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Chapter 10 — Please Withdraw That Order
Within pitch-black darkness.
Unable to see one another, those gathered there held a secret meeting.
“The Emperor’s power was successfully destabilized, wasn’t it? We’ve confirmed that even a monster is affected by that drug.”
As the first speaker’s gloomy, metallic voice broke the silence, another responded.
“But because of that, didn’t the Emperor’s destined partner appear?”
Not even those present knew exactly how many people were gathered here.
Another unfamiliar voice joined in.
“There’s no need to see it as entirely bad. If we can find the Emperor’s partner during this opportunity… and eliminate them.”
A wave of silent delight passed through the gathering.
That monster.
The Awakener who had been given the absurd rank of SSS-Class.
If they could only eliminate that one existence, the Empire would collapse without resistance.
That was their ultimate objective.
“We must find them first.”
“We’ve already planted a rat close to the Emperor.”
“It would be best to make use of the mages. Why not plant seeds of suspicion against Duke Ariel in the Emperor’s mind as well?”
Fortunately, mages and Awakeners were practically mortal enemies.
Throw them a single reason to doubt one another, and they would tear each other apart like cats and dogs.
The one who appeared to lead the gathering raised a hand.
The noisy discussion immediately fell silent.
“The partner who remains hidden. If we wish to find them, we must make use of the Gates. Fortunately… it seems we already have the perfect bait capable of moving both factions.”
At those calmly spoken words, malicious smiles spread across everyone’s lips.
Breathe in once.
Breathe out.
Again.
In.
Out.
I absolutely cannot let the Status Window take control here.
From everything I’d learned so far, whenever my mind wavered, the Status Window would seize control of my body to protect the character named “Hilaria.”
But I couldn’t keep relying on that if I wanted to survive everything that lay ahead.
Still…
That face is terrifying.
How does that look like the expression someone makes when looking at the person they’ve formed a partial imprint with?
The Emperor lounged gracefully in an extravagant chair, one long leg crossed over the other as he looked down at me.
His face was breathtakingly beautiful.
The pressure radiating from him, however…
was pure terror.
I want to run away.
The reason I feared the Emperor this much was undoubtedly because of the memories of my death.
Guides like me were never welcomed in the first place, so I’ve been through all kinds of awful experiences… but I’ve never been this frightened before.
Concealing my sweat-soaked hands, I deliberately relaxed the muscles in my face to appear as composed as possible.
I imagined the Hilaria I’d spent so long imitating.
The woman who never avoided the Emperor’s gaze.
The mage who wouldn’t waver even before an SSS-Class Esper whose mere presence could freeze the air.
I can do this.
I have to, if I want to live!
That was the role I had to play.
“May I ask why Your Majesty has summoned someone as busy as myself?”
Even my sarcastic tone sounded perfect.
I could clearly see the Emperor’s elegant eyebrow twitch upward in irritation.
Maintaining a leisurely expression, he stroked his chin while slowly looking me up and down.
Every sweep of his gaze made me swallow nervously.
But I wasn’t fooled.
That composure was fake.
Right now, his body had to be burning with agony.
To put it bluntly…
He was on the verge of losing his mind.
Even though you’re barely holding it together.
I’d always been an exceptionally skilled Guide.
Now I’d even been upgraded to S-Class.
And inside him…
The power I’d personally calmed through direct contact was raging violently, threatening to explode at any moment.
Save me.
It hurts.
“Quite the actress, Duke. Do you truly not know why I summoned you?”
I couldn’t help admiring him inwardly.
He was unbelievably tough.
No one looking at him would ever imagine he was enduring pain severe enough to tear his body apart.
“How could I possibly presume to understand Your Majesty’s thoughts before hearing your noble words directly?”
“Perhaps I’m imagining things. Duke, your way of speaking is even more irritating than usual.”
“And it seems Your Majesty’s manners are even cruder than they normally are.”
Crackle.
It almost felt as though invisible sparks flew between us.
In reality, though…
My legs were trembling so badly I had to secretly dig my nails into my palms to stay standing.
