"What happened?"
Viktor was a little curious.
Liya had been looking forward to this banquet. If it were just a small issue, she wouldn't be saying it like this.
Biting her lip unhappily, Liya said, "There's some trouble with the business over in the territory. You can see for yourself."
As she spoke, she took out the territory's financial report for this month and handed it to Viktor.
Viktor took the papers and listened as Liya continued, "Originally, I was going to look for you in the study to get your signature, but you weren't there. I asked around and found out you were at the training grounds practicing swordsmanship."
Even though Liya handled most of the territory's affairs, Viktor, as the head of the household, still had to sign everything in name.
Viktor skimmed through the report, ready to sign it, until he noticed something strange in the section about grain income.
That part of the profit was pitifully low, almost as if the report was blatantly spelling out the word embezzlement.
He glanced at the name on the right, Chur.
"Now you know why I have to go back?"
Liya's frown didn't ease in the slightest.
Viktor thought about the name, then asked, "Who is this person? The name doesn't sound like someone from the Empire."
"Right. He's a grain merchant from the neighboring kingdom. The previous grain merchant retired to raise his kids, and he was the one recommended to take over."
"There hadn't been any problems for the past few months, but I don't know why something's gone wrong all of a sudden."
Viktor thought for a moment.
Chur, that name sounded somewhat familiar.
But he couldn't be sure if it was the same person, since names often repeated.
In the game, there were no NPCs with duplicate names, but now, he couldn't look at things purely from a game perspective.
After all, Henny didn't even exist in the main storyline.
He couldn't guarantee that this "Chur" was the same Chur from the game.
In his memory, Chur belonged to the Cantor Kingdom's mercenary corps. His class was Warrior, a minor lord–level boss.
And the only reason Viktor knew him was because, while doing side quests, players could occasionally run into him.
At first, he would pretend to be a fallen soldier and ask players to help him retrieve his weapon and armor.
Chur looked like a naive, righteous soldier.
But after the player helped him retrieve his silver sword and armor and followed him to a designated island, his true nature would be revealed, he would kill the player and use their heart to practice black magic.
Viktor tapped the ledger with his finger, pressing harder on the man's name.
"Can we track this person down?"
"I've already ordered our people in the territory to arrest him. Hopefully, he hasn't escaped yet."
Viktor nodded at that.
As a small-lord-level boss, plenty of players had been stuck on him.
As a power-leveler, Viktor had taken many commissions related to that boss.
He'd fought him so many times that he'd lost count. The most memorable part was the piece of loot Chur always dropped after death, 'Evil Knight.'
It was a pitch-black shield, its engraved runes twisted by magic. Though it looked ominous, among players, it was famous for its usefulness, because of its skill, Parry.
That ability let you deflect enemy attacks and strike back at their exposed side for massive damage, while also breaking their poise and forcing them into a stunned state.
Many players farmed that boss purely for the shield.
The skill was so strong, especially in PvP ranked matches, that when both players equipped it, it would often lead to a ridiculous scene, both standing there with shields raised, waiting to parry each other.
Eventually, the developers had to nerf it, and the shield fell from grace.
Still, if it was that guy, why would he suddenly come to the Empire now, and not only sneak into their territory but even blatantly embezzle money, practically begging to be caught?
"Clearly intentional," Viktor murmured, shaking his head. He couldn't figure out Chur's motives.
But if he couldn't, then he'd just catch him and interrogate him properly.
Besides, he was curious about the man's gear.
So after signing the papers and handing the report back to Liya, he casually said, "Get dressed. The carriage is ready. Let's head to the palace first."
Liya accepted the ledger, frowning in confusion.
"Were you even listening? I said I have to go back to the territory!"
Viktor patted her shoulder. "After we return from the palace, I'll go with you."
"Ah?"
As Viktor walked ahead, Liya muttered under her breath while watching his back, 'What's gotten into him now?'
She didn't think Viktor was worried about her safety, she didn't think she was in any danger anyway.
She wasn't stupid; anything Viktor could see, she could too.
"Someone's targeting the Clavenna family."
Shrugging, she thought back to when their shop had been smashed up.
Leon had already gone back to the territory to make preparations.
But now, she'd have to inform him that plans had changed.
Soon, Liya changed into her formal dress, and together they boarded the carriage to the palace.
Since they had to meet the emperor beforehand, someone was already waiting to receive them at the palace gates.
