NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 161
Imperial Palace.
The Imperial Palace itself symbolizes the authority of the Orserk Royal Family.
Even aside from its area and scale, comparable to that of an entire city, just coming here overwhelms one with its ‘magical beauty.’
‘It’s always impressive, no matter when you come.’
The palace of Orserk exists in a space where all weathers and seasons coexist.
Currently, I am walking through a place blanketed in soft snow.
With each step, the crunch of snow beneath my feet stimulates my hearing; yet ironically, the wind blowing in is the first warm breeze of summer.
Here, it feels completely normal for my feet to be cool while the air I breathe is warm—a contradiction that occurs without a second thought.
‘I understand now.’
And as I experience this contradiction, a particular place comes to mind.
The Sea Wall.
A mysterious space where the gravitational forces of the moon and sun, as well as wind and currents, are ignored, allowing a sea wall to rise hundreds of meters into the sky.
The paradoxical attributes of that space were also applicable here.
The cognitive dissonance of the seasons mixing chaotically could be felt in every space.
“Lord Fix, you are remarkably composed.”
At that moment, the royal scribe smiled and looked back at me.
He briefly made eye contact with me before turning his head forward again and continued speaking.
“But the reason you can remain calm is because of the Emperor’s consideration. If His Majesty so wishes, this beautiful space could turn into hell at any moment.”
The scribe said this while walking through a space filled with cherry blossoms.
Indeed, true to his words, the area I was walking in was filled with beautiful things that elicited admiration.
Countless cherry blossoms burst forth into the sky and fluttered from the cherry blossom trees lining either side of the snowy field.
“That means His Majesty must cherish you that much. I envy you for being the one who monopolizes His Majesty’s affection as a vassal.”
The scribe laughed heartily, his face crinkling with wrinkles.
However, despite appearing to be an ordinary old man on the outside, he was one of the few capable beings in this world.
He walked casually through a space that was likely a manifestation of ‘ancient magic.’
“But it seems that His Majesty loves you more than he does this old man who has served him for decades, so I’m a bit jealous. Just consider this a bit of affection.”
As he said that, the scribe lightly snapped his fingers.
Suddenly, it felt as if a strong tremor shook the very space itself, and the straight path collapsed, transforming into a distant abyss.
Yet the scribe stepped onto the void as if nothing had happened.
He walked in mid-air with his hands clasped behind his back.
“A place to test loyalty.”
The scribe spoke while standing on the air, turning to look at me.
There seemed to be a playful glint in his eye, curved like a crescent moon.
“If your loyalty to His Majesty is genuine, you will be able to pass through here and receive His favor. By the way, when you pass through here, all your mana will be blocked, so you must cross only with your loyalty. If His Majesty cherishes you, you must surely show true obedience to him.”
The scribe smiled, as if testing my loyalty to the imperial family.
However, I would undoubtedly fail that test.
My relationship with the Imperial Family was much closer to that of business partners than that of lord and vassal.
“Understood.”
But instead, I boldly stepped forward.
I extended my foot into the void, where a steep black floor yawned open beneath me, with a desolate wind blowing.
– Whoosh!
And in that moment, I fell downward.
I felt the overwhelming force of gravity pulling me toward the ground with my whole body.
– Thud!
But that dizzying sensation was just temporary.
Soon, something soft caught me.
Literally, a fluffy cloud broke my fall.
The scribe laughed as if he couldn’t believe it.
“Hehe… Was this a bad business deal? That you’d receive such favor even without a hint of loyalty.”
The scribe confirmed my loyalty to the Imperial Family by witnessing my rapid descent.
However, as he said, I received the grace of the Imperial Family even without loyalty.
Knowing that the Orserk Family needed me as the ‘descendant of the first reincarnator.’
‘Moreover…’
How much is the tax I pay?
How much benefit has the Empire gained from me if converted to money?
If anything, they should at least thank me for turning in such money without loyalty.
Even in mobile games, spending 100,000 won results in flashy effects and enthusiastic acknowledgments like, ‘Thank you, valued customer!’ Yet I have pumped several billion Orden into the Imperial Family.
