Chapter 7

The story of a human who associated with a demon being ruined by curiosity has been passed down since my previous life.

In the story, the demon cunningly uses its words to incite the human's desires, tempting and corrupting him.

Indeed. I understood why the demon did that.

How fun it must have been to watch people struggle, get confused, or suffer because of its words.

The current situation was just like that.

At the bomb I dropped, even the ice-like Zeta couldn't hide her flustered state, and it showed on her face.

“What did you say?”

“I have been carrying out a secret mission under a secret order. You could say it is a mission to protect the empire.”

I threw a single piece of bait to Zeta's imagination.

The identity of the bait I threw was ambiguity, and Zeta swallowed it whole.

Because of that, Zeta's thought process completely stopped as she tried to interpret the information.

She seemed to have completely forgotten about the existence of the ring in her hand.

“Nonsense. There's no way His Majesty would have chosen you. There were many better people to entrust with such a difficult task. Besides, you are too young.”

She was so agitated that Zeta even forgot to use the proper title for me.

It must have been that shocking.

I pushed forward without hesitation.

I had to make the most of the time while Zeta was lost in a labyrinth of confusion, searching for her own hypothesis.

“In the first place, why do you think I acted like a hooligan and built up a bad reputation?”

“That's……”

“If you think about it a little, the answer comes out, doesn't it? It was, of course, to avoid arousing the suspicion of the ambitious.”

“But the things you did seemed too real for that.”

“There were circumstances I couldn't tell others. I'm sorry for not being able to tell you and for hiding it. I will apologize for my past misdeeds.”

As I spoke politely, Zeta once again struggled in total chaos.

I don't know what kind of things Leon did, but let's forget our past and get along. Please.

“I still can't believe it.”

I'm almost there!

I hid my inner thoughts and smiled sweetly.

“Why?”

“Because that's no reason to invade the sickroom at night and steal His Majesty's ring. Isn't that so?”

It was a moment when the insight Zeta had accumulated in the imperial political scene shone.

Even though I tried my best to make her forget about the ring, Zeta cleverly pointed out the blind spot.

However, I still had a means of counterattack.

“That too was because of an order I received from His Majesty. He told me to go to Your Grace Zeta and show the ring as a token if a problem arose. Neither I nor His Majesty knew that things would get so twisted because His Majesty collapsed before that.”

“……It's a truly unbelievable story. That His Majesty would entrust such an important matter to me without any consultation.”

“It's unbelievable for me as well. I can't believe he didn't give you a single word. I thought Your Grace Zeta would naturally know.”

When I used my ultimate move, Zeta seemed to be at a loss for words.

It was natural.

Now that the emperor had been called to the Lord's side, was there any way to confirm the truth?

A magician who had reached the pinnacle of black magic might be able to confirm it with a Deadman's Switch, but Zeta was not a black magician.

In the first place, there was no way a black magician could work in the imperial court.

“……”

Zeta chose silence instead of an answer.

Confusion, disbelief, and longing could be felt on her face.

It seemed she still found it difficult to accept my story.

Is this not working either?

It can't be helped.

If there's no reaction even after using my ultimate move, I have no choice but to use a cheat key.

“Then how about this? If I tell you the contents of the will, will you be able to believe me?”

“Nonsense. The will was written by His Majesty before you were even born and has been kept secretly in the Senate ever since. You couldn't possibly know unless you secretly broke into the vault and opened it.”

“Of course, His Majesty told me. Since I was carrying out a secret mission, I had to know everything I needed to know.”

Zeta looked at me as if she couldn't believe it.

Correct.

Because it was a lie.

Yes, everything was a lie.

I had never met the emperor.

I had never received a secret order.

I wasn't even Leon Akardi himself.

But I knew the contents of the will.

With that one truth, I would change the future.

“The successor designated by His Majesty is, ‘none.’ Isn't that what's written in the will?”

The moment I presented the final proof.

Something similar to what happened when I was persuading Theo last night occurred.

An unknown power drained from my body.

But what happened this time was quite different.

It was as if a purple flame exploded on my retina.

At the same time, I heard a new notification in my ear.

「Trait Activated : Descendant of a Demon

Negotiation begins by telling the other person what they want to hear. The main point comes after that.」

I looked at Zeta's face, from which all confusion had been washed away.

There was no more suspicion.

There was only trust.

Zeta looked at me with a gentler, softer gaze.

