Reincarnated User Manual

Chapter 214: Never A Dull Moment (1)

He thought at least one or two incidents would occur.

Not only Shiron but also some of the other attendees expected an attack or terrorism.

It wasn’t because they knew the future like the Prients. It was just that the Empire had done too many things to be hated, even judging by the current situation alone.

The reason why the southern conflict area had not been stabilized even after hundreds of years.

The oppression of barbarians that had continued for hundreds of years.

The vagabonds forcibly relocated from the slums to the Ether mines…

All these incidents were tolerated under the common value of human survival.

Dreamers with their heads in the clouds might spare no criticism for such oppressive actions, but it was inevitable.

The Empire was blocking the entire northern border where the demonic forces were descending, and to overthrow the real external enemy, other dangerous elements had to be preemptively eliminated.

Thus, they had been thoroughly trampling down potential future threats for hundreds of years. Many intellectuals predicted that the accumulated pus would burst…

-Long live His Majesty the Emperor!

-Waaaaaa!

Nothing happened.

The instigators, who had been mixed in advance, created an atmosphere, and the commoners added their voices to the growing cheers and applause.

It was a successful coronation. Whether they had practiced a lot or not, the speech extolling peace and prosperity was so clear that each word resonated, and to commemorate this joyous day, the royal family opened the national treasury and rented out all the restaurants in the city.

The people genuinely celebrated the new emperor’s ascension.

Even those who wanted to distance themselves from the Empire and those existing forces that wanted to maintain ties relaxed after seeing the new emperor’s first impression.

So, it was supposed to be a happy day for everyone, but it wasn’t, due to a woman who felt particularly unhappy.

“Honestly… The Empire is not some insignificant rural barony, is it?”

Siriel Prient.

The newly titled Empire’s Best Sword confirmed that several ministers had left and then spoke her mind without hesitation.

“Do you think it’s right to appoint someone without any coordination, especially on the day itself, and just before the event?”

“If they had, I thought you would have refused.”

“Are you making excuses now?”

Siriel stared at Victor with a displeased expression.

“Even if there was a possibility of refusal, you should have at least hinted or sent a letter in advance.”

“I apologize for that. But in the end, didn’t you accept?”

“…How can you be so shameless?”

Siriel’s eyes flickered for a moment. She had followed her to the Alhyeon Room to hear the details, but instead of apologizing, she was brazenly discussing right and wrong.

“You’ve grown quite a thick skin since I last saw you.”

“The situation dictates that the Emperor should never bow his head.”

“Oh, please.”

“…I wasn’t supposed to apologize earlier, but I couldn’t help it with an old friend.”

Victor said in a roundabout way.

Her true meaning was that she could no longer act as the friend she knew, that she was now an emperor above all. It meant she could no longer care about personal feelings.

Had it been an ordinary subordinate, they would have known how to behave in response to such a clear demarcation, but unfortunately, the person Victor was facing was Siriel.

“Are you doing this on purpose?”

Siriel rubbed her chin as if deep in thought. The ring on her left ring finger glistened.

“Do you want me to crush your face? Or is it an excuse to separate me from my brother…”

It was certainly not something a subordinate should say to an emperor.

However, Siriel’s words did not come from a lack of sense. Instead, it was because she had known her for a long time that she stopped at this point.

As proof, a thick vein was pulsating subtly at Siriel’s temple.

“That’s not it. Don’t misunderstand.”

Victor maintained a calm expression despite the drop in temperature around them.

“Have you forgotten the conversation we had during the coronation?”

Siriel recalled the recent event that was mentioned by Victor’s words.

-If you accept, Shiron will have to separate from me.

The conversation they had when their names were called and their eyes met, the lips’ subtle movements, which would have been unknown if they hadn’t faced each other directly.

“It’s still absurd to think about.”

Siriel thought the emperor in front of her had done something truly reckless.

“What were you thinking? What if I had refused there?”

“…You would have gone down in history as the only emperor to make a mistake during the coronation. You might have been humiliated by envoys and dignitaries from other countries, and a rebellion could have broken out in the borderlands, thinking an incompetent emperor had ascended.”

“You know that well…”

“I was confident you wouldn’t refuse.”

Victor gave Siriel a bright smile.

The friend before her, who showed a rough demeanor but ultimately cared for Victor, was not lacking as the successor to the title of Empire’s Best Sword.

“I considered calling Shiron, but he would have politely declined if he wasn’t comfortable. But you still care about the prestige of the Empire and the royal family.”

“Are you trying to calm me down with empty praise?”

“…It’s not a bad thing for you either.”

Victor grew tired of the continued suspicion.

She had tried to act like an emperor in her speech and actions since she became the emperor. However, the woman before her treated her as a neighborhood friend, so Victor threw away the façade she had been wearing in despair.

“Anyway, if you’re going to take over the knight order, isn’t it better to have a grand title to maintain prestige?”

“I’m confident I can beat anyone in a fight. Even if you don’t take care of it, I would naturally be called the Empire’s Best Sword over time.”

Siriel snorted, crossing her arms.

Whether intentional or not, the ring on her left hand caught Victor’s eye.

No, Siriel was clearly showing off the ring on purpose. From the coronation to the office, she used her left hand whenever she picked up a teacup, crossed her arms, or even cleared her throat.

A silent cry to ask where the ring came from. Victor didn’t react to the blatant display but felt her blood pressure rise slightly.

Victor squinted and pretended not to notice the ring.

