Route 1: Still With The Indifference

**Scarlet Aubrielle**

We are now inside about to enter the part of the imperial palace where the seat of the emperor is located. Well, I would call it as the main hall since that is also the place where events are usually held and not to mention that it is really big - a place that about two hundred and fifty people can already fit and it is just my rough estimate but then again, I do think that it is not usually filled by that much of people.

“Announcing the presence of the daughter of the Duke and Duchess Elvoi together with her knights” that is what the knight that has been assisting us ever since we entered the palace said and as if on cue the door opened and there I immediately saw the emperor and his son, the crown prince Helios. And even if I am far away from them I can still notice the different expression they have on their faces - the emperor is smiling, obviously happy from seeing me while the crown prince has this serious and cold expression plastered on his face as if he is not even an ounce happy to see me around even if he is actually the one who is asking a favor to our family.
But oh well, he really is built that way but then I can’t seem to figure out why he is acting that way towards me - or rather towards our family. None of it was mentioned in the story line of the game and the only thing that I am really aware about is the fact that he wanted Scarlet Aubrielle to be part of his people because of her innate talent and so because of that line, I honestly thought that he would be a little soft towards her and that he would immediately recognize her talent.

I, together with my knights walked towards the center and when we already reached the right position all of us bowed our heads down as a sign of respect and I said -

“Greetings to the sun and future sun of the Empire”

Well, although I am new to this world I could say that I have been adapting well and that is also due to the help of the knowledge that I have with this world. But other than that, I also studied a lot the past few days. Well, the library really helped a lot.

“You may now raise your heads” the Emperor said and I did what he said that I should do and once again, the beaming expression he has on his face still greeted me. He really is such a happy emperor or is it just that I am a child of his friends and the people who helped him get the position that he has right now.

But oh well, whatever it is it is not that I care that much but I do think that it is not good if he express that much of fondness as well.

“So you are the people that will subjugate the dungeon that has appeared at the west?” the Emperor asked, well that is because he has no idea who the knights are. In fact he actually asked me if I could show to him the team that I am going to bring inside the dungeon but I strongly refused to do so. I told him that he is just going to see it when I arrived at the empire which is today.

“Yes, your majesty” that is what I simply said and for a brief moment I saw him let out a smile but again, that was only for a brief moment, it disappeared for some reason that I don’t actually know.

“Well, if you don’t mind who choose these people? Is it your parents, young lady?” he asked which made me frown. Seriously? Why does he bother on asking me who choose the people that are going to accompany me to the dungeon as well? Well, he should have asked me that question yesterday when he visited our home even if he haven’t seen them yet but oh well since he is the emperor and of course I have to answer his question.

“I am the one who chose them your majesty. I have carefully scrutinized the knights of our family and chose the best people that could accompany me inside” that is what I said and I saw not only his shocked expression but also the crown prince’s as well but then again, it was only for a brief moment.

“Well, that’s surprising. Anyways, you should rest first today before you go to the dungeon” that is what the Emperor said and I controlled myself not to smile because that is just like how I expected to happen. However, I thought that it was running smoothly when suddenly the crown prince spoke which made me frown

“Father, you know that we need to immediately subjugate the dungeon.”

“Helios, they have traveled for about twelve hours before they reach this place they need to rest to be able to exert their maximum effort in subjugating the dungeon unless you are planning to get them killed because of exhaustion” that is what the emperor said and he even glared at Helios. Helios then was immediately left with nothing to say. Well, of course there is nothing that he could say anymore because it is the emperor who have said it already.

I don’t know what is happening here but it does seems like Helios is really speeding things up, it is as if he doesn’t really want us around here because in the contract it states that we are going to leave immediately after we have accomplished our tasked.

But then again, the emperor is right when he said that if we are to set off right now without even resting then that means that he is going to get us killed because we are not able to exert our maximum effort due to the fact that we are still pretty much tired.

Helios really treats people from the Elvois differently huh? Seriously where is that indifference coming from?