Chapter 79

In the study of the detached palace, I summoned the Fourth Chancellor, Don.

As usual, I was seated, and Don stood on the other side of the desk.

Before that, I had already informed Don that I would investigate Gavel.

"Without letting the others realize, we will create a diversion."

"A diversion... I see."

"Yes. Some might think it's unnecessary, but I want to be doubly cautious."

"I see... What kind of diversion?"

"We will use the villa."

"The villa..."

Don tilted his head, deep in thought.

"The villa that the Retired Emperor renovated for summer use. I will take the Empress there."

"I see. In that case, the best option would be to go in the 'Divine Palanquin.'"

When the Emperor officially leaves the capital, there are specific rules for the size of the entourage based on the purpose.

For the most important public events, such as religious ceremonies, the entourage is a thousand-strong 'Divine Palanquin.'

The next is the five-hundred-strong 'Grand Palanquin,' used, for example, when the Emperor goes to the outskirts of the capital to welcome a victorious army.

Finally, the 'Riding Palanquin,' which consists of about a hundred people and is used for short trips to the outskirts for leisure.

Incidentally, the tradition of riding horses for any trip, inherited from our ancestors, is a remnant of the 'Warrior Nation.'

Considering the need for a diversion, Don suggested the largest and most grandiose option, the 'Divine Palanquin.'

"No, the 'Riding Palanquin'—no, it can be even smaller."

"Even smaller...?"

"Yes. I will go to the villa incognito. Arrange it that way. Use the 'Riding Palanquin' and send them to an unrelated place."

After a moment, Don looked at me.

"A diversion within a diversion... I see."

"That's right."

"Indeed, Your Majesty."

Don looked at me with admiration.

"Very well, I will arrange it."

"Good."

I nodded, leaned back in my chair, and looked up at the ceiling.

Unlike in commoners' homes, the ceiling was adorned with colorful decorations.

I gazed at them, lost in thought.

"Is something bothering you?"

"Going incognito to investigate the salt tax is fine, but if I can't reveal that I am the Emperor at a crucial moment, it won't work. I was thinking about that."

I recalled the series of events from the border town of Reremo.

The problem had existed even then, though it hadn't fully materialized.

When going incognito, there will inevitably be a moment when I need to reveal that I am the Emperor.

During the Reremo incident, Cheryl's 2,000 soldiers played that role.

That was possible because it was a border town.

In a regular city, it would be difficult to station a large number of soldiers, and it would take time to rush them to the scene in an emergency.

Traversing a complex city is much slower than crossing an open wilderness.

There are many uncertainties and no immediacy.

I need something that can instantly reveal my identity.

"How about the magic sword possessed by Your Majesty?"

"Leviathan?"

"Yes. It has a distinctive appearance and is one of a kind."

I drew Leviathan from my bracelet.

The naked blade glowed with a blue light.

As Don said, it has a distinctive appearance, and Leviathan is probably the only one of its kind on earth.

"This could work, but what if no one knows about Leviathan?"

"..."

Don was at a loss for words.

Even if Leviathan is unique, its existence is not widely known.

"What I want is something that, when shown, 100 out of 100 people will recognize me as the Emperor."

"That is..."

Don furrowed his brow.

"Such a thing probably doesn't exist."

"...Yes."

Don is probably right.

"Something that 100 out of 100 people would recognize doesn't exist. Perhaps I should compromise."

"..."

"..."

"What's the matter?"

"There is no such thing... no such thing..."

Repeating those words, a flash of inspiration struck me.

I visualized it in my mind and then asked the beings in my bracelet.

Leviathan.

Bahamut.

Behemoth.

Fuwawa.

Apophis.

Ziz.

The non-human entities who follow me.

Leviathan responded first.

Unlike Bahamut, who communicates with clear words, Leviathan's emotions flow directly into my mind, strongly reflecting things beyond words.

Including the recent human possession technique.

Lately, it's been mostly Bahamut.

Leviathan's competitive spirit came through strongly.

"Can you do it?"

I asked further, and Leviathan's fierce emotions strongly asserted, "Yes, I can."

I looked at Don.

Since I was holding the bracelet, Don knew I was communicating with them but did not join the conversation, only watching me intently.

I decided to have Don assist in the experiment.

I closed my eyes and visualized a symbol representing me.

People are treasure.

A vessel to carry all that treasure.

The water magic sword Leviathan.

A vessel to carry people and treasure in water.

—A ship.

I designed a crest of a large, protective box ship, carrying many people and treasures, and drew it in the air in front of me using water magic.

At the same time, I used Leviathan to exert pressure.

Not the usual kind of pressure that subdues through force, but a strong, conscious pressure that I directed at Don.

"Haah!"

Don knelt on the spot and then let out a gasp.

The action was partly reflexive, as if his body had moved on its own.

"How was it?"

"Indeed, Your Majesty!"

Don, still kneeling, uttered the highest praise he had ever given.

His face, looking up at me, was filled with excitement.

