[Chapter 3] Imperial Palace
The palace loomed above him, bathed in the crimson rays of sunset. Obsidian spires clawed at the sky like giants keeping watch over the Empire. Despite his efforts, he could only see a part of the palace.
Standing in front of the stairs, he finally felt the heaviness of the situation. As he walked up the stairs, the miniature cracks attested to the long history that lay behind the Empire. Yet, it kept holding on as if ready to tackle another generation.
'So many people.' Despite the late hours, several people entered and left the palace, making it seem more like a giant office rather than the abode of a cold tyrant. Murmurs echoed under the vaulted ceiling as several clerks and officials moved restlessly.
Surprisingly, no one even noticed him, making it seem like his mere existence wasn't enough to pull their attention.
Unfortunately, there was someone with him who garnered all the attention for herself.
Every now and then, someone would look their way. Even in the Imperial Palace, the valour and dignity of the Valcrest were clearly visible. Several seasoned knights were stationed outside the Grand Gate of the Palace. As they passed through, each bowed more than necessary.
'Woah, I never took her to be that big of a deal.'
The moment he entered the grand hallway connecting various chambers and rooms alike, the aether-powered illumination system caught him off guard, making him squint to adjust his eyesight. The walls that were already white gave off even more contrast than normal as a result.
Noticing his discomfort, Elira explained, "It wasn't always like this. This illumination system is the product of research that had been going on for a very long time. You could even say it is one of the greatest inventions of the Arcanum Collegium."
With a glance at the knight leading them, he replied, "Looks like a huge waste of supplies."
"It would have been," a soft smile apparent on her face, "if the Archmage hadn't led the research herself. Fortunately, she had already done magnificent research on the sustainable use of Aether-borne energy. She just used those mechanics and principles in this system, making it completely self-sufficient."
Even if her tone was lean and unperturbed, a hint of fascination and awe could be felt in her speech.
'I guess all the mages are the same, salivating over a bunch of blinding lights. Glad I didn't bring Arnold; I can already imagine him stealing a few on his way out and spending all night working on them.'
As they went deeper inside the palace, the number of knights he encountered increased immensely. There were Master Adepts that had been knighted, of course. But the number of Knights that had ascended the mortal realm that he had come across was huge, considering that in the entire Empire, the number of official ascended individuals was less than a hundred.
'Should I try using the perception technique that was taught last week?'
Five aspects governed the art of Momentcraft: a form of using Aether, this world's energy, to climb the ladder of ascension. One of these aspects was Perception. Apparently, it was just as the name suggested. The ability to see, hear or become aware of something through the senses.
But what if perception was fuelled by Aether? Then an entire realm of possibilities would open up. From being able to perceive whether a food is poisoned to anticipating your opponent's next moves, perception could be used anywhere.
'I hope I don't get punished for doing something like this.' With the thought, he started slowly expanding his perception around him.
Noah inhaled, pulling Aether into his senses the way they had practiced in class. The flow stuttered, then steadied, spreading through his sight, hearing, touch—
Crack.
The world collapsed. His breath seized in his chest as if an iron hand had clamped his lungs shut. Every nerve screamed, every thought shattered. He felt like an insect crushed under a boot, not even worth noticing.
They stopped walking. The knight ahead turned, her visor lowering just enough for a single eye to catch his. That single look made the hall feel like it belonged to her alone.
"This is the last and only warning you'll be getting." Her voice was calm, but it carried the weight of a sword's edge. "Such acts could get you killed inside the Imperial Palace."
The pressure vanished as suddenly as it had come, leaving Noah sagging on his feet, gasping like he had surfaced from deep water. His legs trembled; cold sweat dripped into his eyes. But the feeling of getting completely shattered before even being able to do anything was still there.
"Don't be so harsh on him, Lady Taurus. He wasn't trying to be reckless." Unlike Noah, Elira didn't seem daunted by Lady Taurus at all.
Lady Taurus gave her a brief glance, then turned away without a word, resuming her stride down the corridor.
Seeing that Noah was still disturbed, Elira patted his back and said, "Let's go."
At the moment, all he could muster up was to nod back at her and keep walking. But nervousness and fear were clear as day on his face, his forehead being completely covered with cold sweat.
'Just what did I do to get caught up in all this?!'
Soon, they entered a narrower hallway, this one lacking the vast, echoing space of the others. After passing several doors carved with intricate sigils and adorned in gold filigree, they stopped before one that stood out — not just grand, but commanding. Two knights flanking the door saluted crisply, their armor polished until it gleamed in the pale light.
Noah risked a glance behind him. The sun had finally dipped below the horizon, and the moon's silver glow spilled through the high windows, draping the palace in a cool, ethereal light.
That was when the thought struck him like a hammer. 'Is this… where we're going to meet the Emperor?'
