Episode 602
“Why are you looking around so strangely?”
Headmaster Skeleton, who was walking in the lead, looked at Lee Han and asked.
Of course, the capital was the most beautiful and splendid place in the empire, and the palace of the emperor located at the heart was the essence of dignity.
If you were an ordinary imperial person, just entering the capital and seeing the emperor’s palace from afar would be the story of your life.
However, this boy from the Wardanaj family was not the kind to care too much about such luxuries.
Rather than asking, ‘How many gold coins will come out if I melt the decorations over there?’…
“Ah. It’s His Majesty’s palace, but it seems that the imperial officials are using it more.”
Now, after passing through the gates of the capital, the two arrived at the imperial palace in the center of the capital by the shortest distance using fishing.
Alsicle, who passed through the main gate together, went first toward the government office where the imperial treasurers were staying, which was also located inside the palace.
At first, I thought that the annex in the palace was used by bureaucrats, but that was not the case.
Following the headmaster skeleton and walking through the hallways of the palace, imperial officials in every room were immersed in their work with the most tired and weary faces in the world.
Wasn’t the royal family usually living in the palace?
“I was wondering about that. Well, it deserves it.”
Headmaster Skeleton understood Lee Han’s curiosity.
As smart as he was, he must have caught the sense of heterogeneity faster.
Why are there no members of the imperial family and only bureaucrats wandering around in this palace as wide as a small city?
In the days of the old Three Kingdoms, the palace would have been a space only for the imperial family.
Outside the palace, the Royal Guard guarded the palace, and only the emperor’s relatives and eunuchs who ran errands lived inside.
And even in the days of the Seven Kingdoms, bureaucrats wouldn’t have been able to spread piles of papers on the floor.
At that time, the palace would probably have become a place like a salon, where balls and banquets were held every day, and nobles from all over the kingdom who wanted to meet the king would visit.
But now, the imperial palace was the most unusual form in history that the Headmaster Skeleton had seen.
Only a small part of the place was used by the emperor, and the rest were all used by the imperial officials as government offices.
Even if the people of the capital who got used to it took it for granted, I couldn’t help but think strangely of a learned guy like Wodanaz who would get a perfect score even if he took the imperial history test right now.
“Has the family head ever told you about the emperor?”
“Uh… I didn’t.”
Lee Han searched for his memory and answered.
In fact, the head of the household, that is, Lee Han’s father, although himself a nobleman himself, never talked about the politics or current affairs of the empire.
Usually talked about magic or magic or magic.
Or cursing at divine magic…
“I thought so. swine. The young bastard will devote himself to magic alone and let me do the troublesome things.”
“……”
“Sorry. I sincerely apologize.”
Headmaster Skeleton apologized as a dignified Imperial nobleman.
No matter how much anger he usually accumulates, it was not something he would say to the son of that family.
Of course, every time I was in charge of managing the Imperial Magic Barrier alone, I wanted to visit the Wodanaz family, but still… “I
haven’t heard anything. Rather, why did you ask about the Emperor?”
“I thought I would be surprised if you just met His Majesty.”
Headmaster Skeleton was surprisingly slightly hesitant.
It seemed like he was contemplating on how much to say before we met.
Lee Han did not understand.
“No, I spent a year in Ein Lorgard, can you be surprised just by meeting me?”
“…you apologized. Do you really have to be so sarcastic to be happy?”
“I’m not being sarcastic, but…”
Realizing that Lee Han really meant it, the skeleton headmaster was even more mean.
“Among the bureaucrats, very few people have ever met His Majesty in person.”
“Can I occupy such an honored position all by myself?”
Lee Han was more worried than happy.
What would the senior bureaucrats like the sky think of Lee Han as a ruthless junior?
“It’s not an honorable position, it’s just because His Majesty is lazy.”
“…?”
“Anyway, even among the bureaucrats, not many people know about His Majesty. What do you know about His Majesty?”
“Only those who have reigned for a long time know about it.”
The current emperor really lived a long time.
To the point where I don’t know exactly when he was enthroned.
The imperial newspapers and various books did not dare to mention the emperor carelessly.
Unlike other histories, it was impossible for outsiders who were not members of the royal family to systematically calculate or count.
However, even considering that, it was possible to guess that the emperor had reigned on the throne for 1200 years. If the emperor had changed along the way, there would have been an indirect mention no matter how hard he tried to hide it.
“And you must be an excellent wizard?”
“Why is that?”
“Because you lived a long time?”
Ordinary people can extend their lifespan with various potions and artifacts, but in the end, there is a limit, and the longer they are extended, the more unstable they become.
Sometimes, you can guess the opponent’s skill just by looking at their lifespan.
Besides, seeing that the skeleton headmaster grumbled and followed the emperor’s words, wouldn’t he be an excellent wizard?
“Funny. Both are correct. I didn’t expect you to guess like this.”
‘What the hell are you doing?’
Are you a demon grand duke?
However, if it was the demon archduke, Lee Han wouldn’t be surprised.
Lee Han even wondered what the emperor’s true identity was, and why the headmaster of the skull was acting like that.
“Are you… like the chimera the principal made?”
“…You are more insane than the Wardanaz family head…!”
No one listens, but the Headmaster Skeleton is astonished at the courage to propose the ‘Emperor Chimera theory’ in the hallway of the Imperial Palace.
Lee Han became sullen.
“You said you would be surprised, so I guessed.”
