Duke Echerzen’s black carriage.

While he usually traveled in a plain, unmarked carriage, this one was openly emblazoned with the Duke Echerzen’s family crest.

Undoubtedly, people’s gazes had been drawn to it ever since entering the capital.

Count Nigel found the Duke’s presence somewhat unsettling, though not solely due to any past transgressions against his own family.

‘The one closest to secrets without being a direct stakeholder.’

Unlike the previous narrow-sighted Duke, Froy Echerzen tended to secure maximum gains through an extremely restrained approach.

Coupled with those all-perceiving violet eyes, his every move inspired wariness.

…But what gains could there be in this situation?

‘I had assumed his claim of courting Lady Roshanak was merely an excuse to deflect the circumstances…’

At this point, doubts were starting to creep in.

Count Nigel glanced at Roshanak Aper, seated across from him.

Despite being told she was seventeen, the pale gold lashes framing her delicate white cheeks lent her an appropriately youthful air. Of course, the potent power harbored within that frail exterior was formidable indeed.

In any case, she had spent most of the carriage journey with her eyes closed, simply breathing.

‘Is she practicing that ‘breathing technique’ Marquis Lycaon mentioned?’

Certainly, maintaining such composure despite being summoned by the Emperor was no trivial feat.

Observing her with intrigue, Count Nigel licked his lips and muttered:

“Truly…”

A subject worthy of study.

He wished to dissect her, to unravel how such power could manifest in one so young.

He wondered if she could remain this serene under any circumstances.

It was at that moment that, as she exhaled a long breath and opened her eyes, Count Nigel hastily composed himself.

“Did you have something to say, Count?”

“No, please continue as you were.”

As you were…

Maintaining appearances was Rosha’s aim as well.

Having already confirmed his mana levels were merely average before boarding this carriage, she feigned ignorance as she inquired:

“Might the Count also be versed in magic?”

“Not particularly, though I am somewhat acquainted with breathing techniques. And I possess a minor ability that is rather cumbersome to utilize.”

“An ability, you say…”

“Haha, I can’t reveal all my secrets just yet. Let me simply state that it holds no combat utility.”

The conversation with Count Nigel flowed smoother than expected. At the very least, he was a civilized intellectual, unlike the brusque Geoffrey.

However…

‘That occasional glint in his eyes is too ruthless.’

A gaze that appraised her not as a human, but a mere lump of flesh to be graded. Rosha was all too familiar with such eyes.

Those who would unhesitatingly commit unethical acts in pursuit of personal gain.

“Ah, it seems we’re arriving.”

Prompted by the Count’s timely remark, Rosha turned her head towards the window.

They had reached the innermost sections of the imperial palace.

Froy’s carriage was nowhere in sight, but that was fine. At this distance, he could easily make his way, and he had separate matters to attend to regardless.

‘Once this is resolved, I can return to my territory.’

As the carriage’s pace gradually slowed, she caressed the small crystal pendant earned as a reward from the recent trial, also brushing the pocket where Koko slumbered.

Finally, it was time to negotiate with the Emperor.

* * *

After so long away, the Empire felt considerably chillier, no doubt amplified by her acclimatization to Atica’s sweltering climate.

‘Is it due to the capital’s northerly location?’

Coughing lightly, Rosha drew her collar tighter as she briskly made her way, prompted by Count Nigel’s words after disembarking:

-You need only proceed straight ahead through there, young lady, into that garden.

-…Won’t you be accompanying me, Count?

-No, I must remain here. His Majesty enjoys indulging his private pursuits in that area, preferring not to be seen by others.

…Private pursuits?

Yet contrary to the Count’s ominous phrasing, the Emperor’s hobby proved utterly mundane – gardening, of all things.

‘Well then, why phrase it like that?’

Rosha surveyed the garden with a sardonic gaze.

Not far away, the Emperor in casual attire raised his head from pruning as she approached.

Sporting some peculiar gardening theme, he wore a wide-brimmed hat to shade the sun while wielding pruning shears.

“You’ve arrived sooner than expected. Hmm… are you unwell?”

“I have a slight sensitivity to the cold, Your Majesty.”

“But in this weather? It seems I failed to consider your condition.”

As if he would retract the summons over mere ill health, putting on airs.

After respectfully greeting the Emperor, Rosha didn’t let her guard down as she furtively scanned his surroundings.

Apart from herself and the Emperor, no one else was present in this small garden, nor could she sense any significant magical presences.

However, she did detect an intense ability at work.

‘These flowers… their flow doesn’t seem natural.’

The blooms the Emperor tended bore flowers and fruits mismatched with the current season.

The flowers, brought to untimely bloom through his ability’s manipulation of time, radiated a vibrant yet fleeting beauty.

Urging her to simply wait a little longer as their final blossoming neared its end, the Emperor began meticulously pruning a small tree laden with budding flowers – quite out of season amidst autumn’s waning days.

A contrived garden.

Certainly not the mundane hobby Count Nigel had implied.

It was then that the Emperor abruptly spoke:

“Don’t you have anything to say?”

“Pardon?”

“Everyone is surprised to learn gardening is my hobby. They wonder why I would stoop to such menial tasks.”

If only it were mere gardening, devoid of any ability’s influence permeating this very garden.

However, considering gardening alone, many did possess hobbies utterly contrary to their primary vocations.

A monster hunter’s hobby could just as well be knitting or cooking – was there truly any difference?

For such individuals, ordinary hobbies served as a ritual, of sorts.

A process to clear one’s mind in preparation for their actual profession.

“You are a special talent, so I wished to approach you more casually. In any case, I’ve shown you all I intended.”

Having seemingly revealed all he wished to display, the Emperor removed his hat and gloves before donning a nearby coat as he spoke:

“Come this way. There was something else I wanted you to see before our discussion.”

The Emperor strode off unhesitatingly in a direction different from their entry point.

Following behind, Rosha soon recognized their surroundings.

‘This path… it leads to the relic storage, doesn’t it?’

The more she surveyed the area, the surer she became.

Indeed, this was the very place she had deliberately demolished during the first trial by borrowing the ‘Master of Trial’ power.

Soon enough, a newly constructed building came into view. A near-identical two-story structure to the one that had previously stood there.

“It was destroyed when the trial manifested in the capital, so we rebuilt it. Now, let’s head inside.”

The Emperor opened the door to the artifact repository.

Within were the same ancient relics she had previously witnessed, neatly stored – faded crowns, short scepters, ornaments, and the like.

Having glimpsed them once before during her rampage, and being of relatively unimpressive capabilities, they didn’t hold much interest for her.

However, it seemed the Emperor’s intention wasn’t to show her these.

“Over here.”

The Emperor placed his hand upon a round door set into the repository floor.

A door devoid of even a keyhole, clearly sealed by formidable magic.

‘…He’s going to open this?’

She had indeed noticed this door when previously demolishing the place, speculating that it housed more usable relics compared to those openly displayed above.

As the Emperor grasped the door’s handle, it slid open with ease, as if its seal had never existed.

Within was an unexpectedly well-lit staircase leading downwards.

“Follow me.”

Not that she had intended otherwise. The contents were far too intriguing to simply turn away over potential risks.

Yet what lay inside utterly surpassed her expectations.

Lining the entry chamber were endless rows of display cases containing vividly colored liquid-filled glass vials.

She already knew what they contained.

Elixirs.