Ernant’s voice coming from the crystal orb carried a hint of shallow irritation.

It seemed he was annoyed that the connection wasn’t made immediately.

I was equally irritated, but I carefully concealed that emotion as I replied to him.

“I apologize. I was briefly asleep.”

-Well, alright. More importantly, how is Martin?

“…There’s nothing worth reporting. He’s the same as usual.”

Ernant always asked about the Captain like this whenever he contacted me.

He wanted to be informed if the Captain showed any suspicious movements… such as ‘movements that seemed to aim for the throne’.

In reality, the Captain was so focused on monster subjugation that he had no interest in the throne.

Ernant, who was suspicious and imaginative, was always worried that his talented younger brother might be aiming for his position.

When I used to like Ernant, I would report the Captain’s every move for his sake, but I no longer wanted to do that.

Now, I hate Ernant.

I hate the man who tried to poison me.

Even though I had no intention of wasting my precious life trying to take revenge on him, I really wanted to stop acting for his sake.

So when I reported vaguely, Ernant asked me:

-The same as usual? Is that really all you have to report?

“…”

-Report properly again, Yulia. Before I send someone.

A slightly angry voice.

It seemed my half-hearted report had grated on his nerves again.

I really didn’t want to work for him, but if he actually sent someone down to monitor me and the Captain, it would end up being a headache for us.

After some consideration, I decided to throw him another piece of information.

“We’ve decided to enter the rift. Just the two of us, Captain Martin and me.”

-What? Wait, you’re entering the rift with just the two of you?

Ernant showed signs of surprise for some reason.

It was unexpected for me.

I thought he wouldn’t care whether I entered the rift with two people or three.

Contrary to my expectations, Ernant was concerned about the fact that I was entering the rift alone with the Captain.

-Isn’t it a bit dangerous to go in with just the two of you?

“…Are you worried?”

I barely hid my surprise as I asked that.

It’s surprising, isn’t it? The man who will try to kill me 5 years later is now worried about my life.

But surprisingly, Ernant wasn’t worried about me getting hurt or killed by monsters.

-Of course I’m worried. That lewd Martin might have ulterior motives and do something to you.

“…”

-If he tries to overpower you by force when you’re alone inside the rift, you won’t be able to resist.

I almost sighed out loud because it was so pathetic.

Was he not interested in the fact that his knight might die or get injured from monster attacks?

Was he more worried about the fact that another man might lay hands on a woman he considered his possession?

I never knew that possessiveness could be such an ugly emotion…

Calming my mind, which was turbulent with emotions like contempt and anger, I snapped at him.

“He’s not the kind of person who would do such a thing.”

-Hmm? Are you defending Martin in front of me now?

“I’m not defending him, I’m just saying that because he’s really not the kind of person who would do such a thing.”

-…

For a while, no sound came from Ernant on the other side of the crystal orb.

Just as I was about to say that I would end the call if he had nothing more to say, Ernant finally asked:

-Yulia, your attitude seems strangely different… Has Martin done something to you?

“He hasn’t done anything like that.”

-That lewd man must have enticed you with some sweet words…

“…”

He showed no sign of listening to my words.

Ernant, still with his vivid imagination, was arbitrarily concluding that the Captain must have buttered me up and drawn me to his side.

The man who laughed while killing me was now arbitrarily spouting nonsense about the man who had mourned my death.

At first, I tried to endure Ernant’s rudeness as much as possible, but by this point, it was becoming increasingly difficult to control my emotions.

Just then, Ernant said something that completely severed my patience.

-Anyway, absolutely do not enter the dungeon alone with him. That’s an order.

“I’m sorry, but according to the special law on rift management, I must prioritize the orders of my superior, Captain Martin, over Your Majesty’s orders. In matters related to rifts, the superior’s orders take precedence over any other command.”

-You dare…!

“I’ll end the call now.”

I quickly tapped the crystal orb twice to end the conversation before Ernant could burst into anger.

