A Mastermind? No, I'm just the Live-In Son-in-Law

A long, narrow hallway stretched ahead, with the woman in the golden mask and a staff member leading the way.

“This way, please.”

“......”

“If you’re not satisfied, I could show you to another room?”

Following quietly behind them, I pricked my ears at the staff member’s cautious tone directed toward the woman in the golden mask.

“No, this room will do.”

“Understood, then....”

“Alright, you may leave now.”

This place was originally meant for noble ladies, but the way the staff treated her was far more reverent than anyone else. Well, naturally so. Behind that golden mask was the ruler of the Empire.

“Shall we have the auction item delivered later, or...?”

“I’ll handle it myself.”

“...Understood.”

And of course, being the "item" that had been purchased for 120 billion gold, I couldn’t help but feel tense.

“Why so nervous?”

As I swallowed dryly, a languid voice tickled my ear.

“Is this your first time, boy?”

“......!”

“Oh-ho. What a surprise. It really is your first time.”

Before I realized it, the Emperor had wrapped an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into the room with a wicked smile curling at her lips.

‘...Even if you fall into a tiger’s den, stay calm and you’ll live.’

It felt like I was being dragged into a beast’s lair, but I had no choice if I wanted to see things through.

‘I’m about to start fighting the black mages properly... I can’t afford to get tossed around by the Emperor.’

The Emperor was a final boss candidate too, sure, but the true evil of this world was the black mages. And their gathering, the “Shadow Assembly,” would likely signal the start of open war.

If I turned the Emperor into an enemy now, I’d only be digging my own grave. So today, somehow, I had to settle things with her.

“Haha, are you the quiet type?”

“......”

“Well, even if you don’t say much, you could at least thank your purchaser, no?”

I kept stealing glances at her while holding my tongue. But when she closed the door, I finally allowed a small smile to tug at my lips.

The moment that door shut would be the real beginning. This shop, despite being a back-alley operation, had solid soundproofing and security magic. No need to worry about anyone overhearing.

So once the door closed, I’d quickly remove my mask and lay out the Emperor’s dirt—

‘...Huh?’

Reaching up toward my mask, I suddenly froze, a blank look spreading across my face.

‘Why... won’t my hand move?’

It wasn’t just my hand. My entire body was frozen solid.

— Srrk...

As I panicked at the sudden anomaly, I heard the soft rustling of fabric beside me.

“What are you standing there for?”

“......”

“Come here.”

The Emperor, perched casually on the bed, had shed her outer coat and was now beckoning to me with a languid smile.

“...!?”

And in the next instant, my legs moved on their own.

I tried desperately to tense my muscles, but it was useless. It was as if invisible strings were pulling my entire body along.

‘...Mind control? No, impossible.’

The Emperor’s special ability, “mind control,” crossed my mind, but I immediately rejected the idea.

I had been consciously avoiding her gaze from the very beginning, after all.

And if I had been mind-controlled despite that, I shouldn’t even be aware that something was wrong.

Typical mind control suppresses self-awareness completely.

But if not that, then what the hell was this?

“Sir Whitney, why the sour face?”

“......Ugh.”

“Is there something you wish to say?”

Struggling to break free from the control, I was starting to sweat when the Emperor, now half-undressed, spoke again.

I couldn’t help but let a groan escape.

‘She saw through me long ago.’

Had I gotten complacent, dealing with the softer, gentler Meredia?

As expected, the Emperor was no ordinary opponent.

Though honestly, if she noticed, why was she still undressing so casually?

At this point, I didn’t even know where to look.

But right now, I couldn’t even turn my head or avert my gaze properly.

“Fine, I’ll allow you to speak.”

With a snap of her fingers and a smirk, the Emperor graciously declared.

“...Is that even possible?”

“Kukuku... of course.”

At her words, a snickering voice echoed from somewhere behind her, and something suddenly popped out from under the blanket.

“Ahaha....”

And at that moment, as my mouth unlocked, I finally grasped what was going on.

‘...A puppet master.’

One of the four elders leading the Shadow Alliance: Puppet Master, Death Knight, Shadow Witch, and the Fool.

I had already met the Shadow Witch before when she tried to recruit me at Lumen Ordo.

And now, before me, was another one—the Puppet Master.

“Hello~! Nice to meet you~”

The creature that popped out was a stuffed bear, barely half my size.

If anything, that only confirmed its true identity as the Puppet Master.

‘Rumors said the Emperor had ties to black mages... if that’s true...’

