Chapter Fifty: The Decision Has Been Made—You Shall Take Up This Role...

In the bright and spacious great hall, Kaisk XIII sat atop the highest throne, surrounded below by a host of distinguished nobles. None of them understood what the emperor was up to; he had summoned them early in the morning, only to have them stand for over an hour. The last time they had been called together with such urgency was during the appearance of the black dragon.

“Is she still not here?” The emperor, wearing a bittersweet smile, called over his chancellor to inquire. Had it been anyone else, he would have sent guards to drag them into prison for such disrespect, but with this person, he had no choice but to wait.

Just as Kaisk XIII finished speaking, he saw his foolish daughter hurry into the hall. As the protector of the imperial capital, she often attended morning meetings to report her duties, and quickly found her place, standing without moving.

“Apologies, Your Majesty, for keeping you waiting,” came the much-anticipated protagonist, finally entering the hall. Moyuna greeted Kaisk XIII in a calm tone. Her white attire and snowy hair made her appear like a princess woven from snowflakes in a fairy tale, causing the assembled nobles to marvel.

“It’s quite alright; you must have had important matters to attend to,” Kaisk XIII nodded, recalling Moyuna’s usual punctuality. He assumed the Lady of Magic must have encountered some difficulty, though upon hearing this, Tinas nearly burst out laughing. Moyuna had simply overslept and insisted on having a breakfast made by Ruby, causing the delay.

“Everyone, do not doubt your eyes. This is Moyuna. Our Lady of Magic has returned!” Kaisk XIII’s voice rang with excitement and vigor. As emperor, he knew all too well what a Lady of Magic meant to the empire. Once word of Moyuna’s return spread, the two increasingly arrogant neighboring empires would be sent packing.

“Is it really her? Could it be someone impersonating her?”

“Are you questioning His Majesty’s eyes? Who else could possess such formidable presence?”

The nobles present were all prominent figures in the capital, familiar with Moyuna’s existence and appearance. Seeing her return so powerfully shocked them, and they immediately began discussing her.

“I know you’re all curious about how she was rescued. It was he who saved Moyuna.” The emperor kindly redirected the murmuring nobles’ attention to Ruby, who had entered alongside Moyuna. Yet, the Lady of Magic drew so much attention that the spiky-haired youth was subconsciously overlooked.

“This boy? He cured the curse that even the Holy Pope couldn’t resolve?”

“I understand your surprise, but the process is irrelevant. The result is what matters: he preserved our empire’s sole Lady of Magic. I intend to grant him the territory of Ulta as a reward.”

At the mention of Ulta, the nobles’ expressions changed dramatically. It was a veritable treasure trove, rich in magic crystals and gemstones, and home to the rare Dragonheart Grass. Whoever obtained it would be blessed with boundless wealth. Though each noble had their own lands, they had always schemed to place their own people there.

“Ulta? That has always been the domain of dukes. If the last duke hadn’t died without an heir, it would never have remained lordless. You’re certainly generous, brother.” The nobles dared not voice their displeasure, but others were less restrained. A man with pale green hair, inherited through generations, spoke up with a roguish smile, confirming the situation: lands and titles were always linked, and though the emperor hadn’t said it outright, everyone understood.

“Do you object?” Kaisk XIII looked at his youngest brother, headache evident. Since ascending the throne, his siblings had departed, and this brother was the only one still residing in the capital.

“Of course, I wouldn’t object to your decision, brother. But he seems quite ordinary, not a powerful mage, and suddenly making him a duke will surely provoke dissatisfaction... Of course! I’m the first to approve. This young man is surely capable of bringing eternal glory to Ulta. Anyone who opposes him is my enemy!” The imperial brother spoke at length about Ruby, only to feel the air around him grow cold as the Lady of Magic fixed him with a crimson gaze, prompting an immediate reversal in attitude. The other nobles silently cursed him as a turncoat.

“I don’t want the territory. I’ve never done such things, nor would I know how to govern it. Your Majesty, please bestow it on someone more suitable,” Ruby responded, surprised that simply accompanying Moyuna had earned him a fief. Such is the flaw of imperial authority: decisions are imposed without consultation, though most would eagerly accept.

“I can appoint people to assist you, and Moyuna will surely accompany you. Think of it as a holiday,” Kaisk XIII offered.

“No, I’m about to attend the academy,” Ruby replied.

“The academy? Ulta has a fine academy as well, but since you insist, I’ll keep the land and title reserved for you,” Kaisk XIII said, no longer pressing the issue. Mostly for Moyuna’s sake, but he now found Ruby’s rejection of such wealth intriguing; it reminded him of the church’s indifference to worldly gains.

“Now, let us discuss how best to announce Moyuna’s return. Any suggestions?” With that, the matters were no longer of concern to Ruby and Moyuna. The emperor led the nobles into their usual morning deliberations, focusing on Moyuna’s return.

“The return of the Lady of Magic is cause for universal celebration. For the next month, all customers at our Starry Night shops will enjoy half-price discounts,” declared a plump nobleman, catching Ruby’s attention with his starry eyes—just like the kind-hearted girl who had sponsored his education. Yet such eyes on a rotund man seemed oddly out of place.

This was none other than Bard Edel Starry Night, the richest man on the Holy Continent. His family’s shops spanned the four great empires, generating enough daily profit to drown a person in gold coins. Yet, like his daughter, he cared little for money.

“Very well, then...” The emperor was pleased with Bard’s proposal. Just as he was about to continue, he suddenly frowned and clutched his lower right abdomen, pain flickering across his face.