In response to Ernant’s words to focus only on myself, I let out a shallow sigh and replied.

“…I’ve already focused a lot on Your Majesty. And I won’t be having a long conversation with the Captain. I just want to ask if he’s enjoying the ball.”

“Don’t you think he seems to be enjoying it well enough without needing to ask?”

Ernant continued, gesturing slightly towards the Captain with a nod.

“He must be having fun surrounded by all those young ladies. If anything, you going over might make him feel interrupted.”

“But—”

“Let him play with the ladies. More importantly, remember I said I had something to show you? I’m thinking of showing it to you now.”

While riding in the carriage to the imperial palace together, Ernant had said:

‘I want to show you something wonderful.’

Though I was curious about what it could be, my concern for the Captain took precedence, so I hesitated to readily answer Ernant.

Then Ernant whispered:

“It’s something very important. Something that could change the fate of the Empire.”

“The fate…?”

“It’s that important, so let’s hurry and go see it now.”

“…”

After much deliberation, I finally nodded to Ernant.

Though I was worried about the Captain, it seemed more urgent to first check what Ernant was hiding.

Something that could change the fate of the Empire – it felt rather ominous.

“Follow me closely.”

With those words, Ernant began walking ahead, and I followed behind tensely.

Ernant exited the ballroom as is.

Then he started heading towards the main palace.

Unlike the annex building where the First Banquet Hall was located, the main palace was in a deeper area.

After walking for a few minutes to reach the main palace, he then began guiding me underground.

What on earth could he have hidden that we needed to go so deep?

Moreover, the extremely tight security was also concerning.

With each floor we descended underground, we had to continually pass through firmly locked steel doors and inspections by imperial guards.

As we passed through those and went further down, an ever-growing sense of unease tightened around my throat.

By the time we reached the third basement level, I couldn’t hold back anymore and asked Ernant:

“Is what you want to show me perhaps a weapon item? Like a new type of explosive item?”

“It is a weapon. But not an item.”

“…?”

It’s a weapon, but not an item?

Then could he simply mean swords or spears made of steel?

But earlier, Ernant had said that what he would show me was something that could change the fate of the Empire.

Ordinary weapons like steel swords couldn’t possibly change the Empire’s fate, so it must not be common weapons.

I gave up trying to figure it out and just followed behind Ernant.

Come to think of it, there was no need to rack my brains over it.

Whatever he was hiding, I would see it soon enough anyway.

Meanwhile, Ernant’s steps came to an abrupt halt.

It was in front of an old iron door located at the farthest end of the third basement floor.

He pointed to that iron door and smiled at me.

“It’s stored beyond here.”

“…Please show me quickly.”

“Shall I? But before that, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”

“Something to ask…?”

I couldn’t help but frown, wondering what he was saying all of a sudden after coming all this way with difficulty.

Ignoring my expression, Ernant took something out from inside his clothes.

It was a rolled-up paper tied with a red ribbon, and he soon revealed its identity.

“It’s a contract. Before peeking at my secret, I need you to read this contract and sign it first.”

In this situation, there was only one type of contract Ernant would present to me.

Thanks to that, I could guess its contents without needing to read it.

“It’s a confidentiality contract, isn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Ernant nodded readily and unfolded the contract for me.

As expected, there was a clause stating that I must not disclose to anyone what I see in the basement.

Not only was verbal disclosure forbidden, but the secret must never be conveyed to others through writing, gestures, drawings, etc.

The contract’s contents were so thorough that I wondered what it could be to require such strict secrecy.

Ernant added further explanation:

“It’s not an ordinary contract. It’s an object imbued with the ability of curses.”

“…Is it an item?”

“That’s right. If you sign it and then ‘violate’ the contract, the curse ability will activate. That curse will take your life. You’ve probably heard of it before.”

As Ernant said, I too had heard about such contract items before.

It was something nobles occasionally used when making extremely important contracts.

What on earth could he be hiding behind that door to use such a rare and expensive item?

Moreover, he had never mentioned anything like this to me before the regression.

The Ernant from before the regression had never even hinted at having something like this.

Was he now willing to show me even more intimate secrets in order to keep me close, since our relationship had become a bit strained?

As I was pondering, Ernant said:

“If you sign it, I can trust you and show you my secret.”

“And if I don’t sign?”

“I’m sorry, but then you’ll have to turn back from here?”

“…”

Naturally, I fell into even deeper contemplation.

After signing this contract, I would have to keep Ernant’s secret ‘on pain of death’.

The moment I accidentally disclosed the secret to someone, I would face my second death.

So, thinking normally, it would be right not to sign this… but I had a bad feeling about it.

His earlier emphasis that it was “something that could change the fate of the Empire” kept bothering me.

“I’ll sign.”

“You’ve made a good decision. Don’t worry, it’s not dangerous as long as you keep the secret. It’s also something other nobles often use when making important contracts.”

I finally signed the contract with the brutal clause stating ‘disclosure of the secret will result in loss of life’.

Ernant also finished signing next to my name, and with that our contract was concluded.

With a satisfied expression, Ernant took out the key hanging at his waist.

Then he inserted it into the keyhole and turned it.

That was when it happened.

Kiiiiiii…

A chilling yet familiar noise came from beyond the iron door.

Immediately recognizing the nature of the noise, I shouted towards Ernant:

“Wait! Don’t open it!”

“Hm?”

“I just heard the sound of a monster from beyond that door. I’m certain. It was definitely the sound of a monster.”

“Ah, is that so?”

For some reason, Ernant’s reaction was oddly nonchalant about hearing monster sounds from the basement of the main palace.

I soon learned why.

“You heard correctly.”

“…Pardon?”

“What I want to show you is actually something similar to that. To be more precise, I should call them ‘chimeras’.”

Chimera usually refers to an artificial life form created by mixing several animals.

Alchemists with the ability of synthesis would call the life forms they created by mixing and modifying various animals ‘chimeras’.

However, I had a feeling that what Ernant wanted to show wasn’t such a common chimera.

Meanwhile, he opened the door to reveal the interior of the basement.

At first I couldn’t see anything because it was too dark.

Only a terrible smell assaulted my nose.

After waiting a moment, Ernant tapped on a crystal ball-shaped light-emitting item attached next to the door.

As he activated the item, the spheres lined up on the wall began to emit bright light.

Finally, I could see what was inside the basement.

“Your Majesty… no, Ernant… What in the world are these…?”

Shocked, I froze in place, unable to even string my words together properly.

Inside were about a dozen iron cages.

Each cage was tightly wrapped with chain items that seal abilities, presumably to neutralize what was imprisoned inside.

As if enjoying my reaction, Ernant introduced them in a pleased voice:

“Feel free to look as much as you want. These are chimeras created by our capable imperial alchemists.”

“Chimeras…?”

Ordinary chimeras were made using animals as materials.

For example, mixing a wolf and a dog would create a chimera hunting dog that was both docile and strong.

Mixing a chicken with other large birds would produce a chicken that yields far more meat than ordinary chickens.

That’s what chimeras were. Taking existing ‘animals’ and recreating them more usefully by mixing two or more types.

However, what I saw before me now were not the chimeras I knew.

Unable to believe the scene I was witnessing, I asked Ernant:

“These things imprisoned here… aren’t they monsters?”