I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy

Chapter 307

The doors behind him closed silently. It felt as if the pressure in the air had shifted, and for a moment, a heavy silence pressed down, making his ears ring. Ian gave no outward sign and continued forward.

On either side of him were towering columns, thick and tall, paired in perfect alignment.

Ahead of him, the black-haired maid walked silently, leading the way. Another maid followed at Ian's left, and one at Seras's right, their footsteps soundless as they moved. Only Ian’s steps echoed faintly, breaking the quiet.

Was it like this in the game, too?

Walking calmly, Ian took in the grand hall, its walls entirely covered in white marble. The ceiling soared above him, and countless candles flickered in chandelier-like holders hanging overhead.

Replacing those must be a real pain.

Wide, lengthy corridors branched off on either side of the hall. At every entrance, guards stood like statues, holding halberds, while figures in white robes hurried about beyond the doorways, their movements completely silent. Perhaps during the day, it would have been brighter and livelier than it was now, but at the moment, it was so quiet that even the faintest rustling of fabric could be heard.

Moreover, the divine energy and pure magic in the air had thickened, to the point it felt almost like a dense fog surrounding them.

Where is the source of all this...?

Ian’s ears twitched slightly. It was a question without an answer. He could only guess that this was the most sacred place in the capital, touched by the blessings of the gods themselves. The palace was practically a colossal holy relic in its own right.

If that were the case, then the omnipresent sense of divine power, as well as the strange, solemn pressure that invoked a sense of reverence, made perfect sense.

So this is why Archeas view the capital as the last stronghold.

A fleeting thought crossed his mind—perhaps even this capital would one day fall. Or, more likely, it would succumb to corruption from within first. There was an old saying that the Empire always crumbles from the inside.

Either way, he couldn’t shake the baseless feeling that nothing was truly eternal.

At that moment, Seras whispered, "We’re almost in the audience chamber."

The large door at the end of the hall was now closer. Ian noticed Seras' lips move as she glanced toward him.

"When you meet His Majesty, please show the proper respect, Agent of the Saint."

She must have been worried that Ian wouldn’t kneel.

Ian smirked slightly. “I’m not that much of a brute.”

The authority of an Emperor didn’t mean much to Ian personally, but he understood that this was the ruler standing at the pinnacle of this world—a person whose word alone could condemn Ian to death. If the capital was a vast sacred dungeon, then the Emperor was its master.

Showing respect for such a figure wasn’t difficult at all.

Just then, the black-haired maid came to a halt. They stood before another large door, guarded by two soldiers. Turning, the maid looked between Seras and Ian. Seras removed her cloak and handed it to one of the other maids. Adjusting the dress she wore underneath, she stood in front of Ian.

I suppose that’s my cue to tidy myself up.

As Ian adjusted the collar of his uniform, Seras reached out to him. She straightened his collar and carefully refastened the buttons, whispering softly as she did so.

"I’ll go in first. Please stand beside me and just follow my lead. Don’t speak first or raise your head."

Quite the list of demands, Ian thought to himself, but he nodded easily.

After finishing her adjustments, Seras stood beside him once more and looked at the maid. The maid gave a nod and stepped aside. Immediately afterward, the guards opened the doors to the audience chamber.

Thud...

The doors slowly swung open. Seras waited until they were fully open before stepping forward into the chamber. Ian followed calmly behind her. The maids who had guided them did not enter. As the doors closed behind them, a broad red carpet stretched ahead.

Guards stood at intervals along the walls, so still, they seemed more like armor on display than people. A massive window dominated the opposite wall, taking up more than half of its surface. Below them, a wide dais, about three steps high, rose at the far end of the room. In the center of the dais stood a massive, empty throne. The top of the throne featured a large golden circle, possibly symbolizing Lu Solar.

It seemed to suggest that the radiant light stood above even the Emperor, or perhaps that the Emperor was bathed in a divine halo.

In any case, it’s certainly grand.

If it were daylight, with sunlight pouring through the windows, it would be even more so. Though even now, with the starry night sky visible, it wasn’t any less beautiful.

Seras came to a stop at an appropriate distance. Ian, standing beside her, glanced at the elderly man positioned to the right of the dais. Despite the lines of age on his face, his hair and beard were thick, and his posture was straight and proud. Dressed in an elegant black uniform, a golden insignia in the shape of the Empire's flag gleamed on his left chest.

The man gazed down at Seras and Ian with sharp brown eyes. Ian was the only one to meet his gaze, as Seras was focused intently on the empty throne with a peculiar look in her eyes.

Clank—

The sound of a door opening from beside the dais broke the silence.

As Seras gracefully kneeled and bowed her head, the elderly man who had been watching Ian spoke, "His Imperial Majesty, blessed by the Seven Goddesses and true ruler of the entire continent, has arrived. All shall show the proper respect."

In perfect unison, the guards in the hall kneeled on one knee. Ian swiftly followed suit, kneeling and bowing his head. Yet, even as he did, his attention was locked on the dais. There wasn’t just one person entering. He could sense one figure stopping to the left of the dais and another approaching the throne.