“That’s right. That’s amazing. I’m surprised…”
While talking, Lee Han suddenly realized that the surroundings had become very quiet.
I didn’t feel any crowds, but the scenery of the palace was the same.
Numerous paintings and statues. Ceilings and walls decorated with gold and silver.
Stained glass made of amethyst, malachite, beryl, etc. that replaces windows.
If you think normally, it would have been enough to think that people had gone deep and disappeared, but Lee Han’s sensitive instincts made him aware of other possibilities.
“Could this be a magically hidden place?”
“!”
The headmaster of the skeleton was startled while talking.
I didn’t expect this kid to notice.
“right. What a surprise!”
“haha. How much I wandered in the punishment room of Ein Rogard.”
“…It’s not on the level of comparison with that. Stop talking nonsense.”
The outer labyrinth guarding the palace inside the palace emperor’s heart palace was a masterpiece created by the best wizards of the empire.
Not wanting to waste the expensive palace, the emperor wanted to have officials work here, but at the same time not to get lost and enter his residence.
It would have been much easier to use violent and coercive means, but the Emperor didn’t want to hurt people in that way… and the
wizards had to pay more attention.
Thanks to that, however, this outer labyrinth has been completed into a magical masterpiece that is so beautiful that the archmages of the past would feel ecstasy when they saw it.
It reacted as if the space itself was alive, allowing only those the Emperor was willing to meet inside.
There was no sense of incongruity or embarrassment in the process. Even when the two of them walked down the hallway together, when they came to their senses, one of them had arrived at the heart palace while the other was still walking around the hallway of the palace.
“It seemed like there was something magical about it.”
“Hey…”
The Skeleton Headmaster was unusually happy.
Originally, the greatest return a disciple could give to a teacher was to exceed the teacher’s expectations.
The fact that all first graders went out exceeded expectations, but that didn’t apply… What the
Wardanaz family boy was showing now was what made Headmaster Skeleton happy.
What makes running this dog-like Einrogard worth a little bit!
“Everything has arrived. His Majesty the Emperor, it would be best for you to see and judge in person. But before we get into it, let me ask you a few things. Originally, anyone who sees the emperor is forbidden. Don’t let them talk about the Emperor outside.”
“Like Ein Rogard?”
Headmaster Skeleton hit Lee Han on the head with the cane he was holding.
“okay. Are you okay?”
“Yes…”
“But you won’t be able to hang a ban. It was the same in Ein Rogard, but I won’t be able to consume half a year’s budget of the empire just to bet on you.”
“You are exaggerating too much.”
“Isn’t that an exaggeration?”
“……”
“Anyway, it’s telling you to watch your mouth. If we talk about the Emperor outside…”
“What will happen?”
Lee Han was slightly nervous.
Are you punished according to imperial law for things like contempt of the emperor?
“His Majesty will sigh.”
“Are you kidding?”
“No kidding. And keep in mind that when His Majesty pouts, it will be much more annoying than you think. ruler. Are you ready?”
“…yes!”
Lee Han took a deep breath and nodded.
Even if the opponent in front of me is a chimera created by the Headmaster Skeleton, I am not surprised and say, ‘Your Majesty! Your lowly servant has arrived here!’ and ready to kiss the instep.
“okay. Let’s go in.”
Headmaster Skeleton opened the door.
* * *
The emperor’s abode was really nothing.
Paintings, sculptures, decorations, jewelry.
Inside, it looked more like a huge cave than a palace. If Lee Han were tossed this place and the cave of giants in Ein Lorgard and asked him to find the difference, he would not be able to find it right away.
However, Lee Han was not paying attention to the appearance of this bleak place.
It was because of the astonishing majesty of the emperor, who was situated in the middle of the residence.
A gigantic body that seemed to fill the vast abode.
Majestic wings that can be said to be more beautiful than any other gold.
Even the wise and benevolent eyes looking at Lee Han and the skeleton principal while slowly sighing.
The emperor was a gold dragon.
“……”
Lee Han was so surprised that he couldn’t speak.
Headmaster Skeleton patted Lee Han on the shoulder as if he understood, and greeted him instead.
“your majesty. I was ordered to bring Yi Han of the Wodanaz family like this.”
Oh Soo…
The emperor looked at the skeleton headmaster and said.
It seems that the conversations with the dragon half a year ago didn’t matter much to you…
It was the first time Lee Han had ever seen the skeleton headmaster nervous.
“There is a misunderstanding. your majesty.”
Is your name Oh Soo or Ha Ha Ha?
“haha! Your Majesty’s sense of humor makes even a long-lived wizard like me laugh.”
“……”
Lee Han was dumbfounded.
What a long-lived mage… You’re still young. you’re so young By comparison, look at the dragon. Outlived the mountains and rivers. Even though other dragons have ascended, they can’t leave. Because of the mean oath.
“You are like that again. your majesty. Isn’t that an oath made by His Majesty himself?”
The dragon swore in good faith. I trusted people… But people are tricking dragons and using them. Such despicable people will be the first since mountains and rivers were born.
The skeleton principal’s expression frowned.
Lee Han felt a familiar emotion in that expression.
It was close to the facial expressions of his students when the professor gets drunk and talks about his difficult life.
To put it vulgarly, it was an expression of ‘you’re a jerk again’.
“your majesty. The young sorceress is really listening.”
Oh yeah. I’m sorry. You really have to be careful what you say in front of a young wizard. Do you enjoy life in Einrogard?
“yes.”
don’t lie
“……”
“……”
