《Reincarnated as an Emperor ~ Will the Emperor at Birth Survive?》
Prologue
Prologue
Hello! New projecting up soon, enjoy~ ^^
The first thing I sensed was the brightness. It was a strong light that caused me to feel instinctive fear.
The next thing I noticed was the smell of blood, then I heard a babys cry.
Someone shouted. Lots of people started talking all at once.
Ah, I see. Am I crying?
I can see a lot of people in my blurred vision Ive never witnessed someone giving birth before, but there really are too many people in this room.
Ive never witnessed someone giving birth? Thats right, I died alone in my previous life, so I never married.
Previous life? I see, is this reincarnation?
Memories of my previous life shed through my mind the moment I came to that realisation. My consciousness faded away because the memories were too much.
I felt strange after that. I was a new-born baby growing up at an unbelievable speed. Yet I felt as if this was happening to someone else, I recalled my previous life and let it sink in.
No, it wasnt like I was growing too fast, but my thoughts had slowed down incredibly. There was a limit to how much my brain could process, so each thought took a long time to think about.
In a world where I felt as if everything had been fast-forwarded, outlines and colours gradually became clearer, and I eventually began to understand thenguage. Then, I began to grasp who I am in this world.
A mother who changes every day no Are they called nannies? But still, having a nanny who changed every day is extravagant. So, is there a good chance this isnt the present day?
The name that Im always called whenever Im picked up is my name? Or is it a nickname? Or perhaps its my title?
Everyone in my vision resembled a westerner from my previous life. So, I must as well.
The nannies clothes felt hundreds of years old and yet this room looked like a modern room. Or was it the other way around? Is this an expensive room built with thetest technology?
I felt something in the air that wasnt present in my previous life. I felt a faint connection to it and myself. Is this control? Or is it possibly magic?
So that means that this is a western fantasy world with magic, and a medieval early modern civilisation.
And I am
I was sitting on a throne looking down at men who had their heads bowed when the speed of my thoughts and the flow of time became consistent.
Your Majesty. Your vassals havee to wish you a Happy New Year.
In other words, I was an emperor at birth.
I cried as hard as I could at once.
Babies arent supposed to be emperors or kings because it would be very inconvenient for a nation to have a baby at the top. If a baby bes a ruler because of thew of session, then they are usually assassinated.
It happened in the Capetian dynasty in France.
When Louis X died, he had only one daughter, Joan, however Queen Clementina was pregnant (and apparently there was a problem with Joan taking over the throne). So, Louiss younger brother, Philip, was appointed regent until Queen Clementina gave birth. She eventually gave birth to a boy, Jean [1]English: John, and he ascended the throne at the same time as his birth. However, he died less than a week after his birth. Louiss younger brother, Philip, seeded the throne as King Philip V.
A simr event happened in China. After the death of Emperor He, the fourth Emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Liu Long was retrieved and brought back to the pce and ascended the throne. He was only a little over 100 days old when he ascended the throne, the actual power was in the hands of the Empress Dowager and her family. He died in the following year.
Infants have high mortality in a world where medical care isnt well developed. Therefore, its difficult to distinguish between assassination and death by illness, which means the possibility of an assassination being exposed was low.
So, I must continue to be afraid of being assassinated in this defenceless state.
But Im actually alive; this meant that the advantages of keeping me alive outweighed killing me.
I am currently being allowed to live as a puppet.
I became desperate after that. I had to figure out who I was being a puppet for and why Im the emperor.
But I mustnt be too clever. A puppet has to be ipetent and stupid, otherwise it would be inconvenient for those in power. Of course, a puppet cant ask questions even if they have some. I had to analyse and assemble what limited information I had.
Thats how I got to know myself first.
My name is Carmine de Gade-Bungdalto. Its a long name. My title is emperor.
This is the Bungdalto Empire. A baby who had just been born has ascended to the throne, so this nation is certainly copsing.
There are two people who hold power right now in this empire. The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies. Apparently, they are both dukes with royal blood flowing through their veins.
The current empire is in a power struggle between these two leading aristocrats. If I die, this nation will surely be split into two and civil war will break out.
But thats not a good enough reason for keeping me alive. There must be another reason as to why it was convenient for the two of them to keep me that way.
If I dont figure that out and be inconvenient then Ill be killed immediately.
Frankly, this was a punishment. Whats with this life? What did I do in my previous life to deserve to be put into this situation?
Just you wait and see!
Chapter 1: New-born Emperor
Chapter 1: New-born Emperor
This new series will be released daily on Mondays, and you can read ahead on Patreon! Hope you enjoy (:
Im eating baby food right now. If any of this food is poisoned, then I will die soon. I suppressed my fear as I ate the liquid food that was being carried to my mouth.
I read some light novels about reincarnation in my previous life but did I read any where the protagonists spent their infancy in fear? I didnt have any reincarnation cheats, nor did I talk to god, nor am I obliged to do anything, or requested to do something
I dont even remember how I died in my previous life. But well, Im pretty sure I didnt have many friends because I didnt trust people very much.
I dont believe I was someone who died saving someone, so I dont think this reincarnation is a reward.
My reincarnation isnt I apologise, I made a mistake; if it were, then I would probably have had a conversation with God. But is it possible for that memory to be erased? No, no, I wouldnt be an assassination target with no cheats if that had happened.
Which means this is divine punishment after all? Punishment What did I do? I was just a normal guy who didnt have the mental capacity to do something terrible that would result in me being punished like this.
My memories of my previous life are hazy I can remember the faces of my parents and siblings, but I cant remember their names. I cant remember my own name either. I dont have any memories at all about my death, so I dont know if I did anything that would cause me to be punished.
By the way, this paste tastes disgusting. Isnt it poisoned?
Well then, theres one thing in this world that I feel has potential. Something in the air that I obviously didnt feel in my previous life.
When the maid burnt garbage in the garden, they produced sparks from their fingertips.
Its magic. Fantasy, confirmed.
Im a bit excited.
Well, Im always under someones watchful eye no matter what I do, and the only thing I can do is y with the magical thing in front of me as a baby.
Toys? I y with wooden blocks and stuff just to control my hands and fingers.
Now, this magical thing I guess I can just call it magic.
If I can somehow control this at will, then I can gain my own fighting power. Combat power was directly rted to survival in the medieval ages and early modern period. I want to be able to use magic by any means necessary.
Ill try to feel it first. Yup. I cant feel anything. I cant feel any change even if I can perceive it. Also, I didnt know if magic formed through particles or if it flows in the wind or something since I cant see it.
In that case, the next step is pray. Gather around my finger gather
Nope. I dont feel it gathering in my finger at all. I wonder if I need to chant after all.
Au~, ah~. (Wind, blow)
Hmm, well, it didnt work. I knew that it wouldnt. The maid is looking at me and smiling.
Ah~, I cant do this anymore. I dont know. I only feel like I can control it.
Alright, Your Majesty. Its time to sleep.
Hey, nanny, thats really ufortable. Wont you stop? Im the King. Im the King. You cant use the title of the highest authority in the kingdom like that its like some weird y.
Now then, she picked me up andid me on a wastefully sparkling bed with a fence and a canopy.
Why is the bed gold and shiny? What bad taste.
Well, lets forget about that for now. Ipletely forgot about the important thing that is often found in otherworldly novels.
Magic items. If theres magic, then theres usually magic items, and Im probably using this magic item.
Im a baby, so of course I will poop and soil myself. Im really used to this. Theres no point in resisting. Theres no shame in this.
The diapers of this world are of course not convenient disposable diapers, but cloth ones.
But the cloth gets soaked every time you piss, right? Normally.
But the ones I use dont. Its strange. Then, I looked down and noticed it for the first time. Well, I dont know why I didnt notice it before. There was something attached to it.
At the tip of my private region there was something that looked like a very shortened smoking pipe.
I spent the rest of the day observing this tool after I noticed it.
I found out that the nannies also changed this tool whenever they changed my cloth diaper. To be precise, they only changed the tool that was attached to me. They would turn it to remove it and put another one back on.
However, its removed once a day when Im soaked in hot water.
I hadnt noticed this before because I always looked away when they changed the cloth or bathed me Its still awkward even though Im used to it.
Now, the tool that has been attached to that region of my private is definitely a magic tool. The tip is far too small for the amount of water it absorbs. Im sure some kind of magic is at work here.
So, what kind of magic is being used in this magic tool? Im going to think about it in my spare time.
Well, I dont know the rules, effects, limits, or price of magic in this world, so its apletely unknown concept For example, itll be hopeless if I have to pray to a spirit, but Ill think about that when the timees. Ill have to remember it when I learn about the myths and legends of this world.
So, lets start by assuming that there isnt much difference between magic in this world and my understanding of magic (that is from the knowledge of my previous life).
First, the basic effect of this tool is to absorb water. I think its either water absorption orpression. It gets removed every time I take a bath, probably to prevent it from malfunctioning rather than for maintenance purposes.
I thought about transfer as well but if that were the case then I dont see why they would need to change it regrly.
The next important thing is odour absorption. Ive started eating all sorts of pastes and it stinks, if I do say so myself. But I cant smell my urine at all while Im wearing this magic tool. Thats even when its being changed.
Which means that this magic tool not only absorbs water, but it also absorbs odours.
I dont know if scents can bepressed. Scientificw from my previous life and thews of magic in this world might not match in some aspects. So, I personally think that the moisture and odour are being absorbed without distinction.
Finally, the cost-effectiveness of this tool.
It actuallyes in a variety of shapes. Well, the basic shape and the join between the shaft and the tip are perfectly consistent. Aside from that, the rest of it was slightly bent, and there were some obvious marks carved on it. For a second, I got scared and thought it might be cursed, but the maids would have noticed it. Im not sure why it would have been overlooked. Oh, I think its probably some store name or something.
Theres a high possibility that this item was made by hand by a craftsman. This mark is the craftsmans logo.
Then, its possible to apply a reusable transfer spell to it. Of course, since theres magic tools with water absorption and odour absorption, then theres probably magic tools with evaporation but whats scarier is the possibility that theyre destroying the tool every time.
Its not normal. Its too expensive for the effect it provides. Its wasteful.
Dont tell me Im an Emperor, even if Im corrupt. Its possible.
Is this alright? The people wont start a revolution, right? Enlightenment hasnt spread yet, right? I dont want any uprisings or to be sent to the guillotine Seriously
Ah, Im getting sleepy. Im going to sleep now.
Chapter 2: Baby Emperor Likes Being Outside
Chapter 2: Baby Emperor Likes Being Outside
Your Majesty, we will go y in the garden today, one of the nannies said to me and Im a little excited. I could see the garden, but Ive never been out there.
Well, by the standards of my previous life, its more like a park than a garden The closest thing I could think of is a botanical garden. Its that big. Anyway, its huge.
I got a little excited since its that big. Id like to explore it when Im able to walk by myself.
Anyway, I was told that I would be ying in nature, so Im looking forward to something for the first time since Ive reincarnated. It would be nice to just lie down on the grass.
But well They put me in a chair at the edge of the garden and just had me sit there.
Look up the meaning of y and try again. Is it like that? You think its outrageous to make the Emperor lie down on the ground?
Hah, my excitement is gone.
But even so, its hot. I mean, I understand why they dressed me up in luxurious clothes, but theyre just too unbreathable.
I wish the wind would blow. I wish I could imagine the wind blowing and use magic.
Au~, ah~. (Wind, blow) I said, then the wind blew for a moment.
Huh? Did I just seed? No, no, but it didnt workst time.
Alright, no one is looking at me. Ill imagine using my magic to collect the moisture in the atmosphere
Au~, ah~. (Water,e out)
PASHA.
A lump of water floated in the air for a moment and then fell
Hey, hey, hey Whats going on? Ive been using magic for a while now Huh? So, why couldnt I use itst time?
Ill start with my conclusion. I can use magic in the garden. I cant use magic in my room. But, this may have been obvious had I thought about it.
This is a world where people can use magic (though not necessarily all of them). Of course, it can be used for assassination. If magic can be used inside the castle, then assassinations can be carried out at any time.
The only way to prevent that was to make it impossible to use magic inside of the castle.
Its safe to assume that theres something working indoors that prevents the use of magic, though I dont know if its a spell or a magic tool.
However, magic tools still worked. Whats the difference?
Well, lets leave that aside for now. First of all, I can use magic. Its delightful.
After that, I tried to use magic a few times behind the maids back. I think I was able to grasp the feeling of manipting magic to a certain degree.
However, that doesnt mean I can use it naturally. I had to concentrate to finally be able to use magic.
And one more thing. I found out something important.
While I was using magic, I realised that theres magic inside of my body too.
Its really easy to use magic if I use the magic in my body to control the flow of magic in the air. Its like using a ma to collect iron sand. Its easy to gather magic and control it that way.
I dont know if its possible to directly use the magic in the air Its hard to control and isnt suitable for practicing in secret. I think Ill practice by using the magic in my body.
By the way, you cant activate magic using only the magic in your body. I wonder if Ill be able to do it if I get the hang of it.
Ive been wanting to use magic since the first day I could.
Light novels about magic have something called MP and the more you use magic, the more it increases, so I thought I should use magic every day. Well, it doesnt seem like I can see my status in this world, so I cant confirm if it does increase or not.
Maybe Im getting impatient.
But I have to go out to the garden to use magic. I mean, I have to get them to let me out, so I can use magic.
Thats why Iin every day. I didnt care if the maids or nannies rocked me, I kept crying. Then, I stopped crying when they took me out to the garden.
This made them think that I would stop crying if they let me out into the garden, so they let me out every time I get upset.
Well, there are times when I cried hard from impatience.
I would also regrly fall asleep whenever the nannies rock me. Theyre really good at it. I used to fall asleep as soon as I got onto a vehicle in my past life, so rocking is effective against me.
Well, theyve been letting me out nearly every day.
Naturally, I went to the garden today as well, and they put me on a chair.
As I expected, there was no one nearby. Its like this every time I go to the garden. It was convenient for me.
It seems the only people who are allowed to directly touch me are my nannies, and the maids help them. Also, listening to the conversation between the nannies and the maids (I haventpletely understood thenguage yet), it seems that my nannies are upper nobles and my maids are junior nobles.
When I go out to the garden, my nanny goes back into her room. Frankly, I just sit in the same ce. Its break time if theres nothing to do. Well, I guess theyll call her if I get upset.
The maids who dont touch me keep their distance or rather than wait at a distance they ck off instead. Well, its probably boring to watch me sit in one ce.
Therefore, they wont notice if I use magic. Im careful about the magic I use though, since they might find out I can use magic if I use something shy like fire.
So, Ive done some research on magic. I think its time I draw some conclusions.
First, lets talk about MP. I cant tell if my MP increases every time I use magic.
Perhaps, the magic in my body doesnt decrease even if I use it to cast spells.
This is based on my intuition, so its not urate but it didnt decrease when I used it a few times. Well, I am using the magic in my body as a medium though.
So, Ive concluded that I dont have to worry about MP right now.
Now, lets talk about magic. Ive been able to use magic based on my imagination, but it appears quite deep.
The magic Im using now, for example, making water balls, is very easy to use after it has rained. On sunny days, it takes a little longer to activate.
This is probably because I know that there is moisture in the air and I unconsciously collect that moisture to make a water ball. In other words, its affected by the humidity.
On the other hand, I can now use magic to create ice. The temperature, humidity and the presence of water had nothing to do with creating ice. I could create it out of nothing. I imagined this magic as it was portrayed in anime and games, and then I was able to create it easily. Perhaps, creating ice only required using magic.
Based on this, I tried creating water by only using magic and imagined it as depicted in games, but that didnt go well. It was still affected by the humidity. In other words, even if I tried to change the image, my brain still thought about converting water vapour into water. I guess its deeply rooted in my subconscious.
Of course, I might be able to change this with time but for now, I should increase the magic I can use as much as possible.
At any rate, I dont have much time. I have to be strong enough to survive before the people who are keeping me alive change their minds
Chapter 3: Declining Empire
Chapter 3: Declining Empire
I turned two. I can move around and talk to people now. To be precise, Im old enough to talk without having people be suspicious of me. Ive been trying to avoid conversations with more than two words, so that I dont get found out.
Now then, a lot of things have changedtely. Firstly, a middle-aged man and an old man started toe to my room where there were only women.
The middle-aged man is the Chancellor and the old man is the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies. Both of them came in saying they wanted to greet His Majesty, while talking themselves up as the other one put them down. I believe its normally useless to tell things like this to a child of this age. I guess theyre trying to imprint on me.
Well, anyway, these two are the powers that are keeping me alive, and their two factions are always fighting against each other.
The maids are no exception to this. I have a total of twenty maids. Too many? I think so too. But I only see about ten of them a day. In other words, the two factions are taking care of me on different days.
Andtely, theyve started chatting without a care when I y with blocks by myself.
Thats rude in front of the Emperor. Please continue. Youre my valuable source of information!
As a result of listening to all these conversations they had while standing, I was able to hear a lot of information, so I thought Id summarise what Ive gathered so far.
Lets start with therge man who isnt old enough to be called an old man.
He is said to hold the most power in this nation right now and stands at the top of the empires politics as the chancellor. Huh? The Emperor should be at the top? Its just for show.
This man known as Lord Raul, Karl de van Raul, actually controls most of the nations politics. From the perspective of the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, it seems that he is abusing his position, lining his own pockets and controlling the empire. He is the eldest son of my great-grandfathers younger brother, and he is also myte grandmothers brother.
This means that my grandfather, who was the emperor before me, and my grandmother, who was his wife, were cousins. Incidentally, marriage between cousins was considered incestuous and was prohibited in this nation until my grandparents got married.
The reason why it became legal? I think its because the Chancellor Karls younger brother has a top position in this nations religion.
I told you, didnt I? That he controls the empire. From what I heard, theyre pretty much doing whatever they want. Well, whatever.
Next is Phillipe de Garde-Aquicurl, the old man or who I just assumed is an old man. He is called Lord Aquicurl, or Archduke, and holds the position of Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies. Hes also a rtive of mine. I believe he is the half-brother of my great-grandfather. Most importantly, he is my mothers father that would make him my maternal grandfather. The Chancellors faction says that he manipted the empress, increased the number of government positions, and stagnated politics.
Thats what Ive been told, and this man has been bringing over only newly created positions to his faction. Of course, those positions are paid for by the government. In other words, this guy is also preying on this nation and doing whatever he wants.
But it seems that the Chancellors faction has the upper hand. The regent faction is considerably lower in numbers, since the regent, who is supposed to be the representative of this faction, doesnt show up at all.
Incidentally, the regent is an official position given to the person who will assist the emperor when he is young until hees of age and, right now, the person who holds the position of regent is my mother, Alexia.
The Chancellor is the most powerful person in this empire right now, but the regent is the second most important person after the emperor. If one of them were to confine themselves indoors, then its only logical that the other would have all the power.
The reason why she doesnte out in public? Ah, thats easy. Its because shes grieving the recent death of the child she birthed a few days ago.
Oh, I forgot to mention that my father died before I was born.
What do I mean? That bitch of a mother left me, her own child, and had a new child with her lover, an aristocrat. By the way, he has been her lover from when my father was still alive.
Oh yes, that child was killed because they were ill. She was so shocked by the loss of her child that she fainted.
Unbelievable.
Im sure your father, Lord Aquicurl, killed your baby. Anyone could see that that child was in the way.
You may have noticed that I dont feel any love or affection towards my bitch mother. I remember my mother from my previous life even though I dont know her name. Compared to her, theres a big difference. I dont really want to call her my mother.
I mean, its pretty bad that even the maids know about this. I think it would normally be an embarrassment for the nation. Im sure other nations have heard about this too.
This nation is already ruined.
One more thing. The nannies, who were looking after me, are gone, since I dont need breastmilk from them anymore.
I heard that many of my nannies were wives of neutral aristocrats, so it was honestly tough to see them go.
The neutral faction consists of those who neither side with the chancellors faction nor the regent faction. There arent many of them but most of the people who actually run the government tend to be neutral.
Theyre so-called bureaucrats. Many of them dont have fiefs in the first ce. In contrast, Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl are aristocrats, who as their names suggest, have fiefs. Many of the aristocrats under them also have fiefs in the surrounding areas.
The only force that might be on my side if I were to be involved in politics is the neutral faction. For those who dont have fiefs, the copse of the empire is directly linked to the loss of their authority. Their livelihood is at stake.
On the other hand, the aristocrats who have fiefs can change sides or even be independent.
Its probably best not to get involved in politics if I cant get the help of the neutral faction. The risk is too high.
Oh, and the reason why the nannies were from the neutral faction is because this world has a high infant mortality rate.
The chancellor and regent factions would both be held ountable by the opposing factions if the emperor were to die because someone from their faction had messed up.
Theyll have to choose the next emperor if I die, and its unlikely that the puppet of the side that is held responsible will be enthroned.
Anyway, my nannies are gone from now on, and only the maids from the chancellor and regent factions will take care of my personal needs. Its as if Im constantly surrounded by enemies.
But I dont think they will take the initiative to monitor or educate me. Ultimately, the people in power do as they please and most people have no choice but to obey them. So, I do sympathise with them a little. Therefore, I havent felt anything that I cant forgive them for right now.
The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies? How can I ever forgive them? Using a baby emperor, or whatever theyre thinking of, is just not decent. Also, I dont like people in power as a low-middle ss person in my previous life.
And yet, I was in a position to be obeyed. Honestly, it doesnt suit me. I would have preferred to rise to power or be a free adventurer or something like that.
I should just get out of here and live as an ordinary citizen when I get to a certain age. If Im going to have to live in fear of being assassinated anyway, then I think its better to live freely.
I need to work a little harder at learning magic for that reason.
Chapter 4: The Day the Mage was Born
Chapter 4: The Day the Mage was Born
I turned three. The magic I could use increased day by day and Im proud to say that Im getting pretty good at it. This might be one of the advantages of being reincarnated.
I couldnt move my arms and legs well since I was a baby, so I moved them every day, and the feeling of grabbing something closely resembled the feeling of using magic and manipting it to do as you wish.
Thanks to that, I became able to use new magic. There were two magic spells among those that I wanted to focus on and practice.
The first was directly controlling the mana in the air and moving items with it. Psychokinesis! shed through my mind. Having said that, I could only move a leaf or a pebble.
But I realised that making ice with magic and hardening dirt was an overwhelming simple thing. I can manipte objects of a certain weight and size.
I dont have any use for this magic right now, but I might be able to use it like funnel [1]this is a gundam referencebut Ive never seen it, so I have no idea what the author is talking about UwU one day.
The second magic manipted heat. I wanted to use a freezing spell, so I was experimenting with it and now I can use magic that manipted heat instead. All I had to do was simply imagine freezing to use freezing magic, but strangely, I couldnt use it without imagining where the heat goes because of my knowledge of the concept of heat energy. Through that process, I was able to manipte heat itself to some extent.
Heat magic is quite useful and allows me to regte my body temperature with ease. I was thrilled to be able to do this with a babys body.
Most importantly I discovered that it was rather simple to change mana into heat and that my conversion efficiency is good. Rather than creating mes, converting mana into just heat energy can create more energy with less magic.
That is to say converting mana into heat energy, contracting it, and releasing it creates a means for me to attack.
Im three years old, but Ive sessfully obtained a means to attack.
However, it is necessary to keep irradiating it to produce a reasonable effect. I would like to find ways to improve this, such as increasing the amount of mana used.
Ive also be better at handling the mana in my body little by little. When activating magic, I used to use the mana in my body as a ma, but now I can spin the mana inside my body without activating it.
I feel that the mana in my body is more concentrated than the mana in the air. Just moving the mana in my body was a good way to control my magic. Most importantly, I can do this in my room if Im just moving mana in my body.
I guess you could say that Im getting ready to flee.
Although, it would be difficult for me to survive on my own at this age. In addition, my life would surely be in danger if my true identity were to be exposed. Thats why I think Ill behave myself for a while.
I have no desire to be Emperor but the emperor role had been imposed on me. In addition to the Chancellor and Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, Ive met with some other nobles (probably from prominent houses).
Well, even though I said I met them, they just came to greet me one after the other. I guess they dont expect anything from a three-year-old. It felt as if they were telling me that I sit there and be a figurehead.
I wonder if there really is such a thing as its natural to remember the names of nobles, which Ive often seen in novels where people reincarnate as nobles themselves. All the nobles Ive met have only given me their official position or title, so I cant remember their names at all.
Maybe they have something like real names here. Im called His Majesty instead of my name as well. The only time Ive been called by my name was when a religious person (like a priest or pastor in my previous life) came into my room with a thick book and performed something like a baptism on me.
Bute to think of it, the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies introduced themselves by name. Its not taboo to use your real name after all.
But Ive heard people refer to their masters by their real name. Those two dont feel any loyalty towards me, but they may have introduced themselves by name for courtesy.
Hmm I dont know. It would be simple if I could ask someone about this, but I cant since Im only three.
It would be useful to be able to gather information secretly without being detected, so I have tried magic such as illusion and invisibility but I havent been able to seed. Ive been practicing magic for a while now, so I know that my magic will activate if I imagine what I want, but I havent been able to imagine illusions or invisibility very well.
I dont know anything about optical camouge or its principles.
Will I find out what I know first, or will I escape first?
Geez, it really is inconvenient. I cant wait to get out of here
Also, Ive recently been able to distinguish between the Chancellors faction and the Regent faction.
The Chancellors faction calls him Ryou Lord Raul [2]They use right or left (politics) with his title as well but unsure which and the Regent faction call the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies Lord Aquicurl. In contrast, those in the Regent faction call the Chancellor, Lord Raul, and those in the Chancellors faction call the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, Archduke Aquicurl. Those who dont include Ryou or Arch in their titles are from the neutral faction. There may also be those whose public position differs from their actual position. However, just being able to distinguish between the two is a significant step forward.
I believe this is essential information for survival. Im d I was able to identify them before I started talking to the nobles.
At night, Im put to sleep in the glistening canopy. My bed is too big, the room is too big and there is always a guard by my bedside.
Humans are adaptable, and Ive learnt to sleep under these conditions. Its times like this that make me realise that Ive be Carmine.
But luckily, there are times when the night guard is asleep. This is probably a big problem in terms of security, but Im thankful that he falls asleep sometimes.
I made sure that the maid on the chair was asleep and reached down to touch my private regions.
Im sure youre wondering what Im doing, but its not what youre thinking.
Ive been wondering about the magic diaper for a while now, so Id like to analyse it.
I can go to the bathroom on my own since Im three now. The only time I wear this magic tool is at night, and itll eventually be removed, so Id like to find out how it works before that happens.
Ah, the toilet is a flush toilet by the way. Theres no lever to pull like in modern day toilets, instead, theres always a small amount of water constantly flowing through the toilet. It was a let-down since I heard that there werent any flush toilets in medieval Europe.
But then again, there were flush toilets in the Roman Empire so maybe its not that strange.
Now back to the magic tool.
Since Ive sessfully broken it down, Ill dismantle the round part and the tube part.
First, the tube part yeah, the rooms too dark to see anything.
The round part is the same, but I feel a strong or rather dense manaing from it, and its flowing out into the air little by little.
Im sure the mana wasnting from the air, but from this dense mana in the tip of this part.
I would like to light themp. But I cant wake up the night guard, and I dont know anything about magic, so Im not sure if I will be able to understand anything, so Ill give up on this for now.
Instead, theres one more thing that I would like to try.
I want to see if I can use the mana from the magic tool to activate magic. At first, I converted it into heat energy.
I got a momentary response, but the mana quickly faded away.
Next is to block the connection of the shaft, or hole with my palm and convert the mana inside of the tool into heat energy.
I did it.
Next, Ill release my hand the heat energy stayed in my palm it is indeed warm.
I see.
There was some kind of magic tool or magic that prevented me from using magic indoors, but now I understand its effect.
The effect of the spell on the magic tool that makes it impossible to use magic indoors is probably immobilise mana in the air or something simr.
When you use magic, you convert the mana in the air into reality or energy.
Its like ying with y. Mana was y. You knead it to form something and that bes magic.
