I summoned Don, the Fourth Prime Minister, to the study in the detached palace.
As always, I sat while Don stood on the other side of the desk.
Addressing Don, I first informed him that I was going to investigate Gabel, before continuing.
"I will create a diversion so they do not catch on."
"A diversion... Sire?"
"Yes. One could argue it is not strictly necessary, but it is better to be safe than sorry."
"I see... And what manner of diversion do you have in mind?"
"I shall make use of the villa."
"The villa..."
Don tilted his head, lost in thought.
"The summer retreat villa that the retired emperor renovated. I shall have it so that I take the Empress there."
"Understood. In that case, traveling via the Divine Palanquin would be best, would it not?"
When the Emperor formally departs from the capital, the scale of the procession is determined according to the purpose of the journey.
For the most important state functions, such as religious rituals, the Divine Palanquin with a scale of a thousand people is used.
Next is the Grand Palanquin, spanning five hundred people. This is used, for example, when going out to the outskirts of the capital to meet a victorious army.
Lastly, there is the Mounted Palanquin. With a scale of around a hundred people, it is intended for short leisure trips to the outskirts.
Incidentally, the vestiges of the "nation of warriors" remain here as well; whenever venturing out, one travels on horseback—a tradition handed down from our ancestors dictating that one must ride to one's destination.
From those three options, Don proposed the largest, most ostentatious Divine Palanquin to serve as a diversion.
"No, the Mounted Palanquin—actually, even smaller than that is fine."
"Even smaller... Sire?"
"Indeed. Frame it as if I left for the villa in secret. Use the Mounted Palanquin and have it head somewhere completely unrelated."
Don stared at me for a moment, then spoke.
"A double bluff... is it?"
"Precisely."
"Splendid as always, Your Majesty."
Don looked at me with eyes full of respect.
"Then I shall arrange it accordingly."
"Umu."
I nodded, leaned deep into the back of my chair, and looked up at the ceiling.
Unlike commoners' homes, even the ceiling was adorned with colorful decorations.
Gazing at it, I indulged in thought.
"Is something troubling you, Sire?"
"Going in secret to investigate the salt tax is all well and good, but if I lack a means to instantly prove I am the Emperor when it matters most, it amounts to nothing. I was pondering that."
I recalled the series of events from the frontier town of Lelmo onwards.
Even back then, while it had not surfaced as an active issue, the problem already existed.
When traveling incognito, situations inevitably arise where one must reveal oneself as the Emperor in a pinch.
During the incident in Lelmo, the two thousand soldiers led by Cheryl served that purpose.
That was only possible because it was a frontier town.
In an ordinary city, keeping a large body of troops stationed is difficult, and rushing to the scene in an emergency takes time.
Rushing across open wilderness versus navigating intricate city streets—the latter takes overwhelmingly more time.
The uncertain variables are too great, and there is no immediacy.
I wanted something that would make it instantly recognizable on the spot.
"How about the magic sword in Your Majesty's possession?"
"Do you mean Leviathan?"
"Yes. Its appearance is distinctive, and it is a one-of-a-kind piece after all."
I drew Leviathan from inside my bracelet.
The bare blade trailed an azure light.
Just as Don said, it had a distinctive appearance, and this Leviathan was likely the only one of its kind in the mortal realm.
"While this is fine, what happens if there is no one around who knows of Leviathan?"
"Mgh..."
Don was at a loss for words.
No matter how remarkable Leviathan might be, its existence was not universally known to all.
"What I desire is something where, if shown, a hundred people out of a hundred would know it is me—that I am the Emperor."
"That..."
Don furrowed his brow tightly.
"...I fear such an object likely cannot exist."
"...Umu."
On this matter, Don was probably right.
"An object that a hundred people out of a hundred would recognize as such cannot exist in this world. Perhaps I should compromise a bit."
"Ha..."
"...Hm?"
"Is something the matter, Sire?"
"No such object exists... An object, hm..."
As I muttered that repeatedly, an inspiration flashed in my mind in an instant.
After forming a concrete image of it in my head, I spoke.
"Can you do it?"
I held up my bracelet and asked those inside it.
Leviathan.
Bahamut.
Behemoth.
Huwawa.
Apophis.
Ziz.
I asked the inhuman beings who followed me.
Then, the first to respond was Leviathan.
Unlike Bahamut, it was not in clear words, but rather emotions flowing directly into my mind, allowing things beyond words to be strongly reflected there.
Including the human possession devised just earlier.
Lately it's only been Bahamut.
Leviathan's strong competitive spirit was vividly conveyed.
"Can you manage it?"
When I asked further, Leviathan's fierce emotion forcefully asserted, I can.
I looked at Don.
Since I was holding up my bracelet, Don knew I was talking with Leviathan and the others, so he did not join the conversation and merely stared at me quietly.
I decided to have Don assist with the experiment.
I closed my eyes and envisioned it.
Something that symbolized me.
People are treasures.
That which carries all those treasures.
The Magic Sword of Water, Leviathan.
With water, something that carries people and treasures.
—A ship.
Using the power of water, I drew an emblem in the air before me designed after an ark capable of carrying and protecting a vast multitude of people and treasures.
Simultaneously, I released intimidation through Leviathan.
Not the kind of intimidation that beat someone down with brute force like before.
I tested it on Don, striking him with a pressure that appealed powerfully to his consciousness.
"Hah—!"
Don fell to his knees on the spot.
Immediately afterward, a gasp escaped him.
His voice sounded as if half of that action had been his body moving on pure reflex.
"How was it?"
"Truly magnificent, Your Majesty!!"
Remaining on his knees, Don uttered the highest praise he had ever given.
