Fortunately, Her Imperial Majesty wasn’t someone without sympathy.

I could tell because she bothered to elaborate, even though she was giggling at me, who was clearly intimidated by her.

“It’s understandable that you’d be confused to suddenly hear me saying the word consort.”

She said as she affectionately stroked the back of my hand.

Her gaze suggested that she found me, who was flinching and flustering, cute.

…This is different from the game.

Did this person have such a playful personality?

In the original game, Cecilia the 11th never really came to the spotlight. She only occasionally appeared to interact with Eleanor.

That was why I could only remember her being all formal while carrying out her official duties.

If anything, she left a strong impression that she’d cause a lot of trouble throughout the main quest.

“...”

Unlike Faenol, the boss of Chapter 4, Cecilia the 11th was pretty much set to die later on in the story.

As for how she ended up dying, it was rather diverse. She could either die after failing to find the cure for the Curse of Dragonblood, lose in a power struggle and get incarcerated somewhere, or end up being executed.

But, the worst out of them all was…

…The civil war and the ensuing coup d’ état.

It was the national insurgency, a turmoil of war which happened because of the ‘Upper Nobles Association’, consisting of prestigious families except for Tristan Duchy and Margrave Kendride, as the key role.

The event where Gideon and her ended up dying at the same time.

This was also the worst quarter in the ‘Empire's Great Turmoil’ scenario in Chapter 5.

Pretty much an instant-death event that appeared if the player chose a few wrong options in the ‘climax’ at the end of Chapter 4.

“Let me ask you one thing.”

As I was mulling over those thoughts, the Empress suddenly said those words.

“During the Second Ordeal of the Hero Selection, what were you thinking when you did what you did back then?”

“...Sorry?”

“I’m talking about how you casually put yourself in a near death state. You did such a thing without a hint of hesitation, without faltering even a little.”

The Empress said with slightly sunken eyes.

“Think of this as a test from me, so please give me a serious answer. Why did you do such a thing?”

“...”

She talked so seriously all of a sudden, so I involuntarily went quiet.

Also, a test, huh?

Who knew what would qualify as the right answer for her.

But, if she wanted a straight and honest answer from me…

“Because that was for the best.”

“For the best?”

“Yes, since I’d be the only one getting hurt. Besides, I have survived such situations countless times before.”

“...”

“I was confident about it, so I did it. That’s it.”

“...In other words—”

Cecilia the 11th let out a smile.

“You made a cool-headed judgment that you were the most appropriate ‘tool’ to solve that situation. And you have the courage to be certain that you can pull it off, even though that was the situation where your life was on the line.”

She made it sound like it was the right answer.

“...I had thought you might be that kind of person. After observing you closely, you indeed come up with the most extraordinary and bold methods.”

The Empress continued with a sigh.

“Someone like you, is the one I need.”

“...Someone like—”

“Dowd Campbell, I’m going on a hunt.”

She continued in a calm voice.

“...As you must’ve guessed, the Empire is holding a large spark. The relationship between Sullivan and I is somewhat amicable, but I often heard that the Upper Nobles Association’s movement is unusual.”

…As I thought.

Considering how Chapter 5 would progress later, now would be around the time when those guys would be conspiring something.

“If an insurgency were to happen in this situation… Calling it a disaster is an understatement. Especially when we’re pretty much certain that the Pope of the Holy Land is also planning something big.”

“...”

That was a really sound concern.

As she said, the Empire’s Great Turmoil that happened in Chapter 5 would immediately lead to the main quest of Chapter 6 in the Holy Land.

In other words…

What this person wanted to say was…

“I want to prevent that from happening by ‘using’ you.”

So she said.

“I cannot tell you my plan in detail, but… I feel like you will be able to pull it off. I have a hunch that you would be able to help me get a chance to crack down on the Upper Nobles Association with one fell swoop.”

“...How…exactly did you expect me to do that?”

“You just need to do what you’re best at.”

Letting out a gentle smile, the Empress continued.

“Please, survive.”

“...”

“Your role is to be the bait. This is why I am conferring you the status of consort.”

Consort.

In other words, the Empress’ partner.

