I Am a Ruined Noble of a Ruined Kingdom

Chapter 21: Two Overgrown Children (1)

"Keuheok! Hheueuk."

I regained consciousness with a painful groan. The Emperor was staring at me with a puzzled look, and Iruealfi was harshly grilling the knights outside the greenhouse.

"Ruined Noble Duke? No, is it Marquis Alteon this time?"

"Yeesh, I hope you had a good conversation."

"The Ruined Noble Duke said he would help, but he didn't tell me how. How should I accept it?"

"Don't worry, I was thoroughly injected with what to beg for instead. More than that, Your Majesty, there's something I urgently need to ask you."

"Say it."

I had a detailed conversation with the Emperor about future plans.

The only thing Netionpies had injected was a method of tracking Charles. I was hoping he would give me something more, but it was a vain hope.

In the end, the actions after tracking Charles had to be decided from now on. Dealing with various variables, including the battle with Zicharun, was entirely up to those who were left behind.

"Then Marquis Yustiha..."

"She must remain in the Imperial Palace unconditionally. I'm not sure what their purpose is yet, but if something happens to the Imperial Palace, everything is over."

As Iruealfi's fundamental mission was to protect the Emperor, it was an inevitable matter. In addition, it was the optimal condition to guarantee the absolute safety of her younger sister, Miren.

"And immediately arrest Duke Troff Fayta. Those guys know the secret passages of the Fayta Duke's residence as if they were their own homes."

"I've already received a report about it, but there's a problem."

"Your Majesty and your consort were involved in such a thing at the Duke's residence, and you're saying there's a problem?"

Seeing me showing that I didn't understand, the Emperor frowned and lamented.

"The problem is that he's a descendant of the four great duke families who enthroned the first Emperor. Fayta, Meoric, Chester, and Estern. These four families are forbidden from mixing blood with each other, but they have maintained a close relationship for hundreds of years."

'They forbade marriages between families to keep their power from growing too strong?'

The descendants of the four great duke families may have been working together more closely because they knew each other's intentions.

I suddenly had a question.

'Did Netionpies have no successors or descendants? He was old enough to get old and became immortal, so he might have had a consort or descendants.'

If they existed, the Emperor would have already told me. I erased my distracting thoughts and listened to the Emperor's explanation again.

"If we imprison Duke Fayta, the remaining duke families will feel a sense of crisis. If they have a justification, they will think that they can't avoid suffering the same fate."

"Well, of course, if they do something worthy of being investigated and punished... Haa."

I couldn't help but sigh even while speaking politely. How great would it be if the world ran only on principles?

It was said that power was not even shared with one's children. It was unknown how the duke families, who felt the crisis of their long-standing power, would react.

Even if they were to give a reason!

"At least the Chester family might stay still. After all, they're a family of born martial artists."

"I see..."

If it was the Chester family, it was understandable. In fact, in the original work, the eldest son of the Chester family was the number one contributor who cut off Iruealfi's breath along with Zicharun. He was a man who lived his entire life with the mission of beheading Iruealfi.

The Emperor, who had no way of knowing such circumstances, maintained his opinion that it was difficult to arrest Duke Fayta. I insisted on a rather radical opinion on this.

"Even so, the imprisonment of Duke Fayta is an essential procedure. Your Majesty, send Iruealfi to the Fayta Duke's residence right away."

"S, send Marquis Yustiha, you mean?"

The Emperor was so embarrassed that he spat out his saliva.

"Marquis Yustiha is like the last resort. I don't want to lose her value as a hidden power of the Imperial Family, but..."

I spoke passionately to the hesitating Emperor.

"Why do you think Iruealfi's martial prowess will be exposed? If Iruealfi goes, Duke Fayta will probably be taken away peacefully. He will know that the Imperial Family is serious enough to send the Head of the Escort directly."

"Hmm!"

"Above all, the justification is on our side. Even if Duke Fayta resists with force, it is clear that public opinion will be on Your Majesty's side. Therefore, Duke Fayta will follow obediently even to clear himself of suspicion and criticize the Imperial Family."

The Emperor rested his chin and thought carefully. He must be chewing on my words and evaluating their validity.

Having finished thinking in a short time, the Emperor intensely burned his gaze.

"Marquis Alteon is right! Marquis Yustiha and the Ruined Noble Duke are supporting me, but I was scared for no reason!"

You had to strike while the iron was hot. Having made a decision, the Emperor fearlessly left the greenhouse and issued an imperial order.

