Children of the Holy Emperor
chapter-170

Time flew by, and finally, the day arrived for Seongjin’s group to depart for the North.

From early in the morning, several carriages were lined up in front of the Pearl Palace.

Although the actual number of people in Seongjin’s party was less than ten, including the coachmen, when Orden Siegmund’s entourage gathered together, it became quite a large group.

Moreover, with servants bustling about, moving luggage, tending to horses and carriages, the Pearl Palace was more crowded with people than ever before.

The princes and princesses had also turned out in full force, using Seongjin’s send-off as an excuse.

“You’ve thoroughly prepared for the cold, right, Lee Seongjin? Of course, you can defend against the cold with Aura, but still, don’t let your guard down just because you’re an Aura user. Siegmund Territory is an extremely cold place,” Logan cautioned once again.

“Yeah, of course. Do you know how many times you’ve said that? If I hear it one more time, my ears will bleed,” Seongjin grumbled.

However, Logan’s concern was valid. In terms of actual latitude, Siegmund Territory was located further south than northern Orthona, but it maintained an incomparably colder climate.

This was due to the influence of the Demon Realm located in the northwest of Siegmund Territory. That strange forest, covered in snow and ice all year round, is said to still be frequented by the mythical ice monster, the Glacier Troll.

“Here, take this,” Logan said, holding something out to Seongjin.

“What’s this?”

“I got it from the Imperial Repository. It’s a magic stone that emits light when you pray. It seems quite useful as a light source.”

It was a small, round pebble. Shimmering with a yellowish hue, it looked like jade or perhaps an opaque glass bead.

Seongjin thought with a dull expression, ‘A magic stone? What’s that? Isn’t this world not supposed to have magic in the first place?’

But the Demon King was startled upon seeing the stone.

[Huh? Lee Seongjin, this is an object from the Imaginary World!]

What?

While Seongjin was inwardly flustered, Logan added an explanation.

“Sometimes, you can’t light a fire while camping. Although you can somehow manage the cold with Aura, there’s a limit to enhancing your eyesight with Aura in a pitch-black place without a single light.”

“Hmm. Is that so? Thanks. I’ll make good use of it.”

For now, Seongjin put the stone in his pocket.

Well, since Logan often leads subjugation teams here and there, it wouldn’t hurt to listen to his advice. He would have to examine it carefully with the Demon King later.

“Have a safe trip, Brother Morres,” Sisle also approached him and spoke. Her face still looked expressionless, but Seongjin could detect a faint trace of concern in the corner of her eyes.

Perhaps because she had lightened her emotional burden a bit, this robot-like little girl’s face seemed to be gradually gaining more liveliness these days.

“And take this.”

“What’s this again?”

What Sisle held out was a small, flat, scarlet stone.

“It’s a magic stone that emits heat when you pray. It’s an item I got from the Imperial Repository. Since the northern territory is cold, I thought you might need something like this, even if you use Aura.”

“…”

Judging by the size, it would suffice as a hand warmer.

But when she said it was a magic stone, somehow he had a premonition…

[Gasp! Lee Seongjin! This is from the Imaginary..!]

Yeah, I thought so.

Where the hell did these things come from? Why are there objects from the Imaginary World in the Imperial Repository?

As he was grumbling inwardly, this time Amelia approached him.

“Morres…”

She looked quite anxious, clasping her hands tightly in front of her.

Logan and Sisle often left the capital for the “duty of the noble,” so they seemed to regard Seongjin’s trip as not a big deal.

But Amelia had never left the capital since entering the Imperial Palace. So it was understandable that she was particularly restless.

In fact, most of Amelia’s anxiety stemmed from the fact that this trip had not occurred in her previous life. But there was no way Seongjin could know that.

Anyway, Amelia dispelled that anxiety through thorough preparation.

She urged the dressing rooms here and there to remake all of Seongjin’s winter clothes, and personally checked his luggage one by one while urging the servants.

Of course, it went without saying that the new clothes were all in dull colors.

“Be careful and have a safe trip, Morres. I’m relieved that Brother Masain is going with you, but sometimes you can be so reckless that you don’t take care of yourself,” she admonished, personally fastening the newly made thick black cloak.

“Yes, don’t worry. Sister.”

“Okay. Ah! And…”

Amelia smiled brightly and shyly held out the object she had been holding. It was a white handkerchief.

“It’s a token of wishing for your safe return. My needlework is poor, but I worked hard on the embroidery for you.”

“Embroidery? Why bother with something like this…”

Seongjin, who was sheepishly accepting the handkerchief with an embarrassed smile, was suddenly startled.

On the white handkerchief, there were bug-like things embroidered haphazardly in black. It looked ominous at a glance.

What the hell is this? A curse? Wasn’t it supposed to be a token of safe return?

“I embroidered a part of the poem from [Orlando’s Heroic Deeds]. [When Olivia, the Moon Fairy, held his sword and sang, the whole world responded to it and swore not to dare invade his journey.] Isn’t it a truly beautiful passage?”

“…”

“Ah, is it still too difficult to read? You’re particularly weak with archaic expressions, Morres. Next time, I’ll lend you more famous classic storybooks.”

She seemed to think that Seongjin’s inability to read the passage was simply because he was clumsy at reading.

Sister, don’t you know? Is this really writing?

No matter how you look at it, it seems like the last desperate struggle of an evil voodoo sorcerer trying to curse the whole world while dying.

The Demon King seemed to have a similar thought.

[I don’t particularly sense any demonic energy, but is it some kind of folk curse? Could it be that she still holds a grudge against Morres for bullying her in the past?]

Seongjin thought with a grim expression.

…Sadly, I can’t say for sure that’s not the case.

But Amelia added with a proud face.

