Of course, I was not in a position to meet Sharmia just because I wanted to. Though I had helped her, it was strictly business. Through any normal means, my current standing was such that I couldn't even meet a Royal Scribe, let alone the princess.
"Will you be alright?"
"It's not that there's no way. And..."
I stroked the head of Linmel, who was still sound asleep. She had been sleeping for nearly a whole week. Azrael said she was simply repaying the years she had borrowed, but it was true that I was worried.
"I would be grateful if you could watch over her, just in case anything happens."
"... I understand."
Dersia stood at the door of the mansion, watching me. Her gaze was mixed with concern. Taking it as a sign that she couldn't trust me, I offered a faint smile.
"I know it's hard to believe, but we truly are acquainted. I don't think she's an unreasonable person, and all I'm doing is going to collect the reward I was already promised."
"Jern, it is not that I do not trust your words. I have heard the full explanation of the situation."
On the way back to the capital, I had told her everything about how I had come to meet the princess. What worried Dersia was something else entirely.
"There were parts of your story that differed slightly from my own understanding."
"What understanding?"
"Do you know about the world of politics?"
"Not very well."
Naturally, the Empire had no internet news articles. If you wanted to know how the Empire was run, you had to read the newspapers. And the press companies that published those papers were by no means free.
Even if one were to learn of the nobles' secret affairs through some channel, actually printing it would be akin to suicide. I had heard rumors that such press companies once existed, but there were none left now. What sort of ruin they had met was, well, something I could guess without seeing it.
Consequently, with every newspaper in the process of praising the Empire, the perception its subjects had of politics was singular. They're handling things well on their own. I should just focus on my own work.
My own understanding was only a small step beyond that. The prophets are grinding their own bodies down to maintain the Empire. They're doing a fine job.
At my response, which condensed that sentiment into a single sentence, Dersia sighed and gripped the doorknob.
"When I first came to the Empire, I was told it was something a member of the Black Magic Tower must do, so I briefly dipped my toes into politics."
"... Ah!"
Right.
Now that I thought about it, Dersia had the surname Aspandil. She had been granted a title. Naturally, she would have participated in politics.
I grew quite curious about what Derssia might have done, but she shook her head with a look of distaste.
"I did nothing. I came to the Empire to learn magic and to record it, not to become a politician."
"Then..."
"I simply attended a few events that I was warned would be considered treason if I, as a noble, were to miss them. I never took the initiative in anything."
Dersia paused for a moment, her brow furrowing.
"... Naturally, I saw the one they call the princess a few times."
"I see. What was your first impression?"
"A tyrant."
The answer came the instant I asked the question. I asked again, bewildered.
"A tyrant... you say?"
"Yes. A tyrant in the most literal sense, one who stands above the weak, brandishes her might as the strong, and repeats acts of plunder and exploitation."
"A picturesque tyrant who will be remembered in history."
"...??"
I was slightly taken aback. Of course, I knew from our last meeting that she had a hidden side, but she hadn't given me the impression of a tyrant. Dersia blinked, as if recalling a memory.
"The first time I saw her, she was just a child, about eleven years old. But how sharp and heavy her words were."
"I was deeply impressed by the sight of her declaring to a count, who begged her to at least spare his people, that she could not."
"Why did she say she couldn't?"
"Because by the time the count had rushed to the capital to beg, all the people of his territory had already been executed."
"..."
"She carries out sentences without a shred of mercy, offers a poisoned chalice, and collects taxes."
"For some reason, the Emperor has all but transferred all power to the princess. At the age of eleven, she reached a state of absolute authority."
"But the nobles seemed to like Princess Sharmia very much."
"For three reasons. First, she was actually very good at her job."
"Second, the nobles who disliked her were all purged several years ago."
"Lastly, no matter how foolish nobles may be, they are not so stupid as to slander a superior who could have their heads at any moment."
"..."
From her words alone, there was no greater tyrant. As if that wasn't the end of it, Dersia slowly opened her mouth.
"Of course, such things have nothing to do with me. The part I focused on was not her disposition, but her level of magic."
"What do you mean by that?"
"... I happened to see it by chance. At a banquet one day, the princess lifted a wine glass, then let it go herself."
Slowly.
"The princess was slightly flustered as she watched the wine glass fall. If it had fallen and shattered, the banquet would likely have been ruined."
"Did you stop it?"
"She stopped it herself."
Dersia spoke uneasily, as if she herself couldn't believe her own words.
"By blinking."
"Pardon?"
"Before she blinked, she was a 1-Star mage. And after she blinked, the number of stars that appeared was three."
"...?"
"It means that in the time it took her to blink once, she went from being a 1-Star to a 3-Star mage, mastered telekinesis, and lifted the wine glass back up."
My jaw dropped. No matter how lacking my own skill in magic was, I could tell just how absurd that was.
"No way."
"Yes. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it either."
Dersia sighed and shook her head.
"What cannot be understood is dangerous. We call the act of making contact with such a thing foolish."
"She's not just a simple prophet, is she."
