I Possessed a Character in an Academy Without a Protagonist – Chapter 49

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Mr. Schlus Hainkel. His Majesty the Emperor wishes to meet you privately.”

“…”

As soon as I stepped down from the stage, a court lady spoke to me.

It was something I had fully anticipated.

Because it was common for the recipient of the Black Eagle and the Emperor to have a meeting.

I left the building with Emilia, following the guidance of the court lady.

As we walked for a while, I had to constantly suppress the exclamations that threatened to escape.

It was so wide that I couldn’t tell if it was a palace or a small city.

While most of the buildings were low, about 3 stories high, the only high-rise building that towered in the center of the palace, the main hall, flaunted its grand appearance.

We were guided to a detached building not far from it.

“Please wait here.”

The court lady sat us on chairs and went inside the door.

Soon, voices leaked out from inside.

Judging by the slightly high-pitched voice, it seemed Aria was also inside.

“You may come in.”

Before long, the court lady opened the door wide.

Looking back, Emilia clasped her hands demurely and blinked her eyes to signal that she was ready.

It seemed she wouldn’t make mistakes due to nervousness this time.

Trying hard to suppress my pounding heart, I stepped forward.

Soon, the Emperor Gustav and Aria, sitting side by side, came into view inside the door.

“The hero has arrived.”

“…”

The Emperor chuckled and greeted us.

It was a tone that was hard to tell if he was being sarcastic or not.

By the way, when the Crown Princess smiled and looked at Emilia, Emilia flinched slightly, which felt strange.

What kind of conversation did they have when they were alone last time?

“Your Majesty the Emperor. And Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

“We saw each other enough to be sick of it earlier. Just sit down.”

“Yes.”

I slowly sat on the chair the court lady pulled out for me.

Gustav, when seen face to face like this, was completely different from when seen on the stage.

He was just an old man with white hair, but he exuded dignity with his eyes, not his attire or accessories.

As expected of the Emperor who had led a great empire for decades.

“I arranged this meeting because the medal alone seemed insufficient to express my gratitude.”

While Aria spoke with a rosy complexion, the Emperor remained silent.

It couldn’t be helped.

The Emperor probably didn’t feel much gratitude.

Because it was none other than the Emperor who had Henderson kill the Crown Prince.

“I was thinking of providing another reward besides the medal… According to the Crown Princess, you want a treasure from the underground of the Imperial Palace?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I heard that the underground warehouse of the Imperial Palace is filled with treasures gathered from all over the continent. If I could choose one of them, there would be no greater reward.”

“Very well. The Crown Princess has already made a promise. To give you whatever you choose without question. I will approve it.”

“I am infinitely grateful, Your Majesty.”

I had obtained even the Emperor’s approval.

Was he confident?

Or did he believe that I wouldn’t be able to recognize the true value of ‘that’?

Either way, it was a favorable situation for me.

“By the way, the medal conferment ceremony seems to have been planned in a hurry.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“The letter inviting me arrived only a day before the ceremony. How rushed must it have been for that to happen?”

“… It seems a subordinate made a mistake. I must have told them to deliver it three days ago.”

The Emperor’s eyes twisted greatly.

It seemed the Emperor wasn’t the one who deliberately informed me late.

Whoever was in charge of communication would be smashed.

Although not as much as those two knights who charged at me.

As I sipped the tea the court lady handed me, an awkward silence fell for a while.

“You seem to have something you want to say.”

“Is it obvious?”

“Yes. Please speak comfortably.”

“What do you think of the Crown Princess?”

It was a truly sudden question.

What do I think of Aria?

“I believe she is a person with charisma and decisiveness to control people. However…”

“However?”

“Her emotions seem to show too clearly on her face.”

“What…!”

“Hahaha! Accurate!”

Aria slammed the table and stood up, while the Emperor threw his head back and laughed.

The court ladies were so startled by the loud commotion that they slightly opened the door to peek inside.

