Overpowered Extra Noble in a Novel

8.

“Master. Master.”

I turned my head at Rani’s whisper coming from a step behind.

Her expression looked as if she was contemplating something significant, her face serious—a habit of hers that surfaces when she’s bored.

I had thought she had learned some manners from the maids since she was quieter than usual back in Ruben, but it seems I was wrong.

“Why?”

“There’s something I’m curious about.”

We couldn’t stop as we were heading to the Audience Chamber where the Empress currently was. Adjusting my pace to match her quick steps, I lowered my head slightly so she could whisper to me.

“The Empress.”

“Yes? What about Her Majesty the Empress?”

“Is she really a monster?”

I suddenly stopped and looked around.

The corridor, with Alberto’s footsteps echoing quietly, was brightly lit and empty of both maids and servants. Currently, the only ones in this corridor were Alberto, Rani, and myself.

‘Nobody heard.’

After acknowledging Alberto’s silent question with a slight nod and continuing on our way, I replied.

“What is this sudden talk?”

“I overheard the escort guards talking. Some of my friends too…”

“Hmm.”

Unlike the nobles and officials who know what the Noble Selection is, most of the empire’s citizens regard the selection as simply a system for picking a consort.

Three years have passed since the Noble Selection began, but no one has become Her Majesty’s consort yet.

Because of this, all sorts of rumors have been circulating among the people, including subtle ones about the Empress.

It’s said that the Empress has a horrible face that makes people faint at first sight, and that’s why consort candidates run away.

Even mentioning such a thing would almost certainly end in a severe beating—if not worse.

The Empress always appears in public with her face concealed by a veil.

Very few of the empire’s citizens have seen her face, allowing such strange rumors to quietly spread.

“I don’t really know, but I’ll see for myself and let you know.”

“Yes!”

The face of the Empress.

The Empress Iris of the Altain Empire depicted in the novel is the protagonist’s rival nation. Since the story was told from the protagonist’s perspective, her appearance was not described in detail.

The protagonist’s main adversaries were the Altain empire’s army that triggered the war, and the mysterious forces advancing from the north.

The Empress’s story concluded with a single line: she was captured and executed by rebels during the final stages of the war.

‘This is making me a little nervous.’

Thinking about it, once the selection concludes, she’ll be someone I’ll be spending the rest of my life with.

Climbing directly into the summit of imperial power sounds good, but wouldn’t it be even better if the Empress were beautiful?

Having never experienced love, useless thoughts pop into my mind.

I shook my head to clear such thoughts and quickened my strides. We soon arrived in front of the lonely Audience Chamber at the end of the corridor.

Upon confirming that Alberto, Rani, and I were prepared, Alberto knocked on the door.

“Your Majesty. It’s Alberto. I’ve brought the consort candidate.”

…Come in.

A faint voice came from beyond the door.

While thinking how calm and pleasant her voice was, I bowed my head with Alberto and entered the audience chamber.

Since I had my head bowed, I couldn’t see much of the chamber’s interior.

Following Alberto’s guidance, I took about five more steps and knelt on one knee, waiting patiently. Then, a soft, gentle voice tickled my ear.

“…Lift your head.”

As per the Empress’s command, I slowly raised my head.

What would Empress Iris look like?

Is she really the monstrous figure that made candidates flee, as the rumors suggested?

Or is she just another commoner from the empire?

With anticipation and some nervousness, I raised my head.

“Aa.”

I couldn’t help but let out an involuntary gasp, struck by an emotional shock.

*

The return to my room after meeting Empress Iris was, indeed, strange.

My heartbeat was thunderous, almost deafening.

Unlike the tension that signals the start of a battle, this excited pulse felt more intense.

“Right.”

How likely is it for someone in peak superhuman health to develop arrhythmia? I believe the probability is very low.

There’s no doubt about it.

This… is love.

Once I came to that conclusion, the vague uneasiness in my heart lifted, and the blurry scenery became clear.

Contrary to before, the corridor was bustling with maids scurrying about. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, warmly enveloping the cold corridor. Although this season normally brought chilly winds, the air somehow felt full of warmth.

“Fufu..”

“Master?”

Caught off guard by the unintended chuckle, Rani walking ahead turned back. Her eyes seemed to regard me as one might view a madman encountered on the street. Was I really that strange?

“It’s nothing.”

“…?”

While Rani inspected my face from all angles, I followed Alberto’s guidance back to my room.

Upon our arrival, Alberto hastily excused himself.

“Baron MacBilian. If you need anything during your stay in the Imperial Palace, let any of the maids know. Well then, Rani, you should get going too. I’ll have the maids escort you.”

“Master! See you later!”

Waving enthusiastically, Rani waved back, and once the two of them left, a silence descended over the room.

A peaceful calm that was helping me calm my excited emotions. I sat down in a chair to gather my thoughts.

