Silence fell over the audience. The theater had long since ceased the orchestra's performance and the soprano's singing. In the unnaturally tense silence, the Emperor rubbed his temples.
"... Tonmen of Karka. And Count Lopez. Come with me. I need to figure out what's going on."
"Your Majesty!"
Edward shouted in shock.
"He's crazy! He's talking nonsense! Do you really want to listen to someone like that?!"
"The Count, watch your words."
The Emperor said sternly.
"I won't make any hasty judgments until I figure out what's going on."
"Your Majesty. Yes...!"
"Follow me. Both of you."
The Emperor turned around fiercely. Edward clenched his fists and forced himself to take a step forward. Those who had been cheering at Edward's stage just moments ago were now muttering in astonishment.
"What on earth is going on?"
"If what the Karka envoy said is true, then Count Lopez committed a terrible crime... Surely not?"
Elena rolled her eyes on the empty stage.
'What, what the hell?!'
After the nightmarish last stage where she had to stand alone without a single performer. After barely overcoming the trauma of that day and standing on a new stage after a few months...
'Why is this happening again?!'
Oh, it shouldn't be that bad. Yes... There must have been some kind of mistake.
Elena tried to console herself. If she just waited a little bit here, her brother would definitely return safely.
***
In a quiet room. The Emperor, who had Tonmen and Edward standing side by side, glanced at Tonmen, who was glaring at Edward as if he was going to tear him apart with just his gaze and sighed.
'I barely managed to establish diplomatic relations with Karka, and now this is a bolt from the blue.'
Karka was a nation known for its powerful fighting people, but because of its unique isolation, it rarely interacted with any other country. If it weren't for Dante, the empire wouldn't have been able to establish relations either. The precious quartz and salt are found only in Karka, and above all, a strong military alliance. Establishing diplomatic relations with Karka would bring numerous benefits, so it was difficult for things to go wrong like this.
"Let me ask you carefully first, Tonmen of Karka."
The Emperor said in a tired voice.
"You said that Count Lopez stole Karka's ritual music. Is there no possibility that it was a misunderstanding?"
"Not at all."
Tommen said with a stern face.
"If you're a Karka, it's a song you've heard all your life. There's no possibility that it was a misunderstanding."
"Hmm..."
"Your Majesty, I've come to retrieve the information you ordered."
The attendant who arrived in a hurry handed over a book.
It was a music collection containing traditional music from around the world, and it was an ancient book among ancient books, so it would not have been found anywhere except in the palace library.
"I have confirmed that Karka's ritual music is also included here."
"Okay, thank you for your hard work. Now let's compare... Is there anyone who is well-versed in music? Ah, Marquis Roman. You come."
The Emperor, who recognized Marquis Roman among the high-ranking nobles gathered in the room, gestured. The Marquis, who followed the order, carefully examined the music book.
"This is..."
Marquis Roman's expression hardened increasingly seriously.
"There are parts that are too similar to the music I just heard in terms of development and composition. Even by Imperial law standards, this is... plagiarism."
Marquis Roman's testimony, famous for loving music and supporting musicians throughout his life, was incredibly credible.
"Huh!"
The Emperor's face twisted in bewilderment. Edward, who realized that the situation was turning against him, hurriedly shouted.
"Even if there were similarities, it would be a coincidence! Stealing music from Karka, where I have never been... This is an absurd accusation, Your Majesty!"
"Ceremonial music!"
Tonmen glared at Edward with a sinister look.
"This is sacred music given by the God of the Desert solely for us, Karka. Are you trying to make excuses that you, a non-Karkaite, composed such a sacred grace by mere coincidence?"
"Hmm."
The Emperor let out a troubled sigh. It was blasphemy for a foreigner with no connection to the music given by God to simply coincidentally come up with the same music. Tonmen's anger was fierce, but it was justified.
"Count Lopez."
The Emperor questioned Edward with a solemn expression.
"Are you sure you stole Karka's ritual music?"
"Absolutely not! Your Majesty, please do not listen to such a madman-."
"Shut up! I could pull out that tongue, take out the scabbard, and sprinkle salt on it!"
"Sir Tommen, since you are in front of Your Majesty, I think it would be best to be quiet for now..."
As Marquis Roman sweated and tried to stop him, Tonmen looked back at the Emperor with a sharp, blue gaze.
"Your Majesty. That bastard's atrocities were not limited to theft. He even altered the lyrics to insult the first King of Karka."