However, if the y ispletely dry and hardened then it cant be kneaded nor can it form into anything.
So, if the mana in the air is frozen, then it cannot be kneaded and magic wont activate.
Magic in sealed ces can be activated, so I can move the mana in my body and magic tools can be used. Perhaps it can be activated because it doesnt make contact with the mana in the air.
So, if I covered a magic tool with my hand like I had done earlier, the magic will work inside of the tool, and theres no spell in this room that can neutralise the effect of magic once its been activated.
It also takes mana to move or fire the magic once its activated, thats why theres nothing that can be done when magic is activated in the way it was just before.
The heat in my palm has already cooled down because it takes mana to maintain the heat energy.
But I got an important clue this time.
When the mana from the magic tool flowed into the air, I felt magic being activated temporarily.
In other words, when new mana flows out into the air, there is a slight dy until the mana is neutralised.
If the mana from my body can be released outside and activated for an instant then wouldnt I be able to use magic indoors?
Okay, lets give it a try.
In the meantime, I have a bad feeling, so Ill reassemble the diaper that I took apart and put it back on.
Then, I move the mana in my body and gathered it in my right hand. Its easy so far. The problem is how do I get the mana out of my body.
For now, Ill change the image I have of mana. Ive been imagining it as liquid until now, but Ill change it to particles. The size of the particles should be small enough to pass through the gaps between my skin cells. Ill call this magic element.
Then the magic element started flowing out one after another in my palm. I quickly converted this into magic and then heat energy.
I did it. I actually did it. I wonder if the mana in my body is highly concentrated since my palms are extremely hot.
At the same time, I felt weak. Ah, so this is what happens when the mana in your body is drained.
I fell down and fainted.
Chapter 5: Method to Recovering Mana
Chapter 5: Method to Recovering Mana
Im a three-year-old who can now use magic even indoors.
Suddenly, I woke up to find myself surrounded by doctors.
Thats right, I fainted. The doctor told me to rest for a while since it wasnt life-threatening.
By the way, the maid who was guarding me at night was pale. Thats your fault.
The mana in my body hasntpletely returned but it has returned to some extent. Perhaps people in this world have an organ that generates magic.
Even so I cant believe that I would feel that weak when magic leaves my body Im not missing something important like my soul, right? Im getting anxious.
Ive be able to use magic indoors, but I faint after using it once, so its not very useful.
Is there not a way for me to increase the mana in my body?
I did it.
It was really a coincidence.
A few days passed since then and for the first time in a long time, I was allowed to go out in the garden where I secretly practiced my magic as usual.
I was making a ball of light about the size of a candy and adjusting its brightness in various ways, hoping to learn magic that I can use in the dark (or more urately,mp magic that wouldnt wake the dozing watch guard). Suddenly, a maid came running up to me.
I was about to deactivate the spell in a panic, but for some reason, I immediately thought, What a waste. Maybe because I had used a lot of mana to reduce the brightness of the ball of light.
Adjustments consume an equal amount of mana, whether its making it brighter, darker, or changing the size.
Anyway, I thought it was a waste, and when I deactivated the ball of light, I imagined mana being in particle form instead of a liquid form.
Then, a little bit of magic element that was released from my palm entered my body.
I was able to take the mana in the air into my body.
I believe I have a talent for magic since I was able to sense it at once and with a small amount.
However, when I absorbed the mana into my body, I couldnt take in arge amount at first. I felt full or as if I was suffocating. Perhaps, the amount of mana in my body had reached a saturated amount.
I think I absorbed enough tost two or three times indoors.
It was at this point that I remembered that the mana in my body was denser.
As I slowly blended the mana, I had absorbed with the mana that was already in my body, I gradually lost the feeling of being full.
From that point on, it was a repetition of absorbing mana and blending it in with the mana that was already in my body.
Thanks to this, I was able to absorb quite a lot of mana. Somehow, I felt that my body was in good shape.
The problem was that I needed to concentrate a lot when blending the mana in the air with the mana in my body. It also took a lot of time to do this.
But it wasnt as bad as it soundspared to the benefits of being able to use magic indoors.
Just because Ive never seen it before doesnt mean that everyone doesnt know this method to absorb mana. So, it might not be an advantage or anything.
But I guess thats okay. Im not going to get a good education as long as Im going to be a good puppet. Im d Im not the only one left behind.
The reason the maid came running up to me? She told me not to pick up things. They thought I had picked up a rock or something.
Ive suspected this for a while, but the maids see me as a child and not as a puppet.
I feelplicated since Im mentally an adult, but Im grateful.
Its a pity that the Chancellors faction is only obedient when the Chancellores, and the Regents faction is only obedient when the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies or the Regentes. Its tough being a court official.
Well, I can usually answer when asked a question.
Well, its normal to be able to have a simple conversation at this age. This is my own selfish impression of children, but they always ask whats this or whats that when theyre curious about something Probably.
Its convenient for me that people from two different factionse to take care of me on different days. Theres probably no exchange of information between the factions since theyre hostile towards each other.
I already have knowledge since I reincarnated. There are many things about me that would normally be unnatural.
For example, how to use the toilet. I was able to use it without a second thought from the first time I used it. At that time, I was told, Its quite impressive that youve already learnt how to use the toilet.
To sum up, the maid thought that the maid from the other faction, who hade the day before, had already taught me how to use the toilet.
I was able to listen to all sorts of information without fear thanks to this. However, I couldnt ask much political information. I mostly asked about things around me.
For example, lighting. The one in my room is attached to the ceiling, just like in my previous life. Apparently, it is a magic tool. However, only a small number of people in this nation are able to use it.
I was able to learn a bit about this empire as well. There was once an empire called the Lothar Empire, and it was destroyed. The area was in chaos as many nations were divided.
So to speak, it was a time of great disturbances.
In the midst of all that, the Emperor Cardinal, who was a distant rtive of the ruined Lothar Empires royal family, founded this empire, the Bungdalto Empire. Im the eighth emperor of this empire.
Next, lets talk about the building I live in. This is a one-story building which means there is no second floor. It is bigger than a mansion; it is a giga-mansion. Apparently, this building is just one of the buildings in the Imperial Pce. I was told that this was a temporary residence until I reach a certain age.
I am told that the Imperial Pce is a collection of several pces.
Each time an emperor is enthroned, a new pce is built or renovated. It is so massive that people need to move around in horses or carriages.
As expected of a nation called Empire.
This building is part of the pce built by the sixth emperor and was originally the residence of the crown prince of that time. Oh, the crown prince is thete emperor that is, my grandfather.
I dont know what he looks like, but I dont think its a bad idea to live in a ce where my grandfather spent his childhood.
In my previous life, by the time I became aware of things around me, I didnt have a grandfather. Well, I guess its true in this life too.
Incidentally, I heard that the unused pces are used as temporary residences for high-ranking aristocrats such as the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies when they stay in the capital.
Also, even though I didnt hear this directly, it seems that pces with one-story buildings like this one are called Princes Pce. These pces dont have second floors because it is impolite to have someone on the second floor (above the emperor) while the prince (in my case, the emperor) lives on the first floor. Well, I can understand their way of thinking. There were people who thought the same in my previous life.
Then, why does the princes room have to be on the first floor?
This probably has something to do with restrictions on the water supply and the fact that he is a child.
This building has a toilet and a bath. Both have running water and a good drainage system. However, the water pressure is quite weak. There are no showers, and although the toilets are flushable, they have a constant stream of water running down the hole.
Perhaps pumps havent been invented in this world yet, and it would be inefficient to have water facilities on the second floor or higher.
And the prince who uses the facilities is a child. So, if the princes room is on the second floor, then he would have to go down the stairs every time he wanted to use these facilities. They must have thought that would be dangerous.
Actually, Ive been walking around as I please ever since Ive been able to move. The maids dont try to stop me. Though, they do stop me from entering the kitchen and other dangerous ces.
After all this spection, all I could think was, I wish I knew how a pump worked. Some people may think its easy, but its easy to forget or not know things that you dont use in your daily life.
I was a Liberal Arts major. Now I realise how fortunate I was in my previous life to be able to easily look things up on the inte.
Leaving that aside
Ah yes, I also heard another interesting story.
Normally, emperors go through the enthronement ceremony after they have been crowned as the crown prince to be the emperor. However, I didnt go through these two stages since I was born as an emperor. It seems the biggest dispute between the Chancellor faction and the Regent faction is when to hold the enthronement ceremony and who will ce the imperial crown on the emperors head.
The person who puts the crown on the emperors head will probably have the second highest authority after the emperor.
Well in any case, if Im going to run away, it should be before the coronation.
Chapter 6: Funeral Prayer
Chapter 6: Funeral Prayer
I turned four. Lately, my routine has been repetitive; I walk around, ask the maids questions and secretly train my magic.
Today, things were different from morning.
Your Majesty, youll be wearing this today, the maid said as she showed me ceremonial clothes that had been well-made and never worn.
By the way, the maids dress me.
I got used to it. Even when they strip me naked. I mean, the maids do wash me from head to toe when I bathe. Its not as bad as being bathed.
Well, Im used to them bathing me too.
Leaving that aside
The maids took me out of the building after changing my clothes. Its the first time Ive been outside except for when I go to the garden.
Im a little excited, partly because Im wearing formal clothing. Maybe its my first official duty.
I was a lower-middle ss citizen in my previous life, so its a little exciting to do something emperor-like.
There was a carriage and a group of cavalrymen guarding the carriage outside. Its my first time seeing a carriage, but its much bigger than I thought it would be Its just because Im small?
I boarded the carriage as I was told to. The inside was covered in cushions.
I knew why the inside of the carriage was covered in cushions when the carriage began to move. The carriage bounced around a lot, so it might be dangerous to sit inside if there were no cushions inside.
It was fun to ride in the carriage since it was like riding an attraction.
Am I acting like a child because Im wearing formal clothes and riding a carriage? Im not sure if my physical age is affecting my mental age as well.
It seems possible.
Dejected by this possibility, I got out of the carriage and followed the maids.
We arrived at a ce that looked like a church in my previous life. I wasnt Christian in my previous life, so I dont know if it actually looks like a church or not.
But I think this building is nice. There was a mosaic made out of coloured ss at the back of the building, which created a sacred aura in the sunlight. There is a drawing of a ship and its captain? Its a ce that makes me want to pay my respects even though I wasnt particrly religious in my past life.
Thats why its a shame that theres a tform (like one used by a school principal in the gym when he speaks) there that ruins the atmosphere. It looked like it was made out of jewels, gold and perhaps silver. Honestly, it was distasteful.
Ive been brought here without any exnation, but Id like to know whats going on.
Whats happening?
The maid next to me pondered a bit then answered, A funeral is being held today.
A funeral?
Yes. Were here to see the deceased off.
No, I know that.
Who?
Its
Who is it? Is it the Chancellor or the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies?
Its Norm de Alemanne-samas funeral.
Who?
She was your fathers concubine, a voice came from behind me as if covering for the stammering maid, and the maid turned around and bowed deeply.
Its been a while, Your Majesty.
I turned around and the Chancellor lightly bowed.
Well, alright. More importantly, who is this concubine?
Everyone was in grief when your father passed away. Your mother, however, locked the two concubines in a dark tower.
I see?
The Queen Regent had me in her belly when my father died, and she imprisoned the two concubines who might have been pregnant as well.
She still kept them locked up even after it turned out that they werent.
One of them passed away, so her funeral is being held today, and the Regent and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies arent here; only the Chancellor is here
I see. So, Im being used for political purposes now?
So, the desired response is
How sad
I need to look sad as well.
Is this what you want, Chancellor?
Thats right. Thats right.
The Chancellor nodded his head in agreement. He spoke again, perhaps because he was pleased by my response, In fact, she killed your two-year-old brother and his mother, even though the mother was only a servant and wasnt even an aristocrat. She did something horrible.
My half-brother?! Was he the heir to the throne before I was born!? No, his mother wasnt an aristocrat, so it was a grey area. Maybe thats why the Chancellor turned a blind eye to this
But still ording to what Ive heard my grandfather, the previous emperor, should have still been alive at the time of my fathers death.
The Queen Regent was able to do as she pleased.
Or is it the other way around? Its hard to believe that the previous emperor wouldnt do anything, especially after his grandson was killed. So, he was killed before he could take any action?
The Queen Regents father, the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, assassinated him?
Its highly likely. Im not sure what to make of that, its not like I can do anything now.
I dont understand.
This pce is really a ce where I can be killed immediately if Im not careful.
I sat down on a chair and listened to the clergys sermon (he is probably the Chancellors brother). Apparently, this kingdom believes in the Holy One Religion.
They tell stories about the Holy Great Person when they are sending off the dead to paradise so that they can reach paradise safely without getting lost. Today, he is talking about the founder of the Holy One Religion.
The people in the back started talking for a moment when the clergy started talking Maybe they only talk about the religions founder when a special person has passed away. For example, kings and emperors. Thats why the Regent faction got noisy.
They say that religion and politics are inseparable, and it seems to be true. I dont care about it since it has nothing to do with me.
Now, the story was very interesting. The clergy wasnt a good speaker, but I listened attentively as someone who wants knowledge, and understood most of what he said, although there were some words I didnt know.
In summary, the story went like this.
The religions founder, Ain was from a neighbouring continent, then he heard the voice of God. But Ain suspected that the voice was caused by magic or something and didnt believe the voice. God showed him several miracles but he didnt believe them. Therefore, God made Ain a Saint. He was given the power to create miracles.
Ain finally believed God after performing many miracles.
He was told by God to spread the teachings and lead the people. Ain, the evangelist, does as he was told and tries to spread Gods teachings, but was severely persecuted.
Then, he embarked on a long boat trip with a few followers guided again by the voice of God.
Wherein they encountered many difficulties. However, they overcame those difficulties with the power of miracles and finally arrived at this continent, the promisednd.
Gods teachings eventually spread and the Saint who had fulfilled his role, was called to Gods side.
That was the beginning of the Holy One Religion. I noticed something as I listened to this story. Each of the four walls of this church had a ss painting that corresponded to this story.
The back wall where the entrance was showed Ain receiving the power of miracles, the wall on the left showed him being persecuted, the painting at the front, which I had been wondering about earlier, showed his voyage, and the wall on the right contained a picture of him arriving on this continent.
I dont know if this story is true or not, but it was honestly interesting. It made me realise once again that I knew nothing about the history of this world.
It seems like it would be fun to be a historian when I get out of here.
The sermon eventually ended, and the coffin was closed. I closed my eyes and mourned her death.
I had never met her before, but I hoped that she would rest in peace. Her life must have been unfulfilling, and she was used for political purposes even after her death, so it would be nice if she could at least rest in the afterlife.
I, or more urately, anyone in this ce could end up in a coffin at any time. Thats the kind of ce the pce is.
It really is a bad ce.
Chapter 7: Law of Succession
Chapter 7: Law of Session
Hi, its the Emperor. Im still a puppet today.
Various people have been incessantly trying to indoctrinate me with things that are convenient for their factions since the funeral, and Ivee to understand a lot more.
Brainwashing can be a great way to learn if you can think for yourself. Thanks for all the information.
First, why am I the Emperor (puppet)? I had a hard time getting this information because no one wanted to talk about it.
The Emperor before me was my grandfather, Edward IV. He had only one son; my father, the former Crown Prince, Jean. He was killed in battle when he wasmanding the front line. The Emperor died from grief when he had heard that his only son had been killed.
Are you kidding me? He was definitely assassinated.
Thus, in the midst of the confusion caused by the Emperors vacancy despite it being wartime, a miraculous peace was created under the leadership of Lord Aquicurl and Lord Raul. Only the political opponents of the two ceased to be
But those two arent allies or friends; their goal just happened to match temporarily. The two immediately began scheming to enthrone someone who would be convenient for them both, but there was a reason why they didnt start political strife right away. Yes, it was because of me.
To be precise, they werent sure if the child in the belly of the former-Crown Princes wife was a girl or a boy. I dont know much about thews of session in this empire yet, but it seems that only direct male descendants are definitely given the highest priority.
Then, a boy was born and the other heirs who the Chancellor and Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies were trying to enthrone were killed, by their own hands.
That way, only those two would have the power in this empire, and of course, what followed was political strife between the two.
Seriously, what the hell are they doing?
Now the question is why didnt the two cause civil war?
One of the reasons is because of the difference in their military strength. Lord Rauls faction has nearly half of the empire under its influence, and they also apparently have the most advanced military region in the empire. Lord Aquicurl would have no chance in a war. I dont know how he feels about Lord Raul being the most powerful man in the empire, but he allows him to be.
Another reason why they dont cause civil war is because theres a good chance that the next emperor will be Lord Aquicurl. This is determined by thew of session in this empire, and it seems that even Lord Raul cant disregard this. He had killed someone who had an even higher ce in the order of session than Lord Aquicurl. If I were to be assassinated during wartime, then he would be a mere traitor. As long as justice is on Lord Aquicurls side, there may be defectors from Lord Rauls faction. Therefore, Lord Raul had no choice but to overlook the fact that Lord Aquicurl is number two in this empire.
Its simple why Lord Aquicurl doesnt kill me, because the Empress Dowager is his own daughter. He would bear the stigma of being his grandsons killer if he were to assassinate me. Even though he was the closest in terms of session, it was hard to believe that the aristocrats would support the enthronement of someone with such a stigma.
But thats as long as I stay neutral. If I leaned towards one side or the other, then the other one would use force no matter what.
Well, in brief, Ive been able to survive because Im the perfect bnce between the two.
Now, theres been a big chance recently. That old hag has finallye out in public. Apparently, she felt a sense of crisis after I was politicized at the funeral.
Toote.
Well, I would love to see the two factions crush each other, and itll probably create an opportunity for me to escape.
The first thing she said to me when she started toe see me was, Its disrespectful for a maid to talk without the Emperors permission. As a result, the maids wouldnt answer unless I spoke to them first, and they began to feel distant.
Well, I guess shes afraid that Id get attached to the maids and ignore my own mother. I can understand that.
But I hate you.
Mother came into my room again today and the first thing she said was, Your Majesty. You cant trust Lord Raul. Hes definitely nning to do something bad.
Its annoying to pretend to be a pure and innocent child.
Naturally, I reply like a stupid child, Mother, who is Lord Raul?
She means the Chancellor, right? I know.
Its the man who is called the Chancellor. That man intends to take over this empire.
Really?
I thought he wasnt going to touch me at the moment.
Yes. That man married his own son to your aunt without permission. That is uneptable despotism.
Hmm? Hold on, Father has a sister and shes alive? Ive never heard about this before. Id like to know more about this.
I have an aunt?! I didnt know that
Yes, your father has two sisters. One of them is now the Queen of another nation, and the other was forced into marriage by Lord Raul. Im sure hes trying to dethrone you.
I tilted my head in confusion, pretending not to understand her. Dont act unnecessarily.
That man is trying to make your aunt the next empress.
So, Aunt is going to be the next empress after me?
Ive never heard this before. The bnce is shifting
No, that cant happen. That is just the empiresw. Under the familyw, your grandfather will inherit the throne.
Oh, some more new information.
Familyw? Whats familyw?
Spit it out!!
I worked hard to get information out of her after that ording to the information she gave me, there are two types of inheritancews in this empire because of the way this empire came about.
As Ive mentioned previously, the original empire that existed in this area was Lothar Empire. A different ethnic group called the Bungdalto tribe came to that empire and became aristocrats.
Later when the Lothar Empire copsed, the emperors throne was passed onto the Bungdaltos, who continued to apany the remnants of the Lothar Empire. Then something happened and this empire became the current Bungdalto Empire.
So, this empire is the former Lothar Empire ruled by the Bungdaltos, and there are twows that exist: the Bungdaltos Family Law of Session and the Lothar Empires Law of Session.
Of those two, the Empire Law is a male priority sessionw meaning that even women can be empresses. On the other hand, the Family Laws session rights are limited to men therefore, women cannot be emperors.
Incidentally, no woman has ever be an empress since this empire changed its name to Bungdalto Empire.
Make it onew!!
Its time for the old hag, who gave me this information, to leave.
Dont worry. Ill definitely protect you. So please, dont trust that man.
Ok. Mother are you leaving already?
I wont miss you but give me more information.
Yes, that man will put up his guard if I stay with you for too long.
No, you just want to enjoy your tryst with your lover. I heard everything about it from the maids.
Yes. Pleasee visit me again, Mother.
Well, well she gave me information that would have checkmated me if I hadnt known about it and Im grateful for that.
Fine, Ill give you a hug for your service Stinky!! You stink of perfume!! Youre wearing too much perfume, old hag!!
Your Majesty, this is Helck.
Just after the Regent left, Helck le Duffe, the steward came to my room.
After the maids began to distance themselves from me, this man had gained the trust of the Regent, the Chancellor and a very small number of neutral aristocrats, and is now taking care of my personal affairs.
I feel like I could trust him when I heard that, but he only has their trust for their convenience.
For example, my preferences.
Most aristocrats dont have an audience with me now because Im too young, but when Im older, theyll make their courtesy calls. Theyll need to know what I like and dont like so they can prepare for that time.
Who can they ask about this exact information? Thats easy. They can just bribe the person whos always with me.
So, this steward is selling my information and making a lot of money from their bribes.
I can always y the ipetent child emperor (or good puppet) because of him, but theres nothing I can do about this now.
For now, that is.
By the way, my maids have also decreased because of that old hags nit-picking. Not only did she fire those from the Chancellors faction, but she also fired those from her own faction without batting an eye. Maybe she doesnt understand politics
Anyway, I still dont have any allies. If I let my guard down around just anyone, then theres a big chance Ill meet my bad ending (be assassinated).
Id like the neutral aristocrats to help me if possible but people make decisions based on whether or not it benefits them or their families. They cant determine that with a young emperor who has yet to be an adult.
But my body still smells like perfume. Truthfully, this is the first time I learnt that theres perfume in this world.
When was perfume first invented in my previous world? I might be able to measure the level of civilization if I had this knowledge But thats besides the point.
Oh, Helck? Come in, When I answered, the thin door opened and Helck came in.
Oh, the door to this room is doubleyered.
The space between the thick, soundproof outer door and the thin inner door is about the size of a closet. Apparently, it was the stewards privilege to enter that far without the Emperors permission. Other aristocrats need to be escorted by the steward if they want to enter the outer door.
You should show me more respect if youre going to make such strict rules.
The old hag? Shes been ignoring the rules because shes my mother. She will probably be insulted through politics tomorrow.
There is someone here to see you, would you like to meet him?
Give me the name.
Okay, let hime in.
Well, since hes not saying his name, its probably
Your Majesty, this is Karl.
the Chancellor.
Now, take a deep, deep breath
HELCK, HES TRYING TO KILL ME!!
Shouting is tiring.
Ah, Im talking in first person? When Im with the old hag I call myself I[1]boku and I use I[2]yo at other times.
Im trying my best to act like the ideal Emperor (good puppet) like Ive been taught at a young age, but I let my guard down when Im in front of Mother and act like a child is how I decided I would act.
I normally use I[3]boku anyway.
Your Majesty, please may I have a word with you?
NO!! WHYD YOU LET HIM IN!?!?
Well, Helck let him in because I told him to.
Your Majesty, thats a misunderstanding.
Oh? You spoke even though I didnt speak to you or give you permission to speak.
I dont believe you! MOTHER TOLD ME!! She told me that youre trying to kill me.
Your Majesty, thats all a misunderstanding. My son and Lady Mary are only engaged to be married. Another kingdom cant take over the Empire if Lady Mary were to marry into another kingdom, so as Chancellor, I acted out of concern for this Empire. Of course, they wont have their marriage ceremony until you get married.
Werent you thinking of enthroning my aunt instead of me? Whether shes engaged or married to your son, youre going to be her guardian, so you will hold the real power and be the sole winner. If you kill me, you can hold the ceremony straight away by saying its for the Empire.
I wont be fooled. Ill act like I am though since Im a baby!
Anyway, when did I bring that up?
Helck. You were eavesdropping when that old hag came, werent you? So, youre pretending to be in the neutral faction when youre really in the Chancellors faction, arent you?
Ah, I see. You get less bribes and wont be able to enjoy yourself as much if the Regentes here again and again without going through you since Lord Aquicurl and those in the Regent faction cane see me through the Empress Dowager. He must have requested that the Regent and I be prevented from contacting each other for a while in exchange for giving the Chancellor information first.
So, will he criticise the Empress Dowager after this?
Your Majesty, your mother is trying to take advantage of you! You cant let her deceive you. Dont forget that she had a child with her lover without ever seeing you!
Why are you yelling at me? Oh, I see. Children shrivel up when theyre yelled at, right? Then, Ill pretend to be scared.
But, but Mother said she loves me
Your mother is currently having a tryst with her lover. Do you want to go and see?
How sad that I have to do that.
Okay. I understand. Ill believe you.
Haha. Thank you, Im most grateful for that.
Ill make sure you know Im weak.
Are you on my side?
Oh Your Majesty, this is so sad. Of course, I am. This Karl will always be on your side.
Liar. Look whos talking.
The Regent didnte to my room for a while after that. Well, I guess she was criticised.
Instead, two more maids from the Regent faction were attached to me.
Politics.
Chapter 8: The Observer in the Attic
Chapter 8: The Observer in the Attic
Its been five years since Ive reincarnated into this world. I turned five and began to meet with aristocrats every day.
Most of them introduced me to their daughters who are the same age as me. They thought their daughters would make good consort candidates, but I had no right to decide this.
By the way, most of the aristocrats are men. I guess the idea of male supremacy is still strong in this world.
However, there were a few women who held aristocrat titles, and they all seem to have a talent for magic.
Apparently, the aristocrats of this world are all originally from mage families. This makes sense when I consider the principle behind the creation of aristocrats.
Aristocrats were originally warrior ss people on Earth.
Being able to use magic in this world means that you can fight. If so, then most of the warrior ss must have been mages. As a result, many of todays aristocrats are also mages.
Which means the talent to be a mage is probably inherited.
Mage supremacy may take precedence rather than the idea of male supremacy.
I dont know what to do. I was going to hide the fact that I can use magic, but I night be ostracised since youre not a noble if you cant use magic.
I have to be careful in this area.
By the way, the girls dont look at me kindly. The reason is simple. Im too chubby.
Thats because Im barely allowed to exercise, and Im forced to eat a lot of food; and its all fatty foods and sweets. Its no wonder I got fat.
But well, the worst thing about this is that its fine as it is. At most, look down on me and ignore me.
Its not like Im scared of the girls because they look at me with disgust. Its just I cant have what I dont have.
Meeting with nobles, eating, agreeing with what the Chancellor and Chief of Ministry of Ceremonies say, and secretly practice magic. Thats what I do every day.
That only thing I enjoy is practicing magic.
Eating? You think cold, greasy food tastes good?
I would be afraid to eat them without a poison taster since Im the Emperor.
Well anyway, thats why Im making a lot of progress with my magic practice.
I can control heat freely and I can now control objects remotely.
Ive also learnt a lot of new magic.
Among them, Im focusing on developing magic that I can use after my escape such as magic to create invisible barriers and healing magic. I can also use sleep magic to force the sleepless guard to sleep.
I was able to sessfully develop this magic without any obstacles.
However, as usual, Im not good with magic that requires water or wind.
The magic wont work if you cant visualise it, and it wont work if you only know a bit about it.
It works better if you image it like how it would appear in anime and games.
Well, its not like I cant use water or wind magic, its just inefficient.
Im happy with that for now.
On the other hand, there are three types of magic that dont seem to seed at all: time, space and death.
Ive never seeded in developing these types of magic no matter what kind of image I had of them.
I believed that there werent many rules to magic, but maybe there are rules and limits.
Its also possible for me to study this when I escape from here.
I, who was thinking about this, may have been careless.
I was training my magic in bed after I put my night guard (the maid) to sleep as usual.
I decided to try use detect magic which I had never used before.
It would be better if I can detect the guards if I were to escape from here, and it would be ideal if I can detect them through walls.
