emperor chapter 14

“How dutiful. You needn’t have shared such details.”

“I apologize…”

“You should apologize for offering me unnecessary information.”

“…” Helion’s already low self-esteem plummeted under Lowell’s imposing presence. He lowered his head and trembled. Ignoring Helion completely, Lowell turned to me and asked cheerfully, “What shall we do? I’ve introduced myself, but he doesn’t seem interested in becoming my friend.”

Please don’t make that face, like a hapless new student assigned to a group of strangers. It’s incredibly brazen to act so innocent after crushing Helion’s spirit.

“Do you even have any friends?”

“Well, many desire my friendship, but I question whether such individuals can truly be considered friends.”

“No.”

“Then I suppose I have no true friends. What about you?”

“I don’t have any either.”

“This is problematic. I have no one to teach me how to make friends.”

“Making friends isn’t that difficult. You simply approach someone, greet them kindly…”

“I already did that.”

“Kindly. Kindly.” Not by crushing them with an oppressive aura that makes them feel like they’re about to be trampled. I knew he had a touch of madness, but I hadn’t realized it was to this extent. Lowell’s self-assuredness, as if he hadn’t done anything wrong, made me sigh.

“What comes after the greeting?”

“Well… you could talk about shared interests, offer a gift, or even hold hands in a friendly manner.”

“Hands. Like this?”

“…” Why is he holding my hand? As if demonstrating, Lowell grasped my hand. The warmth of his skin against mine was a stark reminder that he was human, just like me.

“After the greeting, we hold hands. Next would be an embrace, I presume.”

“That’s not friendship. That’s courtship.”

“The Saintess and the Emperor are a match made in heaven, Miniel.”

That’s the point, that heaven-made match isn’t you and me. It’s Helion!

As I was about to argue, invoking Helion’s name, a resounding voice echoed from the heavens. It wasn’t my imagination. It definitely came from the clear blue sky above, and it felt less like a human voice and more like a resonance within my mind. This was likely the oracle delivered to Miniel. An oracle, a sacred and profound message from God to the world.

[Separate.]

The oracle I received was a single word: Separate. Unless the verb “separate” held a different meaning than the one I knew, God was commanding me to distance myself from Lowell.

Like an obedient student, I pulled my hand from Lowell’s grasp and pushed against his chest. Perhaps I’d gotten carried away with the opportune moment and put too much emotion into it. Judging by the thud that followed, it seemed I’d used excessive force.

“…” Lowell didn’t stumble back or complain of pain, but he looked bewildered. Seeing his stunned expression, I helpfully explained, “That was the oracle.”

“You expect me to believe that…?”

“Why would I lie?”

“I can think of at least thirty reasons off the top of my head.” Lowell seemed quite displeased, but since the oracle was Miniel’s unique power, he didn’t outright challenge it.

The timing couldn’t have been more perfect to separate Lowell and me. As I suspected, Lowell and I were not a match made in heaven.

“That was short for the time we waited. Is that all the oracle said?”

“Yes. I don’t hear anything else.”

“Hmm.”

“What is it? Is something bothering you?” Lowell had summoned me to share the oracle. If the Emperor needed an oracle, it must concern a complex matter of state.

It was absurd that I’d only heard the word “separate,” but Lowell knew the oracle wasn’t all-powerful, so he didn’t press the issue. That was a relief. This was my first time hearing the oracle directly, so I had no idea how to request more.

“It’s fine if you didn’t hear anything else. The oracle was just an excuse. I came to see you today.”

“Ah… I see.”

“You don’t seem to believe me.”

“Why not just summon me without making excuses?”

“Would you have come if I had?”

“No. I would have been either sick or busy.”

“See? If you keep acting like this, you might regret it someday, Miniel.”

As if.

Lowell smirked at my stiff posture. “Let’s leave it at this for today. I’d prefer to be alone with you next time we meet.”

The meeting had been neither beneficial nor detrimental. As I prepared to leave the Oracle’s Chamber, I paused in thought. ‘Next time… What if Lowell still isn’t interested in Helion next time? What if they don’t connect the time after that, or the time after that?’

I was about to head back to the temple to clear my head when Helion, holding my hand, stopped me abruptly. It wasn’t of my own volition.

“Oh, and by the way, Miniel.” Lowell wasn’t holding my hand with his right; he was gripping Helion’s left wrist.

“I think I’ll keep this one.” What was he scheming now? This was utterly out of the blue. My brief moment of contemplation was rendered pointless. Lowell’s claim was for ownership of Helion, someone he hadn’t shown the slightest interest in before.