Episode 144. The Dark Clouds
“The Emperor has arrived.”
Seira stared at Christine as she got out of the large and magnificent carriage.
Isabelle and the bishop of the cathedral came out to greet him in person.
Even when he was the hero of Kalame, he had an extraordinary presence. However, when he wore the Emperor’s white uniform and led numerous knights, he felt an indescribable sense of dignity and awe.
Seira was newly resentful that she had not been able to capture such a man, or rather, that he had been taken by none other than Adele.
Of course, if today’s plan succeeded, Adele’s status would be reversed in an instant.
Therefore, this plan had to succeed.
“Are you confident today, Maurice?”
A faint smile spread across his lips.
“I’ve been waiting for this day.”
“Don’t be so proud. The Emperor is not an easy person.”
“Who knows that better than I do?”
For the past six years, Christine had been relentlessly attacking the Vatican.
He had mercilessly executed priests who opposed him with divine powers.
Because of that, the priests left in the Vatican and the cathedral were all those who didn’t know how to use their powers.
The priests who knew how to use their divine powers, including Maurice, became rebel priests.
They had been keeping quiet, preparing a secret weapon to attack the Emperor.
“Then shall we move now?”
Maurice looked a little excited. Like a child on the eve of a picnic.
It was no different from the previous year, except that the scale had grown and security had been strengthened.
As always, Adele’s desserts were popular with the little guests.
Thanks to that, Leana became a dessert saleswoman who was not in her fortune, and it suited her very well. As the guests poured in like crazy, even Paulo, who had been standing blankly behind her, stepped forward to help.
Instead of his knightly uniform, he wore a plain suit with a silk hat pulled down low and even gloves. This was because people had become wary of the wolf clan due to the recent incident.
The wolf clan, who were immediately noticeable like Paul, were especially avoided.
It was when he lifted the cookie box from the floor.
“Oh, it’s the wolf clan!”
The child who had been staring at him for a while shouted.
The surprised people all held their children and retreated.
In an instant, the people around Adele’s stand ebbed away.
“Shouldn’t the wolf clan be banned from entering? What do you think they’ll do next?”
“How can the Emperor be a wolf clan?”
“How disgusting. When are those beasts going back?”
The people’s whispering reached Adele. Paul’s ears, with his excellent hearing, must have heard it even better.
Adele held Paul’s hand tightly in her panic.
“Just ignore what strangers say. I’m used to that kind of thing. What about Sir Paul?”
“Yes, I don’t care either.”
Of course, his voice was very dejected.
Then Leana laughed at the people.
“That’s funny. Don’t you know that the murder rate of people is much higher than that of the wolf clan? Then you should have banned people from entering. They’re potential murderers.”
“Leana, stop it.”
Adele stopped her.
At one time, she, too, was afraid of Christine because he was a wolf clan member who killed her mother.
But just as not all people are murderers, not all wolf clans attack people.
Adele knew that better than anyone. Still, she couldn’t stop the people from going farther from the sales stand.
However, the children couldn’t take their eyes off Adele’s desserts and cookies as they were dragged by their parents.
“You two stay here.”
Adele had no choice but to go into the crowd with the cookie box.
“You don’t have to go that far!”
Leana tried to stop her, but Adele was firm.
“If this continues, the gap between the people and the wolf clan will widen further. That won’t be good for Your Majesty’s rule. I’ll donate all the proceeds today in Paul’s name.”
“I’m so proud of you.”
Leana grumbled and followed her with the cookie box.
Paul stood in the shade of the tree with a depressed face.
Despite his fearsome appearance, he was a man with a delicate disposition.
He couldn’t just watch Adele sell cookies in the crowd and get involved.
He thought she’d just cause trouble again.
After all, wasn’t Leana, the greatest magician, by her side?
“Tch! I wish I could go back to Bahamart soon. These clothes are so uncomfortable, and the shoes too.”
When he was grumbling about his ill-fitting clothes and shoes,
“You look bored.”
When he turned around at the sly voice, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty appeared from behind a tree.
“Siren!”
Paul’s face brightened.
She asked, spinning her white lace parasol.
“You said you were on duty, but I wanted to see you anyway. But are you really on duty?”