"I imagine you must have reached a similar conclusion. Therefore, I would advise you to stay as far away as possible, but..."
Dersia looked down at me and trailed off.
"Perhaps this too is just my own selfish wish."
"It is a selfish wish."
In the middle of our conversation, Ciel appeared from behind and grabbed Dersia by the scruff of her neck, just like a cat. Without moving at all, Dersia merely glanced back and protested.
"Ciel, we are in the middle of a conversation."
"Lord Jern. From now on, would it be alright if I offered you a bit of advice?"
Ignoring Dersia completely, Ciel turned to me with a bright smile.
"Advice, you say?"
"I was thinking that you, Lord Jern, might bear a small amount of responsibility for this situation."
"?"
"?"
Both Dersia and I expressed our confusion at the same time.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"No. Actually, the problem is that you two get along too well. To be precise, a person like you, Lord Jern, is like a potent drug to elves."
"What in the world does that mean?"
"You know how elves pursue extreme efficiency, don't you?"
"To a race with such a nature, your existence, Lord Jern, is like a high-performance lubricant."
"Lady Dersia is already trying to restrain herself, knowing her own issues, but with you constantly wagging your tail, I think she might have been a little tempted."
"Hmm... then what should I do?"
"If I feel that the conversation between you two is getting too heated—say, if a proposal that started with 'let's make a wheel' morphs into something like 'let's make a wheel-less carriage and shoot it into the air'—I'll step on the brakes for you. How does that sound?"
What Ciel was saying was that I had a nature that stimulated Dersia's elven instincts, so she would step in at the right time to stop us... was the meaning.
"Don't think too deeply about it. It just means that if Lady Dersia is about to make a strange proposal to you, Lord Jern, I'll give you a little warning."
"If your minds are set even after the warning, I won't say much."
"That doesn't sound bad."
As long as there's a brake. As I nodded, Dersia let out a deep sigh.
"Don't take her seriously. Ciel is probably just doing this for fun."
"There's no harm in hearing a third party's opinion. Well then, I'll be on my way."
"Do not forget what I have told you, and please be careful. Ah, and when you return—let's talk about that."
"... Yes."
Dersia was sparing with her words. But I knew immediately what she wanted to talk about.
[....]
As if it had heard our conversation, a deep sea fish scanned my surroundings before swimming away.
"Let's do that."
It seemed this was a truly urgent matter.
Meeting the princess was simple.
[Who is it.]
"... Did you happen to give this sphere to other people as well?"
I still had a means of contacting her. When I used the communication crystal I had received before, Karos answered.
[...]
She looked at me with a slightly sulky expression before asking.
[It's the fallen one boy. What is it? Was driving a nail through Her Highness the Princess's heart not enough for you?]
"What kind of slander is that?"
[Do you have any idea how sad Her Highness the Princess was after you rejected her? She even tried to take her own life.]
"Do try to make sense."
As if she'd do that over losing one orphan. As I was thinking how much she was exaggerating, Karos sighed and continued.
[My point exactly. So, what is it you really want?]
"There is something I failed to receive when we last met. I'd also like to have a conversation."
[With Her Highness?]
"Yes."
A long silence followed.
[Now... is not a very good time. The princess is currently attending to her duties.]
"I can wait."
[Should I have been more direct?]
"No. I know it's a refusal, I was just pushing my luck once more."
[...]
For some reason, it was plain to see that this escort knight named Karos did not like me very much. So I made her refuse me directly. Being the loyal type, if she rejected me like that, she would report it to the princess.
It might seem like baseless pride, but I was certain. If Sharmia knew I wanted to meet, she would summon me.
Definitely.
[Tsk.]
A small click of the tongue. I raised the corners of my mouth slightly at the displeasure contained within it. Because the emotion of displeasure arises when one has to do something they don't want to do.
[Give my name to the guards.]
"Yep, thank you."
No reply came. She had cut off the connection from her end. I can't understand why she hates a cute little boy like me.
Thinking so, I headed for the Imperial Palace.
"Hello, my name is Jern Aspandil."
"Ah, this way..."
As soon as the guards saw me, they hurriedly led me somewhere. It was the back gate of the Imperial Palace. Along the way, a few guards brought a blindfold.
"Lord Jern Aspandil. We apologize, but this is a secret passage."
"Yep. Understood."
I felt sorry for the guards, but it was completely meaningless. With Tide Sense, I scanned every wall and secret passage, committing their structures to memory. Even so, I couldn't remember everything, but I at least knew for certain where the traps were and which was the correct path.
I hope I won't have to use it later.
"We have arrived."
The guard who brought me to the front of a huge door was a different person from the one who first guided me. The guards had been switched out several times. It was because they had handed me over on a path that twisted and turned.
It seemed to be a measure to ensure that even the guards only knew a part of the Imperial Palace.
"Should I knock?"
"I, I only go this far. I will be waiting in the back."
The guard ran off in a panic.
Hmm.
It was almost certain that Sharmia was inside this door. It seemed the word "tyrant" wasn't entirely baseless. -Knock, knock, knock. Whatever the case, what had to be done had to be done, so I knocked.
