Chapter 48

Once again, I returned to the palace.

I tidied up my appearance lightly in front of the emperor's chamber.

I had come here many times before the reset, but it was always a gloomy place. It was filled with unpleasant memories. Inside, I felt like a spectacle, and a deep sense of loneliness would well up within me.

However, Elysia smiled and said,

"Master Alex, please go."

Hearing Elysia's voice, I remembered that I wasn't alone anymore.

...I'll finish this quickly and return to Arce. If necessary, I'll escape from the capital with Elysia using the "Transfer."

"Yes... I'll go."

The double doors, opened by the guards, led me down the purple carpeted path.

"Really, where have you been?"

"More importantly, what happened to the daughter of the Ilyuria Margrave?"

The nobles' gazes on me were the same as always. However, I heard voices mentioning the disappearance of Yuris.

As I walked through the crowd, I eventually saw Louis, who was looking at me with a puzzled expression. Behind him, the emperor, with his impressive white beard, sat on the throne, frowning.

"Alex, I have arrived."

"Fool!! Where have you been all this time!?"

The emperor's first words were a roar of anger.

"No matter what you say, I went to Tiars as ordered by Your Majesty for an inspection."

"Lie! A child like you couldn't have gone to such a remote border! Really, where have you been wandering around... There's no place to play in Lobrion."

The emperor seemed to think I had been playing around. Well, maybe that's fine...

The emperor immediately beckoned Louis to stand next to the throne.

"Louis was worried about you! He thought you were depressed after receiving the Dark Mark and losing your inheritance rights, so he thought you had run away!"

It might be true that they were looking for me... though they used people to do it.

Louis immediately turned to the emperor with teary eyes.

"Your Majesty! Please forgive my brother!!"

"Louis... you are truly kind... as befits my child who has received the [Holy Spirit]!"

The emperor smiled at Louis, but then turned a sharp gaze back to me.

"Don't you have something to say!?"

Ah, what a hassle... He wants me to apologize or something.

But it irks me.

Just then, a small voice rang out, "Please wait."

"What is it?"

The emperor turned to look behind me, and a young nobleman stepped forward.

"I am Horsis, the acting Count of Lobrion."

The slightly overweight young man... He was the grandson of the Count of Lobrion and served as the acting representative in the capital.

"I have heard from my grandfather, Count Lobrion, that Prince Alex saved our Lobrion from a crisis! He brilliantly uncovered a plot by the Demon King's army to land! If he had been a little late, Lobrion would have fallen!"

The palace buzzed with the news.

"Nonsense! Such a child..."

"No, Prince Alex brilliantly uncovered the sabotage of the blockade protecting the bay! To us in Lobrion, Prince Alex is... a savior! He was certainly not playing around!"

Indeed, I had thwarted the plot against Lobrion. This was widely known among the people and soldiers of Lobrion.

On the day the imperial envoy came, I had hinted to the Count of Lobrion about a discount on the cost of the blockade to be built by the Blue-haired Clan. At that time, I also asked him to inform the emperor about my stay in Lobrion if anything happened.

The money-hungry Count of Lobrion quickly agreed and must have passed the message to his grandson.

"The Demon Kingdom is very close to the Lobrion territory... If Lobrion had fallen..."

"My territory might have been in danger too..."

Seeing the nobles' reactions, the emperor wiped sweat from his forehead.

With everyone praising me, he couldn't scold me.

Louis also looked at the nobles with a hateful expression. But then he turned to Burius.

He must be asking for help. But I won't let that happen.

"Also... Burius,"

"Yes, Prince Alex?"

Burius slowly turned to me and smiled kindly.

"I received an inquiry from a priest about my whereabouts while I was in Lobrion. The temple was also looking for me."

"Indeed... Prince Louis was very worried."

Burius smiled and nodded.

"I'm not sure if it's related, but..."

I took out two T-shaped pendants from my chest.

"Actually, I found two temple members between Tiars and Lobrion."

"Hmm..."

"Can you confirm their names? I believe they were called Tika and Nate. They also mentioned concern for their home, the Albus Monastery."

I handed the pendants to Burius.

"I don't know their names, but they were certainly from the temple... When you found them, were they...?"

He didn't say "exorcists." He probably didn't want to reveal too much information.

"They were already on their last breath. Despite treatment, they passed away soon after... The place was dangerous, so I had them cremated. There were also what seemed to be demon corpses nearby. They must have died in battle with them."

"Indeed... They might have been exorcists."

"Most likely. Please, may the temple also mourn for them."

"Of course. I am grateful for your thoughtfulness in bringing their mementos, Your Highness."

Burius bowed deeply to me.

Tika and Nate had fulfilled their duty as exorcists and died—I didn't want them to be seen as traitors to me.

Burius couldn't do much about their home monastery, the Albus Monastery.

Of course, Burius must have suspected that I had killed or captured them.

However, since the two, who had the Temptation Stones, couldn't turn me into a demon, it must have been concluded that no battle had taken place.

Louis, looking displeased, eventually shouted,

"Such a dangerous place for a prince! He's still a child!"

"That's right! Consider your status!"

The emperor also agreed.

What nonsense...

"I have already been appointed as a Margrave. For Your Majesty and this empire, I participated in the defense of Lobrion and went to inspect my territory. Is there a problem with that?"

The two were speechless.

Burius, still smiling, said,

"Now, now. Prince Alex must want to regain the emperor's trust after receiving the Dark Mark. How commendable. But let's get to the main reason I called you here."

The emperor seemed to remember something.

"Yes, that's right... Well, be more careful from now on, Alex."

What would he say next?

Reversing the disinheritance would damage the emperor's dignity. Taking away titles and territories without a major failure would be the same. What did he plan to do with me?

Bracing myself, the emperor said,

"Alex... I will send you to school."

A parent sending their child to school... nothing unusual about that.

But before the reset, I never heard these words from the emperor himself.

In the past, I had begged to be allowed to go to school, but this man refused. He didn't want me to be a disgrace to the royal lineage.

Then Louis came and, in front of the nobles, proudly told me, "I'll let you in."

He wanted to show his kindness and influence, and to display me as a spectacle because of the Dark Mark.

I immediately replied,

"That's not necessary."

But Louis raised his voice.

"No! If my brother doesn't go to school, he might lose his humanity... he might become a demon! That's why he must go to school!!"

"Indeed! Louis is right! Alex, you will go to school! This is an order from me!"

An order... I couldn't refuse in this situation. Publicly, sending me to school was a good thing, so I had no valid reason to refuse.

If he had announced something disadvantageous, I would have cut ties with the empire. I had considered escaping, abandoning the Lobrion base, and taking everyone to Arce.

But this was a bit too subtle a case...

School, huh...

Looking at Louis's smug face, I felt gloomy.