"Marquis Yustiha, receive the imperial order!"

At the Emperor's resounding name, Iruealfi hastily knelt on one knee.

"Bring Duke Troff Fayta to the Imperial Palace. Now, immediately!"

A short and concise command. Iruealfi just accepted it calmly.

"I will follow the imperial order."

It was a clean conversation where no consultation was found.

Iruealfi immediately stood up and approached me, saying.

"Nephi, please wait in the Imperial Palace. I'll be back soon."

It was a confident and dignified posture. I asked Iruealfi in preparation for any emergencies.

"Iruealfi. What if Duke Fayta resists?"

"Should I wipe out his entire family and come back?"

"What?"

I blankly asked back for a moment. If I hadn't seen Iruealfi's playful smile, I might have grabbed her by both shoulders.

"I'm just kidding. Don't worry, Nephi."

'The guy who destroyed the Eld Empire, stop making such gruesome jokes!'

I shouted in my heart. It was a joke that I couldn't laugh at enough to make me sweat.

Iruealfi turned her back on me, who was out of my mind.

Just as she was walking away, a knight approached her.

"Commander, I'll prepare the transport carriage right away..."

"I don't need it. We need to save time, so we'll come in Duke Fayta's carriage."

'Is she going to give him the humiliation of being escorted in his own family's carriage? Iruealfi had that side of her, too...'

Iruealfi's figure soon disappeared into a residual image. She would probably arrive at the Fayta Duke's residence in less than half a day.

The Emperor and I went back into the greenhouse and began to secretly coordinate on future responses.

◇

Shururu.

A translucent blue surface, with waves forming like a rotating disc, rippled.

The identity of the surface was a one-time-use portal.

Four hundred years ago, in the past called the Age of Great Chaos, there was a saintess. The lost item where her powers were concentrated was the one-time-use portal. It was a tool that could be described as a sacred object connecting two installed spaces at once.

The people who appeared from the rippling surface were three: a giant brute, Zicharun, and Charles, whom Zicharun was holding like a princess.

"Hey, friend. You told us to bring them, but you ended up stepping in yourself. Honestly, I'm a little dumbfounded. Illeah is... dead, I guess."

A man with an eyepatch over his right eye sneered. Zicharun's ruby-like red eyes turned to the man.

The man with the eyepatch waved his hands and urgently stopped him.

"Whoa, whoa, don't turn your eyes this way. As always, I'm not confident I can handle it."

Zicharun turned his back on the man who was joking and looked at Charles, who was asleep.

If you only looked at her look as she slept quietly, she was definitely a beautiful girl. Her well-made doll-like face was slender, and her golden hair flowed softly.

The man leered at Zicharun and smiled slyly.

"She's sleeping well without a single scratch."

"Is there a problem?"

"No, I'm just surprised that there's no trace of intimidation. Isn't it an unwritten rule to break the spirit of a prickly noble young lady and start? Besides, she's such a beauty."

"Say what you want to say."

Zicharun was unexpectedly dry and emotionless without any discomfort.

"You didn't want to harass her because she's your friend's type?"

"That's right."

"Huh?"

The man was momentarily speechless at the unexpected agreement. However, he soon grabbed his stomach and burst out laughing.

"Pfft, Puahahahat! You got me there, friend. I can't believe you can even make such jokes. You're always a new friend!"

"Above all, there's no reason to."

"Reason? Ah, I guess that's right. There's no point in interrogating her anyway."

"If you have time to make vulgar jokes, you should prepare well."

"There's no objection. The items will be arriving soon, so let's hold it grandly!"

The man's cry resounded heavily through the Great Cavern. The Great Cavern was the perfect place to hold a ritual, as the lingering echoes of powerful magic remained deeply.

Finding the Great Cavern was purely coincidental. It was a place that their subordinate had discovered just before carrying out the plan.

Therefore, no one could know the identity of the Great Cavern.

About four hundred years ago, during the chaotic era called the Age of Great Chaos, there was a mysterious place where an unknown being fought fiercely and was sealed.

A land of promise where the worst creature, stained with evil born of hatred, pledged an eternity.

The Imperial Family's secret archives recorded it like this.

'The Ruined Noble's Great Cavern.'

"Let's turn everything upside down. The damn Eld Empire!"

◇

Iruealfi returned in the afternoon when the sun was in the middle of the sky. It was quite shabby to see a carriage with the head of a four great duke family entering the palace.

