PLQYM | Chapter 5

“Tsk, what a hassle. Why does Ambassador Antien insist on face-to-face negotiations when we could easily handle this from afar?” Heraith, dressed like a work of art, grumbled in a way that was far from the demeanor of an emperor. Dressed in an immaculate suit, he slouched in his chair, one leg stretched out, somehow balancing himself despite the precarious position.

“Honestly, I’m surrounded by fools everywhere. How could someone who can’t make a simple decision alone end up as an ambassador?”

“Your Majesty, creating a free trade port isn’t something to decide alone,” Lucian interjected calmly.

Heraith paused, giving Lucian a slow look as the aide shared his opinion.

“Is that so? Then, what do you think?”

“…?”

Lucian felt a pang of regret. He should have known that a bored emperor would try to pick a fight.

“Go on, Luce. Didn’t I grant you the freedom to speak your mind?” Heraith’s words, paired with a mischievous smile, forced Lucian to swallow a sigh. It seemed the Emperor had decided not to let him off until he answered. After all, where else would he find such an entertaining toy?

‘Not even a sparring partner—just a toy to play with.’

Taking a deep breath, Lucian answered, trying his best to keep the irritation out of his tone.

“I’m aware that you don’t truly mean it, Your Majesty.”

“Oh? And why is that?”

Heraith raised an eyebrow, looking as though he was daring Lucian to say more.

‘Think I’ll lose? Never.’

With a soft but assertive voice, Lucian continued, “Berne Port is a trade hub linking Antien and Pranas. Whoever controls it holds a strategic gateway to the continent. Although it belongs to Pranas, it’s well known that Antien has long coveted it. If we allow them even a minor advantage, who knows how that favor might come back to bite us?”

“So?”

An amused smile appeared on Heraith’s face as he looked at Lucian with curiosity, genuinely intrigued by his aide’s bold responses.

“Your Majesty…” Lucian knew speaking about the Emperor’s personality could be a dangerous gamble, but he decided to go for it.

‘What the hell, I’ll take my chances. Might as well go big.’

“You want Pranas to be the greatest empire on the continent.”

In an instant, Heraith’s once-interested gaze turned cold, as if realizing Lucian was no different from everyone else—a man with ambitions. Lucian’s heart sank under that icy stare, but he steadied himself to continue.

“So, you don’t want to ask favors from anyone, regardless of the circumstances, and you’re keen to show off.”

“…!”

Somewhere in the room, someone stifled a gasp.

The flicker of intrigue returned to Heraith’s gaze, his lips twitching slightly as though suppressing a grin.

“Keep going.”

“You hate hearing bad things about yourself, can’t stand to see others prosper, and especially despise anyone who crosses you.”

“Hmm.”

“And if it’s someone who displeases you, even something you’d discard anyway, you wouldn’t want to hand it over to them. You’d sooner break it yourself.”

The room fell silent. Not only did the noble attendees look pale, but even the servants standing by had turned ashen. The only two maintaining their composure were the Emperor Heraith and Lucian.

By now, Heraith had straightened up in his seat, his previous complaints of boredom completely gone.

“Despite what you say, I know you have plans for Berne Port. After all, you hate wasting money.” Lucian remembered the portion in the documents Heraith had given him detailing the large funds allocated for the restructuring and expansion of Berne Port. Significant investments were still planned for the future.

“So please stop pretending and conduct the negotiations properly. After all, Your Majesty never intended to give Antien even a sliver of advantage. If you lead the talks as you wish, you’ll resolve things swiftly.”

Lucian finished his statement with a calm, poised demeanor. But on the inside, he was a mess. His face betrayed nothing, but his hands, hidden behind his back, trembled. He could barely hold himself steady.

‘What if he actually sends me to the dungeons for disrespect? He’s the one who asked for honesty in the first place.’

This was Lucian’s first official task as an aide. Summoned on a whim, he had witnessed the Emperor’s elaborate dressing routine and followed him here. The moment he realized this was the discussion to settle matters with Ambassador Antien regarding the trade port, he knew his real work had begun.

− As an aide to the Emperor, you must always remain calm and keep your intentions concealed. Competence is a given.

