Children of the Holy Emperor
chapter-121

Seo Yi-seo halted in surprise as she opened the newly spawned white door in front of her.

She had just installed and launched the MyHome mode, but unexpectedly, there was a stranger in the room that should have been empty.

“Who are you? How did you get in here? I haven’t invited anyone…”

However, the intruder did not respond to her questions and, seemingly enchanted, looked around the room, murmuring.

“…Sturdy and beautiful.”

His voice carried a heavy resonance.

The man was tall, wearing a half-mask, with long, partially grey hair and draped in flowing robes resembling a priest’s garb. The wrinkles on the lower part of his face, visible below the mask, suggested he was not particularly young.

Fluttering around him were a couple of blue butterflies.

“…Are you from Impulse Soft? Even if it’s an internal alpha test, illegally entering a private space is not allowed! Hey, are you listening?”

Seo Yi-seo called out, wary.

But the man ignored her and walked towards a bookshelf on one side of the room. He started to gently caress the books as if they were precious treasures.

“Amazing. A dimension formed by just a small house. To think such a tiny Imaginary World could actually exist. I’ve traveled through dimensions for so long, but this is a first for me…”

After enjoying the texture of the books for a while, the man finally looked directly at Seo Yi-seo and asked,

“Are you the ruler of this dimension? How exactly did you create this space?”

What? Ruler?

“…I just installed the MyHome expansion pack. If you’re from Impulse Soft and interested, why not apply for the alpha test yourself?”

“Speaking as if anyone could do it. Then why didn’t such tiny Imaginary Worlds exist until now?”

Not fully understanding what the man meant by ‘Imaginary Worlds’, but assuming he was referring to virtual spaces, Seo Yi-seo responded thoughtfully.

“Well, the MyHome expansion pack was just recently developed.”

“Heh…”

The man let out a hollow laugh, seeming incredulous.

The number of butterflies had increased, fluttering and rising as if responding to his laughter.

“Then, one last question for you. Why are the laws that govern this world the same as those over there?”

“Over there?”

“That noisy and flamboyant world. I’m talking about the dimension of Pangea Chronicle. The scale and mass of objects, their texture, the flow of time… everything is identical.”

Seo Yi-seo frowned.

What? Isn’t this man from Impulse Soft?

“That’s because it uses the same Homunculus Integrated Engine. The physics engine is the same.”

“Engine… yes, they call it an engine… Such sturdy and beautiful rules!”

The man sighed softly and then closed his eyes, deeply inhaling as if to savor every particle of air in the room.

Maybe I should report this to the company first.

As Seo Yi-seo pondered this, the man opened his eyes and strode toward her. Startled, she instinctively stepped back.

“What are you doing all of a sudden?”

“This meeting must be some kind of fate. I’d like to make you the protagonist of my new chronicle.”

“…What?”

Confused by his statement, Seo Yi-seo questioned him, and the man’s lips curved into a long smile beneath his half-mask.

“Seems like a fortunate coincidence, as you appear to enjoy such stories quite a bit.”

Surprisingly, the man now held several books taken from the shelf, all of which were Seo Yi-seo’s linked e-books.

– The Obsessive Male Lead and the Fake Saintess.

– The Saintess Tames the Demon King.

– I’m an Unintentional Saintess Managing a Love-Harem, Is There a Problem?

Seo Yi-seo’s cheeks flushed red.

These were her cherished collections, but her skewed reading preferences weren’t something she was particularly proud to show others.

However, the man’s next words made her eyes widen in disbelief.

“Recently, I’ve become quite sensitive, so I believe I can create a story well-suited to you. How about it? Would you grace my new story by becoming its saintess?”

…Saintess?

And then.

Suddenly, a swarm of blue-winged butterflies filled her vision, appearing as if from nowhere.

* * *

Summoning a citizen of the Imperial Capital as a reference in an investigation requires certain procedures.

It must be done through specific law enforcement agencies such as the Capital City Guard or the Heresy Tribunal, and the reason and basis for the summons must be clearly stated in a document.

Although they could directly go to Salon de Merci and inquire, Masain explained the potential for it to look like wrongful harassment in the eyes of others. Additionally, if the designer attempted to flee, having a legal method to detain them was crucial.

‘Masain, always sticking to formalities…’

Seongjin found it a bit cumbersome but agreed that it was likely necessary to use force in bringing the person in question.

So, he, along with Masain and a few resident knights, visited the Capital City Guard.

“So you suspect that an employee of the dressmaking shop might be linked to the previous monster incidents?”

The captain of the City Guard asked with reluctance upon Seongjin’s request for deployment.

“Yes. This is a matter of great importance, potentially threatening the safety of the Imperial Capital, so I earnestly request the active cooperation of the City Guard.”

Masain, adding weight from the side, and Seongjin firmly pressed the issue.

“Most importantly, the use of a monster from the banned book ‘Otherworld Apocalypse’ in the design is critical. Depending on the investigation, it might even need to be escalated to the Heresy Tribunal.”

The mention of the Heresy Tribunal prompted the City Guard captain to straighten up and nod in agreement.

“Understood. We will deploy the City Guard. But…”

“Yes?”

“Whose peculiar garment is this?”

The City Guard captain looked at the butterfly-patterned outfit Seongjin had brought as evidence, his face slightly queasy.

“Oh, it’s mine. Why?”

“……”

The captain’s gaze on Seongjin shifted from seeing him as a troublesome ruffian to regarding him as an eccentric of the highest order.

