Chapter 49: Strongest Mage of the Empire

Emperor Leon storms into the chamber of the empire’s most powerful mage, the stench of corpses immediately hitting his face, but he ignores it, stepping into the laboratory and closing the door behind him.

"Hey, old man, I came here to ask for your help with something." He walks between the piles of bodies and books, spotting various symbols on the floor channeling magic to some unknown place. He presses forward until he finds Aster Vael near a table with a girl lying on top of it. Aster is the strongest mage in the empire, and the most powerful mage in all of humanity when it comes to experience and magical control.

"What are you doing?" the Emperor asks the old man with a long beard and the appearance of someone who will die soon.

"Emperor... I am switching bodies." As Aster speaks, Leon looks at the girl strapped to the table.

"A girl?"

"...Yes, she has excellent magical talent and great latent potential... besides being young. A commoner, so no one will miss her." Aster speaks with a cold tone. He is currently 320 years old, defying human limits.

But that is thanks to his body-switching magic. Leon doesn’t even know if Aster was originally a man or a woman, because throughout history, "he" has switched bodies countless times, both girls and men.

In the end, the girl on the table is just another one of Aster’s bodies and nothing more, so Leon simply accepts this strangeness. After all, Aster has served the empire for years and is useful.

"Finish this quickly..." He speaks to Aster, who activates the magic. A magical circle appears on the table and above the girl’s belly. Aster had already prepared everything, so the switch happens swiftly. The body on the table contorts while Aster’s body stumbles and staggers, his old and decrepit body simply collapsing to the floor dead, growing even paler than it already was.

Meanwhile, the naked girl on the table rises, her chest rising and falling rapidly, her heart beating fast, her eyes gaining a deep shade of red. The only thing that gives away the body switch is that Aster always has red eyes, regardless of the body’s original eye color.

Aster’s current body is that of a short girl, with the appearance of a 19-year-old, with long brown hair and deeply red eyes. She has small breasts and a slightly malnourished silhouette.

It shows she had a hard life, but Aster couldn’t care less. "He" — now "she" — stands up, looking at the Emperor and bowing to him. Her height of just 1 meter and 58 centimeters makes her look small before the Emperor.

"Emperor, I apologize for the delay. I truly needed to switch bodies." Aster’s new voice is extremely cute, and "his" magic, despite breaking all the rules of life, is fascinating, because "he" kept his level 70 and all his spells even in a new body.

Even though Leon finds it disgusting, it’s still undeniably impressive and incredible how Aster defies death and life in this way.

"Whatever. Put on some clothes... I have something for you... and your new body might actually help, since your old appearance was recognizable, and this one is something no one knows." Leon wants to set the rumor mill in motion immediately, and there’s no one better than Aster to start right away.

"Understood, Emperor... you seem excited." Seeing the girl’s way of speaking is strange to Leon. It sounds like the way an old man talks, but in a body far too young for the gaze she carries.

While Leon explains exactly what he wants Aster to do, Aster picks up the clothes from her old body, putting on the robe without any shame whatsoever.

"Seeing as you are the pinnacle of magic in our world, your actions are truly too egocentric. You could have switched bodies after I gave the order, or at the very least, you could have refrained from switching bodies right in front of me."

"Emperor, there’s no need for that. All emperors know well how this works. Besides, that body didn’t have much time left, so I truly needed to make the switch quickly. I delayed too long this time searching for a good talent."

"Did it really have to be a girl?" Leon questions, raising an eyebrow.

"...She is talented. It was the best I could find. Talent without strength is a difficult thing to notice, Emperor. There are many talented mages, but they are adventurers. I can’t just kidnap an adventurer and replace them. People would notice. You wouldn’t want anyone knowing that the most powerful mage of each generation has been the same one for 300 years, right?"

"...Whatever. But don’t try to propose marriage to me like you tried with the Emperor 150 years ago. Honestly, it’s disgusting."

"...I wouldn’t try. Not with the Bloody Emperor. I value my life." Despite the tone of both, there’s an undeniable hint of friendship. After all, they have both been through many things, and Leon had "his" help to gain power after killing his brothers.

Leon, being someone at level 12, doesn’t have the bare minimum for combat. Without Aster, he wouldn’t have become Emperor. The nobles would have tried to execute him to usurp the throne. That’s why Leon has a "debt" with this person.

"Besides, Emperor, you’re not my type. Your predecessor had immense magic. Having a son or daughter with him would have been wonderful, a perfect talent for me to steal the body. He was a true prize... you... are honestly a terrible option. Honestly, if you don’t have an excellent wife, the only talent your children will have is brains, and I don’t need another brain." Another peculiarity of Aster is her absolute addiction to magic.

’Is she really a girl? How can she talk so casually about getting pregnant... better not to think about it...’

"Whatever. I don’t need magical or physical talent when I have the perfect mind to achieve my goals and my subordinates have the necessary power... besides, you are quite expensive." Aster isn’t exactly loyal. Leon knows that if someone with immense magic, incredible magical talent, and secret knowledge appeared, Aster would abandon him to discover more.

But as long as that doesn’t happen, Aster is an extremely valuable asset to Leon, who will use everything "he" — now "she" — has to get what he wants.

"Perfect, then. Just spread rumors, right? That’s easy. I have the perfect method. In three days, everyone will have the information you want circulating by word of mouth among the adventurers."

"...Furthermore, I have a good marriage prospect," Leon says, slightly offended by what Aster said earlier.

"...Oh, okay... hahaha, I see I hurt your ego. I’m sorry about that, Emperor. It wasn’t my intention! You’re an incredible man, it’s just... physically speaking, there’s nothing impressive about you besides your brain."

"..."

"Well, who’s the lucky woman? You never wanted to marry before."

"...The new Saint of the Theocracy. She’s an interesting strategic asset. It’s not exactly interest. She’s just a girl like any other, albeit pretty, but her position is relevant."

"A novice saint, with power not yet consolidated, and who is a dragon. She would be a good option for my future heirs to have a longer lifespan, as well as the magical and physical talent that I lack." Leon’s thought process toward Nio is mainly utilitarian. Nio, to him, seems like something useful to be used, just like Aster.

"Hahaha, of course that’s what it would be. You love nothing but yourself... well, I wish you luck. I’ll take my leave for now. I need to adapt to this new body. That should take two days. On the third day, I will fulfill what you want." Leon gives a stern look to Aster for prioritizing her own desires, but says nothing and begins to leave, because he knows the work will be well done.