The first thing I thought of was to unleash an ultra-wave of mana, but it didnt go well due to the immobilisation of mana that was casted inside the room.
So, I decided to release a weak heat absorption spell in all directions.
I can absorb a lot of heat from ces that were hotter than their surroundings and only a little from ces where the temperature wasnt that much different. Now, if I could construct the results in 3D in my mind, then I would be able to determine if a ce has a high temperature because of body heat. The problem of the immobilisation of mana block can also be solved by having mana continuously channelled into the spell and have it return heat energy instead of mana.
Furthermore, if I set the target of the heat absorption spell to behind the wall then I can search for enemies through the wall.
By the way, the most difficult part was to visualise the feedback in 3D and I repeatedly failed at this.
However, I got used to it from repetition. Then, I was able topletely perceive the two guards outside the door. The spell was a sess, I can say I havepletely mastered it.
I also realised at the same time that there is someone in the ceiling.
I desperately suppressed my scream. I felt as if the heat in my body was disappearing.
Its a building without a second floor, this means that whoever or whatever it is, is in the attic.
I dont know if theyre an assassin or observer; either way, its not good.
Im prepared to put up a barrier at any time if its an assassin. I began to gradually break out into cold sweat.
Its even worse if its an observer. Ive been practicing my magic every day and I dont know how long theyve been there.
If theyve been here the whole time, then their master knows that I can use magic indoors
Ive never seen anyone use magic indoors other than me before. If few people can use magic indoors, then that means that I have a rare ability.
People call that talent.
Bad, bad, this is bad!! Have they found out that Ive been pretending to be ipetent? They might get rid of me Would they rather kill me off pre-emptively? But I dont think that would make the situation any better
What the hell should I do?
In the end, I greeted the morning without a wink of sleep that day.
The next day, they were still in the attic, and the day after that too.
I couldnt sleep a wink during that time. I had a feeling that someone was watching me, but I dont know the purpose of the person they serve, so I couldnt discard the possibility that they are here to assassinate me.
I was so scared and nervous that I couldnt sleep well.
So, naturally, I fell ill.
It happened on the third day after I noticed the presence in the ceiling.
I came back to my room after I had my meal and passed out.
When I woke up, there were a number of people around me who looked like doctors.
Apparently, they had concluded that I had been poisoned.
If this continues, then someone will have to take responsibility and be killed.
They asked me if I tasted anything different or smelled something unusual, but I said no to all their questions.
Finally, I told them that I hadnt been feeling well since the day before and they apparently concluded that I wasnt feeling well.
The tense aura of the adults around me rxed and I was relieved.
After that, I couldnt resist the urge to sleep, so I fell asleep again.
In the end, the person in the attic didnt take any action.
Also, the person in the attic seems to be a different person every day. Their physiques seem to be different from what I can tell with my heat sensing magic, but its only a minor difference, so I dont really know.
The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies still dont seem to know that I can use magic, and I dont think the maids are aware of this either.
I decided to give up. If I really thought about it, someone who could use magic better than me could easily kill me.
Ill worry about it when it happens. Ill give up for now.
By the way, now that Im aware that poison exists, people dont get suspicious of me even if I eat less.
This is how I seeded in getting my body back into shape.
Chapter 9: Blue-Eyed Fiancée
Chapter 9: Blue-Eyed Fianc¨¦e
Ive changed some of the sentences which contain magic to mana where appropriate >.<
I had raised the possibility that they use adopted names here, but apparently they dont.
At first, aristocrats, who are officials, would immediately answer when I asked them for their name.
It was probably easier for a child to remember their position rather than their name. Actually, I dont remember most of their names.
But I remembered the names of those who seem to be in the neutral faction.
Id like to be on good terms with the neutral faction even if its just until I get out of here.
The first was the Lord of Treasury, Count Geoffroi de Newnbal.
He looks older than he is, his head is balding, hes always pale and often holds his stomach. He is the person who is preserving the finances of this empire, which is on the verge of ruin and is getting worse year by year.
Hes in a position that should best understand the neutral faction.
Money is necessary to do anything even in this world. Politics is no exception. If the person who controls the finances were to join either faction, then the bnce of power would bepletely tilted.
Having said that, the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies seem to be pressuring him quite relentlessly. His unhealthy appearance betrayed the grief he was going through.
The second person is Richter de van Warung, also known as Lord Warung.
He was given the position of marshal, the highest rank among militarymanders, in the war that took ce just before I was born, and he had superiority in the Empire. However, when my father, the Crown Prince, was killed in battle, he was forced to take responsibility and stripped of his marshal rank.
He lost an eye during war and has it hidden under an eyepatch. The scars on his face and his warrior appearance definitely make him popr.
He brings his daughter with him when hees to meet me. I think her name is Nadine.
Maybe its because Ive lost weight recently, but the girls who the lords bring with them look at me with the eyes of a predator, but she looks at me with contempt, or like she ces herself above me.
And its my current obsession to make fun of her while pretending to be an idiot. By the way, she has a fatherplex. Though, thats hardly shocking.
The third person, Count Ptine Vedett, Alfredo le Vedett. Apparently, he dered that he would side with the person who ces the crown on the Emperors head at the coronation.
He didnt say what his official position was, but ording to what I heard from others, he is the Chief of the Ministry of Intelligence.
In other words, this man is probably the master of the people in the attic.
However, there was no way I could ask such a question in front of the maids and steward.
I tried to find out more about him because hes pretty formidable. Its not that he has a poker face or anything like that; its just that hes always elusive.
So, I decided to try a different approach. The first thing I did was say, So, you have no work to do!? in front of the lords since he didnt state his position. I was really looking down on him and this probably ruined his reputation.
Arent you afraid? Im extremely scared of being assassinated. But the man looked really surprised at first, then said, I am working. He even smiled. It really wasnt a clear answer.
As expected of the Chief of the Ministry of Intelligence.
However, the presence of the people in the attic changed from that day. There were days when I couldnt feel any motivation from the person in the attic and there were days when I felt bloodlust from the attic. Well, Im just surprised Im able to recognise bloodlust.
Well, Count Ptine Vedett is definitely their master, judging from their reactions.
The role of Count Ptine Vedett is to monitor and protect me.
I have to deceive their eyes if I want to escape but its alright for now.
On that day, I was brought to the reception for the first time, since I met the lords in my room. The fact that they were using this room, with its paintings and pottery, meant that the personing today is probably a foreign envoy.
Its finally my diplomatic debut.
As I waited in anticipation, a girl not much older than me appeared.
She was escorted here by the miser steward, Helck le Duffe, and she had a perfect smile on her face as soon as she entered the room. It was indeed a perfect smile, but it was too perfect. I could tell right away that it was a fake smile.
Your Majesty, this is the first princess of the Belbe Kingdom, Rosalia van Chalonge Cruveilhier.
The girl, who had been introduced by Helck, greeted me (it was like a curtsy, but her hands were in front of her stomach, so that they were visible).
Her blonde hair was loosely curled and wasnt quite in ringlet curls, and her light blue dress looked good on her.
Pleased to meet you, Your Majesty. My name is Rosalia van Chalonge Cruveilheir. The owner of the crystal-clear voice looked up. Her eyes, which were as beautiful as sapphires, wavered uneasily.
In a few words, she is a beautiful girl. It was honestly depressing to see such a beautiful girl cowering.
I was never told where the Belbe Kingdom is, how powerful it is, or what kind of rtionship it has with the Empire.
Aha! Which means they dont expect me to respond properly because the Chancellor and others will handle the diplomacy.
So, why is a princess, who is about the same age as me, sent here in the first ce?
I dont mean to brag, but I dont think I have a very good reputation, since Im at the mercy of the nobles.
What is the purpose of sending a princess and a first princess at that, to me? Are they trying to engage us? Or do they want to turn my response into a diplomatic issue?
Hmm, I dont know. The Chancellor and others intentions that have brought me this far might be different from those of the Belbe Kingdom.
Besides, I dont know if her fears are for me or for the Chancellor and the others.
Hmm. Ill trick them to find out the answer.
I like you! Be my wife! Everyone in the room, Helck, Rosalia and the maids, were dumbfounded by my words.
Those are nice reactions. I feel like this is bing a habit.
Helck was quickest to regain hisposure, Hah? No, our Majesty. It is impossible for you to marry at your age
Then do that. Theres something simr to that, isnt there?
An engagement? Rosalia spoke this time. Her surprise seemed to have softened her nerves and fear.
Yes, this is much better than a fake smile. A stiff smile like that would ruin a beautiful girl.
Yeah, that. You look like youre smart What Helck? We cant do that either? I said as I pretended to be unhappy. I no longer feel embarrassed when putting on these little performances anymore.
Thats not it, I have to ask first
Then, go! What are you doing?!
Y-yes! Im sorry. Ill go right away!
Helck rushed out of the room.
The engagement was unexpected from the Chancellors faction, judging from his reaction.
Also, todays maid is from the Regents faction, but she left the room by herself after Helck ran out. The Regent faction is the same, huh.
I dont know if this is allowed, and I dont know what the Belbe Kingdoms purpose is in the first ce, but its only an engagement. Even if we get engaged, it can be called off at any time.
Besides, its annoying how the lords try to appeal their daughters to me. I dont know if this will reduce that. I guess its better than not trying.
And frankly, its a perk to get along with a beautiful girl, even if its just until I escape.
No, Im not a lolicon.
I believe shes going to be even more beautiful when she grows up, arent you getting ahead of yourself? This might raise a g or something.
So, what kind of ce is the Belbe Kingdom? I asked Rosalia and she opened her crystal-clear eyes and smiled cutely.
Yes, Your Majesty. My homnd is
Yes. Its better for a girl to have a natural smile like that.
I listened contently to what she had to tell me as if my work had been done, and didnt realise that she didnt say my kingdom, but my homnd She had already prepared herself.
A couple weekster, the engagement between me and the first princess of the Belbe Kingdom, Rosalia van Chalonge Cruveilheier, was announced.
Chapter 10: The Day the Great Emperor was Born
Chapter 10: The Day the Great Emperor was Born
I just lived.
I just lived.
There was nothing interesting about my life.
There was nothing special about me and I didnt stand out more than others. I wasnt born into a special family, nor did I have any misfortunes. My family raised me with love. I went to school, graduated, got a job and worked. That was all.
I had no dreams, no loved ones, no reason why I couldnt die, no reason why I didnt want to die no reason why I wanted to die.
Therefore, Im certain that my previous life came to an end in a verymon way.
I really hated that kind of life.
I still wanted to be someone special even though I didnt have any talent or influence.
But I couldnt. I didnt even make an effort to be someone special. I didnt have the nerve to do so, and I just lived in a hazy state of resignation.
I just lived. That was my previous life.
Maybe thats why Im surprisingly enjoying this life more than I thought even though I dont know when I will be assassinated.
I dont want to die. That is one truth. Its the natural surviving instincts of a human No, of a living being. Thats why Im willing to give up my special status as emperor.
But I also thought this:
If I have to live as a boring person like in my previous life then
I had a bad dream.
It wasnt exactly a bad dream, but it wasnt a pleasant one either.
I woke up and sat up. It seems to be a little earlier than when I usually wake up.
Normally, the maids dont start working until a certain time.
But today, they were in a good mood, and they quickly dressed me.
Which isnt surprising since today is a major national event that urs every fifty years: National Foundation Day.
I let the maids dress me as I remembered what I was told about todays ceremony.
It all started 150 years ago. It is said that the first emperor of the Bungdalto Empire, Cardinal,ter known as the Founder Emperor, decided to rebuild the empire on the Founders Hill near the imperial capital, following the wishes of the fallen Lothar Empire.
He gained the throne, toured every corner of his territory and informed his people of this. The citizens, who had missed the peace and tranquillity of Lothar Empire, weed the news with joy.
Fifty yearster, Edward II, the fourth emperor of the empire who was known as a wise ruler, held arge ceremony tomemorate the founding of the empire. The citizens, who were normally told to bow their heads when aristocrats passed by, were allowed to raise their heads and cheer on this day.
This ceremony was also held 100 years after the founding of the empire, which meant that today is exactly 150 years after the founding of the empire.
Its a parade. Aristocrats have a weak spot for tradition. I heard that both the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies will be present at the ceremony today.
I was put into a luxurious carriage.
And by luxurious, I dont mean just the outside. It seemed to be a custom-made carriage with a very strong barrier magic on it. On top of that, there were arge number of cavalrymen guarding the carriage. They were also wearing armour and were armed.
Arent they the main attraction of the parade? More so than the puppet emperor?
Well, itsfortable in the carriage since Im alone in here. Its been a long time since Ive been alone. I can excuse anything.
I heard that only the emperor and his consorts are allowed to ride this carriage for the ceremony. I also heard that fiances are allowed in here too though.
By the way, my fiance, Rosalia, has gone back to the Belbe Kingdom. Its not surprising since shes their princess If Im not careful I may never see her again
Now, its alright for me to nervously board the carriage, but it seems that we wont be passing by the citizens for a while. First, I have to go pray at the church that was built on Founders Hill and then the parade will happen on my way back.
Thats why Im rockingfortably in the carriage.
This is the perfect time, so Ill summarise what Rosalia told me about the Belbe Kingdom.
Belbe Kingdom is located at the edge of this continent, on a penins to the northwest of this Empire. It has little agriculturalnd and its main industry is the export of mineral resources. It is economically dependent on this Empire but doesnt have a direct border with us. In short, it is a poor kingdom.
However, it has a long history and was founded in the year 163 of the sr calendar. This year is the 460th year of the sr calendar, which means that the Belbe Kingdom has been in existence for nearly 300 years.
Incidentally, the sr calendar considers the year when the Holy One Religions Saint Ain came to this continent as Year One. Most of the nations in this continent belong to the Holy One Religion, so it ismon to count the years by this calendar.
Anyway, the Belbe Kingdom is a traditional kingdom, and the current Belbe royal family is said to have inherited the blood of the first emperor, Cardinal.
In other words, theyre my distant rtives.
But its a small Kingdom and isnt a vassal state of the Empire. On top of that, the kingdom is currently in a critical situation, having been deeply invaded by the neighbouring nation.
To put it bluntly, it doesnt seem to be a kingdom that would be beneficial to get involved with. Thats probably why the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies were observing them carefully.
But then the Emperor said that he was going to get engaged to their princess. The Chancellor and the others are having a difficult time as they are facing bitter opposition from the nations that are hostile against the Belbe Kingdom. However, even though the Empire is declining, its still the Empire. The Empire probably wont be dragged into war in light of the difference in national power.
Thats all I understand as a puppet who cant get involved in politics.
The church on the Founding Hill was much small and simpler than the one I went to for the funeral, but I liked the atmosphere. It was outside of the capital, so it wont be easy to visit again, but it was a ce that I wanted toe back to.
After the prayers at the church, I boarded the carriage again. The Chancellor and other aristocrats also got onto their own carriages, and the vanguard had already departed.
This parade will now enter the capital and head for the pce. During that time, the citizens are allowed to look up and raise their voices.
Lets be clear. Im scared right now.
Im aware that Im much better off than the citizens. I dont believe that the people of a nation, where politics has stagnated due to the repeated political strife between the leading aristocrats, are living affluently. The Emperor, who should be improving this situation, is at the mercy of the leading aristocrats.
So, the people have a right to hate me. I think its natural for them to hate me.
I know that their anger and resentment is justified, but Im afraid that it would be directed at me.
If the citizens revolt, then I will be sent to the guillotine. This is something that Ive prepared myself for since a long time ago when I realised that I had reincarnated as an Emperor. But Im scared that Ill be confronted directly with those feelings.
Still, the parade carried on.
I heard cheers from the front. Is that what they wanted? Arent they just being forced by the aristocrats to shout in joy?
Finally, the carriage I was riding in crossed the fates of the imperial capital.
I heard shouts of joy that made the air tremble.
LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR!!
OUR HOPE!! OUR LIGHT!!
The citizens of the imperial capital were shouting at me. The dirty-faced and skinny citizens were smiling dazzlingly as they cheered for their young emperor.
Why are they happy?
Its because they expect great things from you. Both the previous Emperor and your father were popr with the people, one of the guards heard my mutter and replied.
I see
I was stunned for a moment, then my body started to shake.
Its ridiculous. It wouldnt be strange for them to look at me with hatred and me the Emperor for their difficult lives, and yet they praised the helpless Emperor.
I dont know what feelings or thoughts they have for the young Emperor, but I wondered if I ever smiled at someone with so much hope in my previous life.
A crowd full of people is something I had seen and is something that had been a part of my previous life, but their eyes are only on me now.
That in itself is terrifying. If their eyes were filled with hatred and anger, and if their cheers turned vindictive, then Ill be killed in a horrible way.
But my shaking isnt from fear.
I have never been this needed in my previous life.
I was ordinary and receable.
This feeling is definitely a foolish delight at having people have high hopes in me.
But I found it worthwhile to spend my whole life achieving it.
Kingdoms fall and people die. It may all be in vain.
But even so, Ill try my best to live as the Emperor.
I vowed to myself in the midst of the cheers that shook the earth.
Extra 01: Balthazar 01
Extra 01: Balthazar 01
The Imperial Guards is a traditional position that has been implemented since the days of the Lothar Empire.
The best of the best was chosen to be Imperial Guards, and their duty was to die as the Emperors shield, and they were looked upon with respect and awe by the people. There was no end of people who wanted to take this prestigious position, and thepetitiveness was endlessly high.
All of that was in the past. The 6th Emperor, Edward III, sold this position for money, through the infamous right to buy.
Anyone who paid money could im this prestigious position, and it sold like hotcakes.
As a result, it became a tool for nobles and merchants to give dignity.
The 7th Emperor, Edward IV, abolished this, but the title had been sold to too many people. Furthermore, during the reign of Edward III, the Chancellor held the right to appoint people to the Imperial Guards (the sale was done by Edward III), and Edward IV was unable to regain this right.
There was no trace of the powerful Imperial Guards of the past in the current Imperial Guards.
But even if they were rotten, they were still Imperial Guards. If all of them cant fight, then they cant fulfil the role of a guard. Therefore, several capable people were appointed as Imperial Guards.
Balthazar Chevird is one of those people.
As amoner, he was ostracised by his aristocratic superiors and ridiculed by the troops in the unit that he once belonged to for sucking up to aristocrats.
The only way for him to rx is to go to his favourite bar, Goose To see the poster girl.
Aina-chan, listen.
Youve had too much to drink, Balthazar. You have work tomorrow, dont you?
Aina, the 19-year-old poster girl. She is said to be the most beautiful girl in themoners district. However, her father, the owner of the bar, looks scary, so the number of customers in Goose wasnt much different than from other bars.
And the drunk person being dealt with by Aina, is Balthazar.
Hehee. Its time for you to go home, Imperial Guard-san.
Shut up, Schwarov. Dont call me that.
Balthazar is 24 years old, and still in the prime of his career, but he looks older than he does as he regrly visits bars and grumbles with the poster girl.
Whats wrong with calling you that? Didnt you say the Imperial Guards pay well?
Balthazar was asked by a regr customer who was sitting on the same table as him, and he replied with a frown.
Im not using it since Im unmarried, so Im just saving it up. And Im doing odd jobs for aristocrats, its disgusting.
Then, one of the customers lifted his empty mug.
Which means it wont hurt your wallet if you shout us a drink! Aina-chan, one more!!
Alright. Ill shout you a drink. Aina-chan, me too!
At the sound of Balthazars voice of despair, the people around him cheered, Whoo! and asked for more drinks.
This is thest round~!
Aina warned as she received the silver coin from Balthazar, then she quickly gave the Master the order she had just received.
Balthazar caught a glimpse of the Masters eyes from the back of the bar and it was obvious his eyes werent smiling.
The scary Master wille out if I dont take my leave soon, a strangely calm part of his brain thought, and Balthazar sighed.
He had survived to this day in aristocratic society as an Imperial Guard. No matter how drunk he got, a part of his thoughts was still coherent.
Its not worth it, its not, just as Balthazar said this to himself, the ale he ordered had arrived.
Oh yeah, Balthazar, are you going to be part of the uing parade as a guard? Aina asked.
I guess, he answered.
So, youre going to meet the Emperor too?!
Oh, the rumoured young Emperor? I hope he resembles thete Emperor or His Highness Jean, Balthazars drinkingpanion said, and he frowned.
Hes a 5-year-old brat. Hes been spoiled from birth and hes worthless.
You cant talk about him like that.
Aina pointed at Balthazar and his mouth ckened, then Schwarov asked, So, do you think youll actually get a chance to see him?
Yeah. Im sure I will. Ill be guarding the Smallest Fortress (Emperors Carriage). Balthazar sounded annoyed. He threw roasted beans into his mouth and drank his ale.
Then you might be able to talk to him in person!! Balthazar is surprisingly amazing.
Balthazar looked hurt by Ainas honesty. He coughed and said, Ill tell you if anything interesting happens, Aina-chan.
Really!? Yay!!
Oh, thats nice. Then thatll be our entertainment the next time we go out drinking, Schwarov said.
Balthazar yelled angrily, Im not talking to you!! Then, the Master came out from the back of the bar.
Youre disturbing the other customers.
Balthazar, who had already taken a beating from the ex-soldier Masters arm before, drank up the rest of his drink and said, Ille again, before leaving.
His back exuded the sorrows of a typical bachelor.
Balthazar Chevird was amoner; however, his family lineage was not that of a farmer, but they are retainers who had been employed by a certain Viscount House for generations.
His father was killed in battle when he was 15 years old, so he went to the battlefield as a retainer The Viscount, his Lord and General at that time, gave him a rmendation and he came to the Imperial Capital by himself when he was 21. He was involved in maintaining public order in the Imperial Capital as a member of the guards, and it was just this year that his abilities were recognised, and he became a member of the Imperial Guards.
He was satisfied with the high sry of an Imperial Guard at first, but within a month, he had grown sick of it.
The aristocrats looked down on him for being amoner and they were jealous of him, so he was forced to look after them. It was understandable that Balthazar felt disgust for his new superiors (the aristocrats).
More importantly, they would also be the ruin of the aristocrats that Balthazar knew and whomanded troops on the battlefield. The corrupted aristocrats who nest in the capital are just so greedy
He hasnt quit his job despite suffering so much because he is strong, but more importantly, he couldnt return to his home.
His former colleagues in the guard where he worked untilst year, seriously disliked him for cosying up to the Imperial Guards. That was how much the citizens of the capital disliked aristocracy.
The Emperor and Crown Prince were killed by an aristocrat?
This is the rumour that every citizen in the capital has heard, and many of them believe it.
Balthazar also believes in this rumour, and he even thinks that the two Archdukes may have done it.
But the rumours spread too far I can only assume that someone is spreading it deliberately.
Oh, scary, he shrugged, then he finally reached his house in the aristocrat district.
This is called the aristocrat district but that didnt mean that only aristocrats lived here.
Aristocrats basically keep their distance from other aristocrats. Of course, there are some who are said to have close rtionships, but their rtionship can change drastically as the generation changes.
Therefore, there was a lot of distance between the aristocrats homes. Between their houses live those who serve aristocrats or work at the pce. The house Balthazar lives in falls under this category.
He opened the ornate door of his home which was small but too big for one person to live in, and it had a garden. He lived alone in a quiet house without much furniture.
Like how Balthazars family is working for a Viscount House, it was normal for a whole family to work for a House for generations; therefore, there were no houses for bachelors in the aristocrat district.
It would have been fine for Balthazar to hire a maid, but he kept insisting that it wasfortable alone, so he didnt hire any.
And yet, he went all the way to a bar in themoners district because he wanted to socialise with others. Of course, he also cant cook for himself, so he had to go out to eat.
The room he entered while tipsy was a mess, in contrast to the other rooms which were empty. It was correct to say that he didnt use any other room except for this one.
Ah, I have to work again tomorrow. What a pain, Balthazar said to himself as heid down, using the scattered clothes on the floor as beeding.
I should buy a bed sometime
A bed is too expensive for manymoners. This man made enough money to buy one.
Even on the morning of National Foundation Day, Balthazar arrived at work exactly on time. He was a serious man at work no matter how unmotivated he felt.
However, when he saw his superior in a bad mood early in the morning, he regretted that he hadnt arrivedter.
Ah. Whats wrong? Balthazar spoke to the man.
The man scoffed before replying, The guards forced their way through! Dont they know about tradition?
Balthazar was annoyed at the condescending attitude that his low-ranking aristocrat superior always showed him. He was curious and asked, The guards? Theyll be guarding the parade?
The guard unit was newly established. Their duties are the same as that of the Imperial Guards.
They were the product of the so-called factional strife. Since the Imperial Guards belonged to the Chancellors faction, the Regents faction created a new unit on their own. Therefore,pared to the ruined Imperial Guards, the guard unit can only be described as shabby.
(They cant guard anything, can they?)
Balthazar thought that guarding the Emperor was a hassle, but it is what it is. He was going to do it and he was going to do it right.
Half. Ah, were the ones guarding the Emperors carriage. Good luck.
( Call him His Majesty properly, you pig.)
Balthazar inwardly cursed his fat and stout superior. He didnt expect anything from the young Emperor, but the aristocrats who only saw the Emperor as a pawn werentpatible with him.
Hmph, if you understand then get going. Youre a knight even though youre not even an aristocrat. Do they not care about tradition?
The man may have sensed Balthazars inner thoughts and waved his hand as if to drive him away.
Excuse me.
(It was the Chancellor who forced the position of knight on me.)
He left the room and headed for his beloved horse; his inner thoughts were stormy.
In some nations, knights also had an aristocratic status, but they were treated delicately in the Empire.
This was due to the influence of the right to buy policy. Aristocrats had called themselves Fomar Aques (Imperial Knight), but Edward III treated it as a new position and put it up for sale. It was the most popr title under the right to buy policy.
As a result, there are countless people from mercenaries to mid-level merchants and even thieves who call themselves Fomar Aques.
However, Balthazar was appointed as Quole Aques (Imperial Guard), which existed before that, and ispletely different from Fomar Aques which was created for the purpose of selling, but unfortunately people didnt know the difference.
Balthazar was also disgusted that peoplebelled him as a knight, but if he was just amoner and not a knight then his superior wouldnt have even spoken to him. That is what status is.
Balthazar would have been more than pleased not to have to talk to them.
Balthazar regained hisposure when the aristocrats finished their mass at the Founders Hill.
The Emperor got into his exclusive carriage and Balthazar also strode his beloved horse.
(At any rate, youre very small, Your Majesty Thats the Emperor of this nation?)
Balthazar secretly thought, This nation mighte to an end. Balthazar, who frequented themoners district, sensed that from some of the citizens in the capital.
Balthazar took his ce next to the Emperors carriage as it began to move. It would be a lie to say that he wasnt curious about the appearance of the child who he had just seen from a distance. However, it was disrespectful to stare at the Emperor. He kept his horse facing the front. His duty is to protect the Emperor.
(Well, theres really no need for that, is there?)
The carriage the Emperor was riding in is equipped with all kinds of defensive techniques. The efficiency was so great that it is said to repel magic and even live ammunition.
If someone wanted to assassinate the Emperor while hes riding in this carriage, then they would need to bring a cannon, which has recently been put to practical use in Lord Rauls fief.
(Although a single person wouldnt be able to shield it if a cannon was shot at the Emperor.)
He thought this as the march continued.
Eventually, the Segue Gate came into view. Its currently being expanded, but the original Imperial Capital, Cardinal, is located beyond this inner wall. Therefore, on National Foundation Day, the citizens of the Imperial Capital, who live outside the inner wall will gather here as they did back then.
As soon as they passed through the gate, everyone cheered loudly.
LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR!!
OUR HOPE!! OUR LIGHT!!
Woah.
The sound of their loud cheers startled Balthazars horse. He quickly calmed his horse down, but he had gotten a little too close to the carriage.
Why are they happy? Then he heard a small mutter. It was a boys voice.
(His Majestys voice sounds like this)
Balthazar heard the Emperors voice for the first time, and he felt strange that his wish woulde true in such a way.
