Chapter 36

No matter how much Tashir attended the nobles' parties and mingled with them, it was a roundabout way of saying that he was still not a noble. No, at this level of blatant expression, it was almost embarrassing to call it a roundabout way. Tashir stared at Gestar for a moment. But instead of getting angry, he raised one corner of his mouth, grinned, and propped his chin up.

"Our innocent young master, I thought you had some character, but I didn't expect you to show it to me."

"……"

"But you're cute. The way you reveal it is so insignificant and calm, it's endearing."

"!"

After finishing his words, Tashir suddenly reached out and tapped Gestar's cheek. In an instant, Gestar grabbed Tashir's wrist and slammed it onto the table with a thud.

"What are you doing?"

The voice that followed was not the least bit weak. The strength and speed of the arm, which Latil had found impressive several times, were fully demonstrated.

"I thought I could show my character too, seeing that you were showing yours when no one was around."

However, Tashir continued to chuckle, seemingly not at all threatened by his opponent. The already tense atmosphere became even sharper. If anyone had entered the room at that moment, they would have looked back and forth between the two and then closed the door and left. But instead of getting angrier, Gestar narrowed his eyes, seemed to think for a moment, and then released Tashir's wrist.

"Hmm. It hurts."

Tashir exaggeratedly feigned pain while looking at his wrist, which Gestar had released. It was a tolerable pain, but it wasn't fake; a bruise was already forming on his wrist. Seeing this, Gestar smiled meekly again, covered his mouth with his hand, and asked in a timid voice.

"So, Mr. Tashir, how grand do you want this banquet to be?"

* * *

"No, you're still just discussing?"

Two days later. After finishing the state council meeting, Latil asked the chief steward how much progress Gestar and Tashir had made on the banquet preparations and was shocked to hear that nothing had been done yet.

"Didn't they keep meeting except when eating and sleeping?"

"Yes, sir..."

"Raura? What is Raura doing?"

Raura was the secretary Latil had assigned to assist Gestar and Tashir with the banquet preparations. Since neither of them knew much about the process, he had assigned her to help. With nothing done after two days...

"On the first day, I left them alone to freely exchange opinions."

The chief steward sighed.

"But since they couldn't agree no matter how long they waited, from the next day, I had to join their discussions."

"Then? Why is there no result?"

The chief steward sighed again.

"Both of them are incredibly stubborn and refuse to budge on their opinions."

Latil clicked his tongue in exasperation. He had paired them, but he had expected Gestar to follow Tashir's lead. What Latil had actually hoped for from Gestar was to serve as a shield to prevent people from whispering, "Why did they entrust the banquet preparations to a commoner merchant when they have the prince and the son of a meritorious official?"

"Gestar seems to be more stubborn than expected."

"Both of them are stubborn."

"Ah, that's true, but Tashir's image from the start was..."

Anyone could see that he was stubborn. He was the type who would force his opinion through with threats if no one listened to him, so Latil hadn't expected any agreement from the start.

* * *

* * *

It wasn't until three more days later that Latil received a report that some progress had been made on the banquet preparations.

"Good."

Latil glanced at the report the secretary had compiled and nodded.

"You've done well."

Latil didn't know how many arguments Tashir and Gestar had had to earn these two words of praise.

"Master, it's fine if you're uncooperative, but remember this. Whether the result is good or bad, we're in the same boat. If we mess up the banquet, both of us will be completely blacklisted by His Majesty."

Eventually, Tashir had to soothe Gestar, pressing his temples, when it seemed like things were really not going to work out.

"Let's each back down a little."

Gestar, who had refused to budge on his opinion, finally took a half-step back when Tashir made the first move.

"Alright, but remember, this is the first and last time we'll work together."

"Master, you're really unlucky?"

"Mr. Tashir, even objectively and without personal feelings, your opinion is flawed."

In the end, the result of these arguments was that the banquet would be prepared with a balance between Tashir's grand vision and Gestar's frugality. The secretary was a bit taken aback by the idea of mixing two completely opposite atmospheres, but when he saw the final result, which used black to unify the decorations and create a simple effect, he nodded. As the secretary's report gradually took shape, Hira, the old priest, arrived from the Sosta territory.

* * *

"I came when I heard that you were looking for this old man, Your Majesty."

After learning that the criminal who confessed to assassinating the emperor was cursed, the priest who confirmed this fact said that Hira, the old priest, would know a lot about this field and went to fetch him. However, the only person who came to Latil in the palace audience hall was the old priest, and the priest who introduced him was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is Priest Gnosis?"

"After informing me of this matter, my sister remained in the Sosta territory to take over my duties."

"Did you hear the explanation?"

"Yes, I did."

Latil nodded and led the old priest into his private office. Unlike the public office, no secretary or steward could enter this private space, no matter how urgent the matter. Since there were few people who knew about black magic and curses, Latil had deliberately called him here.

"As you may have heard, a criminal who confessed to assassinating the late emperor appeared. But as soon as he was about to speak, something strange happened."

Latil instructed a few attendants to bring a chair for the old priest and then perched on his desk.

"The cursed criminal, as he was dying, said strange things. Something about worshipping the Lord."

The old priest awkwardly sat in the soft, round chair brought by the attendants.

"Priest, you have two questions to answer."

"I will answer as many as dozens, Your Majesty."

"No, just two. First question: What does 'worship the Lord' mean?"

"…What is the other question?"

