"Eh? Heika, why bring that up all of a sudden?"
Akuto tugged at the corner of his mouth. He was in the middle of his "young empress cultivation plan," so that things would be more comfortable—and feel better—for him down the line.
But how did this perfectly fine young empress suddenly veer off course? How did she end up asking him that kind of question?
For a pure girl like Furina, even if she'd started to have romantic thoughts, shouldn't it be hand-holding or a kiss first? Why jump straight to asking whether he preferred shoes or socks?
If he'd only heard the question without seeing the person asking, Akuto would have thought Esdeath was the one quizzing him.
The girl emperor ignored Akuto's puzzlement. In a heartbeat she closed the distance, staring at him with a surprisingly commanding gaze.
"Answer at once, Akuto-sōtoku. Do you like it when Ore wears shoes, or when Ore wears only socks?"
Akuto knew perfectly well this was a trap.
Because no matter which he picked, he'd be conceding the premise that "he likes Furina."
Still… so be it.
Even if she was a little clumsy, the young empress trying so hard to win his approval was… honestly kind of cute.
A few seconds later, Akuto said calmly:
"For me, I prefer it when the shoes are off and only the socks remain."
"Akuto-sōtoku prefers socks… I see…"
Furina nodded, slipped off her water-blue shoes, and revealed—
"Akuto-sōtoku, I order you to lie down on the bed."
Before Akuto could reply, the girl emperor hugged him tightly and toppled them both onto the mattress.
Her cheeks flushed, Furina pushed herself up from on top of Akuto. This was the first time she'd had such… full-contact with him.
"Imperial decree."
"Akuto-sōtoku… while Ore is touching you, no resisting. Also, lift your face a little."
With that, the empress raised her little foot wrapped in white socks, nervous yet visibly excited.
Getting his answer that "he liked her" by gaming the question wasn't enough—she wanted to… test the theory she'd picked up from General Esdeath!
Akuto sighed, helpless. Since Furina had already come this far, he didn't have much to say.
Frankly, under normal circumstances he would have stopped this.
But now he had to admit: Furina, boldly wielding both imperial authority and girlish charm in front of him, was stirring certain tendencies in his XP system.
The girl emperor stepped—not too hard, not too soft—on Akuto's abdomen.
Then she looked at him expectantly.
…?
Not happy was one thing, but why did Akuto-sōtoku look so speechless?
"Heika, generally speaking, you don't step on the stomach. It's the face."
"Oh? So, Akuto-sōtoku, you want to be stepped on the face?"
Before Akuto could answer—
Down came the socked foot.
"Um, Heika, could you let me finish first?"
Akuto raised a hand and caught the white-socked foot mid-air.
Warmth from his palm pressed into her sole, and Furina's whole body trembled.
Just as she was savoring Akuto's closeness, a knock came at the door.
"Who is it? Did Ore not say Ore is sleeping and is not to be disturbed?!"
Stifling her shyness, Furina barked toward the door.
"It's fine, Akuto-sōtoku. Let's continue. Without Ore's order, no one would dare open—"
The door swung open.
A man with the physique of a double-door refrigerator strode in.
The newcomer… was Budo.
Overwhelmed by the shock—and with Akuto still holding her foot—Furina's legs turned to jelly and she plopped down right onto Akuto's waist.
Budo narrowed his eyes, aura like a mountain crashing down on Akuto.
"Akuto-sōtoku, what are you doing with Ore?"
"I'm teaching Heika about various professions."
Akuto didn't yield an inch; his own aura shoved right back.
What level are you, Budo, and what level am I? On what grounds are you talking to me like this? Are you Furina's guardian or something?
Under Akuto's pressure, Budo's momentum dissipated quickly.
"Akuto-sōtoku, is this… your teaching method? Behind closed doors?"
Budo pressed on, eyes cold and unblinking, as if to see through Akuto's soul.
"Ah~ That can't be blamed on Akuto-sōtoku,"
Furina managed, cheeks aflame, forcing herself to explain.
"It was Ore."
"Ore wished to practice the knowledge someone taught Ore—on Akuto-sōtoku—so that Ore could be more… comprehensive."
Budo's brow furrowed. So there were still plenty of snakes in the court?
"Someone taught Ore this strange 'knowledge'? Who dared teach Ore that?"
"It was Esdeath! Esdeath said stepping on someone with your foot makes the other side very happy!" Furina sold Esdeath out in a heartbeat.
"Esdeath…"
Budo's frown deepened.
At last, he looked at Akuto, gaze more solemn than ever.
"Akuto-sōtoku, even if Ore does not know everything, you should at least be clear on what you're doing right now, yes?"