Shouldn’t the Emperor feel gratitude towards me for that?
– Floof!
Just then, the cloud began to drift and move beneath me.
It lifted me into the air, rising beside the scribe as if it had a will of its own.
“Hmm. It seems you are not someone I can easily dismiss. My apologies.”
The scribe said, looking slightly flustered, before he began to lead the way again.
I wondered if this cloud had something special about it, but there was no way for me to find out.
So I continued following the scribe, riding on the cloud.
Eventually, I passed through a few more spaces, each sight more breathtaking than the last.
It felt as though I was traveling around the world in terms of properties.
“This is it. The best view for His Majesty.”
After traversing an unspecified number of spaces, I finally arrived in a room filled with auroras.
It was a mysterious space where sulfur-tinted and violet auroras danced.
“Step inside.”
At that moment, the scribe reached out into the air and made a gripping motion.
As he pulled with that motion, the space itself tore apart, revealing a passageway.
I stepped inside following the scribe.
– Thud… Thud… Thud…
The sound of footsteps echoed low.
A strange space where Eastern and Western architectural styles blended together.
Upon exiting the passage, a small room came into view.
Inside was a spacious bed, upon which lay a man.
The man was gazing up at the glass ceiling, propping his head with his hands.
He was looking at the night sky filled with auroras.
“Your Majesty, Count Edgar Fix has come to pay his respects.”
At that time, the scribe lowly bowed and announced my arrival.
The man, still with his hands clasped, gazing at the night sky, replied in an indifferent tone.
“Oh, go ahead.”
– Sssshhh…
The scribe began to step back.
Soon, only the Emperor of Orserk and I remained in this magical space.
However, as the Emperor of Orserk threw off the blanket and sat up, I couldn’t help but be surprised.
He was dressed in a shabby tank top and trunk-style underwear.
“Why? Did you wake up a bit?”
The middle-aged Emperor, with a bushy beard, chuckled lightly.
I lowered my head and replied that I hadn’t, to which he said there was no need for formalities and to just relax.
“Alright, alright. Why would we play dress-up around here? Beer?”
The Emperor pulled a can of beer from the refrigerator and shook it lightly.
Once I nodded, he tossed a beer can toward me with a swift motion.
“Nice catch.”
As I caught the beer, the Emperor began to gulp his own down.
However, as beer dribbled down, soaking his beard, he grimaced and set the drink down, saying,
“Ugh, I was too lazy to shave… I’d better do that. Just wait a moment.”
With that, the Emperor entered what appeared to be a restroom.
Then, I heard the sound of something akin to shaving cream being sprayed, followed by the buzzing of an electric shaver.
“……”
I watched the scene with a rather dumbfounded expression.
He was so far removed from the image I had of an emperor.
“Well! How does it look? A bit tidier?”
When the Emperor emerged from the restroom, he stroked his chin and asked.
Upon saying that he looked much brighter, he laughed heartily and took another drink of beer.
“Ahh, this is never boring no matter when you drink it.”
“……”
He looked just like a modern-day office worker in his 40s.
At that moment, the Emperor snapped his fingers.
Suddenly, the bed disappeared and a table and chairs appeared.
As the Emperor sat down in a chair in front of the table, he said,
“Take a seat. Both of us have much to talk about.”
“……Yes.”
I nodded and sat down in front of the Emperor.
While I still couldn’t quite grasp his true intentions, I could genuinely feel his friendly attitude, so I opened the beer and took a sip.
– Snap!
Then the Emperor snapped his fingers again.
Peanuts and dried squid appeared on the previously empty table.
“We ought to have something to munch on. Or maybe some snacks?”
“No. Peanuts will be enough.”
“Okay. You get peanuts. But chicken should go with beer.”
Saying that, the Emperor snapped his fingers once more.
Half fried and half seasoned chicken appeared on the table.
The Emperor grinned and said,
“You can stick to peanuts. I’m going to eat the chicken.”
Immediately, he grabbed a drumstick and began devouring the crispy chicken.
Yet I couldn’t understand his playful demeanor.