"Can a zombie be created from a cursed corpse? If so, how do we deal with it? Priest Gnosis said that most of the information on exorcism has been lost, so he doesn't know."

The old priest, who had said he would answer dozens of questions, was unable to speak easily when Latil asked his questions. Latil propped his chin and frowned.

"By asking dozens of questions, did you mean you might know the answer to one of them?"

"No, Your Majesty."

"Then answer whatever you know. Even if you ramble, I'll listen and figure it out."

Latil's words, though decisive and cold, were clear and easy to understand. If the emperor spoke ambiguously, his ministers would only struggle to analyze and interpret his words. Recalling the rumors about the new emperor, the old priest opened his mouth.

"500 years ago, the black mages were exterminated..."

"I know."

"Then, do you know that 1000 years ago, the black mages were also exterminated?"

Latil, who had been looking at the old priest's beard indifferently, raised his eyebrows.

"Twice? That's extermination? Are you sure?"

"The story of the black mages is often told as a legend under the phrase 'long, long ago,' and most people think it refers to the event 500 years ago. But that 'long, long ago' actually refers to 1000 years ago."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Although there are few records, most of them were found in distant countries, indicating it wasn't just a matter of one or two nations."

"..."

"If we had records from 1500 years ago, it might be more accurate... Perhaps the black mages' revival cycle is every 500 years."

"Priest, I'm not interested in their revival cycle."

Latil crossed his legs and frowned.

"I need a way to deal with them."

"If we knew the records from the past, we could find a way."

"Those records?"

"They have been lost..."

If the old priest hadn't been a white-haired elder, Latil would have coldly asked, "Are you kidding me?" But the old priest was older than anyone Latil had ever met, making it hard to speak casually. Latil pressed his temples with his thumb to control his temper. Despite the roundabout way of speaking, it ultimately meant that the old priest didn't know how to exorcise. The first question also seemed unanswered. Latil sighed and stood up from his desk.

"If you don't know, that's fine. I'm sorry for making you come such a long way. Take a rest."

"Although the records are lost, I know someone who can perform exorcisms."

But the old priest's additional words stopped Latil. Latil, who was walking to the door, slowly turned around.

"Who is that?"

"The High Priest."

"The High Priest? He knows how to exorcise?"

"More precisely, the High Priest's very existence is antithetical to those in the darkness."

"Good."

Latil smiled and approached the old priest.

"Then I'll go find the High Priest."

Although Latil sighed at the thought of the old priest having to find the High Priest as well, it was better to have someone to look for than to have no one at all. However, the old priest's next words immediately disappointed Latil.

"The High Priest's identity and location are unknown to the priests. He keeps his identity hidden."

Latil frowned.

"Then it's useless, isn't it?"

Why did you say it then?

"Fortunately, I have a connection with the High Priest and know his location."

"Good. Tell me the location."

"But if someone else goes, he will refuse to meet them."

Latil suddenly wondered if the old priest was toying with him and raised his eyebrows. Why did he keep changing his mind? Couldn't he just say everything at once? Seeing Latil's ominous expression, the old priest pleaded apologetically.

"Please write a letter. I will deliver Your Majesty's message to the High Priest directly."

* * *

That night, Latil, lying in bed and tossing and turning, finally slipped out of the covers at one in the morning. With various complicated matters piling up, he felt confused. He thought it would be better to be alone to sort out his feelings, but lying in bed only made his worries deeper. He decided it would be better to be with someone who could clear his mind.

'I should go to Klein. Talking to him always clears my head.'

"Your Majesty? Are you going for a walk?"

"To the harem. I'll go see Klein."

Latil calmly told the guard who approached in surprise and walked down the night corridor, where only the sound of crickets could be heard.

"Y-Your Majesty!"

Perhaps because he had come without prior notice in the early morning, Klein, who had been lying down with a green face mask, jumped up in surprise.

"What is that? Mud?"

Latil teased Klein, who was covered in a green face mask, and Klein, flustered, rushed to the bathroom.

"Your Majesty, I'll be right back after washing my face! Please wait a moment!"

Klein shouted from behind the bathroom door.

"Alright."

Latil answered, smiling involuntarily, and felt two conflicting emotions. One was the feeling that he had made the right decision to come to Klein. The other was the thought that the possibility of Klein being a spy hadn't been ruled out, and he shouldn't let his guard down. Latil pressed his temples and leaned against the pillow Klein had been leaning on.

'He looks stupid, but he's Hyacinth's brother. Even this could be an act.'

Despite this, the thought of how embarrassed Klein would be when he came out after washing his face, and what silly things he would say to hide it, made Latil laugh. Then, Latil noticed a sharp-eyed, unpleasant-looking teddy bear next to Klein's pillow and reached out for it.

'What is this ugly doll?'

It was a small doll, not much bigger than his palm, but it was wearing a necklace. Curious, Latil lifted the doll with one hand and realized it was a name tag, not a necklace. The name tag was hidden on the back.

'He even named it?'

Flabbergasted, Latil flipped the doll over and saw that in delicate gold letters on a small glass, it said "Your Majesty 2." Latil burst out laughing.

'What a weirdo.'

At that moment,

"Your Majesty, may I come in for a moment?"

Seunet, from the other side of the door, called Latil in a quiet voice. Since Seunet wouldn't call him for trivial matters, Latil immediately gave permission.

"Come in."

The door opened quietly, and Seunet approached without making a sound, lowering his voice to a whisper.

"There is a serious matter. You need to go urgently."