If there was one thing Geoffrey longed for after all the effort he had put in over these two months, it was a life without ambition and peace above all else.
For the sake of that ambition too, Geoffrey took over the role of the original Geoffrey. He acted as a petty villain, oppressing the protagonist and ultimately becoming a stepping stone for their development.
The result?
He might have already completed his plan. It was even executed so perfectly that Geoffrey wanted to scream from sheer joy.
But before he could enjoy anything he had been waiting for.
"....Seriously? You've got the right person?"
"Of course, this is for you—the honorable young master Geoffrey De Lune."
"Isn't there someone else with that name?"
"I know for certain there is no one else but you."
So, how did all this happen?
Not even a week since everything ended. But where did this come from?
Geoffrey was in the guest reception area. He stared at a letter in a golden envelope sealed with the Empire's crest.
Geoffrey blinked. He looked at the letter, then looked toward the letter's courier. A man who called himself Vincent.
Vincent had black hair already streaked with gray, while his face showed deep wrinkles.
'Did something like this actually happen in the novel?'
He tried to remember. Since his memory wasn't perfect, it was possible he might forget something. However, no matter how much he thought about it... not a single scene like this crossed his mind.
If that's the case...
'Is this a behind-the-scenes scene that the novel didn't highlight?'
Geoffrey found himself frozen in place with a smile combined with a flat expression.
His body somehow started screaming wildly. Begging him not to come even if invited directly by the Emperor.
'I don't know what this is, but my feelings are somehow uneasy.'
Geoffrey began to think that perhaps the original owner of this body had offended or once had connections with the Emperor directly. If that really happened…
Geoffrey smiled bitterly, his lips twitching as his face looked down. He restrained himself from slapping his own face.
"...When is this?" He asked with a restrained voice.
"Now, young master."
Geoffrey's hand rose. But he quickly held back his emotions and rubbed the nape of his neck as an escape from slapping himself.
He smiled warmly. An excessive warmth that felt so forced.
"Alright, I'll go."
Vincent, who seemingly didn't notice... At least he pretended not to notice, then professionally guided Geoffrey to depart to the horse carriage depot.
Just like that, Geoffrey ended up being herded along resignedly toward the Empire.
***
During that journey, not much happened.
Vincent was too quiet, making Geoffrey feel awkward and nervous for no reason, his mind even kept spinning so much that he started getting motion sickness.
He stared at the sun that was already at its zenith. The journey took quite a long time. He departed around ten in the morning, then arrived in the afternoon around one or two o'clock.
While holding back his nausea, Geoffrey descended from the horse carriage. He rubbed his stomach with a gloomy face.
His gaze looked toward the magnificent and luxurious Empire. It was truly amazing that there were humans living in a building this luxurious. Even its size was almost equivalent to three soccer fields combined.
'What a waste.... With that much money, I could live luxuriously and lavishly without worrying about anything.'
Geoffrey shook his head and sighed.
'Haishh... What a shame...'
Really such a shame.
Unfortunately, he wasn't here to think about or worry about that. He had arrived at the Empire, which meant he was very close to meeting his unfortunate fate.
Geoffrey glanced at Vincent who had just descended from his horse carriage. The man was still very calm, not even showing any fatigue after sitting so long in the horse carriage.
'Is he a robot machine?' That thought crossed his mind as Geoffrey remembered that Vincent came and went in close succession.
At that moment, Vincent also looked at him politely and classily. "Let's go in, the emperor is already waiting."
Seeing Vincent walking ahead of him, Geoffrey immediately felt nauseous again and followed Vincent with tremendous reluctance.
He really didn't want to meet the emperor...
.....
In a room full of books, accompanied by a desk full of messy stacks of documents, there were also many types of simple and comfortable furnishings like sofas.
There, the emperor sat with his back leaning against the chair. His dark gaze didn't leave the room's ceiling.
