As I looked into those serpentine-like eyes, I felt goosebumps all over.
“How many teachers have already been replaced because you surpassed their skills?”
That question made Damian stiffen slightly.
At first, those words seemed to praise Damian’s achievements but contained sharp blades hidden underneath.
If Damian hadn’t been so adroit, he wouldn’t have noticed it. His adroitness kept him alive for so long and prevented him from going into an early grave.
“You’ve achieved excellent results and should be rewarded,” remarked the Emperor.
“Therefore, I’ve prepared a small gift for you.”
A gift?
The word gift is not synonymous with the Emperor.
I narrowed my eyes.
Whether it was actually a present or not, the Emperor surprisingly pulled out a box.
It was a thin but long box, slightly larger than an adult man’s hand.
“Thank you, I’ll cherish it.”
Damian received the box, holding it in his hands.
After gifting the box to Damian however, the Emperor gave an order.
“Don’t be like that, open it now,” he insisted with a suspicious smile.
“What?”
Not expecting that, Damian flinched.
The Emperor’s smile deepened and he continued to speak.
“Since I’ve given you a present, I want to see your reaction on your face.”
“….all right.”
Damian untied the colorful ribbons that wrapped around the box, concealing his frown as he did so.
The lid was removed.
“This….”
Damian slowly revealed the contents of the box.
They were leather gloves meant to protect their wearer during swordsmanship training.
Black in color, the gloves glistened.
The Emperor added an explanation as if he had just done him a favor.
“It’ll be a major problem if you were to injure your hand during training.”
“Thank you. Your Majesty’s consideration is much appreciated.”
“Hmm.”
In an instant, the Emperor’s eyes lit up.
“If you want to properly thank me then-”
The Emperor came closer to Damian, staring at him with his eyes peered upward from beneath his eyebrows as he lowered his head.
“Why don’t you try on the gloves here and now?”
…..huh? I feel something ominous.
I swallowed my saliva.
Why is he asking him to wear the gloves now?
The Emperor whispered to Damian.
His whispers were like a snake hissing.
“Since I didn’t have the measurements to match the size of your hand, the gloves might be too small or too large.”
“The devotion shown by your Majesty is more than enough.”