vncnus Chapter 451 The Ghost Following Closely
Chapter 451 The Ghost Following Closely
Chapter 453 The Ghost Following Closely
The group was actually led into the depths of the palace by Luna in a very open and aboveboard manner.
After passing through quiet corridors and solemn halls, they finally arrived not at the magnificent royal palace, nor at the greenhouse where Luna usually tended her plants, but at a low-key side room next to the royal audience hall—the office of Earl Black Moon.
"Power is like real estate; location is everything. The closer you are to the center, the more valuable your 'property' is."
The magician, Yueju, gazed at the simple doorway nestled in the heart of the palace, shaking his head and remarking, "Having his office next to the audience hall means everyone must pass by this court count's door before or after their audience with the king. He can even interrupt audiences at any time under the pretext of 'having a private conversation'—truly second only to the king, wielding immense power."
"But—this person is only an earl?" Lian Wu scratched his head in confusion. "I thought he would at least be a duke or something."
"Status in the court has never been necessarily linked to rank. Here, what truly determines everything is the king's will. If the king so desires, a clown can command an army, and a knight can become the treasurer; on the contrary, a duke is often exiled to the frontier under some pretext—the so-called rank is, in the end, nothing more than a byproduct of the king's momentary whim."
"So that's how it is... and who are you?!"
Lian Wu initially listened with great interest and nodded frequently, but when he suddenly realized that Yi Yi's cold and sharp analysis did not come from Luna who had led the way, he was immediately shocked, and all the muscles in his body tensed up instantly.
Suddenly, the door that had been tightly closed was found to have quietly opened.
A man with a cold expression and dressed in black stood silently behind the desk, his gaze sweeping over them like that of a ghost.
The man was tall and slender, and his well-tailored dark suit made him look even more upright. His long silver-gray hair was neatly tied up at the back of his head.
"I am the 'all-powerful' Earl of the Black Moon you speak of, my full name is Ducham Leclerc."
Upon appearing in the room, Count Leclerc withdrew his scrutinizing gaze and greeted the guest who entered, seemingly wanting to project an image of humility and respect.
"It seems you are the helpers Luna has found—no need for formalities. Rather than those empty titles circulating outside, you can simply call me Count Leclerc."
Unfortunately, his deliberately humble demeanor did not seem to garner much attention from the travelers. "Count Black Moon Dacam, I feel like the name is a bit perfunctory—and the surname is somewhat reminiscent of a former vice president of an alliance."
"I thought it was Detective Hugo, but it turns out to be just an ordinary NPC?"
"So where is the emperor?"
Faced with the unsuspecting ramblings of Yueju and the others, the Count's forehead, which was fully exposed due to his hair being tied up, showed faint blue veins. His impression of this group of travelers immediately plummeted.
"Isn't this a case of using public office for private gain?"
"It's a case of using public office for private gain."
"So where is the emperor?"
Leclerc took a deep breath, as if trying to convince himself not to bother with these vagrants, and finally maintained a calm demeanor as he spoke—
"If you are seeking an audience with His Majesty the King, he is currently in the audience chamber's lounge. And please allow me to remind you..."
The count, as if possessed, spoke in a flat tone with a clear sense of correction: "Generally speaking, only when a country simultaneously possesses multiple languages, cultures, and ethnicities can it be considered an 'empire,' and its monarch is called an 'emperor.' The United States we are currently in is still just a kingdom, and our monarch has not yet proclaimed himself emperor."
"So he's really possessed by an evil dragon?" Gadriya asked without hesitation, getting straight to the heart of the matter.
"I know this is an absurd rumor that has been circulating widely outside the palace recently." The Count's gaze shifted reproachfully to the spies under the Demon King's command. "Luna, didn't you clarify this with them?"
Luna, not to be outdone, puffed out her chest, her face full of righteous indignation: "Of course not, my mouth is sealed tight!"
"Sigh—let's just leave it at that."
Leclerc sighed again at his unreliable subordinate, then turned his gaze to the three travelers. "So it seems you are also investigating this absurd rumor—you've come to the heart of the palace, standing before me, a court count, seeking neither power nor wealth, yet so fixated on this baseless gossip. Can you tell me why?"
"Well, in terms of the setting—it seems like we're destined to become heroes and save this country?" Lian Wu scratched his cheek, answering somewhat awkwardly.
Yueju smoothly picked up the conversation, as if reciting a well-prepared character introduction: "Well, I came to the capital to gather evidence of corruption that could bring down those despicable academic cliques because I suffered injustice when I graduated from the magic academy; Lianwu obtained a treasure map that is said to be related to the royal family's secret treasure and wanted to try his luck here."