There were only two carriages, with only a coachman and no escorts. One was Troff Fayta's, and the other was Iruealfi's.

Thinking about Iruealfi breaking into a four great duke family by herself and tearing off the carriage made my body shiver.

Iruealfi handed Troff Fayta over to the guards and approached me.

"Nephi. Did anything happen?"

"No matter how dangerous the world is, this is the Imperial Palace. There's no way anything could happen."

"Actually, I was wondering if Nephi had done something, but it's my habitual suspicion. I need to fix it, but it's not easy."

"It's okay. I understand."

Iruealfi had been living with me for several months and had seen me as a target of surveillance. Even though I gave her trust with the Charles incident, it wouldn't be easy to change her attitude in an instant.

Moreover, Netionpies's past actions were so heinous that they would hold her back forever.

Considering that, I think even this level of attitude from Iruealfi is a miracle. Her attitude of continuing to believe me is so upright, isn't it?

"But what are those?"

"Where? Ah, are you talking about those people digging in the ground?"

Iruealfi pointed to a place where the figure would look like a dot to a normal person. It was a garden quite close to the main gate of the Imperial Palace.

They were burying something in a hole deep enough for one person to enter.

"It might be useful later, so just in case."

"Useful... huh."

Iruealfi looked up at me with curiosity. But I had no choice but to avoid her gaze.

"I'm sorry. It's a little hard to tell you about this."

"I need to know everything about the Imperial Palace for the safety of His Majesty, though?"

"Ugh, it's true, but..."

Iruealfi's claim is valid. Still, there was a reason why I didn't want to say it.

Because it was a secret that would be very disturbing from the perspective of ordinary people. I was afraid that Iruealfi would think that my existence itself was unpleasant.

If those blue eyes contained contempt, I might suffer an irreparable wound.

"Iruealfi. Just one time... just let it go this once, okay? I swear it will absolutely, never, ever! Be harmful, and I've already talked to His Majesty about it..."

"Hmm."

I begged and begged. Iruealfi crossed her arms and glared at me for a long time, then opened her mouth.

"I believe you since you've talked to His Majesty. Just know that there will be no exceptions next time."

"Th, thank you! Thank you so much, Iruealfi."

I bowed down to my waist and expressed my gratitude. But still, Iruealfi's expression was full of dissatisfaction.

She said as if shooting at me.

"But Nephi."

"Yeah?"

"Have I ever hidden anything from you so far? I would have always been honest when I spoke, even if I was monitoring you."

Iruealfi's tone was sharply barbed.

Even with my eyes closed, I had no choice but to realize it. That Iruealfi was truly feeling bad.

"Of, of course."

"I show you and tell you everything, but Nephi has been hiding so many things from the beginning until now. Is what Nephi is asking me to let go of something that would be a disaster if I knew?"

"That's... not true."

Similar things had happened several times in the past few months. At that time, it was a time when self-defense was natural because it was a relationship between a complete monitor and a monitored target.

Iruealfi also often let it go with the thought, "Because he's the Ruined Noble Netionpies," even if I hid something.

In particular, there were many times when the common sense of this world and my past life were contradictory because I was a possessed person. In addition, I often had private meetings with the Emperor, excluding Iruealfi.

Even then, Iruealfi was always honest. Therefore, it was a very human thing for her to appeal her injustice. It was as if the small emotions that had accumulated had now exploded as resentment.

"I have the right to know, and there's nothing that goes wrong even if I know, but Nephi is blocking information for extremely personal reasons."

"Iruealfi, it's not that, the truth is...!"

"As I said just now, it's a matter agreed upon with His Majesty, so I'll just let it go. It's not like I'm trying to pursue you to tell me."

"..."

Iruealfi didn't give me a chance to add anything and sharply fired back.

"But now I know. That Nephi doesn't trust me. I don't know how much I did wrong to be distrusted, though."

"That's not true! Just listen to me for a moment..."

This time as well, Iruealfi cut off my words in an instant.

"I'm going now. I have to see Duke Fayta. I'll think about what I did wrong to Nephi while going, so don't worry."

"It's a misunderstanding! Wait, Iruealfi!"

I reached out to grab her, but it was in vain. Iruealfi easily avoided me with her graceful movements and quickly left the scene. I felt a chilling pressure from Iruealfi's back, so I didn't dare to chase after her.

I blankly muttered her name.

"Iruealfi..."

And then I belatedly remembered.

"There... I have to go with you too..."