“You have basic insight. Yes. Then that’s enough.”

“What do you mean by enough, Your Majesty?”

“How about marrying this girl?”

“…”

The reaction speed of my brain seemed to slow down a bit.

Because I heard something too absurd.

What? Marriage? With Aria at that?

What kind of nonsense is that?

“Your Majesty! What are you saying!”

“Isn’t it about time for marriage talks to start for you too?”

“That may be so, but…”

“I don’t have much time left to live. I need to choose a marriage partner for you before I go, don’t I? There have been many candidates… but you are the only one she said she liked. That’s the only reason.”

Aria said she liked me…

This was a bit unexpected.

The Emperor loves his granddaughter terribly.

To the point of killing his son because he wanted to pass the throne directly to her.

If it was a man whose granddaughter, whom he trusted that much, said she liked, the Emperor would allow the marriage no matter who it was.

It also meant that he trusted his granddaughter’s judgment that much.

However, there was one fact the Emperor overlooked.

“Your Majesty! When I said I liked him, it wasn’t in that sense…”

“Keep your mouth shut. I will ask Schlus for his intention first. How about it? The Crown Princess as a marriage partner.”

“She is far too good for me. If I could only have the honor of marrying her, there would be nothing more I could ask for.”

“Is that so? Then…”

“However, I believe the Crown Princess’ will is more important.”

It was the fact that Aria was a character who didn’t know love.

In the original work, Aria never showed any feelings of affection towards anyone.

She only showed the appearance of an unwavering and upright iron lady, walking the path of domination.

Even while writing, I thought several times that she might be a psychopath.

Aria, in love?

There was no way.

“I hope you will marry someone you truly love, Your Highness.”

“I see. Then what do you think?”

“Marriage is premature. I have no thoughts of it at all, Your Majesty. I haven’t even had my coming-of-age ceremony yet…”

“Hahaha! Is that so? Then I will ask again after your coming-of-age ceremony.”

The Emperor’s laughter that made him gasp for breath and Aria’s expression as she glared at him sullenly were in contrast.

At this point, I was dying of curiosity.

There was no way it was just because of a single comment that she liked me.

What on earth did Aria explain about me that he brought up marriage talks from our first meeting?

To be honest, there was no reason for me to refuse marriage with Aria.

It was a shortcut to instantly elevate my status to royalty while gaining both power and wealth.

But it was a fruit that had no hope from the start, so I had decided not to even look up to it.

Because there was no way Aria would show any interest in marriage…

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“Ha. I’m really grateful. To you for covering for me adequately.”

Only after confirming that the door was closed did the Crown Princess speak in relief.

Now the emperor wouldn’t be able to hear.

“When I said I liked you. It wasn’t in that sense, as a romantic interest, but as a person to person…”

“Yes. I understand, Your Highness.”

“…”

At Schlus’ relaxed smile, the Crown Princess felt a bit of anger welling up.

She felt foolish for blushing and being agitated just a moment ago.

“However, I wasn’t just covering for you.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I said that if I could marry you, there would be nothing more I could ask for. That was sincere.”

“Hmph. You haven’t been in the palace for more than a few hours, but you’re already skilled at flattery like the other subjects.”

The Crown Princess said that and turned her head away.

It was because she didn’t want to show her face.

She didn’t know what expression she was making.

Whether her cheeks were red or not.

This strange feeling was a first for her, so she had no idea what she looked like right now.

‘He’s a commoner… It can’t happen.’

Marriage with Schlus.

There was no need to think deeply about it.

It was something that could never happen in the first place.

After going through the coming-of-age ceremony, she would become the Crown Princess and rise to the second-highest position in the Empire.

She would gain the qualification to formally inherit the Emperor’s throne.

And marriage between me and a commoner?

It was a critical matter that could sufficiently threaten not only the Imperial authority but also the maintenance of the Empire’s federal system.

Above all, there was a high possibility of facing fierce opposition from the ministers before the wedding could even take place.

