Bam!

The door shattered into pieces.

“...!”

“...!”

The mayor and Akrapovic jumped to their feet. It was only natural for them to be shocked, as they were deep in conversation, talking about various reforms and policies that would benefit the city.

The next thing they knew, the door was blown apart with a thunderous boom, and someone barged into the office.

“Y-Your Imperial Majesty?!”

The mayor instantly recognized Siegfried and rushed forward to kneel.

“I-I greet His Imperial Majesty the Emperor!”

“Thank you for your hard work as always, mayor,” Siegfried replied, waving his hand.

“B-But Your Imperial Majesty...? Why would you suddenly barge in like this? Have I perhaps... unknowingly committed some crime?”

It was natural for the mayor to ask, as Siegfried had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and smashed down the door.

After all, any civil servant would fear they had done wrong if the ruler of the land suddenly barged in unannounced like this.

“No,” Siegfried shook his head. Then, he said, “You did nothing wrong, Mayor. But just step aside for a moment.”

“Huh...?”

“Don’t worry about it. Go have a cup of tea somewhere.”

“A-As you command, sire.”

The mayor couldn’t understand why Siegfried was acting this way, but he followed the orders still.

How could he dare to object and ask questions when the emperor personally gave the command? At times like this, obedience was the safest—no, the only choice.

The old man got up and bowed courteously, “Greetings, Your Imperial Majesty. My name is Akrapovic, and I am a scholar. I have long devoted myself to the study of public administration.”

“Yeah, I’m not buying it,” Siegfried sneered in response.

Shwiiiik!

He drew his +10 Sky Piercer and aimed it straight at Akrapovic.

“Save both of us the trouble and just show me your true face.”

“P-Pardon me...?”

“Oh? You dare put up that pathetic act before me?”

“Y-Your Imperial Majesty...? I know not why Your Imperial Majesty treats me so, but if only you would explain how I have offended you, then I—”

“Are you seriously asking me that right now?” Siegfried cut him off, sounding flabbergasted by the audacity. Then, he grimaced and growled, “Do you know how many people are suffering because of the ones you corrupted?

"You corrupted good men and turned this empire into a wreck. And yet you’re asking me what you did to offend me? Don’t you think that's a good enough reason for you to die?”

“B-But Your Imperial Majesty...! I only sought to share the fruits of my lifelong studies with the officials of the empire! I longed for the Proatine Empire to prosper!”

“Don’t make me laugh. Seems like you need a beating before you will show your true colors.”

Shwiiiik!

Siegfried thrusted his +10 Sky Piercer straight toward Akrapovic’s chest.

“...!”

The old man couldn’t even react and simply squeezed his eyes shut.

‘Huh?’ Siegfried halted just inches away from impaling the old man.

The old man didn't put up any resistance at all. Instead of countering or defending himself, he merely shut his eyes like any ordinary person would do.

And Siegfried found that to be strange.

If he were truly a demonic monster that escaped from an Ancient Dungeon, then it would only be natural for him to put up some sort of resistance.

However, Akrapovic’s reaction was clearly that of a harmless scholar.

‘What the hell? Did I get the wrong guy?’ Siegfried wondered and flashed his Rune of Insight at the old man.

The results proved that there was indeed something wrong.

‘Oh?’

Akrapovic was just an old man in his sixties rather than a monster. Still, he couldn’t trust it completely, as there were certain high-level monsters capable of concealing their identities even from the Rune of Insight.

“Hmm...” Siegfried rubbed his chin and studied the old man with suspicious eyes. Then, he turned to his men and ordered, “Summon Dame Oscar here. Tell her to come right away.”

“As you command, sire!”

After that, Siegfried turned back to the old man and said, “The officials you met have all fallen into corruption after your visit.”

“Huh...?”

“You’re the one thing they all had in common. Meaning, you’re the prime suspect in this case.”

Although Siegfried had personally confirmed only two cases, the intelligence agents confirmed that the common link in all of the corrupted officials was that they had met Akrapovic.

