaware of that.

Upon this, the Duke inquired.

“Is there truly no sign of improvement?”

“Yes.”

The Chancellor answered in a firm voice.

“We’ve mobilized all resources, including the Eastern Elixir, the Bloodstone from the Mauritania Continent, the dragon remains held by the Imperial Museum, and the magic stones mined from the Northern Regions, but we’ve achieved no meaningful results.”

“What about the child’s divinity?”

“Saint Lucia is fully dedicated to the healing, but the chief physicians’ opinions…”

The elderly man, unable to continue, suddenly turned pale.

Duke Alexandra Petrovna nodded silently. Even after five months—a span that was not short—the illness had not improved, something she had already learned through the Saint.

She merely wanted to know if Nikolai’s condition had improved even a little.

“So, that’s the case.”

“…I apologize.”

“Is there any need for you to be sorry? No one wishes more than you for Kolya to rise from his sickbed.”

Chancellor Stollipin, who had been bowing his head, opened a document brought from the Magic Department and spoke.

“Though we’ve employed the best means believed to be effective for treatment, it doesn’t mean there are no methods left. If we can procure the Bloodstone from the Mauritania Continent, particularly the Sunstone, there may yet be a possibility for healing.”

“The Sunstone, you say… I know that item. I once saw it in the possession of a close friend.”

“The Sunstone owned by the Goddess is currently managed by the Al-Yabd Alliance. Given our relationship with the Cult, immediate contact is tricky, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is reaching out to the Ivory Tower to explore options.”

“…Will that be enough?”

“……”

No answer came. The uncertainty forced silence upon them.

The Duke, waiting for a reply from the Chancellor, lightly drummed his fingers on the armrest and sighed softly. He then slowly opened his mouth to ask another question.

“What’s the state of the Cabinet?”

“Not good.”

Though the Kien Empire maintained a monarchical system, the Emperor did not control the entire Empire. The Empire was simply too vast for a single individual, intertwined with interests both domestic and international.

As such, the Emperor gathered officials to run the Empire and formed a Cabinet. He placed his most trustworthy and wise friend at its head.

It had already been 50 years since Stollipin took charge of the Cabinet. When Nikolai VI was dethroned by a coup, he secured support from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Interior as an official and sat in the highest position in his thirties.

But now it seemed the fate of the Empire was nearing its end. The Chancellor, with a gloomy expression, began to speak.

“The senior officials in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Interior have expressed their concerns. Especially the ministers who’ve requested private meetings with His Majesty for significant departmental issues.”

“The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Interior have often held private discussions with Kolya. It’s natural they would be worried. What about elsewhere?”

“Other departments are no different. While His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is making efforts, however…”

The Chancellor’s voice trailed off.

To fill in for the Emperor’s absence, the Crown Prince was working tirelessly, but matters requiring the Emperor’s approval were beyond his control.

Be it establishing relations with a potential enemy maintaining close ties with Abas or deploying troops abroad, significant reports coming from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense were to be handled directly by the Emperor, making it clearly an overreach for the Crown Prince to get involved.

“The Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense are urging His Majesty’s approval. We cannot proceed to the next step without it, and months have passed with no word, leaving both our officials and those abroad in a difficult position.”

But that was not all.

“The Information Division is in the same boat. Heads of the Imperial Guard HQ and other information agencies are seeking permission for crucial operations. His Majesty had ordered long ago that minor issues could be handled at the agency’s discretion, so it held up until now. But it seems we’ve reached a point where internal matters can no longer be managed.”

“……”

The Duke, who had maintained silence, rested his chin on his hand. His troubled blue eyes began to gaze into the void.

“Is it not possible to report to the Crown Prince?”

“Impossible. Perhaps in other departments, but Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Intelligence all require the Emperor’s approval.”

“If that’s the case, is there no way to elevate the Crown Prince to the throne?”

It was a suggestion to raise the Crown Prince to the throne in place of Nikolai VI, who couldn’t rise from his sickbed.

A heavy silence began to envelop the office. Both the Chancellor and the Duke remained silent after the statement.

No matter how much the Duke was the Emperor’s aunt and the Chancellor his friend, discussing the throne was no trivial matter. If they had just been ordinary ministers or generals, losing their heads wouldn’t have been surprising.

“…Is it even possible?”

“We can’t just stand by and watch the Empire decline.”

The Duke cautiously began to discuss succession to the throne.

“There have indeed been emperors who ascended to the throne from among their sick predecessors in the empire’s history. My nephew has already appointed a son as his successor, so there would be no issue should that child inherit the throne.”

“…It’s not impossible.”

The Chancellor replied.

“However, all previous Emperors inherited ‘mysteries’ along with the throne. The predecessor, who was struggling with illness and age, passed on the ‘mystery’ before relinquishing the throne. Nikolai… was dethroned from regency but inherited the mystery from the former Emperor. That is why he could ascend to the throne in an unblemished manner.”

“……”

“However, the Crown Prince has not inherited the ‘mystery.’ His Majesty is also not in a position to pass on the mystery. What would happen if he inherited only the throne here?”

Issues would undoubtedly arise.

“Must we simply wait? For Kolya to wake?”

“…That is the best course, Your Grace.”

A heavy silence lingered between the Duke and the Chancellor at that moment.

—Crash!

The windows of the office suddenly exploded all at once. The unexpected blast sent glass flying in all directions, startling the Chancellor nearly off his feet.

Beyond the shattered window, a small head bobbed up, with lustrous, rich red hair.

“Are you okay?!”

It was Camila.

An explosion, broken windows, a flying broom, and a disciple. Something was on the edge of understanding but unwanted to confront, yet naturally, a certain hypothesis began to form in the Duke’s mind, her expression transforming into something rare.

“Did I startle you? Sorry…”

“Child, what kind of trouble have you caused this time?”

“Well, I was practicing magic, and things got a little out of hand…”

The Duke’s expression grew even more complex. Camila, on her broom, sheepishly scratched her head. The Chancellor was the only one who didn’t comprehend the situation, caught in sudden chaos.

The Duke rose from her chair and approached the window. She gently brushed away the shards of glass that littered the floor so they wouldn’t get caught underfoot.

Then, leaning out the window, she sighed softly.

“…You said it was just a little accident?”

“Yes…”

“Yet my eyes see a garden half blown away.”

“……”

Should she lament that half was destroyed? Or should she be glad that half remained? It was truly a bizarre accident scene, but the Duke’s expression did not darken.

She offered a gentle smile toward her fidgeting pupil like a child being reprimanded.

“Well, at least you weren’t hurt, so that’s good. Your skills have improved, it seems, so that’s a blessing.”

“Hehe.”

“……”

Then, brushing off the glass shards from his clothing, the Chancellor tilted his head.

“No, saying such things in this situation….”

“What’s the problem? It’s alright for my disciple to practice magic, even if some glass gets broken. Isn’t that right?”

“Absolutely right!”

“……”

At this, the Chancellor thought to himself.

It seemed that, at this point, even the old lady was beginning to lose her wits.

*

At that moment.

In front of the imperial mansion owned by the royal family in the heart of Petrogard, the capital of the Kien Empire, soldiers gaped as they witnessed the windows of the mansion shattering from a great explosion one after another. The interpreter and guiding officer who had followed them, along with the guards stationed at the mansion, found themselves at a loss for words.

Among the soldiers staring dumbfounded at the burning garden, I, having tossed aside my sunglasses, muttered in a dazed voice.

“…What the hell is that?”

 

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