"We're returning to the capital. Get things ready, Zoe."
"Understood."
Zoe nodded.
I left the room with her.
With these twenty-five million, we can put everything that had stalled back into motion.
Since our primary objective regarding the salt tax has been settled, there is no need to remain in Ducel any longer.
Stepping out of the building, I saw Zoe, who had gone ahead, pulling up a carriage toward me.
She was acting as she normally did, making her way back over to me.
Right from her flank.
Something suddenly lunged out from the shadows straight at Zoe.
A dull gleam arced through the air.
It gouged into her throat.
Zoe's knees gave out, and she collapsed to the ground.
"Who are you?!"
Kicking off the ground, I closed the distance in a flash and pressed the drawn Leviathan against the assailant's throat.
It was an emaciated, bloodshot-eyed, middle-aged man.
He held a dagger in his hand.
Was that the weapon that had just slashed Zoe's throat?
"..."
The man glared at me with open fury in his eyes, offering no answer.
"I have seen that person before."
"...Huh?"
However, when Zoe spoke up normally—sounding a bit surprised, but otherwise completely unharmed—the man's expression twisted into utter shock.
"H-How...?"
"You know this guy, Zoe?"
"Yes. When I went undercover as a spy, I saw his face."
"One of their men, huh... I see. Taking out your anger on Zoe for playing you for fools, is that it?"
"...Kh."
From his reaction, I knew my guess had hit the mark.
If that was the case, then so be it. I knocked him unconscious with an intimidating flare from Leviathan.
His eyes rolled back, and he crumpled to the ground on the spot.
Meanwhile, Zoe touched her neck, bewildered by the fact that—despite supposedly having been slashed—there was no blood on her hand.
"Why is there... no wound?"
"Feel around your chest."
"My chest...? There's something here. Is this... a jewel?"
What a bewildered Zoe pulled out was a shattered red gemstone—a ruby.
"It's a substitute ruby. I discreetly slipped it on you a while back."
"What?!"
"I sent you in as a spy; did you really think I'd send you out without any insurance?"
"Your Majesty..."
Tears welled in Zoe's eyes as she gazed at me, overcome with emotion.
"Your Majesty truly is incredible... To think you had planned that far ahead."
"You're an important maid of mine, after all."
"Your Majesty..."
Zoe looked all the more deeply moved.
☆
The day after returning to the capital, in the study of the detached palace.
I summoned Dustin, the Tenth Imperial Prince.
The man, who was also my elder brother, dropped to one knee and offered a perfunctory bow.
"What is it, Your Majesty, calling upon someone like me?"
Unlike the other imperial princes, Dustin spoke in a casual, irreverent tone.
"You've already heard about the affair in Ducel, haven't you?"
"Well, pretty much."
"They claim they sent women to you as well. Do you have any defense to offer against that?"
"I took 'em, yeah. They were pretty fine women, so I gladly accepted and have been enjoying 'em every day."
Dustin answered nonchalantly, wearing a look that said, And so what?
"So you admit to accepting bribes, then?"
I shot Dustin a sharp glare.
"If you accepted bribes and granted them special favors, even if you are my brother, I cannot shield you."
"Huh? Why the hell would I do favors for scum like that?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm an imperial prince, ya know? Just 'cause I got a few women from some commoners doesn't mean I gotta work for 'em."
"...I see."
Hearing Dustin's line of reasoning, I couldn't help but let out a bitter smile.
"They gave me women, and since they were top-notch, I took 'em. That's all there is to it."
"It's not as though you were unaware they were evading the salt tax, surely."
"What're you saying, Your Majesty? I'm not the Emperor; I'm just an imperial prince without an official post. Like hell I can be bothered to care about every little thing like that."
"..."
"Or rather, Your Majesty, the way you're putting it, does that mean they won't be able to send any more women? Aw man, the women from over there were high quality, so having the supply cut off is kinda—"
"All right, all right. That's enough."
My wry smile deepened.
Good grief, this guy.
"I understand that you weren't involved. However, the fact remains that you technically received bribes. A light punishment will be necessary."
After pondering for a moment, I pronounced the sentence.
"One year's forfeiture of stipend, and one month of house arrest."
"Sure thing. Ah, during house arrest, it's fine if I invite prostitutes to the mansion, right?"
"Do as you like."
As I replied with a wry smile, Dustin left the study with his usual lighthearted, "Gotcha."
"Honestly."
"Your Majesty, are you certain this is acceptable?"
Zoe, who had been waiting in the corner of the study, chimed in.
As part of handling the aftermath of this incident, I had kept her in the study so I could readily ask for her input, given her familiarity with the situation.
With a rare look of open displeasure, she glanced toward the door Dustin had just exited through and asked me.
"What do you mean?"
"Prince Dustin. Was that not excessively disrespectful?"
I let out a soft chuckle.
"That's Dustin's way of playing dumb."
"Playing dumb...?"
"Hiding one's talents and true intentions. It's his way of declaring, 'I'm fine as long as I can embrace women; I have no ambitions beyond that.'"
"...Then who is the one harboring ambitions?"
"..."
I was taken aback.
Startled, I looked at Zoe.
She had grasped it in an instant just from that exchange.
Her brilliance was such that keeping her merely as a maid almost felt like a crime.
"Never mind that for now. I have a firm grasp on the matter."
"Understood."
"More importantly, Zoe. There is somewhere I'd like you to go."
"Yes, command me as you wish. What would you have me do?"
Zoe straightened her posture and gave a slight bow.
Looking at her serious expression, I gave the order.
"Go serve as magistrate for a while."
"—!"
Perhaps she had expected a simple errand, as Zoe's eyes went wide.
"M-Me, a magistrate?"
"Why so surprised? It's happened before, hasn't it?"
