PLQYM | Chapter 22

It’s the Emperor again. Why does his name keep coming up?

“…Did His Majesty really carry me inside?”

“Yes, just like this.”

Following the head attendant’s lead, Nils Bowman demonstrated the princess-carry for Lucian for the second time.

“Then the palace physician was coming and going. I heard you were in quite a state.”

“Ah, well…”

What exactly is going on here? Lucian was at a loss, not sure how to recover his completely blank memory. If only he knew what had happened, maybe he could do something about it.

Just then, Heraith entered the room.

“Your Majesty.”

Lucian and Nils bowed in respect.

But the air around them was heavy with silence, weighing down the atmosphere.

What’s going on? What’s with the tension?

Lucian wanted to look up, but he didn’t dare, sensing the Emperor had stopped and was now watching him intently.

“Luce.”

After some time passed, Heraith called him, prompting Lucian to straighten his posture and look up.

“…!”

Lucian couldn’t help but be startled.

Heraith’s deep, intense gaze was focused solely on him. Had he been looking at him like this the whole time?

Heraith’s mouth opened slightly as if he were about to say something, but then he only sighed softly.

“Follow me.”

With those few words, Heraith turned and walked into his office, leaving Lucian behind.

“What could he want?”

Seeing Lucian stand there, stiff with inexplicable unease, Nils Bowman leaned over and whispered.

“His Majesty seems to be in an especially bad mood today.”

“…Has he been like this for a while?”

“Yes. He’s always been a bit like this, but it’s gotten worse recently.”

“…”

Lucian said nothing, only looking toward the Emperor’s office.

The door was slightly ajar, an unusual sight, as if beckoning him inside.

“Well, here goes nothing.”

With a deep sigh, Lucian steeled himself and moved forward.

“How’s your body?”

The moment Lucian entered, Heraith asked him that question.

Lucian was taken aback by the unexpected concern in Heraith’s tone.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“No lingering pain anywhere?”

“No.”

“…”

Heraith observed Lucian with an unreadable gaze. After a pause, he spoke again.

“Looks like it was worth paying the palace physician.”

“Yes, he’s excellent.”

Lucian responded mechanically, but a small sigh from across the room snapped him back to reality. Heraith’s expression hadn’t changed much, except for the slight deepening of the lines between his brows.

Leaning back in his chair, Heraith folded his hands and continued, “How much do you know about the Mage Association?”

“The Mage Association? Wasn’t it formed around the Mage Tower?”

“And the Priest Association?”

“Well, I believe that was built around the temples.”

“You’re aware that the heads of those associations are the most stubborn people in the Empire?”

“Well… yes.”

Lucian stifled a chuckle, finding that obvious.

At his response, the corners of Heraith’s mouth softened just a bit.

“Did you know those two association heads are planning to become in-laws?”

“What? I thought those two groups were practically enemies.”

“They are. They hate each other.”

“Then… in-laws?”

This was news to Lucian.

“Apparently, their grandson and granddaughter fell in love.”

“Ah.”

Of course. Nothing can defeat love, and no parent can defy their child.

“They’re planning the wedding for next month.”

“Ah, yes.”

Lucian found himself responding with meaningless sounds, unsure of what else to say.

Heraith continued, seeming not to care much about his response.

“So they’re planning a social gathering to strengthen their relationship.”

“That’s probably a good idea. If they can improve their relationship, we won’t have to pay for all the damages caused by their constant skirmishes between divine and magical forces.”

“Exactly.”

Lucian quickly calculated in his head how much this could save the Imperial budget. It was no small amount.

“But after all the fighting, can they really get along just like that?”

At Lucian’s comment, Heraith chuckled softly.

“Maybe they’re worried too, because they asked the Imperial Family to mediate.”

That made sense. It’s always wise to have a neutral party oversee things instead of handling it all on their own.

“A sound decision.”

“Yes, not a bad idea.”

“…”

“…”

After that, a sudden silence fell.

Lucian and Heraith simply blinked at each other for a while.

Heraith’s inscrutable gaze remained fixed on Lucian, unmoving.

The longer it lasted, the more an uneasy feeling grew in Lucian’s chest.

Could it be? Just maybe…

…No, no way.

Repeating these suspicious thoughts to himself as a habit by now, Lucian asked cautiously.

“You’re not suggesting that I go, are you?”

