Chapter 19: The One Who Rules the Kin of Twilight – Part 02
Two days later, the commotion at the arena was officially announced as an act of terrorism aimed at overthrowing the state, orchestrated by an organization known as the Candlestick of the Netherworld. The circumstances surrounding Marquis Fulcrum and Young Momental were also clarified; rather than being manipulated corpses, they were treated as impersonated members of the Candlestick of the Netherworld. As a result, the matter of my involvement in Young Momental’s death was resolved without any lingering grievances.
All the adventurers who had quelled the disturbance at the arena were to be honored and rewarded. Naturally, I was among them, invited to the Imperial Castle alongside the members of Soul’s Guidance.
The award ceremony itself was nothing particularly special. However, it did irk me that I was treated as the central figure of the event and received the highest honor.
Once the ceremony concluded, the summoned adventurers left the castle, looking quite uncomfortable. Soul’s Guidance had a carriage prepared for us to return home, but, as expected, I was informed that I was to remain in the castle alone.
As I was seen off by the members’ meaningful glances, I made my way to the Audience Chamber.
Upon entering the chamber, guided by the butler, I found only His Imperial Majesty and Princess Marishielle present. The absence of the Prime Minister and other officials indicated that this would be an extremely private discussion.
I took my seat directly across from the young emperor, who wore a faint smile. Princess Marishielle sat beside him, her gaze lowered, and I couldn’t suppress the rising sense of foreboding from her demeanor.
As I bowed upon sitting, His Imperial Majesty began to speak, looking directly at me.
“Lord Soushi, I apologize for the trouble you’ve gone through today. I would also like to express my gratitude for your efforts regarding this incident. Thank you very much.”
“I am honored to have been of assistance to Your Imperial Majesty. It is truly regrettable what has happened to Marquis Fulcrum and Young Momental; that is my only lingering concern.”
“I share your sorrow regarding them. The Fulcrum family has been a pillar supporting this empire.”
“What will become of the marquisate now?”
“Young Momental has a younger brother who has married into a certain count’s family and left home. We are considering calling him back. Otherwise, we will have to search for blood relatives to inherit the title. However, the timing is quite unfortunate. We are dispatching several individuals to urgently bolster our military preparations.”
“The Kin of Twilight, then. So, the Candlestick of the Netherworld targeted the Fulcrum family with such forethought?”
“I believe that is highly likely. Judging from their recent movements, it seems they aim to incite chaos across this continent once again. If they intend to mire the empire in a drawn-out conflict with the Kin of Twilight, it makes sense to target the marquisate, which is essential for our defense.”
At that moment, His Imperial Majesty briefly displayed a weary expression.
It was undoubtedly a heavy burden for a young man like him to bear alone. As someone with considerable power and experience, it was only right for me to lend a hand.
“I will fight at the forefront when the Kin of Twilight attacks. If they are an opponent that requires no restraint, my strength will be all the more effective.”
“Having you say that, Lord Soushi, is incredibly reassuring. The battle at the arena was nothing short of spectacular. I was particularly astonished by your ability to absorb and redirect all that magic. Princess Marishielle must feel the same, yes?”
“Eh!? Ah, yes, I do think so.”
Princess Marishielle jumped slightly at being suddenly addressed by His Imperial Majesty.
Seeing her reaction, the emperor’s expression softened, returning to his usual composed demeanor as he smiled knowingly.
“By the way, Lord Soushi, does this mean you were not using your full strength during the tournament?”
“That is a difficult question to answer… It is true that I was not at my full capacity. However, that does not mean I underestimated my opponent…”
“Haha, that’s not what I meant. From the feeling I got when you defeated that Giant Demon, if you had gone all out, the arena would have been reduced to dust. It is necessary to alter your fighting style to avoid taking lives.”
“You are correct. Of course, I should mention that my battle with Princess Marishielle was nearly at full strength.”
“Is that so, Marishielle? The reason I asked Lord Soushi to stay is that you wanted to ask him something.”
“Is that so? What would you like to ask?”
As I turned to her, Princess Marishielle’s face flushed slightly, and she fidgeted nervously. Her demeanor was in stark contrast to her composed presence in the arena, and while I felt it was somewhat rude, I couldn’t help but find it endearing.
“Um, well… Did you understand what my Skill was when we fought, Count Okuno?”
“Well, I have a vague idea. It seems to be a Skill that allows you to impose your will on the things around you as if they were destined to be that way.”
“That is almost correct. At the Arshuram Church, they described it as a ‘Skill that changes fate’—a rather grandiose claim. However, in reality, it is merely useful for localized battles. It is quite different in nature from the Skill you possess, Count Okuno.”
“Yet, I have no doubt that it is a very powerful Skill.”
“That may be true in terms of combat. By the way, how did you break through my ‘Kokuun,’ Count Okuno?”
Gone was her earlier timid demeanor; Princess Marishielle now looked at me with serious eyes. It seemed that she transformed when it came to matters of battle.
“Essentially, it was a matter of brute force. However, my power is derived from a Skill known as ‘Divine Fortune,’ which also manipulates fate, allowing me to resist your ‘Kokuun.'”
“I see… The strength I felt at that time stemmed from such a background. That makes sense.”
I wondered if it could be that simple, but perhaps she had sensed something during our battle.
However, for some reason, Princess Marishielle once again lowered her gaze, returning to her earlier fidgety behavior. His Imperial Majesty watched her with a playful smile.
“Now that you understand Lord Soushi’s strength, isn’t there something you should convey? Right, Marishielle?”
“Y-Yes, but… it’s difficult to speak in front of him…”
“Oh, I apologize. It might be hard to talk with me here. I’m sorry, Lord Soushi, but I must take my leave for a moment. Please, listen to my sister’s words.”
As His Imperial Majesty exited the room with a suggestive smile, an awkward silence began to fill the chamber.