Some time later, they arrived at the capital. The princess thanked Norbert and headed off alone.

  “Hey, is that okay?” Azmond asked.

  Azmond, once a family man, couldn’t help but worry about a young girl returning home by herself.

  “It’s fine. Our mission was to escort her to the capital, and she doesn’t look like it’s her first time wandering alone,” Norbert replied, before organizing the team’s next steps.

  “Yuris, dispel the puppets we used as fillers. We’ll rest in the capital for a day before heading back.”

  Their three-person team was too small for missions, so Yuris used magic to create puppets to bolster their numbers. These puppets were unique—strong, capable of simple communication, and intelligent. No one but Yuris knew how they worked.

  As for what they did during their break, that was their own business, and Norbert didn’t care as long as they stayed out of trouble. He headed to the library alone.

  The monarch’s library was a display of wealth and knowledge. The larger the collection and the rarer the books, the more prestigious the library.

  But that meant nothing to Norbert. What reader cares about the outside world?

  After paying the clerk, he read under the watchful eye of an employee. When focused, he didn’t notice the employee bowing to someone else.

  A pair of hands suddenly covered Norbert’s eyes. “Guess who I am!”

  “Princess, keep it down in the library,” Norbert said flatly.

  “It’s fine, right?” she asked, glancing at the employee, who reluctantly nodded. Her amber laugh echoed, bright against the library’s quiet hum.

  Norbert sighed and returned to his book. To stay focused, his responses to the princess became more curt.

  “What are you reading?” she asked.

  “History. I’m leaving tomorrow, so I’m catching up,” Norbert replied, as if anticipating her next question.

  Faced with his blunt answers, the princess didn’t know how to continue the conversation. “Then I’ll wait until you’re done,” she said.

  Norbert barely acknowledged her. Only when the library was closing did he stand, return the book to the employee, and leave with the princess trailing behind.

  “Princess, you must have a lot of free time to follow me around all day,” Norbert said.

  “Not at all. I just skipped class, so I didn’t go back,” the princess replied with a sheepish smile.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Norbert chuckled softly. “Then I’ll take you back to avoid any trouble.”

  The princess’s mood visibly sank at the mention of returning. But Norbert was already exhausted, and with a trip to the imperial palace to collect their reward the next day, he had no intention of indulging her further.

  Fortunately, the palace was unmistakable even at night, and the capital’s security was impeccable. They arrived quickly and safely at the outskirts of the palace.

  “This is where we part. I’m off to find my team,” Norbert said, turning and walking away without looking back.

  The next day, the Emperor summoned Norbert’s team, but as captain, Norbert saw no need to disturb his teammates. After the audience, he planned to return, so he let his team enjoy their brief downtime.

  Norbert bowed, placing his right hand before his waist, then stood upright. He wasn’t the Emperor’s subject, so no further gestures were required. Some monarchs, arrogant enough to demand subservience from outsiders, existed, but the Brown Legion never worked with such types.

  Speaking first as an outsider would be impolite, so the Emperor quickly took the lead. “I hired the Brown Legion at a premium because I didn’t trust the guilds, but it led me to something intriguing. Let me take a closer look this time,” the Emperor said, smiling as he studied Norbert.

  “Black hair, black eyes, and at your age… I recognise these features anywhere.”

  In an instant, the Emperor stood, approached Norbert, and clapped a hand firmly on his shoulder.

  “Hahaha! My daughter has quite the eye—first Belixin, now you. So, what do you say? Interested in jumping ship?”

  Norbert shook his head. “No thanks to poaching. I have no plans to leave the Legion.”

  “Are you hesitant?” The Emperor nodded, signaling the guards to wait outside.

  “Are you worried your origins might be exposed, the real heir of the Eastern Overlord?”

  “Who cares about the past?” Norbert replied calmly.

  “Legends carry power. History shows that even pretenders have climbed high using such tales, let alone someone like you, the real deal.” The Emperor gripped Norbert’s shoulder tightly, continuing, “Monarchs, generals—everyone knows the legend. Even if you don’t believe it, I believe in the power of your bloodline.”

  “That’s not something my belief can decide,” Norbert said. The tale of the Suona Empire, though distant, wasn’t so far removed as to be myth. Nearly two thousand years ago, an unremarkable man appeared. To others, he seemed ordinary in every way, save for one detai: lblack hair and black eyes, traits never combined until him. He was the founding Emperor of the Suona Empire, a figure shrouded in mystery, his origins were unknown even to the royal family, his true name lost. The imperial surname he bore was one he chose himself.

  The first Emperor’s reign marked the Suona Empire’s brief golden age. Forged in the fires of war, Suona became the hegemon of the East, South, and Central regions. A few more years, and they might have achieved what all great conquerors failed to achieve: unification of the world. But one day, he vanished without a trace, triggering Suona’s decline. Even so, the Empire retained its status as the Eastern Overlord for two millennia, not only due to the foundation laid by the first Emperor but also the power of his bloodline. Even in his absence, he seemed to protect his descendants. Whenever the Empire faced a catastrophic crisis, a boy with black hair and black eyes, like the founder, would be born to the royal family, leading Suona through the storm.

  “The world has never cared about any of this, least of all the common people,” Norbert said with a sigh. “Now, another ‘savior’ sits on the throne, and the Empire has long been eroded from within and without.”

  The Emperor countered, “The greater the crisis, the greater the one born to face it. Don’t you want to reclaim what was lost, Norbert Dracon?”

  “I discarded that name long ago,” Norbert said.

  Turning to leave, he added, “I respectfully decline your offer. I have no intention of leaving the Legion. If you find yourself in need of help in the future, I might be able to help in some small capacity...”

  Norbert made a farewell gesture and left the palace.