Paul smiled awkwardly, feeling awkward in his suit and top hat, which he had never worn before.
“I feel a little strange about my outfit, don’t I?”
“The Emperor has arrived.”
Seira stared at Christine as she got out of the large and magnificent carriage.
Isabelle and the bishop of the cathedral came out to greet him in person.
Even when he was the hero of Kalame, he had an extraordinary presence. However, when he wore the Emperor’s white uniform and led numerous knights, he felt an indescribable sense of dignity and awe.
Seira was newly resentful that she had not been able to capture such a man, or rather, that he had been taken by none other than Adele.
Of course, if today’s plan succeeded, Adele’s status would be reversed in an instant.
Therefore, this plan had to succeed.
“Are you confident today, Maurice?”
A faint smile spread across his lips.
“I’ve been waiting for this day.”
“Don’t be so proud. The Emperor is not an easy person.”
“Who knows that better than I do?”
For the past six years, Christine had been relentlessly attacking the Vatican.
He had mercilessly executed priests who opposed him with divine powers.
Because of that, the priests left in the Vatican and the cathedral were all those who didn’t know how to use their powers.
The priests who knew how to use their divine powers, including Maurice, became rebel priests.
They had been keeping quiet, preparing a secret weapon to attack the Emperor.
“Then shall we move now?”
Maurice looked a little excited. Like a child on the eve of a picnic.
***
It was no different from the previous year, except that the scale had grown and security had been strengthened.
As always, Adele’s desserts were popular with the little guests.
Thanks to that, Leana became a dessert saleswoman who was not in her fortune, and it suited her very well. As the guests poured in like crazy, even Paulo, who had been standing blankly behind her, stepped forward to help.
Instead of his knightly uniform, he wore a plain suit with a silk hat pulled down low and even gloves. This was because people had become wary of the wolf clan due to the recent incident.
The wolf clan, who were immediately noticeable like Paul, were especially avoided.
It was when he lifted the cookie box from the floor.
“Oh, it’s the wolf clan!”
The child who had been staring at him for a while shouted.
The surprised people all held their children and retreated.
In an instant, the people around Adele’s stand ebbed away.
“Shouldn’t the wolf clan be banned from entering? What do you think they’ll do next?”
“How can the Emperor be a wolf clan?”
“How disgusting. When are those beasts going back?”
The people’s whispering reached Adele. Paul’s ears, with his excellent hearing, must have heard it even better.
Adele held Paul’s hand tightly in her panic.
“Just ignore what strangers say. I’m used to that kind of thing. What about Sir Paul?”
“Yes, I don’t care either.”
Of course, his voice was very dejected.
Then Leana laughed at the people.
“That’s funny. Don’t you know that the murder rate of people is much higher than that of the wolf clan? Then you should have banned people from entering. They’re potential murderers.”
“Leana, stop it.”
Adele stopped her.
At one time, she, too, was afraid of Christine because he was a wolf clan member who killed her mother.
But just as not all people are murderers, not all wolf clans attack people.
Adele knew that better than anyone. Still, she couldn’t stop the people from going farther from the sales stand.
However, the children couldn’t take their eyes off Adele’s desserts and cookies as they were dragged by their parents.
“You two stay here.”
Adele had no choice but to go into the crowd with the cookie box.
“You don’t have to go that far!”
Leana tried to stop her, but Adele was firm.
“If this continues, the gap between the people and the wolf clan will widen further. That won’t be good for Your Majesty’s rule. I’ll donate all the proceeds today in Paul’s name.”
“I’m so proud of you.”
Leana grumbled and followed her with the cookie box.
***
Paul stood in the shade of the tree with a depressed face.
Despite his fearsome appearance, he was a man with a delicate disposition.
He couldn’t just watch Adele sell cookies in the crowd and get involved.
He thought she’d just cause trouble again.
After all, wasn’t Leana, the greatest magician, by her side?
“Tch! I wish I could go back to Bahamart soon. These clothes are so uncomfortable, and the shoes too.”
When he was grumbling about his ill-fitting clothes and shoes,
“You look bored.”
When he turned around at the sly voice, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty appeared from behind a tree.