"Come in."
I heard Sharmia's slightly low voice.
"Pardon the intrusion."
I was startled the moment I opened the door and entered. The room, as large as a soccer field, was bleak beyond description. In the center was a desk, and on that desk was a mountain-like pile of documents.
Buried there was Sharmia, wearing glasses, with a deathly tired expression on her face, rapidly writing, stamping seals, and reviewing. And yet, her beauty, which did not diminish in the slightest, was already not of this world. She muttered without even looking this way.
"Tea... or food... whatever it is, just leave it and go."
It was a calm voice. As I walked to the desk, I saw an untouched twelve-dish meal tray on it. I randomly picked one document from the pile and read it.
A surprisingly light administrative task.
I frowned.
She does all this by herself? There should be no reason for it; this wasn't a matter for a princess, a royal, to handle. It was the kind of work that could easily be left to another noble.
As I picked out a few more, I was shocked by another fact. There was no sorting at all. She would just pick something from the pile of work, handle it, then pick another matter that had absolutely nothing to do with the previous one.
It was an astonishingly immense amount of work, no doubt. But at the same time, it was utterly foolish. I sighed and picked up the documents.
"...?"
Only then did Sharmia sense that something was off and look this way— She blinked, rubbed her eyes, and then muttered to herself.
"Am I dreaming...?"
"This is reality."
"Eh? E-Eeeh...??"
"I have no intention of disturbing you. This is a land-related dispute. It has parts that correspond with this administrative document over here."
"You'll be able to review them more smoothly if you check them at the same time."
"... Yes? Ah, yes. You're right."
"Please just consider me not here and attend to your work."
There was next to nothing I could do to help. I had no idea how the Empire ran or what kind of cycles it existed within. Still, I was more than capable of sorting the documents into related categories.
While the princess worked, I sorted similar policies to help her process them more easily. Even so, Sharmia worked for hours. She would glance at me from time to time, but—it was clear at a glance that the deadlines weren't very generous, so it seemed she decided to get the work done first and think later.
"... Ugh, hngggghhh..."
It was not until the sun began to set in the evening that the related tasks were finished. Sharmia, letting out a big stretch, finally looked at me and muttered as if mesmerized.
"B-But, you know. This isn't really a dream, is it? If I worked in a dream, I think I'd die from the unfairness of it all."
"It is not. I came because there was something I wished to discuss with you."
"... It's, it's real? What brings you here all of a sudden??"
Looking at that dazed expression, Dersia's advice kept trying to scatter.
A tyrant? This person?
That was the only thought that came to mind. I steeled my heart with an effort and cleared my throat.
"I must offer my apologies for coming without notice. Something came up recently, and regarding what we spoke of last time..."
"—Oh!"
Sharmia rushed forward. To be precise, she leaned her body far over the desk and took my hands, her eyes sparkling. There was even a hint of madness mixed in, to the point of being frightening.
"Have you had a change of heart? You mean to say you will allow yourself to be of use to me, is that it?"
"... No. That's not it. It's about my birth."
"... Ah."
Slightly calmer, Sharmia awkwardly pulled her hands away.
"Ah, ahaha... I'm sorry. Come to think of it, something came up last time so I wasn't able to tell you."
"There's no need to be sorry. I came here wondering if I could perhaps hear the details about that fact."
"Of course, and it was my reward to you, so it's my fault for forgetting to mention it. Ah, this won't do."
As if she had remembered something, she clapped her hands together and stood up from her seat.
"I've been rude to a visiting guest. To think I made you work instead of offering you proper hospitality."
"It is my fault for visiting while you were working. I was trying to be of help in my own way, so I hope I wasn't a bother."
"No, no, no! You were a huge help, I can't even remember the last time my work was done while the sun was still visible. Do you perhaps have experience in this sort of thing?"
"A little."
"I knew it! This might take a little while, so I'll go get some tea!"
"No, I'll..."
"Tsk, making a guest brew tea. Please don't make me into a shameless person with no sense of decency! I'll be right back, so please have a seat for a moment!"
At this rate, one couldn't even tell who was the royal. After the cutely scolding Sharmia left the room, I calmed my dizzy head. Her pace was so firm that it made my own serious approach feel foolish.
While waiting for the princess, my gaze fell on the pile of documents she had processed. I had been the one to sort them, but I didn't know what judgments she had made or how she had handled them, so I suddenly grew curious and picked one up.
[Order of Territory Lockdown for Epidemic Containment] As I flipped through the dozens of pages of documents with that title, I tilted my head.
The dozens of response forms that followed, where one would write down what measures to take, were literally blank. Sharmia had definitely processed this document.
Then what?
Pondering, I unfolded the very first page and only then understood why. The measure was written there. It was just so simple that it was unnecessary to tediously write out the remaining methods.
[After lockdown, dispose of all.]
"... Hmm."
I examined the document for a short while. Because I was starting to get a rough idea of how I should proceed with my audience with this tyrant.