What? Can’t he recognize this high-level fashion sense? Huh?

[…You were the one who despised it the most at first.]

I grew fond of it after wearing it a while. After all, comfort is key in clothing.

In any case, the captain provided Seongjin with ten personnel, including three armed knights.

Thus, leading the City Guard troops arrayed at the entrance of the building, Seongjin couldn’t help but smile contentedly.

‘Feels quite reassuring to have the force of law on my side, doesn’t it?’

But then, the very guards who seemed so sturdy were startled upon seeing Seongjin’s face, each avoiding his gaze!

What’s with them?

[Have you forgotten how you roughed up some City Guards recently?]

Tsk, did I unknowingly make enemies with the law enforcement?

While heading to Salon de Merci, Seongjin soon joined up with Logan waiting for him at the entrance to Deste Street.

“The Orthodox Church suggests that it would be better to directly transfer the employee to the Heresy Tribunal for interrogation.”

Despite his status, Logan was currently affiliated with the Saint Bastian Paladin Order. Therefore, his official activities had to be reported and approved by the Church and the Knight Order Commander.

Having left earlier to visit the Knight Order, Logan returned not alone, but followed by a group of paladins dressed in the white uniforms of the Knight Order.

The blue swords and lilies embroidered on their uniforms indicated they were from the Saint Bastian Order, and their faces were uniformly stern, lips pressed into straight lines. They were as serious as rumored, notoriously hard to communicate with.

“And thankfully, the Knights of Lilium have voluntarily come to assist.”

As Logan began to explain about them, the faces of the Knights of Lilium seemed to soften from their previously rigid expressions.

“I tried to decline their offer, but they insisted on stepping forward for the sake of the capital. They truly are exemplary paladins, serving the citizens.”

“Uh, right…”

Seongjin’s response was lukewarm. The knights’ gazes towards Logan’s back seemed to shine with admiration, almost as if they were shooting beams of light.

Rather than exemplars of paladins, they seemed more like fervent fans of Logan. Or was that just his impression?

In any case, leading a larger group than expected, Seongjin arrived at Salon de Merci.

The sudden appearance of numerous knights in front of the capital’s most famous dressmaking shop caught the attention of passersby, who stopped to watch curiously.

With Madame Justine absent, a manager appeared instead and politely inquired about their purpose.

“Ah, you mean the designer of that pattern. That would be an employee named Seo Yi-seo.”

Apparently, she was an employee Madame Justine had brought in out of the blue, with no significant credentials.

Her hiring seemed suspicious, almost as if Madame himself might need to be questioned.

“She’s currently on duty. I’ll bring her right away, Your Highness.”

The manager bowed respectfully and left.

Seo Yi-seo.

Seongjin furrowed his brow with a sense of unease as he heard the name ‘Seo Yi-seo,’ which sounded familiar yet somewhat foreign to him.

Soon after, guided by another employee, a woman appeared at the shop entrance. She paused briefly upon seeing the people lined up in front of the shop, then gently lifted the hem of her skirt in an elegant manner.

“My name is Seo Yi-seo.”

The pattern designer was younger than Seongjin had expected.

She had a modest yet pretty face with black hair and a distinctly familiar Asian appearance. Her demure approach, eyes cast down as she walked towards them, made her seem almost pious, causing Seongjin to doubt for a moment if she really could be involved in the monster incident.

‘…Wait a minute?’

Seongjin was struck by an odd sense of déjà vu.

—”Do you have a type, brother? I think I’m a bit attracted to women with black hair and exotic looks.”^[1]

Suddenly, he remembered Sisle’s words.

As he stared at the woman with a strange premonition, she turned her head towards Seongjin and smiled faintly.

‘What’s this?’

Feeling inexplicably irritated, Seongjin frowned, but the woman had already approached the group and bowed her head politely.

“I always thought the Imperial Palace would come looking for me someday. All this is guided by Saint Gracia.”

At her words, a tingling sensation seemed to prick Seongjin’s heart.

‘…What’s this?’

Confused by the sudden turn of events, Seongjin clenched his jaw and glared at her.

Meanwhile, passersby began to gather around Salon de Mercier, drawn by the commotion.

Seongjin, sensing a strange shift in the atmosphere, looked around to find not only the passersby but also the City Guards and the Knights of Lilium, as if entranced, staring at the woman.

With an uneasy feeling, he turned back towards her just as she spoke again.

“However, it seems there’s a misunderstanding, and I wish to prove my innocence first. I swear to the [Supreme Deity] that I have done no wrong.”

Another peculiar wave rippled through Seongjin’s chest as she spoke.

“…….”

In the suddenly quiet Deste Street, as if a spell had been cast, everyone around, including Seongjin’s group, stared at the woman with their mouths agape. Even Masain seemed entranced, his usually alert face blank with bewilderment.

Only Logan looked at the woman with a shocked expression, quickly turning to Seongjin with a grave look.

“Haha…”

The woman, Seo Yi-seo, wore a serene smile as if she had anticipated this situation. After briefly scanning the group, she declared in a melodious voice,

“To prove my innocence, I request a trial of ordeal here, with all present as witnesses. I am willing to undergo the ‘Saintess’s Trial’.”

Another subtle ripple spread out. Amidst the stunned silence of the crowd, Seongjin blinked in confusion.

Why? What exactly is the ‘Saint’s Trial’?

[Seongjin.]

Then, the Demon King whispered softly.

[It’s clear. That woman, she’s a being from an Imaginary World.]

…What?