The Imperial Arms Treasury

I wonder what intriguing items the Imperial Treasury holds. Honestly, attack-type Teigu don't really interest me—they can't match the sheer power of my own body.

It's curious that the late Emperor granted me access to the Teigu Treasury before his passing. He must have known I possess the Teigu: Radiant Knight · Moonlight, even though I made that up. What was he thinking...

But when it comes to Teigu, do I really have free rein to choose? If so, what if I pick the Imperial Guardian [Supreme Throne]?

They say it's a Teigu only usable by members of the royal bloodline, a true guardian Teigu. A giant mech... I'm almost tempted to try it out. It's a shame it got wrecked by Tatsumi in the end...

The strict laws of this world dictate that Teigu usage comes with severe restrictions.

First, Teigu can only be wielded by those whose wavelengths match. If someone tries to use a Teigu without this compatibility, the Teigu's abilities might not manifest properly, or it might harm the user instead. The user's first impression of the Teigu is crucial, which greatly limits the number of people who can use any given Teigu.

Second, it's impossible to wield two or more Teigu simultaneously. The mental and physical strain of using even one Teigu is enormous, so using multiple would drain the user's stamina and mental capacity even further, effectively preventing dual Teigu usage.

Third, it's said that when two Teigu users clash, one of them will inevitably perish.

As Selene walked, she absently began to play with a strand of her hair, twirling it around her fingers while her thoughts drifted. "Is this his final scheme against me?" she mused, a hint of amusement curling her lips.

"Heh... But it doesn't matter. He's dead now, so let him plot all he wants." After contemplating for a moment, she released the strand of hair and resumed her steady pace toward the central palace of the Imperial Capital.

Entering the central palace through the main gate.

In an instant, the enormous palace, built on a hill thousands of meters away, once again dominated Selene's view with its overwhelming presence.

As the Emperor's residence, this palace was constructed in the heart of the capital. It can be seen from any of the four main gates—east, south, west, or north—symbolizing the royal family's authority.

The entire palace is circular, covered in tiered spires that rise toward the sky, with the tallest reaching several hundred meters high.

"No matter how many times I see it, it never fails to awe me. What a pity... it's not mine, not yet anyway. Let's leave it here for now. One day, everything in the Empire will belong to me!"

Turning to look back, given that the capital is built on a hill, the whole city is terraced, with higher elevations toward the center. From her current position, thanks to her enhanced vision, Selene could overlook the entire capital, except for the palace.

The outermost wall of the capital stands nearly a hundred meters tall, and within it, several more walls, each about sixty meters high, divide the capital into upper, middle, and lower districts, creating distinct social strata.

The walls completely block the view of those in the lower districts, preventing them from seeing anything above except for a few luxurious structures.

Conversely, the higher one's status, the higher they can stand, allowing them to look down on more people.

The wide stone bridge that connects the palace gates with the main gates of the outer walls is teeming with people, but only Imperial Guards clad in full armor and nobles in fine attire are present—no commoners in sight.

"This world really is one of strict hierarchy," Selene remarked, finishing her reflection. It was time to get down to business.

"Halt, who goes..."

Upon recognizing the visitor, the captain of the guard snapped to attention, holding his rifle upright with the butt resting on the ground, the barrel and bayonet pointing skyward. He placed his left hand over his chest and saluted, "General Selene!"

"Mm." Acknowledging the salutes from the guards, Selene nodded.

As for why they performed a rifle salute, it's quite normal. In this world, technology has advanced to the point where many palace guards are equipped with firearms, so the rifle salute is a standard practice.

Even after Selene had passed, the captain of the guard remained tense, sweat beading on his forehead. That close encounter with the abyss had left him feeling as if he had plunged into an icy chasm.

With no further obstacles, Selene made her way to the palace conference room, where every servant and guard she encountered along the way saluted without exception.

Selene's distinctive silver armor, white hair, and red eyes were already highly recognizable throughout the capital.

As the conference room of the palace, the space was, of course, grand. Lavishly decorated, it spanned several hundred square meters.

Yet despite its vast size, the room only contained a small rectangular table at its center, with just two chairs facing each other.

"Honest is late." Selene remarked, pulling out the nearest chair and seating herself. She then called for a maid to prepare a drink.

As she considered which Teigu to choose, the door creaked open.

