The imperial audience finally came to an end today.
As they left the palace and sat inside the carriage heading back to the General's Manor, a momentary silence fell inside the compartment.
Esdeath looked out the window, her gaze following the gradually receding, majestic imperial palace, and let out a soft sigh.
She had to admit—this time, she had indeed been played by the ministers.
If it had just been a marriage proposal with Syura, she could have handled it with ease. With her and Honest holding Similiar positions in the Empire, if she set her mind on refusing, there was nothing Honest could do about it.
But things were different when it came from the Emperor.
All imperial commands—whether thunder or gentle rain—were acts of grace. If the Emperor himself initiated a marriage proposal, and she refused, it would be seen as defying imperial authority.
But truthfully, that wouldn't have mattered much.
At the time, she had already decided: if the Emperor insisted on forcing Yoshino into a marriage alliance, then she would simply pack her things and leave.
The Three Beasts were completely loyal to her, not to the Empire. If she chose to betray the Empire, at least half of her soldiers would take their families and follow her.
At that point, whether she carved out her own territory and declared herself ruler, or joined the Revolutionary Army, it would all be a matter of her own whim.
Fortunately, the current Emperor still had some integrity in his values.
Had he not been deceived by Honest flowery words, or had he chosen to rely on other ministers, perhaps that young Emperor could've become a wise ruler.
Because of this, the Emperor hadn't used his power or position to coerce her, and Esdeath didn't need to continue scheming rebellion.
If she could stay in the Empire, then staying was preferable.
Setting herself up as a ruler was difficult—after all, she was merely a warrior who knew only how to fight. Commanding an army was one thing, but running a country was far beyond her capabilities.
As for joining the Revolutionary Army to overthrow the Empire—under the hands of those self-proclaimed just crusaders—there was no way she could live freely and do as she pleased, fighting wherever she liked, as she could now.
Still, the threat from the Emperor hadn't completely vanished.
Esdeath shifted her gaze from the palace to Yoshino.
"Yoshino, do you really want to be friends with the Emperor?" she asked. "If you only agreed to it because you were thinking about me, then there's no need. I'm not so pathetic that I need to sell out my little sister just to secure my standing."
She believed she understood her little sister well.
Even though there had been an eight-year gap, and Yoshino had changed a lot, Esdeath could still see traces of the girl she once knew.
For someone who would normally avoid speaking even a word to a stranger, let alone becoming friends, it was entirely out of character.
Yet in the palace, Yoshino had surprisingly spoken up and agreed to the Emperor's request to be friends.
To Esdeath, that could only mean her considerate little sister was sacrificing her own feelings so that Esdeath wouldn't fall out of favor with the future ruler.
Upon hearing Esdeath words, both Yoshino and Yoshinon, who had also been looking out the window, turned their heads to the side.
"Miss Esdeath, please don't worry," Yoshinonn replied softly. Compared to the past few days, her speech no longer had obvious pauses—she sounded much more relaxed. "Yoshino didn't do it only for you."
"Yoshino actually doesn't dislike the idea of becoming friends with the Emperor."
"Why?" Esdeath asked, puzzled. "That little brat clearly has ulterior motives toward you, and you're still willing to be friends with him?"
Upon hearing that, a faint blush crept over Yoshino slightly chubby cheeks.
Even though she looked extremely shy, she still whispered, "Because… because Yoshino thinks he's a good person…"
"A good person?"
Esdeath chuckled lightly—neither affirming nor denying it—and casually changed the subject. "There are tons of good people in this world. If you want to make friends, I can find you someone more suitable. As for the Emperor, it's best if you keep your distance."
"Why?" This time it was Yoshino who asked with some confusion. "Is it really so bad to be friends with the Emperor?"
"Hmm… I'll let you in on a little secret, but don't tell anyone else."
After a brief moment of thought—wanting her reasoning to sound more convincing—Esdeath said, "The current Emperor is actually a puppet ruler, a marionette being controlled. Getting too close to him could easily drag you into trouble."
"Wah! Is this kind of top-secret intel really something Yoshino and Yoshinon should be hearing?"
Apparently shocked by this explosive revelation, Yoshinon made an exaggerated reaction, her tone far more excited than usual.
But very quickly, as if something had dawned on her, she rubbed her chubby little chin and asked curiously, "If that's the case, then shouldn't Miss Esdeath, as the Empire's great general and the Emperor's right-hand woman, be helping him escape that manipulation?"
"Uh…"
Yoshinon spot-on observation left Esdeath momentarily speechless.
She couldn't exactly say that she was helping the manipulators tighten their grip on the Emperor, could she?
If she said that, the image she'd worked so hard to build in Yoshino heart would crumble in an instant.
"So… the Emperor is really in such a pitiful state," Yoshinon murmured, eyes drifting back toward the palace. "No wonder I always felt like he was kind of… sad."
"Sad? What's so sad about him?"
Esdeath, who was still trying to come up with a deflection for Yoshinon comment, instinctively picked up the new thread to change the subject.
"Don't get the wrong idea. Even if he's a puppet, he's still the Emperor. The entire world belongs to him."
"Maybe that's true…" Yoshinon replied, her voice tinged with compassion. "But even if he possesses everything, Yoshino still feels that the boy sitting high upon that dragon throne… actually has nothing."
The parents he loved and respected most were already gone.
The minister he trusted most was in fact a traitor trying to usurp his power.
The Empire he yearned to protect was growing more distant from him.
On the surface, he was a king of a nation—glorious, surrounded by ministers, enjoying endless wealth and splendor.
But in reality, his hands were empty, and he stood alone.
Perhaps, that's why his gaze held such longing when he looked at Yoshino.
"That's why I agreed to be his friend," Yoshinon continued. "Yoshino knows what it's like to be alone… but at least I have Yoshinon by my side. That child, though, doesn't have even one friend he can truly open his heart to."
"…I see."
Hearing Yoshino reason for accepting the Emperor's request, a trace of softness flickered in Esdeath eyes as she gently patted her head.
Yoshino was still the same as always—kind and gentle.
Though in Esdeath world, "kindness" and "gentleness" were no different from "weakness."
And weakness only invited disaster.
Kindness and gentleness were the same.
But it didn't matter.
Because Yoshino was her little sister.
Yoshino could continue being herself, continue being kind and gentle like this.
And she would block out all the malice in the world to let Yoshino live in peace and beauty, forever.
"You can go ahead and be friends with the Emperor," Esdeath said, gently patting her head again.
"Even if something happens, I won't let you get hurt."
Then, after a pause, she added—
"Of course, only as friends."