The Emperor touched his forehead. Thinking back, he remembered Tonmen saying something like that earlier.
Oh my, this is a mountain beyond a mountain. His headache was getting worse.
"... Give me the sheet music of Count Lopez. I need to check the lyrics."
He quickly handed the sheet music for the soprano that the attendant had brought to the Emperor. The Emperor's eyes carefully scanned the letters on the sheet music. After a moment, his expression distorted with shock.
'A labyrinth? A bull...?'
The main character of the lyrics was waiting for his lover to come find him in a labyrinth. He also kept comparing that lover to a 'bull. There was something that the two words naturally brought to mind.
'The unspoken history of the Kingdom of Karka.'
The first King of Karka was a hero who had many great adventures, and his last achievement was to rescue a Princess who was trapped in a maze. The problem was that a giant cow monster was lurking in the maze. The hero who defeated the monster and rescued the Princess fell in love with her, married her, and founded the country, which was the founding myth of Karka.
However, in one unofficial history, it was also said that a black magician who was jealous of the first King put a curse on the King, causing him to fall in love with the cow monster. The King, who mistook the cow monster for a Princess, brought a cow instead of the Princess, dressed it in a wedding dress, and married it...
The people born from the two are the Karka people. It was absurd, but many kept the Karka kingdom in check because of its strong military power. They intentionally spread and insulted the Karka by making fun of it. They said that they were monsters born from the womb of an animal, not a human.
'Even if by some chance the music overlapping was just a miraculous coincidence...'
Even the lyrics were full of metaphors mocking Karka. What were the odds that two coincidences would overlap?
"..."
Edward, who was anxious at the Emperor's silence, rolled his eyes and shouted.
"Your Majesty! How, how can you listen to such an uncivilized barbarian instead of Your Majesty's people!"
The moment Edward shouted those words, the audience fell into a cold silence. The Karka people had cut off diplomatic relations with the outside world for a long time. Behind this, there was a widespread culture of looking down on them, calling them uncivilized, and living in the desert. They were even treated like barbarians simply because their hair color was similar. Because of their long history, the word 'uncivilized' was like a sting to the Karka people.
"...Your Majesty the Emperor of the Empire."
Tonmen spoke in a low, composed voice. Contrary to his calm voice at first glance, his eyes were burning with blood.
"Please permit me to duel with that man."
"W-what!"
Edward was terrified. If they started a duel, one of them would have to die. Edward, who only had a level of swordsmanship that he could quickly lose interest in and throw away, had a close to zero to chance of beating Tonmen.
"We tried to receive theft with one finger. That's the law of Karka. However, that man insulted the country itself. I cannot tolerate someone who has tarnished the honor of my country several times."
"..."
The Emperor rubbed his temples.
"Count Lopez."
"Your Majesty."
Edward stammered with a desperate face. The Emperor pressed his throbbing forehead and said,
"I can no longer... defend you."
The last insult was too fatal. The Emperor clicked his tongue softly.
"Your Majesty...!"
"Shut up! Why did you commit such a dirty trick in the sacred founding of the country in the first place!"
"Your Majesty! Please listen to me! There is something wrong!"
Edward shouted desperately. However, no matter how hard he racked his brain, no further explanation came to mind.
'It's a lie. That damned savage just made it up!'
Edward could not understand the whole situation.
'I...'
He had simply slightly modified just his grandfather's last will and testament and staged it as is. He had thought that everything would be perfect. And it was why was such an unexpected difficulty trying to eat him up?
"Your Majesty. Please allow me to duel."
"Ugh."
Tommen spoke strongly, and the Emperor let out a sigh. Edward held his breath as he faced the Emperor. The Emperor's gaze was filled with resignation and irritation.
The Emperor will abandon me.
Edward fell to his knees at that eerie premonition.
Thump!
Hitting his knees hard against the floor, Edward begged.
"Your Majesty, please. Please do not abandon your people! If I duel him, I will die!"
However, the Emperor's eyes only grew colder. Edward hurriedly lowered his forehead.
"Your Majesty, please!"
He lowered his head so much that his forehead hit the marble floor. However, the pain that felt like his head was going to burst felt dull now. Regardless of his dignity, it was urgent not to fall into the hands of that cruel savage right now.
That was the moment. A voice that was both sad and clear rang out.
"Your Majesty the Emperor!"
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