“Siren!”
Paul’s face brightened.
She asked, spinning her white lace parasol.
“You said you were on duty, but I wanted to see you anyway. But are you really on duty?”
Paul smiled awkwardly, feeling awkward in his suit and top hat, which he had never worn before.
“I feel a little strange about my outfit, don’t I?”
“They’re really cool. But do you work in those clothes?”
“I’m kind of undercover. People might be surprised to see me.”
“Oh, why? I think Paul’s original appearance is cool, too. You look manly and tough. People who don’t recognize that are foolish.”
Paul’s face turned red.
“I just have to like Siren. So, I... I’m leaving for Bahamart soon. Let’s...”
The woman placed her finger on his lips as if to stop Paul.
That alone made Paul’s heart pound so hard that he couldn’t breathe.
“Can you spare a moment? My brother is worried because you’re associating with the wolf clan. It’s a bit late.”
Paul’s expression wavered.
“You mean Siren’s brother?”
“Yes, you just need to say hello. He's right behind you.”
Paul looked back at Adele and Leana.
There didn’t seem to be any problems yet.
“Then just a moment.”
Adele and Leana were busy selling cookies.
Christine approached them. He walked toward them in the pure white imperial attire that symbolized the Weiss family, with his dazzling silver hair fluttering in the wind.
Thanks to that, it seemed like he was radiating a halo.
“I guess the Emperor has been removed...”
Someone muttered.
“He has been removed?”
It was quite different from the image of an Emperor that people had in mind.
The bloody Emperor who had overthrown the Vatican and conquered the world.
The King of Beasts who ruled over the wild wolf clan.
The Emperor in the rumor seemed to be a beast covered in blood.
But now, he seemed divine and transcendent.
People lowered their heads without realizing it.
Then, the moment he smiled brightly at Adele, everyone lost their senses.
For a moment, they even forgot that he was part of the fearsome wolf clan.
“Have you ever had a customer who bothered you?”
“Of course. And I have a hard time dealing with real customers.”
Leana quickly interjected.
“And real people don’t know that they are real.”
“Why are you telling me that?”
Leana cutely stuck her tongue out at Christine, who was frowning.
“If you feel bad, buy me all of these. No, even this.”
She held out the cookie box she was holding and the box Adele was holding in front of him.
Christine, who had been dumbfounded, soon accepted heartily.
"Yes. Buy them all.”
“It’ll be expensive.”
He handed Adele a bag of platinum coins as she playfully posed.
“Is it not enough?”
“Well, it’s a little bit not enough, but since you’re buying in bulk, I’ll give you a discount.”
Adele turned around with a sour expression and kindly handed out cookies to the children around her. She didn’t forget to mention that the Emperor bought it for them. The parents also bowed their heads awkwardly to Christine as they watched their children enjoying themselves.
“You really are the Queen of support.”
Zimmer whispered to Christine.
“Well. Who chose you?”
At that moment, Adele pointed to the stage and shouted.
“I’ll give them to the people preparing for the performance over there!”
“You yourself?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be right back.”
Leana said to Christine, who was worried.
“I’ll follow her, so don’t worry.”
Christine, who had been quietly watching the two, let out a soft voice.
“Zimmer.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“Paul keeps disappearing.”
His face, which had been sweet and gentle when he was with Adele, was like a mask.
“Should I go and look for him?”
Zimmer quickly looked around.
Although he had some rough edges, it was Paul who was more honest and responsible than anyone else.
It was unimaginable that he would leave his post while on duty.
At that moment, a WG knight came running at a fast pace.
“Your Majesty!”
“What’s going on?”
“It seems like Maurice has appeared!”
“Maurice?”
“Yes, there are several people who have seen him in the cathedral backyard.”
Zimmer and Christine exchanged a silent conversation with their eyes.
“As expected. We will move as prepared.”
“He is a cunning man. Be especially careful.”
“Yes, Your Majesty! Let’s go!”
Zimmer gathered the knights around him and ran out.
As soon as Zimmer disappeared, Paul appeared in a hurry.
“Your Majesty! Are you here?”
Christine looked at Paul with a sharp gaze without saying a word. He smelled like the woman she had smelled on Paul yesterday.
