Sera was still bracing for a punch. But the question caught her off guard. Why is he asking these questions?
"You can get the answers in the library," she replied carefully. He doesn't seem angry… for now.
"The library, of course." Liam stood up, waiting for her to do the same.
"Do you need me to escort you?"
"Yes."
As she headed for the door, she hesitated. Doesn't he know where the library is?
Then again, she couldn't recall Liam ever leaving his room except to go to the kitchen or a restaurant.
Looking back at him, she realized that her fear had clouded her sense of reason—his long, tangled hair had been shaved off, and unlike most days when she had to hold her breath around him, she didn't have to anymore.
And for once, he was wearing his clothes properly, instead of just throwing them on for the sake of stepping out to eat.
"Is there a problem?" Liam asked, noticing her glances. She doesn't know yet, right?
#
Pieces of splintered wood dropped to the floor as both swords clashed.
"You've improved, Baron!" The knight raised his sword, blocking a strike from above.
"You're going soft on me, I can tell!" The Baron kicked him in the stomach.
The knight collapsed, gripping his abdomen. "If I accidentally kill you, my lord? What will become of me?"
Baron Gorath rolled his eyes. "You think I'd die from a wooden sword?"
The knight closed his eyes. "I didn't mean to insult you, my lord."
"Then give it your all. I can't grow if you keep babying me."
This time, without warning, the knight swung upward toward the Baron's chest.
Gorath twisted his handle, blocking the strike just before it reached his face, then redirected the blade downward toward the knight.
All the while, Head Servant Herbert stood waiting in the corner of the room.
Growing tired of standing idly, he raised his hand.
Distracted for just a second, the Baron caught a strike to the forehead.
"Ah! Look at what you did now, Herbert!" Gorath gestured for his knight to leave the room.
"Apologies, my fief. This can't wait."
"Not even a good morning for me? What's so important that you have to interrupt my only source of entertainment?"
Herbert withdrew a letter from his breast pocket.
The Baron fell silent.
He took the letter to his desk, carefully breaking the seal, making sure not to tear it. As he read, his expression remained unreadable.
"The Immortal, All-Knowing, and Gracious God Emperor Vossian has ordered us to attend a dinner?" He placed the letter on the table before pressing a button, summoning the House Calculor.
"The Immortal, All-Knowing, and Gracious God Emperor Vossian invited us to dinner?" Herbert's eyes widened as he snatched the letter from the Baron's desk.
No member of any house had the privilege of dining with the Emperor—or even speaking to him directly.
His excitement faded as he read further.
"We are to have dinner with the Vox Imperium…"
"It seems there is an important announcement to be made."
The House Calculor stood at the doorway. "My lord, how may I be of assistance?"
Herbert handed him the letter.
"Ah, an Imperial letter… directly from the God Emperor Vossian himself," Calculor Cheng commented.
For anyone else—including the nobles of the Major Houses, and even the Emperor's own family—protocol required them to address him by his full title: The Immortal, All-Knowing, and Gracious God Emperor Vossian. But Calculor Cheng, a former Imperial Calculor, had been granted the rare privilege of using a shorter title—a distinction reserved for only a handful of high-ranking officials.
"A date, an exact time… Oh, a Vox Imperium, the second in rank… A dinner for all House members to attend… Oh, a firework show before the Vox makes his announcement…" The Calculor mumbled as he read.
Neither Herbert nor the Baron interrupted.
The way a Calculor processed information was still a mystery, even to other Calculors. Each was unique in their methods.
When they spoke aloud, it was their way of organizing thoughts—until, finally, they arrived at an answer.
"Ah, I got it." Cheng smiled, rubbing his fingertips together. "It is safe to assume that all the Major Houses have received the same letter today. They will also attend a dinner. Once the firework show from the Imperial Capital concludes, the Vox Imperium—as the Emperor's Herald—will deliver his message to all Houses simultaneously.
"Judging by the preparation and scale of this announcement, I would conclude… it is the most important Imperial decree in at least three decades."
#
House Maddach's library was divided into two sections—one larger than the other.
The smaller section contained the usual books found in any library across the Vossian Empire: fiction, nonfiction, combat manuals, and scholarly works.
The larger section, however, housed House Maddach's codex—volumes recorded and maintained by the Codex Imperialis.
"This is the place?"
"Mhmm," Sera replied.
Spotting the only man in uniform, Liam approached him.
"Excuse me, could you point me to the section where I can find current records and information about… my family? And, uh, me?"
Hearing how Liam spoke, Sera stared at him, as if he had a death wish.
The man closed his book and turned to face him.
"I have three questions for you.
"First—are you the Immortal, All-Knowing, and Gracious God Emperor Vossian?"
"Uh… no?"
"Second—are you a member of the Codex Imperialis?"
Liam couldn't help but feel as though he had just made a terrible mistake.
"No…?"
"Lastly—are you an officer of any governing body of the Empire?"
"No."
"Then who in the blue hell are you, to speak to me so casually and with such a lack of respect?"
The man pressed the tip of his cane against Liam's chest.
Witnessing this, Sera feared that Liam might explode in anger.
If he laid a hand on the Imperial Codexarian, not only would he suffer the consequences, but she would be held responsible as well.
And the punishment would be severe.