Ernant tried to contact me again through the crystal orb, probably having more to say, but this time I didn’t answer.

The crystal orb that had been vibrating for a long time finally quieted down after about 5 minutes.

“Hah…”

Although I had abruptly ended the conversation out of anger, I felt a bit worried now that it had come to this.

Did I suddenly go too far…?

But soon I erased such thoughts.

I couldn’t let the Captain enter the rift alone just to accommodate Ernant’s feelings.

Although I might have acted a bit emotionally, it was ultimately the right choice.

Above all, it was true that in matters concerning rifts, Captain Martin’s orders took precedence over Ernant’s orders.

Rift management was a critical matter that could determine the fate of the empire.

In other words, even if I had acted a bit insolently, Ernant couldn’t easily punish me on grounds of disobeying imperial orders.

Let him be suspicious or send someone. I hadn’t committed any crime anyway.

I comforted myself thus and stopped worrying.

In any case, I was one of only three top-tier awakened ones in the empire, making me an indispensable talent for the current empire.

Therefore, even Emperor Ernant couldn’t touch me as he pleased.

He might try to deal with my insolence when all the rifts in the empire are closed and I’m no longer useful… but well, he tried to kill me even when I wasn’t insolent.

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue once and closed my eyes.

As I stayed still with my eyes closed, the sleepiness that eventually washed over me cleanly erased my complicated thoughts.

Crash―!

The crystal orb that Ernant threw shattered loudly as it hit the floor.

Hearing that sound, the imperial servants and guards who came running were met with his continued outburst.

“Don’t meddle unnecessarily, all of you get out!”

Usually, he never showed his emotions even in front of his subordinates, but now he had no time for that.

As the servants and guards hastily retreated, leaving no one in the office, he seethed, swallowing his anger.

Only one thought filled his mind.

Do even my knights dare to disrespect me because I’m a non-awakened?

Awakened ones with special powers.

They were born regardless of social status.

Thus, although Ernant was undoubtedly of imperial bloodline, he was a non-awakened who didn’t possess any abilities.

Born with such misfortune, he always thought and thought again.

If only I had been born with even a little of the same power as them… Then neither Martin, nor Yulia, nor anyone else could have disrespected me.

The current empire was in a chaotic situation due to monster attacks, so the emperor’s influence wasn’t very strong in some matters… especially in matters related to rifts.

And because he knew this fact all too well, Ernant found it even more unbearable.

Ernant, who had been biting his nails in frustration, suddenly muttered in a calm voice.

“…This won’t do.”

He couldn’t let Yulia continue to disrespect him like this.

He continued to think fervently.

More desperately than ever before.

Then, not long after, it occurred to him.

He thought of a way to make Yulia submit to him again.

“Franz!!”

Ernant immediately pulled the bell rope to summon his aide, Franz.

The aide, who came running in a hurry, bowed his head before Ernant, sweating nervously.

“Y-You called, Your Majesty?”

“Prepare the carriage.”

“Ah, are you planning to go out for a while? Then I’ll quickly prepare-”

“No, I don’t plan on just going out for a short while.”

Ernant explained further to the confused aide:

“I want to visit the 4th rift in Hacknestain County. It will be a long journey, so prepare thoroughly.”

Although Yulia was an awakened one with abilities too strong for Ernant to handle, he still had a weapon left that could manipulate Yulia at will.

A weapon called ‘love’.

Ernant knew well that Yulia had a one-sided love for him.

And that emotion was the sharpest blade that Ernant, a non-awakened, could wield against Yulia, an awakened one.

So, he intended to visit Yulia in person.

To use love as a weapon to subdue the other party, it wasn’t enough to just talk from afar.

They needed to face each other again, to share warmth.

Like that, he needed to make her emotionally dependent on Ernant himself, so gradually that she wouldn’t even realize what was happening.

Translation complete. 100% of original text translated.