"How truly an honor, my esteemed Emperor," Selene said with a meaningful smile, watching Budo's solemn expression.
When it came to the Emperor's gestures of goodwill and flattery, Selene had no reason to refuse any of them. She would accept every sugar-coated bullet that came her way. Loyalty? She could act loyal if needed. After all, this Emperor didn't have much time left to live anyway—playing the part of a devoted general for now was hardly difficult.
Ordinarily, the final award ceremony for the Imperial Martial Tournament was held in the coliseum, with the top ten champions receiving their rewards before tens of thousands of spectators. But this year was different. The overwhelming presence of Selene—a fighter unlike any seen in the Empire's thousand-year history—had changed everything.
Her display of absolute, unmatched might drew the attention of not only the Emperor but also nearly every high-ranking official in the Imperial Court. The other contestants, even Esdeath herself, had faded into mere supporting roles beside her.
So, in a burst of excitement, the Emperor ordered that Selene's reward ceremony be moved from the coliseum to the Imperial Palace itself. Though the formal presentation at the coliseum continued, it lacked grandeur without the Empire's leaders in attendance—and its prizes were far less impressive.
Meanwhile, near one of the coliseum's exits, a young girl with long ice-blue hair and a black headscarf stood silently, her gaze locked on the distant figure of Selene. Surrounded by Imperial Guards, Selene walked beside General Budo, laughing and talking as they departed. The girl's eyes burned with a fire of her own.
If Selene had looked closely at Esdeath's expression just then, she might have felt quite pleased.
...
"What a magnificent structure!" Selene couldn't help but exclaim. She had seen the Imperial Palace from afar before, but now, standing before it in person—being formally welcomed, no less—the sight took her breath away.
The only thing slightly disappointing was that she was being received through a side entrance.
To the Empire's nobility, Selene was merely a potential asset for now—promising, yes, but still far from the status that warranted the main gates thrown open, soldiers lined in formation, and ministers kneeling in greeting.
Surveying the palace carefully, Selene noted that the entire complex sat atop a vast hill. Buildings clustered along its slopes, roads and courtyards connecting in grand symmetry, leading upward to the mountain's peak where the imperial hall stood—a golden, resplendent masterpiece.
At its very center loomed an enormous statue of a man, his figure so immense that even from miles away Selene could clearly see his proud, resolute stance. It was the image of the Empire's founding Emperor himself.
Bathed in sunlight, his features were blurred by time yet still radiant, almost divine.
Every building reflected the same majesty—vast and awe-inspiring, constructed entirely of marble with a pale-gold hue, polished to a flawless sheen and inlaid with intricate gilded patterns that shimmered brilliantly.
"Truly, the Empire's thousand-year legacy runs deep," Selene murmured in genuine admiration. "Such grandeur... such opulence. This foundation is extraordinary."
And within her heart, her desire to one day rule over this world burned even brighter.
"Selene, mind your manners. When you meet His Majesty later, remember to—"
Selene raised an eyebrow in surprise as Budo launched into a long, meticulous lecture on etiquette—like an overbearing chaperone fussing over every detail.
Tsk, tsk. She hadn't expected this gruff warrior to be such a stickler for formality. So precise, so proper... truly the same man who once stood his ground like a true soldier before even the fearsome Mine, refusing to yield despite her cannon fire.
Watching Budo straighten his posture and review the ceremonial gestures, Selene couldn't help but silently laugh to herself.
...
Imperial Palace Banquet Hall.
The Emperor sat alone at the head of the grand hall. Unlike the weak, puppet ruler of the future who followed Honest's manipulations in the original tale, this Emperor still commanded real power. He was not a mere figurehead. Though perhaps not a genius ruler, he was far from anyone's pawn.
No one else was permitted to stand at his side.
"Your Majesty!" Selene and Budo stepped forward in unison, placing their right hands upon their left shoulders and bowing slightly.
Ordinary ministers were required to kneel before the Emperor. But as the Empire's highest military commander, Budo was exempt from kneeling by imperial decree. Selene, as the tournament champion, had been temporarily granted the same privilege as part of her special reward.
"Your Majesty, the champion of the Martial Tournament—Selene von Habsburg—has arrived," Budo announced.
"What a beautiful name... cough, cough... General Budo, well done," the Emperor said warmly.
Seated upon his high throne, the Emperor smiled faintly. Perhaps due to his age—or the toll of years spent in indulgence and pleasure—his voice lacked the vigor it once carried. Or maybe, Selene mused, Honest's manipulations had already begun taking their toll.
"To serve the Empire is my duty," Budo said solemnly.
"Heh... The Empire is truly blessed to have such a capable general," the Emperor replied, then turned his gaze toward Selene, who stood quietly at his side. "Now then, let me see this year's champion. Tell me, Selene, was it? What kind of reward do you desire?"
Selene was just about to answer when the Emperor interrupted, chuckling. "How about a general's title? Would that suit you?"
