Reincarnated as an Emperor ~ Will the Emperor at Birth Survive? - Chapter 16: Run at Night

Chapter 16: Run at Night

I decided to go to Count Palatine Vedett to find out more about the situation, and just to be safe, I cast a sleep spell on the maid again and opened the window of my room. 

This building only had one floor, so naturally this room was on the first floor. So, I wouldn’t feel uncomfortable even if I went out from here at my age. I needed to get back as soon as possible since the maid might be fired if they found out I had left. 

Therefore, I needed to go and come back without anyone noticing. Of course, I mustn’t leave any evidence that I went outdoors.

First, I covered myself with a ‘magic reflection’ barrier since there might be guards in the corridor who are good at detecting magic. I will call this polyhedron, which was made up of a series of protective barriers, a ‘Barrier’. Naturally, the reflected magic was directed inward. 

Then, I bent and connected the protective wall that I had made with magic and created improvised shoes. This will keep my feet clean. 

I was careful not to leave any evidence. A barrier with the conditions to not allow anything (even smells) except for air and mana to pass through was put inside the magic reflection barrier. It wasn’t just leaves and dirt that can stick on me, but things such as smell can also give me away, and this was the limit of what I can do while using magic indoors. The mana in my body was completely gone. 

I’ve only recently been able to set up various conditions on my barriers which I’ve created with magic, but I didn’t think I’d be using so much of it so soon. I’m glad I developed it. 

By the way, the more conditions I set for the barrier, the less durable it becomes. The barrier which was covering my entire body right now would probably collapse with a single magic shot. That was because I was specialising it for stealth this time. 

I finished my preparations and went outside. Once I was outside, it was easier to absorb mana from the air. The magic reflection was inward… which meant that it only reflected mana from the inside to outside. The barrier won’t work when I’m absorbing mana. 

It would be fine even if I closed the window. I spoke to the man after recovering a certain amount of mana in my body. 

“Thanks for waiting. Show me where he is.”

The man in the attic… who was probably a spy, nodded and started running. 

It seemed that the Count Palatine was in a building to the west. The man ran across the garden where I played a lot. 

Naturally, I ran along with him… but I looked down on the body of a child. I was sure that it was partly because I don’t usually do any exercise except for horse-riding. It was hard to run. This man was running as fast as he could. Are you harassing me? 

I can’t sweat… I wish I could float or fly, but if my imagination is obstructed then I can’t activate it. 

I don’t know how I came to know about anti-gravity. 

Can I hold onto him? … Would that slow him down?

… I see, I don’t have to run on my own. Since I don’t have a vehicle, I can just create something to carry me. For example… a golem. 

I was outside, so there was plenty of dirt. It was difficult to make it straight away since I was running, but I’ll try creating a new type of magic. 

The guards might find me… but I haven’t seen them around at all since a while ago. Well, it was fine even if they found out magic had been used as long as they didn’t know about me. 

I released the magic reflection barrier and used my imagination. A lump of earth to carry me, strong enough not to crumble and soft enough not to make a sound. 

――― Come on out. 

The ground in front of me dripped and a golem appeared, using the soil as material. 

The golem scooped me up, or more accurately, the protective barrier around me, and ran off while holding onto me. 

The spy looked at me in surprise, but I decided to ignore him. It took more mana to maintain the golem than I had thought, so I didn’t have time to pay attention to him. I had to maintain its shape, keep it running and also reinforce it as the dirt spills out little by little. 

But it was better than making it stronger and making the earth tremble. Besides, I was using the mana in the air and the only hard part was controlling it. 

After running for a while, I heard the spy say, “We’re almost there.”

“You won’t get found out here. We’re the only ones in this area.”

By ‘we’ he meant the spies. Then, I’ll take your word for it. This magic was getting easier to use as I got used to it. It might be easier to use this than run. 

… I remembered that I got fat after I started riding my scooter in my previous life. I’ll be careful. 

I made my way to Count Palatine’s room. It seemed that he also slept on the first floor. 

I released my golem magic since the window was opened and went straight into Count Palatine’s room. 

“… I didn’t expect you could do this much.”

Count Palatine Vedett stared at me as I released my magic and went into this bedroom. He looked at me with admiration and said. 

… Oh, come to think of it, this was the first time I’ve ever used my magic to the fullest and shown it to someone else. 

