Abel wondered why this gentleman was suddenly acting like this again.

He had no choice but to drag his tired body along, walking with trembling steps.

"Please stop calling me. Is there really no talent in the royal family?"

When he thought about it, Abel realized why Emperor Charon was looking for him.

There really were no people in the royal family.

Damn, what's going on this time?

----

The innermost part of the palace.

Because Abel came here so often, he had become accustomed to the space.

Emperor Charon was leaning back in his chair as usual.

But somehow, he seemed a little paler than before.

"How are you, Your Majesty?"

Of course, Abel didn't mind at all and tried his best to set an example.

He didn't care whether that old man's complexion was good or not.

He would probably take care of his health.

'Shugle said there's a half-demon here too.'

Wouldn't it be nice if he could provide some level of management?

If it was that person, he'd probably be able to control a half-horse perfectly.

"You came? It seems that King Paley III is satisfied."

"I did my best as you commanded."

"Okay. Thanks for your hard work."

Emperor Charon nodded with a calm face.

Since there was no further news after that, Abel quietly smacked his lips.

'I completed the mission, but where did my reward go?'

If you clear the quest, you have to give something.

Even though he was his subordinate, he treated him so rudely.

As that thought crossed Abel's mind, the corners of the emperor's mouth twisted upward.

"It seems like you're asking why I'm not giving you anything."

"Well, how could that be? I had a very rewarding time, so please don't worry about compensation!"

"I heard a rumor. You came back with a strange fire."

It seemed that the story about the safety oven had already reached the emperor's ears.

It hadn't even been properly released yet.

'How far do this person's eyes and ears reach?'

For some reason, Abel felt goosebumps.

But why was he suddenly bringing this up?

He guessed the emperor was asking why he wasn't bringing it quickly.

"The safety inspection has not yet been completed, so it is not suitable for presentation. We will install it at the Imperial Palace as soon as possible."

"Ah, I see. Thank you."

As soon as Abel said that he would bring it right away, all the discomfort disappeared.

Didn't even the Iron-Blooded Emperor say thank you?

As expected, people needed to be quick-witted, right?

'Oh my! I've been feeling this way for ten years.'

Abel sighed in relief and lowered his head further.

But he didn't think that was the real reason he had been called.

When the emperor had something to say, he didn't beat around the bush like that.

He was just curious about what a safety oven was.

Abel guessed the main point would come out sooner or later.

He just waited quietly for the emperor to speak.

As expected, the emperor began to show signs of hesitation.

"By the way, the movements in the East have been unusual lately."

"If it's the East… isn't that where the Marquis Yeats guards?"

It was a place that had quite a deep connection with Abel.

Former Marquis Hugo Yeats was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for murdering a nobleman.

Moreover, the fact that he had attempted to pass on his title and property to his illegitimate child was exposed to the world.

It was the result of Abel going to the Marquisate of Yeats and revealing the truth.

Thanks to him, everything fell into place.

Instead of Hugo, who was imprisoned, his son officially inherited the title.

They even arrested all the tax collectors and knights who were eating away at the Marquisate of Yeats.

Perhaps thanks to this, the Empire's defense capabilities had increased significantly compared to before.

'Because the rotten ones are gone.'

But why would the emperor suddenly talk about movements in the East?

This might be because the barbarians beyond the Marquisate of Yeats were on the move.

Like the nomads of the North, the foreign powers there were also a headache for the Empire.

"Huh? This sounds like a familiar repertoire."

Before Abel came to the conclusion, wasn't the reason he had been dispatched to the North precisely because of the current situation?

Of course, at that time, the power of the imperial family was so weak that it was like being pushed aside.

In any case, it was clear that the Empire's security was in jeopardy.

Abel asked the question with a worried face.

"Are you telling me to go to the East?"

Of course, it was definitely not a statement made with the country in mind.

He really didn't want to go.

How long had it been since he returned, and now he was heading to the battlefield?

Even the emperor, who was a piece of trash in character, wouldn't give such an order.

"There's no need for that yet. But it's true that our national defense is unstable."

"What should I do?"

The emperor paused for a moment and spoke in a weak voice.

"Support the Marquisate of Yeats. There will be no limits to the methods used."

"All right."

Although Abel pretended to be sad on the outside, he was overjoyed.

Because he didn't have to go all the way to the distant eastern border.

If only military supplies were poured into the Marquisate of Yeats, national defense would recover on its own.

He tried to leave quickly before another word could be said.

But then the emperor took something out of his bosom and thrust it forward.

"What is this, Your Majesty?"

"It's a reward for a job well done."

"Go—thank you."

"Aren't you even asking what it is?"

Actually, Abel wasn't even curious about what the thing was.

Because his mind was filled with thoughts of wanting to quickly step back.

Still, there was no need to ask.

A holographic phrase suddenly appeared before his eyes.

[You have acquired the Half-Demon's Power Badge.]

[The Power Badge changes into an Item Summoning Ticket.]