SILHN Chapter 44🎗🎗

As if she couldn’t retreat, the Empress desperately changed the direction of the conversation.

“Hah, haha, if the item is that dangerous, shouldn’t you be commending me for finding it? Just as Duke Raymond said, the situation in the Rose Palace was indeed dangerous.”

The Empress looked around for a moment and then shouted with great passion, “Just look at all the magical beasts in this underground area! The Imperial Palace was attacked by magical beasts! All right, maybe Titania wasn’t cursed. I’ll admit that, young Duke. But wasn’t it thanks to me that we found this wicked item, which was planted by those targeting the Imperial Palace?”

The Empress forced a smile. “Look at my poor Brian in this pitiful state, passed out from fear after being chased by a magical beast! How could a child like that be involved with the fiends…?”

“P-Prince Brian asked for bait to catch a magical beast.”

Empress Cleo’s eyes went wide at the sound of the timely voice. She would not tolerate Brian being framed as an accomplice to the magical beast attack on the palace.

“Who dares to utter such a disrespectful thing!”

James, a friend of Prince Brian and one of our decoys, trembled and knelt. His timing was perfect.

“Y-Your Majesty the Emperor, please forgive this foolish subject. Actually, while we were hunting, my friends and I saw a wolf with a beautiful golden mane… We tried to catch that wolf.”

Empress Cleo’s eyes blazed as she stared at James. She probably hadn’t expected one of Brian’s incompetent and boastful hunting friends to say something like this.

“But even though we hit it with an arrow from a distance, it was huge and very much alive, and it disappeared near the Imperial Palace, so we couldn’t catch it. When we told the prince about it, he said, ‘I-if a prey has entered the Imperial Palace, it’s definitely my catch.’ He asked me to get some bait for magical beasts. I, I was against it, but…!”

“That’s a lie! It’s a lie, Your Majesty! This is clearly an attempt to frame B-Brian while he’s unconscious!” Empress Cleo ranted and raved.

An attempt to frame Brian? Yes. But it was also true that Brian, being so utterly ignorant, fell for the ignorant bait and passed out ignorantly. To think a fool like that is a strong candidate for the throne… what will become of this Empire?

No, wait, in the original story, there was a civil war because of this… While I was contemplating the Empire’s grim future, the Emperor suddenly roared.

“So that useless fool was lying there passed out from fear in front of that beast, all by himself?”

The Emperor’s expression changed.

“Right, young Duke of Castraine. Answer me.”

“Yes.”

“Does that item the Empress called ‘evidence’ also lure magical beasts?”

“It is an item that can lure even the most dangerous magical beasts, those that could be called kings among them.”

“…Then, is it possible that the huge golden wolf beast from before—the one Brian said he would catch—was attracted to the palace by that item? And the other magical beasts as well?”

Empress Cleo’s face turned as white as a sheet. Raymond spoke quietly.

“It is highly probable. Such powerful magical beasts are attracted to powerful forces.”

“Y-Your Majesty the Emperor. No, that’s not it! Look, Your Majesty. I am your Cleo, and I would never endanger Brian, whom I love like my own life…”

“You love Brian like your life, but you don’t love me like your life?”

“Y-Your Majesty, no!”

Empress Cleo trembled at the Emperor’s words, which were clearly full of resentment.

“Hmm, all right. Titania. Tell me. What is that sword that it spoke to you?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Actually, I was just wandering around the Imperial Palace when I happened to pick up that sword.”

Empress Cleo just gritted her teeth without a word. Yes, you shouldn’t have given me that sword…

“I asked around to see if it was a sword from the Imperial Palace’s treasure vault or if a knight had lost his family’s sword. But no one said they had lost a sword. I didn’t try to pull it out. When no one came looking for it, I just left it in my room and forgot about it.”

This is an era of magic. All sorts of items are lying around the Imperial Palace. Someone could later report to the Emperor that it was the work of Boris or Facio. I can’t know the full history of this sword now, but any long-term user, over six months, would have definitely had problems.

