The guards carried Grant into the gates with haste, paying little mind to me as preserving his life was their current priority.
They placed him in the closest room with a bed, laying him down as more than one healer came rushing in. There was no time wasted as they removed his armor and clothes to check his condition. I looked away shyly until they were finished. Overhearing the quiet murmurs from the healers, he had quite a few broken bones all over the place; which surprised me quite a bit due to his fast regenerative abilities. They also mentioned something about the silent void, but paid it no mind as they were probably discussing the outcome of the battle.
'Perhaps he broke a few bones himself before coming in…' I thought, applauding his great efforts to make everything look as real as possible to not leave behind any loose ends. The extent he went to in order to keep my status known as dead made my heart skip a beat. I decided to keep my claws away from his face as a favor from now on.
As bandaged as a mummy on the bed, Grant was left rigid as the healers filed out of the room, deciding their work was done here.
'The emperor has definitely already been notified of this. I haven't met him before, but he appeared to be very sweet and wholesome in the novel. I look forward to our meeting," my train of thought was cut off as I saw something move in the corner of my eye.
"...Are they gone yet?" Grant whispered, fidgeting in the layers of wrapping.
> Yes. < I communicated in his mind, > Say, didn't you have regenerative abilities? Did you get all of those injuries because you intentionally hurt yourself? <
"...?"
> ? <
"You didn't know?"
> Know what? <
"I can't heal in the silent void because I'm human. Species are only able to recover in their homeland regions— Regenerative abilities or none."
> …You're serious? <
"I can't believe you didn't know… and here I thought the Great Abyssal was some omniscient being."
> … < I was beginning to realize how little I knew about this world besides the novel's general plot.
He laughed, "What the heck, I've been talking to this dummy all along?"
> W-Wait, but your armor seemed completely fine before you started rolling around in the dirt!"
"That's because it mends itself, stupid," he sighed and shook his head, "I can't believe this."
I sat back on my bird bottom, speechless.
…
Time passed quickly as the hero was rushed to the inner palace to see the emperor. As I was perched on his shoulder, I had the opportunity to lay my eyes on the grand palace. It was a tall, sky-scraping castle of white walls and navy roofs, so high up that they were barely visible. Clouds dressed her towers in a haze of the sunset's grace.
I could gaze at the breathtaking sight for hours. It was hard to imagine what craftsmanship went into such a grandiose yet daunting structure.
The interior shone no less than the exterior, with paintings coloring the extravagant and certainly expensive halls.
Grant had no real change in expression as he passed through the gold and glimmers as if he was used to everything already.
For that, I kicked the back of his neck with my bird feet.
An expression of feeling wronged flashed on his face. I would've smugly grinned if not for the beak attached to my lips.
Our guide through the castle was a quiet hunchback. He gave off a peculiar vibe for someone who stated he was the palace's head butler, but I tried to ignore it. After all, it was wrong to judge someone based on their appearance. But… 'I swear, there's something fishy about him.'
Perhaps it was a bit of my prejudice against hunchbacks, but he seriously looked like some villain's henchman.
As my thoughts drifted off, we were already in front of an unnecessarily enormous door.
The hunchback opened the doors with grace as he announced, "The great hero, Grant Brimhorn."
A bedazzled chandelier glittered over a velvet carpet parting the great hall, its path leading to three elevated thrones of gold.
Hearing the announcement, the bustling clusters of nobles in the room dropped their conversations and snapped their heads to look in his direction. A deathly silence entered the hall.
I detected no change in emotion in Grant's face.
'Impressive,' I thought, observing that a few nobles were staring at me, 'Hmm, so this is what the human empire's leaders look like.'
All eyes were glued on Grant as he walked up to the base of the thrones.
As he knelt on the floor, the hero spoke with dignity, "Your imperial majesty, I have returned."
In my bird form, I cared not for courtesy and did not hide my curious examination of the human ruler. He was a clean-shaven man with ridiculous sideburns, but there were remnants of being a stunner back in his prime with his chiseled features. The daunting emperor was built like a mountain, with a burly body and broad shoulders. A smile rested on the peak of that mountain, but it didn't reach his eyes.
The kind emperor I expected was hard to find in this person.
"You may lift your head," the emperor allowed, shifting to be upright in his chair. Welcoming the world, he swung his arms wide open, "Why, this is amazing! Our Sir Brimhorn has returned to us! In one piece, no less!" the emperor clapped. The room followed suit.
Something felt off about him. I couldn't quite place my finger on it, but the way he squinted and his superficial joy confirmed my suspicions that the people in this palace weren't Grant's allies.
After a good few minutes of boisterous clapping, the emperor raised a hand, and everyone fell back to complete silence.
'It's just too odd.'
The emperor smiled, "I take it you've exterminated the Horrid Abyssal, then?"
A vein was about to snap on my head with how he referred to me. He treated me like some pest from an infestation.
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty."
"You've saved this empire, dear hero," he smiled eerily, "This is an impossible feat that will be recorded for generations to come. As a reward for slaying that monster, I will grant you one favor, no matter how small or large, so long as it isn't out of my power. Additionally, you shall receive the Volt Manor and enough money to last three generations."
"Thank you for your generosity, Your Imperial Majesty," Grant bowed.
"Rise, boy. Tell me, do you have an idea of what you would like to request?"
"… Please give me time to think it over."
The emperor waved it off, "I'll allow it. I expect it to be a good one."
"Thank you for your benevolence, Your Imperial Majesty."
"No matter," the emperor squinted. His smile crept a bit wider, "Oh, hero. It appears you've sustained quite the injuries from your extensive subjugation."
"These injuries are superficial, Your Imperial Majesty. I—"
Grant got cut off by the emperor before he could continue, "Say, how long have you been at this, Sir Brimhorn? I hear you've burnt your sacred youth for justice since you were young," the man shook his head, "How horrible. Our empire has treated you so terribly, even though you are our savior. How old are you this year, Sir Brimhorn?"
Grant clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles turned white. I knew he was aware of where this was going, "… 19, your imperial majesty."
"Aha!" the emperor laughed loudly, "Well, this is perfect! You're just at that age to enter college, correct? Ah, don't get me wrong, Sir Brimhorn. You've completed feats achievable by no other in this empire, and so I would like to allow you to integrate into society. After all, the life of a soldier would be too pitiful for someone who deserves to enjoy his fame and glory, don't you think?"
Grant tried to protest, "Your imperial highness, with my regenerative abilities, these injuries pose no issue to my health. I am not suited for—"
He got cut off once again, "Oh hero, your patriotism to this empire knows no bounds. I worry for you like my own son, don't you know?" the emperor sighed and rubbed his temples...
The nobles surrounding us displayed their support for the emperor's decision.
"To make the emperor worry like this…"
"How callous of him."
"It's about time he settles down and finds a wife!"
"He's too young. He needs to hit the books."
"The hero would waste away on the battlegrounds now that our enemy is dead."
"He needs to be educated on the ways of high society, no doubt."
The emperor smiled at his yes-men's comments, "Don't worry about a thing anymore, hero. From now on, you may be at ease and settle down. You no longer need to risk your life!" he laughed, "That settles it, then. I shall talk to the grandmaster and bestow you direct admission to the best college in the land—"
Grant clenched his jaw and seethed behind his golden eyes.
"Eldom Academy!"
...