"Sorry, sorry... General Selene, I was delayed by state affairs, so I'm a bit late." Honest's voice reached the room before he did, and a moment later, his corpulent figure filled the doorway.

As if you handle state affairs... Selene thought dismissively. Without waiting for Honest to sit down, she stood up and said, "Alright... let's head directly to the Teigu Treasury. We can skip the banquet today."

"In such a rush?... I haven't eaten yet, and I'm practically starving here."

"Let's get moving. I still have to deal with the southwestern captives." Selene replied flatly.

...

Noticing Selene's impatience, Honest stopped joking around and led her to the palace vault where the Teigu were stored. As they walked, he provided a briefing.

"Due to the massive upheaval five hundred years ago, many Teigu were lost. With the current unstable situation in the Empire, many of the Teigu stored in the palace have already been distributed to maintain control. The remaining attack-type Teigu may..."

Honest trailed off, subtly trying to lower Selene's expectations. In his mind, with her aggressive nature, there was no way she'd choose a support-type Teigu. Surely, she was after a powerful weapon.

Clink, clink, clink... The sound of their footsteps echoed through the cold, quiet depths of the palace. After passing through heavily guarded corridors, they finally arrived at a massive metal door.

Standing before it, Selene examined the door's construction.

The door was tightly sealed, covered with gears and mechanisms.

A normal person would need either a powerful explosive or the proper access to get through this door quickly. But the key wasn't an ordinary one—it was a Teigu.

As the ruby ring on Honest's finger glowed red, the gears on the metal door began to move, and after a few seconds, the door slowly rose.

"Like the other forty-eight Teigu, this vault was built on the orders of the First Emperor. The only difference is that it doesn't restrict its owner—anyone with the 'key' can use it. Aside from its storage function, it's essentially immovable." Honest explained.

"I didn't expect the Emperor to entrust you with the 'key' to the royal vault. You're quite favored, aren't you, Minister Honest?" Selene remarked with a hint of amusement.

"Hahaha... The Emperor's favor has indeed left me feeling overwhelmed."

Upon entering the vault, it was clear that Honest hadn't been lying. Out of the forty-eight slots, the majority were empty, leaving the Teigu vault looking rather barren.

"These are what remain after various departments have made their selections. What's left are mostly non-combat support-type Teigu, or ones that have yet to find a suitable wielder."

"What's this..." Selene's attention was drawn to a nearby Teigu, a biological Teigu in the form of a dog, suspended in a medium-sized tube filled with pale green liquid.

Magical Beast Transformation: Hekatonkheires? Not interested. Next.

Hmm? A small, delicately wrapped box. Let's see what's inside. As she opened it, it seemed as if she had undone some sort of seal—the box immediately emitted a dazzling golden light, causing Selene to narrow her eyes with interest.

Two silver bracelets quickly flew out from the box, automatically attaching themselves to Selene's wrists. Once in place, the bracelets shrank until they fit her perfectly.

"So eager?"

Selene examined the bracelet-type Teigu closely. The two-inch-wide silver bracelets seemed to emit a faint silver glow, and their ancient, ornate design instantly appealed to Selene's sense of aesthetics.

Twin of Fate? But... while I do appreciate its beauty, its abilities—shield generation and energy output amplification—seem redundant with my own powers...

Never mind, I'll keep it for now. Next.

"Oh, a familiar 'friend'..." This Teigu was even more familiar to Selene. Picking up the axe handle, she began to play with it. The Teigu didn't resist at all; instead, it conveyed all its information to Selene.

Double-Bladed Axe: Belvaac? An axe-type Teigu that requires exceptional arm strength to wield. In exchange, it offers immense attack power. It can split into two throwing axes that track the enemy as long as the user has strength left.

Why are you all so eager? Aren't you supposed to be aloof, like proper Teigu...

Not my style. Next.

Military Music Dream: Scream, a flute-type Teigu that manipulates the emotions of those who hear it. While it's known for boosting morale on the battlefield, it can actually control dozens of different emotions. However, repeated exposure to its tunes creates resistance.

Not interested. Next.

...

Power Surging: Balzac, a mask-type Teigu that can fully unleash the user's potential. But can it really tap into my full potential? Selene was skeptical.

Next... Hmm?

By chance, Selene noticed a seemingly insignificant Teigu tucked away in a corner of the vault, square and unremarkable. Judging by the worn cloth draped over it, it had likely been untouched for a long time.

"What is this..."