"A general?" Selene blinked, momentarily taken aback. A test, huh? she realized quickly, before replying with a graceful smile, "Your Majesty's kindness is boundless, but I must decline such an honor. I am not yet worthy of commanding an army."
"Then what is it that you want?" the Emperor asked curiously.
"I leave the decision entirely to Your Majesty's wisdom," Selene replied softly.
The Emperor nodded in satisfaction. This was a simple test, but one that revealed much. Selene was no reckless brute relying solely on strength—she had tact and restraint.
"General Budo, what do you think?" the Emperor asked.
"Your Majesty," Budo replied after a brief pause, "since Miss Selene lacks battlefield experience, this subject suggests assigning her as a Centurion in the Imperial Army. After a period of training and refinement, she can then be promoted accordingly."
"Oh? That won't do... cough, cough..." The Emperor broke into a violent fit of coughing. An attendant hurriedly brought him medicine, and after a few moments, he regained his composure. "Ahem... Then how about granting Selene a Shingu instead?"
Before Selene could respond, Budo interjected hastily, "Your Majesty, Miss Selene has no need for a Shingu." He smiled at Selene, adding, "She already wields an armor-type Teigu—Bright Knight · Excelsis."
"Oh?" The Emperor's eyes lit up, his weariness momentarily forgotten. He examined the silver and blue armored dress adorning Selene with great interest.
"Hahahaha! The Empire is truly blessed—another Teigu returns to its rightful home. I was too hasty!" the Emperor laughed heartily. "To gift a Shingu to a Teigu bearer would indeed be foolish."
Teigu—Imperial Arms—were weapons forged over a thousand years ago by the founding Emperor of the Empire. To ensure eternal dominion, he had gathered the greatest artisans in the world and, using unimaginably vast wealth and power, commissioned forty-eight weapons crafted from the remains of legendary Danger Beasts, combined with rare metals like orichalcum and ancient, now-lost techniques. These weapons were called Teigu—each unique and irreplicable.
Their value came from their extraordinary construction and power. The materials of the Danger Beasts granted them supernatural abilities; the rare metals made them indestructible; and the craftsmanship of the master smiths fused all components perfectly into weapons of unparalleled might.
In later centuries, lesser attempts to recreate Teigu resulted in the creation of Shingu—inferior imitations, born of ambition but lacking the original's brilliance. Though powerful, they were considered inferior, hence their name—a mockery coined by the Emperor of the time, who deemed them unworthy.
"Now then, Selene," the Emperor said warmly, "tell me, what reward do you desire? Speak freely—nothing is beyond my power to grant."
I'll believe that when pigs fly, Selene thought. Such words from a monarch were never to be trusted. Every offer, every kindness, was merely another test. Still, she kept her expression serene and respectful.
"Your Majesty," Selene said, bowing slightly, "this subject desires an estate, a vast tract of farmland, and, if possible, a royal chef to satisfy my humble appetites."
The Emperor chuckled. "Quite greedy, aren't you? Very well, I grant all of it!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
...
After much "friendly" conversation and diplomatic courtesy, the banquet finally came to an end. Both sides appeared thoroughly satisfied—or at least pretended to be.
As the music faded and the nobles dispersed, Selene left the palace under the guidance of the royal attendants. The moment she stepped past the grand gates, the polite smile on her face vanished, replaced by cold indifference.
Dealing with these political creatures... disgusting. So fake it makes me want to puke. Feeling the countless unseen gazes watching her from the shadows, she let out a silent, bitter laugh. Until next time, vultures.
Meanwhile, on a distant palace balcony, the Emperor stood with Budo, watching Selene's figure disappear into the night. His earlier smile was gone, his expression now unreadable.
"She has great ambition," the Emperor murmured. "But her methods of concealing it are still crude. She's not fit to be a civil official. She belongs under your command, General."
"Then why," Budo asked slowly, "did Your Majesty earlier urge me to favor her—to speak on her behalf?"
The Emperor's gaze remained fixed on the fading silhouette below. "Ambition is not a sin, General. Desire can be controlled. A person without desire is far more dangerous. As long as we can give her what she wants—power, wealth, land, titles, even indulgences of the flesh—she can be tamed. Your task is to shape her into a useful weapon for the Empire."
Indeed, the Emperor saw Selene's ambition clearly. What he could not possibly know was that her true goal was not wealth, nor rank, nor power within the Empire.
She wanted the Empire itself.
No—she wanted dominion over the entire planet.
Such a thing was beyond his comprehension.
After all, in the Emperor's mind, countless ambitious souls had risen and fallen across a thousand years. At most, they seized a province or a frontier—only to eventually bow before Imperial rule once more. Never did he imagine that the Empire would one day crumble in his own lifetime.
"I'll leave it to you, General Budo," the Emperor said at last.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Budo replied, bowing deeply.