Heraith unlocked his fingers and leaned forward, pulling a document from the top of a tall stack on his desk and spoke in a nonchalant tone.

“They specifically requested you.”

“Me?”

“Yes. ‘We would like Aide Lucian to serve as mediator in this matter,’ they said.”

With that, Heraith pushed the document toward Lucian.

The paper made a full spin on the large desk and came to a stop right in front of him.

The neatly penned document practically radiated an ominous energy.

Lucian picked it up and began to read.

The contents were exactly as Heraith had said.

“We would like Aide Lucian to serve as mediator in this matter.”

Below that, the names and signatures of the two association heads were written in elegant script.

“It has both magical certification and temple verification.”

“Oh, so refusing isn’t really an option, then.”

How thorough of them.

Lucian clicked his tongue in frustration. Then a thought occurred to him, and he looked up.

“But how did they know about me to make this request?”

“That’s what I want to know.”

“…”

There really was no reason for his name to be known to them. His family’s reputation wasn’t entirely unknown, but he’d never done anything personally noteworthy.

The most significant thing he’d done was become the Emperor’s personal aide as soon as he joined the palace.

Given the circumstances, the quickest way to get answers would be to go in person.

It’s not like he had a choice anyway.

“Understood. I’ll go.”

Was it his imagination? At Lucian’s response, Heraith’s brow furrowed even further.

So, instinctively, Lucian added in a defensive tone.

“They requested me personally, so I should go.”

“It won’t be an easy job trying to please those two old men, but I don’t think it’ll drain you too much.”

“Yes.”

“You have a month. Until the wedding. They’ll meet once a week. No more.”

“Once a week… on Wednesdays, then.”

Lucian mentally noted the date and time.

Wednesday, midday.

“If I arrive in the morning and stay through tea time…”

“I’ll be joining you.”

“Pardon?”

Lucian stared at Heraith in shock.

Their ice-blue and hazel eyes met.

Seeing Lucian’s genuine surprise and slight skepticism, Heraith’s brows drew together.

“You thought I’d just let you run around on your own like that?”

But you just let me go to Prince Joachim last time…

“Then why did you ask me to go…”

“Why? Are you complaining?”

“No, not at all.”

When the boss says jump, you jump.

Lucian grumbled inwardly, suddenly recalling the head attendant’s words.

− If it ever gets unbearable, just say this.

Tell him to take responsibility. Tell him you remember.

− It’s a magic spell only you, Sir Lucian, can use.

The head attendant had winked playfully as he’d said it.

“Magic spell…”

Heraith’s gaze turned back to him, shifting away from the documents.

“…Spell?”

“Oh, nothing. Just talking to myself.”

Lucian closed his mouth with his usual cheerful smile, and Heraith didn’t press further.

“The first meeting is tomorrow. Prepare and be ready.”

Ah, here we go again.

With a long sigh, Lucian looked down. The idea that Heraith might have changed somehow was clearly just his imagination.

‘I feel ridiculous for worrying.’

With his gaze lowered, Lucian bowed and exited the office.

Naturally, he didn’t notice Heraith watching his retreating figure with a complex look in his eyes.

Wednesday.

Lucian headed to the appointed location as the associations had requested.

The setting was the garden of the Imperial Palace, provided by the Emperor himself—a perfectly convenient spot for Lucian and Heraith to get to.

Heraith had a separate engagement, so Lucian arrived at the garden first.

When he reached the center of the garden, a tea table with a simple spread of refreshments was already set up. However, the people who had requested mediation were nowhere in sight.

“Well, there’s still ten minutes left, so I guess they’re not late yet. Besides, His Majesty is coming, too.”

Lucian muttered to himself, feeling a bit uneasy.

Though the two association heads were notorious for never keeping time, he hoped today would be different. After all, Emperor Heraith despised tardiness and was meticulous about punctuality, so anyone attending an event with him knew to be precisely on time.

There was even a famous tale of the Emperor canceling an entire event because someone was only one minute late.

Lucian took out his pocket watch.

Five minutes left.

“They should be showing up soon.”

If they didn’t arrive soon, His Majesty might seize upon this as a flaw, delightedly using it to his advantage.

That wouldn’t be so bad, but still, he hoped the two elderly association heads wouldn’t dig their own graves.

Just then, a low voice sounded near his ear.

“What’s got you looking around like that?”

“Ahhh!”

Lucian let out a scream.