He straightened at once, tugging down his tunic, even wiping his face with his sleeve as though that might somehow make him look less exhausted. His heart thumped painfully against his ribs.
But before he could steel himself, Lady Taurus reached forward and swung the door open.
'Alright! Worrying won't help at all. I'll just have to face him directly.'
The hinges groaned, and as the door yawned open, Noah braced for the sight of a cold tyrant enthroned in shadow and steel.
A tall, thin man lounged across a pristine velvet sofa, one leg hooked lazily over the other. His raven-black hair tumbled freely down his back, sharp eyes narrowing on the intruders like a predator sizing up prey. But whatever menace those eyes carried was undermined by the thick sandwich in his hands. He barely spared them a glance before biting into it with gusto, crumbs scattering onto the expensive carpet.
'The Emperor? That scrawny guy with a sandwich?'
Entering the room, Lady Taurus turned and explained, "I'll go and inform His Majesty of your arrival. Please make yourselves comfortable till then."
She slipped out, shutting the heavy door behind them with a final thud. Relief poured into Noah's chest so suddenly he almost staggered.
'Thank the gods. If this joker runs the Empire, no wonder the nobles are in chaos. But… no. He can't be. Right?'
The lounging man chewed with noisy satisfaction, unfazed by their presence. The spread on the table before him looked like something from a noble's banquet — crystal bottles glinting with liquor, plates stacked high with delicate sweets. And yet the stranger had chosen a sandwich.
'Ugh.' Despite the disgust Noah showed, he could feel the hunger welling up inside him.
He slumped into a sofa opposite the man, sinking gratefully into the cushions. His eyelids threatened to shut on their own.
'Damn. The moment I get back, I'm collapsing on my bed. Never thought there was something more exhausting than training.'
"You look like you just saw a ghost."
The man's voice was rough, casual, but carried a sly weight. Noah cracked one eye open.
"Don't tell me… you really saw one! Gods, is it behind me?!" He leaned slightly, as though checking the empty space at his back. The movement was slow, deliberate, almost like he was baiting Noah for a reaction.
Noah wasn't sure if the person was joking or if he was actually serious.
"Not a ghost. But meeting the Emperor isn't much different, is it?"
"Better than a ghost. At least the Emperor can't see you naked."
Noah blinked, caught off guard. "…Wait. What do you think ghosts are?"
The man straightened just a little, voice turning mock-lecturing. "Everyone knows. They're the remnants of ancient voyeurs — creatures who lingered so long they turned invisible. Now they skulk about, slipping through walls, spying where they don't belong."
A muffled snort made Noah glance sideways. Elira had her face half-hidden by her hand, shoulders trembling ever so slightly. The mighty prodigy mage, undone by a dumb joke.
Instead of correcting him, Noah leaned back with deadpan gravity. "Exactly. Invisible perverts. The only question is whether they're real or not."
The man tapped his temple with two fingers, eyes glinting. "Best assume they are. Privacy's too precious to gamble with."
Before Noah could reply, the door creaked again. Lady Taurus returned, her voice brisk: "His Majesty has asked for your presence."
And just like that, the atmosphere shifted.
*****
Meanwhile, across the Capital, unrest stirred in the Valcrest estate…
From the outside, the mansion loomed in silence, its banners unmoving under the moonlight. But within, the air was heavy with chaos. Servants rushed through the halls with hushed urgency, and the walls themselves seemed to tremble under the weight of the Lord's foul mood.
On the upper floor, tension coiled sharpest in a single chamber.
"It was an elaborately planned attack," said Edric Valcrest, head of the family. His voice was iron—steady, unshaken by age. Though he looked to be in his early sixties, the discipline etched into his posture marked him as a soldier first, lord second. "I cannot say if the raid on the Capital was only a diversion, but it was too weak to serve any other purpose."
"That doesn't matter, Uncle."
Leon stood in the center of the room, framed by firelight. Before him, five figures knelt, their heads bowed, faces twisted with regret. His words cut like steel.
"What I want to know," Leon's gaze swept across them, cold and unyielding, "is how my sister was taken under the watch of two mages and three knights—of our own House, no less."
Shame and fury flickered across the kneeling retainers. One knight finally broke, his voice low.
"We will accept whatever punishment you deem fit, my Lord."
Leon's eyes narrowed. His silence weighed heavier than chains. When he spoke again, it was not with rage, but disdain sharpened into a blade.
"Punishment? None of you are even worthy of that. What you've done goes beyond failure."
The words left them stricken, trembling in their shame.
Edric's voice cut through the suffocating quiet. "We don't have the luxury of wasting time, Leon. Iriel is still missing, and the Emperor has already sent word forbidding us from pursuing the kidnappers."
Leon turned at last, his expression carved in stone.
"Prepare the carriage," he said. "I'll hear the Emperor's reasoning from his own mouth."