The sound of knocking on the door was heard, followed by the voice of a man he knew very well:
"Your Majesty, I have brought Geoffrey De Lune."
Hearing that, the emperor corrected his posture, his dark pupils rotating like a vortex. He remained silent for a few seconds, letting silence dominate everything.
After that, he raised his lips:
"....Let him in."
His heavy voice was immediately answered by a door creaking softly. A young man with obsidian hair and rare purple pupils entered the room.
The young man bowed. Placing one hand on his chest, then greeted the emperor as calmly and respectfully as possible.
"My greetings, Geoffrey De Lune, to the sun of the Empire."
Geoffrey De Lune had met His Majesty the Emperor.
....
'Ugh.... Did I make a mistake?'
Geoffrey felt his body gradually becoming stiff. He rarely performed this type of greeting because he was a fairly respected noble. Because of that, he was somewhat unaccustomed.
The Emperor remained silent for these few seconds and let him stay in that posture. That's why Geoffrey was worried that he might have made a mistake, thus offending the Emperor.
'Considering the Emperor's description....'
Cold sweat ran down Geoffrey's forehead as he remembered.
Emperor Delmund De Valmont.
He wasn't just an emperor who planned many things behind the scenes, but also one of the holders of extraordinarily powerful strength in this world.
Seeing him up close gave an invisible pressure that made Geoffrey feel like kneeling right then and there.
Of course, he tried his hardest not to embarrass himself. Even so, sometimes he also thought about it.
'If necessary, I will prostrate myself.'
For the sake of his ambition to be unambitious, he would do anything. Even if it meant he had to shake this world.
In the midst of that reverie, finally the Emperor's voice awakened Geoffrey.
"Rise." Said the Emperor with a heavy voice that dominated the entire office room.
Geoffrey shuddered, then immediately released that exhausting greeting posture. The emperor's gaze immediately met his eyes.
"Sit." Said the emperor.
Because the emperor's words were the same as his command, Geoffrey didn't refuse when he immediately sat on the sofa, restraining himself from thinking too much like...
The Emperor was asking him to sit on the floor, not on the sofa.
Fortunately, the emperor indeed didn't mean it like that.
"So, I'll ask," The Emperor stared toward the door, not bothering to glance at Geoffrey who sat obediently. "Do you know what Cascading Decay is?"
'Cascading Decay...?'
Geoffrey thought about it for a moment, his face darkening. It was a type of curse he recognized, although not explained specifically—he actually understood the curse quite well because of how terrifying the impact it might cause.
It's just, why was the Emperor asking about this?
In the world's current knowledge, Cascading Decay wasn't yet publicly known, only a few important nobles knew about it.
Geoffrey didn't want to take any risks. So, he carefully clenched his hands and shook his head while saying:
"I apologize, Your Majesty. But I don't seem to know what that is."
The emperor nodded. Not surprised by that answer.
"I see." He answered briefly, "Then, I will inform you."
Cascading Decay.
Cascading Decay had many meanings. Starting from chain damage, chain regression, gradual decay, chain destruction, to finally gradual decomposition.
Of course, there were still many other phrases that could be used to define Cascading Decay.
In this world, Cascading Decay was used to refer to a certain curse. Something that only appeared briefly in the original novel then disappeared forever as if it never existed.
A curse that was very destructive and had never once been cured by any type of healer bloodline.
Its characteristics were a type of very dangerous high-level rot, a putrid smell that exceeded any corpse smell, so that anyone afflicted with that curse must be isolated or killed right then and there to prevent the possibility of spread.
Then, the only unfortunate person afflicted with that curse.
Geoffrey's pupils widened, his body froze. A thought appeared in his mind.
'Could it be...' he wanted to reject that possibility, but in the end he felt that was the only very possible reason.
'The Emperor wants me to cure his daughter?'
Her Highness the First Princess.
Virelle De Valmont.
Geoffrey felt his entire body beginning to shudder in horror.
***