(Come to think of it, its an honour to be addressed directly by the Emperor.)
He knew that such an opportunity would nevere to amoner such as himself.
(Hmm? But was he talking to himself? If hes not, then its alright for me to answer.)
Balthazar wanted to answer the Emperor because he thought it would make for good conversation at the bar. He was certain Aina would be happy if he told her about this.
It was unlikely for a five-year-old to remember his face, and in the worst case, he could say that he thought he was being spoken to, so it would be rude not to answer. He was certain it wasnt disrespectful. Balthazar slowly pulled his horse up to the carriage.
(Why are they happy? Isnt it because they like the Emperor?)
Being a child may also be one of the reasons for his poprity. Although the citizens of the capital were suffering from the hardships of life, there were few who would fall so low as to turn their anger at a young child.
But answering like that is Balthazar worried, then spoke, Its because they expect great things from you. Both the previous Emperor and your father were popr with the people.
After saying this, Balthazar regretted that he hadnt given a better answer.
The young Emperor was stunned, then he muttered, I see.
It was then that Balthazar saw the Emperors eyes for the first time.
His golden eyes began filling up with joy. He really is a child. Hes that happy to know that the voices are directed at him. Balthazar thought.
However, after shutting his eyes for a moment, the Emperor opened his eyes again and Balthazar couldnt believe they were the eyes of a child.
(Woah?!)
They were the eyes of a soldier, heading off to the battlefield and ready toy down his life. The determination in his eyes wasnt half-hearted either.
The Viscount he once served the General he once served, had that look in his eyes before a decisive battle.
(No, it must be my imagination it must be.)
There was no way a five-year-old boy could have eyes like that. Balthazar told himself and the Emperor spoke to him again, You taught me something good. Whats your name?
Balthazars instincts were telling him not to give his real name. It felt as if he was going to fall into an enemy trap on the battlefield.
(Sorry, Schwarov. Im borrowing your name Oh, but I dont know hisst name.)
Schwarov le Goose, Your Majesty.
Perhaps it was because he was thinking of Aina earlier, but he quickly made up a fake name consisting of his drinking buddys name and the name of the bar.
I see, Ill keep that in mind, the young Emperor replied, and Balthazar bowed his head and quickly pulled his horse away from the carriage.
(Well, shit. I shouldnt have talked to him.)
It was toote to regret this. But he had given the Emperor a false name. The Emperor wont find out that it was Balthazar who had spoken to him, and he would probably forget about Balthazar right away. Thinking that time would solve the problem, Balthazar decided not to think about it too much.
But he was scared, so he didnt talk about this even when he went to his usual bar.
However, his fate had already been decided.
As it turned out, Carmine never forgot about this day in his life.
It was the day that the young Emperor decided to rule his nation himself.
Extra 02: Rosalia 01
Extra 02: Rosalia 01
Rosalia van Chalonge Cruveilheir celebrated her seventh birthday on a ship bound for the Imperial Capital.
The adults, who were also on board, offered her only a few words of congrattions in the morning and then immediately began a serious meeting for the millionth time.
They were diplomats from the Belbe Kingdom, and they only had one agenda, which was how to get the Empires help.
Rosalia watched the scene with a poker face, and there was resignation in her eyes.
(Lord Raul or Lord Aquicurl. I might be offered as a hostage to one of them. They might make me a concubine if they like me but if they dont)
The kingdom where she was born and raised may perish; this was how far the Belbe Kingdom had been cornered.
Belbe Kingdom, where she was born as a princess, is a nation located in the north-western part of the Eastern Continent. It is a nation with a long history, and the western half of the penins at the tip of the continent was now called the Belbe Penins.
Their most stable period in their long history was probably when they were allied with the Lothar Empire when they were actually a vassal state of Lothar Empire.
They werent proud of it, but they weed the peace that came with being a vassal state.
However, their peace was shattered by the appearance of a group of people who called themselves the Inheritance Sect the Holy One Church. They designated the point where Saint Ain firstnded on the Eastern Continent as the Holy Land and have made it their supreme mission to reim it.
The point where hended was located at the tip of the Belbe Penins, and it was in front of the capital of Belbe Kingdom.
Thus, these two forces fought.
On one hand is a nation that had epted to be a vassal state so that they could avoid war, and on the other hand, an army of fanatics who are driven by religion and talk about death in battle as martyrdom.
It was one-sided once the fight started.
ording to the Holy Scripture, In thend where the fleet firstnded, evil teachings prevailed. They didnt ept the teachings of Saint Ain, and the King of thend ordered Saint Ain to be captured. This was being interpreted in the wrong way.
The King of the Kingdom that existed before the Belbe Kingdom had indeed tried to capture Saint Ain. He didnt want to capture him because he was a heretic, but because he wanted information about the other continent. The technology of the other continent was superior to this one at the time, and there were craftsmen on the fleet who had learnt this superior technology.
The schrs inter generations cited the technological gap as one of the reasons why the Holy One Church spread quickly through the Eastern Continent. Some nations protected them because of their superior technology, and they were able to proselytise on arge scale.
However, the fleet, who had been suppressed on their continent since birth, were quite fussy at the time. They described that nation as evil after having fled.
The Inheritance Sect believed that the nation that persecuted Saint Ain is an evil one. It didnt matter to them that the dynasty had changed.
Of course, the Belbe Kingdom did take measures against them. They tried to avoid conflict by making the Holy One Church a state religion.
But it wasnt the same sect. In consideration for the Empire, the Western Sect, which the Empire designates as its state religion, was also made the Belbe Kingdoms state religion.
As a result, the Inheritance Sect got even more aggressive.
To them, all different sects are heretical. Those who do not know the Holy One Church are thought to be unfortunate people, however those that were heretics are considered to be depraved people who have been seduced by the devil.
In other words, they were allowed to do whatever they wanted.
Viges were burnt and people were killed each time they caused a Holy War.
Even when they eventually took on the name of a nation, Tomis Ashinaqui, their brutality didnt stop.
Then, thest ray of hope, Lothar Empire, was quickly destroyed due to the riots.
Thus, the Belbe Kingdom endured for the past 200 years while losing their fiefs little by little with each war.
But their time of destruction was about toe.
Tomis Ashinaqui (the Inheritance Sect), which once only had one city, hadpletely conquered the eastern part of the Belbe Penins, and its national power had finally surpassed Belbe Kingdoms. The Belbe Kingdom had been defeated a number of times since the time when they held superior national power. In the past few years, Tomis Ashinaquis aggression has be more intense than ever.
This year, the Belbe Kingdom was driven to the tip of the penins. Their few remaining farnds were burnt and their people were unlikely to survive the winter.
Wouldnt the royal family wee us more if we joined their royal family?
That failed a hundred years ago, didnt it? The Bungdalto Empire didnt abandon its neutral status!
We should beg the Empire for help.
Thats over the mountains! Its too far! Give us a more realistic n!!
But the political strife between the two Archdukes is so fierce If we beg for help from one of them then the other side will help our enemy.
These conversations had been repeated dozens of times on this ship.
And in the pce, this conversation had been repeated hundreds of times.
The King made one decision as a result of these repeated conversations: Beg for help from everywhere and dont return until you have obtained help from all nations. Use any means necessary to achieve this.
The King sent his daughter, the first Princess, as a representative for this mission.
It may seem like Rosalia wasnt loved by her father, the King, but that wasnt true. She was raised with love as the eldest daughter.
He was cornered so badly that he was forced to send away his beloved daughter to be a hostage.
Therefore, Rosalia was willing to board this ship. As a member of the royal family, she was determined to save her kingdom.
(Ill do anything to save my kingdom I dont care if I be some old mans concubine. But will doing that really save my kingdom?)
That was the only thing that worried her. It didnt matter what she had to go through as long as her kingdom was saved. But even then, if its not saved, then her efforts would be in vain.
What could be more miserable than that?
However, her father, the King, thought it was okay and sent her away.
Regardless of how she was treated, it was better than staying in her kingdom and falling into the hands of soldiers.
She understood this since she was intelligent for her age.
Therefore, she was determined to carry the fate of her kingdom on her shoulders and ept whatever situation she may find herself in.
However, there were feelings she couldnt let go off.
In addition to thoseplicated feelings, the tension, fear and panic of being entrusted with the fate of a kingdom overwhelmed her mentally.
(Oh yeah, I heard the current Emperor is younger than me I havent heard too many good things about him, but I wonder what hes like.)
She suddenly thought as she was swayed by the boat.
It was almost time for her to meet her destiny.
The ship would soon arrive at the Empire.
Extra 03: Rosalia 02
Extra 03: Rosalia 02
Rosalia van Chalonge Cruveilheir was stunned by the size of the imperial capital.
Theynded in the Aquicurl fief and then travelled for a week up the river by boat. When she finally arrived at the imperial capital, Cardinal, she found that it was so grand that it blew away all her fatigue. Rosalia was excited when she first saw the city walls spreading out in full view.
(If its like this, then our kingdom might be saved!)
Her heart filled with hope as she passed through the gates of the imperial capital.
Her hopes crumbled in just a few days.
She still hadnt met the two Archdukes who held the real power. On the contrary, their desperate pleas to aristocrats of both factions were brushed aside.
The diplomats just hung their heads down in gloom.
Princess, we should go to the next kingdom soon. Its a little far, but Im sure the Hismaphe Kingdom will at least listen to us if we go there.
That would certainly be a better option than this nation, which wasnt listening to them. But its doubtful whether the Hismaphe Kingdom, which is being hunted by the Teiwa Empire, a power on par with Bungdalto Empire, will have the power to save Belbe Kingdom.
Rosalia decided to execute the one idea that she had been thinking about.
Alright but before we leave this nation, could you please allow me to say a few words to His Majesty the Emperor?
You want to speak with His Majesty?
The diplomat looked as if he wanted to say, Whats the meaning of this, but Rosalia continued, Im interested in the person who is the same age as me but in a superior position Is this not possible?
(His Majesty is younger than me and might respond honestly to our plight)
She might be able to use just that one response to negotiate with the empires aristocrats. Thats how much weight the Emperors words carried even though he didnt have any real power.
At the same time, Rosalia felt a pain in her heart at trying to take advantage of someone who was younger than her but resorting to desperate measures meant this. Like the diplomats, Rosalia was also in a hurry.
And like she had said, she was also interested in the Emperor who was around the same age as her.
The diplomats looked at each other and said, The Princess is acting oddly unreasonable.
You are from the same family as His Majesty, the Cardinals, so Im sure an audience will be granted if you request for one.
Isnt that a good thing? Im sure the other nations are interested in the empires Young Emperor as well.
If I can manage to get him to make a briefment about supporting us, then we may be able to use it to negotiate with the aristocrats.
Even if the Emperor says that he would help, it wouldnt actually happen, and its unclear whether this can be used for negotiating, but its worth a try.
Everyone knew that the Young Emperor held no real power, but the meeting between the two of them was going to happen.
Its a pleasure to meet you, Princess. My name is Helck le Duffe, the steward greeted with a smile, but his eyes werent smiling.
I will show you to where His Majesty is.
Thank you very much.
(I see, so hell be monitoring me He probably wont let me talk much. I guess this is a stalemate.)
It was with that gloomy feeling that Rosalia was granted an audience with Carmine.
Pleased to meet you, Your Majesty. My name is Rosalia van Chalonge Cruveilheir, she greeted him, and looked up to see a little boy sitting there. Rumours ridiculed the Emperor as being a piglet, but he was no such thing, he is of standard build, but Rosalia didnt have time to worry about these things.
(If I talk about whats happening with my Kingdom, then Ill immediately be kicked down What should I do? How much will he understand at his young age?)
As Rosalia was thinking about this, her eyes met with the Young Emperor. Rosalia was surprised to see his golden eyes, which were staring her with interest, were tinged with deep thought, just like the eyes of her father, the King or the elders.
(Are you saying that these are the eyes of a young child who knows nothing?!)
It was then that Carmine spoke up.
I like you! Be my wife!
Rosalia felt as if the world had stopped.
(The Princess of a weak kingdom and His Majesty?)
It was unbelievable.
An engagement?
Rosalia felt like she was dreaming before Carmine spoke.
Yeah. You look like youre smart.
Rosalia could see Carmines concern in his inviting eyes. If she asked the diplomats about this, they would have told her that she was imagining things. But Rosalia, who was around the same age as Carmine, sensed that Carmine was different.
Carmine, who had just chased out the steward, looked like a spoiled child.
So, what kind of ce is the Belbe Kingdom?
But how can a mere child change their mood so easily?
With a single sentence from the Emperor, Rosalia had the opportunity to tell him about her nation, which had been troubling her.
Rosalia realised that the situation had changed drastically. Even though the Emperor didnt have any real power, no, it was precisely because he had no real power that his wishes carried weight.
The aristocrats will probably try their best to proceed with the engagement and help the Belbe Kingdom in order to fulfil the Emperors wish and to not let the other faction get ahead of them.
(Engagement I see, Ill be engaged to this person.)
Yes, Your Majesty. My homnd is
It was Carmines and Rosalias first opportunity to talk in a rxed manner to someone of their age.
(I want to be this Empires Empress and support this person.)
At this moment, Carmine was genuinely enjoying their conversation since it didnt involve diplomacy. Therefore, he didnt notice that her cheeks had turned slightly red.
The first meeting between the future Empress, Rosalia and the Emperor Carmine was recorded as a peaceful meeting in the Empires history books.
This was also written in the Empires history books: the imperial court was in a state of frenzy at that time.
At first, the Chancellor Lord Karl de van Raul disapproved of this engagement. Engaging the Princess of Belbe Kingdom to Emperor Carmine would bring them conflict with Tomis Ashinaqui, who were invading the Belbe Kingdom. Even though there is an overwhelming difference in national power between the Empire and Tomis Ashinaqui, Tomis Ashinaqui is a religious nation. If the Empire were to be hostile towards them, then it would directly lead to a religious conflict. Lord Raul simply wanted to avoid any trouble.
However, Phillipe de Garde Aquicurl, the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremony, greatly supported this engagement. Lord Aquicurl, whose fief faced the sea, sent his warships (his personal ones, not the Empires) to escort merchant ships under the guise of protecting trade.
Even though they were escorting those merchant ships, a warship is still a warship, and the Tomis Ashinaqui pirates who had terrorised the seas were brought to a stop.
Carmine said in response, Youre amazing, Chief of the Ministry of Ceremony.
With those words, the two Archdukes sped things up.
First, Lord Aquicurl sold food to the Belbe Kingdom at a discount, and he criticized the Chancellor for disregarding the Emperors wish at the same time.
In response to this, Lord Raul changed his ns.
First, he approved of the engagement and informed all the other nations about the engagement between the Princess of the Belbe Kingdom and Emperor Carmine. Moreover, he offered weapons and ammunition that were produced in Raul fief to the Belbe Kingdom for free.
Lord Aquicurl responded by providing them food for free.
In response to their actions, Tomis Ashinaqui stopped their military actions towards the Belbe Kingdom, and withdrew from the area.
Incidentally, the food, weapons and ammunition didnt officially exist in the Empire.
In other words, Chancellor Raul and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, Lord Aquicurl, were ignoring their obligations to pay taxes and file for tax returns.
From that time on, the peasants in fiefs directly under the Emperors control were gradually bing impoverished, and there was a shortage of weapons and ammunition.
In spite of this, the neutral faction was secretly growing discontent with the fact that those things were going to a nation that wasnt supposed to receive it instead of the nations that were. However, they werent powerful enough topete with the other two factions, so they could onlyin about it to themselves.
However, the power of the two factions was slightly reduced as a consequence of giving away resources topete with each other.
After Rosalia and the diplomats left the Empire, they travelled to neighbouring nations to seek help. By the time the fleet returned to the Belbe Kingdom, the season had already changed, and it was winter.
The situation enclosing the Belbe Kingdom had already changed drastically. The citizens of the Belbe Kingdom had survived the winter and they had seeded in reiming some of the towns that had been taken from them.
In the audience room of the pce, which was much simpler than the Empires, and was actually just a remodelled part of the citadel parent and child were meeting for the first time in months.
But I never thought it could be so easily reversed King Alexei, Rosalias father and the 26th King of the Belbe Kingdom, told his daughter upon her return.
Your Majesty, our kingdom was saved thanks to that. You cantin like that.
Its just the two of us. Stop calling me Your Majesty, Rosalia Im notining. Our kingdom has been saved and for that, Im grateful. But King Alexei didnt seem satisfied with the situation. An infants voice has surpassed his own desperate efforts. It was understandable that he would be dissatisfied.
Im sorry, Rosalia. Im afraid youll have to stay engaged for a little longer.
She was engaged to a Young Emperor who was regarded by some as an imbecile. He believed that Rosalia probably didnt want this.
My. You cant do that, Father. Breaking off an engagement that has been established will put our reputation at stake. Besides, no matter how much food and supplies we have, if we cant win the war, then this will happen again.
Youre right, they retreated because theyre wary of the Empires military power
Politically, they shouldnt break off the engagement. At least, not until they recovered their national power.
Even though the King knew this was the right decision, he is also a parent. He wanted his daughter to marry an excellent man instead of a stupid puppet Emperor.
Its alright, Father. Im proud to be a Princess of this Kingdom, and I have to fulfil my role as Princess.
The King, not realising that those words were his daughters way of hiding her embarrassment, was moved to tears.
His daughters heart was already elsewhere.
(I have to support him and I have to study a lot in order to do so.)
No child knows how dear they are to their parents, or vice versa.
It would have been impossible to believe a few months ago that the conversation between the father and daughter at the pce would be peaceful and harmonious.
Incidentally, Rosalias mother, the Queen, was aware of all this and teased her daughter a lot about falling in love.
Chapter 11: Ancient Guardian
Chapter 11: Ancient Guardian
I made up my mind to live as the Emperor; to do so, I need to get rid of those who are running the nations affairs as they please. Of course, it wont work if I take action now. Even if I did seed, Im not capable of governing now, and the nation will split up and war will break out. What would be left after that would be a devastatednd, and a weakened nation, in other words, the copse of the Empire.
So, I will wait until the timees. I will chip at the power of the Chancellor and Regent faction, build my own forces and umte strength.
For that purpose, I will y the role of the clown no matter how many decades it may take.
But its clearly impossible for me to do this by myself in this pce full of schemes.
That is why I need to find someone to help me first.
Fortunately, I have someone in mind. It is the Chief of the Ministry of Intelligence, Count Ptine Vedett. I need to talk to him alone, as naturally and unguarded as possible.
For the next few months, I stopped Count Ptine Vedett every time I saw him. Then, I would ask him to do a job for me and have him do some misceneous chores.
I once treated him like he was unemployed in front of the other aristocrats. To the people around us, we probably look like a selfish Emperor and Count Ptine, who is forced to go along with him.
The question was whether or not Count Ptine Vedett would get enraged or give up on me. But this man, whether he knew my purpose or not, didnt seem to mind and did the jobs I gave him.
One day, after repeating this process several times, I summoned Count Ptine Vedett to my room.
Thanks foring, Count Ptine. Im going to give the free Count a job today too.
Helck le Duffe, the steward, quietly left the room when he heard my mocking voice.
He wasnt on his guard at all. There werent any maids in the room either, and I was alone with Count Ptine Vedett.
Your Majesty. Ive told you many times that I have work to do, The Count looked at the door as he gave me the same reply he always did. Hes probably telling me that I should be careful since there might be someone outside the door.
I used my detection magic outside the room Hmm, theres no one there. Theres only one person in the attic. The only person listening is Count Ptines subordinate.
I seriously went through a lot of trouble to create this situation, but I guess its better to be really careful.
I decided to periodically send out my detection magic just in case, and after taking a moment to catch my breath, I spoke to Count Ptine, Now then, its the first time Ive spoken to you like this. Thank you for your continuous support.
I spoke to him in an emperor-like manner for the first time since my reincarnation.
No, I was just doing what a subject should do.
He seemed to have noticed everything. His voice was steady, and he even smiled.
If I can make him into my ally, then hell be a reliable ally.
By the way, do those people in the attic work for you?
So, youve noticed them. Thats right. I have entrusted them with Your Majestys protection.
As well as monitoring me, but thats alright. He probably cant trust me after all.
I turned towards the person in the ceiling who was shaken and had made a sound for the first time, I dont mind. Keep doing what youre doing.
I wont do anything to you, and Ill forgive the fact that you turned your bloodlust towards me.
Well, its none of my business how Count Ptine decides to deal with this as the person in charge of the Ministry of Intelligence.
Now, the question is why is Count Ptine in the neutral party?
I heard that you said you would obey whoever crowned me, is that true?
Yes, that is true.
Honestly, its impossible to read this mans thoughts from his expression. He still has a natural posture even now.
When the timees, will you attack me if that person ordered you to?
That depends on the situation. I did say that I would obey them, but I didnt say for how long. Will that be for generations or just for an instant? If you ask me something like that now, then I cant answer.
He started giving me small amounts of information as if providing me hints little by little. Im sure hes just trying to figure out how much I can understand.
So, youll turn a blind eye to me until then?
This man knows that I can use magic indoors. That is my trump card, my lifeline. Im not going to antagonize the person who holds it.
I dont think turn a blind eye are the right words to use. We will obey you.
Why? Dont tell me its because Im the Emperor.
When I asked him if he would attack me just now, he told me that it depended on the situation. To him, the Emperor isnt someone who he must obey unconditionally.
Of course, thats because youre the rightful heir to Lothar. Our Vedett House are the guardians of Lothar.
Lothar Empire was a major power that ruled thisnd before the founding of Bungdalto Empire So, the Vedett House obeyed the Lothar royal family and were their close aides?
There arent any direct descendants of Lothar in this empire, nor does this nation take the name Lothar.
Those are but trivial matters, Your Majesty. Bungdalto Empire is the rightful sessor of Lothar.
I see. It seems that there are some details I dont understand.
To sum up, this man is swearing allegiance to the heir of Lothar and not the Empire, nor the Bungdalto royal family.
And since Im the heir to Lothar, hes been keeping the fact that I can use magic a secret.
Thats nice. Hes easy to understand.
Does the heir to Lothar include Lord Raul or Lord Aquicurl?
No, Your Majesty. They are Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl. They are no more or less than that.
So, Im the only heir to Lothar now?
Yes, Your Majesty.
This man is the type who lives by faith and belief, so I need to be careful I dont step on anyndmines.
What would cause me to no longer be deemed as the heir to Lothar?
As long as you dont forget that youre the heir to Lothar, then therell be no problems.
The Bungdalto Empire has inherited Lothars culture,nguage and history. It is a nation that had revived Lothar culture, which had been forgotten during the chaos that urred after the fall of Lothar Empire.
So, as long as I dont unnecessarily destroy Lothars culture or falsify its history, then theres no problem?
But its possible that I might be dethroned right away if I have a child, since this man answered the question with it depends.
No, Ive made up my mind. I decided to live as the emperor, and I will trust and use this man to live as an emperor even though I dont trust him.
But I have one question before that.
Why were my father and the previous Emperor murdered? Why did you let them get murdered? When I asked this, Count Ptine Vedetts expression became distorted for the first time.
He closed his eyes for a moment and answered, There is no one older than me among my house or subordinates. They all .
I guess they did it to take responsibility for letting it happen. But
I thought the Holy One Church forbade suicide?
We have been guardians of the Lothar Empire even before they epted the Holy One Church.
I see. So, these guys are the kind of people who will be treated as heretics if they make a mistake.
Theyre like fanatics who still believe in the Lothar Empire to this day.
Hes troublesome as an enemy and dangerous as an ally?
But I wont be fit to be Emperor if I cant handle that level of obedience.
Alright. Then, Count Ptine, help me. I dont care if you only help me until my enthronement. Ill take this nation back from them and rebuild it into a powerful nation that will live up to the name of being an Empire.
Count Ptine bowed deeply and said, Very well, Your Majesty. Everything is for the Empire.
Thus, I got a helper or rather, a henchman.
By the way, something urred to me while we were talking.
Its great that I, the baby born after the previous Emperors death, is a boy, but what would you have done if I had been a girl?
Theres no problem with that. The baby girl will still be an heir.
What if she hadnt conceived a child or had a miscarriage?
When I asked him that, Count Ptine Vedett smiled widely for the first time and answered, In that case, we would have killed Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurls whole family, themit suicide.
I see. So, the assassination of the previous Emperor and my father was definitely done by the two Archdukes, and you have proof?
Wonderful Though Im not sure if you should give your best smile at a time like this.
Well, you seem broken as a person, but I dont care.
Everything is for the Empire right.
Chapter 12: Acting Baby
Chapter 12: Acting Baby
I decided to be the Emperor and I got an ally, but I forgot the first thing I need to do.
What kind of ruler will I be?
I need to decide this.
Thats why Im going to set a goal.
Im also a person. I have desires, the biggest of which is called ambition.
My ambition is to be remembered as a wise ruler by future generations.
One day, when the wheels of history move forward and Im spoken of as an important person of the past assuming that I have aplished enough to be one I cant stand to be known as a tyrant or foolish ruler. I have a little bit of pride about this.
I will set up a good government to avoid that.
But the big question is for who? For example, a pacifist King who doesnt go to war with anyone is a wise ruler to other nations, but if he continues to be a pacifist while casting away the interest of his own nation, then hes not a wise ruler to his nation.
I am the Emperor of an Empire. Therefore, I will establish a good government for this nation. Im not afraid to destroy or tyrannise other nations in order to achieve this.
Be that as it may, I know the history of Earth from my previous life. Of course, I dont know if this world will progress in the same way as that, but it will be very helpful. I can predict the future to some extent.
Although, I wont be able to take advantage of this if I only look at immediate profit and prosperity.
I dont intend to be like Alexander the Great, who built a world-famous empire in his lifetime, only to have it all fall apart when he died.
I dont believe I have the talent to do that either.
I willy down policies that will allow the Empire to prosper even after my death, avoid leaving unnecessary grudges and leave solutions for possible problems that the Empire might encounter in the future.
In other words, I will establish a good government that will allow the Empire to prosper for hundreds of years toe.
Thats my goal.
Whether it will actuallyst for hundreds of years is no concern of mine. It only takes one generation to destroy a nation, like the Empire right now.
Well anyway, in order to do this, I need to obtain real power. To gain real power, the Chancellor, the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies and the Regent must be purged.
This purge must be aplished in a single blow.
If any of them survives, then they will oppose me, and this nation will be divided. The people of the Empire will suffer if that happens.
Therefore, I first have to make the Chancellor and Regent factions fight each other, but only to the extent that doesnt lead to civil war. Then, Ill create my own force as much as possible while reducing the power on both sides.
The problem is that I have to do all this without being discovered. Ill probably be assassinated immediately if Im discovered.
Now is the time to lie low. I need to gain strength, secretly gain my own force and wipe out all of the corrupt nobles in a single sweep.
Ill y the fool or puppet to aplish that. I dont care what they think of me right now.
I will only care about what the future generation will think of me.
Now then, Im about to turn six. Now the problem is my education.
By the way, I heard that the previous Emperor started receiving education when he was four years old. Mine is quitetepared to him. Well, I guess they dont want to educate an Emperor who they want as their puppet. This is the same in any world.
But after the recent engagement fiasco, it was judged that ignorance is a bad thing Apparently there were a lot ofmotions involving the Belbe Kingdom.
In addition, apparently the neutral factionined about myck of education.
Then, the Regent faction, wanting to take this opportunity to regain power by getting the neutral faction on their side, dered that the Regent would teach me.
In response, the Chancellors faction also promised to start teaching me. Currently, they are arguing over who will teach what.
Dont use peoples education as a tool for factional disputes.
Well, no matter which faction is in charge of what, they will only teach things that are convenient to them and distort information.
But I want enough knowledge to eventually rule this nation.
I wasnt taught how to govern as a monarch in my previous life. First, I want to get a decent education, at least in one subject.
Therefore, I acted out my usual troublesome theatrics and called Count Ptine Vedett to my room.
Ill start receiving education soon, and it was agreed that Helck, the steward, would teach me history, right?
Yes, as I have reported to youst time.
