***

***

Hearing Hartz’s words, Asha asked in a cautious voice.

“Are you really going to stay in this tower?”

“Don’t worry too much. There’s only a few days left before I leave the tower, so… isn’t the hunting going to start soon?”

Asha hardened her expression as if surprised at the word hunting.

Hartz, who met her face, nodded his head as if he had convinced her thoughts.

“On that day, many things will happen. Prepare thoroughly.”

“…that day.”

“Yes, that day.”

The three pairs of eyes met resolutely.

In the end, Asha and Tamon crossed the boundary and no one was brought out. Asha and Tamon, who were coming out of the secret passage, clasped each other’s hands tightly. No other words were needed.

****

“This July festival is ruined.”

At the gloomy words of the chief courtier, everyone gathered in their seats all sighed in unison.

“I’ve spent 10 years as a royal courtier, but this is the first time I’ve seen the July festival so messed up.”

“That’s it. It’s even pouring out monsters.”

“…how many delegations packed up and left yesterday?”

“Well, I think it would be better to count the remaining numbers than the ones that are left. Haha…”

At the words of the deputy chief, the court officials sighed once again.

John, who occupied one of the seats, also sighed.

“If this happens, we will only get ridicule from the neighboring countries. It’s a big deal. By the time the festival is over, there will be no one left.”

“It seems that there are no participants in the competition of finding the national flower. Well, it’s better that way since we don’t have any silver horned deer products as a prize.”

Everyone put their heads on the desks once more at the court official’s words.

It did not even cover half of the festival expenses that were taken out of the national treasury.

Not to mention the country’s loss, it was like the status had only been lowered.

The national flower hunting required a participation fee.

In the name of participation fee, it was an attempt to make up for even a little of the amount spent on the festival.

In the past, silver deer’s skins and antlers from Tanatos were not difficult to obtain, so there were quite a few things to get.

But this year was different. As the silver horned deer had disappeared, supply has become difficult.

The skin and antlers became even more precious because monsters appeared more frequently.

“…that’s what happened, let’s call off the event.”

John said to the courtiers.

“What do you mean? There are no skins or antlers, and now is not the time for the flower to bloom yet….”

There was still about a week left until the national flower began to bloom.

Of course, it could not be said that there were no flowers in bloom right now, but finding flowers that have bloomed ahead of time was like picking stars in the sky.

“So, we have more reasons to call off the event.”

“What the hell is that……”

“If there is no winner, we don’t have to give out the silver deer’s skin and antlers. Well, even if they do find it, it is highly likely that it is not a flower in full bloom, so why don’t we replace the prize with something plausible instead of the skin and antlers?”

“Are there any plausible things we can give them as a prize right now?”John added his opinion in a serious voice to the deputy chief’s words.

“Why don’t we give them one thing they want? Perhaps the state guests that have remained so far are those who have something to ask of Tanatos until the end, or countries where Tanatos has a weakness. If you convince His Majesty to give them one thing they want… I don’t think it’s a loss either.”

The faces of the courtiers who were murmuring brightened.

John’s words were plausible.

But one problem remained.

“…..But who is going to convince His Majesty?”

The faces of the court officials, who had brightened, collapsed in an instant.

Everyone glanced into each other’s eyes. They were faces that did not want to go to see the emperor even if they died.

However, if they pushed John to do it, their conscience took them because they had pushed him to do almost everything up to now.

But conscience did not save lives. The court officials, who looked at each other, looked at John all at once as if they had no choice but to do so.

John, who wrinkled his brow, clicked his tongue and glared at the court officials.

“You people have no conscience.”

Hmmm! Hmmm!

They coughed and pretended not to know each other, but their faces turned red as they knew that they had no shame.

bang!

John hit the desk.

“I have presented the method, so I will not go this time. Come on, let’s be fair today.”

“……How can you be fair?”

John muttered bitterly as he raised his fist that had hit the desk.

“Let’s play rock, paper, scissors.”

****

“…For that reason, there was an opinion that it would be better to pull off the flower hunting.”

