Intense Initiation (4)
“You’re quick on the uptake, but you have no sense at all.”
The man let out a soft chuckle at Oliver’s words.
“I distinctly remember telling you not to dare speak that name aloud.”
Though he was smiling, the aura pouring from his body was utterly ferocious. The imperial secretary standing before them had been drenched in cold sweat the entire time.
From the moment they arrived at the main gate of the imperial palace, the pair had shown no interest in entering and simply stood there chatting. It left the secretary in an awkward position. Yet he could not utter a single word of protest.
He was nothing more than a lowly clerk, while the man before him was a king.
The conqueror of the west, the Wolf King, the Lord of Rebellion, the Sword Emperor—dozens of titles preceded the man’s name, and every single one of them was known across the continent.
“…My apologies.”
Only after receiving his subordinate’s apology did the man finally withdraw his killing intent. He then turned a bright smile toward the imperial secretary, who was still sweating profusely.
“Sorry to have kept you waiting. You may announce us now.”
The secretary snapped back to his senses only when he heard the man’s voice.
“F-forgive me. I shall announce you at once.”
The half-bald imperial secretary drew a deep breath and bellowed in a clear voice.
“His Majesty Kaiden Ram, King of the Adamanth Kingdom, has arrived!”
The young king who had destroyed the great western power of the Lionel Kingdom and swallowed dozens of neighboring nations whole now strode into the imperial palace with utterly confident steps.
Behind him followed his adjutant Oliver and dozens of knights clad in heavy black armor. It was a magnificent sight, as though a pack of black wolves had come prowling into the heart of the empire.
“I greet Your Majesty, Emperor of the Ventrum Empire.”
The voice was respectful, yet it carried no trace of flattery.
Emperor Cabelius III gazed down at the man kneeling on one knee before him.
Kaiden Ram, first king of the Adamanth Kingdom.
The man before him was currently the most talked-about figure on the continent. Interest in the young king who had toppled the seemingly eternal might of the Lionel Kingdom and declared himself ruler of the west burned hotter than any flame.
“You’ve traveled a long way. The empire sincerely welcomes the visit of the King of Adamanth.”
At the emperor’s light gesture, Kaiden rose slowly to his feet. A faint smile played on his lips as he replied.
“I am the one who should express gratitude for the invitation. My knights and I were exhausted after subjugating a horde of monsters nearby. Thanks to Your Majesty’s gracious summons to the palace, we’ve been able to rest comfortably.”
Kaiden’s newly established knight order from the Adamanth Kingdom was renowned for its expertise in monster subjugation. Composed of swordsmen of outstanding skill and survival strategists who understood monster ecology inside and out, they often accepted requests from other nations.
Just as they had today.
“Think nothing of it. Such courtesy is the least we can offer those who never hesitate to exert themselves on the empire’s behalf.”
The emperor smiled at Kaiden, who stood looking up at him from the base of the dais.
“So, how long do you intend to stay?”
“At most, a week.”
“What a shame. I would have you remain longer, but one cannot detain a king of a sovereign nation at one’s own convenience.”
“My apologies.”
Kaiden grinned, flashing his teeth.
“During the founding festival that will be held before long, I shall endeavor to stay for quite some time—even if Your Majesty orders me to leave at once.”
The officials present in the audience chamber widened their eyes in shock at the unrestrained choice of words. So the rumor was true: a rootless commoner had seized the throne by the sword.
“Hahaha!”
Yet the emperor seemed to find the man’s unpretentious manner delightful and burst into hearty laughter.
“Very well. You must be tired from your journey, so you may withdraw for now.”
“I thank Your Majesty for your benevolence.”
Kaiden placed one hand over his heart and offered a slight bow. It was a flawless, impeccable courtly greeting—so perfect that it was hard to believe it came from the same man who had just spoken of being told to “leave at once.”
“Aah, I already want to return to Adamanth.”
The thought of staying an entire week in another country’s imperial palace was daunting. Oliver, knight of Adamanth and adjutant to Kaiden, stretched his arms wide with a groan.
“Still, I was surprised. The emperor was far more hospitable than I expected. I thought he would at least embarrass us once by bringing up our lack of legitimacy or questionable origins.”
“The emperor can question anyone’s legitimacy except mine.”
“Ah, of course.”
Oliver scratched his temple as though he had momentarily forgotten.