I also heard about me starting education soon from this crafty guy in front of me. Or rather, most of the information Ive gottentely has been through this man.
ording to thest report he made, the emperor is taught ten subjects:nguage, arithmetic, history, religion, military studies, magic, art and culture, self-defence, politics and horse riding.
However, I will only be taught five:nguage, history, religion, arts and culture and horse riding.
I feel that they strongly want to keep me away from military power and political power.
I know you want to make me a puppet, but arent you too obvious about it?
The other five subjects are a wait-and-see situation. Well it will still be eventually even a hundred years from now, so theyre not necessarily lying.
Of those five subjects, the Chancellors faction will teach religion and arts and culture, whilenguage and horse riding will be taught by the Regent faction. And apparently history will be taught by Helck, the steward from the neutral faction.
This is what I heard from Count Ptine Vedett.
I know its dangerous topletely rely on this man but I dont have anyone else to rely on.
Incidentally, the timing of theints from the neutral faction suggests that this man was behind it. He must have decided that I will be useful after he spoke to me.
The other subjects will also be taught how I previously reported to you.
I see. Then, Ill have Helck step down. Youll take his ce.
Apparently, the neutral faction had nned to only teach me the history of the Empire, but Helck is secretly connected to the Chancellors faction.
Itll be annoying if he only taught me history thats convenient for the Chancellors faction.
I dont mind but are you sure about the other subjects?
I dont care who teachesnguage, art or horse riding. Religion is not worth taking seriously in the first ce.
Religion hadnt been my cup of tea in my previous life either. I had always been sceptical about it.
Understood Do you need protection?
No. The Lords must also want to see how much they can use me.
When I said that, Count Ptine smiled and said, Im afraid so.
The opportunity came quickly. I saw Helck, the steward, and Lord Aquicurl speaking as I was walking.
They stopped talking and bowed their heads when they noticed me.
Whats with you two? Do you get along?
Long time no see, Your Majesty.
I replied to the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, who had spoken to me, Hmm, its been a while. You did well with the Belbe Kingdom. Im d I have loyal subjects like you.
Oh no. Im not sure if its because I said something I didnt think I would, but Im getting goosebumps.
Lord Aquicurl didnt know I had broken out in goosebumps, and pretended to be moved, Ooh! Im grateful to hear you say that. I will continue persevering despite my old age for you, Your Majesty.
No, I want you to go to the other side as soon as possible. His reaction was so loud and annoying. Its a bit disappointing that this is my grandfather.
You shouldnt hold back and visit me more, since I cant see Mother these days.
What?! Is that alright?!
The Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies looked surprised, and the steward stood calmly next to him Sorry, but your close rtionship is over.
I stopped myself from smiling with a steel will and said to the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, It doesnt really matter. The Chancellor came to my room even though I told him not to.
He really did do that. That was when I realized that Helck was connected to the Chancellors faction.
What?
Youre showing your true colours, Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies.
I continued before Helck could say anything, I couldnt do anything. Helck is close with the Chancellor. They often talk alone.
This was aplete lie. Ive never seen them talk together before. Even now, there are a lot of people around Lord Aquicurl, his guards, aristocrats, and maids hell probably never be alone in this pce. Im sure the Chancellor is the same.
If they want to talk alone, then they would have to do so in private.
Its a misunderstanding! Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies! I would never do such a thing!
What? Are you saying that Im lying?! I havent forgotten! I havent forgotten about what happened on the day Mother told me to be careful of the Chancellor!!
Helck probably wanted to deny that he and the Chancellor spoke alone, but I changed the subject. My goal today is to cause the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies to distrust Helck.
N-no, thats
Thats enough Your Majesty, its offensive to doubt your words.
Hmm, alright.
He wouldnt have believed what a child said, but it would have seeded in arousing suspicion. Lord Aquicurl will naturally investigate to confirm this.
And theres no doubt that this steward is connected to the Chancellor faction.
Helck will probably quieten down for a while. Its not easy to dispel suspicion once its formed.
Ill go back. Chief of the Ministry of Ceremony, you need to get along with the Chancellor like Helck.
Finally, I made a childish request for everyone to get along and left. Ive never thought about making them get along though.
I will have a lot of trouble if they get along since I want to destroy both factions.
After that, history lessons were peacefully assigned to Count Ptine Vedett.
Chapter 13: Silver Bloodthirst
Chapter 13: Silver Bloodthirst
Im six years old. There have been many changes since Ive arrived here.
First of all, the Steward, Helck, has less work.
To be precise, only the liaison with the Regency Faction will be done by another person. Im very happy about this. I dont like the fact that he was using me to make money. Serves you right!
Officially, Helck is still the steward, so the Regency Faction has to go through him. So, they created a new position that was separate from the steward position. Incidentally, this was the Regency Factions specialty.
The position was personal attendant. The title given to that person was head attendant in Aquicurls cultural region. I also heard they created a poison taster position.
Well, Ill exin about this head attendantter.
The problem was the person who I was introduced to as my personal attendant was a nine-year-old boy named Timona Renan, who was so beautiful that he could be mistaken for a girl.
And this silver-haired boy is always directing his bloodthirst towards me.
I really wish he would stop it.
ording to the Regent Faction, the boy was appointed since the Regent wanted to give her son a future close aide (or friend) and he was the poison taster because they felt that the results would be more urate if it was done by someone close to my size (it seems that the effectiveness of the poison amount is proportionate to ones weight).
Well, I know why hes directing his bloodlust at me; Its the role of the head attendant.
This culture doesnt exist in Bungdalto culture (like the Raul Dukedom, or near the imperial capital) or in Lothar culture (most parts of the Empire), but among the aristocrats of Aquicurl culture (the so-called Aquicurl region), homosexuality exists.
The head attendant is in other words, the favoured child of nobility. He was chosen to be my male partner.
What the fuck? I didnt ask for this. Im not interested in males.
So, at first, I was wary and annoyed that he was pointing his bloodlust at me. You didnt have to ept the job if you were going to turn your bloodlust at me. I thought it was strange for him to look at me like that.
I finally understood the situation after Count Ptine Vedett exined it to me.
Apparently, Timonas father, an Aquicurl Baron, knew about Timonas aversion to homosexuality, and has refused all advances from the other Aquicurl aristocrats up until now. But he was told that it was the Emperors wish this time, so he couldnt refuse and reluctantly epted.
They used my name as they liked and tricked them into believing that it was my wish.
It was an action that trampled on the dignity of this boy and me.
I will never forgive them.
Furthermore, ording to Count Ptine Vedett, this was the Regents own decision.
Lord Aquicul, who was originally a member of the imperial family and was born in the imperial capital, had no interest in men, but the Regent was born and raised in the Aquicurl region, where this was the norm, therefore she brought this boy here.
Im not opposed to homosexuality, but dont force it on me.
Im going to kill that old hag. I dont care if shes my family or not.
Im sorry, Timona. I cant say this to him while Im acting the fool, so Ill have to endure this murderous aura in silence for now.
If I dont do something about this soon, then hell seriously stab me.
My education has started. It was worse than I expected.
Religious studies only glorify the western sects of this nation. The Western Sect is right! The best! The rest are heresy and bullshit! I was made to listen to things like this every time.
So, I tried to run away from religious studies from then. I really wanted to say, You guys are bullshit! And it was a waste of time.
Art and culture was yup. Deny Aquicurl culture and glorify Lothar culture. I cant believe the factions influence was so evident.
Can you stop cussing and criticising Timona Renan, who stands next to me? Each time it happens, I fear that his bloodlust will increase. Im really starting to lose my mind.
Languages was even worse.
First of all, theyre teaching me too manynguages: Bungdaltonguage, Holy Onenguage (like Latin on Earth), Lotharnguage, Aquicurlnguage, Warungnguage, and Theanabenguage. These are thenguages spoken in the Empire.
Thats too much, and thenguages of the surrounding nations are added to the list.
Well, all thenguages in the Empire are heavily influenced by the Lotharnguage, so it wasnt impossible to learn them.
Also, children have brilliant minds. They can remember a lot after repeating it a few times. Youth is great.
However, the biggest problem with thenguage ss was that I wasnt taught any letters.
The sses were all in listening format. I listen, repeat, then talk. That was all.
That reminds me, I heard that in my previous world, there were a good number of European Kings who couldnt read. Maybe that was just how it was. If they cant read, then they wont find illegal documents or anything.
But this was a problem. I want to be able to read as soon as possible, and I dont want the Chancellor or the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies to find out that I can read.
But this was quite difficult. I was being watched by people from both factions even during my history ss with Count Ptine Vedett.
I have to learn, but I cant. However, Ill just have to endure it for now
Horse riding? I just got to know the horses and ride them. Thanks to that, Im able to ride, so Im not troubled.
Today was my history lesson with Count Ptine Vedett.
Do you remember what you learned in the previous lesson, Your Majesty?
Hmm, I do. We covered up until the Great Schism Period.
The Lothar Empire, which once existed in thisnd, was historically known as Former Giorus Dynasty, Lothar Empire. This nation has existed since Year 101 on the sr calendar and was originally the Lothar Empire.
The Former Giorus Dynasty of Lothar Empire, including the time when it was Lothar Kingdom was a dynasty thatsted for about 20 generations, or about 350 years. In the early to middle of the period, it was a hegemonic state west of the Heavenly Mountain Range.
Incidentally, the Heavenly Mountain Range was arge mountain range located in the centre of this continent, stretching out from the north to the south. It was a steep mountain range that can be seen from the capital on a clear day.
It was Year 53 on the sr calendar when the Holy One Church was epted. At that time, the Lothar Kingdom, which believed in the same polytheistic religion as the Great Monarchy Kalnaan, located to the south of the Empire, was in a peculiar situation where it was superior to the Great Monarchy Kalnaan in terms of power, but the Lothar Kingdom had to pay homage to them in terms of religion. In the midst of this, the Lothar Kingdom, which had epted the Holy One religion and made it its state religion, took its name from the legendary Hyperion Empire and changed its name to the Lothar Empire.
Thus, it became thergest nation on this continent in both name and reality and enjoyed a period of prosperity.
However, in Year 220 of the sr calendar, a rebellion called the Great Rebellion broke out due to the tyranny of the Chancellor, and in the Year 222, the imperial capital, Odunau fell. Although it was quickly reimed, the authority of the Empire was undermined, and frontier regions and vassal states frequently dered their independence. In addition, civil war broke out (Year 234 Year 239) because of religious conflict between the Holy One Religions Western Sect and Inheritance Sect). This was followed by a series of rebellions and the Great Schism Period began (Year 245 ~).
This was a rough summary of what was taught in the previous lesson.
By the way, there is a moment when I feel uneasy while taking this ss; it was when Count Ptine Vadetts showed his hardcore faith in the Lothar Empire.
Excellent. You are so smart, Your Majesty. Now, lets continue. Today, we will talk about the establishment of the Bungdalto Empire. There are a lot of nations in this lesson that have betrayed the Lothar Empire, so be careful not to associate with them.
It might have been a mistake to ask Count Ptine to teach me history after all.
The Former Giorus Dynasty of Lothar Empire was destroyed in the year 248 of the sr calendar. It was destroyed by the Ghafur mercenaries, Grakion.
The following year in 249, the Chancellor, who had escaped the capital just before the fall of the Empire, with a set of treasures used by sessive emperors, ascended to the throne as the sessor of the Lothar Empire in the fortified city of Haulow. This was called the Phetail Dynasty of the Lothar Empire.
The one that destroyed that was the Later Giorus Dynasty of Lothar Empire. This nation was founded by a member of the imperial family from the Giorus Dynasty who raised an army with the locals. This nation had a legitimate sessor ording to Count Ptine Vedett.
However, they were destroyed by the Seldonal Dynasty of Lothar Empire because they tried to revive the political system of the Former Giorus Dynasty and made the remote frontier city Odunau their capital.
The Seldonal Dynasty of Lothar Empire was the sessor to Phetail Dynasty and made Harlough its capital. The Phetail Dynasty called itself the Lothar Empire because it held its treasures and the Later Giorus Dynasty called itself the Lothar Empire because of their bloodline, but this had nothing to do with this nation.
The Phetail Dynasty and Seldonal Dynasty are sometimes referred to as fake dynasties.
In connection to this, Phetail People and Seldonal People dont exist, but it was used as insults to describe deserters, thieves, cowards, disloyal people, people who only have big reputations, vain people, liars and fools.
I wonder if this was true.
Now before we get to the founding of the Bungdalto Empire, lets talk a little about the Bungdalto people.
The Bungdalto people were indigenous people who lived in the area where the current Ghafur Republic was now located (the eastern part of the north of the Empire). One of the tribes (like a branch family), the Gabe tribe, made great achievements in the middle tote period of the Former Giorus Dynasty, and were granted the title of Landgrave. At that time, the other Bungdalto tribes, who had been driven out of their homes by the nomadic Ghafur tribes, also came to the area, and the Gades, who were only one tribe, became the head of the other Bungdalto tribes.
As the fief of the Landgrave was remote, it wasnt involved in any religious civil wars or vassal independence fights. However, because the fief was the frontline against the Ghafur nation, it was unable to send troops when the Former Giorus Dynasty fell. But they were able to protect one of the royal family members, which led to the establishment of the Later Giorus Dynasty. At that time, they married into the Giorus family and became a Duke, the most conspicuous noble family in the nation.
However, the Later Giorus Dynasty moved its capital to Odunau, a remote part of the nation.
Unfortunately, around this time, the Ghafur Kingdom dered imperialism.
The grandson of a Grakion, a Ghafur mercenary (apparently, a hero in the Ghafur nation), who once destroyed the Former Giorus Dynasty, dered that they were an Empire with the treasure he once looted from the imperial capital. He invaded thend of the Later Giorus Dynasty or rather, thend of the Bungdalto tribe who were at the national border.
Both nations had high offensive and defensive capabilities. The war between them also dragged in neighbouring nations and was known as the War of Nations. It was from this that the Ghafur nation went from a kingdom to an empire and finally a republic.
During this war, the Seldonal Dynasty invaded the Later Giorus Dynasty. In response to this, a rebellion broke out between the Bungdalto tribes (apparently they were dissatisfied with the fact that the Gade tribe, which was originally only one tribe, had be the head tribe), so they were unable to help in the fall of the Later Giorus Dynasty.
However, at the time of the fall of the Later Giorus Dynasty, some officers seeded in escaping the besieged Imperial Capital with the imperial g, coat of arms, imperial crown and imperial seal. They delivered them to Duke Bungdalto, the future Emperor Cardinal, who was rted to Giorus House and ording to the Imperialw, was a rightful heir to the throne. Emperor Cardinal, who had just suppressed the tribal rebellion, recaptured the territory of the Later Giorus Dynasty within a year. He also deeply invaded the Seldonal Dynastys territory and proimed his ascension to the throne at what is now the Founding Hill, not far from the enemy capital, Harlough. He named the Empire, the Bungdalto Empire.
This happened in the Year 310. This was currently the Year 461. The 150th anniversary of the founding of the nation wasst year.
But isnt it too convenient for him to end that kind of war in just one year? As a royal family of the Bungdalto Empire, I should believe this, but it was more normal to think that the Bungdaltos abandoned the Giorus House.
He wouldnt have been able to aplish that much in a year if he hadnt meticulously nned and prepared well. No matter how you looked at it, Emperor Cardinal waited until he had good reason to act.
But if he had actually abandoned the Giorus House, then I dont understand why this Count Ptine Vedett (a devotee of Lothar) would obediently obey the Bungdaltos. Is he nning to kill me at some point? Or are there certain circumstances he hasnt told me yet?
That will be all for todays lesson. Please take care, you two.
Ill have to investigate this sometime.
By the way, Timona Renan was also taking sses with me. I dont know if history ss was the only ss he paid attention in, but I didnt feel his bloodlust.
He directs his bloodlust at me as soon as ss is done though. Im dubious about having a potential close aide aiming for my life.
Hah.
Chapter 14: It’s Called Look the Other Way
Chapter 14: It¡¯s Called Look the Other Way
Today was the day of mynguage ss. Apparently, the noble who will be teaching me will change again. The only teacher who hasnt changed so far is Count Ptine Vedett, who was in charge of history.
Well, it was my fault. Whenever I felt that something was boring or if the same thing was being repeated over and over, or if it was clearly a waste of time, I would run away. There arent any people to stop the tantrums of an Emperor.
It was agonising to have bloodlust pointed towards me by Timona Renan.
Today, however, Renans bloodlust immediately stopped as soon as the teacher arrived.
Its a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty. I am Frederic le Renan.
I see, so thats Father Renan. His facial features looked the same as Timonas, but he looked masculine unlike Timona.
I am going to be yournguage teacher from today. I look forward to teaching you.
Thank you for bowing politely towards me, but more importantly, take your son back.
I cant say that though. This Baron was from the Regent Faction after all.
He was an aristocrat in a faction, so I had no expectations, but the Barons education was polite and decent.
Most importantly! Hes going! To teach me! Letters!!
Hmm, Ill forgive him! Ill forgive Timonas bloodlust too. Im really happy to get the education I wanted. This was different from my previous life where I hated studying.
But the way the observing aristocrats were looking at the Baron was
He was obviously pressured not to teach me letters, so why would he?
I have a bad feeling about this, but well see how it goes.
Thus, every day, I only took mynguage, history and horse-riding sses seriously and skipped my arts and culture and religious sses.
I took strolls on my horse when I skipped ss. I really wanted to read books and learn more about history andnguage, but if Im too tant people will be wary of me.
I heard that I was considered a riding enthusiast because of this. Well, it was actually quite fun to take a stroll on horseback.
Animals never betray you.
However, I can only explore the grounds of the pce. The pce was mostly surrounded by walls. The walls themselves were low (probably because they couldnt make it higher due to the sunlight), but there were soldiers on guard, and I probably couldnt get out. I dont n on running away anymore, so it was fine, but if I was going to be a ruler, then I need to see what life was like in town.
Id like to eventually go there when they eventually put their guard down.
Having escaped from religious lessons again today, I mounted my horse and rode through therge, wasteful open space in the pce. However, I wasnt allowed to ride at full speed yet. The most I could do was trot.
And I dont have a favourite horse. They gave me a different horse every time.
I guess they did this to prevent me from running away.
By the way, the guard was in the Chancellors Faction. The Regent Faction was in charge of horsemanship, but this was the religious sss time (The Chancellor Faction). The emperor will be a fool if he skips ss, but I guess that means he wont give time to the other faction. What a pain.
Now, lets forget about this and enjoy my walk for now. Today I was going to take a peek at the ce which Ive been curious about for a while.
If you go east from the building where I usually live, youll find a wastefully huge pce where the 6th Emperor spent hisst years in seclusion. Further east of this, on the other side of the wall, was a tall tower.
It was too thin to be a military facility, and Ive always been curious about it. I spoke to the nearest aristocrat.
You Eh
I cant remember his name. I think it was Earl Bunra? Which means he was the leader of the Imperial Guards. Oh, so that was why he was guarding me.
The leader of the Imperial Guards, whose eyebrows twitched unhappily as if he had realised that I hadnt remembered his name, introduced himself.
My name is Hubert le Alemanne, Count of Bunra, Your Majesty.
No, Im not going to remember your name. You minion of the Chancellor.
Hmm. Count Bunra, whats that tower?
I pointed to the tower and Count Bunra suddenly looked pleased.
Oh, that tower? There are innocent women imprisoned in that tower.
Oh, yes, yes. I know what it was. I think it has something to do with the old hag.
Her name is Vera-Sylvie le Chaplier. She is the daughter of Count Chamneaux and was your fathers concubine.
Ive heard something simr before.
That funeral was something Ill never forget You could always say that I cant forget about it. I was born and she was kept imprisoned because of the Regents rise to power.
You mean Marquess Meldorsa, Lady Norm de Alemanne?
Alemanne?
My family is distantly rted to Marquis Maldorsa. I was very saddened to hear about her death as a rtive. So, my heart also aches for Vera-Sylvie le Chaplier.
I see. But I dont think it was a good idea for you to say you were very saddened. Im sure you didnt think anything of her death.
How pitiful.
Oh! Do you think so too, Your Majesty? The Regent did such a terrible thing.
I told you not to look so joyful. Youre obviously only thinking about criticising the Regent based on what you said.
Ive changed my mind. Lets go back.
I felt sick about the Regents wickedness, the political strife, and most of all, about my own inability to save even one imprisoned woman.
My history sses have been getting boringtely.
I wasnt unhappy about Count Ptines teaching style. I was simply not interested in learning about the achievements of previous emperors. It was obvious that he was only teaching me the good things. Im sure he was being pressured by both factions.
Or rather, Count Ptine himself wasnt that passionate about teaching.
Right now, I mainly use the time to practice reading and writing.
Count Ptine only teaches history. However, he said that I would remember better if I read and write, so he lets me read historical texts and write them down.
It was a shrewd move; definitely something that Count Ptine would do. Even the people who were monitoring us from both factions couldntin about this. It wasnt Count Ptine who had taught me to write in the first ce.
The ss has now progressed from the 1st Emperor to the 3rd Emperor.
The 1st Emperor was the Founder Emperor Cardinal. Because of his achievements, evenmoners avoid giving his name to their children as it would be considered impolite, and he was known as a wise ruler.
He was apparently a good fighter, or rather, very inspiring.
Emperor Cardinal took back the whole Later Giorus Dynasty in just one year and continued on to invade Harlough, the capital of the Seldonal Dynasty. He ascended to the throne on a hill near here in other words, near the Imperial City of Cardinal, the Founding Hill. Then, he personally announced this news to everyone in the nation This was the origin of the founding ceremony.
This was all done to stir up the Seldonal Dynasty. Therefore, he became an Emperor on the frontline and then he left the frontline. When the Seldonal Dynasty saw that Emperor Cardinal was no longer on the frontline, they saw an opportunity. They attacked with arge army.
When Emperor Cardinal received this news, he immediately turned back and rushed to the battlefield. He surrounded and annihted the forces from the Seldonal Dynasty.
It was an incredibly unbelievable move. But actually, in the nine years leading up to his demise, Emperor Cardinal suppressed the five independent states (including the Seldonal Dynasty) which had be independent when the Former Giorus Dynasty copsed.
Whatever the circumstances may be, that was too fast. He was undefeated in life. I was honestly appalled.
The only remaining conquests from the Former Giorus Dynasty were the Aquicurl Kingdom and the Theanabe Kingdom, but the undefeated general couldnt ovee his illness and died.
The next to ascend the throne was Edward I, the Obsessive Emperor. He was the eldest son of Emperor Cardinal and after his ession to the throne, he quickly conquered the Aquicurl Kingdom and the Theanabe Kingdom. He alsopleted the imperial capital around this time and named it after his father, Cardinal.
However, he suddenly died at the age of 38.
His younger brother, Charles I, the Lucky Emperor ascended to the throne as the 3rd Emperor. He defended the invasion from the Ghafur nation. And that was all.
The bad parts of history were obviously cked out. He was probably told not to tell me about it. And, Count Ptine Vedett had no intention of hiding this fact.
Chapter 15: Afraid of God or Man?
Chapter 15: Afraid of God or Man?
Holy One Church. This was the religion that most nations on this continent have designated as their state religion. It was a so-called monotheistic religion, and the duty of the Holy One Church was to follow the Teachings of God left by Saint Ain. This was called the Great Principle and was the first thing my religious studies teacher taught me.
It could be said that this was the only meaningful content of that ss.
Apart from that, all that was taught in religious sses was that the Western sect was correct and that other sects shouldnt be epted, but I wasnt taught about what the heresies were or what the difference in doctrines was. I also wasnt taught anything but the Great Principle.
So, I was starved for knowledge in this area. I probably shouldnt have been though.
When Baron Frederic Renan was teaching me the Holy Onenguage, I was reading the text as always and asking questions about words I didnt understand.
Baron Renan, what is a spherical world?
The world is shaped like a globe, Your Majesty. Its a term often seen in the holy scriptures Do you not know about this?
The Baron said in surprise when he saw that I was unfamiliar with the word, but I had never heard that word before. I took the chance and asked Timona about it.
I dont know. Right, Timona.
Y-yes. We were never taught it, Father.
He seemed to feel safe around his father, so he reacted honestly. I think this was the first time he had ever spoken properly. His voice was also cute His voice hadnt broken yet, so it was obvious.
I see
The Baron closed his eyes and pondered, then he looked up as if he had made up his mind.
This is something you should know, Your Majesty. So, I will teach you about the holy scriptures today.
The holy scriptures are aption of the words of Saint Ain which werepiled by his disciples after he was called to heaven. In it, he taught that the world is spherical.
Seriously? Thats amazing. This world already understands gravity and rotation?
Its only natural that youre surprised. Well, to put it simply Your Majesty, have you ever heard of the sea or a boat?
Hmm. Ive never seen them before, but I know what they are.
It wouldnt be strange for me to know that.
Saint Ain took a ship with his followers and sailed east like God had told him to. Before the teachings of Saint Ain, it was believed that the world was t and there was nothing beyond the sea. After a short while into their voyage, Saint Ain said to his followers, who were anxious, Look behind you. The old continent is already out of sight. This is because the world is round.
He was talking about so-called horizons. Come to think of it, there was a simr story in ancient Greece. I heard that the spherical earth theory was rathermon among schrs at that time.
He goes on to say, It is by the power of God that we do not fall. Therefore, we wont fall as long as we keep our faith.
I see. So, after epting the actual phenomenon, he reasoned that God was the one who made it so. This religion waspletely different in other worlds.
Well, the Holy One Church has several sects, and one of them is connected to the apocalyptic ideology that originally existed on this continent. This is the Inheritance Sect [1]Changed to sect from faction and the Holy Imperial Sect Maybe this too?
I think apocalyptic ideology existed in my previous life too I dont know much about it though.
I wasnt taught about any other sects except the Western sect.
I understand. Then, I will tell you the differences between the sects along with the history of the Holy One Church.
The Holy One Church split into three groups after Saint Ain went to heaven: the Holy Imperial Sect, the Inheritance Sect, and the Patriarchalism Sect.
The Holy One Doctrine was a religion that first spread east of the Heavenly Mountain Range. This was a steep mountain range that stretched from the north to the south in the middle of the continent and was clearly visible from the Imperial Capital.
If the great power to the west of this mountain range is the empire, then the great power to the east is the empire [2]used a different kanji Im not really sure whats the difference. The Imperial Sect was the state religion of the eastern empire, and on top of being designated as a holy nation by Ain, they were the first to make the Holy One Church their state religion. They believed that only their empire will be protected as the chosennd when the world ends.
The eastern empire developed churches and other prayer ces as a national project and the number of Holy One Church believers increased rapidly. However, there were those among the old believers who separated themselves from this. These were the Inheritance Sect and the Patriarchalism Sect.
The Inheritance Sect believe the chosennd was the ce where Ain firstnded. The Patriarchalism Sect on the other hand, believe that there was no apocalypse in Gods teachings, and they werent told that they needed to pray in church.
Apparently, there was ongoing debate on this issue. In short, they have been arguing over what was Gods teachings and what were Ains rules and ideology.
Well, I was dubious about whether God exists but I wont say that since Ill be burnt at the stake.
Then, the Holy One Church was further divided into different sects after this.
The moderate Patriarchalism Sect and the reformist Holy Imperial Sect split off and came together to be a state religion in nations that were hostile to the Empire east of the Heavenly Mountain Range.
The fundamentalists among the Inheritance Sect separated and formed the Revolution Sect.
Then there was the problem of the Western Sect that was believed in this nation.
In the beginning, the Lothar Empire epted the Inheritance Sect and made them the state religion. However, the ce where Ain and his followers firstnded which was designated as the holynd by the Inheritance Sect was in a vassal nation of Lothar Empire. The Inheritance Sect which wanted to reim the holynd by force, and the Lothar Empire, who wanted a peaceful solution, separated.
The Lothar Empire started the new Western Sect.
Oh, could it be that they created it for their own convenience?
Incidentally, the Western Sect was criticised as heresy by the other Holy One Doctrines.