The current Empress was neither married nor had any children. If I were to take the position of consort, I would be placed closest to the legitimate succession to the throne.

Without any background, prelude or anything—the son of a Viscount Household, suddenly becoming the Empress’ consort.

For those who wanted to start a civil war because they were blinded by power, there wouldn’t be any other target that ‘stood out’ more than me.

There was no way to be sure, but I assumed that the Empress was planning to wipe out the Upper Nobles Association with this.

“A month will do. If things work out as planned, that will be the end of our relationship. I guarantee you.”

The Empress spoke...

In a calm manner.

“...Obviously, nothing will be more graceful if I command you to do this for free. You’d be forced to risk your life, after all.”

Seeing me staying silent, she added those words.

“I will grant you a reward that you’d be satisfied with.”

“...Did you say… Reward?”

“Yes.”

She continued and casually…

“I will give you all my being.”

…Made such a statement.

“...Sorry?”

That was a statement that could instantly stop my brain from working, but I barely managed to let out a response.

She went on, though. Without dropping her casual tone at all.

“Cecilia Ark Bailey Dieudonné. The Empress of the Empire. Otherwise known as Cecilia the 11th. ‘I’ am going to give my everything to you. You may use me as you wish for a month. My body, my heart—everything.”

“...”

What the fuck?

Seriously, what the fuck was she on about?

What? Body?

Heart?

“...”

To a moron from a Viscount household, whose neck she could cut off with a simple hand gesture…

She, THE Ruler of the Empire…

The fuck did she just say?

“You may even hit me for fun. Just treat me as a doll to fulfill your desires. But, considering my body is in this state, it’ll be hard for you to get too violent, but you can do whatever you want.”

“...Wait. Your Imperial Majesty, what are you—”

“This is the only ‘reward’ I can offer you.”

She cut off my words with a bitter smile.

Didn’t seem she was going to accept any kind of objection from me.

“...I will leave it up to you to decide.”

It seemed like her decision was final.

And the rest was entirely up to me.

…Ugh, my head.

That was the first thing that came out to my mind after my conversation with the Empress was over.

[...Can I be honest with you?]

“Fuck no.”

[...]

“Can’t you just console me? Please.”

I didn’t need to hear any facts out of your mouth.

Because I knew best that I was surrounded by this shitty situation.

[You’re probably fucked.]

“...”

This fucker still made an honest statement after all that. I quietly looked at the Soul Linker.

[...Tell me honestly. You seem to not understand how this came to be, right?]

“...”

Of fucking course.

Isn’t it obvious?

Okay, look, I understood that she was trying to use me as bait in some kind of ‘scheme’ of hers.

But, the reward she offered…

- I will give you all my being.

That was practically a declaration of slavery.

The Empress herself declared that she would give up her ‘human rights’ and become my ‘property’.

Hearing that, it was only natural that the first emotion I felt was confusion and horror. The situation was way too bizarre for it to be real.

…Like, why?

Why would she do that?

This wasn’t the first time that a Devil’s Vessel saw me in such a favorable way out of a sudden.

But…

Whether it was Eleanor, Yuria, Seras, Riru, or even Faenol, all of them didn’t show their interest in me ‘without any reason’.

They’d only feel that way when my skill was activated, after they saw my face, went through something or had some kind of interaction with me.

She was the first person to say something so perplexing like this when we had never even met before.

Moreover, considering her status, she could just ‘force’ me to play such a role.

She didn’t have to offer me such a perplexing ‘reward’.

…There was no trace that my Gift was activated either.

No matter how much I scoured through the System Logs, there wasn’t any trace of my Skills being activated against the Empress.

There was no comprehensible reason for her to act like this.

[...There’s something going on behind this. I don’t know if it’s good or bad, though.]

…Yeah, I agree.

I answered as I pulled the doorknob to my accommodation, after being guided by a servant.

And as soon as I entered the room.

“...”

“...”

I was welcomed by Iliya’s and Eleanor’s angry glare at the same time.

“...”

“...”

The fuck?

How did you two get here?

“Come and sit here, Dowd.”

The atmosphere made that sentence sound like I was about to get scolded by my mom, who somehow found out that her kid had done something bad.