‘But…’

Nevertheless, she kept finding herself watching Schlus’ expression.

Her eyes kept going to his face, which she hadn’t paid attention to when she first saw him.

His nonchalant yet subtly mannered personality kept showing through.

Somehow, it had been like this ever since hearing Gustav’s nonsensical speculation.

Even though the words she had said about liking him were really out of curiosity.

Even though those words didn’t contain any romantic interest…

“Your Highness. Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

“Hmph! I’m fine! You don’t need to worry!”

The Crown Princess pushed away her thoughts by force and stepped forward.

Come to think of it, there was something strange about the attendant following behind Schlus.

It seemed like a hint of murderous intent could be felt from her…

No way.

“We’re here.”

“This is…”

“Yes. The underground warehouse.”

The Crown Princess finally stopped in front of a huge metal door.

The warehouse was like a huge vault, with each room being a solid vault.

An ironclad vault that couldn’t be broken by any explosives or magic.

Since it was a place where all the treasures of the continent gathered, this level of security was basic.

“Needless to say, if you take a treasure out without my permission, you will be immediately sentenced to death. Now open it.”

At the Crown Princess’ command, the guards turned the gears one by one.

Then, the pillar-like latches moved one by one, finally releasing the seal on the door.

Rumble rumble…

The door slowly opened, shaking the entire basement.

Then, a dazzling light poured out from inside.

It was because the jewels and gold and silver treasures reflected the light all at once.

The attendant and the Crown Princess slightly covered their eyes with their hands.

Only Schlus stood still without even closing his eyes.

It wasn’t that his eyes weren’t working.

How could he do that?

The Crown Princess was puzzled for a moment.

“I can choose one thing I want from inside here, right?”

“That’s right. For reference, don’t try to insist that it’s one if you hold multiple things in one hand.”

“I won’t do such a vulgar thing.”

Schlus walked slowly, step by step, looking around leisurely.

He didn’t seem entirely uninterested in the glittering gold and silver treasures, but the way he passed by them quickly suggested he wouldn’t choose such trivial things.

The Crown Princess would have been very disappointed if he had.

“It’s really spacious.”

“Most of them are blood-stained treasures plundered through looting. Considering the number of countries the Empire has conquered, it has to be this spacious.”

“Hahaha.”

At the Crown Princess’ self-deprecating joke, Schlus burst into laughter.

Indeed, he was different from other nobles.

The nobles would clench their teeth and put on a serious face, not knowing how to react.

This seemingly crazy side of Schlus appealed to her.

“…”

At that moment, Schlus’ steps stopped.

His gaze was directed at none other than a glass bottle.

Realizing its identity, the Crown Princess suppressed her gasp that threatened to escape.

Elixir.

In other words, a panacea.

It was a treasure whose value was difficult to properly calculate, with the Imperial Family currently possessing only 3 of them.

He certainly had a discerning eye.

The Crown Princess sighed and opened her mouth.

“That is an elixir. Will you choose that?”

“It’s a precious medicine. However, it’s not enough to satisfy my heart.”

“…?!”

Schlus then passed by the elixir without even looking back.

Just selling the elixir would provide enough money to live luxuriously for a lifetime.

The elixir, which was undoubtedly the most valuable item here in terms of value, was not enough?

“You will regret it. I declare that the elixir is the most precious treasure here. So it would be best to take the elixir…”

Whether he was listening or ignoring her, Schlus, who had been walking, stopped again.

The Crown Princess, who had been following him absentmindedly, had her mouth shut.

In the very back corner of the warehouse.

A place where one would miss it unless they deliberately paid attention.

There, a small black box, no, a safe was placed.

Even the Crown Princess was seeing it for the first time.

A safe within a safe to hide an item…?

“I will take what’s inside this.”

At Schlus’ smile, the Crown Princess felt as if chills were running down her spine.

She didn’t know what was inside, but she instinctively felt that she had seriously fucked up.

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[T/N: You don’t say?]