“And don’t be surprised. The thread used for this embroidery is a very special item.”

“Let me guess. Is it a magic thread taken from the Imperial Repository?”

At that, her eyes widened.

“Yes, that’s right! How did you know?”

“…”

Seongjin smiled bitterly.

He finally understood the meaning of Chief Chamberlain Louis’s subtle question when he visited the Holy Emperor’s office last night to pay his respects.

“Does Your Highness not need to visit the Imperial Repository separately?”

At the time, he had thought it strange and left it at that, but it turned out that the princes and princesses had already visited the Holy Emperor before Seongjin and ransacked the Imperial Repository in turn!

No, why are they all doing this? Is it such a big deal that I’m going on a short trip?

“Then, have a safe trip, Morres!” Amelia said with a smile blooming like a rose in full bloom.

Seongjin had no choice but to tie that questionable handkerchief to the handle of the nutcracker. Of course, Orden looked at him with envious eyes as if he would die of jealousy.

“Morres! Don’t be gone for long!”

“Morres! You have to come back quickly!”

Following that, Herna and Gades bid him farewell.

Fortunately, the twins didn’t seem to have committed the atrocity of ransacking the Imperial Repository. Instead, they whined and clung to Seongjin unusually, unlike their usual selves.

“Otherwise, we’ll come looking for you every day!”

“We’ll come and bully the Chief Chamberlain and Red!”

It probably wasn’t an empty threat.

The two were channellers from Arendelle. With just a soul terminal, they could follow Seongjin anywhere. But why were they threatening to harass unrelated people?

“Because if we harm Morres, Emperor Daddy will definitely scold us.”

“We like making Emperor Daddy troubled, but we don’t want to be scolded.”

Are you ghosts? To harm a perfectly fine person?

No, wait. Then, do you sometimes do that to other people?

Seongjin was appalled, but Herna and Gades clung to his arms and looked up at him with twinkling eyes.

Their actions were those of genuine demons, but their expressions were as innocent as angels.

“Finish quickly and return to Emperor Daddy’s side, okay?”

“You know you shouldn’t make Emperor Daddy worry too much, right?”

“…”

Hmm. I think I kind of understand what these kids are worried about.

Without answering, Seongjin ruffled their hair with both hands, and the twins burst into laughter simultaneously with a giggle.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. But it’s about time for you to depart,” Masain, who had been watching the scene with a satisfied gaze, gently spoke to Seongjin.

“Yes, let’s go.”

With that answer, Seongjin boarded the carriage.

As Masain gave a signal, Orden Siegmund shouted to the Wolf Knight Order member at the head of the procession.

“We’re departing!”

“Departing!”

“Departing!”

With a resounding cheer, the carriage slowly began to move.

Unconsciously looking out the window, Amelia, Logan, Sisle, and the twins were all waving at him in unison.

“Hmm…”

Seongjin waved back at them with an awkward expression.

It was a strange feeling, both unfamiliar and odd. He had no memory of ever being seen off by family in this way throughout his life.

Then, Commander Bruno, who was sitting across from him, quietly observed him and gently smiled.

“Are you feeling sad to part?”

What nonsense is this man spouting again? It’s not like I’m leaving the capital forever. Why is everyone making such a fuss?

Feeling dumbfounded, Seongjin turned his head with a sullen face. He seemed to be making a very strange expression, even in his own opinion, probably because the unfamiliar situation kept continuing.

Clop-clop-clop.

Meanwhile, the carriage they were riding steadily picked up speed and soon left the Imperial Palace, running on a well-paved main road.

***

The paved road continued for a while even after completely leaving the city.

Delcross, which had been the center of the continent for the past thousand years, had already become the hub of all manpower and logistics movement.

Of course, the road surface wasn’t as smooth as in the capital, so it was inevitable for the carriage to jolt from time to time.

Still, the ride quality of the carriage was more comfortable than expected. Being an Imperial carriage, it naturally had good cushioning and was structured with a primitive form of proper suspension.

‘I should meditate on this occasion,’ Seongjin thought, closing his eyes.

Recently, with so many events like the birthday celebration, he rarely had the chance to meditate leisurely.

So even though he was almost at the 7th level, Seongjin still hadn’t formed a complete 7th level Aura.

After running smoothly and passing the northern gate, it hadn’t been long.

Neigh!

Suddenly, the horses let out a long neigh, and the carriage jolted violently. The commotion quickly spread, and soon, horse neighs could be heard here and there throughout the procession.

“What’s going on?” Masain asked the coachman, opening the window.

A calm answer immediately came back.

“It’s nothing, Sir Masain. The carriage just left the [Grace], that’s all. It’s something that always happens when leaving the capital. Don’t worry. These lowly animals are sensitive to the grace of the deities.”

Grace?

When Seongjin opened his eyes and looked outside, Commander Bruno explained.

“I’ve heard from the priests before. They say that a wide range of divine grace spreads around the Imperial Palace in the capital. Someone like me who lacks divine power can’t feel it well, but priests coming from other places notice it right away.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Isn’t this all due to His Majesty’s power? They say it wasn’t like this when the late Holy Emperor was alive. Anyway, thanks to that, demon species can’t even come near the capital now.”

Indeed. It sounded like something that person would do.

As expected, Seongjin felt the Demon King stretching inside his head, as if waking up.

[Phew, the air suddenly feels lighter. Now it feels like living!]

‘To that extent?’

[Of course! That place and here are like completely different worlds!]

A different world…

Come to think of it, the Holy Emperor he met yesterday had said something similar.

“When you leave the capital, many things will be different from what you’ve experienced so far, my son. Be vigilant and vigilant of everything.”

Gazing at the ever-changing scenery, Seongjin quietly pondered the words the Holy Emperor had entrusted to him.