That was the first thing his father had told him when he was informed of his acceptance and entry into the palace. Ever the rigid, inflexible man, his father offered no further advice.

‘Which is exactly why I’m in this mess now.’

Fortunately, if there was one thing Lucian excelled at, it was hiding his true thoughts. Growing up, all the way through the academy and into his current position, the phrase he heard most was, “He’s impossible to read.” In truth, his slow responses were simply because his mind was too busy processing an overload of thoughts and information. But people assumed he was a schemer, hiding his intentions and plotting behind the scenes.

Back then, that reputation might have hurt him. Now, he was content to let them believe it. As long as people left him alone, he was fine.

‘As long as they don’t bother me.’

Anyway, those who criticized him would gossip regardless of what he did, offering nothing but pain.

But here was the Emperor, flipping his thoughts inside out within seconds, pushing Lucian’s patience to the brink.

‘Father, you could’ve warned me that the Emperor was this unhinged!’

Lucian waited for Heraith to speak, but instead of replying, the Emperor scrutinized him from head to toe. The light in Heraith’s eyes was a blend of curiosity and something else that neither he nor Lucian could quite decipher yet. Leaning his head to the side, Heraith observed Lucian’s reaction as if testing him.

Somewhere in the room, someone let out a faint gasp and collapsed onto the floor, unable to bear the tension. Neither Lucian nor Heraith paid them any attention. The Emperor’s hazel eyes remained fixed on Lucian, and Lucian’s ice-blue gaze returned the look without wavering.

After what felt like an eternity, Heraith burst out laughing, his laughter growing loud enough to fill the entire room. Later on, the aging head attendant would recall that it was the first time he’d ever heard such a hearty laugh echo beyond the walls.

“Ha! I suppose I did choose my aide well.” Heraith spoke, his voice still tinged with laughter. “But, Luce, you made one mistake.”

“Pardon?”

Luce’s eyes widened. What was he talking about now? He was sure he had Heraith figured out. Wasn’t this man the epitome of narcissism?

“Two steps closer.”

“Pardon? I don’t understand…”

“You’re standing over three steps away from me, so I had to strain to understand you.” Heraith shook his head as if truly disappointed. “Next time, come closer when you speak. When you stand that far away, it feels like you’re afraid I’ll devour you.”

He’s absolutely insane…

Lucian scowled, glancing at Heraith with a look of utter exasperation. He was starting to feel he had seriously miscalculated by taking this job. In the end, though, he merely let out a long, deep sigh and clenched his fists in silent frustration.

The meeting ended in success—or rather, exactly as the Emperor had intended.

“Then I shall defer to Your Majesty’s wise judgment on this matter.”

“Your efforts are appreciated, Ambassador. I understand better than anyone how hard you work.”

“Your Majesty…” The ambassador, with his balding head and a voice choked with emotion, was on the verge of tears.

With the golden-haired Emperor’s words sounding almost divine to him, the ambassador’s face was filled with awe and gratitude.

“Pranas will always prioritize peace with your nation.”

“Upon my return, I will convey Your Majesty’s wishes to the King. May the relationship between our nations flourish. Truly, Pranas is a blessed nation to have an Emperor like you. Your legacy will endure for a thousand years.”

The ambassador bowed repeatedly, his praise seeming to echo throughout the hall. By the end, one might even wonder if he truly represented another country. As he left, his head glistened, reflecting the sunlight—not merely his baldness, but what seemed like tears of reverence, clearly visible in his eyes.

‘Incredible. He can charm anyone, no matter who they are,’ Lucian thought, silently admiring him.

Just as his opinion of the Emperor was about to rise, Heraith suddenly whipped around and stared directly at him, closing the distance between them in a few steps. He shot Lucian a bright smile. Startled, Lucian nearly stepped back but remembered the Emperor’s order and forced himself to stay put.

Standing exactly three steps away, the Emperor’s scent enveloped him, overwhelming his senses. Lucian bit the inside of his mouth to keep himself steady. And then…

“How was it?”

“Huh?”

“Do you think even you would fall for me?”

…What in the world is this absurd question?