Baharuth Empire City, Audience Hall.
Jircniv sat on the throne, his deep purple eyes fixed on the tightly closed door.
His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, the rhythm sometimes fast, sometimes slow—a habit he had when he was thinking.
The Four Imperial Knights stood on either side below the throne.
Bajed stood at the far left.
The other three were the same as usual, while Leinas stood second from the right.
Her long, golden hair cascaded over her shoulders, not obscuring her right cheek.
That complete, delicate face shone with a soft glow in the candlelight.
Her deep blue eyes were calm as still water, but a faint smile played at the corners of her lips.
That was the first time in many years that she had smiled like that.
The audience hall was very quiet.
It was so quiet that you could hear the faint crackling of the candlelight, so quiet that you could hear the occasional birdsong from outside the window.
Jircniv's gaze swept over the Four Imperial Knights, finally settling on Leinas's face.
He saw the complete face, and he saw the smile.
His fingers paused for a moment, then continued tapping.
The Curse has been lifted.
The Curse that he had sought from countless people without success was cured by that man with a mere flick of his wrist.
What does this mean?
This means that the man's power far exceeded his imagination.
This means that the man possesses abilities that he cannot comprehend.
This means that if the man wanted to harm him, he would have no chance to resist.
Jircniv's lips curled up slightly.
That wasn't a smile, but a form of self-mockery.
He spent fifteen years building the Baharuth Empire into the strongest human nation on the continent.
He purged all his political enemies, consolidated centralized power, and promoted countless talented commoners.
He believed he had reached the pinnacle of human power.
But now, a man suddenly appeared and shattered his illusions with just one hand.
He couldn't even imagine how to resist the power that could destroy tens of thousands of Orc soldiers with a wave of his hand.
The door was pushed open.
The servant's voice came from outside the door.
"Mr. Higashino Makoto has arrived--"
Jircniv looked up.
A man with black hair and black eyes walked in.
He wore a dark robe, but no armor or weapons, and acted as casually as if he were visiting a friend.
Her long, black hair cascaded over her shoulders, gleaming with a cold light in the candlelight.
His pace was neither fast nor slow, each step carrying a calm and confident rhythm.
A little girl followed behind him. She had long, silver-white hair, a purple dress, and crimson eyes.
She walked half a step behind the man, like a quiet kitten.
Jircniv looked at the man, his deep purple eyes slightly narrowed.
This is Higashino Makoto.
The Silver Paladin, the savior of the Holy Kingdom, the terminator of the Elf King, the guardian of the Dragon Kingdom, and the one who cured Leinas's Curse.
He looks... very ordinary.
It's not just about being ordinary in appearance.
That face was indeed so handsome it seemed otherworldly.
Rather, it's their ordinary demeanor.
It lacks the oppressive aura of a strong person, the majesty of a superior, and the sharp edge that makes one instinctively want to back away.
He looked like an ordinary person.
An ordinary person who happened to be passing by and incidentally saved several countries.
But this "ordinariness" only made Jircniv more wary.
Because he knew that true strength doesn't require deliberate displays of power.
Their power is woven into every breath, every step, and every glance.
"Mr. Higashino."
Jircniv rose from his throne, walked down the steps, and approached Higashino Makoto.
He extended his hand, a perfectly timed smile playing on his lips.
Welcome to the Baharuth Empire.
Higashino Makoto looked down at the hand, then reached out and grasped it.
"Your Majesty, I have long admired you."
The instant their hands touched, Jircniv felt an unusual temperature—
It's a feeling, like grasping something that doesn't belong to humankind.
He released his grip, stepped back, and gestured "please" to the side.
Please have a seat.
Higashino Makoto sat down in the guest seat, with Illya standing behind him.
Jircniv walked back to the throne and sat down again. The Four Imperial Knights stood on either side, their eyes all fixed on Higashino Makoto.
"Mr. Higashino."
Jircniv spoke, his voice calm.
"First of all, thank you for curing Leinas's Curse."
It was nothing.
Higashino Makoto's tone was flat.
"What was a small favor for you was a rebirth for her."
Jircniv glanced at Leinas.
Leinas lowered her head slightly, her long golden hair falling down and obscuring her face.
But that smile still lingered on his lips.
Jircniv looked away and turned his gaze back to Higashino Makoto.
"Mr. Higashino, I heard you recently went to the Re-Estize Kingdom?"
"Right."
"I've heard about everything you did in the Re-Estize Kingdom: cleaning up the Eight Fingers, reforming the nobles, and forcing the king to abdicate."
Higashino Makoto raised an eyebrow.
"Your intelligence gathering is quite fast."
"The Baharuth Empire has some... channels within the Re-Estize Kingdom."
Jircniv did not deny it.
But I have a question.
"Explain."
Why are you helping the Re-Estize Kingdom?
Higashino Makoto looked at him, his dark eyes devoid of any emotion.
"I am not helping the Re-Estize Kingdom."
Jircniv's eyebrows rose slightly.
What are you doing?
I'm cleaning up the trash in the Garden.
Higashino Makoto's tone was flat.
"The Re-Estize Kingdom was too corrupt. The nobles were corrupt, the officials were incompetent, and criminal organizations ran rampant. The people suffered, and the country declined. I couldn't stand it, so I took the opportunity to clean it up."
That's all?
That's all.
Jircniv was silent for a moment.
He looked into Higashino Makoto's eyes, trying to find traces of hypocrisy, affectation, or deliberate intent.
But he found nothing.
Those black eyes were so calm, as calm as a stagnant pool.
"Mr. Higashino."
Jircniv's voice lowered slightly.
"Do you know that I've always wanted to annex the Re-Estize Kingdom?"
"I know. You're quite honest."
"Then you should know that what you've done—cleansing the Eight Fingers, reforming the nobility, and forcing the king to abdicate—will make the Re-Estize Kingdom stronger. This isn't helping me; it's helping my enemies."
Higashino Makoto looked at him for two seconds.
"So what?"
Jircniv tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest, his expression unchanged, but his heart was filled with mixed emotions.
"So I'd like to know, what is your attitude towards the Baharuth Empire and the Re-Estize Kingdom? Will you help the Re-Estize Kingdom against the Baharuth Empire?"
Higashino Makoto leaned back in his chair, his dark eyes staring at the ceiling.
"Won't."
Jircniv's fingers stopped.
"Won't?"
"No, not at all."
Higashino Makoto repeated it.
"I will not help the Re-Estize Kingdom, nor will I help the Baharuth Empire. You two should resolve your own issues."
"Then why did you do those things in the Re-Estize Kingdom?"
"Because I'm not used to its decay."
Higashino Makoto's voice was calm.
"It's like walking into a Garden filled with garbage and reeking of rubbish. You'd clean up the garbage, not because you want to live there, but because you can't stand the smell."
He paused.
"I clean up the Re-Estize Kingdom's trash not because I'm on the Re-Estize Kingdom's side, but because I hate trash."
Jircniv looked at him for a long time.
"What if you walk into the Baharuth Empire's house and find trash there too?"
"Then clean it up."
Higashino Makoto's answer was concise and to the point.
"But so far, the Baharuth Empire Houses are still relatively clean."
Jircniv's lips curled up slightly.
This time, it was a genuine smile, tinged with a hint of self-deprecation.
"Mr. Higashino, you're very direct."
I don't like beating around the bush.
"I can tell."