Baharuth Empire, Royal Capital, Imperial City.
Jircniv Rune Farod El Nix, the man known as the Bloody Emperor.
He stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, his hands behind his back, his deep purple eyes gazing out the window.
The afternoon sun shone on his blond hair, making the carefully combed strands appear as if they were flowing gold.
His legs were long and thin, and his figure was slender; he stood there with the posture of a born ruler.
In fact, that is him.
A piece of intelligence was spread out on the table.
It wasn't an ordinary military report, nor a routine summary of political affairs; it was intelligence about that man.
Higashino Makoto.
Silver Paladin.
The savior of the Holy Kingdom.
The terminator of the Elf King.
Now, he's coming to the Baharuth Empire.
Jircniv's lips curled slightly upward. It wasn't a smile, but rather an expression of anticipation.
It's like the anticipation of a hunter waiting for its prey to fall into its trap, or the anticipation of a chess player waiting for their opponent to make a move.
He wasn't sure which one, but he was certain he was very interested in the man.
"His Majesty."
A deep voice came from behind him. Jircniv did not turn around.
"Explain."
"Higashino Makoto has entered the Baharuth Empire. He is expected to arrive in the Royal Capital in two days."
Three days...
Jircniv repeated it in a low voice, his fingers tapping lightly on the window frame.
"Have the arrangements been made with the Four Imperial Knights?"
"It's all arranged. Bajed Peshme, Nimble Yak Til Anuk, Leinas Rockbruise, and Nazami Einek have all received orders to be ready to contact Higashino Makoto at any time."
Jircniv nodded.
They were all paladins chosen by themselves, and in this country, apart from their teacher, the great mage who had lived for over two hundred years, they were the strongest.
He turned around, walked back to his desk, and sat down.
A map lay open on the table, marked with the terrain, cities, and military deployments of the entire Baharuth Empire.
His gaze fell on the mark in the center of the map.
Royal Capital
Then move northwest, which is the direction of the Re-Estize Kingdom.
"Higashino Makoto..."
He uttered the name calmly.
Who exactly are you?
No one answered. Only the wind outside the window rustled the curtains softly.
There was a knock on the door. Three knocks, neither hurried nor slow, with even intervals.
"Come in."
The door was pushed open, and a middle-aged man in a black uniform walked in.
His hair was gray, his face was thin, and his gray eyes held a hint of weariness. Holding a document in his hand, he walked to the desk and stopped.
"Your Majesty, the latest intelligence regarding Higashino Makoto."
Jircniv took the document and opened it.
His gaze swept over the densely packed handwriting, his brows furrowing slightly, then relaxing, then furrowing again.
"The annihilation of the Orc army outside the Dragon Kingdom... has that been confirmed?"
"Confirmed. Moreover, the Dragon Kingdom claims to be protected by the gods and has left behind twelve angels. According to intelligence, these angels are highly similar to the angels in the Holy King's capital."
"Based on speculation, it's very likely the work of that silver-clad paladin."
"Twelve angels... annihilated tens of thousands of Orc with a wave of their hands..."
Jircniv put down the documents, leaned back in his chair, and stared at the ceiling with his deep purple eyes.
"The Holy Queen has one by her side. The Dragon King Princess has twelve by her side. Those angels were all given to her by him."
"Yes. Moreover, according to intelligence, those angels are far stronger than even a steel-level adventurer. Each one is enough to rival an army."
Jircniv was silent for a moment.
What does he really want... a woman?
He shook his head. If those angels really were left behind by Higashino Makoto, with his power, what kind of woman couldn't he find?
The middle-aged man did not answer.
No one can answer this question.
Jircniv stood up, walked to the window, and looked out again.
In the distance, the streets of the imperial city bustled with people, the cries of vendors, the laughter of children, and the rumble of horse-drawn carriages mingling together to create a Peace scene of everyday life.
But he knew that this Peace was merely a facade. Beneath the calm surface, undercurrents were surging.
"Pass down the order."
"Exist."
"Let the Four Imperial Knights go to greet Higashino Makoto. Not 'make contact,' but 'greet.' In the name of the Baharuth Empire, in my name."
The middle-aged man's eyes widened slightly.
"His Majesty--"
He deserves this courtesy.
Jircniv turned around and looked at the middle-aged man, a certain light gleaming in his deep purple eyes.
"A being who could potentially annihilate tens of thousands of Orc with a wave of his hand, a being who could send twelve angels to other countries—such a person deserves the Baharuth Empire's courtesy."
The middle-aged man was silent for a moment, then lowered his head.
"Yes, sir."
He turned around and walked out of the room. The door closed behind him.
Jircniv walked back to the window and looked out. The clouds in the sky were reflected in his deep purple eyes.
"Higashino Makoto..."
He murmured the name, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Let me see what you really want."
Leinas Rockbruise approached Bajed Peshme on the very night she received the order.
Bajed was cleaning his sword in his room.
The longsword that had been with him for over twenty years was covered with fine scratches, but it was still sharp. He cleaned it very carefully, leaving no corner untouched, from the tip to the hilt.
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
The door was pushed open, Leinas walked in. She was wearing her signature silver-white light armor, and her long, light blonde hair fell down, obscuring the right half of her face.
Her exposed left cheek was as delicate as a porcelain doll's, and her deep blue eyes shimmered with a certain light in the candlelight.
"Bajed."
Her voice was calm, but carried a suppressed urgency.
Bajed lowered his sword and looked up at her.
"What's wrong?"
"Regarding Higashino Makoto... I heard that His Majesty ordered us to go and greet him."
"Right."
"Let me go."
Bajed's brow furrowed slightly.
"His Majesty has ordered that the Four Imperial Knights go together."
"I know. But please let me speak with him alone."
Bajed stared at her for a long time.
He had known Leinas for a long time and knew what kind of person she was.
To break the Curse, they'll do anything.
He once publicly stated that he would even attack His Majesty the Emperor if it were to break the Curse.
Such a person, who actively requests to be alone with a stranger, is definitely not acting out of goodwill.
"Why?"
"Because he can lift my Curse."
Bajed's pupils contracted slightly.
How did you know?
"Just a guess."
Leinas walked to the window, her back to him, her long golden hair gleaming silvery-white in the moonlight.
"The angels beside the Holy Queen and the Dragon King Princess were all given to him. He can summon angels and use them to protect a country. How could such a being be unable to break a small Curse?"