Damn, I recarneted As A Judge in Fantasy World

It was truly Abel's first time visiting the palace in a long time.

Actually, the visits weren't that rare.

He was called in every time something happened.

Perhaps it only felt that way because he had recently gone on vacation to Namhae.

What's going on this time?

Walking with unsteady steps, Abel quickly straightened his posture.

A little further ahead was the Emperor's office.

He needed to be mindful of his behavior.

As usual, he announced his arrival with a loud voice.

"His Majesty the Emperor!"

"....."

However, the atmosphere in the room was different from usual.

Emperor Charon's face was slightly distorted, and the middle-aged man sitting in front of him had a mysterious expression.

Abel had followed proper etiquette, yet the situation felt somewhat awkward.

Ah! If you had guests, you should have told me in advance!

He cried out inwardly but couldn't express his dissatisfaction.

Instead, he pretended as if nothing had happened and shamelessly proceeded with the formal greeting.

"Ah, it's been a while."

Now that he thought about it, the guest's face looked quite familiar.

They used to be fairly close.

This man had also contributed greatly to the development of Deliat.

His true identity was none other than Prince Paley I of Crawford.

"Nice to meet you, Your Majesty the King."

"Thanks to you, I have regained a life more fulfilling than ever. Should I say it's no different from when I was young?"

"Did you happen to have a late bloomer?"

"Of course. I have another cute daughter. Hahahaha!"

The Duchy of Crawford had only one heir, Princess Justia.

If a son had been born, the line of succession could have become more complicated.

In this world, succession to the throne was the norm.

If she's the Emperor's daughter, Princess Justia's position will never be shaken.

But why had this man come all the way to Perias?

Abel was curious, but he didn't bother to ask.

He'll tell me everything without me having to rush him.

After a brief pause in the conversation, the Emperor finally spoke.

"Did you have a nice vacation?"

Abel responded politely.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Thanks to you, it was very peaceful."

"But why didn't you report your return?"

"Huh?"

A dumbfounded sigh escaped Abel's lips.

He had just heard something completely absurd.

No, it's not like I'm in the military. What is he talking about?

His first reaction was disbelief, but he held his tongue.

If the Emperor felt disrespected, there was no telling what that eccentric ruler might do.

"I was so busy with work that I didn't think about it. I apologize, Your Majesty!"

"Well, I suppose that makes sense, given how many positions you hold."

Perhaps because of the guest's presence, the reprimand didn't last long.

But then, a realization struck Abel.

Wait a minute! Does this mean that wasn't a vacation but a mission?

His tangled thoughts suddenly became clear.

He had destroyed a pirate base and immediately hunted down all the officers who were colluding with Billy Gut.

So why had he been sent to Namhae for a so-called vacation in the first place?

I see. They sent me to cut out the rotten parts of the Navy.

Wow. The Emperor was truly terrifying.

Realizing the true nature of his "vacation" sent chills down Abel's spine.

Of course, whether it was true or not, Emperor Charon nonchalantly continued speaking.

"There is something I need you to do."

"I just got back?"

"You've had a great vacation, so now it's time to get to work."

"....."

At that moment, Abel perfectly understood the Emperor's true thoughts.

I get that I'm working under the guise of a vacation, but they don't even acknowledge it!

What kind of black company was this?

No—were there actually entire black countries?

He had a feeling there was no way out of this.

This really needs to be looked into!

How long was he supposed to live like a fool, blindly following orders?

Straightening his posture, he puffed out his chest and declared, "Just leave it to me. I'll do my best!"

Duke Crawford burst into laughter.

"Hahahaha! The royal families of the empire are very close. It would be nice if the royal family of our principality were like this too."

At first, he smiled happily, but then his expression suddenly darkened.

Clearly, something was wrong internally.

Abel noticed but didn't comment.

They'll tell me everything sooner or later, so why bother asking now?

Speaking up unnecessarily would only earn him the cold shoulder.

"It's not that difficult. You've already done it."

The Emperor's words made Abel tilt his head in confusion.

Because you've asked me to do so many things.

How many tasks had he already been assigned?

There was no one else who had contributed more to the empire.

But if he had to pick just one thing he hated doing the most…

My time as Governor of Deliat was the worst.

That had been like starting from absolute zero.

He had rebuilt a completely ruined country from the ground up.

Dying as the governor of a beggar state was the last thing he wanted.

But why did the expressions on both the Emperor and Duke Crawford's faces keep growing more and more ominous?

"Huh? No way? Oh, no."

"What are you talking about?"

"I really hope I'm not getting ordered to the Duchy of Crawford to handle some new task."

"Hoo hoo hoo."

Instead of answering, the Emperor merely smiled meaningfully.

The sight of that unsettling smile made Abel's anxiety spike.

"You're quick-witted."

"Hey, are you kidding me? With such a smart successor and son-in-law, what could possibly be the problem? And the King himself is so upright."

Suddenly, Kübler-Ross' theory of the five stages of grief popped into Abel's mind.

The psychological changes of a person facing death fit his current situation perfectly.

The first stage was denial.

Just like what he was doing now.

As the Emperor shook his head, Abel felt anger rising within him.

How long has it been since I got back from Namhae, and you're already giving me another mission?!

The second stage was anger.

But Abel vividly understood something.

He could control this level of anger—at least for now.

"This is no joke."

"Then how about I just end it with some advice? There's a master here, so the governor-general system seems a bit strange."

With just one remark from the Emperor, Abel moved on to the third stage: bargaining.

But no amount of negotiation would change the inevitable.

"Your Majesty desires complete rule. Only until the country is back to normal."

Abel shot him a look as if asking why?

No ruler in their right mind would willingly offer up their country.

Just look at what happened to Yeats' nation after it was absorbed into the empire.

But Paley III's expression remained unchanged.