C421 - Emperador (1)
It was fortunate for the eunuch that Jeremiah perceived the imperial palace as an enemy.
Jin noticed something unusual from the top of the spire because his senses sharpened.
A person?
A fall happens in an instant, no matter how high the spire is.
There was no time to ponder who the falling human was or what the circumstances were.
Jin's body moved on reflex.
Kwak!
Power surged from his swollen thigh, and the white pavement broke, creating cracks as Jin's body shot up into the air like an arrow released from a bow.
There was no preparatory action, but the nearby guards were too slow to block him.
Their eyes widened in astonishment as they watched Jin soar away.
And the Emperor couldn't help but smile as he observed Jin, who was getting closer to the spire.
It's risky, but I can catch him.
In that moment of confidence, Jin heard a familiar and sharp snap near his ear.
It was the sound of a sword being unsheathed, and it seemed like there were dozens of them.
It was the Imperial Palace, the most guarded place in the world.
There were guards ready to protect the Emperor from visible and invisible threats.
The Imperial Guard, which had been hidden throughout the palace since Jin's arrival, was also on high alert.
Although Jin was trying to save the falling person, the Imperial Guard had the duty to subdue him because this was the Imperial Palace.
In the Imperial Palace, all actions had to be universal and sensible.
A "sudden leap" like this was considered a threat to the Emperor's security.
The swords of the Imperial Guard leaped toward Jin.
Jin evaded the attacks by spinning his body in the air without unsheathing his own sword.
As exceptional as Jin was, he couldn't dodge all the Imperial Guard's attacks with bare hands, especially in his desperate state of suspension in the air.
Several swords grazed Jin's body, and multiple minor wounds appeared on him.
Drops of blood splattered his body, but all the injuries were relatively superficial.
Allowing such wounds also created an opportunity.
Jin managed to dodge the blades of the Imperial Guard and catch the eunuch just before they hit the ground.
"Are you okay?"
Simultaneously, the swords of the Imperial Guard that had followed them in the fall pointed at Jin from all directions.
"Stop!"
"This is the Imperial Palace, Jin Runcandel."
Jin didn't respond immediately but assessed the condition of the person he had saved.
"It must be a eunuch."
He realized it by the attire.
He also noticed the prominent scar on the eunuch's neck and quickly recognized it as a deliberate wound that prevented him from speaking.
At that hour, there were only two possibilities for a eunuch to fall from the spire of the imperial palace:
Suicide or an imperial order.
There were very few chances for any other possibility.
Jin acted reflexively to someone's death, but from the moment he jumped, Jin believed that the last possibility was more likely:
An imperial order from the Emperor himself.
The coincidence of someone's suicide and his visit was too elaborate to consider.
He lifted the eunuch and looked up at the top of the spire.
He couldn't see the Emperor, but the corners of Jin's lips lifted as he watched the window of the spire close.
The reason the Emperor threw the eunuch was obvious.
It was to see how Jin would react.
Arrogant bastard.
Jin shrugged and looked at the Imperial Guard.
"Stand down; I was merely returning the Emperor's greeting."
At these words, the eyes of the Imperial Guard filled with murderous intent.
But a group of servants rushed toward them, shouting from a distance.
"Halt the Imperial Guard!"
"He is His Majesty's guest; how dare you show such disrespect!"
The Emperor had invited Jin as the highest-ranking guest and had assigned attendants befitting his status.
These attendants were taken aback by Jin's unexpected actions and the Emperor's...
But unlike the Imperial Guard, they immediately recognized the Emperor's intentions and reacted accordingly.
"I am Chancellor Barkam. I apologize for the discourtesy on behalf of the Imperial Guard."
Jin looked at Barkam for a moment before speaking.
"You find yourself in a comfortable position."
Jin omitted 'Emperor,' but Barkam and the attendants understood the meaning and concealed their embarrassment.
Since the other party had acted rudely first, there was no need to strictly adhere to etiquette.
Besides, no one held a higher rank than the Flagbearer of Runcandel outside of Runcandel.
"We will escort you to His Majesty."
Jin followed Barkam and the attendants, traversing the palace for about an hour.
The palace displayed the pinnacle of grandeur he had anticipated from the outside.
Vermont is the third most powerful group in the world after Zipple and Runcandel, and its extravagant luxury is worthy of the name of the continent's sole empire.
After a while, they reached the Dragon Pavilion.
Imperial Guards and the special force blocked Jin's passage into the Pavilion.
"Surrender your weapons."
"No."
"What... do you mean?"
"It means I will face the Emperor with my weapons."
"Eh?"
"Besides, I suppose the Emperor is already accompanied by the best warriors in the palace, isn't he? I will leave if it is absolutely impossible."
This was the first case since the current Emperor's ascension.