Looking up at me, his face was mingled with excitement.
"That pressure just now—my consciousness clearly recognized, 'This is His Imperial Majesty.'"
"Then it is a success."
Up until now, Leviathan's intimidation had been aimed at crushing an opponent with pure malice and hostility.
Modifying it slightly, it was now directed to make them consciously aware that I was the Emperor.
Combined with the visual emblem, it seemed this would work out well.
☆
That night, I summoned Audrey and Anya to the bedchamber.
When Shirley came to the study to ask, I turned both of their figurines face up, replying that I designated them both.
Shortly, the two would arrive escorted by the eunuchs.
Since I would be parting from them for a while with tomorrow's departure, the idea was to summon them before then.
Until they arrived, I was idly browsing my own status.
―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Emperor of the Empire Gender: Male Level: 17+1/∞ HP: C+C Fire: E+S+S MP: D+C Water: C+SS Strength: C+S Wind: E+C Stamina: D+C Earth: E+C Intelligence: D+B Light: E+B Spirit: E+C Darkness: E+B Speed: E+C Dexterity: E+C Luck: D+C ――――――――――――
My status had grown and become quite complex compared to right after I was born.
Just pondering how it would develop from here on out was delightful in itself.
While doing so, the two were "delivered."
Even for the Empress, during formal bed-service, they were rolled up naked in bamboo mats and carried in by the eunuchs.
No, rather, one could say it was precisely because she was the Empress.
If she had remained merely the legal wife of an imperial prince, this would never happen.
It was special treatment accorded precisely because she was the Emperor's partner for the night.
The two were placed upon the bed, and the eunuchs collected the expensive wrapping cloths before hurriedly leaving the bedchamber.
I climbed onto the bed and drew near the two.
Then, Audrey spoke.
"Were you deep in thought about something, Lord Noah?"
"Hm? Ah, just a little."
Coming right after leaning over her, Audrey's question caught me somewhat off guard.
"I was thinking about my status. Come to think of it, what are your statuses?"
"Mine remains at 1."
"Mine is 2, due to a few things."
Anya answered bashfully.
Compared to Audrey, Anya had a slightly brash side to her, and I was somewhat curious about those "few things."
Smiling faintly, I cast the Status Check spell on both of them.
Normally I did not use it myself, but I did know the spell.
Unless it was in the bedchamber—a space where, even for an Emperor, only naked men and women were present—there would be no occasion for me, the Emperor, to use this spell.
Using it, I gazed at their statuses.
Just as they had reported, Audrey's level was still at 1 from birth, while Anya's had increased by one to level 2.
"Eh?"
However, for some reason, Audrey let out a gasp of surprise.
"What is the matter?"
"My maximum level... has increased."
"What?"
I looked at Audrey's status.
―――――――――――― Name: Audrey Empress of the Empire Gender: Female Level: 1/13 HP: F Fire: F MP: F Water: F Strength: F Wind: F Stamina: F Earth: F Intelligence: F Light: F Spirit: F Darkness: F Speed: F Dexterity: F Luck: F ――――――――――――
Having undergone the Rite of Name Removal, Audrey no longer had a family name.
Her title had become Empress, and the status itself was entirely of the lowest rank, fitting for level 1.
That was precisely why, at a glance, I had not noticed anything amiss.
However, the person in question claimed her level cap had risen.
"Could you be mistaken?"
"That cannot be; after all, it was a single digit before."
"...Then there is no mistaking it."
While one might misremember specific detailed numbers, mistaking a single digit for a double digit was quite difficult.
"Which means it truly has risen...? Why?"
"Um, Your Majesty. Mine has probably risen as well."
"Probably?"
"Yes... I do not usually check it, so I am not certain."
For a low consort—or any consort—that was normal.
Unless one was a knight, soldier, or of the breed known as adventurers, one rarely checked one's own status.
For noblewomen—who were protected by subordinates and knights, and considered it a virtue not to soil their own hands—it was all the more so.
"...Keep a close eye on it from now on. If it changes, let me know."
"Yes."
"Understood."
Once the two responded, I smiled faintly to change the mood.
And without a word, I extinguished the final light in the bedchamber.
☆
The next morning, upon waking, I told Zoe to check the statuses of the maids and eunuchs across the board.
I had her investigate whether there were others among those around me whose level caps had risen, but all the maids and eunuchs remained unchanged, and knights Shirley and Cheryl, who stared down their statuses almost daily, were similarly unchanged.
I began to wonder if Audrey's and Anya's cases had just been some sort of mistake.
"Your Majesty! It is incredible news!"
Audrey and Anya burst into the study where I was lost in thought.
"What is the matter?"
"Please, look at this!"
At Audrey's words, the newly recruited maid, Kate, who had followed silently behind them, cast the Status Check spell.
―――――――――――― Name: Audrey Empress of the Empire Gender: Female Level: 1/14 HP: F Fire: F MP: F Water: F Strength: F Wind: F Stamina: F Earth: F Intelligence: F Light: F Spirit: F Darkness: F Speed: F Dexterity: F Luck: F ――――――――――――
"Mgh."
"It has risen! It went up again!"
Just as Audrey said, her level cap had increased by one compared to what I had seen last night.
Which meant—I looked at Anya.
"Yes, mine has also risen compared to last night."
"...Is it because I embraced you?"
I looked at my own status.
The notation "∞," said to be unprecedented, caught my eye.
Had this happened thanks to this?
While I was still unable to be entirely certain...
"It must be so!"
"As expected of Your Majesty, this is amazing!"
Both Audrey and Anya.
Treated it as an absolute certainty, rejoicing tremendously.