What was the purpose of summoning me here?
“What’s the matter? Are you angry? Just kidding, just kidding. Here, take one.”
Seeing my expression, the Emperor picked up a seasoned drumstick and offered it to me.
However, with my expression still deadpan, I stared back at him and replied.
“I don’t understand Your Majesty’s intentions. Surely you didn’t summon me here just to snack on chicken.”
“……”
The Emperor, frozen with a drumstick in hand, slowly placed it down and licked the seasoning off his fingers.
Scratching the back of his head, he replied.
“You got mad because I didn’t give you fried chicken, huh?”
“Your Majesty.”
“Got it! Got it! Oh come on, why so serious over a little joke?”
As he said this, the Emperor tore into the seasoned drumstick.
With seasoning smeared across his face, he opened his arms wide and announced,
“By the way, how do you like it here? It’s quite bearable, isn’t it?”
“……Yes. It’s truly a magnificent sight.”
“Hehe. Yeah. I really put some effort into the inventory.”
“……?”
Inventory?
Did he just say this place was part of his inventory?
“Yeah! That inventory. The one you can use too. This is all within my inventory.”
“……”
That was an astonishing revelation.
The spaces I had just traversed were all inside an inventory.
“Where does the inventory start and end?”
However, I had no idea of the extent of the inventory.
I couldn’t figure out where it began.
The Emperor chuckled and answered.
“Well, beginning from the entrance, of course. The entirety of the Imperial Palace is part of my inventory. Isn’t that cool?”
“……”
“In other words, it’s like Noah’s Ark. A place to escape when humanity is facing extinction, or something like that? The ‘Sea Wall’ serves a similar role. You’ve heard about it, right?”
I nodded.
True to the Emperor’s words, the ‘Sea Wall’ was not only a secret space for me but also a place to prepare for the future.
“But in this case, the purpose slightly differs from that of the Sea Wall. The Eggerton folks hid away in the middle of the sea for your return, while Orserk remains here to control the rampaging Four Directions kingdoms.”
I nodded again.
As the Emperor said, the Eggerton family constructed the ‘Sea Wall’ while completely forgetting my existence, in order to escape from the conquest wars of the Four Directions kingdoms. Meanwhile, Orserk stayed behind to establish the Empire and bring stability to the continent after ending the conquest wars.
In short, the Eggerton family erected the Sea Wall to pass on the artifacts and ‘powers’ to me, while the Orserk family remained here to entrust the ‘unified humanity’ to me.
“……Well, it seems you understand a bit. Anyway, the great war seven years ago was also conducted to unify all humanity… Ugh, the resistance was quite fierce, you know. Back then, we had no way to subdue Clendor.”
The Emperor lifted his beer in frustration.
Scratching the back of his head, he continued.
“Anyway… I did all I could. Expanded the territory, established the Empire Academy, devised military plans against the Abyss… Quite a lot, actually.”
The Emperor recounted his past accomplishments with an air of nonchalance.
Then he took another sip of beer and said.
“It was tiring. I really didn’t want to do anything, but I had to. It’s just how it goes.”
He set the empty beer can down on the table.
Letting out a belch, he leaned back in his chair.
Looking up at the night sky, he said.
“But do you know? Our Orserk family is unbeatable, at least among humans. We must rule the Empire with overwhelming strength.”
“……”
“That’s why… everything becomes boring easily? The very essence of being human becomes tiresome. You see it all, right? The thoughts and patterns of a person. What they’ll become in the future…”
“……”
“You learn things quickly. You can perceive the essence of the world. Whenever you learn, everything comes easy. Ahhh, it’s really so damn boring.”
The abilities of the imperial family that allowed them to easily acquire anything meant that the Emperor had fallen prey to an incurable disease of ennui.
He no longer felt a will to live.
“Wow~. But strangely, something fun happened for me. My daughter. My daughter Sephilia. She doesn’t see anything at all. She’s so adorable. Ever since inheriting all those memories and powers, everything became dull, but Sephilia was just fine. So, I decided to try living for her.”
The Emperor said this and snapped his fingers.
