Najenda's previously cheerful mood from her recent promotion quickly soured due to encountering that annoying fellow, leaving her face cold as ice. Several sneaky onlookers promptly slapped the label "tigress" onto her.
What she hadn't expected, though, was that the man who'd been staring at her earlier was also one of the recipients being honored today. From what she knew, he should be the infamous officer from the Western Border Army who'd allegedly "massacred prisoners" (though she'd heard whispers it was actually exaggerated by slave merchants displeased with his methods).
Initially, she'd imagined someone gloomy or violent, but this guy didn't look at all like a ruthless killer. He seemed only a few years older than her—calm, reserved even—so how could he be responsible for reducing prisoner survival rates to under ten percent?
But doubts were just doubts, and for now all she could do was watch silently.
On his side, Lancer had no clue about Najenda's thoughts. Kneeling respectfully on one knee, he appeared composed and attentive, but truthfully, he was just following procedure rather than showing genuine reverence like the others.
Yet, it seemed the Emperor still remembered Lancer as the man who'd saved his life a year ago. The young ruler even offered Lancer a faint smile—a subtle gesture perhaps, but it immediately became a clear signal to the shrewd politicians and military officials present. After all, among military commanders, someone as uncompromisingly distant from political affairs as General Budo was exceedingly rare.
Then came another surprise.
"In recognition of your outstanding service, I have decided to grant each of you permission to choose an Imperial Arms from the Imperial treasury…"
An unexpected bonus—but soon after, confusion flickered across the recipients' faces. After all, at this point in time, the existence of Imperial Arms wasn't yet common knowledge.
"Imperial Arms were created a thousand years ago by the Empire's founding emperor, who sought to ensure eternal rule. Gathering the finest artisans across the world, he employed incredibly dangerous Danger Beasts as raw materials, forged them with rare metals like Orichalcum, and infused them with lost, ancient techniques. Thus, forty-eight unique, peerless weapons—Imperial Arms—were born. Although some have been lost or destroyed, at least half remain safely stored within the Empire's treasury. Today, I allow each of you to select one to serve as your personal weapon!"
As the speaker's voice rose and fell, dramatizing the rarity and strength of the Imperial Arms, murmurs of awe filled the hall. Yet, a few high-ranking nobles watched with disdain. They had long been aware of the Arms; only these recently promoted commoners remained ignorant of them. After all, Imperial Arms formed the very bedrock of the Empire's domination.
Despite the excitement, Lancer felt an uneasy suspicion: why was the Emperor distributing Imperial Arms now?
Lancer might not understand politics, but seasoned officials certainly did. Some nodded approvingly, others warily. Indeed, though the Empire had ruled for a millennium, peace had hardly been constant. Early rebellions from conquered territories, power struggles with influential clans, and outright greed—these had recently combined to threaten internal stability. A year ago, the assassination attempt Lancer thwarted had been the product of precisely these tensions.
Moreover—
Everyone present stole glances at the three receiving rewards. Different ages, different genders—but all three shared a single trait: they were commoners.
Lancer, obviously—an outsider from a remote village who had personally saved the Emperor's life. Najenda, though part of a regional army, served under a noble loyal to the imperial throne. And lastly, the middle-aged man from the Border Army—the Empire's frontline defenders naturally had the Emperor's trust.
These three Imperial Arms remained effectively within the Emperor's sphere of control.
Not only had he demonstrated generosity, but he'd also openly strengthened his loyalists' power—truly killing two birds with one stone. The Empire's stability might be assured, at least for a little while longer.
Yet no one noticed a certain someone's fleeting smirk of derision amidst the astonished crowd—except for Lancer, who'd been observing him closely ever since entering the hall.
Honest.
Perhaps Honest had already acquired that jeweled headpiece Imperial Arms, [Erastone], or at least gotten a lead on its whereabouts. Otherwise, he wouldn't have worn such a smug expression.
However…
Imperial Arms aren't the only weapons I have up my sleeve. I'll be sure to give you a real surprise when the time comes.
...
Led by General Budo, the three awardees proceeded toward the Imperial treasury. They passed no fewer than five visible sentries, and countless unseen guards lurked in the shadows. As the massive doors opened, Lancer silently marveled at how deeply the Emperor trusted Budo—enough to entrust him with the key to a treasury that was literally the cornerstone of the Empire.
But the moment he stepped inside, he stopped caring about politics. He had to find what he needed.
Without question, the most powerful Imperial Arms were elemental manipulators like those wielded by General Budo and Esdeath. Next best would be armor-types like Tatsumi's [Incursio] or its counterpart, [Grand Chariot]—those had been his original targets, but…
He couldn't spot the pot containing [Demon's Extract]. On reflection, it made sense. [Demon's Extract] was absurdly powerful and couldn't be replenished after use. Naturally, it wouldn't be stored here casually.
Thus, he had to lower his expectations…
"Are there no armor-type Imperial Arms available?" Lancer asked Budo hesitantly.
Budo shook his head. "Both armor-type Imperial Arms in the treasury—[Incursio] and [Grand Chariot]—already have wielders."
Lancer's mouth twitched. Was his luck really this bad? No… it wasn't luck. He'd simply arrived too late.
With his top three choices unavailable, he started scanning again—but then—
"General Budo, I've chosen mine."
"General, so have I."
The other two had already picked?
Najenda held a gleaming silver firearm-like Imperial Arms, while the other man held… a hammer?
Najenda's choice must be [Pumpkin]. But the other one… Lancer vaguely remembered it. Some Revolutionary Army member had wielded it briefly before Esdeath crushed him like an insect.
"Colonel Lancer, something wrong?" Perhaps disturbed by Lancer's odd stare, the middle-aged man asked cautiously.
"No, nothing," Lancer said quickly. "It's just…that Imperial Arms of yours looks a bit unusual."
He could hardly tell him: "Your Imperial Arms will probably be taken by the Revolutionary Army, and you'll likely end up dead." Saying that would guarantee an enemy. Besides, at this point, there wasn't even a "Revolutionary Army" yet.
"Alright, Lancer," Budo interjected firmly. "Now it's your turn. His Majesty hasn't imposed a time limit, but this is not a place to linger carelessly. And there's no need for hesitation—I'm certain that an exceptional warrior like you will surely find an Imperial Arms that resonates deeply. Only those weapons which share a bond with their wielder can unleash their full potential."
Budo's speech was inspiring, but the underlying message was simple enough:
It all came down to luck. Or rather—compatibility.
And as for Lancer's luck… well…
Would vigorously scrubbing his face make it luckier?
With this bizarre thought in mind, he stepped forward eagerly, approaching the remaining Imperial Arms…
---
T/N: hmmm i wonder what he will get
T/N2: heres ur updates :3 meeting the 4 chaps a week quota :3 do u think itd be better to do it earlier in the week to make u guys wait more for the bonus chapters
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
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