Thus, it was perfectly reasonable for Siegfried to be suspicious of him.

“I-I know nothing of this matter, Your Imperial Majesty!”

“Sure you don’t.”

“Y-Your Imperial Majesty! I-I will do anything to prove my innocence!”

“Then just sit and wait. But don’t you dare even think about pulling any tricks on me. One wrong move and I’ll skewer you.”

“Y-Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.”

Quite a while passed, and Oscar finally arrived.

“Have you summoned me, sire?”

“Check this guy for me.”

“As you command, sire.”

With that, Oscar’s interrogation of the old wise man, Akrapovic, began.

***

The Sword of Truth: Fragarach was a powerful weapon that could exert influence over the NPCs, though not against Adventurers.

Until now, no one had ever succeeded in lying before the Sword of Truth, so there was no doubt that it was a very reliable method of verifying whether someone was telling the truth or not.

“Who are you? State your true identity,” Oscar asked.

“I am a scholar who studies public administration,” Akrapovic replied.

“Have you ever contributed in any way to corrupt the officials and nobles you met?”

“Absolutely not!”

Oscar’s interrogation went on for nearly thirty minutes.

Akrapovic vehemently denied all accusations hurled against him and made it clear that he was not some demonic monster.

Thanks to the interrogation, Siegfried’s suspicions eased to a certain degree—but he was not fully reassured yet.

He considered the possibility that the Sword of Truth: Fragarach might not work against demonic entities.

“I have finished the interrogation, sire. This one does not seem to be lying,” Oscar reported.

“It seems like it...” Siegfried muttered, rubbing his chin.

“Y-Your Imperial Majesty? Does this prove my innocence...?” Akrapovic asked carefully.

“Not yet,” Siegfried replied, shaking his head.

“T-Then... what must I do for Your Imperial Majesty to believe me?”

“Strip.”

“...Excuse you?”

“...?”

Akrapovic doubted his ears while Oscar tilted her head in confusion at the sudden order.

Siegfried telling the old man to strip was nothing short of bewildering. Of course, it was all because the context eluded them.

“Y-Your Imperial...? Did you just... ask me to...?”

“Fine. I’ll just do it myself.”

With those words, Siegfried used Embrace of Despair to restrain Akrapovic, and then he tore his clothes apart using Flying Sword.

“...!”

Those watching were stunned, but Siegfried ignored them and proceeded to examine the old man’s bare-naked body.

However, he didn't find even a single Blood Flea of Greed on Akrapovic.

‘What? Did I really misjudge him?’ Siegfried was shaken.

Based on his deduction, Akrapovic was supposed to be the culprit spreading the Blood Fleas of Greed to the officials and nobles. However, it did not seem to be the case at all.

Siegfried had always been confident in his deduction skills, but this time, it seemed that he was mistaken. Even monkeys would fall from trees at times, and perhaps, this was one of those times.

‘If I’m really wrong then... I must apologize properly to him,’ Siegfried thought.

He decided to trust the old man for now, as he had no evidence to back up his suspicion. With that, he disabled Embrace of Despair, ordered the servants to fetch clothes, and explained himself.

“I sincerely apologize for my actions. I hope you would understand that I had no choice but to be aggressive,” Siegfried said, bowing his head deeply.

He had wrongly accused an innocent man, so he felt that it was only right that he genuinely apologized.

“...!”

However, Akrapovic was shocked by Siegfried’s action.

‘G-Good heavens! To think that the emperor of a mighty empire would bow to a nameless old scholar like me...!’

What Siegfried did was a huge culture shock to the old man.

Akrapovic knew that Siegfried was wrong to not only accuse him of something so preposterous but also to strip him bare-naked in front of others.

He agreed that Siegfried's deduction was sound enough, but in the end, it didn't change the fact that he had been falsely accused. Still, he had never imagined, even in his wildest dreams, that an emperor would apologize to him with such sincerity and even bow toward him.

