Chapter 9

#009 Emperor's Palace One-Shot Teacher (1)

"Wow, the palace is as big as a city."

"Hahaha."

Ganael laughed at my words.

On the day I regained consciousness after fainting, Ganael came to see me with a swollen face and burst into tears again.

Being betrayed by the twin friends and barely surviving a life-threatening situation, the young boy must have been terrified.

Compared to then, his complexion had really improved a lot in just two days.

*Tap, tap*

I let my body sway with the carriage and gazed out the window.

Today was the first day I would explore other parts of the palace, stepping out of the Juliette Palace and its gardens.

"It's 10:40. I'm glad we can make it on time."

"Yeah, thanks."

Wednesday, Friday, and Monday at 11:00 AM. These were the times Cardinal Aurelie Boutier mentioned for possible meetings.

Honestly, I didn't think she would set aside time for me.

After all, what's one prince held as a hostage to the most respected clergy in the empire, that she would clear her schedule three times a week?

When I casually mentioned this during breakfast, Benezaim and Ganael were genuinely shocked and even frightened.

'What did you just say?'

'Wednesday, Friday, and Monday at 11:00 AM. She said to come and ask anything freely... '

'Benezaim, I'll get the uniform!'

'Ganael, call the palace attendants of the Romero Palace! And tell them we need a carriage.'

'Yes!'

Surprised by their reaction, I replied, 'It's fine if we go today. I have a lot of questions to ask.'

Benezaim then...

'You don't just go; you must go, Prince Yesser.'

He glared at me. This was around 9:00 AM.

I wanted to take one more day of rest.

I knew it was urgent to extract information from the cardinal, but after experiencing a life-threatening situation, I wanted to clear my mind, even if just for a moment.

In web novels, the protagonists can calmly drink soda right after resolving a major incident, but I couldn't fathom how strong their mental fortitude must be.

Hmm, no, that's because they are the protagonists, and I'm just a supporting character, so it's natural for me to be a bit weaker.

I consoled myself, thinking I was doing my best.

"Good morning, Prince Yesser. Welcome to the Emperor's Palace."

"Hello."

While lost in thought, I had already ascended the steps of the Emperor's Palace.

A high-ranking attendant was waiting for us at the entrance.

Only then did I realize that the cardinal's words were not just empty promises.

"Since this is your first time at the Emperor's Palace, I will personally guide you to Cardinal Boutier's office."

"Thank you."

I followed the attendant obediently, with Benezaim and Ganael keeping watch behind me.

The official name of the Emperor's Palace is 'Snar Palace,' but almost no one calls it that; most people simply refer to it as the 'Emperor's Palace.'

When Benezaim told me this, I didn't think much of it, but seeing it in person, I understood why.

There was no other way to describe the overwhelming scale and grandeur of the Emperor's Palace.

The ceiling height seemed to exceed 30 meters, and everything, from the pillars to the portraits and decorations on the walls, was enormous.

The smooth marble floor extended seamlessly, gleaming without a speck of dust.

If the Juliette Palace was a business hotel, the Emperor's Palace was definitely a seven-star hotel that costs 40 million won per night.

"This way."

As we walked down the corridor on the second floor, the attendants working in the Emperor's Palace quietly greeted us as they passed by.

Most of them stared at my eyes for a long time, probably intrigued by my purple irises.

"Your Excellency, Prince Yesser Penethian has arrived."

"Come in."

At the large mahogany door, the attendant knocked, and a gentle voice responded.

Benezaim stepped back, saying, "We will wait outside."

"Have a productive meeting, Prince!"

Ganael clenched his fists and whispered.

*

A productive meeting, good.

"Ah, no, wait a moment!"

"The activation is too slow. You need to firmly grasp the flow of ether in your body."

"Ah!"

*Bang!*

It was the fourth time already.

"Ugh..."

I rolled my body half a turn on the floor and got up.

The cardinal's grand circle, the 'Sanctuary,' was pushing me to the door, leaving no room for me to stand.

Wasn't this supposed to be a meeting time? When did it turn into a practical session without any protective equipment?

"You even have time to think."

"I'm sorry!"

I snapped to attention.

As she quickly reduced the size of her sanctuary, I swiftly moved to the center of the room.

The spot where the symbol of the Church of the Lord, a large downward-pointing arrow, was imprinted.

"Alright!"

And I quickly opened my sanctuary.

It was amazing that I could summon the circle with willpower alone, without praying or seeking divine guidance.

Compared to the cardinal's sanctuary, which boasted luxurious patterns, mine was like a kindergarten drawing, but I had still managed to open it.

"Then, try to defend it."

"Huh? Your Excellency, this is a foul...!"

She walked confidently toward where I stood, maintaining her sanctuary, and attempted to collide with my meager circle.

*Crackle!*

Like sparks flying during welding, golden sparks danced loudly between the two sanctuaries.

"Wait a moment!"

"Endure."

"Ugh..."

It felt like a headache, but more like a pressure than pain.

