I looked bewildered as I stared at the middle-aged man who had appeared without a trace.

    I hadn’t even dreamed that he had approached so close behind me, almost like an assassin.

    It wasn’t just because Mari and I were too caught up in our conversation to notice, but mainly because the middle-aged man in front of us hadn’t made a single sound.

    And he wasn’t alone.

    Standing proudly beside him was a knight with a heavy and imposing presence.

    Although he was dressed in plain clothes rather than armor, the sword strapped to his waist made it clear that he was a bodyguard.

    “How is it?”

    “Uh...”

    I blankly stared at the middle-aged man who had just made what seemed like a joke but wasn’t quite a joke, all while wearing a gentle smile.

    If Eiker, whom I had met previously, resembled Thor, then the man before me was closer to a bearded Captain America.

    That didn’t mean he had an unkempt, hermit-like beard—on the contrary, it was neatly trimmed, enhancing his dignified and refined appearance.

    In fact, he only looked older because of his beard; his face had almost no wrinkles, making him appear quite young.

    ‘And his outfit...’

    Even his attire was unusual.

    It wasn’t just ordinary formal wear but something closer to a uniform, and he even wore a red cape.

    One glance was enough to tell that he was someone of high status. Moreover, his hair and beard shimmered like gold under the light.

    After locking eyes with his blue gaze for a moment, I slowly turned my attention to Mari, my heart filled with a sinking suspicion.

    The moment Mari saw my expression, she smiled playfully before softening her expression and bowing gracefully.

    She lifted the edges of her dress in a quiet curtsy—the kind of courtesy one would show to someone of higher rank.

    “It is an honor to stand before the Sky of the Empire.”

    The moment I heard her words, I instinctively knew. The man before me was exactly who I had suspected.

    When addressing Leort or Rina in official settings, people referred to them as the “Sun” of the Empire.

    But Mari had just called him the “Sky.”

    In other words, he held a rank higher than the Crown Prince and Princess.

    And there was only one person in the entire empire who fit that description.

    The Emperor of the Minerva Empire—Verit Urmi Jacquilis Minerva.

    “Ah! Y-Your Majesty...!”

    “No need for that. It is I who should be showing proper courtesy, not you. There’s no need for unnecessary formality, is there?”

    Just as I was about to bow according to proper etiquette, overwhelmed by shock, the Emperor, Verit, waved his hand dismissively, stopping me immediately.

    As I hesitated awkwardly, unsure of how to respond, Mari let out a quiet chuckle beside me.

    The entire situation made no sense. Of all people, why was the Emperor here?

    “So, what is your answer?”

    “Huh?”

    “I asked if you would be able to bring them back to life if I knelt before you.”

    Still struggling to process everything, I was caught off guard when Verit posed what sounded like a joke, yet wasn’t quite one.

    The Emperor kneeling... That would be the ultimate disgrace, an event so humiliating that it would be recorded in history books.

    And yet, he was willing to do so just to bring back a mere fictional character?

    The absurdity of the situation was staggering.

    I knew that the Jin-Lily couple had an unexpectedly large following, but I never imagined the Emperor himself would be among them.

    ‘No, wait. Even if he is, kneeling is going too far.’

    There was only one way out of this difficult situation.

    I quickly shifted my gaze away from the Emperor and toward his bodyguard.

    I had heard that the Emperor’s bodyguards were bound to him by ties that spanned generations, forming a relationship built on deep trust.

    As expected, the moment I cast him a desperate glance, the bodyguard cleared his throat and spoke in a solemn voice.

    “Your Majesty, please refrain from speaking of kneeling. Even if the other party is Zenon, such an action is unthinkable for you.”

    “One word from him could ignite a holy war. Do you think the Minerva Empire could withstand an alliance between Helium and Savior?”

    “That is a different matter. I am simply advising against kneeling. There are other alternatives.”

    “Tch. Tch.”

    Verit merely clicked his tongue as the bodyguard calmly countered his argument with impeccable logic, but he didn’t reprimand him further.

    Watching their exchange left me slightly stunned.

    Their bond was undoubtedly strong, but their relationship seemed far from rigid formality.

