Chapter 384 – The Emperor’s Assassination

The Emperor’s Assassination

That night, after having dinner in a separate area, Kaglai called Hikaru to his private room, the same room that Hikaru once snuck into.

「Thank you for coming.」

Kaglai looked a little tired under the light of the magic lamp. Hikaru could only imagine the hardships of someone with millions of lives resting on their shoulders, working around the clock for them.

To gain luxury and fame, one would have to offer something too great, too valuable.

Yup, I’d rather be an adventurer, Hikaru thought.

「Do you want a drink?」Kaglai offered an expensive-looking bottle of wine.

「No, thanks.」Hikaru politely declined.

The Emperor didn’t seem inclined to drink, so they eventually settled with tea. After the maid served the tea and left the room, Kaglai suddenly spoke.

「I would like to ask you again, Silver Face. Will you come to my village?」

「I believe I already said no.」

「Why is that? Visiting the home of Man Gnomes is not easy. And we have many rare books.」

Lavia twitched, but that was all. As a matter of fact, Hikaru already told her not to get baited by books.

「It’s easy. We don’t like trouble. We came all the way here, fully intent on not getting into any sort of trouble.」

「My hometown does not have troubles… No, I suppose I cannot be certain about that.」

So there is trouble?! Hikaru thought.

「It is a place where nothing much happens. I thought your visit might bring some sort of change.」Kaglai eyed Hikaru speculatively.

「You give me too much credit.」Hikaru said.

「Really? You appeared out of nowhere and became famous immediately, intervened in the war between Ponsonia and Einbeast, was the key figure in the civil war in Bios, and even made exchange with the new continent possible. Few know of you, but if bards were to learn about your existence, they will compose and sing songs of you as a hero.」

「Please spare me from all that.」

「Why do you dislike being in the spotlight? To avoid trouble?」

「You don’t have to ask if you already know the answer.」

「Hmm… I thought adventurers loved fame.」

Hikaru’s Instinct rang out in his head.

「When did I say I was an adventurer?」

It was a bait. Hikaru never did anything to expose his real identity, nor had he left any sort of clue behind. He even converted the silver coins he received from Kaglai as a reward through the Thieves Guild so they wouldn’t be traced back to him. After all, the Emperor seemed eager to find out Silver Face’s real identity.

「Before we left for Vireocean, there was an unusual transmission sent through the guild.」

Hikaru was taken aback. He came here before after realizing that Kaglai was calling for him by hanging a silver mask on the palace gates. Back then he left Lavia and Paula behind in Pond.

Kaglai was on a tight schedule, leaving for Vireocean the next day. Hikaru decided to accompany him, but he needed to inform the girls about the situation too. He did so by using the Linga’s Quill Pen, a magic item that the Adventurers Guild used to maintain their information network. He sent a message from Quinbland’s imperial capital’s guild to Pond’s guild—as the adventurer Hikaru.

Damn… I didn’t expect that one.

Kaglai assumed that Silver Face had a companion, and that he would contact that companion in some way. If the companion was identified, Silver Face’s identity would be revealed too.

「Are you angry?」Kaglai asked. The Emperor looked like a child afraid of being scolded.

Hikaru burst into laughter.「No, I’m not angry. I’m actually impressed. Countries sure are amazing.」

A country—an organization in some way—could easily outwit what a lone person was planning. No surprises there. After all, an organization employs all sorts of experts in different fields.

「Silver Face, you can rest assured. We know that the Adventurers Guild sent an irregular transmission, but we do not know what the message is exactly or who the recipient is. The guild is an independent organization, after all. The state cannot order them to disclose the content of their communications.」

「Why are you telling me this? You could’ve lied and said, “I know the contents of your transmission” to rattle me.」

「I wish to build a good relationship with you.」

Kaglai showed him a bargaining chip that he could’ve kept to himself. Does he really want to build a good relationship with me? Hikaru wondered.

「I understand. Now what? What do you want me to do?」

「Nothing.」

「Nothing?」

「Just have fun in the Empire. You can visit the national library in the capital as well. That place is great. It’s big and has the most number of books in the whole continent.」

Lavia’s eyes brightened at the words “the whole continent.”

Is that all he wants? A good relationship?

Politicians are experts in using anything possible.

He might make a demand at some point, but I guess we’ll just cross that bridge when we get there. Or maybe I’m just being too distrustful.

Hikaru chuckled inwardly.

The Emperor’s bedroom was quiet. The masked visitors left after an hour or so. It was almost midnight, which meant the emperor was already sleeping.

Two Imperial guards were always stationed at the hallway all night. Two more guards eventually arrived just in time for the shift change.

「Good work. How’s it going?」

「All clear. The masked guests already left.」

「I see. How is His Majesty?」

「He seemed to be in a good mood. He looked worn out lately from the trouble between the nobility…」

「Yeah. I hope his mind is at least at peace while he’s sleep—」

Ring. Ring.

A bell in the shape of a well bucket hanging from a side table on the hallway began ringing faintly.

Startled, the four guards turned their heads to the bell. It was a magic item that rang when its pair was sounded. It worked the same way as the bell that Count Morgstadt rang right before his death.

Of course, it was none other than the Emperor who rang the bell. The men flung the door to Kalgai’s room open.

「Your Majesty!」

The Emperor lay on the spacious bed, blood flowing from his neck. Beside him was a dagger stuck deep into a pillow.