He didnt teach me that. Hey, is it alright for you to teach me this?
Your Majesty, I respect the customs of the Western Sect and believe that it has grown better than the other sects. The Western Sect prioritizes harmony. It should never be used as a weapon to subjugate different races.
Ah, this guys no good. Hes got a determined look on his face.
The Baron knows what he was doing. He knew that this topic was taboo and that he shouldnt teach me it.
That was an interesting lesson. I liked it. Tell me something else I dont know.
I said in appreciation, fearing that the people from both the Chancellor and Regents faction, who were watching, would capture the Baron at any moment.
However, they made no moves for now. I was relieved, believing that they would overlook this much.
But three dayster, Timona Renan disappeared. They told me that he had returned to his fief.
The following week, Baron Fredreic Renan did not show up for ss, and that was when I finally learnt that the Baron was facing the Inquisition.
Going back to the day when Timona Renan disappeared.
At that point, I had a pretty good idea of what was going on. The brother of the Chancellor, George V the highest-ranking leader of the Western Faction, had acted. The Baron was definitely captured, and Timona Renan was, at best, under house arrest, and at the worst, in prison.
At night, I magically put the guard to sleep and beckoned towards the attic.
I have to go to Count Ptine Vedett to find out more, but I didnt know where he was.
I wanted to use the observer in the attic as a guide.
But the person in the attic didnte down easily.
Frustrated, I kneaded and contracted heat energy as fast as I could.
Eventually, when the pressure was too much to bear and the mana began to glow, the person finally came down. It was a man.
Yourete.
My voice was so low that it even surprised me.
But still, the man only bowed his head without speaking.
Take me to Count Ptine Vedett.
When I said that, the man finally said, Please reconsider, with his face down.
Ive given it enough thought. Now take me to him.
I could feel mana leaking out of my body. I was probably flustered.
But at the same time, I was also thinking calmly. I can save the father and son depending on the situation.
The only choices you have right now are to let me kill you or to lead me straight to him. Just so you know, I havent forgotten that you directed your bloodlust towards me before.
The man said in a twisted voice, Ill show you where he is.
You made me waste time
Chapter 16: Run at Night
Chapter 16: Run at Night
I decided to go to Count Ptine Vedett to find out more about the situation, and just to be safe, I cast a sleep spell on the maid again and opened the window of my room.
This building only had one floor, so naturally this room was on the first floor. So, I wouldnt feel ufortable even if I went out from here at my age. I needed to get back as soon as possible since the maid might be fired if they found out I had left.
Therefore, I needed to go ande back without anyone noticing. Of course, I mustnt leave any evidence that I went outdoors.
First, I covered myself with a magic reflection barrier since there might be guards in the corridor who are good at detecting magic. I will call this polyhedron, which was made up of a series of protective barriers, a Barrier. Naturally, the reflected magic was directed inward.
Then, I bent and connected the protective wall that I had made with magic and created improvised shoes. This will keep my feet clean.
I was careful not to leave any evidence. A barrier with the conditions to not allow anything (even smells) except for air and mana to pass through was put inside the magic reflection barrier. It wasnt just leaves and dirt that can stick on me, but things such as smell can also give me away, and this was the limit of what I can do while using magic indoors. The mana in my body waspletely gone.
Ive only recently been able to set up various conditions on my barriers which Ive created with magic, but I didnt think Id be using so much of it so soon. Im d I developed it.
By the way, the more conditions I set for the barrier, the less durable it bes. The barrier which was covering my entire body right now would probably copse with a single magic shot. That was because I was specialising it for stealth this time.
I finished my preparations and went outside. Once I was outside, it was easier to absorb mana from the air. The magic reflection was inward which meant that it only reflected mana from the inside to outside. The barrier wont work when Im absorbing mana.
It would be fine even if I closed the window. I spoke to the man after recovering a certain amount of mana in my body.
Thanks for waiting. Show me where he is.
The man in the attic who was probably a spy, nodded and started running.
It seemed that the Count Ptine was in a building to the west. The man ran across the garden where I yed a lot.
Naturally, I ran along with him but I looked down on the body of a child. I was sure that it was partly because I dont usually do any exercise except for horse-riding. It was hard to run. This man was running as fast as he could. Are you harassing me?
I cant sweat I wish I could float or fly, but if my imagination is obstructed then I cant activate it.
I dont know how I came to know about anti-gravity.
Can I hold onto him? Would that slow him down?
I see, I dont have to run on my own. Since I dont have a vehicle, I can just create something to carry me. For example a golem.
I was outside, so there was plenty of dirt. It was difficult to make it straight away since I was running, but Ill try creating a new type of magic.
The guards might find me but I havent seen them around at all since a while ago. Well, it was fine even if they found out magic had been used as long as they didnt know about me.
I released the magic reflection barrier and used my imagination. A lump of earth to carry me, strong enough not to crumble and soft enough not to make a sound.
Come on out.
The ground in front of me dripped and a golem appeared, using the soil as material.
The golem scooped me up, or more urately, the protective barrier around me, and ran off while holding onto me.
The spy looked at me in surprise, but I decided to ignore him. It took more mana to maintain the golem than I had thought, so I didnt have time to pay attention to him. I had to maintain its shape, keep it running and also reinforce it as the dirt spills out little by little.
But it was better than making it stronger and making the earth tremble. Besides, I was using the mana in the air and the only hard part was controlling it.
After running for a while, I heard the spy say, Were almost there.
You wont get found out here. Were the only ones in this area.
By we he meant the spies. Then, Ill take your word for it. This magic was getting easier to use as I got used to it. It might be easier to use this than run.
I remembered that I got fat after I started riding my scooter in my previous life. Ill be careful.
I made my way to Count Ptines room. It seemed that he also slept on the first floor.
I released my golem magic since the window was opened and went straight into Count Ptines room.
I didnt expect you could do this much.
Count Ptine Vedett stared at me as I released my magic and went into this bedroom. He looked at me with admiration and said.
Oh,e to think of it, this was the first time Ive ever used my magic to the fullest and shown it to someone else.
I thought you were expecting this, Count Ptine.
I was aware of the unique use of magic in the pce, but
I see. So, it was peculiar to use magic indoors.
If you were born in a different family, you might have aplished great things as an Il Fabs (mage).
I might make enemies if I aim to be anything other than an emperor.
I heard a word I didnt know but Ill ask him about itter.
You know why Im here. Exin the situation to me.
Frederic le Renan is suspected of heresy and is undergoing a church-led inquisition.
So, I was right. I have even heard about this in my past life: torture to force a confession, and then execution.
It was really disgusting.
He is currently in prison. Your personal attendant is under house arrest and surveince in a private room.
To be more precise, he said We should never use it as a weapon to subjugate different races.
So, the problem wasnt that he taught me about the origins of other sects and the western sect?
I didnt realise until now but there are spies monitoring me during ss too.
What does that mean?
Currently in this nation especially in Dukedom Raul, foreign people who dont believe in the Western Sect are being captured and forcibly converted. The person leading this is the Great Leader, George V.
I see. So, this was retaliation for criticizing the policy of the top of the Western Sect in front of the Emperor.
Ive barely spoken to him, but he was the younger brother of Lord Raul, and he gave the impression of being an ambitious man. Well, he seemed to care about appearances.
So, why didnt he seize the Baron on the spot?
Probably because the Baron is in the Regent Faction instead of the Chancellors Faction.
So, the fact that the Baron was captured means that
Did the Regent Faction abandon the Baron?
They even see the aristocrats in their own factions as disposable?
Even if that was so, they are the ones who are always fighting between their factions.
Thats not all. The Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies handed over the Baron for some kind ofpensation.
He wouldnt have handed over someone in his faction for nothing.
Your Majesty. Please reconsider.
Count Ptine Vedett suddenly said.
He was probably asking me to reconsider saving the Renan father and son.
Im saying this after much thought.
Youre not calm.
Count Ptine immediately replied.
I certainly wasnt calm. I might be dragged along with my bodys age.
Youre probably right. But I wont change my mind even if I calm down.
Count Ptine sighed when I said this. Then, he spoke, looking somewhat resigned.
This wasnt the Chancellors request in the first ce. This was only something the Great Leader, George V demanded. If I dared to say, the George Faction demanded it.
So, the Chancellors Faction isnt in unison.
The Regent Faction isnt any different, Your Majesty. There are conflicting thoughts between the Chancellor and Regent Factions. The Chancellor seems to think that women arent needed in the political scene.
Yeah, I had that feeling when I talked to the two of them. It was the Regent Faction who had given me Timona Renan. Therefore, it wouldnt be strange if this was decided from the George Faction.
Thats where they can take advantage?
Judging from the way Count Ptine was speaking
It was the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies who had done this, not the Regent Faction.
The Regent Faction probably doesnt know that the two of them have been caught in the first ce.
That was valuable information. I was starting toe up with a way to save them.
Anything else?
It seems that the Chancellor was informed of the deal after the fact. He will probably approve of it, but he wont feel good about his brother using his own interests in the deal.
Then the situation can be overturned
I whispered and Count Ptine sighed again.
I know. Im not supposed to know this information yet. I cant act until I hear it naturally from somewhere else.
Count Ptine cant act since he couldnt afford to antagonise both factions. If a third faction appeared, then the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies would be wary.
Naturally. But you shouldnt act even if you learn of it in a different way, Your Majesty. If theres a chance, theyll put their guard up against you, then its best for you not to act.
Count Ptine Vedett looked more serious than ever.
I can understand what he was saying. I should remain a foolish Emperor until the moment I regain control of the government. He was telling me not to take risks because he was worried about me No, he was worried about the safety of the Emperor.
But you know what?
Thats not the best. Its preferable. Dont worry. Ill make sure the results are worth the risk.
I definitely wont be able to take responsibility for a nation if I cant save my teacher.
The question was whether the Baron can withstand the torture until then.
Im counting on you, Baron.
Chapter 17: If I Can Stop It, Then I’ll Try Stop It
Chapter 17: If I Can Stop It, Then I¡¯ll Try Stop It
I have a memory of my young niece in my memories of my previous life which was bing fainter day by day.
Whenever she didnt like something, she would clearly say, No, and when her parents tried to reason with her, she would sulk and say No, to everything. When that happened, there was nothing anyone could do.
Until she fell asleep, exhausted from throwing a tantrum, my sister (her mother) and I would try to calm her down.
She would throw a tantrum and say, No even when my sister told her to go outside to reflect or that she would take away her food. She was a tomboy who couldnt be reasoned with.
Im sorry, I cant remember your name anymore, but Im going to borrow your strategy.
This was the only thing I could do now. It was shameful, but I could do this since I was a child.
Now, who can stop a child who cant be stopped by reasoning when the Emperor does it?
It has been a long week. I havent heard of any news of Baron Renan being killed yet, which meant that he was still alive.
It was finally time for mynguage ss. The teacher, of course, was someone else.
Its a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty. I am Carlos le Vadpo, Count Vadpo. I will be in charge of yournguage sses starting today.
As I recall, he was from the Regent Faction, and was an aristocrat who held the newly created position of the Emperors aide-de-camp, or something. I remember him, but first, I had to get a testimony from this man.
Who are you? More importantly, wheres Baron Renan? Bring him to me as soon as possible.
The Counts face twisted.
No, I will be yournguage teacher from today on.
I dont need you, just bring me Baron Renan.
Aristocrats are a prideful bunch. He wouldnt like being told that by a child. It was easy to fish for words to say.
Im sorry, but the Baron is in prison. It would be absurd to bring a heretic like him before Your Majesty.
It worked.
What? Prison?
Now I know that the Baron was being held in prison.
I dont need to hold back anymore.
I never heard about this. Who did such a selfish thing? Get him out here.
Your Majesty, I cant do that.
You cant?
A well-educated child would ept this even if they dont understand, but I wasnt educated like that.
Are you telling me you wont listen to what I, the Emperor, am telling you what to do?!?!
Ha? No, but
Then, did you do it?! Guards! Kill this man! For disrespect!!
No! It wasnt me!!
My words may have been unreasonable. But then again, I was never taught reasoning!
Shut up! Kill him now! What are you doing, Guards?! Youre traitors?!
From that point on, I just persisted that they kill him.
It was the Emperors madness. Naturally, they called someone who could stop me.
Then, I threw a tantrum at the Chancellor and Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies who came in a hurry.
You put my favourite teacher in jail without permission!
I wasnt told anything.
Youre ignoring the Emperor!
I also threatened them of being traitors. Those who dont listen to me are traitors and are trying to kill the Emperor, so I have to kill them.
Kill the one who did it!!
That was what you were teaching me!!
Although, this was only a tantrum. Of course, no one would be killed.
The two of them said, Well look into it, and ran off. There was nothing the two of you didnt know. Incidentally, the Count also fled during the confusion.
Things were going ording to the n up to this point.
The problem started from here
I ran out of the room. No one stopped me as if they were trying not to wake a sleeping lion.
I ran straight to the building where the Regent was.
Your Majesty. Dont trust Lord Raul. Hes definitely up to no good.
This was what the Regent once said. Perhaps, she was hostile towards the Chancellor.
However, she has been kept out of politics for a long time by the Chancellor, who doesnt want her to interfere, and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, who wanted her to refrain from doing what she wanted even though she was his daughter. The Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies may not want two leaders. It may be called the Regent Faction, but he may believe that he was the factions only representative.
Therefore, I needed to drag the Regent out which was something they both didnt want.
Mother, Mother. Please help me.
I shook off the maids who were trying to stop me and entered the Regents bedroom with tears welling up in my eyes.
Oh, I created the tears with magic.
Oh my, Your Majesty. Whats wrong?
Yes! Im d she wasnt in the middle of having an affair with her lover. Honestly, that was my biggest concern.
I told her what had happened. But I was a child, so my exnation was inadequate and somewhat different from the facts, but that was fine.
The Chancellor put Timona Renan, whom Mother gave to me, and Baron Frederic Renan, my favourite teacher, in jail.
Timona Renan had nothing to do with this and the slight difference was that (part of) the Chancellor Faction had put Frederic in jail (with the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies consent).
What?!
But they dont listen to me at all. I just asked them to release the Baron but they ignored me and Im sure theyre nning on taking over this nation. Theyre going to kill me!
Of course, they wont listen to me if I tell them to kill, and I only asked them to release the Baron once, and they included the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, but those were just small discrepancies.
Its alright now. Im going to help you.
Really? I can believe you?
I acted weak and confirmed. I had said that myself, but it wasme for an Emperor to cling to his mother and cry.
But it was natural for a child to cry to his mother. So even if I, the Emperor, were to cry to my mother, the Regent, it would be overlooked as a childs act even if the two factions split in half and be four factions.
Yes, of course. Ill make sure you get what you want.
Thanks Thank you very much The only one I can rely on is you, Mother.
I gave her a hug for good measure.
The Regent will soon learn that this matter had been approved by the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies.
But she ran the risk of being hated by me if she didnt act. There was a good chance that I would rely on her if she acted, and she would be able to return to politics.
The Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies might act arrogant in front of his daughter, but more than that, he can attack the Chancellors faction. He received rights for handing the Baron over. He wont have to lose the things he had received with a single sentence of things have changed. In fact, he would be the person who benefits the most.
If this happens, then the Chancellor will definitely cut his losses. He could also tell me that my brother did it.
George V was the leader of the western sect. He wont be dismissed no matter what I say or how much the Regent protests, but he would lose face.
The Regent can interfere with politics by relying on me, and the Regent Faction will have two leaders. George V and the others who were forced to take responsibility will be dissatisfied and the Chancellor Faction will be like a ticking bomb.
They can destroy each other with their suspicions.
Reduce the power of both factions without being detected. That was my original goal.
Well, as far as I was concerned, I have nothing to say if the Baron is released.
The only matter left was if I made it in time or not.
Chapter 18: A Certain Brilliance
Chapter 18: A Certain Brilliance
I had many regrets in my previous life, so I wanted to live this life without regrets.
But it seemed impossible for me since I was an ordinary person.
The next day, Timona Renan, who had been imprisoned for some time, and Baron Frederic Renan, who was undergoing the Inquisition, were released.
Apparently, Timona had been quite violent during his house arrest. He had a cut on his lower cheek.
Baron Renan was treated with healing magic by the court doctor. The wounds on the surface of his body were almost gone thanks to the best healing magic in the Empire.
But his mind and his organs were already in shambles.
The Baron didnt give the false testimony of him being a heretic even until the end. If he had, then I wouldnt have been able to save him.
However, his mind and body were already seeking death. He had given up.
I couldnt make it in time.
Your Majesty.
What is it, Baron?
After visiting the recuperation room with Timona, I was the only person left in the room, at the request of Baron Renan.
First, thank you.
The Baron looked like he was having a hard time even speaking, but I couldnt urately heal anyone but myself right now. I dont know anything about medicine.
I was saved straight away thanks to you, Your Majesty.
Thats enough, Baron I didnt make it in time.
I could have done something else, like getting a statement from someone earlier even if it makes me ufortable. Couldnt I have acted even if I didnt hear it from someone else?
Your Majesty, I would like you to tell me something.
The Baron caught his breath and strained his voice as if he was gathering thest bit of his strength.
Why did you help me, Your Majesty?
A skinny right hand was ced on my shoulder as I sat beside his bed. His hand trembled weakly.
You mustnt act for the sake of a single vassal. You are about to kill thousands upon thousands of people and lead an Empire of about 30 million people. You shouldnt act because of trivial matters in front of you. Dont forget that the lives of 30 million people depend on you.
Yes Youre right.
I shouldnt have acted, but I did, and I still couldnt save him in the end. I was a fool.
I shouldnt be the Emperor.
Ah, the feebleint that I couldnt tell anyone about just came out.
I wanted to be someone special, but I was still an ordinary person even though I was born as an emperor.
I dont have the power to respond to citizens voices.
Your Majesty.
The Baron wiped my cheek. I dont know how long Ive been crying.
But I see hope in you.
I dont know. I dont know what to do even if you say you see hope or light in me.
His hand was warm like a fathers.
Its okay to be you, Your Majesty. Live your life the way you want. Its okay to be troubled and lost. I know youll choose the right path.
Did I do the right thing?
Even though I couldnt save you.
I was saved, Your Majesty. You just dont know how much youve saved me.
What can I do?
You dont need to bring hope or lead the people into the light. Your Majesty, you are the hope and light.
Im troubled.
I need more concrete advice, Baron.
The tears wont seem to stop.
I gentlyid my hand on top of the warm hand that was ced on my cheek.
Oh, I remember that I took care of my father like this in my previous life.
Forward. You must move forward, Your Majesty. The path will be made behind you. That is an emperor.
The Baron said as he smiled.
Your Majesty, I would like to speak with my son.
Oh, okay. Ill get him now.
Carmine wiped his tears and walked out of the room looking as normal as ever.
(If you can do that much, then youre doing well, Your Majesty.)
Baron Frederic le Renan closed his eyelids in satisfaction as heid there.
Frederic le Renan was born as the third son of an Aquicurl aristocrat family. He had two older brothers and was raised in the capital since birth to be a central bureaucrat.
This was when Edward III, the 6th Emperor was ruling.
He was described as the most foolish Emperor in history and had suffered eight major defeats in his lifetime. The Empires finances and army were devoured in a single generation.
For Frederic, who had grown up in this insane capital, the emperor was someone who lived in luxury and emptied the nation.
Therefore, when his son, Edward IV, ascended to the throne, he had hopes for him, like many of the other aristocrats.
Frederic, who was eight years old at that time, then spent his impressionable years in the capital and witnessed the reign of Edward IV up close. His hopes eventually turned to disappointment. Edward IVs reign was better than his fathers, but his reign wasnt one that could stop the slow decline of the Empire. A man who didnt do anything during his fathers misrule didnt have the power to rebuild the nation once it was in a state of decline.
When his two older brothers had fallen ill and he was called back to be the heir of the Baron House, he thought that it was perfect. He naturally held no sentimental attachment to his two older brothers since he had never met them. But he had given up hope that there was a future for him in the capital.
Eventually his son was born. Frederic doted on his son, whom he named Timona, since he looked exactly like his older wife. He doted on him even more when his wife passed away during an epidemic, and it was only the two of them left.
However, when Timona became old enough to be aware of things around him, an incident urred.
When Frederic took his son to a party, Timona was taken into a private room when he took his eyes off him for a second. The person who had taken him was attracted to young children of the same sex a Viscount who was famous for his perversions.
After that horrifying experience, Timona came to hate homosexuality.
Frederic deeply regretted that he couldnt protect his son. He made up his mind. He was going to protect his son even if it meant being isted from aristocratic society.
After that, he continued to refuse invitations from higher ranked aristocrats to make Timona their head attendant in other words, their male lover.
But when the Regent told him that the Emperor wanted Timona as his head attendant, he had no choice but toply. He would be punished for lese majesty if he were to refuse. The status of Baron was the lowest among the aristocrats.
Most importantly, Carmine was still young, so Frederic believed that he wouldnt be doing such acts for a while, so Frederic sent off his son with these words.
You were only told to be his head attendant, so you can resist if ites to that.
Frederic was willing to give up his own head if the need arose. He was so ill that he only had a little bit of time left to live. He decided that he would use the remainder of his life for his son.
Then one day, Frederic heard the truth from a certain meddlesome Count Ptine that this decision was made by the Regent and the Emperor hadnt wished for it.
So, Frederic volunteered to teach the Emperor in order to tell his son the truth.
It was easy to be a tutor. No other aristocrat wanted to go through the hassle of being a tutor and no one had any expectations of the Emperor.
Frederic was also one of them. However, he felt a little sympathy towards a child who wasnt receiving satisfactory education and was around the same age as his beloved son.
That was why he taught him how to read and write. It didnt matter to him that he was being pressured or that he was hated because of his son.
Frederics perception changed drastically after he started teaching the Emperor. The young Emperor was taking sses while understanding the current situation.
What he wasnt interested in, he learnt as if he was. What he was interested in, he seemed indifferent to. He absorbed knowledge at an astonishing rate without letting anyone know his true intentions. Frederic felt as if he was dealing with an adult.
Sensing Carmines potential, Frederic shared his thoughts with him even though those thoughts may be taken as criticism of the church. He knew that he would be subjected to the Inquisition and that he would die as a result.
If his death left Carmine with an unforgettable memory, then it would be a beacon that determined his future. Before he knew it, he found himself showing the young Emperor the value of putting ones life on the line.
Frederic was stunned when he was rescued from prison. He was told about what had happened by the meddlesome Count Ptine while he was being healed and he thought that Carmine was an unreasonable person.
(Hes a child.)
His illogical actions were that of a child.
But Frederic also thought that perhaps an emperor who still had his childlike innocence was suited for leading the people.
Then, Frederic realised that he hadnt been thinking clearly enough. It was preposterous for him to think of himself as a beacon. Carmine was already an Emperor.
Even in his present condition, he would be a better ruler than his predecessors and most aristocrats didnt realise this!
Was there anything more delightful than this?
(So, this will be the first andst gift I leave to you, Your Majesty.)
Father.
Timona. Did you understand?
That was all he needed to say. Timona had known the truth from the day Frederic hade to teach the Emperor, but the wariness that had been instilled in him was hard to get rid of, and Timona continued to be wary of Carmine.
Timona was also hostile towards Carmine because he was forcefully separated from his beloved father, who didnt have long left to live.
Yes, about His Majesty and about my own helplessness.
The day after he was put under house arrest, Timona realised what had happened and tried to escape to save his father, but he had failed. He was restrained and beaten severely because he had struggled. He was imprisoned and couldnt do anything until he and his father were rescued.
Frederic touched the scar on his sons cheek.
Youve be a man.
His Majesty told me the same thing when I got out of prison.
Pfft. I see.
Then, Frederic told his son with a serious look on his face.
Give everything you have to support His Majesty. It doesnt matter if your house name is gone, and it doesnt matter if our lineage ceases.
Frederic summoned all his strength and his voice trembled.
Risk your life for him. Hes brilliant and is worth it.
Yes, Father. I will be his shield and sword.
Frederic nodded his head slightly in satisfaction when he saw the determination in Timonas eyes.
Youve really be a man.
Three dayster, Frederic le Renan died peacefully in the presence of his son.
Chapter 19: In Front of the Grave
Chapter 19: In Front of the Grave
Baron Renans funeral was held quietly with a few rtives and acquaintances.
Timona refused my attendance. He said that it would look suspicious if I were to get involved anymore.
They believed that I threw a tantrum because they had imprisoned my favourite teacher, so they seem to believe that I was satisfied now that he has been released. Neither the Chancellor nor George V received any punishment.
That was fine for now. For now.
But I was also d I didnt attend the funeral. I would have wanted to kill the clergy, no matter who they were or what he looked like when they were praying.
The Baron was now resting in the public cemetery for aristocrats in the pce. This was apparently in his will.
Im sure Ill keeping to his grave whenever I get lost from now on.
I prayed in front of his grave.
This was normally Count Ptines tutor time, but not today. Perhaps he was being considerate in his own way.
My attendant, Timona, requested that I, his master, apany him to his fathers grave, so I was finally able to visit the Barons grave. Timona was praying on his knees next to me, but it seemed that the Emperor wasnt allowed to do this.
Things really didnt go the way I had nned.
I had a vague idea as to why the Baron risked his life to criticise the church.
I noticed that there was magic activated in the Barons body when I touched him. It was probably earth magic.
Mages have mana in their bodies. I call that internal mana. I can release this mana outside of my body to activate magic, but most people probably cant use it. It must have been some kind of abnormality that triggered the magic; an error that causes a part of his body to turn into dirt bit by bit.
Of course, I wanted to do something about it, but I couldnt interfere with other peoples magic. It was an error, but it was also magic that Baron Renan was activating.
Even if I were to use a protective wall spell to forcibly counteract it, I dont have medical knowledge, so I dont know what organs I shouldnt damage or what procedure I should take.
Even the court doctor who could use healing magic didnt seem to have a way to interfere with the magic that was activated in his body.
That said, it wasnt something that can be given a clear exnation.
I guess he believed it was better to die from an illness.
Still, I wanted him to live as long as possible.
Your Majesty, its about time.
I know.
Timona called out to me, and I left the Barons grave.
Im going to move forward, Baron.
After the Baron died, Timona transferred his title to a distant rtive because of his age. Apparently, he wanted to continue being my attendant.
Your Majesty, I will take my leave now.
Ah, yes. Good work
In the daytime, Timona takes sses with me or silently apanies me when I skip ss, and in the evening, he goes to Count Ptines pce to learn swordsmanship.
Publicly in the Aquicurl region, the head attendant guarded their masters.
Based on this, Timona asked to learn martial arts. He recognised that he was the head attendant.
I dont want that even if he was just acting so in public.
He treated me politely as if he was a new person. Honestly, it was scary.
Speaking of change, there has been movement in the factions. George V, the head of the western sect church and younger brother of the Chancellor, didnt lose his position but his influence was diminished considerably. He seemed dissatisfied with his older brother, and some in the Chancellors faction sympathised with him on this.
The faction may split if this continues, but the Chancellor was trying his best to prevent this. Day after day, the Chancellor would grant an aristocrat, who was probably close to George V, from his faction an audience with me, and each time this happened, he would try to get me to praise them.
It was a hassle, so I followed the Chancellors lead and said what he wanted.
Thanks to that, I was being called the Puppet Emperor.
However, the Regent faction was a little different. Lord Aquicurl left the pce politics to his daughter, the Regent, and returned to his own fief.
Well, the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies are both Dukes, so they arent in the capital all year around. Theye and go as often as needed.
But this time, the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies went back to his own fief and didnt seem toe back for a while.
Perhaps because of this, there wasnt much confusion in the Regent faction about the Regents return to politics. The Regent was in charge of the faction in the capital.
I guess my job was to adjust the bnce. Ive been meeting with the Regent at least once a day since the day I cried to her and took advantage of her. Well, Ive been seeing the Chancellor even more than that. The Regents faction was gaining influence right now, and I didnt want their influence to crush the Chancellors faction.
During all this, an aristocrat from the Chancellors faction talked about what was bothering him.