Indeed.

For some reason, it seemed that obtaining the emperor's ring was a necessary condition for activating the trait.

Nothing like this had happened before.

Then it was understandable why Theo's behavior had suddenly become strange yesterday.

“His Majesty must have trusted Your Highness very much. To think you really know the contents of the will. I don't know why he didn't tell me anything.”

The title that had run away from home had returned.

A good sign.

“Do you believe me now?”

“I have no choice but to believe. I cannot rashly overturn a decision made by His Majesty.”

Zeta sighed and got up from her seat.

Then, without using magic, she personally returned the ring to me.

“Here, take it.”

“Are you returning this to me? Isn't it a valuable item?”

“That ring was not the property of the imperial family, but His Majesty's personal property. It's not the kind that is reverted to the national treasury, so His Majesty would have passed it on to Your Highness anyway.”

“Then, I will accept it with gratitude.”

That didn't mean I was grateful to the emperor.

I was grateful to Zeta for returning the ring.

I put the returned ring back on my finger.

For some reason, I felt that the luster flowing from the ring had become much deeper than before.

Then Zeta continued.

“However, it seems there is a difference of opinion regarding the contents of the will.”

“What difference?”

“I believe that His Majesty intentionally did not designate a successor.”

“Why?”

“I believe that His Majesty wrote such a will because he trusted us. He gave us the opportunity to decide on a successor ourselves.”

“Hoping for a peaceful succession?”

“Exactly.”

Really? Was that really it?

If what Zeta said was true, it meant the emperor was thinking optimistically and ideally.

But there was no way a matter involving power would go so ideally.

The fact that a civil war broke out right after that proved it.

If he really wanted to see a peaceful succession of the throne, he should have chosen a successor beforehand and then died.

The emperor's actions were too complacent and irresponsible.

I rather felt a clear malice in that action.

Yes, I don't like the emperor.

Honestly, there's no reason to like him.

Why?

Because the emperor died without deciding on a successor.

Because of that irresponsibility, a civil war breaks out.

I am a victim destined to die in it, so isn't that enough reason to hate the emperor?

Well, even if the emperor had designated me as the successor, I probably wouldn't have liked it much.

As I said before, I have no faction.

That means I'm easy to use.

If I had become the successor, it's highly likely that I would have met the fate of becoming someone's puppet or being eliminated.

Who would want to accept such a fate?

But now, Zeta has turned to my side.

That doesn't simply mean that an XX-rank magician has become an accomplice.

It means I have obtained the faction of the Emperor's Royal Guard.

It also means I have obtained the minimum qualification to compete on the same stage as other competitors.

I was satisfied with that fact and said.

“Now, shall we get to the main point?”

Once you're on stage, there's only one thing to do.

To struggle with all your might so as not to get off the stage.

That's all.

“The reason I took such a risk to find the ring is because there is something that must be done. As you already know, an era of peace is ending, and a new danger is approaching the empire.”

I smiled and continued.

“That danger is none other than His Grace Isak. He is preparing a rebellion.”

One of the ways not to get off the stage is to push the other competitors off the stage.

***

Zeta was a meritorious retainer who helped found the empire with the first emperor, an outstanding magician, and a guardian of the empire who had maintained her position as the Grand Captain of the Royal Guard even as the dynasty changed several times.

Perhaps the mystery and unreality felt from her appearance was due to the long years that had accumulated.

But even such a Zeta was very flustered by my accusation.

As if she had never even thought of such a thing.

“His Grace Isak, a rebellion? No way. We are not on good terms, but he is not a person with that much ambition. The previous Duke Isak was also a very loyal person.”

“But what I told you is the clear truth. Unfortunately, it seems His Grace Isak has no intention of carrying on the tradition.”

In the game trailer and the in-game cutscenes, it was always Isak who set the capital on fire.

This was an unchanging fact.

To think she couldn't see through this, it seemed even a long-lived being like Zeta could have an ordinary eye for people.

Zeta still had a bewildered expression.

“I don't understand. His Grace Isak's family is a powerful local lord. They couldn't not think about the risk of failure compared to the possibility of success.”

“It's a chance to become emperor. They wouldn't want to miss the opportunity that has come after decades. Of course, they would want to eliminate other potential risks.”

“Because of a lust for power? How foolish.”