A royal envoy led the two to a side hall in the palace, where they saw Emperor Aubrey.
The old man had been sitting there for a long time, seemingly waiting for Viktor. He looked so drowsy he was about to nod off.
Viktor noticed a girl beside the emperor, she looked even younger than Erica, about fifteen or sixteen years old.
"Your Majesty, Viktor and his sister have arrived."
Aubrey opened his eyes. When he saw Viktor, the cloudiness in his gaze cleared a bit.
He gestured for them to come forward.
"Your Majesty."
Viktor and Liya both bowed respectfully, an essential gesture before the emperor.
The old emperor waved a hand; he was far too old to care about such formalities anymore.
He pulled the girl beside him forward. She was very beautiful, her youthful face still carrying a touch of childish softness.
"This is my youngest daughter, Aurélian Sol."
The emperor had few children, only three in total. Two princes, and this girl before them, the princess.
Viktor and Liya placed their right hands on their chests and bowed again.
"It's an honor to meet Your Highness, the Princess."
The princess seemed timid, shyly hiding behind her father again.
The emperor smiled. "This child has lived in the palace her whole life and rarely meets outsiders. Because of that, though she has great talent, she's too afraid of people and has never gone to school."
"I've invited a few mages to teach her magic before, but none had much success. After a few days, they all said there was nothing more they could teach."
Liya glanced at the little princess, her mind turning.
Was it really because her talent was too high, or because the mages couldn't teach her?
After all, the emperor's child would naturally have "great talent." Even if she learned nothing, Aubrey would just assume it was the teachers' fault.
"I even asked Levi to teach Aurélian," the emperor said with a laugh, "but he kept saying he's not suited for teaching and refused."
Hearing that, the emperor chuckled and shook his head.
Of course he didn't believe Levi's excuses.
But at that moment, Viktor heard the hidden meaning in the emperor's words, and even Liya looked up at him in surprise.
The emperor's really going all out to win Viktor over.
Saying he couldn't find a suitable tutor was probably just a pretext. The clever Liya instantly realized what the old man intended.
Sure enough, the emperor's next words were, "Viktor, may I ask you to become this child's private tutor?"
At that, Liya immediately started winking at Viktor, practically wishing she could rip his mouth off and answer for him herself.
She didn't know exactly what the emperor wanted from Viktor, but if this tied their family to the royal house, the Clavenna family would rise overnight.
If other nobles hated them? Let them.
But Viktor's reply nearly made her grind her teeth to dust.
"Your Majesty, forgive my boldness, but I need some time to consider."
Emperor Aubrey fell silent. He couldn't understand Viktor's hesitation.
For the royal family to offer goodwill to a noble was an unthinkable opportunity, even for a fourth-tier mage.
Of course, Viktor never thought of it that way.
Anyone who believed reaching Tier Four made him powerful enough to look down on the Empire was gravely mistaken.
Tying himself to the Empire would indeed have countless advantages, even for him.
But the problem was, Viktor's gaze swept over the young princess.
Aurélian Sol.
No, she should be called Sol IX.
The Eternal Witch.
That would be her future title.
If a Tier Four mage could be called a Calamity Mage, then her strength was far beyond even that, a true catastrophe incarnate.
No one knew why she was so powerful. But two years later, after the emperor's death, the seventeen-year-old Aurélian would wipe out all opposition and ascend as the Empire's new ruler.
She would become the first Empress in Calencia's history, and the only ruler with foreign blood.
Aurélian's mother was the daughter of a Cantor Kingdom duke, she herself was the product of a political marriage.
But for now, Viktor wasn't thinking about politics.
At fifteen, Aurélian looked completely harmless, a soft, gentle girl.
She seemed a little sad at Viktor's refusal, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Yet who could know that it was all an act?
The deeper Viktor understood the story, the more wary he became of this future Empress.
Her possessiveness was terrifying. Once she decided something was hers, she would rather destroy it than let anyone else have it.
For that reason, Viktor truly admired his future self, who somehow managed to restrain this monster and nearly overturn the Empire together with her.
Still, not agreeing wasn't in Viktor's nature either.
His pride as a professional gamer, and his deep understanding of the game's systems, would never allow him to cower before anyone in this world.
Besides, he still had two years.
So, he said to the emperor, "Two and a half years."
Aubrey frowned slightly, confused.
"I'll serve as Her Highness's private magic instructor, for only two and a half years. After that, I'll resign voluntarily."
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