Chapter 5
. The Emperor’s Brother, the Banquet, and…
A child who became mute from shock.
His frightened green eyes were completely different, but that sparkling silver hair—just like that damn emperor.
This child was the emperor’s younger brother and the disciple of Hilaria, the body I had possessed.
In other words, a political hostage caught between the awakened espers and the mages.
And at the same time, the very person who would later drive the emperor and Hilaria to the worst of terms.
‘So you’re the royal, Luias.’
I took the note that the child had fumbled over to me.
The foreign letters on the paper should’ve been unfamiliar.
Luckily, I wasn’t illiterate.
Whether it was a trait given to those who possessed another body or not, I could read and write fluently.
But that wasn’t the problem.
“…A banquet?”
The note read:
Master, please attend the banquet with me.
“……”
The handwriting was so cute it made me want to laugh, but the content was anything but funny.
A banquet—wasn’t that the one?
The most important event.
I didn’t know the exact timeline of the original novel, but I had a rough idea that this was before it officially started.
And I did remember that tomorrow’s banquet was the event where the female protagonist first stood before the emperor.
And he wants to go with me?
Also, if I remembered correctly, he gets badly injured by the emperor who goes on a rampage at that very banquet…
“Luias.”
At the mention of his name, I could see the excitement that had been building in his eyes slowly sink.
Ah, crap. He’s going to cry at this rate.
But I still hadn’t decided whether to destroy the original storyline or survive quietly as a supporting character.
Was it really the right decision to attend such a huge event?
Almost as if it had sensed my hesitation, the status window popped up annoyingly again.
No fancy fireworks this time.
The dull gray window asked:
[A major turning point has arisen.]
Luias’s Invitation.
The child wishes for his master to appear beside him before his older brother.
He respects both you and the emperor but also fears and finds both difficult to approach.
Will you accept Luias’s invitation?
Please choose carefully.
Your decision will affect the future progression.
I bit my lip hard.
I’m going to survive.
Not as a doomed villain, but as a persistent political enemy of the emperor who lives to the very end.
Without ever being found out, and safely!
So no matter how I looked at it, it seemed like the best course of action was to skip the banquet.
There’s still too much I don’t know. Refusing was the right choic—
“……”
“……”
…wasn’t it?
Ah, damn it. This is cruel.
If I say no, this child will go to the banquet alone and get injured just like in the original story—maybe even to the point of death.
Looking at his pale face, tightly sealed lips, and trembling fists, it was obvious how much courage it had taken for him to come here.
“Sigh…”
It felt like a blade had pierced my heart as I slowly opened my mouth.
“Luias. I can’t go.”
Where is this place, who am I?
I thought Duke Ariel only wore military uniforms, but apparently, there were plenty of extravagant and luxurious dresses hanging in her closet.
So much so that I didn’t even need to prepare much to attend the banquet the next day!
“Oh, it’s been a while since we’ve seen you at a banquet, Your Grace! You’ve come to grace the presence of the mages, haven’t you?”
“We respect you, Lord Duke! Could we get a demonstration of your magic someday…?”
Yes, in the end, I lost.
[The turning point has been chosen.]
You’ve decided to save Luias.
This will greatly impact the progression of events.
We hope for your wise choices!
Luias, who stood beside me shyly holding my hand, was today’s winner.
It’s fine. They say even if you enter a tiger’s den, you can survive if you keep your wits about you.
Yes, so…
“Your Majesty.”
Ah, crap. That didn’t mean I wanted the tiger to show up immediately!
“The Young Royal.”
That was the title given to Luias.
Even at ten years old, Luias understood his situation.
His mother, a mage, had despised his father and older brother, but Luias was the real outcast.
Compared to his brother—an outstanding water and ice esper—he was just a mute royal mage who couldn’t even perform proper magic. A disgrace, really.
And yet, Luias was still alive.
Thanks to the decision of his older brother, who was arrogant and cold but still kind to his blood relatives.
Even though he had to leave the palace where he grew up and depend on an unfamiliar master, Luias was grateful.
So even when his master was cold and harsh, he tried not to cry.
Even when he was bedridden for a week with a fever from a cold and his master never once came to visit, he wasn’t disappointed.
Even when he missed his brother, the emperor, and couldn’t say a word when they met, he didn’t whine to anyone even when tears spilled over.
But he had one wish.
Just for the national foundation day banquet, he wanted to show that he was alive and well.
That his master hadn’t abandoned him.
So he’d gathered his courage and asked.
‘She held my hand…’
Hehe. Luias suppressed a shy smile.
Despite being a fire mage, his master was always cold and icy—but today, she held his hand the entire time at the banquet.
His feet squirmed nervously.
If only his older brother could see this—wouldn’t things get better between the two?
His small heart fluttered with hope, but when he saw the expressions of his brother and his master facing each other—
‘Gulp.’
He could barely swallow.
He hadn’t seen them together often, but the attendants’ gossip had told him enough: the two had a terrible relationship.
‘I hope they make up…’
Luias liked them both.
He really did.
He wished for the day his two precious people could smile at each other.
Just then, his older brother glanced at him briefly before addressing his master.
“So, announcing your attendance only a day prior—was that the ‘etiquette’ you always preached about, Duke?”
Ah! He’s mad.
Luias shrunk his neck.
His brother’s expression, voice, and atmosphere were all sharp and severe.
Would his master be okay? It’s all because of him…
Tears welled up in his eyes.
Just then, a voice equally cold rang out.
“As the Tower Lord responsible for palace security, I merely postponed my decision due to my workload. Or do I not have that much discretion, Your Majesty? Such poor treatment of a loyal subject.”
Gasp!
‘M-Master?’
Luias’s clear green eyes went wide.
She didn’t seem shaken at all… if anything, now he was worried for his brother.
Luias didn’t know it, but today, he’d be rolling his eyes back and forth all night.
Beep boop beep.
[Warning!]
Character identity destabilizing!
Selecting dialogue and actions appropriate for “Duke Hilaria d’Aen la Ariel” to protect user.
‘Yup, saw that coming.’
As always, the warning popped up whenever I faced the emperor.
Then, the system would snatch control of my body, and I’d become a spectator watching sharp barbs fly back and forth.
“You knew it was cowardly to hide behind your brother and use him as a shield, didn’t you, Duke?”
“Oh dear. I thought I was stepping forward to protect my disciple.”
“Can’t you see how stiff the boy is? Or was that a cheap attempt to pressure me?”
“I simply showed off a healthy, well-rested child. Since even such a cold-hearted brother might want to see his sibling, I brought him.”
“Ha. Are you telling me your actions were purely out of concern for the boy?”
“Not sure such public remarks are beneficial for my disciple. Hardly exemplary behavior from a monarch—or an older brother. How disappointing, Your Majesty.”
“……”
Wow. That’s brutal.
No matter how you look at it, this woman—Hilaria—who’s casually mouthing off to an SSS-level esper, has nerves of steel.
At that moment, I felt the small warm hand clutching mine tightly and cried inside.
Yeah, I know. It’s scary, isn’t it?
I’m scared too!
I trembled inwardly.
But what else could I do?
To keep from being found out, it might be better to just surrender control of my body.
And that man’s aura—that horrifying, destructive esper’s energy—was suffocating me.
It was so similar to the eerie energy that surged out of the Gate, the trauma of death completely overtook my senses.
Would I ever get used to this power?
Until Hilaria’s body was done clashing with the emperor, I sat still and collected my thoughts.
‘Anyway, since I fulfilled Luias’s request and came to the banquet, I’ll send him back as soon as I regain control.’
Luias should not stay in this banquet hall.