"The pressure just now made my consciousness clearly recognize 'This is the Emperor.'"

"It worked."

Until now, Leviathan's pressure had been pure malice or hostility, used to subdue opponents.

By slightly adjusting it to make them recognize that I am the Emperor, it seemed to work well when combined with the visual crest.

☆

That night, I summoned Audrey and Anya to my chambers.

When Gran came to the study, I had the two dolls laid on their backs and named them both.

Soon, the two were brought in by eunuchs.

Since I would be leaving the next day and wouldn't see them for a while, I wanted to summon them beforehand.

While waiting for them, I idly checked my status.

-----------------

Name: Noah Ararat

Emperor of the Empire

Gender: Male

Level: 17 + 1/∞

HP: C + C Fire: E + S + S

MP: D + C Water: C + SS

Strength: C + S Wind: E + C

Stamina: D + C Earth: E + C

Intelligence: D + B Light: E + B

Spirit: E + C Darkness: E + B

Speed: E + C

Dexterity: E + C

Luck: D + C

-----------------

My status, which had become much more complex since my birth, was fun to think about how it might develop in the future.

While I was doing this, the two "arrived."

Even the Empress, during formal nights, is carried in naked and wrapped in a mat by eunuchs.

Or rather, it could be said that it's because she is the Empress.

Princesses and their consorts are not treated this way.

This is a special treatment reserved for the Emperor's nighttime companions.

The two were placed on the bed, and the eunuchs collected the expensive mats and quickly left the bedroom.

I got into bed and approached the two.

Then, Audrey asked,

"Were you thinking about something?"

"Hmm? Yes, a little."

I was caught off guard by Audrey's question, which came as soon as I leaned over.

"I was thinking about my status. By the way, what about yours?"

"I'm still at 1."

"I'm at 2, after a few things happened."

Anya answered shyly.

I was a bit curious about the "few things" that happened to Anya, who was a bit more straightforward than Audrey.

I smiled and cast the status check spell on the two.

I don't usually use it, but I do know it.

In the bedroom, where only the naked Emperor and his companions are present, I would not use this spell otherwise.

I checked their statuses.

As they had reported, Audrey was still at level 1, and Anya had increased to level 2.

"Huh?"

Audrey, however, let out a surprised gasp.

"What's wrong?"

"My maximum level... has increased."

"What?"

I checked Audrey's status.

-----------------

Name: Audrey

Empress of the Empire

Gender: Female

Level: 1/13

HP: F Fire: F

MP: F Water: F

Strength: F Wind: F

Stamina: F Earth: F

Intelligence: F Light: F

Spirit: F Darkness: F

Speed: F

Dexterity: F

Luck: F

-----------------

Audrey, who had lost her surname after the 'Ceremony of Excommunication,' had the title of Empress, and her status was all at the lowest rank, fitting for level 1.

That's why I didn't notice anything odd at first glance.

However, she claimed her maximum level had increased.

"Is it a mistake?"

"No, it was a single digit before."

"...That's unlikely to be a mistake."

It's possible to misremember the exact numbers, but it's hard to mistake a single digit for a double digit.

"So, it really has increased... Why?"

"Your Majesty, I think mine has also increased."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes... I don't usually check, so I'm not entirely sure."

For a concubine—let alone a consort—checking one's status is rare.

Even knights, soldiers, or adventurers rarely check their status.

Especially for noblewomen, who are protected by subordinates and knights and consider not getting their hands dirty a virtue, it's even rarer.

"...Pay attention and let me know if it changes."

"Yes."

"Understood."

After they responded, I smiled and changed the mood, silently extinguishing the last light in the bedroom.

☆

The next morning, I had Zoe check the statuses of the maids and eunuchs.

I wanted to see if anyone else around me had an increased maximum level, but the maids and eunuchs showed no changes. Even Shirley and Cheryl, who regularly check their statuses, had no changes.

I thought it might have been a mistake with Audrey and Anya.

"Your Majesty! Something's wrong!"

Audrey and Anya burst into the study where I was thinking.

"What's wrong?"

"Look!"

Audrey said, and the new maid, Kate, who had silently followed, cast the status check spell.

-----------------

Name: Audrey

Empress of the Empire

Gender: Female

Level: 1/14

HP: F Fire: F

MP: F Water: F

Strength: F Wind: F

Stamina: F Earth: F

Intelligence: F Light: F

Spirit: F Darkness: F

Speed: F

Dexterity: F

Luck: F

-----------------

"..."

"It's increased again."

As Audrey said, her maximum level had increased by one from the previous night.

So— I looked at Anya.

"Yes, mine has also increased since last night."

"...Because I blessed you?"

I checked my own status.

The unprecedented "∞" symbol caught my eye.

Was this the reason?

I wasn't entirely sure, but—

"Surely it is!"

"Indeed, Your Majesty, this is amazing!"

Both Audrey and Anya were extremely pleased, treating it as a certainty.