According to what the Shadow Witch told me, all four elders of the Alliance had their own secret plots under the “Great Shadow.”

So this creature must be cooperating with the Emperor, just like the Shadow Witch tried to draw me in.

‘This whole shop must be its domain.’

In the original story, the Puppet Master could forcibly control anyone who stepped into its territory, in addition to summoning at top-tier levels.

No wonder the shop felt so oddly refined and "lovely" for a back-alley den.

This entire building was its nest.

“How humbling, Your Majesty.”

“...Hm, you’re calmer than expected.”

Seeing that staying silent wouldn’t help, I decided to speak first.

The Emperor tilted her head slightly, studying me.

“Do you have some hidden card to play?”

“......”

“Perhaps... your lovely fiancée?”

She hit the mark so precisely that I could only close my mouth tightly.

“Kihihi. Sorry, but this shop was built with the Shadow Witch’s help!”

The little puppet waddled off the bed and spoke in an annoyingly cheery voice.

“The moment the doors closed, the entire place turned into a maze! And in each room, we placed dummy puppets!”

That explained why the Emperor could be so relaxed even against someone like Meredia.

“Even if your young maid had analytical abilities, it wouldn’t matter. With just the jewel eye’s raw firepower and destruction focus, she’d never find you by morning.”

None of that was particularly shocking.

But when the Emperor casually mentioned "analytical eye" and "jewel eye," I couldn’t help but frown.

Not only did she know about Meredia’s abilities, but also Parsha’s.

Truly a terrifying woman.

“...If I destroy the entire place?”

“Even setting aside the treason charge, you wouldn’t come out of it intact.”

I muttered a backup plan just in case, but of course, she had anticipated that too.

“Very well. I concede.”

“Hm?”

“So, what do you intend to do with me?”

With a slightly resigned expression, I asked.

The Emperor, narrowing her already thin eyes even further, stared at me for a long moment.

“Planning to kill me here?”

“...Pfft.”

Unable to bear the silence, I pressed, and the Emperor burst into laughter.

“Why would I kill you? That would be a tremendous waste.”

“Then....”

As I pushed her to continue, I saw her unfastening the rest of her buttons, and I fell silent.

“Tell me, Sir Whitney. Do you know why someone like me would frequent a place like this?”

“......”

“It’s serious. Listen well.”

And so began the Emperor’s one-sided explanation.

“Do you know why I, even at this age, have never married nor lain with anyone?”

“...No idea.”

“It’s because I was born infertile.”

At that unexpected revelation, my ears perked up despite myself.

“And it’s all because of this power I was born with.”

“Your... power?”

“They call it a blessing, but it’s actually a curse—a mark symbolizing a doomed fate.”

The Emperor’s eyes flickered open slightly, but thankfully, there was no trace of mind control.

“Did you know? Those born with the potential to become Demon Kings... can only reproduce with their own kind.”

“...Ha.”

“Don’t ask how I know. It’s a very dark story.”

With half-lidded eyes, she continued with a chilling smile.

“Do you understand now why there are rumors about me gathering people with special abilities?”

“...Don’t tell me.”

“Some think I’m building an army of gifted ones. Fools.”

As her words piled up, a terrible picture began forming in my mind.

“I was simply trying to create an heir.”

And of course, it was a very disturbing image.

“The problem is... nine out of ten gifted individuals are women.”

“......”

“Occasionally a man appears, but none were suitable to bear a child with me.”

The Emperor leaned in closer, her eyes narrowing even further.

“Now do you understand why I haunt places like this?”

I kept my mouth shut, unwilling to respond.

The Emperor, slightly sulking, answered herself.

“You’re surprisingly dense. If I happen to find a suitable partner, even a bastard child would do.”

I had no idea what kind of face to make at that. I could only manage a twisted smile.

But then, a horrifying thought popped into my mind, and I quickly asked.

“...Then why did you buy me?”

“Come now, Sir Whitney. Don’t play dumb.”

Leaning in, the Emperor whispered with an even more wicked grin than before.

“You too were born with the fate ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) of a Demon King.”

At that, I broke into a cold sweat.

“And if you insist, I’ll spell it out. I’ll even drop the imperial dignity for a moment.”

Smiling brightly, she delivered the killing blow.

“Tonight, right here... let’s create the Empire’s future ruler.”

As she said it, her fully unbuttoned blouse slipped from her shoulders.

‘...I really didn’t want to resort to that method.’

At that moment, I steeled my resolve to use my final card—the one I had sworn to save for absolute emergencies.