An invisible, massive force pressed against my head, urging me to 'get out, back off.'

Even though the cardinal hadn't touched me, I felt my heels being pushed back.

"Do you feel the sacred flow?"

"Yes..."

I couldn't help but feel it.

The 'ether' within me, reacting to her powerful force, was writhing wildly near my heart.

It was different from when I blocked the assassin twins.

Back then, I was so desperate that I didn't even sense the existence of ether; I just relied on luck and shouted.

But now, I could clearly feel it.

It was something that felt both liquid and gaseous, pleasantly warm like an electric blanket.

"Grasp it firmly."

"Huh?"

I met the cardinal's eyes.

With her purple hair draped to one side and a bishop's mitre on her head, she had the same relaxed demeanor as when we first met.

"Imagine gripping it by the throat and bringing it under your control."

"Hmm..."

Her words, spoken with wide, beige eyes, were subtly terrifying and harsh, making me swallow hard.

Still, I had to try as she instructed.

After all, it seemed the cardinal was trying to teach me something.

Following her somewhat rough vocabulary, I pressed down on the ether.

"Right, like that."

To be precise, I imagined myself doing that.

It was like visualizing a chef's knife striking a flapping flatfish.

Wasn't this called image training?

"Good, try to hold it for 10 seconds. One, two..."

As soon as she started counting, her sanctuary began to push into mine.

*Crackle!*

Golden sparks flew fiercely.

The circular edge of my circle seemed on the verge of breaking.

"Ugh..."

"Five, six..."

Ten seconds felt too long. I could feel cold sweat on my forehead.

I tried to circulate the ether to my feet.

It seemed like the only way to support my body.

*Screech!*

"Nine, ten."

As soon as the count ended, both sanctuaries disappeared.

While mine vanished abruptly like a fluorescent light turning off, the cardinal's sanctuary gently faded away, as if seeping into the floor.

"I need to lie down for a moment..."

Without waiting for her response, I sprawled out on the symbol of the Church of the Lord in the center of the office.

"Phew..."

"That's your 'divine power.'"

I barely turned my head to look at Cardinal Boutier.

When she told me to grasp the ether, her eyes were cold, but now she had a friendly expression again.

"Most laypeople, and even many priests, can't distinguish between 'ether' and 'divine power.' Many believe they are the same thing."

"Is that so?"

Actually, I was the same. Having only studied from books, my foundation was weak.

I was surprised that she understood my mixed use of the two terms so well.

"If ether is the blessing of the gods, divine power is the ability to control it. It's the power to command and control."

I nodded in agreement. Indeed, understanding it through practice made it much clearer.

"The total amount of ether that can be contained in the soul, the 'vessel,' is determined at birth, but divine power is not. If you practice diligently and maintain the circulation, it will steadily grow."

This person is a great lecturer. I marveled internally and slowly got up.

Taking a deep breath, I could feel the previously turbulent ether calming down.

"Thank you for the advice, Your Excellency. But..."

"I said I would answer your questions."

She accurately anticipated my question: "Why are you teaching me this?"

She smiled and quickly returned to her chair.

Unlike the mess around me, the large desk and piles of documents behind her remained untouched.

"Although ether is innate, I know your ether is an exception. It's natural to be curious about a force you don't know where or how it came from. Isn't that right?"

"Um, yes, that's true."

I smoothed out my wrinkled clothes and sat on the sofa at her gesture.

"Even if you have a lot of ether, it's useless if you lack the divine power to control it. Conversely, someone with less innate ether but excellent divine power can achieve much through precise control."

Her explanation was clear and easy to understand.

She paused for a moment and then spoke carefully.

"The envoys of the Holy Kingdom said you were a mere bishop, untrained and thus no threat. The Emperor and I believed that as well."

"..."

"However, defending against a priest and a holy knight alone, and enduring my power today without training, you seem like a proper bishop-level priest to me."

"Then, do you see me as a threat?"

"You could be seen as a threat if I wanted to see you that way."

It was an ambiguous answer.

"But I believe you could be a great help to the Lieste Imperial Family and the empire's future."

"Really?"

The sudden weighty words made me open my eyes wide.

"Since you are a hostage, your return home is uncertain, but even in the Holy Kingdom... Given the current situation, they probably don't wish for your return."

"That's true."

I recalled the cursed family tree of Prince Yesser in my mind.

King Bernhard, who sent me as a hostage and even dispatched assassins to secure the position of his beloved daughter, Princess Elissa, as the crown princess, surely only wants my death in a foreign land.

"May I ask what you expect of me?"

If the cardinal was offering a kind of deal in exchange for her teachings, I was willing to consider it.

It would be much safer than being seen as a threat by the Emperor as a bishop-level priest.

Of course, it had to be something that didn't involve Princess Christel or Prince Sedric.

"You're a clever one."

She looked me straight in the eye.

"There's a child."

"A child?"

"Yes, I want you to help this child."

For some reason, her gaze felt earnest, though it might have been a misunderstanding.