“Y-Your Imperial Majesty! Why would you lower your head to someone as lowly as me?” Akrapovic cried out.

“I humiliated you in front of others. Please forgive me,” Siegfried said firmly, still bowing.

“No, Your Imperial Majesty. I have already put it behind me. Besides, was it not simply the result of Your Imperial Majesty striving to cleanse corruption in the empire? I believe that it was not out of any selfish intent,” Akrapovic said with a smile.

Then, he added, “On the contrary, Your Imperial Majesty's actions have moved me. To think that a person of your status would personally seek to restore discipline among the officials and nobles! Ah, truly, you are a wise and virtuous ruler!”

“Y-You flatter me...”

“Please, do not be troubled by what happened here today. I am perfectly fine, Your Imperial Majesty.”

With that, the misunderstanding with Akrapovic was resolved smoothly.

“However, I would like to beg for some of Your Imperial Majesty’s time.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“I have long studied public administration and have found that...” Akrapovic proceeded to explain the things he was researching, and then he expressed his intention to contribute to the Proatine Empire.

“Shall we talk as we walk? I need to investigate the next village about two hours away, and there are no warp gates in that area.”

“Your grace is immeasurable!"

Siegfried was pressed for time, so he invited the old man to accompany him.

Akrapovic accepted the offer eagerly, as there was no reason for him to refuse when the emperor himself was offering him two whole hours.

‘But what in the world is going on? Sigh... I guess I’ll have to run around and investigate more...’ Siegfried thought.

Even while the old man was excitedly sharing the fruit of his labor, Siegfried’s mind was still filled with countless worries.

***

Siegfried walked alongside Akrapovic down the narrow path toward the village two hours away.

Clop! Clop! Clop! Clop!

Akrapovic rode on horseback, as there was no way he could keep up with Siegfried’s pace. Even if Siegfried wasn't running, he could still move faster than most people, so a horse was the only way Akrapovic could keep up with him.

While on the go, Siegfried struck up a conversation with the old man.

“But why are you riding a horse everywhere? Isn’t it easier to just use the warp gates? And that horse looks pretty old, too.”

“I have done nothing but study since my youth. And I have never held a proper job. What income could a scholar like me possibly have? I could not afford to use the warp gates, so I bought this old horse as my traveling companion.”

“Hmm...” Siegfried pondered for a while. Then, he said, “I will make sure you get the support you need. So from now on, please do not put yourself through such hardships.”

“Y-Your Imperial Majesty...!”

“Let’s keep talking as we go. I am curious to hear what exactly these administrative studies you have devoted your life to.”

“Ah, it is to see how governance could be made—”

It was then.

Shwiiik!

From Akrapovic’s old horse, a flea the size of a grain of rice leapt like a bolt of lightning toward Siegfried’s back. Caught with his guard completely down, Siegfried neither noticed nor reacted to the flea.

There was no way he could notice something so small moving at such high speed when he was not on his guard.

However, the automatic defensive system of the Invisible Spear Art was different. It was a system that exceeded human limitations, and it instantly reacted, stopping the flea dead in its tracks.

Shwiiik!

The +10 Sky Piercer shot up like lightning and skewered the flea midair.

“...!”

Siegfried jumped in surprise when his body moved on its own in the middle of the conversation.

“Y-Your Imperial Majesty?”

Akrapovic flinched as well, shocked when Siegfried had suddenly brandished his weapon once again.

“Hold on.”

“H-Huh?”

“Can you dismount from your horse?”

Without waiting for the response, Siegfried used Flying Sword to gently carry the old man from the horse.

Then, he stared intently at the old steed and asked, “It’s you, isn’t it?”

Prrrh!

The horse snorted in response, as though it was trying to say that it had no idea what he was talking about.

“So it's you.”

Prrrrh!

Still, the horse simply snorted.

Shwiiik!

“Oh?” Siegfried smirked. Then, without another word, the +10 Sky Piercer moved like a bolt of lightning toward Akrapovic’s old horse.