Until late at night, Helsion was sitting at the desk, going through his tasks. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the work had piled up like a mountain, considering that he had recently won the rebellion and ascended to the throne as the emperor.

Although he became the emperor under the influence of the Sun Emperor, everyone knew he had seized the throne for himself. Buried under countless documents, someone approached him.

“Your Majesty, Count Arteas is coming to the Kalua Empire with the Brellopf heiress.”

It was a man with a low voice reporting to Helsion. His name was Carter, the commander of the Imperial First Knights and a long-time loyalist of Helsion.

Helsion stopped scrutinizing the documents and looked at Carter. Then, as if surprised, he muttered under his breath.

“Did he manage to accomplish even the mission I intentionally gave him to fail?”

Rumors about Tanacia had spread throughout the empire. If she didn’t like someone, a contract couldn’t be made. Even if a contract was made by luck, it was only a temporary loan of weapons.

Weapon merchants usually moved for profit, but Tanacia strangely valued things other than monetary gains.

Helsion personally thought of Tanacia as eccentric. In any case, there was no place in the existing empires that didn’t covet Tanacia. Knowing that she wouldn’t leave her research lab, he purposely ordered Askan to bring her to the Kalua Empire.

Of course, it would be a good thing if the mission succeeded, but the order Helsion gave was already known to be impossible.

Lost in thought, Helsion absentmindedly stroked his chin. Then, with a self-deprecating smile on his lips, he muttered under his breath.

“Askan knows no failure. That only makes me more interested.”

Carter, hearing those words, clenched his fist tightly without others noticing.

“Whether Count Arteas arrives or not, we won’t know until he does. You never know. He might even come by kidnapping the Brellopf heiress…”

Helsion burst into a low laugh. He thought it wasn’t far from the truth, considering Askan’s personality.

“I ordered him to bring her back by any means necessary. We’ll have to ask what happened when he arrives at the palace.”

The two men still didn’t know the fact that Askan had tried to forcefully bring Tanacia, a renowned weapon merchant, to the empire.

Of course, Helsion wasn’t afraid even if Askan, who came from a human weapon background, turned Tanacia, the best weapon merchant on the continent, into an enemy.

Having spent a long time together, Helsion keenly felt how powerful Askan, a human weapon, was.

Carter, with darkened eyes, said, “Is it true that you promised to release Count Arteas if he succeeds in this mission?”

“That’s right. It was a promise from the beginning. I said I would only assist him until I became the emperor.”
Taking Tanacia to the Kalua Empire was Askan’s final mission. Many people misunderstood. Askan wasn’t Helsion’s subordinate. The two had traded a long time ago, where Helsion offered assistance in becoming the emperor, and in return, Askan would receive what he desired.

In fact, Count Arteas’s title was also a justifiable reward obtained through Askan’s negotiation. Suddenly, in Helsion’s mind, the last conversation he had with Askan during the award ceremony came to light.

─ I suppose I won’t try to end our deal just because I became emperor?

─ It wouldn’t matter if it’s not me.

─ Askan. No, Count Arteas. I hope our deal continues indefinitely. How about continuing as the commander of the Imperial Guard?

─ I want to take a break.

Askan wasn’t the boy with nothing when he first left the laboratory. He possessed more than known, and if he wished, he could soar even higher. The thought that he had already gained enough was merely ignorant of human greed. People, by nature, wanted more the more they possessed.

Therefore, Helsion had never seen anyone as unpredictable as Askan. Despite Askan claiming he could give whatever Helsion desired—wealth, honor, power, and even beauties—he only repeated his desire to rest. Nothing seemed to capture Askan’s interest. In fact, sometimes he appeared like a person with a malfunction. It felt as if there was a hole in his heart—an emptiness that nothing could fill. It seemed like he was waiting for something, but even he didn’t seem to know what it was.

Carter asked cautiously, “So, are you really planning to release Count Arteas?”

Helsion let out a meaningful laugh. “Well…”

Up to now, no matter what others said, Askan’s contribution had been the greatest. When surrounded by hundreds of soldiers and thinking it was the end, it was Askan who saved Helsion from the jaws of death. The words Askan spoke while looking at Helsion with a dry gaze at that time were still vivid.

─ If you let me live, what will you do for me?

Back then, it made Helsion angry, feeling like a joke in such a critical moment. However, what Askan said wasn’t a joke at all. The memory of Askan’s abilities at that time couldn’t be forgotten.