The Emperor of Emperors, Sigurd Em'raldio, stepped out of his carriage, taking a somber look at the paralyzed road.
He was on his way to the teleportation array out of his surprise visit to Jade Academy's end-of-the-year ceremony, when the unknown pressure hit the Jade city, knocked out people and killed most of the domesticated monsters within the walls.
Even the four beasts drawing his carriage fell to the attack, frothing at the mouths with bloody foam and keeling over after letting out horrified screeches.
Those creatures were specifically bred for their keen senses and passive danger detection skills, although this once-life-saving skill turned out to be their demise.
"Your majesty…!"
A knight who was Sigurd's bodyguard in name only ran back to the retired monarch, having a hard time catching his breath.
Although the Emperor of Emperors was fine, the same couldn't be said about his bodyguard. Tall by normal standards but still looking very short compared to the large man with a bluish tint to his dark hair, the bodyguard's eyes were bloodshot, and he could not stop the nosebleed from the unknown attack.
But he seemed to have some news that might have shed light on the event.
"It's… it's safe now… your majesty… but a demon follower turned himself into a vessel for an archdemon!"
The bodyguard gasped in exasperation.
"Then it's a good thing that the inquisitors were in the city… if I weren't the one who summoned them, I would even say that it was too convenient."
Sigurd furrowed his brows before scoffing and looking over the shoulder where city guards were helping out the citizens.
"Your majesty, your excellence knows no bounds! Without a member of the Seven Authorities present, Jade City would have ceased to exist today."
"...Seven Authorities…?"
The bodyguard gasped, bowing his head to the Emperor of Emperors, robbing himself of a chance to see the bewildered expression on the former monarch's face.
"If I can be so bold, I have doubted the stories about them. A group of inquisitors that wake the fear of the goddess in the hearts of the demon kin… sounded too good to be true. But according to inquisitor Blake, that young lady could tell the demon followers at a glance and then obliterated the archdemon singlehandedly!"
"..."
The knight was singing praises in the city savior's name with a flushed face, but the Emperor of Emperors didn't share his enthusiasm as his face darkened with concern.
"Ah…! That's right! Your majesty, please forgive me for forgetting myself. The Empress ordered me to beg you to return home. I was also told that mages at the teleportation array will be ready within minutes, so if we go now, the delay will be minimal."
The knight flinched and let out a troubled voice before bowing his head to the Emperor of Emperors and informing him hastily.
"Let's go, then."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Sigurd nodded his head benevolently and began to walk while his bodyguard hurried behind him.
"You said that how did that young lady of the Seven Authorities look like?"
The Emperor of Emperors asked offhandedly while approaching the teleportation array where the bloodshot-eyed mages were casting regeneration spells on each other while chugging healing potions as if they were plain water.
"I… umm… it was a young girl with black hair and black eyes… didn't stand out at first glance except for her sharp gaze and carefree attitude…"
The question took the knight by surprise, but he did have some information, and he shared it, albeit a bit awkwardly.
"...anything else…?"
"!!!"
Sigurd inquired further, making his bodyguard flinch.
"I'm terribly sorry, Your Majesty. I don't have any more details… I will immediately go back to the scene and…"
"No. It's not necessary."
The knight flinched and promptly apologized, already turning around to fix his mistake, but the Emperor of Emperors stopped him.
"Your majesty. I'm relieved to see you unharmed."
At the teleportation array, Sigurd was greeted by a gray-haired mage who didn't have bloodshot eyes but whose splendid mustache and beard did have traces of a recent nosebleed.
"Only because I was inside the carriage."
The large man responded with a stern expression.
A follow-up conversation didn't happen as there was no need for it.
"I'm sorry that your plans changed. I imagine both the students and their parents would be overjoyed at the sight of you."
The mage added with a friendly smile.
"...I imagine so... luckily, it was supposed to be a surprise so they would not miss what they weren't aware of… I do believe I should announce my visit next time, though."
"...? If you say so, your majesty."
Sigurds nodded with a somber look in his eyes, as if things hadn't worked out quite according to his intentions, which intrigued the other man.
But not enough to take up the Emperor of Emperors with mundane chatter.
The mages activated the array and within seconds the Emperor of Emperors and his bodyguard were transferred to the center of the old capital city of Emeraldios Empire, Insignia.
"Your majesty."
They were greeted by a tall, androgynous person with pastel-gold hair and dark, almost ashen-purple skin.
"Hugin. Sven, go see a medic."
"Thank you, your majesty."
The Emperor of Emperors acknowledged the person's greeting and then dismissed the knight.
"You don't look so good, your majesty. I've heard what happened... Were you able to talk with the young Miss, at least?"
"...I didn't even make it into the Academy, but Seth contacted me with a message spell and told me she left the city early… Send someone to make sure she's safe. For example, encourage that champion of the goddess to do it so no one would link us to it. "
The individual leaned in and asked inconspicuously, to which the large man nodded while letting out a disappointed sigh before muttering inconspicuously.
"...understood..."
The androgynous person muttered back, stealthily using a spell to contact the right people.
"Hugin. Tell me what information you have about the Seven Authorities."
As Sigurd and Hugin walked away from the array, the Emperor of Emperors regained focus and asked.
"..."
The pastel-gold-haired person furrowed their brows and raised one hand, opening their palm.
As they did that, a white opaque image of a book appeared in front of them, and as Hugin waved their hand, the pages were flipped.
"Since ten years ago, two spots of the Seven Authorities are vacant… is there any specific information your majesty needs, or should I list all the information about the remaining five?"
Hugin spoke up, taking a glance at back of the towering older gentleman.
"Is there a young girl amongst them?"
"..."
Sigurd asked, and Hugin immediately moved their head, reading out of the pages of the image.
"No. The youngest female of the group was a forty-five years old human, she was one of the two that died… the only other female is a five-hundred years old elf… Her kind keeps a youthful image through their lives, but she would not pass as a young girl, especially with the scar across her face she received in an encounter with an archdemon's vessel during the war two hundred years ago."
Hugin read out and kept staring at the back of Sigurd's head in silence, brimming with expectations and unspoken curiosity.
"And there is no chance a new member was chosen to fill in the spot since the last time your information was updated?"
"The chance like that always exists, your majesty. I gathered this information back when you commanded me to send inquisitors to Jade city. Things might have changed in those few weeks."
The Emperor of Emperors asked, and the pastel-gold-haired person responded calmly.
"I shall look into it and refresh my information."
"Do just that."
Hugin nodded, offering without being asked, and Sigurd approved their decision while taking out a slightly bloodied handkerchief and blowing his nose.