"Mhm. Of course I know."
"Hmph. Good. Within three days, I will submit to Heika, together with the Imperial Clan, a shortlist for Regent. I expect you won't decline when the time comes."
With that, Budo slammed the door shut before Akuto could respond.
As the general left, Furina swallowed hard.
Had she heard right? Budo was going to submit a list of candidates for the Regent?
[Perfect. I've already circulated the conditions describing the person in my heart for a while now. Let's see how the Grand Minister reacts.]
[The list's criteria are exacting. In the whole Empire, only Akuto-sōtoku truly fits.]
[The Grand Minister's silence all this time… means he's tacitly accepted my chosen regent!]
Realizing this, Furina practically started to float.
"Akuto-sōtoku, ignore Budo. Shall we… continue?" She licked her rosy lips and made a tempting proposal.
Faced with the empress's invitation, Akuto nodded at once.
A formation sigil shot forth—an all-encompassing sound-dampening array wrapped the entire room.
Akuto figured the earlier "problem" had happened because he hadn't laid this array down first.
When the setup was done, he brushed a hand over Furina's water-blue hair as she sat, eager, astride him.
"Stepping down is fine."
"But, Heika, this retainer suggests we… change the target area."
"Change the place to step?" Furina tilted her head.
"Yes. A different place to step."
Akuto took hold of her delicate, sock-clad foot.
Just as he'd thought—Furina hardly walked anywhere on her own—her goal was to maintain elegance.
Also, as the empress, the weave of her white socks was exceedingly fine; the feel in hand was… frankly superb.
A dozen minutes later, the girl emperor's cheeks were crimson, a hint of pleading in her eyes.
"Akuto-sōtoku, Ore's legs feel… wobbly."
"If they're sore, isn't that all the more reason to train them a bit?" Akuto smiled unchanged. "Besides, Heika said you would 'reward' me, and we haven't even finished the process. As the emperor, how could you quit halfway?"
Prodded like that, Furina's fighting spirit reignited.
Right—she'd promised to thank Akuto-sōtoku. How could she give up before reaching the goal?!
Two whole hours later, the young empress—whose feet had never seen real exercise—could no longer lift them at all.
Feeling an odd sticky warmth from her soles, Furina frowned and looked at her white-socked feet.
No good—she was so tired she didn't even want to peel the socks off to soak them.
She tried to rise, but a wave of intense soreness shot up from her legs and spread through her body. The little empress sank to her knees on the floor and couldn't get up for a long time.
"…?"
"This sensation…!"
While trying again to stand, Furina discovered a surprising fact:
Her thighs and calves ached, yes—but the closer to the feet, the less the pain.
"Could it be… because of Akuto-sōtoku?" She looked up at him.
Their eyes met in the air.
"Yes. Easing Heika's foot fatigue is a retainer's duty," Akuto said with a gentle smile.
Thanks to the special effects of the Bloodline Infusion Method, Akuto's white symbiote also possessed unique properties. With its surging vitality, dissolving soreness like this was an easy task.
"I see… In that case…"
Face aglow, the girl emperor drew out a portion of the white symbiote from inside her sock and… applied it to her legs like a salve.
Warmth seeped in, and soon the covered part of her calves no longer felt any soreness at all.
A few minutes later, after some careful work, the empress successfully used the white "ointment" to erase the fatigue from her legs.
Just then—
"BOOM!!!"
Outside the city, golden lines flared and spread.
From the sky, a colossal icicle fell like a divine spear!
From the ground, a golden beam tens of meters wide punched straight into the heavens!
"Akuto-sōtoku, that's…"
Furina recognized that light!
She'd seen the same pattern when the Lake of Trials manifested before!
"It should be aftershocks from a battle between General Esdeath and Night Raid. What do you think—are you interested, Heika?" Akuto cradled the girl emperor and stroked her water-blue hair.
"Ore… Ore truly does want to see. But by the rules, Ore can't leave the palace freely," Furina shrank back a little.
Akuto leaned close to her tender ear.
"It's all right. If Heika wishes to go, allow me to make it an extra reward. I've just secured some private transportation."
At the word reward, Furina let out a cute little noise like a small animal.
"Let's go, Heika. Consider it compensation for… pushing you a bit."
Akuto was more than happy to give this girl, who had never stepped beyond the deep palace walls, a boost.
In the end, Furina gave a small nod.
"BOOM!!"
From within the imperial palace, an ice pillar over a thousand meters tall surged up from the ground!
Borrowing gravitational potential, Akuto and Furina sat in an ice-forged roller coaster; riding along the track Akuto paved, they arrowed straight toward the battlefield where destiny was intertwining!
(End of Chapter)
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