Acting as a Slit-Eyed Villain Perfectly

Chapter 202

Chapter 202. Adratan (1)

The Adratan Empire gained its current status of grand eminence on the continent and amassed power strong enough to make other nations tremble in fear because of the conquest war initiated by the current Emperor, Adratan IV.

As a result, the eyes of the empire's subjects towards the pinnacle of imperial power, the 'Empereror Adratan,' exude respect beyond mere reverence.

At the forefront of merciless military forces, dominating adversaries and annexing other nations, denying his achievements would have been close to impossible.

- 'The Adratan Empire began with the birth of Adratan IV.'

Rumors as such circulated among the public.

Ignoring the name of the founding Emperor, the subjects worshiped only his prestige with the utmost reverence.

They believed that as long as he lived, the future of the empire would grow ever brighter—without the shadow of doubt.

Long live His Majesty, the Empereror Adratan!

On the Ascension Day, the cheers of subjects calling his name resonated throughout the capital.

***

"Look here, Hayden... This is my newly crafted pure gold statue!"

A white-haired old man, gazing with cloudy eyes at a statue depicting himself in his prime.

If one were to say that this decrepit old man was once the 'Empereror Adratan' who initiated the conquest war that shaped the current tripartite power structure of the continent, few would believe it.

'To think he has declined this far.'

Listening to the mutterings of the kneeling Yulian, Rinne realized that the 'Iron Monarch' so often spoken of did not exist anymore.

That revelation was evidenced not by the 'Emperor' before their eyes, but by the 'statue'.

Crafted not with mere gold plating, but pure gold.

No matter how it was a symbol meant to elevate the Emperor's prestige...

'It's extravagant.'

Besides the statue the Empereror Adratan clung to, there were plenty of statues with collapsed forms strewn around.

Of course, all of them were made of gold.

"Yes, I am looking, Your Majesty."

"I'd like your impressions. It was Abigail's direct order that designed it!"

As the Empereror Adratan, with unfocused eyes, addressed Hayden, a woman in a white dress stepped forward.

"As expected, it is Lady Abigail."

"Hoho, thank you, Sir Hayden."

"To think that the court's exclusive diviner possesses such an artistic sense; surely the phrase 'timeless talent' refers to Lady Abigail."

Kneeling and listening, Rinne sensed a thorn in Hayden's tone.

A speech implying, 'If you're a diviner, stick to your divinations,' yet.

Listening, Abigail displayed no emotion.

Many of the staunch knights were like this, after all.

"That large stone set atop the hand—is it a Resonance Stone, Abigail?"

Despite their conversation, the Empereror Adratan did not move his gaze from the statue.

The original reason for the gathering was to discuss capturing the 'Dawn Society'.

However, Rinne sensed that none of that discussion would progress until the matter of the 'statue' concluded.

"As expected, you are amazing, Your Highness Adratan. You accurately discerned it!"

"Huh, huhuh..."

Receiving the diviner Abigail's praise, a smile arose at the corners of the Empereror Adratan's mouth.

At that moment, the 'Resonance Stone' Abigail had mentioned caught Rinne's attention.

'It's fake.'

The Resonance Stone was fake.

With some expertise in observing the 'flow of mana', Rinne instantly noticed that the energy emanating from the stone didn't match that of a 'Resonance Stone'.

'I'm not the only one who knows this.'

Surely, everyone gathered knew that fact.

But nobody spoke, partly because of the presence of the diviner 'Abigail'.

'A hidden power behind the throne, backed by the Emperor.'

Because it was her undertaking, everyone kept silent.

Rinne was well aware of how the princes were, beneath the surface, furtively vying for the throne.

From the first prince to the fourth prince.

All busy expanding their own influences, indifferent to the Emperor's fate.

An emperor who, under the woman's skirts, lost his judgment and merely waited to die.

If the emperor were to die without having the time or effort to select a proper successor, it was evident they would resort to 'power' rather than 'succession'.

"Yulian Cryphart Frason is entering."

At that moment, the resonant voice of a member of the Heavenly Reverence Guard at the reception hall's entrance echoed throughout the grand chamber.

On a red carpet adorned with gold thread motifs, a slit-eyed man appeared, gliding along.

He approached the Emperor, not sparing even a glance at his own master, the 'Sword Saint', who knelt there.

"Yulian Cryphart Frason, representative of Blind Eyes. I have come at the call of the great sun."

Kneeling, as he respectfully greeted, the Emperor, with aimless eyes previously fixed on the statue, finally looked at him.

