Gith-Za-Rai snapped her eyes open and said, "Huh? What did he just say?"0

There was no way she hadn't heard it. She was asking precisely because she had heard it clearly.0

"Long live the emperor."0

That cry had come from the emperor himself, which made no sense. No one referred to themselves by saying "Long live the emperor." Only a fool or a jester would do such a thing. Elton Clemens had risen to power swiftly, easily taking over the throne to command the empire. Lawmakers in the Free Confederation often mocked hereditary monarchs, claiming nine out of ten wouldn't even be fit to run a corner shop.0

However, such criticism didn't apply to Elton Clemens. He was a skilled ruler, far from being a fool or a clown. I formed a few hypotheses in my mind.0

I wondered aloud, "Could he… be an imposter?"0

Gith-Za-Rai bit her lip slightly and shook her head. "No, he's the real one…"0

She looked more shocked than me. 0

Gith-Za-Rai was certain that this man was the emperor. "His blood test confirmed it's him. His appearance matches what I know. He's not a fake."0

She grabbed and lifted the emperor's corpse...0