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Chapter 24
“I’m Claidin. You?”
“I-I’m Esiel.”
Claidin Ruanez nodded once or twice, then pulled down one of the high stacks of straw. He sat on it heavily, smoothed out the empty space beside him, and tapped it while looking at Esiel.
“Esiel! Stay and play with me for a bit.”
“Eh? O-okay…”
Esiel felt like she couldn’t refuse for some reason and awkwardly sat beside him. After settling down, she swung her legs back and forth like she was on a swing, feeling the silence stretch between them.
“I was hiding here because I didn’t want to attend lessons. This estate is supposedly the scariest place in the Macairn Empire, right?”
“What? Lessons? Then how long are you planning to stay here? It’s dangerous if you get caught…”
She frowned slightly. Even if her own situation wasn’t exactly safe, she couldn’t help worrying about Claidin hiding here just to avoid class.
If Grand Duke Romford found out, he would never let it slide. Even if Claidin was a child, he would not be spared. If caught, he might even have to be prepared to lose a fingernail—or worse.
“Hm… I want to stay.”
“You’re a total problem student, huh? Pfft.”
Esiel let out a small laugh at his stubborn reply. To her, he just seemed like a normal kid who hated lessons.
That was fortunate for Claidin. He wanted to hide his identity. Even if someone mentioned “the next High Priest Claidin Ruanez,” he didn’t want Esiel to connect it to him—at least not this child.
“Here, I’ll give this to you.”
Claidin reached into his robe while watching Esiel’s dangling feet. He pulled out a bright red apple that fit perfectly in his small hands. He carefully wiped it with his sleeve as if brushing off dust.
“Here.”
“Me? You’re giving this to me?”
Esiel blinked in confusion, but Claidin only smiled silently.
She stared at the apple, thinking.
Why is he giving me this?
Before she knew it, she accepted the bright red fruit. Her lips pressed together as she focused on it.
Claidin watched her and smiled.
“It’s fine to eat! It’s really good for your body.”
“Good for my body…?”
Though she didn’t quite trust him, Esiel felt like he would keep staring until she ate it. So she took a bite.
A neat crescent-shaped mark was left on the apple.
She had no way of knowing that the apple was imbued with Claidin’s powerful divine energy.
Meanwhile
A white carriage with dazzling gold trim raced at incredible speed. Dust and gravel were kicked up in its wake, yet the inside of the carriage remained perfectly still.
Inside sat the Emperor of the Macairn Empire.
He bit his nails repeatedly, unable to hide his anxiety.
“Romford… that arrogant bastard!”
Despite his angry tone, his eyes were restless with fear.
The imperial carriage was heading toward the Legonis estate.
Since the day Grand Duke Romford visited the palace, the Emperor had abruptly cut off negotiations with Duke Vergail. It was entirely his unilateral decision. Vergail tried multiple times to contact him afterward, but all attempts failed.
The Emperor’s thoughts raced as fast as the carriage.
If he made Romford an enemy, he would strike him from behind.
And now Romford held a weakness—no matter how indirect it was.
In this situation, even if he had to abandon the foolish Vergail Duke, the Emperor himself needed to escape cleanly.
“Your Majesty, we have arrived.”
The carriage stopped.
The Emperor quickly composed himself and stepped out with exaggerated dignity.
Before him stood the imposing mansion that instinctively reminded him of Romford.
A chilling aura seemed to radiate from it. He took an involuntary deep breath, unnoticed by his attendants.
The servant led him to the door.
As if expecting him, Lente opened it, revealing Romford behind him.
“I greet the Sun of the Empire—”
“Ahaha. There’s no need for formalities between us, is there?”
The Emperor interrupted casually, forcing a laugh.
Romford’s expression, however, remained utterly cold. The Emperor’s smile stiffened under his gaze.
After dismissing all attendants and sealing the windows, only the Emperor and Romford sat facing each other in the reception room.
Silence filled the space, broken only by the Emperor sipping tea repeatedly.
He was already on his third cup, drinking quickly out of nervousness.
He glanced at Romford and accidentally met his eyes. Startled, he hurriedly adjusted his expression and touched his teacup.
“Ahaha… this tea is quite good. What kind is it?”
It was a clumsy attempt at small talk.
Romford reached for his own cup. It had not been touched; sediment had even settled at the bottom.
“Black tea.”
He took a small sip and answered. Nothing special—just ordinary noble black tea.
The Emperor’s face flushed slightly as he remembered his own question. He shifted his legs and placed a hand on his knee.
“Yes… black tea… haha…”
Silence returned.
But soon it was broken again.
“Grand Duke Romford.”
“Yes.”
The Emperor tapped his knee nervously.
“How… do you intend to handle the ledger?”
“Are you here because you’re worried about the ledger?”
“Cough, cough!”
The Emperor coughed repeatedly, panicked at the blunt question.
The ledger was his greatest weakness. If mishandled, it could lead even to his dethronement.
So today, he was willing to grant Romford almost anything—no matter the cost.
“…Do you have anything you want?”
“……”
“Speak. I could even throw Duke Vergail into prison immediately!”
But Romford had no interest in Vergail. He was irrelevant.
Vergail was the Emperor’s problem—one of the conspirators who had helped scheme against Romford.
For Romford, the real issue was not Vergail, but control.
“If not that, then say what you want!”
“……”
“I will grant anything!”
At last, Romford spoke calmly.
“Then, first, revoke the order to join the war.”
“T-the war? Ahaha! That war isn’t even important to the Empire!”
The Emperor agreed immediately. That request was trivial.
“And I request the destruction of the small kingdom of Anais.”
“The Kingdom of Anais…?”
The Emperor blinked in surprise. He had expected demands regarding Vergail—not an entire kingdom.
“May I ask why…?”
“It is a trivial kingdom. It makes no difference whether it exists or not.”
“Even so…”
“If we occupy it, imperial trade routes may become easier.”
Romford added this as if it were nothing significant.
The Emperor slowly nodded.
There was nothing for him to lose—and possibly even something to gain.