“Besides, from what I've observed, His Grace Isak is not very welcomed by the people of the capital. In that case, it wouldn't be strange for him to choose a hard-line approach.”

Just a moment ago, in the conversation in the sickroom, most of the nobles did not pick Isak as the next emperor.

It was strange that a person from a great noble family, who held the great power of ruling a duchy, was not preferred as emperor, but I had a rough idea of the reason.

A conflict structure commonly seen even in modern times.

The confrontation between the capital and the provinces.

Although the aspects were completely different, all problems stemmed from interests.

Isak enjoyed immense rights as a great local noble, but what supported him were the vassals who had a feudal relationship with Isak.

Therefore, if Isak became emperor, it could be easily predicted that he would distribute official positions and concessions to his close associates.

But that would be a loss for the people who had previously occupied the central government official positions.

The number of official positions was limited, and the valuable ones were even fewer, so of course, they couldn't be happy.

His background as a member of a great family had rather become a hindrance.

Although the head of the capital's nobility, Grand Captain Zeta, was thinking naively.

Was this why the capital always burned when the game started?

“Now that he knows the people of the capital are not favorable, His Grace Isak will immediately resort to military action when he hears the contents of the will. That way, the possibility of seizing the throne will be much higher.”

“Hah. It is truly lamentable that His Majesty's noble intentions are being tarnished right away.”

Zeta sighed.

I barely held back from voicing a contrary opinion.

Well, it's all in the past.

Now, we must prepare for the future.

And Zeta was of the opinion that she should be more cautious about the coming future.

“The Emperor's Royal Guard has a duty to execute His Majesty's will. However, we cannot act rashly without conclusive evidence.”

“In that case, please send scouts around the capital to confirm. You will surely be able to find troops moving towards the capital.”

Since I had faced Isak several times in the game, I knew him well.

Isak, as an enemy, was not the type to take down one thing at a time.

He always moved, aiming for two or three things at once.

So there was no way Isak would have come up to the capital with only a small number of people.

By now, the army that had departed from Isak's territory would have arrived near the capital.

Zeta agreed on that point.

“That's a good idea. I shall do that.”

“I'm glad we are of the same mind. Then I will pay for the costs involved.”

I can afford that much.

As long as I can extend the subscription of my life.

Then Zeta scoffed.

“That won't be necessary. The imperial budget allocated to Your Highness for this year ran out long ago. For Your Highness to pay, you would have to sell the detached palace you are staying in.”

“Uh, really?”

“It seems you didn't know. The troubles you caused this year were quite……”

Quite what?

What did Leon do?

Why are you trailing off?

Why won't you tell me?

“Well, it doesn't matter. The Royal Guard's budget can cover that much.”

“Th-thank you?”

“However, if the Royal Guard moves rashly at a time like this, His Grace Isak will notice something suspicious.”

“That's true.”

“So someone that His Grace Isak will not be wary of must move.”

“I see.”

“And they must be trustworthy.”

“I suppose so?”

“And as it happens, there is a suitable person right in front of me.”

“Huh?”

I was answering as if it were someone else's business, then I suddenly felt something strange and lifted my head.

Zeta was staring at me intently.

A moment later, I understood Zeta's gaze and shuddered.

It was a conscription order and an offer I couldn't refuse.

It was also a door leading into a new danger.

“No, do I really have to do the reconnaissance mission myself? I mean, aren't there other suitable people besides me?”

“Your Highness is carrying out His Majesty's secret order. Of course, you are more trustworthy than anyone. Therefore, I believe you will dedicate yourself to stopping this conspiracy. Or, were all the words you have spoken so far a lie? Is that it?”

“N-no.”

“Then that's settled.”

Is this right?

Is this really right?

“Thank you for granting my request, Your Highness. I will select the personnel to be assigned to Your Highness as soon as possible.”

“Ah, yes. That's very kind of you.”

“Of course, you should be thankful. I will be assigning the best experts.”

Does this person, perhaps, not know the concept of sarcasm?

I looked at her with dissatisfaction, but Zeta didn't care at all.

“The reconnaissance mission will be handled like this.”

“And? Is there more?”

“Of course. His Grace Isak's problem has not yet been solved. If the rebellion is confirmed to be true, does Your Highness have a good plan to resolve this matter?”

Ah, that's my specialty.

I smiled faintly.

It was time for me, trained by , to step up.

“Of course. I can help you with that problem as much as you want. Please listen……”

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