Cattleya, on the other hand, was sent by her master to investigate a vague "oracle."
He paused, a smile that belonged to a "player" rather than a character appeared on his lips.
"Of course, for the sake of the game experience, we each have some undisclosed 'hidden purposes.' But ultimately, this is just a role-playing game—even if we completely abandon the pre-set rules and regulations, choosing our own free life is perfectly fine. However, in that case, we'd have to be prepared to directly challenge the host's authority."
"So, to achieve your goals, it seems you need a court spokesperson."
The Count selectively ignored the explanations that seemed deliberately addressed to the audience, a smile characteristic of those in high positions appearing on his face—
"In that case, our interests are aligned. Your insistence on investigating these rumors suggests you hope to use this as an opportunity to reach the court and gain royal approval and support, right?"
"That's not how it works," the cunning magician said frankly in a tactful tone. "We came here purely out of a sense of justice to serve our country. However, it would be a lie to say that my companions and I have no desire for even the slightest reward."
He abruptly changed the subject, smoothly advancing to his true purpose: "Furthermore, our desire to see the King is not false, and it is related to the 'oracle' that Cattleya's master foresaw. Although the content of the prophecy is ambiguous, it does mention the word 'throne,' which seems to have some connection with the recent rumors."
"I see. No wonder that monk was so eager to make the request earlier."
Leclerc showed a somewhat understanding expression. "By the way, although it's just nonsense, our Emperor is, after all, a somewhat strange person in the eyes of ordinary people."
If, after meeting the King, you were to disrespectfully harbor the thought that the rumors were true, what would you do?
He raised his gray eyebrows, his eyes revealing an enigmatic look. "In the worst-case scenario, would you—assassinate His Majesty?"
The question asked was exactly the same as Luna's previous one.
"Haha, is this kind of joke popular in the capital lately?" Even the magician couldn't help but be a little surprised. "Of course we wouldn't do that. Whether it's the real king or a fake king, killing him when we meet him would bring us no benefit."
Even Wu and Cattleya nodded in unison, not understanding why Leclerc would ask such a question.
"Yeah?"
Earl Black Moon smiled slightly, seemingly quite pleased with the group's slightly flustered expressions.
"Since it's not an assassination attempt, then letting you into the audience chamber should be fine—but in exchange, after you've met the king, you'll need to agree to one condition."
"Speak freely," said the young female warrior who was the one among the three who needed to meet the king the most.
"While the absurd ramblings of a drunkard in a tavern are certainly not fit for polite society, words can sometimes be sharper than swords. Given time to ferment, they can even shake people's hearts and erode the foundations of this kingdom."
The thief Lian Wu frowned, his thick brows looking completely out of place with his profession: "You want us to deal with that rumor about the evil dragon possessing someone? But why doesn't the royal palace handle it themselves, instead needing forces from the common people like us?"
"Proving one's innocence is the most ridiculous thing in the world." Leclerc shook his head slightly. "If the court were to officially intervene, regardless of the outcome, the action itself would only fuel public suspicion, playing right into the hands of those spreading rumors. Therefore, I need a hand—not an official one—to cut off the root of this rumor."
"That bearded man?" Cattleya realized.
"I don't care what you call that person, someone has to pay the price for this disrespectful and false information."
Count Leclerc said solemnly, "It would be best to bring him back to the palace and punish him in public. Even if it is difficult to completely set things right, it will at least deter those with ulterior motives in the palace. If you can accomplish this successfully, I will offer a generous reward. Luna will also assist you in this matter."
"Luna will assist you from the sidelines." Luna Silvia, who had been quietly observing the entire meeting from the sidelines, chuckled and echoed the sentiment lightly, like a parrot.
Should we accept this task?
The three exchanged glances and nodded in unison.
While challenging the host in a board game can be quite fun, going against the grain will only disrupt the story's flow and immersion—there's no reason to refuse in this time and place.
"Then, I will continue to lead the way for you."
Seeing that the travelers had reached an agreement with Earl Black Moon, Luna, the gardening apprentice, returned to the game and resumed her duties as a court guide.
She led the way out of the side room, guiding everyone to the audience hall where the king was seated, her tone carrying a solemn air of announcement—
"Then, it is time for you all to pay homage to the supreme ruler of our kingdom—the wise and supreme King, His Majesty Hugo XVI!" "...?"
"....?"
...
A deathly silence descended upon the Emperor.
Just then, the king appeared from the lounge.
"The thought that this country has had fifteen rulers named 'Hugo' before makes me feel that it should just be extinct now."
These were the first words spoken by the wise and supreme King Hugo XVI upon his entrance.