Damn, I recarneted As A Judge in Fantasy World

It hadn't been that long, but Emperor Charon's face had changed quite a bit.

It wasn't that he had grown older; it was simply that his facial expressions had become more varied.

Normally, he stared at me with a blank expression, but today, for some reason, he seemed more lively. He was smiling, though that didn't make it any less unnerving.

"His Majesty, the Emperor."

"Why do you only show your face to the royal family when someone calls for you?"

Oh, I didn't mean for that remark to sound sarcastic. This man, after all, enjoyed being verbally manipulated.

What was I supposed to do in this situation? Was there any way out? All I could do was lie low and wait for the storm to pass.

"I've been so busy with work that I haven't had time. There have been so many difficult trials…" I said.

"Hahaha! That makes sense. Thanks to that, I've been having some fun."

So, it seems. He punished one priest, and now he believed this was his moment to crush the church completely.

I nodded vigorously, grumbling inwardly. Surprisingly, the Emperor's usually blunt tone had softened somewhat.

"How have you been doing these days? It seems your business ventures are going well," he commented.

"What have I done? All of this is thanks to Your Majesty's grace," I replied humbly.

"Hahaha! You're quite an amusing guy. You live with ambition in your heart, but you know how to hide it until the very end."

Ah, here we go again. This was his specialty. Whether he sensed rebellious feelings in me or was simply curious, this kind of exchange had become routine. But over time, my nerves had toughened. I immediately offered a response that was sure to work.

"No way, Your Majesty! I'm perfectly happy with my current life."

"Is that so?"

"Of course. It's a headache just managing the businesses I've already built. How could I possibly handle running a vast empire like yours?"

"Huh?"

"I wouldn't even want the throne if it were offered to me on a silver platter. Even if Your Majesty commanded me to sit on it, I wouldn't."

"Phehehe! Is that why you've remained unmarried?"

"Of course. I'm determined to start with dating first."

Marriage in this era was more about politics than love. Power could be fortified if prominent families were connected through marriage. Take Norman Hewitt, a notorious child trafficker—his maternal family wielded so much influence that no ordinary judge dared challenge him.

But I had no interest in political marriage. 'She just needs to be pretty and kind. How am I supposed to find someone like that *and* from a powerful family?' If I prioritized the latter, I'd likely have to compromise on the former. I simply didn't like the idea, so I stayed single. It turned out to be a rather good excuse—even the politically savvy Emperor would understand that.

It was about time to move past the pleasantries and get down to business.

"Enough with the greetings. Let's talk about work," I said.

"Indeed, as expected. You always anticipate my requests whenever I call upon you."

"Just give me your orders, and I'll follow them immediately."

Of course, my heart screamed the opposite. 'Oh, stop assigning me more work!'

This man just kept giving me tasks without rewarding me properly. Isn't that the case with the taxes from the Marquisate of Yates? All I got was one *weapon mastery* skill. Well, that was useful, at least. But it wasn't a reward from the Emperor.

While I bowed my head, hiding my true feelings, the Emperor finally spoke.

"You should visit the Sordin Order in the northeast. They are also in need of reform."

I stopped moving for a moment, silently cursing. That name—*Sordin Order*—it triggered an unpleasant memory.

'Oh, no. That place is so corrupt!'

This time, I had to speak up. If something had to fall on me, I wasn't going that far. But the Emperor, watching me quietly, suddenly spoke again.

"Is there anything missing? Of course there is."

Surely, he wasn't about to suggest sparing my life as some sort of consolation, right? *Come on, that's a little extreme, cousin.*

While I tensed, expecting the worst, his dry voice continued.

"I will allow you to take whatever you want from the Imperial Treasury."

*Oh?* The treasury?

***

The Imperial Treasury was a place where no one but the Emperor could enter. It was filled with the most valuable items in the world. In essence, it was like being handed an item-summoning ticket.

At this level, the mission was suddenly worth the trouble. Plus, there was an even better reward.

"You won't have to report for work while you're on this mission, right?"