I closed my eyes, steadied my breathing, and reviewed the upcoming Noble Selection as Alberto had explained it.

The Noble Selection, starting the following day, involves two main tasks.

There are four small palaces located around the main Imperial Palace in the cardinal directions. The eastern and western palaces are known as the Inner Palace and the Foreign Palace, respectively.

The Inner Palace houses bureaucrats dealing with the empire’s administration and finances.

The Foreign Palace is where military and security officials are based.

My job will be to carry out duties assigned by these two palaces.

Once the tasks from both locations are completed, and after a background check by the counterintelligence bureau, I will have to display my personal combat ability to conclude the Noble Selection.

Evaluators will invisibly monitor the quality of task execution. With no disqualifying issues in completing every task, I’ll be crowned as the Empress’s consort.

In other words, at the completion of the selection, I become the husband of the highest authority in the empire.

“Fufu..”

I recalled the Empress’s appearance from the Audience Chamber earlier.

She had an ethereal and transparent quality, like a puppet devoid of emotions.

Her expressionless face was both cool and stern, but it all came together in a way that resembled a painting.

Her delicate silver hair flowed naturally down her shoulders.

Her eyes were an entrancing shade of purple.

She possessed the unique features of the Falenbergs, the first royal family of the Altain Empire and the imperial bloodline, found nowhere else in the continent. This could be considered a symbol of the Altain Empire.

Even the sight of her being buried under a pile of documents taller than her height was strangely fitting.

To call such a person a monster…

Have the aesthetics of the empire’s people gone completely out of whack?

‘Ah, well, I guess it’s only natural they’d spread such rumors without ever seeing her.’

My barren heart has been enriched again.

Come to think of it, I forgot to tell Rani on the way back.

I’ll mention it tonight—Her Majesty is not a monster. She’s incredibly beautiful.

Anyway.

I’m becoming the husband of such a beautiful wife, thereby wielding great power. Of course, most of that power is divided among the noble families, but that doesn’t matter.

I will help my wife restore her rightful power.

Isn’t that the duty of a husband? The heads of those arrogant enough to scheme against the heavens will be split in two.

I’m really looking forward to the future.

By systematically dealing with the corruption within the empire, we should reclaim power, stabilize the people’s lives, and resolve all issues.

Though I only know the general flow of the Altain Empire’s future, I’ve carefully recorded the major events that will occur in the Western Continent, including those involving Sylvester.

In this world, unlike in modern times, there are moments when brute force is essential.

Fortunately, the one skill I excel at in this world is swordsmanship. If the situation requires it, I’ll step in appropriately.

‘First and foremost, let’s focus on this Selection.’

With that thought, I opened my eyes and stood up.

The sky outside the window was bright and clear.

The clouds drifting leisurely across the vast blue sky seemed to remind me of Empress Iris.

‘I wonder what her smile looks like…’

***

After Cain and Alberto left the Empress’s Audience Chamber,

Iris put down the documents she had been holding and reflected on what had just transpired.

The consort candidate had arrived at the Imperial Palace.

Baron Cain MacBilian.

As the doors opened and Cain entered, Iris’s first impression was short.

‘He’s alive.’

Although brief, Iris was surprised for just a moment at the sight of a candidate arriving in a normal state, unlike previous encounters.

She merely nodded as Cain gave a somewhat disorganized self-introduction. Once the brief audience concluded, Alberto took him away again.

Iris looked at the tightly closed doors.

‘Has it been a year…?’

The first thing a candidate does upon arriving at the palace is pay a visit to Empress Iris.

Though brief, this meeting held in the Audience Chamber was one final personal request Iris made to the nobles pushing the Noble Selection forward.

After all, shouldn’t she at least recognize the face of the man she’d be sharing her life with?

This was a small wish that arose from thoughts of the late emperor and empress, made possible with Alberto’s help—it was a meeting every consort candidate was required to have with Iris.

And there was a tiny hope, however slim.

Would an extraordinary husband appear and change this situation?

Could he exact vengeance on the nobles who had taken her cherished ones?

‘Useless dream.’

For some unknown reason, a candidate had shown up after a year’s absence, but the nobles wouldn’t simply let it go.

This would be the last time.

The Noble Selection was slated to be abolished once Cain MacBilian completed the process.

‘…However.’

Iris rubbed her weary eyes and turned her gaze to the window.

The sky remained clear, with clouds wandering freely across it.

As she looked at the vast sky, she began to remember the candidate’s appearance.

“He was tall.”

His tall figure reminded her of the expansive sky beyond the palace walls.

The muscular physique subtly visible beneath his formal attire.

His presence seemed even stronger than the knights of the Royal Guard.

It was certainly a fresh impression, different from the proud posturing of previous candidates.

As she recalled Cain’s awkward but sincere introduction, Iris felt a bit of ease settle into her chest as she reached for another pile of documents.

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