“Did you meet that woman again yesterday?”
Paulo looked inwardly surprised.
“How?”
That was it. Christine remembered Seira’s scent.
A good scent lingered as a good memory for a long time, but a bad scent also lingered as a bad memory for a long time.
According to the information, she was currently working with Maurice.
It was clear that she had approached Paul to use him.
Christine planned to use him again.
“Yes, what did I instruct you to do?”
“It was as you said. Siren brought a man and said he was her brother. So I secretly put the coin in her pocket as you told me to.”
He guessed that Seira would approach Paul again today.
That’s why he had told her to put a ‘tracking coin’ in her pocket so that he could track them.
“Yes, thank you for your hard work. But your ear... is it itchy?”
“Yes?”
“You keep scratching it.”
Paulo realized that he was scratching his ear nonstop even while talking to Christine.
His ear was swollen and red to the point of a wound.
It was a wound similar to that of a wolf clan that had died while running wild.
“That... I don’t know what bit me, but it keeps tickling.”
“Since you met her brother?”
Paul thought for a moment and shook his head.
“I don’t know. I actually remember meeting Siren’s older brother, but strangely enough, I don’t remember anything after that. What we talked about, or even what he looked like.”
“I guess so.”
“Your Majesty knows who he is. That’s why you asked me to do this. Who is he?”
Christine couldn’t open his mouth.
Paul seemed sincere to Seira.
He could clearly see him excitedly saying that he was dating for the first time in his life.
If he found out that she approached him to use him, he would be deeply hurt.
However, it wouldn’t be hidden forever.
“That bastard is Maurice.”
Paul’s whole body twitched, and his muscles bulged.
“You bastard! I’ll find you and kill you!”
Christine shook his head.
“But go to Kenny first.”
“Why is Kenny suddenly...?”
“Maurice must have cast some kind of magic to use you. That’s why your ears are ticklish.”
It was then.
“Gyaaaaah!”
A shrill scream split the air of the venue.
The people watching the performance on stage suddenly murmured and stepped back.
“Paul, go to Kenny!”
Christine shouted and ran towards the stage. A man was lying on the stage, bleeding, and the man in front of him was slowly growing in size and transforming into a wolf.
‘Damn, is it starting already?’
“I’m kind of undercover. People might be surprised to see me.”
“Oh, why? I think Paul’s original appearance is cool, too. You look manly and tough. People who don’t recognize that are foolish.”
Paul’s face turned red.
“I just have to like Siren. So, I... I’m leaving for Bahamart soon. Let’s...”
The woman placed her finger on his lips as if to stop Paul.
That alone made Paul’s heart pound so hard that he couldn’t breathe.
“Can you spare a moment? My brother is worried because you’re associating with the wolf clan. It’s a bit late.”
Paul’s expression wavered.
“You mean Siren’s brother?”
“Yes, you just need to say hello. He's right behind you.”
Paul looked back at Adele and Leana.
There didn’t seem to be any problems yet.
“Then just a moment.”
***
Adele and Leana were busy selling cookies.
Christine approached them. He walked toward them in the pure white imperial attire that symbolized the Weiss family, with his dazzling silver hair fluttering in the wind.
Thanks to that, it seemed like he was radiating a halo.
“I guess the Emperor has been removed...”
Someone muttered.
“He has been removed?”
It was quite different from the image of an Emperor that people had in mind.
The bloody Emperor who had overthrown the Vatican and conquered the world.
The King of Beasts who ruled over the wild wolf clan.
The Emperor in the rumor seemed to be a beast covered in blood.
But now, he seemed divine and transcendent.
People lowered their heads without realizing it.
Then, the moment he smiled brightly at Adele, everyone lost their senses.
For a moment, they even forgot that he was part of the fearsome wolf clan.
“Have you ever had a customer who bothered you?”
“Of course. And I have a hard time dealing with real customers.”
Leana quickly interjected.
“And real people don’t know that they are real.”
“Why are you telling me that?”
Leana cutely stuck her tongue out at Christine, who was frowning.
“If you feel bad, buy me all of these. No, even this.”
She held out the cookie box she was holding and the box Adele was holding in front of him.
