Audience (4)
With each step Frondier took, people retreated from the center. A large space formed, and Frondier stood directly in the middle.
“I am Frondier de Roach. I have come forward at Your Majesty's command.”
Frondier contemplated kneeling but opted for a polite bow instead. He thought about how bothersome and tiring it would be if everyone had to kneel every time. More importantly, his intuition told him kneeling wasn't necessary.
“...Frondier.”
Bartello looked down at Frondier standing in the center.
The Emperor's gaze seemed unfamiliar, or perhaps too familiar. His narrowed eyes held a different kind of pressure than hostility or animosity.
“It's been a long time.”
“...That's right,”
“Devil's child.”
Bartello cut Frondier off.
Devil's child.
At the Emperor's repeated utterance, gasps could be heard around them.
It was common knowledge that Bartello had called Frondier the "devil's child" when he was just a baby.
Of course, those who heard the story back then didn't know that the devil's child was Frondier, but now they would know for sure.
“Your Majesty, I am not the devil's child. My family is here too.”
Frondier said playfully. He didn't want this nonsense about being the devil's child to spread and be talked about.
“No, you are the devil's child.”
However, Bartello had no intention of letting it go like Frondier.
“You just don't know it yourself.”
Naturally, Frondier's eyes sank at this.
Frondier himself was a problem, but at this point, he was worried about Enfer. He began to think that an enraged Enfer might just turn the entire palace upside down.
Of course, it was an exaggeration, but Frondier probably wasn't the only one worried about it. Everyone was pretending not to, but they were all watching Enfer's reaction.
“... .”
As they expected, Enfer was looking at Bartello with considerable displeasure, but he showed no sign of stepping forward immediately.
Frondier was a baby back then, but not now. He had grown into a fine young man, standing proudly in the center, facing the Emperor.
If Enfer stepped in here, it would be a humiliation for Frondier.
“...But.”
Bartello spoke in a low voice.
“You've subdued it. The devil.”
“...Excuse me?”
“That dreadful aura that surrounded you as a child has receded. Whether you overcame it or evaded it, I didn't think it was possible. What did you do, Frondier?”
“...I apologize, but I cannot understand Your Majesty's words.”
Frondier spoke honestly. Whether he was the devil's child, or the dreadful aura, or that he had overcome something.
He didn't even know if it was true or just the ramblings of a senile emperor.
But if he had to guess, it was probably because of the possession. If the original Frondier truly had such an aura, perhaps it disappeared because his soul was replaced due to the possession.
“...Haha. Is that so?”
Bartello laughed. It was a gentle smile. Frondier wasn't the only one surprised.
“It wouldn't have been easy. It's amazing. You've been through a lot at such a young age.”
...He had been through a lot.
Frondier didn't know if the hardships he had endured were what Bartello meant.
“Go back. I've made the atmosphere heavy. I need to rest for a while.”
Bartello said so and sank deep into his chair.
Frondier stood there in a daze, then bowed and retreated. He returned to his seat and thought.
‘...Devil.’
In the game, Etius, the existence of devils was somewhat unfamiliar. In this world, the only opponents humans had to confront were monsters.
Whether it was a mischievous fairy disturbing a farm or a colossal monster from mythology, humans collectively referred to all their harmful enemies as "monsters."
Therefore, devils shouldn't exist in the first place. Whatever it was, humans would call it all monsters.
However, devils clearly existed as knowledge. Otherwise, no one in this world would have mentioned the word "devil" in the first place, and it wouldn't have been so easily found in books.
And the most famous among those devils were the Seven Deadly Sins.
‘...The dreadful aura that surrounded Frondier.’
The aura he had since he was a baby had receded and was now gone.
From the days of the sloth, to now, Sloth.
‘Could it be, really?’
Frondier felt a headache coming on.
Devil, dreadful aura, laziness, Sloth.
All of it led Frondier to hypothesize in one direction.
The Devil of Sloth, Belphegor.
The story that had been passed around as a joke in Constel was beginning to unfold before his eyes as reality.
* * *
Afterwards, it was time to introduce those who had participated in the joint operation and achieved outstanding results, the protagonists of today's event.
Naturally, Frondier was included among them, and Eden Hamelot stood beside him.
Eden's body was completely stiff throughout the introduction, thanks to being placed next to Frondier.
“Next, Eden Hamelot!”
“Yes.”
Eden responded in an awkward voice when his name was called.
Philly smiled broadly at him.
“Mr. Eden is the leader of 'Phenomenon,' the headquarters of this joint operation. That alone qualifies him to be present here!”
“Thank you.”
“Furthermore, he successfully fulfilled his duties as a leader and, at the same time, predicted the meeting point between humans and monsters, leading to their immediate annihilation. He played a significant role in completing the operation.”
At Philly's words, the surrounding nobles murmured in admiration and chatted amongst themselves.
In truth, the specific details Philly mentioned weren't important to them. What mattered was Philly's way of expressing it.
Phrases like "sufficient qualifications," "successfully fulfilled," and "significant role" were the materials used to judge how great a person's achievements were and how much attention they would receive from the Empire in the future.
And currently, Eden was receiving a much higher evaluation than anyone Philly had introduced so far.
Moreover, as Eden was already famous as the top Pro, it was only natural that the nobles' interest would increase.
“But Mr. Eden.”
“Yes.”
“I also attended the meeting and heard a little bit about it.”
Philly said with a shy smile. She scratched her cheek as if embarrassed.
“Actually, even after hearing the explanation at the meeting, I couldn't understand how Mr. Eden figured out the meeting point.”
“...Ah, I see.”
“Could you briefly explain it here?”
Philly's polite demeanor didn't quite suit her as an Empress. Her embarrassed appearance while admitting her own shortcomings was also unusual.
However, it suited 'Philly' herself perfectly.
Because it contained a cunningness that most people could hardly discern.
‘Answer well, Eden.’
Knowing the true nature behind Philly's act, Frondier thought without a change in expression.
Please don't let your guard down.
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Thanks for the bonus chapter
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