"When you said he wanted you to take over his duties, did you mean as 'Consul'?"
Angel asked in surprise.
"Yes, including that title and this city's 'law enforcement' power."
The black-haired girl in the white dress answered, her gaze turning beyond the ship's railing again toward a nearby three-story building with eight irregularly arranged stone pillars. That was where the city hall and the "Consul" were located.
"There may be traps hidden in this request. Besides, according to the provisions in that book of city law, a nomination for Consul only takes effect after a vote of approval from the council. It isn't something he can decide alone."
Klein said with a frown.
"Yes, which is why I didn't agree. He didn't insist, either. He only said that if I agreed, he would push hard for the council to approve my nomination, and that as a surviving subject of the Trensoest Empire, I ought to shoulder this responsibility." Anne sighed softly as she answered, the same loneliness as before returning to her expression.
"But the empire fell long ago. They even changed the laws, abolishing hereditary nobility and replacing it with the current system based on distribution according to work and strict laws... When I arrived here, I appeared in the memorial hall dedicated to the 'Night Emperor.' It was deserted, which most likely means they no longer miss the 'empire.' So why bring up surviving imperial subjects..."
Angel muttered, somewhat worried that Anne might actually accept Consul Goredolf's request and become the new Consul of "Dream City."
That would leave Anne, who had been free until now, trapped in this city as a rubber stamp representing law enforcement authority. Angel would lose an important ally and friend, and it would do little to help their plan to obtain