"T-That is true, but... surely not me."
"Having you go will make things proceed the smoothest."
"............Ducel, is it?"
Though still somewhat surprised, Zoe accurately deduced my intention.
"That's right. I appointed Phil Mohm as governor-general of Gabel, but such a massive promotion is bound to be a heavy burden for an inexperienced youth. I want you to go to Ducel, keep watch over him from nearby, and report back to me immediately if anything happens."
"Understood. If that is the case, please leave it to me."
Unlike just a moment ago, Zoe's face was filled with resolve.
I created Huwawa's Box on the spot and handed it to her along with the imperial decree.
Accepting them, Zoe left the room with an enthusiastic expression.
A short while later, the maid Gigi came bursting in.
"M-Master—I mean, Your Majesty! It's terrible!"
"What is it? Calm down. Deliver your report slowly and accurately."
I gently scolded Gigi, who was still quite green in contrast to Zoe, and urged her to report.
"T-The Retired Emperor has arrived!"
"What?!"
This genuinely caught even me off guard.
"Show him in at once—"
"Hahaha, I'm already here."
Accompanied by hearty laughter, the Retired Emperor—Father—stepped into the study.
Father appeared dressed casually, looking not at all like a retired emperor, but rather like some local landowner.
His demeanor upon entering was exceedingly genial, as if he had simply dropped by for dinner.
Even so, he was my father and the Retired Emperor.
I stood up and hurriedly bowed my head.
"What brings you here, Father? If you needed something, you could have simply sent a messenger."
"No matter, no matter. I had some free time, so I merely came to visit. Even so..."
Father smiled with an amused expression.
"You never cease to impress, Noah."
So he said.
"In what regard?"
I replied, assuming he was likely referring to the salt tax affair—or so I thought.
"That girl. To think you could train a simple farmer's daughter into someone that remarkably sharp."
"...You have sharp ears as always, Father."
I smiled wryly at the unexpected topic.
I had only just decided on Zoe's assignment moments ago, yet Father already knew about it.
I had experienced firsthand since childhood just how formidable Father's network of eyes and ears was, but this reminded me that I was still underestimating it.
"People are treasures, after all."
"Indeed they are."
"More importantly, what brings you here, Father?"
"Ah, right. You did well with the matter in Gabel Province."
"Thank you."
Since it was only natural for him to know about that, I wasn't surprised.
"I heard the details. I figured that with who Noah is now, it would be safe to pass it to you."
"Pass what?"
"The seal on Leviathan."
"...Ah, I knew it."
"You had noticed?"
I nodded deeply.
"I suspected there was something more. It was constantly rivaling Bahamut, and the seal always felt on the verge of breaking without ever actually doing so. Based on the actual feel of holding it, there were several moments where it should have awakened, yet it never did. It was only natural to think there was a reason."
"Impressive as always."
Father chuckled happily and raised a hand.
At that, the study door opened, and Father's trusted confidant, the eunuch Cruz, entered carrying a long, slender box in both hands.
Cradling it, he approached me and opened the box.
"This is...!"
Startled by what lay inside the box, I stared at Father.
Lying inside was Leviathan.
I drew Leviathan from where it was stored inside my bracelet.
My Leviathan was right here—which meant this was another Leviathan.
"You know that the Magic Sword of Water, Leviathan, possesses a soul, yes?"
"Yes."
"That soul is not complete. Long ago, when Leviathan was sealed, its soul was split in two before the seal was placed."
"...I see. If the soul was incomplete to begin with, there was no way the seal could be undone."
"Precisely."
Father's expression turned serious.
"The lore says... that one must never undo Leviathan's true seal. But if it is Noah, it should be fine."
"...Thank you."
"However."
Shifting completely from his serious demeanor, Father returned to his cheerful smile.
"Even I do not know how to undo the seal. In fact, no record of it remains."
"A poison user who cannot create an antidote is the worst kind, isn't he?"
"Hahaha, quite right!"
Father looked up at the ceiling and laughed heartily.
I picked up the other Leviathan from the box Cruz was holding.
I compared the two Leviathans.
I pondered.
Both contained Leviathan's soul.
Originally one, it had been split into two.
To return it to one...?
I thought, and kept thinking.
After pondering for a while, I struck the two Leviathans against each other.
Clang!
With a crisp, clear sound, both swords shattered into countless pieces.
"What are you doing?"
"This."
I took out a ruby.
The substitute ruby that had saved Zoe's life from the assassination attempt in Ducel.
"This thing possesses a soul as well, and every time it shatters, I create a vessel for it. I'm going to do the exact same thing."
"Oho."
"Huwawa."
I summoned Huwawa and borrowed her power.
Huwawa excelled at creating objects and shaping forms.
Using that power, she gathered the fragments scattered in midair and shaped them into a single sword.
And then, the soul.
I forced the two Leviathan souls into it.
I pushed them in with the mental image of the two souls fusing into one.
Before long, the sword returned to its original shape.
‘Ever, and enduringly.’
What had previously been conveyed only through raw emotion now echoed clearly as a distinct voice inside my mind.
Leviathan—or rather,
The voice of Leviathan echoed within my thoughts.
――――――――――――
Name: Noah Ararat
Emperor of the Empire
Gender: Male
Level: 17 + 1 / ∞
HP: C + B Fire: E + S + S
MP: D + C Water: C + SSS
Strength: C + S Wind: E + C
Endurance: 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
――――――――――――
And on the status screen that always hovered in the corner of my vision, the "+" for Water rose even further.
Seeing that, and sensing what I was looking at through my gaze, Father said:
"Mm, splendidly done, Noah."
He spoke with a proud smile.
The magic sword, Leviathan.
It was the moment of its awakening.