Chapter 59: Reward Part 2

The princess, having returned from the imperial palace, was accompanied by the imperial palace’s personal physician, a mage, and a high priest.

I was surprised by the unexpected scale of the entourage.

“She sacrificed her body for the enemy of my family. Of course, she should be treated like this. His Majesty has approved this as well, so don’t let it trouble you too much.”

Thanks to that, Luna received high-class treatment that even dukes would find hard to come by.

At first, she was wary of such important people coming to see her, but upon hearing that the princess had brought them to check for any possible aftereffects, she obediently agreed to be examined.

“Hmm… Aside from a slight weakening of the body, there don’t seem to be any major aftereffects. Her soul is in a normal state as well. With a few days of rest and recuperation, she should be just fine.”

Fortunately, the results were positive.

Since the time she lent her body wasn’t long, and because it was given voluntarily rather than taken by force, there was no conflict between souls, and she was able to avoid serious harm.

They also added that if she had fought against Zelos’s soul, there could have been damage to her soul, which would’ve been extremely serious.

However, as her soul and body had been separated for a while, the specialists advised that rest was essential for their bond to stabilize again.

“It’s a relief there’s no problem. I was afraid I wouldn’t even be able to repay the debt I owe my benefactor.”

“Um… Your Highness. You really didn’t have to go this far for me…”

“It’s fine, Luna. Whether intentional or not, you greatly helped eliminate a grudge of the imperial family. If anything, what I’ve done still isn’t enough to express our gratitude.”

Even Luna, who was usually quite strong-willed, seemed uncomfortable being too assertive toward the imperial family. She even showed signs of being overwhelmed by the princess’s gratitude.

No. Maybe she felt even more burdened precisely because the princess was expressing pure goodwill without any ulterior motives.

Luna had a personality that was merciless toward those who approached her with shady intentions or desires, but paradoxically, she was incredibly weak against people who were pure-hearted and kind.

“By the way, that Zelos guy died so easily; it was kind of anticlimactic. If he was that weak, maybe we don’t need to worry too much about the Heavenly God Church, right?”

The noble lady spoke in a light tone, but I couldn’t help feeling uneasy about that point.

Sure, Zelos had a strange ability to manipulate or influence people’s emotions, and his power was undeniably strong. Still, for someone who held such a high-ranking position to die so easily seemed like a major loss for the organization.

Even if this incident was entirely the result of Zelos acting on his own, was it really normal for the Heavenly God Church to take no action whatsoever after the death of one of its executives?

What if… Zelos wasn’t so important after all? What if losing someone of his level didn’t even matter to them?

People out there have been praising me like I’m some kind of omnipotent “Aura Lord” and were practically putting me on a pedestal.

But in truth, I’ve only just stepped into the lowest tier of what it means to be a “Lord”. I was still just a rookie.

If the Heavenly God Church was made up of people vastly more powerful than me, the outcome of any future conflict becomes hard to predict.

“Oh right, Mars, Luna. You’ll be coming with me to the palace soon. His Majesty said he greatly values your contribution to this matter and wishes to reward you both.”

“A reward?”

A reward, huh…

Normally, I’d just ask for something like money, rare treasures, or a magical artifact…

But maybe this time, I’ll ask for something a little different.

***

Luna and I were unofficially invited to the imperial palace.

Normally, since we were benefactors who had rendered a great service to the imperial family, it wouldn’t have been too much to welcome us with golden carriages and a lavish banquet.

But because this was a secret the imperial family didn’t want publicly known, we decided to quietly receive our reward among ourselves.

“…It’s been a while. I’m glad to see you again.”

Maybe it was just my imagination, but I couldn’t help noticing a hint of anger in the emperor’s gaze as he looked at me.

While I was trying to recall whether I had done anything to offend him, he cleared his throat and continued speaking.

“You’ve done a great deed again, just like last time. Twice now, you’ve brought honor to the imperial family. Thank you hardly seems enough.”

“It’s nothing, really. It wasn’t that great of a deed.”

“Luna… was it? I thank you as well. I’ve heard that you lent your body to help capture that villain. That was truly brave of you.”

“Th-Thank you…”

Overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the imperial palace, Luna simply bowed her head and quietly echoed the emperor’s praise.

“All I did was lend my body because I trusted Mars to recognize him and take care of it. If anything, what I really did was foolishly allow that man into the academy.”

“It’s quite alright. Who could’ve imagined someone would hide their soul inside a necklace to infiltrate a place? Even if you weren’t aware of it, the fact that you trusted Mars to save you in such a situation without hesitation…that in itself is remarkable.”