Another beer appeared on the table.
As he opened the beer can, he said.
“Wow… But now that she’s over five years old… Ugh, she says she’s starting to see? Everything that comprises her. And from that point on, she became bored just like the rest of them. The thrill I felt seeing her, the happiness I had every time I looked at her—all of that vanished.”
The Emperor gulped down his beer.
With a bittersweet smile, he continued.
“But when I think about it, I was the same way. Father adored me up until I turned five, you see? But once I turned six, he began to be annoyed by me. So, I recalled every memory from that era up through mine, and it had always been this way. My entire past life was exactly the same.”
“……”
“Since then, it drove me nearly mad. What exactly am I? The memories of every emperor before me are so vivid that it drove me insane. Even the memories before entering ‘this world’ are clear as day. Just a regular me, showing up at a game company.”
“……”
“At that moment, I realized. I was the fool all along. The kings of the Four Directions kingdoms, who performed conquest wars while forgetting all past memories, weren’t the idiots. It was me, who came this far while preserving every memory.”
The Emperor seemed to lament, recounting his story as if it were a cry for help.
Looking at me with a self-deprecating smile, he said.
“What do you think I am? Once a man who adored me dearly, yet ultimately abandoned me—my father. And just like him, I also became my grandfather before him. Then before that, I was my great-grandfather. What is this?”
“……”
“…. Heh. You don’t even have a clue, huh? Well, I gave up thinking. The important thing is the purpose for which I’ve come down. In the end, the only meaningful thing is my purpose.”
The purpose of the Orserk Royal Family.
To unify humanity in anticipation of the demons that will one day invade and destroy the world.
Perhaps that’s why the Emperor’s eyes sparkled with rage.
“But why did you bring chaos to this world? A world where the ruling class and the ruled are clearly divided. It’s the most suitable system for controlling humanity. Why would you want to spoil the achievements I’ve set in place?”
..Just as the Emperor said, the existing paradigm is indeed a system suitable for dominating humanity.
If the ruling class is invested with religious authority, the ruled would, of course, follow.
“New flesh must sprout by cutting away the rotten parts. It’s an inevitable process for pus to seep out and bleeding to occur.”
However, I knew well that this system of humanity couldn’t stop the demons.
And I knew how to close wounds with minimal bloodshed.
So, I was about to explain the plan I had been envisioning to the Emperor—
“That’s enough. No need for further words.”
—I tried to say, but the Emperor waved his hand dismissively and leaned back in his chair.
He spoke with an air of nonchalance.
“You’d already know what to prepare anyway. Just do as you see fit.”
“……You’re not asking for anything else?”
“You’ve proven your abilities until now. And… well…”
The Emperor glanced at me with his eyes now shimmering with mana.
Then, leaning back in his chair to look up at the sky again, he said,
“Seems like the answer is somewhere in there. That thought that’s in your mind.”
“……”
“I’ll have the kids help you out, so go ahead. It makes no difference whether it’s you or me dealing with it. Just handle it.”
The Emperor said this and waved his hand dismissively once more.
A sign for me to leave.
“Come back after you regain your memory. Right now, you’re pretty dull. I can see what you’re pondering.”
“……Yes.”
The Emperor gazed at the night sky with a lifeless expression.
I rose and nodded my head.
Just as I was about to step back to leave…
“Oh, and.”
The Emperor called out to me.
Sitting properly in his chair, he said to me,
“Just one promise. If you finish all of this properly, erase all my powers and memories. I’m sick of being ‘me.'”
“……I promise.”
“And about Sephilia. She broke down too early. She has among the greatest abilities of all Orserk. She peered into too many memories too early. If I hadn’t tethered her to Elena, she would’ve surely gone mad long ago.”
“……”
“For Sephilia not to become like me, you must make it happen. That’s the path for both of us to find happiness. If I have any happy memories left, it’s those five years I loved Sephilia…”
The Emperor let his words trail off.
And then with another sweeping gesture that seemed to chase away a ghost, he released me.
I nodded again, leaving the Emperor’s space.
Now was the time to really get moving.