If we dont do something, well end up like Hakureas Folly all over again.
It seemed like he was talking about the old hag.
I thought about asking Count Ptine about it, but a few days have passed since then.
Today, when I crawled into bed, there were two people in the attic for some reason.
There has only ever been one person up there until now. I wondered if another faction had invaded, but there was no sign of a battle.
I quickly put the maid to sleep and got out of bed, the Count Ptine came down from the ceiling without making a sound.
I wouldnt think he was an aristocrat from the way he carried himself. Who exactly was he?
Is it urgent?
No.
Huh, then why are you here? Well, he was probably here for something, but if it wasnt urgent, then Ill ask him what I want to ask.
Count Ptine, Ive heard something thats been bothering metely. Whats Hakureas Folly?
I see, you must have heard it from someone in the Chancellors faction. Ill tell you about it.
Hakurea was the Empress of the 3rd Emperor of the Later Giorus Dynasty.
The Later Giorus Dynasty was already on the decline, but the death of the 3rd Emperor at a young age elerated that decline.
When he ascended to the throne, he killed all but one sibling who fought against him for the throne. He also didnt have any children and died from an illness.
At this point, the rightful heir to the throne was Cardinal, Duke Bungdalto. He was the eldest son of the 3rd Emperors sister (who had already married into the Bungdalto tribe at the time of the session dispute).
However, Empress Hakurea didnt like the idea of a barbarian bing emperor, so she adopted her brothers son and made him the 4th Emperor. He was very young, and it was obvious that Hakurea wanted to take control of politics.
At this point, many aristocrats abandoned Hakurea. Some of them surrendered to the Seldonal Dynasty while others went to Duke Bungdalto under the guise of bringing reinforcements against the Ghafur. Even so, Hakurea, who hated barbarians, didnt ask the Cardinal for reinforcements and the Later Giorus Dynasty quickly fell to ruin.
All my questions about Emperor Cardinal and the Count Ptine House were cleared at once.
I guess they meant the Regent taking control of politics when they said, well end up like Hakureas Folly. I wanted to tell them that it was okay since I was careful not to give her too much power, but I wont.
That person was annoying because he easily gets carried away.
So, what do you want, Count Ptine?
Oh.
I had a bad feeling since he had pped his hands on purpose.
The Theanabe region in the northern frontier is showing signs of bing independent.
I see. He was just telling me this, and not asking me to act.
Tell me more about that.
It was a midnight extracurricr lesson. I have a feeling that Ill be staying up all night.
Chapter 20: Theanabe Union, Independence
Chapter 20: Theanabe Union, Independence
Theanabe was in a remote region in the north. This region, which borders the Tomis Ashinaqui Eri Kingdom and Gayuhi Dukedom, spoke thenguage called Theanabe and had a culture of its own. It was thest kingdom to be annexed in the Bungdalto Empires reconquest of the former Lothar Empire, and the aristocrats of this region were neutral and didnt belong to the Chancellor or the Regent faction.
Yes, they were neutral. Three months after Count Ptine Vedett visited my room in the middle of the night the news of their independence reached the Imperial Capital. In the meantime, I had turned seven. I heard they called themselves the Theanabe Union.
After this news reached the capital, the pce was in an uproar and the aristocrats acted like a beehive that was being poked at. It was satisfying to watch the Chancellor panic.
Well, it is supposed to be an rming situation for the Emperor but I dont have any real power.
Lord Aquicurl was not in the Imperial Capital probably because he had gotten this information beforehand, so he retreated back to his fief. The Chancellor faction, on the other hand, didnt seem aware of this and there was a bigmotion.
By the way, the Regent didnt know about this either This father and daughter pair might be on worse terms than I thought.
The Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies probably predicted this would happen because his fief was close to Theanabe.
The Imperial Capital, Cardinal, was located in the centre of the Bungdalto Empire.
From the Imperial Capital, Aquicurl fief was to the southwest, and Lord Rauls fief was to the east. The region to the northwest had be independent.
Moreover, most of the aristocrats in the Regency faction had fiefs to the west while most of the aristocrats in the Chancellors faction had fiefs to the east. For the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, Theanabe dering independence had happened right under his nose. He certainly wouldnt have the time for political strife in the capital after this incident.
Incidentally, I said was located because the fief in the southeast and southwest (to the east of the Aquicurl fief) were handed over to other nations after the assassination of the previous Emperor.
Now, the Chancellor hadnt felt any guilt over handing over his political rivals fief to another nation, so why was he panicking over this independence? If he were acting like his normal self, then it wouldnt be surprising for him to gloat at Lord Aquicurls predicament.
The reason lied in the foreign nations who seemed to have assisted in this independence.
First, the nation that would have helped the most, was the religious nation Tomis Ashinaqui.
This nation had been at war with the Belbe kingdom but were now in a ceasefire with them due to my engagement with Rosalia. They no longer had direct contact with the Bungdalto Empire because the Theanabe Union has now be independent. Tomis Ashinaqui is expected to invade the Belbe Kingdom again now that the buffer state Theanabe Union was created.
The Belbe Kingdom will have to do its best.
However, this religious nation wasnt the cause of the Chancellors panic. His panic was caused by the other nation that had supported Theanabe in dering their independence; the Ghafur Republic.
Ghafur Republic was aplicated nation. The people didnt run the government even though it was called a republic. It was a republic for the aristocrats by the aristocrats.
The animosity between Bungdalto and Ghafur probably wont improve in the next few 100 years.
The Ghafur had taken over the Bungdaltos settlements. Cardinal, a Bungdalto and an Emperorter on, blocked the expansion of Ghafur Empire and caused its ruin. There was also the crushing defeat of the Ghafur Conquest during the reign of Bungdalto Empires Sixth Emperor.
To the Bungdalto people, the Ghafurs were their natural enemies.
When the Ghafur Empire copsed, their name was changed to Ghafur Kingdom, but their King was elected by the aristocrats and had no real power.
Thus, at this point, the surrounding nationsmonly referred to Ghafur Kingdom as Ghafur Republic. It was during the reign of Edward III, the Sixth Emperor, that they became a Republic. This Emperor tried to interfere by enacting aw for the abolition of the King in Ghafur Republic and was badly defeated.
Fearing that they would retaliate and invade him in return, he gave his brother a quarter of the Empire, including the north-eastern area which bordered Ghafur Republic. His brothers son was now known as Archduke Raul.
What Im trying to say is that the Chancellors sphere of influence bordered Ghafur Republic and the independence of Theanabe Union can be seen as an attempt to disperse the Empires troops or in other words, to prepare for an invasion.
The people of Ghafur Republic were originally nomadic and were said to have the strongest cavalry on the continent.
Lord Raul having a strong private army, artilleries being mass-produced in Lord Rauls fief, and even why he wasnt bing independent from the Empire was all to prepare for this fearsome Ghafur cavalry.
Personal preferences aside, it was correct for him to fear this cavalry.
The important matter was that stirrups have already been developed in this world. Even on Earth, a cavalrys fighting power and handling methods were very different before and after stirrups were developed.
I believe they havent developed a strategy to deal with a heavy armoured cavalry charge yet. The early musket models from Earth were already being developed here, but its poprised much slower than on earth. This was probably because of magic.
Well, good luck with that Chancellor. I dont have any real power so I cant help you.
Also, ording to Count Ptine Vedett, Theanabes independence was due to the influence of a certain firm But the problem at hand was that the number of neutral aristocrats has dropped to less than half.
I thought I had made progress, but then this happened.
The Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies returned from his fief a few dayster. He said he was going to prepare for when the Ghafur Republic invaded.
Even so, the political strife in the capital didnt die down. In fact, it was the opposition.
The only ones left at the capital were the radical George V and the outspoken Regent. The aura in the pce was worse than ever.
The pce was in chaos now that the top two officials were gone, but my surveince loosened. Timona was assigned as my night watch during this chaos, so that I could learn swordsmanship and self-defence.
The Emperors room was surprisingly spacious, so much so that there was plenty of room for sword training. I was still being watched during the day even though they had loosened my surveince. This room at bedtime was the perfect ce to train in secret.
The question was whether I was really training in secret. I dont know if I can trust my retainer Timona. I honestly had a hard time with this. I didnt feel any hostility from Timona, on the contrary, I felt that he was respecting me in his own way but he had directed his bloodlust at me for a long time, so I cant decide how much I can trust him.
Count Ptine said, You can kill him immediately if you feel threatened by him. Masters shouldnt feel threatened by their guards.
I believe I have to be prepared for that kind of thing.
Im going to hide the fact that I can use magic for now since this was a matter of life or death for me. Other than that, Im going to keep an eye on him for a while.
After this day, I started to learn swordsmanship and self-defence from Count Ptine Vedett (whoes from the attic) during the time when I was normally supposed to be asleep. Naturally, I stayed up for most of the night, so I was always sleepy during the day and often dozed off in my room.
As a result, I was nicknamed Lazy, Slumbering Emperor and Aquicurl Madness.
Im sure they nicknamed me Aquicurl Madness because they thought I was having trouble sleeping at night because I was doing it with Timona.
IM ONLY SEVEN, YOU KNOW?! Just what goes on in your minds
I thought and Timona told me that he was much younger than me when he was assaulted. I didnt know what to say to him.
But Aquicurl Madness, is it? It might be a good idea to meet with George V often to avoid being considered as being in the Regent faction, but I hate him.
Chapter 21: Magic is a Hobby
Chapter 21: Magic is a Hobby
Several months have passed since the Theanabe Union dered their independence. No fighting has urred at the border yet.
Meanwhile, there was a visitor at the pce.
Oh, its been a long time.
Long time no see, Your Majesty.
It was my fiance, Rosalia. She looked gentle, perhaps because the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies wasnt here.
I wasnt aware of it before, but bing the emperor meant that I was going to marry this girl I hadnt even gotten married in my previous life. It was somewhat strange that my marriage had been decided at this age.
Rosalia hadnte here to y; she came here to work.
The Chancellor and Regent factions sent many supplies to the Belbe Kingdom when it was decided that Rosalia and I would be engaged. After that, the Belbe Kingdom and Tomis Ashinaqui quickly came to a truce, so they had a surplus of supplies. Now that the possibility of an invasion has arisen, they were asking if they should return those supplies. They didnt have any food, but they had a surplus of military supplies.
This brought up the question about whether the aid supplies were lent or given. Support this time was also forting and steadily increased without any agreements in ce.
This matter should be dealt with by the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, but they werent in the capital.
What would you prefer to do?
It will save us a lot of trouble if we do not have to return it.
Well, thats true.
Then, you dont need to return it.
It was the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies fault for not being here to deal with this, so I dealt with it.
Am I allowed to get involved in diplomacy with other nations? Well, Id be assassinated right away if I were to interfere with diplomacy in an attempt to gain political power, but this time, I was doing this because I wanted to show my fiance my good points Well, the truth was actually different. If the Belbe Kingdom can maintain its military might then they can keep Tomis Ashinaqui in check.
Thank you very much, Your Majesty!
Rosalia said as she smiled like a blossoming flower.
I take back my previous statement. I might have had an ulterior motive.
Although, Rosalia couldnt leave right away either. She waited for the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies until the very end, and then acted as if she had no choice but to obey the Emperors words.
During that time, I showed Rosalia around the pce while being supervised by the Chancellor and Regent factions. It was normal for me to give her a tour of the pce since she is my fiance
I wanted to look proud while showing her around the pce. I must look like a brat who wants attention from the girl he likes to the guards.
There was actually something that I wanted Rosalia to help me with and in preparation for that.
The problem was Rosalias reaction.
You know a lot, Your Majesty.
She was ttering me like crazy, and she was supporting what I was trying to do.
I was aware that my reputation was quite bad, but what was with this reaction? I dont feel hostility or animosity from her, but rather affection?
Eh, why?
Does she have an ulterior motive? Or maybe Im misunderstanding, and she isnt acting affectionate towards me? Well, its possible.
It was easy for me to recognise malice, hostility and disdain, but I wasnt good at recognising any other emotions. Ill be a failure if I cant discern peoples emotions towards me. Ill be careful in the future.
Dont tell me that she knows what I want? No, shes just a 9-year-old brat.
And this is the Great Library.
The Great Library, one of thergest on the continent! There is actually a book I want to read but cannot seem to find, would you mind if I just look around a bit?
Oh, sure.
No, no way.
Oh my, I found it. This is what I wanted to read. What do you read, Your Majesty?
E-erm. Well, maybe Ill read that.
No way, right?
Oh? This is a book about magic. You read such difficult books, Your Majesty?
Hmm, I guess.
You are amazing, Your Majesty. I am d that you are an intelligent man, Your Majesty. I am sure we will get along just fine.
Ah, shyt. She knows exactly what shes doing.
Ah, yes. Then, shall we borrow some books? You may borrow as many books as you like.
Yes, my goal this time was to borrow books rted to magic, since this was something that even Count Ptine Vedett couldnt teach me. But Im going to act the role of a foolish Emperor who cant use magic for a while. It would look suspicious if I borrowed these books.
That was why I was going to y the role of the brat who borrows difficult books that he cant read just to act cool in front of the girl he likes. So, I was worried about how to lead Rosalia to borrow them but it surprisingly went smoothly.
Im certain that Rosalia saw through my intentions and was trying to act alongside me. What is with this girl? Is she really 9-years-old?
I really appreciate this, Your Majesty!
Hmm. Her smile is cute, but its starting to scare me.
This was horrible. Did she find out that I was acting as a foolish Emperor? If so, what was her purpose? Did she have a political message that she wanted to get out?
It was also possible that she was connected to one of the factions. I better keep my distance.
Rosalia returned home a monthter. She seemed depressed when she was leaving Did she want a promise from me or something?
Maybe I should have listened to what she had to say.
So, Your Majesty, what have you learnt?
One night. Count Ptine Vedett came down to my room.
Timon was sleeping in another room since I didnt have swordsmanship practice today.
Hes still the night-watch. But he seemed to be sleeping very little since he was following me day in and out, so I forced him to rest on days when I didnt have to train.
Having said that, he was supposed to be the night-watch tonight, so he will be in my room 30 minutes before the maidse to wake me up from the ceiling.
Isnt it used more often than the door?
Yeah, especially this bestowal magic is wonderful. It opens up a whole new world of possibilities.
Ive been learning magic on my own, but it seems that Ive reached my limits.
All the books filled with the wisdom of the ancestors were worth reading, but this concept of bestowal magic was definitely noteworthy. It was a revolutionary concept that allowed one to bestow the magic A to B.
For instance, the quickest magic that I can use was the ray beam thatpresses and fires heat energy. The biggest problem with this magic was that it wasnt powerful enough. It could pierce through a target, but it was only radiating heat. I needed to keep applying it to the same spot. Well, it would probably melt the skins surface if I applied it to the skin, but it wasnt strong enough inbat.
However, this problem can be solved if I use bestowal magic to add the fire attribute. The area this magic is applied to will melt in an instant and even metals will melt straight away. It was super strong. It was more powerful than I had imagined, and the maids almost caught me using it. I seriously panicked.
And it still maintained the advantages of a light ray, such as having the speed of light and radiation durability. You could say it was the best magic. It also didnt take long to bestow magic once I knew the concept. The consumed mana amount was also within a margin of error.
It was also important to note that the bestowed magic wasnt fire but fire attribute. When fire was bestowed, it kept the shape of the me and its cooling properties, but the cooling property isnt attached when bestowing fire attribute, because that was a property of the water attribute.
This was the so-called elements concept, which conceptualised the symbolic nature of the phenomenon known as attributes. I thought it was an old-fashioned idea at first since I was a former modern person who had been immersed in science but elements had their own merits. I have to remedy these preconceptions.
Ive learnt a lot of other magic including curse magic, holy magic and barrier magic with more conditions attached to it.
I got a bit carried away when it came to magic. It was almost like a hobby now.
Back to the topic at hand.
So? What do you want, Count Ptine?
First, about the matter you asked me to investigate earlier. Rosalia-sama does not appear to be connected to either faction.
I see. Thats great.
Then, she might have some kind of political request. I was fortunate enough toe across a wonderful magic book thanks to her, so Ill do what I can to amodate her the next time we meet.
So, why are you really here?
Well, I caught something interesting.
Count Ptine said as he pulled down a man, who was tied with a rope, from the attic.
I thought I would leave it to your discretion, Your Majesty.
Exin.
Arent you too amused by my reaction, Count Ptine?
Chapter 22: The Three Families Rebellion
Chapter 22: The Three Families Rebellion
This happened just before I was born. The Empire was left without an emperor with the death of the Crown Prince Jean in battle and the Emperor Edward IV dying unnaturally. There was a dispute over who would be the next emperor as one would expect. There were three people rumoured to be the next Emperor at that time. All of them were women and were sisters of the deceased Emperor Edward IV.
The first was Eleanor, the wife of Marquis Aquicurl Diederich, the second was Marguerite, the wife of Marquis LMitedeau, and the third was Leeds, the widowed wife of the former Count Berea.
The issue of session was resolved with the birth of the orphaned son of the Crown Prince Jean, who died in battle. However, the three families who had nominated candidates for the emperor disagreed with this decision and revolted against it.
The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies worked together to crush these three families. They killed off the families and effectively took control of theirnd.
Thus, there was no one left to revolt against the Young Emperor.
that was how The Three Families Rebellion was publicised.
Of course, the truth was different. This was what had happened in order:
First, they didnt know if I was really Jeans child until I was born since the old hag had a lover She really doesnt do anything good.
Now then, this struggle for the throne naturally turned into a factional strife between the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies. The Chancellor had nominated Eleanor, the wife of Marquis Aquicurl Dudetich and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies had nominated Marguerite, the wife of Marquis LMitedeau to be emperor.
Incidentally, Marquis Aquicurl Diederich and Lord Arquicurl had adjacent fiefs and were in a violent dispute over title.
To put it simply if Lord Aquicurls fief is a province, then Marquis Aquicurl Diederichs fief is a city. The dispute arose because Marquis Aquicurl Diederichs family had existed there for generations before Lord Aquicurl was appointed to the area.
Lord Aquicurl believed that Marquis Aquicurl Diederich should obey him since he was living in his fief, but Marquis Aquicurl Diederich wondered why he should have to bow to a nobody who appeared in the fief after him. Naturally, the two families were at odds. Thus, the Chancellor, who was the political enemy of the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, nominated Marquis Aquicurl Diederichs wife for the throne.
Marquis LMitedeau was also at odds with Lord Raul since their fiefs were adjacent to each other. It was just a simple boundary dispute. At this time, there were no aerial maps, so there werent any clear boundary lines. It would be easier to understand where the boundary was if there were markers such as mountains or rivers, but in the absence of such markers, a vige became the marker, This vige belongs here they said. The vigers of these viges were unaware of what their viges meant to the nobles, and they would move if they found a better ce to build a new vige. As a result, a boundary dispute urred between these nobles.
I was born amidst this intensifying political situation. The situation drastically changed when it was discovered that I was Jeans biological son. There was apparently a special magic tool that had been inherited since the Lothar Empire era.
That was why there were a lot of people watching over me when I was born.
The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies couldnt believe that the child that was being born was actually Jeans biological child Just how distrusting are you two?
Well, anyway, the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies temporarily joined forces with the birth of a legitimate heir.
Both Marquis Aquicurl Diederich and Marquis LMitedeau were both enemies of the enemy, so they nominated their wives for the throne. They might turn against the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies if the situation changed. On the other hand, a newborn infant could be manipted at will depending on how they are raised. Above all else, Eleanor and Marguerite had their husbands as their backers, but I had no one. They both chose the lighter pnquin.
Now, the main point. The secret agreement made between the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies was that Maquis Aquicurl Diederich belonged to Lord Aquicurl and Marquis LMitedeau and Countess Berea belonged to Lord Raul.
They exchanged the pnquins that got in their way. Countess Berea was just caught up in all this.
And the result of their agreement was the Three Families Rebellion. But they hadnt rebelled in the first ce.
It would have been hard for them to lodge aint even if their whole family was killed if they had really rebelled. But for that reason alone, they were stigmatized and destroyed.
That was the truth behind the Three Families Rebellion that took ce seven years ago right after I was born.
So, whos this?
The man kneeling in front of me was still a boy around 13 or 14 years old. He was bound with a rope, blindfolded and gagged. His clothes were tattered and looked to be those of amoner Strangely enough, he looked like an aristocrat.
He is a survivor from the LMitedeau family which was destroyed for being a traitor during the Three Families Rebellion. He was able to escape thanks to a subsidiary line of his subsidiary line. He was caught because he was trying to flee the Empire.
Hmm, so?
This boy was wanted by the Empire. He would be executed immediately if his existence is discovered, and this would not change unless the truth about the Three Families Rebellion is revealed.
I thought I should add one more piece to the board. You are free to do as you please.
Count Ptine Vedett took a step back.
So, I have to negotiate with him if I want to make this boy into a chess piece?
Anyway, I should be prepared to fire a magic attack at any time.
You can hear me, cant you? Nod if you can hear me Alright. Do you know that magic is being directed at you right now?
The boy in front of me shivered and nodded several times. It seemed like he could sense magic. Excellent.
Ill shoot this magic at you right away if you scream. Ill burn your throat. Also, dont lie or pretend. My hand might slip.
The boy nodded again. Well, thats enough for threats.
Make it so he can talk.
Count Ptine ungagged the boy, but he didnt ask for help.
Your name?
Fabio. Myst name is Denoueix.
His voice was shaking, but he was quite excellent for not panicking in this situation at his age.
So? Why did you decide to flee the Empire now? You could have left much earlier.
Initially, I had hoped to clear our name but the neutral faction that I was relying on was destroyed by the independence of the Theanabe Union. I have no more future in this nation.
I see. Well, even if he rebuilds his house outside of this nation, his house would still be the House that rebelled in the Empire. You were looking for an opportunity even though you knew it was dangerous?
Why do you want to clear your name? You could have just lived.
Everyone died while entrusting everything to me. They were all killed so easily. I cant let their sacrifices go to waste.
It didnt seem like he was telling a lie with the way he was clenching his teeth Can I use him at his age if he has that kind of determination?
It was also worth noting that he didnt try to tter me in this situation. I guess its the determination of taking responsibility for the LMitedeau House that made me want to talk to him as an equal. I personally like the way he was trying to act ostentatious.
Then lets make a deal. You will obey me and work as my hands and feet. In exchange, I will expose the truth of the Three Families Rebellion when I be the emperor and clear their names. How about it?
Emp eror?
Huh? Whats with his reaction Oh, I see. I hadnt said it, and Count Ptine hadnt told him who I was on purpose.
I guess he did that so this boy wouldnt have any strange, preconceived ideas.
Take off his blindfold.
Count Ptine Vedett took off his blindfold. Fabio didnt consider that he was talking to a child who was younger than himself and widened his eyes in surprise.
Nice to meet you. Im Carmine, the Eighth Emperor. You could say that I was the direct cause of the Three Families Rebellion.
Well, if I hadnt been born then Fabio might have be a branch family of the emperors family. It was understandable for him to bear a grudge against me.
Ye no. I have never thought that you were the cause.
Whats with you? Just speak like you were speaking before.
Polite speech was suspicious just like how Count Ptine and Timona are.
So? Whats your reply?
Ah Ill obey you, so please
I understand. I cant do it now but Ill make sure to clear your name.
There was no choice of not revealing the Chancellors and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies stain. I would have revealed this when I became emperor even if Fabio wasnt here. I practically got a man for free, but I need insurance.
Count Ptine Vedett.
Yes, Your Majesty.
This is an order. I want you to adopt Fabio and take care of him.
Fabio will be executed as soon as he is discovered. Count Ptine Vedett would be investigated because he adopted him.
This order was a means to have Fabio watched so he cant betray me, but it was also a chain for Count Ptine Vedett.
Count Ptine knew this.
Fu, fufu. Mwahahhah You are brilliant, Your Majesty Certainly, I will respectfully ept this order.
Oh, as it turns out, it wasnt Fabio who was being tested, but me.
Im d to hear that I passed his test.
Chapter 23: Fun Magic Experiment (Using Toxic Substances)
Chapter 23: Fun Magic Experiment (Using Toxic Substances)
Fabio will be studying under Count Ptine Vedett for a while, and I wont be asking him to do anything.
Right now, both the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies had returned to their fiefs because they were wary of other nations. If I reduce their influence at this time, then other nations will invade the Empire. The citizens of Lord Rauls fief and the citizens of Duke Aquicurls fief were equally people of the Empire. I want to avoid unnecessary sacrifices.
That was why Ive decided to wait. Life will go on as it did before in the pce for the time being.
But Ill do what I can do, especially when ites to myself since I wont be affected by their political strife.
I asked Count Ptine as I finished my daily swordsmanship practice.
Count Ptine Vedett. I read in a book that a certain royal family takes diluted poison to make their bodies resistant to poison. Is this possible?
Well, it was something I read in my previous world.
I also didnt tell him I have memories of my previous life, but this is Count Ptine Vedett, Im sure he has an idea of what I was talking about.
If that is what you wish, but its only better than not doing it.
He strangely hid his feelings. Well, he is the head spy. He had probably already trained himself with poison.
I dont mind What about Timona?
I turned to Timona who had been waiting in silence.
No, I am Your Majestys poison taster.
He tly refused.
It was better to poison someone who wasnt used to poison since it would react better.
That was why I told him to stop being a poison taster but poison tasters wont know that what theyre eating is poisoned if it was nned well.
For example, there are things that arent poisonous when taken alone but be a powerful poison whenbined with something else. If they mix one of those into my food and another into medicine or something then the poison taster wont die, and only I will be killed.
Im sure there are other countless ways to use poison as well. Its extremely low for me to not get poisoned even if I have a poison taster.
Well, Im sure they understand why I would choose the first option when asked if I wanted a poison taster or not. If its between 0% or 1%, then Id choose the 1% usually.
But I can use magic.
Oh right, make sure you include poisons that cant be countered.
Those probably exist. I dont know anything about poisons though.
Oh Understood, Your Majesty.
Luckily, I had a spell I wanted to try.
Count Ptine Vedett brought some poisons to the pce the following week on a day when I had no practice. He carefully ced the liquids in ss bottles, and they all looked the same because the liquid was transparent.
He also brought cookies with a small amount of poison in them so that I can build tolerance against them. Ill use these for my experimentster.
Now, Im going to try a new spell. I should be able to neutralise the poison if this works.
So, I went out of the window once.
I had to do this. Its better if I have plenty of mana if Im going to experiment.
By the way, I heard that the magic tool that immobilises mana indoors and makes it impossible to use magic is called a sealing magic tool.
Now, the magic I was going to try was inspired by the grimoire that I read the other day. The title was The Theory of La Tel (Barrier Magic).
There is something called Christel (Protective Barrier Magic). Its a useful spell that defends against physical and magical attacks to a certain degree.
This magic can be altered to a certain extent when the mage attaches conditions to the spell. For example, by allowing physical interference (since it cannot differentiate whether something is an attack or not), then it can be made into a Christel that specialises in anti-magic, and vice versa.
If you increase the mana used to make it or keep channelling magic into the barrier so it doesnt break while in use, then you can increase its durability.
Naturally, the amount of mana consumed will increase, however even if you try to weaken this spell, the amount of mana consumed will still increase because the mana was being consumed by the conditions.
Lets say the mana consumed by a normal Protective Barrier Magic is 3, so you would clearly lose 3 mana. Increasing how strong the barrier is will consume 2 more mana, thus the amount of mana consumed would be 5.
But when you are weakening the barrier, you subtract 3 from 2 which would result in 1, but the mana used is 5 since you need to add 3 and 2.
The Theory of La Tel could be exined in a nutshell like this: If that were the case, then why dont you make magic that produces a result of 1 with 1 mana from the start?
So, the magic I was going to create was La Tel which only repelled poison.
However, there was a problem in its creation.
I can put a condition on Christel to be impervious to smells because I have a clear image of what a smell was.
However, that wasnt the case with poisons. Ive had too little contact with poisons in my previous life to know what they are and when it was considered medicine or poison.