“If Shiron accepts the proposal, what will you do then?”

“My brother is busy. He has plenty of reasons to refuse.”

“What if he accepts? Then he would be called to the palace every day. Wouldn’t that unsettle you?”

“Ha!”

Siriel uncrossed her arms and brushed back her hair. The ring on her left ring finger sparkled.

“Don’t talk nonsense. Even if you have feelings for my brother, he thinks of you as a man.”

Glimmer-

“For some reason, even Lucia thinks so too. Do you think my brother would fall for a same-sex temptation?”

“…He might.”

Victor retorted angrily. Each time Siriel’s left ring finger sparkled, blood rushed to her head, making it difficult to remain composed.

“Even if he’s not gay, he might have feelings for me.”

“…Stop with the nonsense.”

“I’m not lying. During the last expedition, Shiron gave me sultry looks whenever we were alone.”

Victor still remembered. In the private barracks, in the office, even in the sauna… There were times when Shiron sent her strange glances, and each time, Victor had to slap herself to regain her composure, but awkward situations kept happening.

“Do you want to keep spouting nonsense?”

It was pure stubbornness. Since Siriel had spent a passionate night with Shiron, she thought Victor was making empty threats.

“And since when did you like my brother?”

As far as Siriel remembered, Victor was always a friend who got swept up by her playful brother. To think about it, there was no reason for Victor to fall for Shiron.

Shiron instinctively guarded against Victor’s androgynous nature. Having a history of trying to make him a subordinate, Shiron did not hesitate to play pranks on her.

Even when she got slapped or kicked in the rear, Victor only pouted. There was no way she could like Shiron.

“Are you, by any chance… the type who gets excited by being hit, that… pervert?”

Siriel didn’t go as far as to reveal her gender. She just gave Victor a look of disdain.

“If you enjoy being beaten, I’ll do it for you. So…”

“No.”

Victor denied it, looking serious.

Victor couldn’t say it because she feared Siriel would become wary, but she did have more than just friendly feelings for Shiron.

At first, it was the feeling of being praised by her father for associating with Shiron, but as she spent more time with Shiron, she found herself genuinely enjoying the situation, and her affection for Shiron grew.

Moreover, thanks to Shiron, the royal family remained safe, and she even ascended to the emperor’s position. It would be stranger if her feelings stopped at mere goodwill.

But there were several other reasons that ignited Victor’s heart.

The emperor could only be a man. This was because a man had more opportunities to produce an heir, and an emperor who couldn’t produce an heir would have a weak support base, often leading to rebellions.

‘Five years… Five years will be fine.’

Everything she did to reassure Siriel now was part of a grand plan. The reason she didn’t wait for Lucia, who didn’t attend the coronation, and didn’t give Shiron a title was all because of this.

When Siriel went on an expedition, she would lure Shiron into a separate palace and seduce her. It didn’t matter if Shiron wasn’t gay.

She was confident that if she revealed her feelings then, Shiron, with his meddlesome nature, would surely accept.

“…Whatever happens, if you flirt with my brother, you’re in big trouble.”

Siriel, who issued the threat, took out a letter from her bosom and handed it over. The ring on her left ring finger sparkled.

[The Grand Rien]

The letter bore the name of the empire’s finest hotel.

“…What’s this?”

“It’s an invitation to the engagement ceremony. It’s to be held there in a month. Since you’re an old ‘childhood friend,’ I’ll specially invite you.”

“…”

“Come and see the scene where I beautifully vow my love to the most wonderful brother in the world.”

Siriel finished her words and stood up. She had no more to say, and she had a lot of work to do.

---

…Thanks to the grand event of the coronation, Rien was bustling with activity. Tourists from various countries were spreading their wealth, and citizens were getting drunk on the free food provided by the royal family.

“It seemed better to target the coronation…”

Yoru muttered as she gnawed on a free turkey leg. Unlike the wandering camp she used to live in, the food in Rien was so high-quality that she wanted to share it with everyone back home.

Chew, slurp, chew. Although she was wearing a blazer and skirt common in the empire rather than the traditional attire of Silleya, the scent of the barbarian still lingered around her.

“The important thing is sustainable struggle. A single attack won’t end anything if the princess dies.”

A tattooed man, [Yatching of Nine Snakes], said. His left cheek originally bore a snake design, but now it was overlaid with ink to disguise his identity.

“Didn’t the elders say? Now, when things are lax, is the right time to achieve our great cause.”

“…Enough with the nagging.”

Yoru roughly wiped her sauce-covered hands and scratched the inside of her thigh. Although she had scrubbed off the irritating notes, the itchiness began as soon as she entered the annoying empire.

Scratching her thigh, Yoru looked up at the splendid building in front of her.

[The Grand Rien]

It was the empire’s finest hotel, known for hosting dignitaries from various countries. While she walked with her head held high, a neat-looking man, seemingly a guard, approached the group.

“Guests, outside food is not allowed inside.”

“Oh, sorry.”

Yoru carelessly threw away the bone she had finished eating. The guard’s expression frowned at her casual behavior.

At first glance, he thought she was a guest planning to stay, but upon closer inspection, despite her attire, her behavior was reminiscent of a street ruffian.

“Hey.”

The guard called out to the group trying to pass him.

“How can you throw trash in the lobby… Who are you to carry swords! Hey! Here, suspicious per-”

Thud—

It happened in an instant.

The person was split in half, along with the pillar.