John bowed his head in front of Gillotti and delivered his opinion in a gentle voice that did not offend him as much as possible. (*apparently John lost the rock, paper, scissors game😀)

The meeting’s opinions were conveyed by voice.

As always, the person who proposed the match had the greatest chance of losing the match. There was no scientific or mathematical basis, but in any case, strangely, many such situations have occurred.

John, who proposed the rock-paper-scissors, also succumbed to his scheme and stood in front of Gillotti.

John also wanted to avoid this situation, as he had been through enough of how violent and ignorant Gillotti was recently, but it was already too late.

The emperor looked out the window without answering.

In fact, the important things to Gillotti now were not the national flower hunting, nor the departing of guests, nor the empty treasury.

‘The monsters will keep appearing. Local lords also said that the gap is still being torn.’

Gillotti nervously clenched his fists.

Weakened by the side effects of using his power at will, his body may collapse at any time.

He claimed he could fight monsters with his superpowers, but Gillotti neither wanted to nor had the ability to do so.

‘I can’t die in vain like this. How did I hold the throne?’

After seeing the battle of Perso, Gillotti no longer rebuked him.

He had no choice but to give up his room and imperial coat to Gertium.

‘..The gaps have become more frequent, and the capital in July is no longer safe.’

In this case, no matter how arrogant Gertium was, Gillotti couldn’t beat him recklessly. Gertium had been swinging his sword every day on the outskirts, and his skills were far more superior than those of the Imperial Knights.

Gillotti realized that even with hundreds of imperial troops, it could not be compared to one of the Order of Gertium.

He had to hold Gertium by his side until he felt safe.

It seemed like it would be best to form a marriage bond with the Gertium family.In order to protect his younger sister, Gertium will pay more attention to the defense of the Imperial Palace.

“……Your Majesty?”

Gillotti looked back at John belatedly. He was so lost in thought that he hardly heard what John had to say.

Gillotti asked, rubbing his forehead as if tired.

“Say it again.”

In a cold sweat, John rubbed his wet hands against his clothes.

Looking at Gillotti’s crumpled expression, he felt that he didn’t like what he said.

‘… I should have played three rounds.’

John wanted to slap his mouth when he said he would decide the game by one round.

“So, why don’t we call off the national flower hunt and make it difficult to determine the winner? If there is a person who brings the flower, he or she will be given what they wish for ….”

“Yes, do that.”

“Eh, yes?”

“Do that.”

The answer came out more easily than John expected, so John looked at the emperor with a stunned face.

Seeing Gillotti frowned as if he had nothing more to say, John came to his senses.

“Oh, yes. yes! Come on, let’s proceed quickly, Your Majesty!”

He hurriedly greeted the emperor and tried to get out of the audience chamber as if he was running away.

“Wait.”

At that moment, Gillotti’s eerie voice grabbed John’s hair by the back of his head.

‘ah…yes, things can’t be this easy.’

John pressed his lips together and turned around slowly.

If it was the current emperor, he was a person who could reverse his words, saying, ‘I don’t think so’ after thinking about it for three seconds.

Then he had to think of another way now.

“If you have more to say………” (John)

“What is Natasha doing?” (Gillotti)

Fortunately, the emperor didn’t mention the flower hunting.

John was noticeably relieved and answered quickly.

“Lady Natasha is still resting well. Still, except for one of her maids, Anne, no one is allowed to visit, but there seems to be no abnormality.”

“…that’s good.”

“However, she has not yet had a definitive treatment because she is refusing even the royal doctor.”

“I see. Get out.”

John quickly greeted him and left the room.

It was only then that a sigh of relief escaped his lips. These days, the emperor was like a bomb before it exploded, so it was difficult and scary every time.

“This is not the time to be like this, let’s go.”

He had to tell the news to the court officials who were still in the conference room.

There was a lot of work for the court officials to do as the event was moved forward.

As John ran, he was content to conjure up how difficult it was for him to obtain this consent.

He had to make the most of today’s performance in order to never get caught in something like this next time.

‘Yeah, it’s a one-shot match!’

As he re-evaluated his mouth, which had wagered a single game, John ran toward the conference room with a light footstep as if flying away.

***

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