Reincarnated as a Genius Prodigy of a Prestigious Family - Chapter 343
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Reincarnated as a Legendary Talent Genius of a Noble Family Episode 343
225. You Spoke Precisely
I eat tarts because they’re delicious.
Unless there’s poison inside, honestly, nothing moves my heart quite like a delicious tart.
It’s the same now.
Even if it’s a tart given by someone I’d rather keep at a distance.
And it’s even a strawberry tart at that.
A tart made with the finest strawberries that are only presented to the Imperial Palace.
“At a dining occasion like this, Dane Sogress, you are the first to eat food without hesitation.”
All while His Majesty the Emperor’s words of admiration accompany the meal.
“Since it’s glorious food from a glorious occasion, I believe it’s only natural.”
“You are also the first to say such a thing.”
“I am deeply grateful.”
The Emperor smiled with a strangely pleased expression.
Anyway, I was displaying a scene that would probably make Hank cough up blood if he saw it.
Eating as many as three tarts.
And in front of the Emperor, no less.
Anyway, as I was about to start on the fourth one, the Emperor spoke to me.
“Once again, you have erased a great debt to the Imperial Palace through your remarkable achievements.”
A great debt.
That’s accurate.
“Those fellows are currently under interrogation. Soon the torture technicians will bring good news.”
Imperial torture technicians.
From what I know, they’re people who can make anyone open their mouth within just half a day, no matter who they meet.
I wonder what words will come from those guys’ mouths.
I am curious about what reason they had for committing such acts.
I should casually ask Count Aldebaran about it later.
“I believe I merely did what needed to be done.”
To put it more precisely, this reward is sufficient.
I don’t particularly want anything from the Imperial Palace.
More accurately, I don’t want anything from the Emperor.
“Since there was a threat to the Empire right before my eyes, I believe I did what was naturally required.”
“You’re already declining. Do you think I’ll make the same proposal as before?”
“To be honest, I believe you will make an even greater proposal than last time.”
That proposal from before.
The proposal asking if I wouldn’t work by his side.
I declined then.
I hadn’t even graduated from the Academy yet, and I still had many things I wanted to do, so I had no intention of being caged.
“A greater proposal… for instance?”
“I suspect it might be a proposal I cannot refuse.”
The Emperor suddenly burst into laughter.
“I have one more reason to find you appealing.”
Did I just make a mistake?
I shouldn’t make him like me more.
“Yes, that was my intention. A proposal you cannot refuse. At first, I considered something like this. Yes… what if I brought up your family?”
The reason my heart isn’t greatly shaken even after hearing those words is probably thanks to the mana concentrator.
“Nothing is easier than bringing up one’s family. And I am someone who can do just that.”
Right. Because he’s the Emperor.
That’s why he would be the Emperor.
“But I don’t think you’re the type of person whose heart would turn over ‘merely’ something like that.”
So the Emperor won’t resort to shallow tricks.
At that moment, Benatio suddenly came to mind.
I was curious and wanted to ask, but it seemed better not to ask.
“You naturally wouldn’t want to join a knight order.”
“It’s a glorious proposal, but regrettably, I have no intention of belonging anywhere other than the Academy yet.”
It was in the next part that I realized anew.
That being Emperor isn’t a position just anyone can sit in for so long.
“Then you can take charge of a knight order after graduation.”
Why is the conversation flowing this way?
“Once you graduate, you’ll shed the duties of a student and will have grown even more than now. Then wouldn’t you be sufficiently qualified to lead a knight order?”
This is quite groundbreaking, isn’t it?
Taking charge of a knight order.
Is he offering me the position of knight commander?
“If you wish, I’m even prepared to establish a new knight order just for you.”
It’s not that my heart is moved, but because it’s such a groundbreaking proposal.
I can feel his earnest desire to bring me over, going to such lengths.
“Of course, I’ll also provide unlimited strawberry tarts that you love.”
Ah, for a moment my heart almost wavered.
“How about it? My proposal?”
The Emperor was now looking directly at me.
If before he was looking at my face, now it felt like he was looking into my eyes.
Then, after a moment.
“Are you declining again?”
“I apologize.”
“Do you know that there aren’t many who can sit here so calmly after rejecting my proposals twice?”
The Emperor seemed deliberately angry.
But unlike before, it wasn’t that unfathomable anger of unknown end, depth, or source…
Just, it felt like one person being angry?
“I can only apologize.”
Thanks to that, the Emperor didn’t press me further.
However, it seems he has no intention of giving up in the future.
“I’ll have to think of another proposal that would be difficult for you to refuse.”
What will he propose next time?
It’s hard to imagine, but whatever it is, I can worry about it when the time comes.
“Since someone who should receive formal commendation can’t have his head cut off, I’ll bury the fact that you rejected my proposal twice.”
“I am deeply grateful.”
“So now, we must discuss the real reward for you, Dane Sogress.”
The real reward.
He must be referring to accidentally discovering forces threatening the Empire while participating in this camp and subduing them.
The Emperor gave me a meaningful smile.
“You already have almost everything. Therefore, I’ll propose something a bit special.”
Chief Clerk Hank hoped that at least this time, Dane Sogress wouldn’t commit any ‘blunders.’