“I thought you were expecting this, Count Palatine.”

“I was aware of the unique use of magic in the palace, but…”

I see. So, it was peculiar to use magic indoors. 

“If you were born in a different family, you might have accomplished great things as an Il Fabulas (mage).”

I might make enemies if I aim to be anything other than an emperor. 

I heard a word I didn’t know… but I’ll ask him about it later. 

“You know why I’m here. Explain the situation to me.”

◊♦◊♦◊♦◊

“Frederic le Renan is suspected of heresy and is undergoing a church-led inquisition.”

So, I was right. I have even heard about this in my past life: torture to force a confession, and then execution. 

… It was really disgusting. 

“He is currently in prison. Your personal attendant is under house arrest and surveillance in a private room.”

“To be more precise, he said ‘We should never use it as a weapon to subjugate different races’.”

So, the problem wasn’t that he taught me about the origins of other sects and the western sect?

I didn’t realise until now… but there are spies monitoring me during class too.

“What does that mean?”

“Currently in this nation… especially in Dukedom Raul, foreign people who don’t believe in the Western Sect are being captured and forcibly converted. The person leading this is the Great Leader, George V.”

I see. So, this was retaliation for criticizing the policy of the top of the Western Sect in front of the Emperor. 

I’ve barely spoken to him, but he was the younger brother of Lord Raul, and he gave the impression of being an ambitious man. Well, he seemed to care about appearances. 

“So, why didn’t he seize the Baron on the spot?”

“Probably because the Baron is in the Regent Faction instead of the Chancellor’s Faction.”

… So, the fact that the Baron was captured means that…

“Did the Regent Faction abandon the Baron…?”

They even see the aristocrats in their own factions as disposable?

… Even if that was so, they are the ones who are always fighting between their factions. 

“… That’s not all. The Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies handed over the Baron for some kind of compensation.”

He wouldn’t have handed over someone in his faction for nothing.

“… Your Majesty. Please reconsider.”

Count Palatine Vedett suddenly said. 

… He was probably asking me to reconsider saving the Renan father and son. 

“I’m saying this after much thought.”

“You’re not calm.”

Count Palatine immediately replied. 

… I certainly wasn’t calm. I might be dragged along with my body’s age. 

“You’re probably right. But I won’t change my mind even if I calm down.” 

Count Palatine sighed when I said this. Then, he spoke, looking somewhat resigned. 

“… This wasn’t the Chancellor’s request in the first place. This was only something the Great Leader, George V demanded. If I dared to say, the George Faction demanded it.”

“So, the Chancellor’s Faction isn’t in unison.”

“The Regent Faction isn’t any different, Your Majesty. There are conflicting thoughts between the Chancellor and Regent Factions. The Chancellor seems to think that women aren’t needed in the political scene.”

Yeah, I had that feeling when I talked to the two of them. It was the Regent Faction who had given me Timona Renan. Therefore, it wouldn’t be strange if this was decided from the George Faction. 

… That’s where they can take advantage? 

Judging from the way Count Palatine was speaking…

“It was the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies who had done this, not the Regent Faction.”

“The Regent Faction probably doesn’t know that the two of them have been caught in the first place.”

That was valuable information. I was starting to come up with a way to save them. 

“Anything else?”

“It seems that the Chancellor was informed of the deal after the fact. He will probably approve of it, but… he won’t feel good about his brother using his own interests in the deal.”

“Then the situation can be overturned…”

I whispered and Count Palatine sighed again.

“I know. I’m not supposed to know this information yet. I can’t act until I hear it naturally from somewhere else.”

Count Palatine can’t act since he couldn’t afford to antagonise both factions. If a third faction appeared, then the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies would be wary. 

“Naturally. But you shouldn’t act even if you learn of it in a different way, Your Majesty. If there’s a chance, they’ll put their guard up against you, then it’s best for you not to act.”

Count Palatine Vedett looked more serious than ever. 

I can understand what he was saying. I should remain a foolish Emperor until the moment I regain control of the government. He was telling me not to take risks because he was worried about me… No, he was worried about the safety of the Emperor.

But you know what…?

 “That’s not the best. It’s preferable. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure the results are worth the risk.”

I definitely won’t be able to take responsibility for a nation if I can’t save my teacher.

The question was whether the Baron can withstand the torture until then.

… I’m counting on you, Baron.