# 96
Robin was the easiest person to deal with.
“Hey, haven't seen you for a while.”
"Yes, it has become like this. How are you?"
“……It seems that Robin was not feeling well.”
Ever since she entered the Imperial Palace, Dearyn and Sirius had been very busy, and there was almost no chance to see Robin. He thought that with less work, the situation might get better, but the face he saw on Robin's after a long time was very rough. It wasn't just that his skin was slightly damaged, his eyes were dark and his body was extremely emaciated.
“Ah, yes, there are some things to attend to…”
Robin, who had always spoken in a clear tone, now stared blankly toward the corner of the room, whispering.
“Is this because Squad 8’s affairs are in order?”
“Ah, yes... there are some things...”
His answer was inconclusive. It was clearly showing that he didn't want to tell Dearyn everything, so she stopped questioning. There was also the idea of “Did he break up with someone after his confession?”, but that is no longer up for debate.
“Anyway, why did you invite me today…?”
Robin was pressing to move to the main topic.
Dearyn ignored his pitiful appearance. Right now, her little dog's memories were more important. The time for his official appearance in society was just around the corner.
“I want to try to break the curse on Sirius’ memories.”
“Memories…?”
Robin's look suddenly changed.
He looked at Sirius with a sharp look.
Of course, Sirius felt no effect from Robin's sharp gaze, just a look as if from a stone knife.
Sirius, who was leaning against the back of the couch where Dearyn was sitting, was facing Robin's gaze directly.
Robin, who had shot a sharp look first, eventually lowered his head as if his gaze had lost its effect.
“You've grown so much.”
“Yes, I've grown a lot.”
In the past, Sirius was just a dog who could not bite if he was well leashed.
But now, Sirius was an intelligent dog who could free himself from the leash and open the doors to attack, a dog with a mind.
He might no longer be a dog, but the brain that had become accustomed to perceiving him as a dog was difficult to change.
In Robin's eyes, Sirius was now a much more handsome and dangerous dog.
"Wasn't that dangerous? Why now especially...?"
“Apparently, if I want to appear as a complete human being, I must have memories. Now I learn everything well except social relations and speech, which develop very slowly. Perhaps this is due to the influence of bound memories...”
As he spoke, he began to think more.
He could not have come to these conclusions on his own, but as he talked about it as if he was trying to convince himself, the reasons began to flow easily.
“When I close my mouth, I am perfect, but when I open my mouth, it is difficult for me to act like a nobleman.”
Robin raised his eyes, which were lowered due to fear.
Sirius looked at Dearen, his gaze fixed. His features resembled a painted portrait of a member of the royal family, as if he were a living portrait.
As Diarin said, Sirius was perfect when his mouth was closed.
But Robin was forced to tell her a frustrating truth.
“Ah…but, the truth is, it is not certain that he will become a true noble.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
Dearyn's face hardened.
“Didn't you ask him to become a noble?”
Did she miss something in the explanation she initially heard?
Diaren's thoughts started racing through her head. But Robin did not broach a topic so complex that he missed the details.
“The Second Prince had committed many crimes to create this plan, and after achieving some successes he intended to eliminate the members of Team Eight, who were about to emerge into high society. They were to emerge not as mad dogs but as fine noble sons.”
“So, they were all supposed to die as heroes, but the Second Prince’s plan collapsed. He failed to honor the heroes of Team Eight, and instead rewarded them, while the Second Prince’s victories were illegal, and were condemned.”
“Was the goal to reach this result?”
“Yes, the goal still stands. In fact, it has almost been achieved.”
“But Sirius didn't get any reward, how can you say it's almost achieved?”
“Actually… it depends on the Emperor’s decision. Whether he will give them a reward or side with the Second Prince and bury the case.”
"……Yes…!"
Dearyn let out a moan.
There was a variant relating to the “heart” of the emperor.
As Robin said, one cannot act decisively in asking for a reward when it comes to the Emperor. It was natural for the superior to take advantage of the position of the lowest, but one from the bottom could not claim a prize at will. Even Dearyn had always suffered from this matter with the High Priest.
But this is one thing and that is another.