    Then, the Emperor turned to me, smiling, and spoke once more.

    “Then, how about something other than kneeling?”

    “Your Majesty.”

    “Alright, alright. I’ll drop it.”

    Verit chuckled heartily before clearing his throat, as if preparing for something.

    Then, in a voice that was both calm and gentle yet carried undeniable weight, he introduced himself properly.

    “As you likely already know, I am...”

    “So he does die.”

    Even as he spoke with certainty, I refrained from reacting hastily.

    If I added anything unnecessary, the conversation could take an unintended turn.

    Seeing my quiet response, Verit gazed at me for a moment before looking ahead again.

    For reference, Verit was leading the way, with Mari and me following behind him, while his bodyguard took up the rear.

    “What a shame. He was my favorite character.”

    “What did Your Majesty like most about him?”

    “I admired his resilience in the face of despair. Though I’ve never been much of an adventurer myself, the story was so vivid that I felt completely immersed.”

    “I am honored to hear that.”

    I felt awkward using such formal expressions, but I couldn’t exactly speak casually to an emperor.

    Besides, he might become my future father-in-law. Speaking carelessly could be disastrous.

    I had to make the best possible impression.

    Despite Verit’s eccentricity, I couldn’t afford to let my guard down for even a second.

    “Have you ever been fishing?”

    “No, I haven’t.”

    “This would be a good opportunity to learn. It’s quite enjoyable.”

    Fishing usually takes a long time, doesn’t it?

    Given the current state of affairs, shouldn’t he be attending to his duties?

    As I pondered this, the bodyguard behind us spoke in a low yet clear voice, as if he had similar concerns.

    “Your Majesty, regrettably, your break is limited to fifteen minutes. The nation is in turmoil, so please exercise restraint.”

    “Haha. Come now, I’m simply trying to bond with my potential son-in-law. Is that so unreasonable?”

    “Yes.”

    “... ...”

    The response was so firm and immediate that even Verit was left speechless. Instead, he merely clicked his tongue in frustration, seemingly a habit of his.

    Despite his casual words, he was well aware of the empire’s fragile state.

    With ongoing incidents involving demon worshippers, the empire’s prestige was rapidly declining.

    If the Emperor were to be absent for too long, it would undoubtedly cause significant complications.

    “I suppose there’s no helping it. Zenon... No, Isaac.”

    “Yes, Your Majesty?”

    “You might get bored while we fish, so let’s chat in the meantime.”

    “Understood.”

    No matter how I looked at it, he seemed far from the image of a dignified emperor.

    I felt bad saying this, but he resembled more of a carefree wanderer than a ruler.

    Of course, that only applied to his words and actions—his appearance was undeniably that of an emperor.

    ‘Now that I think about it, does he have any siblings?’

    This piqued my curiosity. Royal families are typically expected to produce multiple heirs to ensure the continuation of their lineage.

    It was odd that Verit only had two children, and I had never heard any mention of siblings.

    That said, I had to consider the possibility that he was an only child.

    I wasn’t deeply involved in politics, so my knowledge was limited to what I had read in newspapers.

    “Oh, by the way, how is Lord Michelle doing?”

    Lost in thought, I was pulled back to reality when Verit turned slightly to ask about my father.

    The fact that he spoke as if he knew my father took me by surprise, but I had to respond nonetheless.

    To avoid saying anything inappropriate, I carefully filtered my words before answering in a positive tone.

    “Yes, he is doing well without any issues.”

    “Has he ever mentioned me?”

    “...Not even once?”

    Something about his question felt off, so I unintentionally responded with a question of my own.

    Verit nodded slightly before looking straight ahead and speaking.

    “I need to meet with Lord Michelle at some point, but it keeps getting delayed.”

    “...Did something happen between you two?”

    “Yes, something did. But I owe him a debt, so there’s no need for you to worry about it.”

    Hearing that only made me more curious. What on earth had happened between them?

    “If you’re curious, I’ll tell you while we fish. I’m sure Lord Michelle never told you anything about it himself, did he? What do you think?”

    “I don’t really mi—”

    “In exchange, bring Jin back to life.”

    “... ...”

    This man.