This, in fact, was more appealing than obtaining a single treasure. No trials for several months! But why did this trip have to take so long?n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

'I still need to visit the Duchy of Crawford, too.' Find your next read at empire

I packed my bags with a smile. Well, not personally; I just watched from the side while the butlers did all the packing. I was thinking of interfering, but they handled everything so well. There was nothing for me to do.

"… Do you really have to go?" a gloomy voice suddenly said beside me.

Without even looking, I knew who it was. At this point, only one person would ask such a question.

"Why? How could a Black Agent of the Imperial Guard Knights refuse an order from His Majesty the Emperor?"

"Well, of course not! I was just… asking, just in case."

"If you wish, Sir McNeil, you may remain in the capital."

"Really?"

Cordell took the bait like a fish. *A moonfish, to be precise.*

I shrugged with a mischievous grin.

"I wonder if His Majesty will be okay with that."

"Ah! Ahh…"

Shouldn't he be more concerned with watching over me? Is he trying to slip away and get into a relationship while I'm gone?

"Your Highness, the preparations are complete," said the newly appointed butler, Hayden Chase, who seemed quite enthusiastic.

Now that the multipanel group and the mansion business were separated, there wouldn't be much work for him, at least for a while. Since I was the type to create tasks from nothing, I glanced at the housekeeper, Marian, who smiled knowingly.

"You don't have to worry too much," she said.

"I'll take good care of him," Marian added.

A housekeeper with long experience running a mansion could easily handle an overzealous butler. I settled into the back of the carriage, which was one of two lined up side by side. The mercenaries tasked with escorting me sat in the front.

"Let's go," Uncle Brandon called out, and the carriage began to move.

As we passed through the main gate of the Carriers Duchy, I noticed a crowd gathered on the hillside, all waving white handkerchiefs.

"I told you, you don't need to see me off," I muttered.

Even though I said that, it had become a habit the household couldn't break. I didn't feel annoyed; in fact, it was touching to see their loyalty. It warmed my heart more than any flattering words could.

Whenever I saw them, though, one thought always crossed my mind.

'Even if it's not about meeting their expectations, I'll never do something that I'd regret.'

A refreshing sense of motivation. The Emperor may have mentioned the Sordin Order, but he wouldn't suggest reform without a reason. If they were running cleanly, there'd be no need for reform. I leaned back against the cushion of the carriage and admired the changing scenery outside the window.

After about a week had passed, however, I realized one thing.

"Oh, it's so damn cold."

***

Abel shivered as he pulled his coat tighter around him, trying to ward off the biting cold that penetrated his bones. The snow-covered landscape stretched endlessly before him, a frozen wasteland devoid of warmth or mercy. Each breath turned into mist, his footsteps crunching in the snow as the carriage continued its slow progress toward the northeast.

"Why does it have to be so cold?" Abel muttered under his breath. It had been a week since he left the capital, and the further they ventured, the more unbearable the weather became. The frost clung to the windows of the carriage, and even the thickest furs did little to keep the chill at bay.

Despite the discomfort, Abel's mind was sharp. The emperor had given him a mission, one that could reshape the power structure of the Empire. Reforming the Sordin Order wasn't just a simple task; it was a political maneuver that could either strengthen the empire or cause a major backlash. And knowing Charon, he was counting on Abel to succeed without causing unnecessary chaos.

The sound of hooves crunching in the snow caught Abel's attention. He glanced out the frosted window, spotting the escorting mercenaries riding ahead. Their faces were hard and focused, eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger. Even in this desolate landscape, one could never be too careful.

Bandits or hostile forces could be lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

Abel leaned back in his seat and sighed. The long journey was grating on his nerves, and the anticipation of what awaited him at the Sordin Order added an extra layer of tension. He had heard the rumors about the place—corruption, heresy, and a level of secrecy that even the emperor's agents had difficulty penetrating.

If the Order was as dirty as the whispers suggested, then his task wouldn't just be reform. It would be annihilation.

"Maybe I should have asked for more than a single treasure from the imperial treasury," Abel mused, smirking to himself. "A warm cloak might have been nice."

'But thank god that i brought these with me.' I thought as i looked at the equipment that i brought along with me.

Without a doubt they would help me in this hellish cold.