Of course, he knew very well that His Majesty the Emperor was fond of Dane.
However, being fond of someone doesn’t mean everything is forgiven.
‘Please, I hope there won’t be a single mistake.’
What kind of person is His Majesty the Emperor?
Someone who could take your head in an instant if you make a mistake.
So Hank had a dream.
That no more blood would flow within the Imperial Palace.
More precisely, that His Majesty the Emperor would no longer reveal his madness as he had before.
“Though that’s not exactly an easy task…”
What was hopeful was the fact that things had been quiet lately.
How should he put it.
More precisely, such changes had occurred after Dane Sogress spoke these words at an imperial banquet where nobles had gathered.
“The Empire must become one…”
A unified Empire.
An expression that everyone had known in their heads until now, but had never dared to utter before the Emperor’s face.
Those words had been spoken by the boy who would be having a pleasant conversation with the Emperor inside.
Honestly, it was surprising.
Perhaps the Emperor had decided to keep the boy named Dane Sogress by his side because of those words.
Even going so far as to infiltrate a counterintelligence agent into the Academy.
“Nothing should go wrong.”
Hank looked at the ‘Rose Chamber’ with anxiety.
But contrary to Hank’s hopes—
“…Why so soon?”
Less than an hour after entering, the door opened and Dane walked out.
Hank looked at Dane with a bewildered expression.
The same indifferent expression as always.
What could have happened inside?
“Is it already over?”
“Yes. Has it been about an hour?”
“It hasn’t even been an hour…”
“I see. Inside, it felt like time wasn’t passing very well.”
At Dane’s still indifferent words, Hank felt a slight dizziness.
His Majesty the Emperor’s audiences usually lasted over two hours.
Usually, if it ended early, it was one of two things.
Either someone’s head flew off in the middle…
Or His Majesty the Emperor’s whims, which even Hank found hard to understand, had kicked in.
“Ah, what happened inside?”
When Hank finally couldn’t hold back and asked, Dane tilted his head.
“Aren’t the conversations during audiences supposed to be kept secret?”
“…Well, that’s true.”
Dane looked at the flustered Hank, chuckled, and shrugged his shoulders.
“We ran out of strawberry tarts.”
“Pardon?”
“His Majesty the Emperor said that since we’d finished all the tarts, we should wrap things up now.”
“…Huh?”
A completely incomprehensible reason.
Meanwhile, an attendant approached and spoke to Hank.
“His Majesty the Emperor has commanded three things.”
Three things at once.
As Hank swallowed dryly, the attendant continued.
“The first command. He has ordered that the Imperial Library be opened immediately and Dane Sogress be guided there.”
The Imperial Library.
Not simply a place that stores ‘books’, but where all documents including important records related to the Imperial Palace are kept.
He was letting this boy into such a secretive and important place that even royalty couldn’t all enter?
The shock didn’t end there.
“Second. He has commanded that preparations be made for an honorary knighthood investiture ceremony.”
“H-Honorary… knighthood?”
Honorary knighthood.
Simply put, not a knight who belongs somewhere and actively serves, but literally just granting the ‘title’.
Of course, it’s not given to just anyone.
It’s an honor on a completely different level from the ‘fake titles’ that wealthy tycoons obtain by giving substantial amounts of money to certain nobles.
That’s what the Imperial Palace’s honorary knighthood is.
‘An honorary knight title that fewer than ten people in the Empire’s history have received…’
The honorary knight title was therefore an honor that, just by receiving it, brought glory to one’s family and was worthy of pride for generations.
Such a thing…
To a 15-year-old boy?
“Really an Imperial honorary knight title…”
“His Majesty the Emperor commanded it precisely.”
The attendant drove the point home to the disbelieving Hank.
Hank recalled the privileges of those who held Imperial honorary knight titles.
‘First, a pension that lasts until death.’
While those receiving the title would be people for whom money didn’t matter much anyway, it was still tremendous.
And when necessary, they could request support from the Imperial Palace, whether military or financial—
‘The title alone makes countless people look up to you.’
Plus all the other minor privileges.
Add to this the fact that one’s name would remain in Imperial history forever…
It was receiving tremendous honor and privileges.
And the person receiving that title was Dane Sogress, a 15-year-old boy.
“Does this make sense?”
Hank muttered blankly, then realized one fact.
That His Majesty the Emperor’s commands were three things.
“There’s still the final third command.”
“Ahem, ahem. What is it?”
“His Majesty the Emperor commanded that whenever Dane Sogress requests it…”
What could it be this time?
If His Majesty the Emperor had commanded it directly, it would probably be something tremendous.
‘Perhaps military support?’
That was the only thing he could think of.
Since he was the eldest son of the Sogress County, which already had so much.
However, the words that followed were quite different from his expectations.
“Immediately inform the Imperial Kitchen to prepare strawberry tarts.”
“…What, what should they prepare?”
“Strawberry tarts.”
“…”
The words “why” surged up to his throat and lingered, but he couldn’t bring himself to say them.
Would this attendant know something he himself didn’t know?
“Then, I’ll ask for immediate preparations.”
The attendant left after saying that, and Hank let out a hollow laugh before looking at Dane standing beside him.
The same indifferent expression as always.
Hank muttered with a bewildered face.
“What are you going to become later…”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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