“The emperor is the youngest son of the previous emperor, isn’t he? I forgot that he eliminated all his siblings to claim the throne.”
“Even so, he carries the previous emperor’s blood. He may not question my legitimacy, but I’m certain he still considers me rootless.”
Merely recalling that smooth, utterly contempt-free face soured Kaiden’s mood. He rested a hand on the hilt of his sword and strode forward without hesitation. With his tall frame and long stride, keeping pace beside him was no easy task.
“My lord, do you truly believe that woman is still alive?”
They had only met once, more than ten years ago. Moreover, the woman Kaiden sought was no longer a living person in this world.
“In my opinion,” Oliver lowered his voice, looking troubled, “that mad black magician appears to have swindled you.”
Black magic that could resurrect the dead? No matter how he considered it, the idea was absurd.
“And even if she has been resurrected, how would you find her? They say she could have been reborn in an entirely different form.”
“Those who return from death bear a mark. We simply need to find it.”
“That damned Uroboros Mark, you mean? Are we really supposed to search the bodies of every woman in the world for one stupid snake-shaped brand?”
Oliver sighed in disbelief and vigorously scratched the back of his head.
“And surely you haven’t already forgotten what happened in the kingdom the moment rumors spread that Your Majesty was searching for a woman with such a mark on her body?”
The young, handsome, and powerful king of Adamanth was unmarried. Among the nobles desperate to secure a position close to him, many had not hesitated to tattoo the Uroboros onto their daughters’ skin.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Kaiden answered as though the matter held no concern for him whatsoever.
“I’ll recognize the real one with a single glance.”
Edwin lay in bed, unable to fall asleep. As he tossed and turned, the events of the day replayed in his mind.
It’s strange.
Today had been truly, deeply strange.
Why did she help me?
He frowned, thinking of the nanny. The woman who had arrived two weeks ago possessed a gentle face, yet she was remarkably indifferent. Until yesterday, whether he threw tantrums or acted out, she had merely watched him with eyes devoid of interest—as though she were looking at a person without a soul.
…It really is strange.
The one who had reclaimed the bracelet stolen by Gail’s gang was none other than that very nanny.
Edwin glanced at the bracelet hanging loosely around his wrist. Made of fake pearls and fake rubies, it was cheap enough to be sold on any street corner. Though he had lost it briefly after falling for Gail’s trickery, it was more precious to him than anything else in the world.
Because it had been left to him by Emma, his former nanny.
Your Highness, please don’t cry. I truly love seeing you smile.
Edwin recalled the last words Emma had spoken to him.
No matter how difficult or sad things become, you must never lose your smile. Only then will you be able to laugh with all your heart when true happiness comes.
As if she knew it was truly the end, she had pressed the bracelet into his hand and closed his fingers tightly around it.
I shall leave you with my final wish…
His eyes had been blurred with tears, but he was certain Emma had been smiling.
You must become happy, Prince Edwin.
You must become happy.
Why did adults always leave behind promises so difficult to keep?
Edwin thought of his deceased mother. Third Consort Edith had been terribly frail. In his memories, she was always lying in bed. Because of that, they had scarcely any time to build a proper mother-son bond. Worse, Edith had been coldly indifferent to her son.
When he was very small, that indifference had hurt so much that he cried for days. If Emma had not filled the void his mother left behind, he might never have stopped.
Perhaps that was why he had not felt such deep sorrow when his mother passed away shortly after giving birth to his younger sister. He had simply pitied the child who would grow up without ever knowing her mother’s face.
But when the only person in the world who had truly stood by his side left him with nothing but an empty promise and a bracelet, he had cried for three full days.
Because it finally felt real. The woman who had always stayed at his side had gone somewhere his hand could no longer reach.
Emma was an idiot.
Edwin bit his lip. He knew perfectly well that he could never become happy—and that he must not.
A prince who held succession rights yet lacked ability was unwelcome anywhere. So he had assumed the new nanny would hate him too. After all, who would willingly become nanny to a prince despised by everyone?
Indeed, until today she had shown him no interest whatsoever.
But today was different.
She had instantly overpowered Gail’s gang as they mocked him and even issued a chilling threat. Not even Emma, who had cherished him more than anyone, had been able to do that.
…It really is strange.
Edwin pulled the blanket over his head all the way to the top. The tickling sensation blooming inside his chest felt unfamiliar, yet not at all unpleasant. With that thought, he closed his eyes.