I Didn't Want to Become the Emperor of This World

Chapter 13

The Magic Tower Master Seria could not take her eyes off the green necklace that shone brilliantly in my hand.

It seemed she truly wanted the ‘Mithril Powder’ inside this necklace. For her daughter.

Seria, who had been staring at the necklace in silence for a long time, muttered.

“…There is one thing I would like to ask.”

“Go ahead.”

“Why did Your Highness come to me with that precious Mithril Powder? With that powder… even the Head of the Mage Corps would side with you. Any mage would sell their soul for Mithril Powder…”

Was Mithril Powder really that precious?

This was information that wasn't in the . And although I had read quite a few books in the library since coming to this world, I had never read anything about ‘Mithril Powder’.

Still, from Seria's tone, I could tell that Mithril Powder was an item of immense value.

Even though to me, it was just pretty green powder.

‘Anyway, at this moment when Seria's heart is wavering, it would be best to say something pleasing to her ears.’

After thinking for a moment, I looked into Seria's eyes and said.

“Because I prefer the Magic Tower over the Mage Corps.”

“…You prefer the Magic Tower over the Mage Corps?”

“Yes. Although I am trying to seize the throne through the cruel method of a purge, I am a person who knows what conscience and honor are. That is why I did not want to join hands with the cowardly Mage Corps, who seek to extort the kingdom's people and seize power under the shadow of the nobles, and who did that to your daughter 10 years ago.”

Of course, I didn't have the slightest idea what conscience and honor were. I had no interest.

But it felt like I had to talk about such ‘concepts’ now.

“Another thing, I did not want to use people who would side with me for material rewards. That would be no different from a mercenary. A mercenary is a being who will stab me in the back anytime someone else promises a greater reward than what I gave. I cannot trust such a person.”

Tap.

I placed the necklace in front of Seria and continued speaking.

“As I said before, I do not want to become king. I just don't want to die, and I just want to make this kingdom a slightly better place. To do that, I must purge the nobles, and for that, I need people I can truly entrust my heart to, not mercenaries who can be bought with money.”

“People you can entrust your heart to… are you saying that is me? You and I have only met for the first time today.”

“A mother who has dedicated herself for years to breaking her daughter's curse is more trustworthy than anyone.”

Since Seria's appearance was so young, referring to her as a ‘mother’ felt a bit awkward, but since it was the truth, I expressed it that way.

“…Your Highness, actually, Helena is not my daugh—.”

Just as Seria was about to say something.

Click.

Someone opened the door and came in. It was a rather pretty red-haired girl who looked to be in her late teens, but for some reason, half of her body was covered with black cloth.

The girl, who had covered not only her face but also her hands, looked very similar to Seria, and I immediately knew that this girl was the Magic Tower Master Seria's daughter— ‘Helena’.

‘Jereuth said it. That the Magic Tower Master's daughter was struck by the Head of the Mage Corps's magic, and half of her body was engraved with hideous scars and a curse tattoo.’

But there was something strange. The Magic Tower Master, Seria, looked to be in her early to mid-thirties, but her daughter, Helena, appeared to be in her mid to late teens.

Even if one was considered an adult at fifteen in this world, Seria was too young to be a mother, and Helena was too old to be a daughter.

‘Is Seria just young-looking, or did she have her daughter very early?’

As I was looking back and forth between Seria and Helena, Helena placed a tray with a tea set on the table and said.

“I’ve brought the tea…?”

Perhaps because the atmosphere in the room was unusual, Helena's voice was awkward.

Still, she distributed the teacups to Seria and me and poured the tea.

Pour—.

It was black tea.

And this aroma was…!

‘This is coffee?’

I had been a little worried because Seria had warned me it was a tea that wouldn't suit my taste, but if it was coffee, it was a hundred times welcome. I once enjoyed coffee more than water.

Slurp.

‘Ah… this is good. It's quite bitter, maybe the coffee beans are burnt, but.’

As I drank the coffee without any issue, Helena looked slightly surprised and asked.

“Uh… isn't it bitter?”

“No, it's delicious. The aroma is nice too.”

“Th-then that's a relief. Most people who try it for the first time say it's bitter and the aroma is strange, and they don't like it.”

Helena said with an awkward smile, then spoke as if she had forgotten something.

“Ah, my introduction is late! A pleasure to meet you for the first time, Your Highness. I am—!”

“My ‘daughter,’ Helena Loushart.”

Seria interrupted her daughter's words.

“Helena. I have something important to discuss with His Highness, so could you please leave?”

“Ah, yes! I'm sorry for interrupting. I'll be on my way then!”

I could feel affection, regret, and love in Seria's voice and eyes.

A mother's heart that couldn't be hidden even if she tried.

Seria, who was watching Helena's back as she left the room, turned her gaze back to me. And she said in a heavy voice.

“Helena had the talent to become a truly great mage. 10 years ago, when Helena was eight, she was skilled enough to go to war. That's how much of a pride Helena was to the Magic Tower. But I didn't want my daughter to experience war at such a young age, so I didn't take her.”

“I see.”

If she was 8 years old 10 years ago, that meant Helena was now eighteen.