"Oh, Smiling Executioner! It has indeed been a long time. Seeing your face is a rare occasion indeed."

"How can this humble self gaze upon the sun constantly?"

"Hoho!"

Even before the Emperor, his whimsical nature was unchanged.

Naturally, he buoyed the Emperor's mood, smoothly bypassing the fact that he hadn't shown himself on the 'Ascension Day', waiting as he respectfully bowed his head for the Emperor to speak.

'... Chills down my spine.'

The Emperor of the Adratan Empire.

The heroic Sword Saint of the empire.

And the Smiling Executioner.

The atmosphere between this incompatible combination made Rinne feel suffocated.

"Ah, now that I remember, there's something I must ask of the Smiling Executioner."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"This statue. Yulian, what is your opinion on it?"

The Emperor, still with foggy eyes, asked the same question he had posed to the Sword Saint, gently stroking the statue with a contented smile.

"This sense is very similar to that of 'Nardan', one of the Empire's sculptors."

Hearing Yulian's muttering, Rinne abruptly recalled something.

'This gentleman...'

She realized he had deep insight into art.

"However, as for the Resonance Stone placed upon the hand..."

Yulian's words trailed off before he hurriedly shook his head.

His action made everyone around him watch in frightful anticipation.

'No way, you're not about to say it's a fake, are you?'

Ordinarily, a person who merely glimpsed the flicker of authority wielded by an 'Emperor' would lose their head.

So avoiding unnecessary situations by keeping one's mouth shut is the wise choice.

"Oh my, I almost misspoke. Please consider what was just said as never uttered."

There was no way Yulian didn't realize it was a fake.

"... What is it?"

The problem was, the Emperor had taken the bait.

'What is he thinking?'

Rinne stared with an expression unable to comprehend what Yulian was planning.

Regardless, Hayden watched Yulian's actions with interest.

Continuing, the Emperor spoke again.

"What is it you wanted to say, Yulian?"

"Your Majesty, it was my thoughtless speech."

"I asked what it was!"

Under the Empereror Adratan's intensity, Yulian slowly raised his head to meet the Emperor's eyes.

"Just my personal opinion, but I believe that Resonance Stone might be a counterfeit."

"A counterfeit?"

So he finally decided to do it.

No, from the outset, he intended to broach the topic that way.

The previously listless eyes of the Emperor began to fill with vitality.

"Yes, the processed Resonance Stone should naturally emit a subtle blue hue, but the one placed up there... seems to have a pale violet hue."

Expressing his observation, Yulian gradually shifted his gaze to Abigail.

"Perhaps, rather than the statue itself, the mage who processed the Resonance Stone must have concocted a scheme."

A crossing of gazes.

Though Rinne was unsure if the two were acquainted, Yulian's aura was akin to declaring, 'Stop your trickery.'

"However, it could be a miscalculation on my part. There are many types of resonance stones, so those emanating a pale purple hue could very well exist."

As if exhibiting his erudition, he finished the statement with a soft laugh.

In the audience chamber, all present, including the Emperor, focused their attention on Yulian.

"So, I know of a method to definitively distinguish the 'resonance stones'."

"What is it?"

Despite his otherwise vacant-looking eyes, faint intrigue had taken root in the Empereror Adratan's gaze.

'The most certain way is to infuse the Resonance Stone with mana.'

Unlike other gems, resonance stones react sensitively to 'mana'.

Thus, infusing mana would certainly confirm its authenticity as a 'Resonance Stone'.

However, if the Resonance Stone is so 'meticulously' crafted, it might even replicate such a 'mana reaction.'

"It's akin to past experiments done by mages with buoyancy: submerging it in water provides the answer."

"In the water, you say?"

Water?

Rinne tilted her head but soon comprehended the logic he presented.

'He means if you weigh it against a Resonance Stone of the same weight, you'd definitely know.'

That method would surely distinguish a true 'Resonance Stone', but must they employ such a cumbersome tactic?

Moreover, with a truly 'meticulously' crafted one, even the 'weight' could be manipulated—

"Yes, submerge the mage who processed the Resonance Stone into the water, and the answer will emerge."

Yulian wasn't referring to the stone but rather the mage who processed it.

"They say water knows the answer, don't they?"

Yulian grinned, the smile evoking a sense of bizarre foreboding for Rinne today.

What on earth was he aiming for?

Was it torture he intended?

Or was it a threat to Abigail?

From the crescent-shaped curve of his slit-eyes, no clear intention was discernible.