Of course, the one crossing to the throne had to be the Emperor. Yet, for someone who ruled an Empire, the presence he projected was oddly subdued. It felt as if only a shell of a person had entered. There was nothing particularly remarkable about him, to the point where it almost took Ian by surprise. The gods supposedly blessed this man and endowed him with great power and abilities.

Or could this lack of presence be part of the Emperor's power...?

As Ian pondered the thought, the Emperor sat on the throne. A heavy silence filled the room for a moment.

"Rise."

A low voice echoed through the chamber. It held no trace of authority or grandeur, just a calm, almost indifferent tone. Yet, both Seras and the kneeling guards rose instantly, gripping their halberds once more. Ian stood up as well, steady and composed.

"Lift your heads."

At that command, Ian finally raised his head and looked toward the throne. There, the Emperor came into full view. His golden hair, which fell in loose waves to his shoulders, seemed somewhat faded. Atop his head sat a simple gold crown, lacking any ornate decoration. His eyes, framed by light wrinkles, were calm and red, and a golden beard covered half of his slightly gaunt face.

Beneath a white fur cloak, the Emperor wore a purple uniform embroidered with golden thread. His hands, resting on the armrests of the throne, were slender, adding to his overall frail appearance.

So this is the Emperor...

As the Emperor's calm eyes scanned Ian, they shifted slightly to glance at Seras, who stood beside him. Ian, following suit, subtly glanced to the left of the dais, where a young male servant in white robes stood near the steps. His face was youthful, almost too much to be called a young man, and he held the edges of a broad, square silver tray. The tray's contents were hidden from view.

"You kept your promise. Impressive," the Emperor said, his voice steady. His tone was slow, with almost no rise or fall, making it difficult to gauge his feelings. Despite this, a faint smile appeared on Seras's lips as she looked up at him.

"I simply did what was required, Your Majesty."

"Move your belongings at dawn," the Emperor added, his voice still even.

Seras' eyes briefly widened in surprise as he continued, "I have prepared a new residence for you in the Venus Palace."

Seras bowed deeply.

"I shall do so with great joy, Your Majesty."

Her lips couldn’t hide the smile that was spreading across her face. At the same time, a quest completion notification appeared before Ian's eyes—the royal summons quest had been completed. As Ian was about to close the window, the Emperor's gaze shifted back to him.

Ian met the Emperor's calm, red eyes without hesitation. They were unwavering, as was his expression.

A fleeting, out-of-place thought crossed Ian’s mind—Is this how others felt when they looked at me?

If so, perhaps the Emperor's mind was filled with far more thoughts than his expression revealed.

Finally, the Emperor spoke again, "Dragon Slayer. Superhuman. The Agent of the Great Platinum Dragon, Ian Hope."

His tone was still calm, almost slow.

The Emperor briefly gazed into Ian’s steady eyes before continuing, "I ask you: Will you accept the imperial command?"

Ah, straight to the point, huh? Ian suppressed a smirk.

Of course, the Emperor had no need to speak in circles, nor any reason to gauge or persuade the intentions of others. That was the responsibility of those standing before him. And that included Ian. It explained why the Emperor addressed him by listing all his grand titles.

In any case, Ian found this direct approach far more agreeable.

"As long as the reward is fair, I’ll gladly accept."

He had no intention of speaking indirectly either.

At Ian’s response, the elderly man, the servant holding the tray, and even Seras all turned to look at him in surprise. Seras, in particular, seemed to falter for a moment, as if feeling light-headed. She clearly hadn’t expected Ian to speak so plainly to the Emperor.

However, the Emperor remained unfazed, his expression steady. In fact, faint lines creased the corners of his eyes, giving the impression of a subtle smile.

Maybe he finds this approach just as comfortable.

The Emperor spoke again almost immediately after.

"Then accept the imperial command."

So, that’s a yes, right?

Ian mused to himself as he calmly kneeled on one knee again. With a slight gesture of his raised hand, the Emperor glanced at Seras. As the servant, who had been standing nearby, descended from the dais, Seras immediately approached him.

The servant’s gaze shifted to the tray, and Seras picked up the item he was staring at. It was a piece of pristine white parchment—an imperial decree.

For a moment, Seras’s eyes flickered as she read the words written on it. Of course, the reaction was brief. Holding the decree with both hands, she spoke in a clear voice.

"By the Emperor’s will, Ian Hope is granted the title of Baron and is appointed as a Free Baron. This is an honorary position under the Emperor's direct authority, to be passed down as long as it does not conflict with the interests of the Empire—"

Ian listened to her voice calmly. It wasn’t surprising that the Emperor was granting him a title. It was the easiest way to formalize their relationship. Though this had never happened in the game, Ian's circumstances now were vastly different from what they had been then.

Of course, he knew it wasn’t the full extent of it. Seras’ earlier reaction hinted at more to come.

"Additionally, Ian Hope, now Baron, is appointed as Count of the Northern Autonomous Territory and is granted the governing rights over Lu Glast, Nor Lindor, and Gal Maro. He is ‌given the title of Margrave—"

Ah, so that’s why.

Ian’s eyes twitched for the first time.

A title and lands in the North—this was something he hadn’t expected at all. He had never expected the Emperor would send him to the North.

"—and he is tasked with assembling the unallied Northern warriors to form a new battalion, which will be stationed at the fortress on the Northern front."