“You have no idea how much I regretted not taking Helena to the war back then. If only I had taken Helena to the war as a mage, she wouldn't have suffered such a thing from the Mage Corps.”

“……”

“As Your Highness also said, the Mage Corps are truly cowardly bastards. When I and the elders were present, they didn't dare to challenge the Magic Tower, but when we were away for the war, they ruined Helena under the pretext of a ‘sparring match’. It was as if they were exploiting the Magic Tower's ironclad rule of ‘we do not retaliate unless attacked first,’ by conducting a ‘sparring match’.”

“Didn't the Mage Corps go to war?”

“They did. But some key mages remained under the reason of protecting the kingdom. They were the ones who led the sparring match between the Mage Corps and the Magic Tower 10 years ago. …Pathetic whelps.”

Seria took a sip of coffee to wet her lips and continued speaking.

“After returning from the war, the elders of the Magic Tower and I wanted to take revenge on the Mage Corps. But we couldn't.”

“Because of the ironclad rule?”

“The rule was a problem, but we were also concerned that if we started a civil war in the name of revenge against the Mage Corps, it would bring great chaos to the kingdom. For us, who do not get involved in politics, to cause political chaos in the kingdom, it's absurd, isn't it?”

“So… are you saying you will not get involved in political matters this time either?”

Her tone sounded like she was laying the groundwork for not helping me, so I asked cautiously.

“I was originally going to do so, but I will grant Your Highness's request. To be honest, I have been waiting for an opportunity like this. A chance for revenge.”

…What a relief.

Without showing any such sign, I continued to speak as calmly as possible.

“You must harbor a great deal of hatred for the Head of the Mage Corps, Lady Seria.”

“Yes. But the decision to help Your Highness is not simply due to a desire for revenge. After talking with you, I genuinely wanted to help you. I don't know why, but Your Highness feels similar to my— no, Helena's father, who died in the war against the demons.”

Seria smiled faintly as she looked at me, then added.

“And anyway, now that I am a ‘former’ Magic Tower Master, I think it's okay for me to get involved in politics.”

“Thank you—.”

Wait.

“‘Former’ Magic Tower Master? Why ‘former’?”

“Because I intend to quit being the Magic Tower Master as of today.”

Seria stood up from her seat and went to the side of the sofa. Then she knelt on one knee and bowed her head to me, saying.

“I, Seria Loushart, pledge to relinquish my position as the Magic Tower Master and become your mana. As long as your will does not harm the proper development of magic, I will live as your mana, and this vow will be firm.”

At least, I succeeded in drawing Seria in.

But there was a problem.

‘…She's quitting as the Magic Tower Master?’

I did say to Seria earlier, 「“I'm not asking the Magic Tower, but ‘you’.”」

But that was just to provoke Seria; it didn't mean I only needed her strength alone.

‘I don't know how great of a mage Seria is, but she can't face the entire Mage Corps alone. So I was naturally expecting Seria, as the Magic Tower Master, to mobilize the other mages of the Magic Tower….’

But now Seria, who had agreed to be on my side, was quitting as the Magic Tower Master.

Of course, it was a hundred, a thousand times better than returning with no one, but it wasn't the outcome I wanted.

‘…In the end, did I succeed more than my future self, but not completely?’

Thinking that, I spoke as nonchalantly as possible, trying my best not to show my concern.

“Then should I understand that only you, Lady Seria, will be helping me from the Magic Tower?”

“For now, yes. But if I speak up, there will be quite a few mages who will help Your Highness. There are quite a few mages belonging to the Magic Tower who remember and are disgusted by the vile act the Mage Corps committed 10 years ago.”

If it turned out that way, it would be a great relief.

However, it was still too early to be relieved, as it was uncertain how many mages from the Magic Tower Seria could persuade.

“Then I will leave the persuasion of the other mages to you, Lady Seria.”

“Yes. But Your Highness, please speak informally. I am your vassal. A vassal is a possession, so there is no master who speaks formally to their possession.”

“I speak formally even to my maid. It's more comfortable for me to speak this way, so please understand.”

“…Even to a maid? Th-then I understand.”

Seria looked at me as if she didn't quite understand, then nodded. She then rose from her kneeling position and spoke to me politely.

“Then, Your Highness, please rest here for a moment. You look very tired, so I think it would be good to get some sleep.”

“Are you going somewhere?”

“Yes. I will go and have a talk with the mages of the Magic Tower who might help Your Highness.”

“Then I will go with you.”

“No, Your Highness, please rest here. I will go alone.”

After saying that, Seria used magic.

“.”

Poof!

In an instant, Seria disappeared somewhere.

I stared blankly at the spot where she had been standing, then covered my face with both hands and let out a deep sigh.

Hoo—.

‘It seems to be working out somehow, but… it's ambiguous.’

If Seria persuades many mages to join my side, many things will be resolved.

But if she can't… I would have to think of another way.

‘Ever since I came to this world, every day has been a headache.’

But I put aside such worries for a moment and intended to take a short nap, as Seria had suggested. Perhaps because this body of ‘Leonardo’ was so weak, fatigue was washing over me.

‘She’ll probably wake me up when she gets back.’

I closed my eyes.

I fell asleep in an instant.

Now that I have done all I can do for now, I will wait for the results.