But so what? Who would care if I packaged it as “I awakened the true form of this sword”?

“That sword spoke to me this morning, telling me to get up because the Imperial Palace was in danger!”

I pretended to wipe away a tear.

“I know that many people tried to hold this sword. And that only those who were skilled with swords could move it easily. But when I held it, it was perfectly fine! Even though I can’t use a sword at all! So I wondered, why would some people call it a demon sword after I woke up?”

Image-making, image-making… I pleaded with the Emperor, my expression one of piteous appeal.

“I heard that the first person to touch this sword was a maid who was trespassing in the Rose Palace. Perhaps the sleeping sword was angered by someone with bad intentions? Or maybe it was trying to send a warning to be careful because the Imperial Palace was in danger. I can’t hear the sword’s voice at all now that I’m fully awake, though.”

“Oh…!”

“Perhaps, a past ancestor hid this sword in the Imperial Palace to protect the royal family.”

“I see. Perhaps you, Titania, were able to safely hold the sword because you have the blood of the imperial family.”

“They say great power comes with great responsibility. Maybe it was possible because I was a young girl with no intention of killing with the sword.”

Even though I just swung it around and blasted the magical beasts with light.

Grand Priest Ilian, who was standing by, cleverly seconded my words.

“Your Majesty, when I was treating Princess Titania… I didn’t sense any strange energy related to the sword.”

“Hah, the power of the sword is truly magnificent! To defeat the magical beasts like this in one go!”

The Emperor was impressed.

“Hmm, all right. If there was no problem with that item in your room when you were there, and a problem suddenly arose… it is more likely the fault of the maid who handled it carelessly. A demon sword? Look at the power of that sword, which defeated the magical beasts in one go. You could even call it a holy sword!”

Greed shone in the Emperor’s eyes.

Hey, emoticon sword.

Yes, Contractor? (‘◡’)

Can you make it so it doesn’t have a negative reaction if someone else holds it for a moment?

The target?

The Emperor.

Uh… originally, originally no… (ꉺ0ꉺ)

Just for a moment.

Hmm… since I’m connected to the Insignia of Gloriana right now, it’s possible for a short time. I’ll hold it in! (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ

…So you couldn’t hold it in before, which is why people called you a demon sword?! This whole ordeal is your fault! I swallowed my sense of injustice and kept my poker face.

“I offer this sword to Your Majesty.”

I obediently presented the sword to the Emperor. He chuckled.

“My Titania, you are truly commendable. I’ll have to confirm whether this sword was truly given to protect the imperial family.”

He didn’t hesitate and grabbed the sword hilt. The Emperor flinched for a moment. It must have been heavier than he expected. Everyone was in awe as the Emperor held the sword without any sparks flying or vibrations humming. The Emperor looked smug.

“This is truly a magnificent sword!”

He then swung it with a whoosh, clearly hoping for the same bright light that I had summoned.

“…”

“…”

But nothing happened.

The Emperor slightly frowned and poked the tip of the dead mouse with the sword.

“…”

“…”

Likewise, nothing happened. There was no burning effect or anything.

The Emperor tried not to show his disappointment. That’s when I spoke carefully.

“Um, I apologize, but…”

“Hmm?”

“Before I woke up, the sword asked me if I wanted to save the Imperial Palace from danger.”

“Oh, really? What did you say?”

“Of course, I said yes, and then it asked me if I would mind if my lifespan were shortened a little.”

“Oh…!”

“I said I didn’t mind.”

“Hmm…”

The Emperor let out a thoughtful sound. Then he looked at my slender, muscleless wrist, the sword that was motionless in his hand, and the piles of ashes from the magical beasts on the floor. He nodded as if he understood.

“…I see. We are safe today because of your sacrifice!”

I was grateful he fell for it, but was that all the reaction he had to his youngest daughter shortening her lifespan for a sword? I gritted my teeth inwardly and smiled on the outside.