Cheerful.
With a visibly happy Sylvia by my side,
I finally entered the palace.

"I have returned with Count Vermont."
"Please proceed."

As the messenger called my name, the main gate opened immediately.
There were no special procedures or investigations.
It seems the rumors about the empress waiting for me are indeed true.

"At this time, Her Majesty will have finished a light meal and be attending to her duties. She will likely be in her office or the reading room, but let’s head to her office first."
"Uh... shouldn’t we go to a reception room or an audience room?"
"Typically, that would be the case, but Her Majesty has made an exception for Count Vermont. She mentioned that it’s alright to guide you directly without notifying her beforehand, so I will proceed as such."
"…Why is that?"
"Her Majesty said that she could smell the 'kindred' essence from Count Vermont, indicating that you dislike pretense to the point of aversion and seek practicality."

"…"

This is absurd.
While I dislike putting on airs like, "Oh ho ho, I'm from some noble house," and do value practicality, I would never be as extreme as the emperor.
Even so, to be taken to her office instead of the grand audience room, which showcases the emperor's majesty, feels lacking in romance.

"Your Majesty. I’ve brought Count Vermont."
"Ah. Let him in."

Creak, the door opened.
A woman with messy hair and glasses appeared.
She had heavy dark circles under her eyes and was absorbed in paperwork.

Could that be Empress Vanessa?
For a moment, I almost didn’t recognize her.
Despite the glasses and her unadorned face, I barely managed to recognize her thanks to her stunning beauty peeking through.

"I apologize for welcoming you like this. Please be understanding. There are plenty of chairs, so sit wherever you feel comfortable. You can even lie down if you wish."
"No, I will stand."

If I sit, her face will be hidden behind the desk.

"You seem to have quite a workload."
"It really is a lot."
"Is it always like this?"
"Not always, but this month will be an exception. Normally, I should be enjoying tea time after meals, but I’ve been cutting down on the maggots gnawing at our country. I can’t let operations come to a halt until a successor arrives, so I’m doing it all myself."

So, she's the type who can’t sit still when things are frustrating.
She can’t tolerate the corruption running rampant.
But she can’t leave it all to those who have principles but lack ability.
She really lives a tiring life.

Seeing her suffering under a murderous workload, I feel a bit of camaraderie, but
the empress and I are not complete equals.
While she tries to do everything herself, I pass some of it off onto Sylvia.

I know my limitations very well, so I can’t practice that “I’m taking charge out of frustration” mindset.

"Hah. Have you heard why I wanted to see you?"

With a thud, she set her pen down, removing her glasses.
Then she let her hair down from its messy braid, and her long hair cascaded down.
In an instant, she returned to the usual image of the emperor.
Her piercing gaze felt as if it could see through my very thoughts, instilling fear.

"Yes. You wish to request something of Vermont Security…"
"That is correct, but the part about your little ploy being suspected is merely a jest to call you here, so don’t worry about it. You seem like a very dull man with a heavy bottom, and I thought if I didn’t act this way, I might have to wait for ages."
"…"

She already figured out my personality.
If it weren’t for something significant, I would have made all sorts of excuses to delay my visit to the palace.
This woman seems to have already learned how to deal with me.
I swallowed nervously.

"Is it really okay to refuse without any consequences?"
"Do I truly look like a tyrant who whips people into submission?"

Yes, it does seem that way.
I briefly imagined the emperor wielding a whip.
Hmm. It suits her.

"An empire ruled by tyranny may appear peaceful on the surface, but it cannot last long. I wish to make an equal trade with you. I want to assign a request that only Vermont Security can fulfill, so you should ask me for any favor. I will grant whatever it is."
"…"

My mouth fell open, momentarily speechless.
Anything? Really?
So, could I ask for a little something in return?

[The evil god, 'Kali,' is glaring, sensing something beneath my request.]

That can’t be right.
Let’s keep it within limits.
Besides, this is a rare opportunity; I can’t waste it for a fleeting sense of satisfaction.

I thought maybe I could use this chance with the empress in a tough spot, but...

"Is it possible to defer the request and receive it in the form of a wish?"
"That is not possible. If it’s not something I can grant here and now, it cannot be."

That scheme was blocked.
I need to come up with something on the spot.
It’s not that I can’t think of anything, but
it’s a topic that inevitably becomes a bit, no, very delicate.