Except that instead of my mom, the one who said that was Eleanor, whose eyes were shining coldly.

“...I heard you had a private meeting with Her Imperial Majesty the Empress. Is that correct?”

“...”

How did they know that so quickly?

I literally just came out…

“...What happened inside? Tell me.”

“Just be honest, Teach. I won’t get angry.”

Who are you kidding?

There’s no way you won’t.

I know you’re planning to chew me until not even powder of my bones are left…!

As I was looking at the two of them alternatively while breaking in a cold sweat, a different voice came from behind me.

“Would it not be faster for you to ask me that instead of him?”

Everyone in the room turned to look at the person in panic.

“He is innocent, Eleanor, don’t harass him. All he did was listen to me.”

The voice came from none other than Her Imperial Majesty the Empress.

She seemed to be waiting in front of the room while holding something similar to a staff.

“...”

God…

Why is she here?

Considering the timing, she definitely followed me almost immediately after I left her room.

“...Your Imper…”

Iliya’s whole body stiffened with her mouth hanging open, meanwhile Eleanor barely managed to let out a response, flabbergasted.

“Your Imperial Majesty…?!”

“My, Eleanor. It has been a long time, hasn’t it? Have you been well?”

The Empress said.

Well, to be exact, she said through a magically engineered ‘speech synthesizer’—a device that reacted to the user’s intention and let out the user’s voice on their behalf.

“...”

That was when I realized…

This person…

Had been using her ‘real voice’ when she talked with me…

As if treating me like someone special.

“You too, Dowd. We just met, but nice to see you again.”

As expected.

Once again, she used her real voice to talk with me, not with the speech synthesizer.

As if ignoring how weak and unstable her voice was.

“...”

“...”

Iliya and Eleanor looked at me and the Empress alternately with horror in their eyes.

Their gazes felt like they were asking me what kind of relationship I had with the Empress.

“Hm.”

Meanwhile, the Empress casually walked into the room and perched on the sofa.

Surprised, both Iliya and Eleanor got up from their seats at the same time.

“So.”

Due to her body being unable to move comfortably, her movements were rather awkward, but the air around her was cheerful. She was definitely enjoying this.

The atmosphere in the room continued on to be like this until she opened up her mouth again.

“What are you going to order me to do today, Dowd?”

As soon as she said that, the atmosphere was shattered into pieces.

“...”

A heavy silence permeated the room. Everyone just stared at the Empress in a daze.

Everyone including me.

…What is she talking about?

Didn’t she say that she’s letting me decide?

That means she would be waiting for me to make my decision.

But, why is she talking as if it’s already confirmed that I’ll be her consort and she’ll be my ‘property’?

“Ah, don’t get me wrong. What I said about it being up to you to decide is still valid.”

Her Imperial Majesty the Empress said, as if reading my mind.

“However, I’m afraid that you took my words as mere lip-service, so this is my way of giving you assurance. You may command me to do anything you want.”

“...”

“...”

Iliya’s face, which seemed as if she couldn’t turn even more surprised than before, immediately went pale. Actually, no, it just turned blue.

As for Eleanor, she looked even worse. She struggled to open her mouth, as her complexion actually darkened.

“...What do you mean by command, Your Imperial Majesty, what, kind-”

“Well, I have made such a contract with that man, so…”

“Did you just say… Contract…?”

“Mhm.”

The Empress grinned as she continued.

“Think of it as a gift from me to him. Though, ultimately, he is the one who will make the decision.”

“...”

“He can command me anything, even if it’s something erotic, I won’t mind. I have heard for a long time that my body and face are fine.”

“...”

Iliya almost seemed like she was choking on air.

It wasn’t any different with Eleanor.

Me too, having to deal with my wobbly body due to the dizziness that overtook me.

You’re a fucking assassin, aren’t you?

The Prophet sent you to kill me, right? Is that what it is?

That was the only plausible explanation why she would casually say such things to me.

“...”

Iliya and Eleanor turned their gazes back at me.

Their heads made squeaky movements, like an unoiled machine, as they did so, which made them look even more scary.

“...Explain.”

“...Quick.”

Right after that.

Two murderous voices came out of their mouths, one after another.

“...”

Shit.

I’m fucked.