To believe in someone so strongly. That was indeed an extraordinary thing.

Though she had faced a situation where her life could have easily been lost, she chose to trust me completely and entrusted everything to me. For that reason, I also believe it is only natural that Luna receives a great reward.

“That is why I’ve called you both here. To grant you your rewards. Since this matter is a top secret of the imperial family, I couldn’t announce it publicly, which is why I’ve summoned you quietly like this. As long as you don’t ask for the throne, I’m willing to grant you anything.”

He was a remarkably generous man.

Perhaps because he had finally avenged the wife he loved dearly, he seemed more lively than before. With an air of authority radiating from him, he was clearly a ruler with the qualities of a great king.

“I can’t think of anything right now. Would it be alright if I tell you later, once something comes to mind?”

“Of course. Take your time and speak up once you’ve given it proper thought. Mars, what kind of reward do you desire?”

Since Luna couldn’t think of anything immediately, she passed the question on to me.

Luna wasn’t someone who enjoyed lavish things or had much interest in power, so it was likely she was thinking deeply about what kind of reward her parents or the people from her hometown would most appreciate.

That’s why she was taking her time, giving it serious thought.

And I had already decided, ever since coming here, to share the reward I had in mind with the emperor.

“I would like… to be granted a right.”

“A right…?”

It was a word that didn’t quite suit the situation and was surprising, even, but rather than being taken aback, the emperor’s eyes lit up with interest and curiosity.

“Yes. I suspect that, because of this incident, I’ve now been marked as a key figure by the Heavenly God Church. I don’t know when news of Zelos’s death will reach them, but frankly, it wouldn’t be surprising if they already knew.”

“You make a valid point. And so?”

“That’s why I intend to sever any ties with them directly. And at the same time, I want to stop those who threaten the safety of the Empire. To do that, I ask that you grant me independent investigative authority regarding the Heavenly God Church, along with limited command powers in emergency situations.”

“……”

The emperor who had only intended to bestow rewards now looked at me with a bold glint in his eyes. He was clearly not expecting such a daring request.

Not only him. The imperial princess who had accompanied us to the palace, and Luna as well were staring at me with wide eyes. As if they were startled by my audacity.

…Was her slightly flushed face because she was shocked by my boldness?

“I have one question for you.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“From what I’ve gathered, you were just an innocent bystander caught up in the chaos caused by the Heavenly God Church. You were drawn into the noble lady’s kidnapping by chance, and the incidents involving the imperial princess and the saintess were also coincidental. You had no prior connection with the cult. So why go to such lengths?”

“……”

It was true.

When the noble lady was first kidnapped, I didn’t even know of their existence.

There was no way a mere baron like me could’ve known people I’d never even seen in that damn outdated dating sim in the first place.

Back then, I think I just wanted to survive. And I was irritated by those bastards who toyed with other people’s lives like it meant nothing.

I’m not some righteous person. I was just an ordinary citizen who wanted a peaceful, comfortable life.

But now…

“That… I’m not sure. I just felt like it.”

“Just felt like it, huh…”

“At first, I had no intention of getting involved with them. It’s not like the Empire lacks talent, and dealing with heretics like that would’ve been easy enough with a bit of time.”

That wasn’t a lie.

As the Empire is known as the ruler of the continent, it possesses countless talents and military forces.

It might have taken some time, but I was certain they would’ve eventually captured Chimera Doctor, Taurus, and Zelos one way or another.

“But when I thought about my family and the people of my territory, my longtime childhood friends, Pollo and Luna, and even the noble lady, the princess, and the saintess….when I thought about the people around me, I just… I just wanted to do something.”

Was I afraid of losing them, or was I simply angry that someone was trying to take away what was mine?

I couldn’t say exactly why, but I could say with certainty that I truly didn’t like them.

“Not yet, huh… Seems like you’ve traded strength for tact.”

The Emperor muttered quietly, then, as if having made up his mind, declared with resolve.

“Very well. As you wish, I will grant you independent investigative authority and partial command over matters related to the Heavenly God Church. The finer details will need to be discussed with the ministers, but since the Empire also wants those heretics brought to justice, I believe we’ll have good news to share soon.”

The Emperor gave his approval with cheerful decisiveness.

Given that a full-on confrontation with them was now likely, these powers would surely work to my advantage.

“Ahem! By the way, Mars Noctus… have you ever considered being introduced to a potential wife?”

“?”

What? A wife? Out of nowhere?