Rei was surprised to hear from Jive that the Emperor wanted to see him, but Vihera was even more shocked than he was.
Before she had fled the Bestia Empire, her father was the kind of person she was lucky to speak with even a few times a month. She felt no affection for him as a parent, but she did respect the fact that he was capable of managing a great power like the Bestia Empire.
Since such a man was saying he wanted to meet Rei, it was only natural to sense a political motive behind it. Knowing that Rei disliked those kinds of affairs, she felt a surge of unease, but then Jive said something even more unexpected.
"Her Highness Vihera... no, Lady Vihera, he also requested that you accompany him if you are willing."
"...Me too?"
"Yes. You played a significant role in this battle as well, so I imagine that is the reason."
"Technically, I am someone who fled this country... is that really acceptable?"
Vihera asked to confirm just in case, and Jive returned a nod with a smile.
"Of course, His Majesty Trajist is well aware of those circumstances. He explicitly stated it would be fine, so I believe you need not worry. It must have been a long time since you last met His Majesty the Emperor, so please, take your time."
"Even before I left, meeting my father... no, His Majesty the Emperor, only happened a few times a month at most."
"He governs the vast nation of the Bestia Empire, so surely you understand that he cannot easily set aside free time?"
At those words, spoken as a gentle chide, Vihera shrugged her shoulders and conceded, "I suppose you're right."
As she did so, her chest swayed heavily, drawing the eyes of the other officials nearby—and even the soldiers—to say nothing of Jive.
"Hrm, ahem. Lady Vihera, I believe it would be better if you wore somewhat more modest clothing when you meet His Majesty Trajist. If His Majesty were to learn that his own daughter was dressed in such provocative attire, he would surely lament."
True to his high standing, Jive made his statement without even glancing toward Vihera's cleavage.
However, Vihera didn't seem to mind Jive's words at all as she spoke with a smile.
"Really? I don't think my father would care much about what I'm wearing. Besides, unfortunately, I am currently Vihera the Adventurer. I didn't bring any other clothes besides these."
"...You'll catch a cold in this weather, you know?"
"It's fine, I've properly considered that. This outfit is actually quite warm, despite how it looks."
Jive's urge to reflexively ask, This is an outfit? was certainly justified.
What Vihera wore was a thin raiment that was translucent enough to see through to the other side. Beneath it, the only thing covering Vihera's desirable body was the inner layer she wore over her underwear. It was something a prostitute or a dancer might wear, and it was certainly not the kind of attire Jive imagined when he heard the word "clothing."
"Yes. To be precise, it's an effect of it being a magic item."
"...Ah, I see. I wondered why you were wearing such stimulating attire, but it was a magic item, was it?"
"That's right. ...Though, for someone calling it stimulating, you didn't seem very interested, did you?"
Since she was dressed like this, Vihera naturally understood that she possessed the beauty and physique to arouse a man's desires. Of course, given her former position as a member of the Imperial House, she didn't expect to be ogled intensely, but she did think he would glance her way casually yet repeatedly, like the other soldiers.
However, although Jive looked like he might have been momentarily distracted, that was all it amounted to.
"I may not look it, but I have a beloved wife."
"Still a devoted husband as ever, I see. So, what will we do? I only brought these clothes, and more importantly, since I am now Vihera the Adventurer, I have no intention of carelessly taking them off."
Vihera said this, but of course, those words were a lie. In the first place, this thin raiment was a quite expensive magic item, and it wasn't something she could easily buy a spare of if something happened. That was exactly why she had made preparations to change immediately if the need arose.
Nevertheless, as she had just stated, for Vihera the Adventurer, this attire was her current formal wear. She would likely have to surrender her weapons, such as her gauntlets and greaves, before the audience, but she had absolutely no intention of removing this thin raiment.
"Besides... the only person in this world I've decided it's okay to take this off for is just one man."
She directed a sidelong glance toward Rei, who was eating the food piled on his plate while listening to the conversation beside her. Rei met Vihera's words with a troubled smile to brush them off.
Seeing the interaction between the two, Jive likely understood the relationship between Rei and Vihera. After thinking for a moment, he eventually nodded as if he had no choice.
"I understand. His Majesty Trajist is not one to worry about small details. If it is your word, Lady Vihera, there should be no problem."
As Jive muttered this reluctantly—very reluctantly—Vihera flashed a beautiful smile. The other officials were looking at Jive as if to ask, Is this really okay? but given how they were repeatedly glancing at Vihera's body even then, they had no persuasive power whatsoever.
Was it misfortune or good luck that Cuerda, whose head was being forcibly held down by Jive, could not see Vihera's figure? At the very least, since his standing with Jive did not drop any further, it was likely good luck.
...Though his evaluation had already hit a major low due to his attitude toward Rei.
"Then, shall we head out? His Majesty Trajist is waiting."
"Right now? Is the formal audience over already?"
Vihera was surprised by those words that came casually from Jive's mouth. Rei was the same, and he reflexively addressed Jive.
"Right now?"
"Yes. The formal audience has already concluded, and he is currently taking time for just the members of the Imperial House. ...There is also the matter of His Highness Cabajid."
Jive's explanation satisfied Rei while simultaneously raising a new question. It was fine to call for Vihera now; in the sense of mourning Cabajid's death, even if she had fled the country, Vihera was still a member of the family. However, he wondered why he was being called there.
