By Zephyria 
Perhaps because I was frowning and trying to create a serious atmosphere, no one spoke to me. They couldn’t carelessly get up from their seats and quietly sipped their tea, so the only sound was the occasional clinking of teacups.
Then, Zero, who had been glancing around nervously, asked in a very small whisper,
“Theodore, who was that person who left earlier? If they’re someone important, I should be careful.”
“My lover.”
“Oh, yes.”
Zero answered, startled. Then, fidgeting and unable to stay still, he asked me again with an almost tearful expression.
“Did I make you very angry when I said the Sky Inn was unsophisticated?”
“……”
I was already annoyed, and he was asking about trivial things. I sighed in disbelief, and suddenly, Abyss’s face turned pale.
He seemed to remember his actions toward Aska.
I ignored them and said to Sakira,
“Disband the rest of the staff at the mansion.”
“Pardon?”
“There are too many. There’s no point in them being gathered together.”
No answer came. I turned my head with a puzzled expression to see Sakira looking at me, utterly bewildered.
“All of them… do you mean all of them?”
“Yes, all of them. Why?”
“But… they’re also learning the trade at our merchant guild… and there haven’t been any incidents or strange signs so far, and everyone is being especially careful. Most of all, everyone is worried that if they leave like this, they won’t be able to live properly.”
Worried about what? Are they worried about me? I had sensed it occasionally, but it was a truly peculiar relationship. Why would a vassal worry about their master? Their job was to follow the master’s orders, not to pity the master.
Was I not dignified enough? Judging by their behavior, it seemed so…
I stared at Sakira, who was expressing with her whole body that she wanted me to withdraw the order, and asked,
“What kind of person is the Emperor now?”
The previous Emperor, my father, was an immense tyrant. Even with only fragmented memories, I could be certain that his actions were atrocious.
He must have been hiding quite thoroughly when I was gone, since he wasn’t caught, but is it because the Emperor has changed? I couldn’t understand why they had become so lax.
“Do you remember the fairy tale book you used to read to me when I was little? You read it to me so many times.”
I asked what kind of person the Emperor was, but suddenly, a fairy tale book? I was puzzled, but since something came to mind, I nodded. Then Sakira continued,
“He’s that kind of person.”
“What?”
“He’s the kind of person who would appear in a fairy tale book for children.”
“……”
It was hard to understand because it wasn’t a direct answer. Does she mean he’s kind and foolish? I frowned and turned my head. At my gaze telling her to explain, Abyss said,
“I cannot presume to evaluate him, but he is a merciful and wise person.”
This wasn’t very helpful either.
Everyone changes eventually. Especially when they sit in a high position. When power is gained, the desires deep within their hearts, which they didn’t even know existed, come to the surface.
This was an immutable truth, like a certain law.
Moreover, with power and wealth, even if one isn’t a King, mercy and wisdom can be easily fabricated anytime, anywhere. Even tyrants who are notorious can have myths created about them, so which King in the world wouldn’t be merciful and wise?
Therefore, I couldn’t make a hasty judgment until I saw it with my own two eyes. Especially when people’s lives were at stake.
“Mahir might already know that we’re alive.”
That made me sigh involuntarily.
“Abyss.”
“Yes.”
When I called his name softly, his expression became solemn. He had the face of someone who knew he was about to be scolded again. I could tell that even before I lost my memory, he was scolded whenever there was an opportunity, like the punching bag of the neighborhood.
“Don’t say vague things like ‘it might be this way, it might be that way.’ What good is that kind of talk right now? Are you going to go to a hungry person and say, ‘I might have bread in my hand, and I might not’?”
“I’m sorry.”
His apology was faster than anyone else’s. As I spoke, I was becoming more sensitive again. I closed my eyes and pressed my temples, and Sakira bowed her head and said,
“I will disband them immediately.”
Looking at the dejected Sakira, I recalled what I had heard earlier.
Seeing how the merchant guild owned several ships in the port city, this place must be active in trade from the start. Just looking at the people walking around on the streets, so many races were mixed together that it could be called a multi-ethnic nation.
I didn’t know if there were many foreigners because of the trading ships coming and going, or if various ethnic groups originally lived in this area, but thanks to that, Actans could walk around in groups without attracting attention.
Just from this, it seemed like they were thinking and acting to some extent. That must be why they hadn’t been caught until now… but it was ambiguous because I couldn’t know about the Emperor.
I stared at the three of them and brought up a story that had been bothering me.
“I heard there’s a barrier placed over the entire building, is that true?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
I was about to sigh, but I figured they probably weren’t that foolish, so I asked the reason.
“Why?”
If they had put a black box over it to hide something, there was no room for further thought. At my question, Abyss began to explain.
“Since we moved our residence so suddenly, many security vulnerabilities were discovered. The barrier uses Magical tools, so it’s not permanent, and it’s impossible to detect with magic, so no one outside can sense anything strange…”
Abyss’s voice gradually grew smaller as he spoke. That was probably because I had noticed and asked about a barrier that was impossible to detect and didn’t show any signs.
Was it because Aska was a special individual among Magical creatures that he noticed it? Anyway, since it was said to be a level of barrier that ordinary people couldn’t notice, I was somewhat relieved.
So they weren’t complete fools after all.
They still seemed to have many clumsy aspects, but I thought this was good enough, so I reversed my words.
“Keep the people at the mansion for now, while we’re gone to the mountain range. Clearly inform everyone that staying here could lead to a sudden death, and let those who want to leave go. Give them travel expenses and settlement money appropriately.”
“Understood.”
“Remove the barrier. If a common inn on the street has no flaws, that’s even stranger. Is the merchant guild renting the entire inn right now?”
“Yes, it’s a common occurrence here.”
There was no reason to stir up a hornet’s nest when my memories weren’t even complete yet. First, I should go to the Ruins and find the necklace, then decide on my next move.
I also needed to hear from Aska about the situation on the day I was injured, but whenever I saw his face, I was too busy kissing and sucking to focus…
“Ha…”
I need to get a grip. Why does my mind stop working whenever I see Aska?
Only long sighs came out repeatedly. Meanwhile, Sakira brought a cup of tea from the kitchen. Judging by the color, it seemed to be a different tea from the one she had brought earlier.
Whatever she brought, it was all the same to me, so I drank it casually and suddenly became curious, so I asked,
“I keep feeling stuffy, is this also related to the injury?”
It had noticeably improved since Aska came, so why did it get worse again? I kissed him a lot and sucked his tongue a lot, too.
“Do you feel like this area is a bit blocked?”
Sakira asked, pointing near my solar plexus. Now that she mentioned it, it did feel that way, so I nodded.
“Then it might be because your memories are returning.”
“What does this have to do with memories?”
“You’ve had a bit of a temper since you were young.”
“……”
I was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected words.
“Have some more tea.”
And at those words, I stared blankly at the tea. As I looked at the transparent, light brown color, I remembered drinking it like water whenever I felt stuffy.
But wasn’t this a medicinal herb that was forbidden from being taken out? I was doubtful, so I asked.
“Where did you get this?”
“I smuggled it.”
I couldn’t help but be flustered again at her confident words.
“Why?”
“I had a feeling you would look for it… I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry…”
Suddenly, Abyss and Zero, who had been quiet, also apologized.
Seeing their behavior, I simply had nothing to say. I poured the tea into my mouth in one gulp.
“Bring me another cup.”
“Yes.”
“Just bring the whole teapot.”
“Yes…”