As the Imperial Guards and the Chancellors pondered how to handle it, the eunuch's voice was heard from inside the Dragon Pavilion.
"His Majesty says, 'Let him pass!'"
The fine and shining fabric covering the entrance to the throne room was drawn aside, and dozens of palace servants appeared out of nowhere, laying colorful pieces of cloth palm-sized on the floor like a long carpet.
Jin advanced, and the palace servants picked up the pieces of cloth in his path and placed new ones on the still-intact floor.
Once Jin reached the end of the pieces of cloth, the palace servants retreated into the shadows on both sides.
Jin saw the Imperial Throne, which seemed excessively high, as he lifted his head.
Normally, those in that place, regardless of their status, should bow deeply.
However, this did not apply to Runcandel and Zipple.
Amir Vermont...
Jin briefly thought of the Emperor's name as he stood there.
Kashimir's older brother and the original owner of the Myulta Rune in Jin's previous life, a human who fostered experiments with living golems.
In my previous life, I only thought of him as skilled at walking the tightrope between Runcandel and Zipple.
Indeed, most people view the current Emperor that way.
The Emperor's initial appearance was far from what one would expect from a skilled tightrope walker.
Proportionate nose, thick eyebrows, and eyes that shone with dignity.
He looked more like an experienced general who had been enlightened on the battlefield.
The Emperor spoke first as Jin looked at him in confusion.
"You have been through a lot to come here, Jin Runcandel."
"I imagine the emperor also had his share of troubles returning to his seat after that tumultuous welcome ceremony."
The emperor smiled in response to Jin's provocative words.
"Did you feel offended?"
"Yes."
"I heard you're quite a fiery individual. I was just curious about you."
"Are you suggesting that you threw the eunuch just to satisfy your curiosity about my personality?"
"That's right. You're a bit fierce, but you seem softer than I expected. How is it that you only focus on the immediate future?"
The Emperor chuckled and continued speaking.
"The eunuch you rescued is a criminal of a serious offense. He dared to covet a palace maid, so I silenced him a few years ago and reduced him to a pitiful existence."
"Is that so?"
"How could you risk the lives of honorable guards just to save a miserable human like him?"
The sound of chains being pulled echoed in the darkness on both sides of the throne room.
The guards who had initially saluted Jin emerged from the darkness.
They had been brutally punished throughout the journey to the throne room.
The Emperor continued with a smile on his face.
"These guards were punished and dismissed for failing to prevent your impulsive actions. They had to endure such brutal treatment, and now they have been ordered to return all the rewards they received for their service. It's a small punishment compared to not stopping a threat to me, but it's a great tragedy for them."
Jin remained unfazed as he looked at the guards.
"In other words, you saved a scoundrel and brought ruin to these guards and their families. Moreover, this is the palace, my domain... Your actions have been a serious offense from the beginning. Whatever happens here, you have no right to obstruct it. You have hindered my orders."
The Emperor spoke forcefully, and Jin nodded.
"You're making interesting arguments."
"You can still ask for forgiveness."
"But there's something you're mistaken about."
"Am I mistaken about something?"
"Do you think I tried to save the eunuch without knowing it would offend you?"
The Emperor's pupils narrowed.
"I didn't calculate it in the first place, although I don't agree with the excuses the Emperor has given. I acted on impulse because I felt I was being tested."
"Hahaha..."
"Do you dare to think that the Emperor of Vermont would test a Flagbearer of Runcandel?"
The Emperor's laughter stopped.
However, it didn't dispel his discomfort and, instead, he seemed quite intrigued as his eyes sparkled with interest.
"There are many swords here that can kill you. Even if I killed you, Runcandel wouldn't retaliate too harshly. They would think I'm removing a defective stone on their behalf. I have plenty of justification."
He wasn't entirely wrong.
If the Emperor killed Jin, Joshua and his allies could easily cover up the incident as long as they returned Jin's body intact.
"Whenever I've been in situations like this throughout my life... I've always had one thing to say."
"What thing?"
"Try it if you're confident."
Slap!
Suddenly, the Emperor stood up from his seat and expressed his admiration.
"Indeed, considering that you recently destroyed the Garden of Swords, this place should pose no challenge for you. I can only praise your audacity."
The Emperor even applauded with an amused expression, genuinely seeming to enjoy it.
"Release the guards and reinstate them, then lower the golden crown."
The Emperor smiled once again as the Imperial Guard took away the dismissed guards.
"I think I'm starting to understand you a bit more now."
"But I still don't know much about the Emperor."
Jin and the Emperor locked eyes.
"You will learn more about me as we progress. Today, I have summoned you here to grant you a reward, and I hope our relationship can develop in a positive direction."
"What will you give me?"
"Power."
The Emperor looked at Jin and continued.
"I will grant you the power to swallow up Runcandel and even oppose Zipple."
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