"Don’t hesitate; just say it. Am I not making a demanding request by entrusting something to a security firm that’s been operating for only a few months? You may make a demanding request. No, even a somewhat rude one would be fine."

She smiled, showing a deadly grin.
A rude request? Is she giving me a hint?
Can I really ask for 'that'?

'No, you must endure.'

Overcoming the emperor’s temptation with superhuman patience, I parted my lips.

"Then, may I ask one question before making my request?"
"Go ahead."
"Do you know the whereabouts of a fist-sized neodymium chunk that hasn’t been found in any auction or black market since it disappeared ten years ago?"
"I… know."

The emperor's expression froze in an instant.
At that, Sylvia's body flinched and trembled slightly.
Could she be sensing some kind of energy only a veteran knight could detect?

"The palace has always kept an eye on that item, so there’s no way I wouldn’t know. If I didn’t, the intelligence agency should be disbanded today."
"In that case, I would like to use the location of the neodymium chunk as part of our trade conditions."
"May I ask what it’s for?"
"For pure academic research purposes."
"…"

Silence descended in the room.
I could see Sylvia’s face turning pale, struggling to remain calm as cold sweat dripped down.
She must be thinking, "Has this person lost their mind?"

'I didn’t lie. Now the rest is up to the emperor's keen sense of judgment.'

But this isn’t a gamble.
It’s the keen eye of the spirit that can see through human emotions.
I know that the powerful spirit king’s eye is embedded in Vanessa’s eye socket.

Even if it seems like an obvious lie on the surface,
to Vanessa’s eyes, I will appear to be speaking complete truth.
Of course, that’s true.
I’m only speaking the truth.

As long as I don’t appear overly anxious,
there won’t be any signs of abnormality in my demeanor for Vanessa.

"I won’t eat you. You don’t need to be so scared."
"I-I’m not scared at all!"
"Hoh. For academic research, huh. It seems you have no lies in that statement. Good. If you complete the request, I will let you know the location of the neodymium chunk in addition to your reward."
"Thank you, Your Majesty..."

For some reason, the empress gazed at me, smiling broadly.
I bowed my head to hide my expression.
Damn it. The spirit king’s eyes are too powerful.

It’s scary in a different sense than when I was in front of Irene.
That girl made me feel nervous thinking a high heel or a claw might come flying at me.
But the empress exudes a strange pressure that is impossible to refuse.
There’s a peculiar aura that can render a person completely motionless.

"Now, shall we discuss the request?"
"Yes. Please tell me."
"The destination is the north: Esther."

The north, Esther.
It’s a fortified city built to stop the regular monster outbreaks that occur annually.
Currently, the command of Esther is held by the empire’s only duke,
Emperor Vanessa’s uncle, Richard Friedrich.

"With the monster outbreak imminent, we need to evacuate the duke's youngest daughter to the regime before the outbreak starts. I wish to entrust her protection to Vermont Security."
"The duke's youngest daughter is royalty, isn’t she? Wouldn’t it be better for the knight order to handle her protection directly?"
"If possible, that would have been the case. But there is a problem."

The emperor leaned back, rubbing her temples as if she had a headache.
A problem? Suddenly, I started feeling tense.

'Could it be due to friction with the duke?'

Recently, rumors of discord between the emperor and Duke Richard have been circulating.
It’s said that the emperor sent her uncle, who could become a political obstacle, to a cold, monster-infested land as a form of exile.
And there are rumors that the powerful duke, who wields significant influence there, is planning to gather his forces and march towards the regime.

'Is it an order to capture the duke's daughter...?!'

If that’s the case,
am I being tasked with kidnapping the duke’s youngest daughter?
Am I stepping into a political conflict on the emperor's side?

After a long pause, my lips finally moved.
"The duke spoiled her too much, so she started throwing unreasonable tantrums. She insists that she won’t leave Esther unless the escort is composed of her peers. The duke, who raised her that way, is in a bind trying to meet her demands, and that’s why it’s become such a mess."
"…What?"
"I understand you have capable subordinates on the Vermont Security staff list. I’m asking you to soothe and convince the duke's youngest daughter and safely bring her to the regime."
"…"

I was left dumbfounded.
So, it’s not a political conflict.
It was simply to appease a child throwing a tantrum that all this fuss started...?