“But, whatever it is, what if the reward is uncertain? What about the suffering we have experienced? What about our future lives?”
Deyarin began to express her concern.
When it came to work, “meaning,” “meaningfulness,” and “reward” were separate things. Dearyn may have already been rewarded with the dress she now wore, but Sirius was different.
The reward Sirius deserved after half his life in the wars was to become a “true nobleman.”
“Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about it. Only the Emperor can bestow the title.”
“Haa…”
Dearyn was trying to get a reward for Sirius, but in the end she let things slide.
At that moment, Dayaren was just an employee seeking to make a noble, so she didn't feel like she had made a mistake. But as time passed, a feeling of regret began to take over.
It was her desire to see Sirius move through high society as a “cool nobleman.” But Sirius did not express his desire to do so.
In fact, perhaps the greatest reward for Sirius was to get away from people and live quietly in the countryside.
“I should have realized that before...”
If that were the case, it would have been better to ask him about the reward from the beginning.
She could make Sirius go through less difficult trials as long as the reward was certain.
But unfortunately, it's too late to think about that now.
Sirius had entered the Imperial Palace and was about to attend the Emperor's ceremony.
The only thing to do now is to think about what can be done.
'It seems that I have to study a way to attract the Emperor's attention.'
If something can't be had for free, it has to be snapped up!
The Emperor is also a human being. If they can convince him, the chances of getting a reward will increase.
With the High Priest, it was necessary to be bold, show vulnerability, and pay compliments.
Perhaps everyone in high positions was the same, but the Emperor was at the highest position, so he required more dedication and mastery in praise.
Dearyn asked the question seriously.
“What does the emperor like?”
"….What…?"
Robin's eyes became confused.
Everyone was trying with all their might to attract the Emperor's attention, but no one was asking about it directly as Deyarin did.
“Anything about his taste, or interests.”
But Dayarin was serious.
It depended on the “Emperor’s Heart.” They had to try to understand this heart, and if not, at least make an effort to know it.
“Even the little things. A color he likes, the weather he likes, jokes, animals, anything.”
“Oh...what was there...?”
Robin was also always ready to offer courtesies as a servant to the Emperor, but who could meet the Emperor so easily?
Even just receiving a greeting from the Emperor meant so much happiness that you couldn't sleep that night.
“If you don't remember directly, you can just describe it as you saw it, Robin.”
The Emperor was a figure that even the nobles living in the Imperial Palace could hardly meet. Therefore, there were many rumors about him, but only a few people really knew who the Emperor was.
To ordinary people outside the imperial palace, the emperor existed in a high place, almost a ruler.
Even for the Second Prince who was showing himself the most, he wasn't really known to be a boastful and arrogant person, even Robin was the one who told them that.
“Emperor…?”
Robin paused for a long time before speaking.
Regarding the Second Prince, he could act freely within the limits of his authority, but talking about the Emperor inside the palace was a completely different matter.
He had to be careful in choosing his words and expressions, so as not to put himself in a dangerous situation.
“He is a very great person.”
“…”
Dearyn looked at him silently, unable to say anything hurtful.
He understood her feelings.
In the palace, there might be eyes and ears for the Emperor around every corner, and it was best to avoid any situation where he might be criticized later.
…But, perhaps she should have gotten to know his personal characteristics a little.
“Yes, and what about the rest of his characteristics?”
“He is a very great person.”
“…”
Dearyn smiled again, as if she completely understood what was happening.
“God's mercy, isn't it, Robin?”
“What about the rest of his attributes?”
“It's so fair...”
“Yes.”
“He is a majestic person...”
Deyarin smiled eagerly to listen more, and nodded.
“But of course, the Emperor doesn't just deserve that simple description, right?”
Even at the temple's annual New Year celebration, the emperor's congratulations were so full of praise and exaggerated description that they would fill two entire pages.
If a temple that honored the highest gods in the world was offering such praise, it certainly couldn't end with such simple words from someone in the Imperial Palace, right?
At least, since she had met him before, she must know many things.
Under Deyarin's expectations, new psychological torture began.
Robin had to squeeze his mind as if he were squeezing it from pages of paper.
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