(Is it because I was active in this internal strife? No, if that were the case, there'd be no need to call me during time reserved for his family...)
Rei was filled with doubt, but Vihera gently placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Worrying about it won't do any good. My father does unpredictable things from time to time, so in that light, this matter isn't all that strange. More importantly, it would be rude to keep him waiting here. Let's go."
At Vihera's words, Rei stood up as if being led. It was true that keeping someone in the position of Emperor waiting would be rude, and it was also true that he was interested in the man named Trajist whom he had seen at the arena.
In terms of the Imperial House, Rei had met Vihera, Mercurio, and Frizion, and as enemies, he had faced Schuls and Cabajid, but he had never met the Emperor himself up close. He had only seen him from a distance at the arena, yet even then, he had felt an overwhelming sense of status and presence from Trajist. In that case, he wanted to meet him directly... it wasn't strange for him to feel that way.
"It seems you are willing. Well then, shall we go?"
Guided by Jive, who smiled at Rei's reaction, Rei and Vihera left the hall that had been opened as a banquet venue. The mobile unit soldiers and the other soldiers who were inside this hall saw Rei and Vihera off, each wearing an expression as if they had seen something incredible.
"Lady Vihera aside, for even Captain Rei to be called by His Majesty the Emperor... he really is amazing, isn't he?"
"For sure. But you could have expected that, couldn't you? There isn't anyone who hasn't noticed that Lady Vihera is head over heels for Captain Rei. To put it another way, isn't this that thing? Like, 'Please give me your daughter' or something."
"...To His Majesty the Emperor?"
"...Captain Rei isn't going to end up in a fistfight with His Majesty, is he?"
"..."
At those words, many of those who heard the exchange fell silent. Inside this vast hall, the voices of those who were drunk and making a fuss, unaware that Jive and his group had come, buzzed in the soldiers' ears to a noisy degree.
"Lord Rei, I apologize, but I must ask you to surrender your weapons."
They had walked for about ten minutes from the great hall where the banquet was being held. When they reached a room located toward the edge rather than the center of the castle, Jive spoke to Rei.
"Weapons? ...Is this enough?"
Rei drew the mithril knife he wore at his waist, sheath and all, and handed it to Jive. However, Jive took it but shook his head.
"We are aware that you possess an item box, Lord Rei. We also know that you store several weapons inside it. Furthermore, we know that by using the item box, you can instantaneously produce whatever you desire into your hand. And... as long as you are an alias holder adventurer, we cannot allow you to pass before His Majesty Trajist while holding such items... which could be called dangerous materials."
"...I see."
Rei nodded, thinking it was only natural. Rei himself lacked the self-awareness, but he was a person with the power to repel even Noise, an adventurer belonging to the Kingdom of Mireana that had been a long-time enemy of the Bestia Empire, and he had a history of fighting against the subjugation army in this internal strife. With all that lined up, he realized it wouldn't be strange for them to recognize him as a potential enemy.
However... even so, he could not so easily hand over the Misty Ring, which was his lifeline. If it were taken away like this, it would be a fatal—well, not fatal, but certainly a catastrophic loss for him.
"I'm sorry, but this is my lifeline. I can't hand it over. If you say I absolutely must, then unfortunately, I'll have to decline the audience."
At those words, the officials other than Jive widened their eyes. To the people of the Bestia Empire, they had never imagined there would be someone who would refuse a summons from the Emperor.
Of course, this wasn't just because Rei was a citizen of the Kingdom of Mireana. Even among people of the Kingdom of Mireana, most would follow unconditionally if the Emperor said he wanted to meet them. This happened because Rei's values themselves were simply different.
While he might not have understood Rei's reasoning, Jive took a small box from his breast pocket.
"What you say certainly has merit, Lord Rei. It is a fact that many in this country hold a grudge against you, so I understand that you cannot say 'yes, certainly' when told your item box will be taken. Therefore... how about this? We place the item box in this box and lock it, and then you hold both the key and the box itself."
"...I see."
Jive's idea was indeed one that even Rei could easily accept. In short, it was enough as long as Rei was in a situation where he couldn't use the item box immediately; it wasn't strictly necessary to entrust the unusable item box to another person.
"I'll ask just in case, but the key works properly, right? For example, it's not like once you lock it, you can never use it again..."
"Yes, as you can see."
Saying this, Jive repeatedly locked and opened the box he held several times. Seeing that, Rei finally felt relieved. He placed the Misty Ring into the box he was handed, locked it, and held it in his hand.
"...Lord Rei, it seems there is something you've forgotten?"
Just as those around let out a sigh of relief, Jive's voice rang out again.
"Something I forgot?"
"Yes. The magic item at your waist. That is also a weapon, is it not?"
The Eye of Nebula, which created arrowheads using magic power. It was a magic item he had obtained after coming to the Bestia Empire.
"...You're quite sharp-eyed."
Muttering quietly, Rei took the Eye of Nebula that was hooked to his belt and handed it to the man holding the mithril knife. He had wanted to keep at least one weapon in case something happened, but with this, he had truly surrendered all of his weapons.
Of course, in Rei's case, his physical ability was inherently superior, and as long as he possessed the skill Flame Emperor's Crimson Armor, the degree of his danger wouldn't differ much whether he held a weapon or not.
Vihera also removed her gauntlets and greaves and handed them over.
"Then, these weapons shall be returned after the audience is over."
Bowing deeply, Jive knocked on the door of the room.