Christine, who had been dumbfounded, soon accepted heartily.
"Yes. Buy them all.”
“It’ll be expensive.”
He handed Adele a bag of platinum coins as she playfully posed.
“Is it not enough?”
“Well, it’s a little bit not enough, but since you’re buying in bulk, I’ll give you a discount.”
Adele turned around with a sour expression and kindly handed out cookies to the children around her. She didn’t forget to mention that the Emperor bought it for them. The parents also bowed their heads awkwardly to Christine as they watched their children enjoying themselves.
“You really are the Queen of support.”
Zimmer whispered to Christine.
“Well. Who chose you?”
At that moment, Adele pointed to the stage and shouted.
“I’ll give them to the people preparing for the performance over there!”
“You yourself?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be right back.”
Leana said to Christine, who was worried.
“I’ll follow her, so don’t worry.”
Christine, who had been quietly watching the two, let out a soft voice.
“Zimmer.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“Paul keeps disappearing.”
His face, which had been sweet and gentle when he was with Adele, was like a mask.
“Should I go and look for him?”
Zimmer quickly looked around.
Although he had some rough edges, it was Paul who was more honest and responsible than anyone else.
It was unimaginable that he would leave his post while on duty.
At that moment, a WG knight came running at a fast pace.
“Your Majesty!”
“What’s going on?”
“It seems like Maurice has appeared!”
“Maurice?”
“Yes, there are several people who have seen him in the cathedral backyard.”
Zimmer and Christine exchanged a silent conversation with their eyes.
“As expected. We will move as prepared.”
“He is a cunning man. Be especially careful.”
“Yes, Your Majesty! Let’s go!”
Zimmer gathered the knights around him and ran out.
***
As soon as Zimmer disappeared, Paul appeared in a hurry.
“Your Majesty! Are you here?”
Christine looked at Paul with a sharp gaze without saying a word. He smelled like the woman she had smelled on Paul yesterday.
“Did you meet that woman again yesterday?”
Paulo looked inwardly surprised.
“How?”
That was it. Christine remembered Seira’s scent.
A good scent lingered as a good memory for a long time, but a bad scent also lingered as a bad memory for a long time.
According to the information, she was currently working with Maurice.
It was clear that she had approached Paul to use him.
Christine planned to use him again.
“Yes, what did I instruct you to do?”
“It was as you said. Siren brought a man and said he was her brother. So I secretly put the coin in her pocket as you told me to.”
He guessed that Seira would approach Paul again today.
That’s why he had told her to put a ‘tracking coin’ in her pocket so that he could track them.
“Yes, thank you for your hard work. But your ear... is it itchy?”
“Yes?”
“You keep scratching it.”
Paulo realized that he was scratching his ear nonstop even while talking to Christine.
His ear was swollen and red to the point of a wound.
It was a wound similar to that of a wolf clan that had died while running wild.
“That... I don’t know what bit me, but it keeps tickling.”
“Since you met her brother?”
Paul thought for a moment and shook his head.
“I don’t know. I actually remember meeting Siren’s older brother, but strangely enough, I don’t remember anything after that. What we talked about, or even what he looked like.”
“I guess so.”
“Your Majesty knows who he is. That’s why you asked me to do this. Who is he?”
Christine couldn’t open his mouth.
Paul seemed sincere to Seira.
He could clearly see him excitedly saying that he was dating for the first time in his life.
If he found out that she approached him to use him, he would be deeply hurt.
However, it wouldn’t be hidden forever.
“That bastard is Maurice.”
Paul’s whole body twitched, and his muscles bulged.
“You bastard! I’ll find you and kill you!”
Christine shook his head.
“But go to Kenny first.”
“Why is Kenny suddenly...?”
“Maurice must have cast some kind of magic to use you. That’s why your ears are ticklish.”
It was then.
“Gyaaaaah!”
A shrill scream split the air of the venue.
The people watching the performance on stage suddenly murmured and stepped back.
“Paul, go to Kenny!”
Christine shouted and ran towards the stage. A man was lying on the stage, bleeding, and the man in front of him was slowly growing in size and transforming into a wolf.
‘Damn, is it starting already?’
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