“A few days ago, something extremely important happened to me. Though I assume you already know.”
“I already told you I don’t. Believing the entire world revolves around Your Majesty… well, I think I’d find that rather embarrassing.”
“…”
The Emperor’s aura grew even more dangerous.
Um… I’m doing this right… aren’t I?
Just as uncertainty crept in, the Emperor’s lips twisted into a chilling smile.
Those perfectly shaped lips stood out vividly.
Right…
Thinking about what those lips had put me through a few days ago…
Am I insane? Why am I thinking about that now?
I squeezed my eyes shut for a brief moment before opening them again.
Perhaps misunderstanding my reaction, the Emperor lifted the hand resting on the chair’s armrest and supported his chin.
“I nearly lost control.”
I know.
Far too well.
“There were those foolish enough to try forcing me into a rampage. I recovered the drug involved. Naturally… Duke, you had nothing to do with that, correct?”
The corners of my mouth twitched.
Well…
It wasn’t strange for him to suspect a political rival like the Duke.
But from my perspective—
The person who’d ended up clinging to him and… well… guiding him…
It was a deeply unfair accusation.
“I truly have no idea what Your Majesty is referring to. At the time, as always, I was working overtime to deal with an overwhelming amount of official business.”
“I heard you sent Louias home early.”
The Emperor’s narrowed eyes resembled those of a predator.
“As though you already knew something was about to happen. Was that your remarkable foresight… or did you genuinely know?”
I wanted to smash through the nearest window and disappear.
This was terrifying.
Absolutely terrifying!
“Whether Your Majesty’s unstable power would lose control or not… how could I possibly know something like that? I don’t know whether you’ll believe my explanation, but I had nothing to do with it.”
“Yes… it had better be that way. But Duke, given the relationship between us, it’s difficult to accept your innocence based solely on your words.”
So what exactly do you want?
Surely this man wasn’t…
I wanted to look away from the eyes staring straight through me.
I really did.
The longer I looked into them…
The more vividly I remembered that day.
Then the Emperor spoke.
“Yet you never asked how I survived the rampage.”
“…”
“You speak as though you already know the outcome.”
This man is terrifyingly sharp!
My heart pounded wildly.
If it beat any faster, the Status Window would undoubtedly seize control of my body.
No.
It’s fine.
He doesn’t know I’m that Guide.
He has absolutely no idea.
A few days ago, while secretly trying to guide him in my desperation…
I’d discovered something astonishing.
My reflection in the mirror.
More specifically…
The color of my eyes had changed.
Among the descriptions of the mysterious person the Emperor’s knights were searching for…
there was one detail.
Golden eyes.
Completely different from my usual crimson ones.
So he isn’t testing whether I’m the partner from that day.
If he’s suspicious of me… it’s because I’m a mage.
“My loyal knights have been searching for the Guide who calmed the rampage.”
He paused.
“And… they’ve found no one.”
“Do you understand what that means, Duke?”
Cold sweat streamed down my back.
The amusement curving the man’s eyes squeezed my heart painfully.
“My knights suspect that my destined partner may be among the mages.”
A curse almost slipped from my lips.
“If my destined partner is eventually revealed to be a mage, suspicion will naturally fall upon the head of the mages for deliberately hiding them and making a fool of me.”
This wasn’t merely pressure.
It was a threat.
“So before it comes to that… Duke, wouldn’t it be wiser for you to act personally?”
“Do what?”
I slowly exhaled.
Looking directly into the eyes I desperately wanted to avoid.
“What is it that Your Majesty wants from me?”
As though he’d finally heard the words he’d been waiting for, the Emperor smiled broadly.
Like a hunter staring at prey cornered with nowhere left to run.
“Find them.”
“…”
The fact that he was so handsome only made it creepier.
“Find my destined partner yourself, Duke.”
“Only then will you be able to prove your innocence.”
It felt as though my soul had left my body.
Running away after erasing the evidence would have been difficult enough.
Instead…
I’d somehow ended up in the utterly miserable situation of being ordered to personally deliver my own trail straight into that man’s hands.