So, even if I can create a La Tel with specific conditions on it, I cant imagine how it would repel poison.
But in the end, magic depends on your imagination. I had no choice but to substitute that with what I can imagine.
There are two necessary processes to prevent poison. The first was to prevent the poison from entering my body and the second was to iste the poison so that it could be safely removed from my body. To do this, I will use a threeyer La Tel.
Ill start by experimenting with a twoyer La Tel.
I asked Count Ptine to give me the weakest poison from the ones he had brought and opened the cork. If this vtilises and affects my body, then Ill be in deep trouble.
I was going to create a La Tel that defends against only magic. Now I have to get creative.
The other day, I found out that bestowal magic can not only add attributes to something, but also add mes. Since that was the case, I should be able to bestow poison.
I used my mana to make a drop of poison float and carefully manipted it and bestowed it to La Tel.
Yup, it was a sess. So far so good.
Now I have a La Tel bestowed with poison. Lets call this La Tel A.
Well, that is the property of Christel: the twoyers of Christel that are conditioned to defend against magic. These twoyers (theyer that defends against magic and the mages anti-effectyer) repel when they sh. Christel was also magic, so it could do this. The same properties apply to La Tel, a magic in the same branch.
I created a threeyer La Tel. This was a La Tel that only defends against La Tel A.
It was easy to create and also easy to picture. Ill call this La Tel B.
Then, I put the two La Tels opposite to each other and made them collide.
La Tel A defends against magic and La Tel B defends against La Tel A.
These two barriers repelled each other, but their repulsive power was extremely weak since La Tel can only produce a result of 1.
La Tel A, which La Tel B was defending against, has poison bestowed on it. La Tel B being able to protect against La Tel A meant that it wasnt just protecting against the barrier, but also the poison, but if poison enters from La Tel A, La Tel B will be unable to determine if that poison had entered from an outside source or if it had been bestowed on La Tel A.
I manipted another drop of poison which I had used earlier and dripped it from the anti-effect side of La Tel A.
Then, just as I had hoped, the drop of poison floated to the top of La Tel A.
Oh. Very clever.
Count Ptine Vedett stared at me. I wish he would stop distracting me.
Anyhow, the experiment was a sess. Ive created the lowest barrier I can to prevent poisoning.
The next step was to create a spell to safely remove or iste poison from my body.
One of the spells I learnt from the book was Reveria Christel (Counter Barrier). It was an extremely inefficient magic that bestows counterattack to a barrier and activates that counterattack when it receives an attack.
It was better to attack with another magic spell while using a barrier because you can respond more flexibly. In fact, this was a magic that was created by someone as ast resort since they could only use two or three spells at a time.
It was a wonderful invention.
Im going to make a cheaper version of this Reveria Christel, Reveria Tel. Thus, Ill set Barrier Expansion to this counterattack and set it so it counterattacks when something touches the surface, then Ill set it face down on top of the twoyers I had just stacked together.
This should work. I dropped the poison from above again.
It passed through the firstyer because the anti-effect side was at the top, it also passed through the secondyer as well, but the thirdyer repelled the poison. Then, the returned drop of poison passed through the secondyer again while making contact with the firstyer which activated the counterattack. A barrier that covers everything was deployed.
Its wless.
The magic that I wanted to make waspleted. I think I might have a talent for magic.
Someday, Ill give up my throne to my children, retire and be a magic researcher!
This spell will stop any poison that has been bestowed on La Tel A. All I have to do is collect as many poisons as I can from all over the world, but new and old, and bestow them on La Tel A.
The problem was that this chain of magic could only be used once, and it cant handle rare poisons or new types of poisons for which there are no samples but Im sure I can collect all poisons since Im the Emperor.
I checked the barrier again just to be certain. The same process was followed again to create a triple magic barrier.
I created water with magic and dropped it from above. It fell to the ground without being caught by La Tel. I guess normal food and water will pass right through this barrier.
Next, I crushed up the cookie that was going to be used to help me build poison tolerance and dropped it on La Tel.
The barrier reacted properly, and a barrier was set up.
It was a really impressive barrier, if I do say so myself.
Now all I had to do was ce this barrier on my throat.
I wore contact lenses in my previous life, so I didnt fear inserting foreign objects into my body and this was magic I had made myself.
You do not need to build up tolerance against poison if you can prevent it.
Count Ptine watched my experiments and said,
Itll be difficult to have children if you let your body get used to poison.
Is that so?
Yes. Its possible that theyll have health problems even if theyre born. My child was also born blind.
I see. So, he has had actual experience with this. I didnt know how to respond to this.
You can use this magic among the spies too.
Its impossible. There arent many people who can skilfully produce magic like this.
Ah, I see.
And, youll still have political duties even if you retire.
I was told this as I climbed through the window and returned to my room.
Why can you read my thoughts?
Chapter 24: Cowardly Emperor
Chapter 24: Cowardly Emperor
I turned 8. The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies came back to the capital at the same time as if they had arranged it.
At first, I had thought that they hade to congratte me but that came after.
No, I wouldnt have been moved at all if they had juste to the capital to congratte me. I was rather impressed with how low their loyalties are. There was nothing more disgusting than empty ttery.
The two came to the capital to discuss a certain n which was how to defeat the Theanabe Union.
There was 1 Marquis and 4 Counts of the neutral faction who became independent to create the Theanabe Union. Their territory was so small that the fief was directly ruled by Duke Raul. I guess they want to strike the enemy who is easy to strike rather than to remain vignt against an invasion from the Ghafur Republic.
I dont think itll work out well for them.
Its not as if two factions, who have been in political strife for years, can work together to attack the enemy.
Well, anyway, I dont know whether they were fighting or criticising each other or maybe they were even discussing this seriously, but there was always one topic that came up on the agenda.
Military expedition led by the Emperor. They wanted to make the Emperor a nominalmander-in-chief so that they could dispatch the army.
When I was told about this
Dont want to!!
I firmly refused.
If Your Majesty is inmand, then the morale of the army will rise, and victory will be certain.
I said I dont want to! I dont want to die.
The Chancellor kept trying to persuade me, but I kept refusing. Well, I dont mind going to the battlefield. As an Emperor, I have to see what the battlefield is like and what war is like with my own eyes.
Ive never experienced war in my previous life. So, I need to learn about it before I can run a nation.
But this was different.
I will gain fame if I seed in this military expedition. Naturally, that would make the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies wary of me. They might assassinate me immediately if I achieve a crushing victory.
So, what would happen if I lost? Not only would my life be in danger, but I would also have to be responsible for losing the battle. Most importantly, a monarch who is weak in battle will not be able to gain the support of the people.
Monarchs gauge the aristocrats emotions because aristocrats can force their citizens to support the monarch. Sometimes this was done by military force or by political power. Therefore, monarchs think that the people will be governed if they control the aristocrats.
As a result, the aristocrats gain more power to control the masses.
But if they can get the support of the people directly, then they can get by without the support of the aristocrats.
Though it is necessary to govern efficiently to gain the support of the people, bureaucrats or aristocrats are needed for that.
So, I didnt care what the aristocrats thought of it. Its not like I want to get rid of them. When I regain control of this nation, I can just use aristocrats who obey me.
But the people are different. My fate will be determined by whether or not I can gain their support when I take over the reins of power. A nation cant be stable without the support of its people.
And I know from my previous life that no matter how bad a government is, they will gain a certain level of support if they are powerful. Putting it the other way, you wont get support no matter how good your government is if you arent strong Well, there are exceptions such as the weakest daimyo in Hitachi.
Anyway, Id like to avoid participating in wars until I have actual power.
Since I have a death g no matter if I win or lose.
But Your Majesty.
I dont want to! Absolutely not!!
It was too suspicious that both the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies rmended this.
Isnt that enough, you two? His Majesty said he doesnt want to. And what would you do if something happened to His Majesty on the battlefield?
The old hag acted like my mother and said she was speaking for her son. Ack
I might be fine losing my first battle in another nation, but if I lose my first battle in this nation, people might say I was the seconding of the 6th Emperor, Edward III.
I dont care much about my reputation, but I dont want to be like him. If there was a ranking of ipetent monarchs of all time in the future, he would certainly be in the top 10.
He was the one who gave Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl a nations world ofnd, and he was also the one who ruined the Empire.
The reason why the Empire was now in such a dead-end situation was almost mostly his fault.
The 6th Emperor, Edward III was ridiculed as the Pnquin Emperor during his reign. He ascended to the throne at the young age of 19. There are many people who go bad from obtaining power at a young age, but this man was horrible even before that.
It was said that he was a child who threw tantrums and took pleasure in tyrannising people. Then, he went wild after he discovered sex. His first child was born when he was 14 years old. He had forced himself on a maid. People didnt believe her when the maid reported it, so they used a magic tool to see if she was lying, but it reacted. The situation came to light.
After that, he continued to force himself onto different maids. His only son, Edward IV, and his two sisters were born in the same year.
How? They all had different mothers. Three maids giving birth to royals at almost the same time could only be described as bizarre.
But he only had these four children. Officially, he had a sexually transmitted disease. Well, since he went wild, there were no more aristocrat daughters who were willing to be maids, so they were forced to bring inmoners and ves as maids. Its not unnatural for a sexually transmitted disease to be transferred to him from them.
The truth? ording to Count Ptine Vedett, theres a drug that prevents you from having children.
Now then, his father, Charles II died when he was 19. He became the Emperor without any problems since he was the eldest son.
But because of all his problems his half-brother Charles-Peter, the second son of Charles II, started a rebellion.
And as a result of this rebellion, he was defeated.
The imperialists, who had lost the area around the capital, reconciled with Charles-Peter by making him their co-ruler. They tried to settle the rebellion. However, the day before Charles-Peters ession to the throne, Edward III assassinated his brother. The people who supported Charles-Peter were furious and rebelled once again, and Edward III was defeated once again.
He only did unnecessary things, interfered unnecessarily and executed generals who disobeyed him. He was a fool who couldnt be described in one word. He was able to do all that because the Emperor had strong influence at that time.
Incidentally, the leaderless rebellion, Peters Rebellion destroyed itself because of internal strife.
It shouldnt have happened.
After that, he attacked the Teiwa Empire which was on the other side of the Heavenly Mountain Range and was badly defeated. Then, the Ghafur Republic invaded, and he was badly defeated. He couldnt suppress the aristocrats dissatisfaction after this, so he appointed one of his younger brothers as Lord Raul and threw the entire eastern part of the Empire at him. This led to the current Chancellors power.
Incidentally, they were still at war with the Teiwa Empire despite the truce.
Afterwards, he used the money he got from the sale of the knight peerage and other official titles to attack a small nation called Gayuhi but was defeated badly as the surrounding nations had him encircled. Instead of calling itself the Grand Duchy Gayuhi, the Gayuhi Kingdom received argepensation from the Empire.
This left Edward III with no money again, so he introduced a salt monopoly and luxury tax, and invaded the Ghafur Republic. He lost again.
Was he acting out a gag?
Then, a rebellion broke out in Aquicurl, and he set out to crush the rebellion but was defeated.
Seriously, was he acting out a gag?
When he couldnt do anything else, he appointed his younger brother the current Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies as Duke Aquicurl and left everything to him. The result of that was the current power structure.
He once again ran out of money and started to blindly mintage. Of course, this method didnt allow him to gain much money and only created intion.
This was when his wicked nature began. He auctioned off the mintage since he couldnt make money from it.
It was beyond foolishness and stupidity.
Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl paid huge sums of money in a panic and managed to buy them. Even to this day, the gold mintage was owned by Lord Raul and the silver mintage was owned by Lord Aquicurl.
Both Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl got hold of more authority than the Emperor since they had the power to mint money.
I really take my hat off to Count Newnbal, Lord of Treasury, for somehow maintaining the status quo under such circumstances.
Now this idiot, who had gotten money from selling the mintage, invaded Ada, which was adjacent to the southern part of the Empire and was badly defeated once again.
The bureaucracy, standing army, emperors authority and national treasury that the Empire had built up were all lost in his generation.
He died in the year 423. 40 years ago. What Im trying to say is that people still remember this fool clearly.
Do you know why my father and the previous Emperor were so popr with the people? It was because they werent Edward III.
Anyway, if people think that Ill be like Edward III, then itll be very difficult to get rid of that stigma. That was how strong of an impact Edward III had made.
I would haveughed at him if I wasnt the Emperor, even though he wasnt funny.
Anyway, I want to avoid going to war. Ill take her interference as a good thing.
The two Lords returned to their fiefs the following month and dispatched their respective armies.
They also appointed a general from their own faction as themander of their armies.
Eh, twomanders, isnt that a g for them topletely lose? What are they thinking?
Im d I didnt go. Im not the seconding of Edward III, but I could have been killed in battle.
Well, the aristocrats are calling me the Cowardly Emperor behind my back since I threw a tantrum because I didnt want to participate in war, but who cares?
However, I didnt know at that time that a certain person (with a fatherplex) woulde to the pce because they heard about my disgraceful behaviour.
Chapter 25: Thorny Lady Nadine
Chapter 25: Thorny Lady Nadine
Im going to knock that twisted attitude of yours back to normal! You can thank Father for sending me!!
Nadine is the daughter of Lord Warung, Richter du van Warung, who holds thergest fief among the remaining neutral nobles. She had a fatherplex and everyone knew this.
This was the first thing she had said to me when she came to me and saw my face, and she had even said this in front of the nobles from the Chancellor and Regent factions.
How can Lord Warung send her here?
Lord Warung had a fief on the southern border and had little to do with the court. He is from a military family, and although his fief is about one-fifth of Lord Rauls, his military power was said to beparable to Lord Rauls army.
This was an aristocrat who I would like to have as an ally when I gain real power.
Nadine, the daughter of such an aristocrat, is a year younger than me, but she has been ring up at me like this every time we meet ever since I first met her. She is prideful, foul-mouthed and fearless. I heard that she was known as the Thorny Lady.
Honestly, I have a hard time dealing with her.
I dont particrly mind being looked down upon or cussed I even think that it might be interesting to tease her.
The problem was that it was unnatural for the Puppet Emperor not to be angry, since Ive been throwing tantrums over various matters until now.
But if I pretend to throw a tantrum then Lord Warungs position will be extremely bad.
Both the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies are wary of Lord Warung, who is renowned for his military prowess, so they stripped Lord Warung of his marshal title even though he wasnt present when Prince Jean was killed on the battlefield.
If I were to throw a tantrum because of this then they would be happy to use that as an excuse to strike Lord Warung, but it would be too unnatural for me not to throw a tantrum.
Seriously, why did he send his daughter here in the first ce I believe Lord Warung is a terrible politician.
Timona noticed that I was troubled and whispered in my ears so the other aristocrats couldnt hear what he had to say.
Your Majesty. She is younger than you, Your Majesty. Shes young, so her attitude is normal.
Ah, I see, lets go with that.
But of course, Nadine heard him and interrupted.
Its only a year difference!!
Shut up, Ill y with you as much as you wantter, so be quiet for now.
I see. Hmm, I should forgive her then because shes younger than me. Youre lucky Im an adult.
WHAT!?
Nadines face turned red. The aristocrats looked at me and seemed like they wanted to say, How are you an adult?
Well, Im actually a former adult on the inside. People theorised that your mental age was adjusted by your physical age, making you act younger.
Timona narrowed his bloodthirsty eyes at Nadine, who was about to say something again.
Nadine finally noticed the unsettling aura and closed her mouth. Im sure she can sense killing intention since shes the daughter of a former marshal. I would have loved it if she could read the mood from the beginning.
And Timona, your bloodthirst also affects me, so Id like it if you stop.
Nadine has been staying in the pce since then.
She had a strange sense of duty for some reason.
For example, she stood in front of my room to make me go to lectures whenever I tried to skip, and she would bring a wooden sword to my room and say, Come at me! to try and make me practice my swordsmanship.
I felt that she was trying to make me into a decent emperor, but it really none of her business how I am.
You should tter children if you want them to learn. Why can she only act arrogantly?
Read this!
See, this is how she forces me to read. Well, I should read it since it was a textbook that was used for primary education. Ordinary children learn by reading this.
She was right, but the way she said it was poor.
She couldnt talk to the Emperor that way. Even the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, who both only see me as a puppet, and the Regent are careful about what they say to me. I cant just read the book just because she told me since the spy maids are here.
I think shes a good kid.
What? You think I havent read that?
Eh I see, have you read it before? Hmm, Im sorry.
Yeh, yeah, I think its good that you can apologise when you think youre wrong, now if you can only fix the way you talk.
But arent you being too meek?
Umm, well I havent read it yet though.
Nadine looked dumbfounded, then she raised her voice when she realised that she had been ridiculed.
Youre making fun of me again!
Shes so funny.
I looked at Timona who was standing next to me, hinting, but Timona narrowed his eyes and red at Nadine.
Shouldnt you rebuke me for teasing someone younger than me? This isnt very exciting. Too bad.
By the way, when I told her to go home, she yelled at me, You dont have the right to order me around! But the Empire is paying for your stay? Can you not be dead weight since the treasury is empty?
Well, children wouldnt understand this though.
Swordsmanship and self-defence training was held at night. This was usually over by the time the sky brightens. There are clocks in this world, but perhaps because they werent widely spread, the basic way of life was to wake up when it gets light.
Ah, but I wake up muchter than that. Its just that people start moving around at that time, so I try to finish my training and not make any noise.
I think Ive be more of a night owl than I used to be.
Today, my training ended at the usual time and Count Ptine Vedett left. I was thinking about practicing my magic until it was time to get up when Timona, my aide, approached me.
Would you like to take a bath after you get up?
Yeah, please.
Timonas job didnt consist of being a night guard or being a poisoner taster, he also did the job of a steward. His role was to give instructions to the maids. Honestly, I believe hes been working too much, and Ive been telling him to take regr breaks, but he says hes working without pushing himself.
I could only pray that he doesnt suddenly explode with all the pent-up frustration.
The steward Helck didnt seem unhappy that his job had been stolen away. He was still acting as an intermediary for the aristocrats. Although some aristocrats from the Regent Faction such as the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies have begun using Timona as an intermediary, most of the bribes go to Helck.
He wasnt the type to take pride in his work as a steward How can someone like that be the steward of the emperor?
Incidentally, the Emperor can take a bath whenever the maids are awake.
Ah, and Your Majesty
Timona, who usually didnt speak except for when he needed to, spoke up.
What is it?
Lady Warungs maid has beenmunicating with the outside world.
Although Nadine was staying in the pce without permission, she is still the daughter of an aristocrat. She cant get ready by herself. Having said that, it was a nuisance for the pce maids to take care of anotherdy, so she brought a few maids with her to the pce.
Or rather, those maids were the main reason why she was staying in the pce. Was Nadine only using fixing my attitude as an excuse to ce her maids in the pce so that they can distribute information about the pce to the outside world?
First of all, Nadine wasnt someone who could act like me, since Im a good actor. Im pretty confident that she cant act.
Then again, I doubt that Lord Warung is the kind of man who would trick his own daughter. Ive met him and talked to him a few times, and hes a decent father who loves his daughter.
Its possible that Lord Warung has secured the safety of his family by actively distancing himself from the pce.
It was said that they made Lord Warung responsible for my fathers death and stripped him of his marshal title, but if he were really responsible for my fathers death, then the matter wouldnt have been settled with just having his title stripped. Of course, its possible that the Chancellor and the others were wary of Lord Warungs military might, so theypromised with that level of punishment.
However, Lord Warung is believed to have caused the Crown Princes death because he was stripped of his marshal title. It wouldnt be surprising if there were protests and revolts if his family ced importance on honour, and if Lord Warung were to lead this then he might have seeded.
Would that Chancellor really take such a risky move? Lord Warung was neutral right now, but he could be influenced by other factions.
But the fact is that Lord Warung was no longer a marshal. So that means that he voluntarily gave up his title.
The political situation in the pce was undoubtedly unstable at that time. Lord Warung, who knew that he wasnt a good politician, distanced himself from all this.
Why would such a Duke risk his life to get involved in politics now? This was too strange.
So, it was safe to assume that Lord Warung and Nadine are in agreement. So, he was grieving over my current situation and was risking his life to return to the pce to make me a decent Emperor.
But if that was really the only reason, then Lord Warung can juste to me directly. He can just send his vassals or subordinate aristocrats if hes worried about the other factions.
At the very least, that wasnt a reason for him to send his daughter here especially if she knows the rumours about me. I mean, Im someone who threw a tantrum, pointed at an aristocrat and told people to kill him.
So, theres someone whos twisting information?
It would be fine if the person twisting the information is Lord Warungs subordinate or another Empire aristocrat, since it would only cause internal strife, but if that was spread by another nation
Oh yeah, this is the pce. Why didnt I realise?
I only pay attention to the Chancellor and Regent factions because theyre always fighting.
Isnt a stormy pce a perfect hunting ground for other nations?
Ah, I see. Count Ptines men are in the attic as a countermeasure for foreign spies.
Which means some force is trying to gain information through Nadines maids in order to escape Count Ptines counterintelligencework.
Timona. Its possible that an outside force is intervening. Can you tell Count Ptine to carefully look into this? As soon as possible.
As you wish.
The question is what nation is behind this? Ill have to wait for a full report.
Chapter 26: There are Snakes in the Bushes Even if You Don’t Poke Them
Chapter 26: There are Snakes in the Bushes Even if You Don¡¯t Poke Them
The punitive force sent to the Theanabe Union has been destroyed.
This news filled the pce with confusion. Rumour had it that they had sent nearly three times as many troops but they were destroyed.
And most of the lords had returned to their own fiefs to strengthen their defences. My surveince has be more rxed thanks to this.
However, that didnt mean that the factional strife has lessened, rather, it intensified.
A lot of me was being ced on each faction for this defeat.
The Regent and George V have be annoying. I dont care who was to me.
To sum up the arguments from both sides:
Rauls army was farther back than nned when Aquicurls army arrived at the frontlines.
Then, the Aquicurl Army was attacked by the rapidly advancing enemy and retreated, but they didnt inform the Raul army about this.
Therefore, the advancing Raul army was attacked and defeated. The Aquicurls supplies were also plundered.
After that, the reorganised Aquicurl army was attacked again and destroyed. The Raul Army, which was slowed down because of their plundering, caught up to the Aquicurl army and was destroyed. This seemed to be the general flow of the expedition.
Are they idiots?
Both Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl left their main forces to defend their fiefs and only dispatched mercenaries.
Theyre stupid. If they had won like that then all was well, but losing while preserving your main force Well, only heroes can lose like that with pride.
The Theanabe Union showed no sign of wanting to invade the Empire, so there was no use fighting about this.
The problem is the counterintelligence situation in the pce.
Ive been instructed by Count Ptine to report to you.
Normally, Count Ptine would give me his report directly, but Timona will be giving me his report today.
Count Ptine has decided that Timona can be trusted.
Hm, thanks.
Hah. First of all, Count Ptine has been aware of the foreign spies in the pce for a long time. And as it turns out its impossible to eradicate them.
Hmm, so theres a lot of them.
But I learnt two shocking facts from Timona.
Lord Raul is connected to the Ada Kingdom and Lord Aquicurl is connected to the Republic of Ghafur.
The Ada Kingdom was a nation bordering the southwest of the Empire, and they had acquired a vast amount ofnd from the Empire just before I was born (from the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies political rival), and the Republic of Ghafur Oh,e on, youre a fucking traitor.
Is there not much time till their ruin? Its really strenuous to restore an Empire after you escape from the imperial capital.
Hmm? Wait. Those who are connected to other nations went together on a joint punitive?
So, those two nations arent involved in this campaign?
Yes. Tomis Ashinaqui is the only nation that is helping the Theanabe Union.
So, Lord Raul, Lord Aquicurl and the surrounding nations lost a battle that they thought the Imperial Army would win?
I have another report from Count Ptine. The people connected to the maid are the Golden Fleece. Count Ptinemented, Their reach extends further than I expected.
The Golden Fleece Association was thete Emperors go-to association during his reign, and they simply vanished after thete Emperor died Their representative, Ireel Fechner, is believed to be the ringleader behind the Theanabe Unions rebellion.
That association is connected to Nadines maid? Nadine Or rather, Lord Warungs family are aristocrats from the southern part of the Empire, but the Theanabe Union is in the northwest part of the Empire.
I see why Count Ptine ignored them. Normally, one would assume that they are connected to the southern nations since theyre a southern aristocratic family. Speed is important when ites to information. The possibility of a connection between a southern aristocratic house and the Theanabe Union would be pushed aside.
But Nadine is in the capital right now. Its not surprising that the Theanabe Union would reach out to her
No, it is surprising. If someone is twisting information about me and passing it onto Lord Warung, then it would happen in his fief in the south.
So, that maid is a member of the Golden Fleece or shes helping them?
No. ording to the investigation, shes innocent, but the Warung House messenger who shes reporting to is a member of the Golden Fleece.
Hmm, and that persons background check?
The background check on them isntpleted but they were apparently born, raised and still live in Lord Warungs fief.
So, thats why he didnt think that they are connected to the Golden Fleece which means that the Golden Fleeces intelligencework extends throughout the Empire.
The Golden Fleece is an association that not only outwitted the Empire, but also foreign nations where are they getting their funds?
The important question was why the association helped the Theanabe Union gain independence. It must have cost them a lot of money to help the Theanabe Union be independent and defend them against the Imperial Army.
But merchants take action to make money. Thus, it was safe to assume that the merchants are convinced that the profits generated from the independence of the Theanabe Union will exceed the funds they invested.
Did Count Ptine say anything about the Golden Fleeces motive?
No, I think hes still investigating that.
Well, this isnt good. If traps are being set all over the Empire, then I would like to at least understand why they were set.
Even so, in a world where capitalism hasnt spread, arge business association is on par with a nation The association is doing quite well even though they werentpletely self-reliant. Theyre like an East Indian Company.
Oh yeah. Thats it.
Say, is the Golden Fleece a shippingpany?
Im not sure. But Im sure they have a department like that as well since theyre arge association. Transport is faster by sea than bynd.
Oh, I see. The sea is the fastest way to travel until railroads and automobiles are invented. Thats themon sense of this world. I have to adapt properly.
Did you realise something?
Timona asked emotionlessly. Well, he has gained Count Ptines trust, so I guess thats fine.
The Golden Fleece is probably funded by the Intercontinental Trade. Everything would make a lot of sense if they are.
Why was the Golden Fleece the go-to merchants during the previous Emperors reign? There must have been a reason for this. If the Golden Fleece is trading with another continent, then they must have goods that arent found on this continent. That would have been more than enough reason for thete Emperor to use them exclusively.
It would make sense that they have spies in Lord Warungs fief if they use ships. The dukedom itself doesnt face the sea, but the river that runs through the dukedom connects to the sea Incidentally, the capital also has a river that flows out to the sea. They definitely have spies here.
It also answers the question of why they helped the Theanabe Union go independent. This continent. Which was also the birthce of the Holy One Church, is located west of the Eastern Continent.
The Theanabe Union is in the north-western part of the Empire. It has an ocean to the west. But until now, the seas of the Empire have been controlled by Lord Aquicurl.
He could intervene with the seas since he was in control of them. But they wouldnt stand a chance against the Empire if they wanted to take over a single port town, so they made a new nation that would do what they wanted.
That is the true reason for the independence of the Theanabe Union. That wasnt just a rebellion. It is the base of a global merchant organisation. Even if we seed in defeating and reannexing the Theanabe Union, there will still be a second or third Theanabe Union as long as the Golden Fleece Association survives.
Timona spoke while I was pondering
Are the profits really that enormous?
Is that what people of this world think? I see. So, Ireel Fechner, the representative of the Golden Fleece Association is someone who is thinking outside of the box. Brilliant enemies are annoying
Yeah. They could build a nation with those profits or even destroy it.
The Age of Discovery on Earth began with the quest for the unknown, thats why nations supported it. As a result, the immense wealth that came from it became property of the nation.
In this world, however, it was the rediscovery of the known. Thats why the Golden Fleece Association has been able to amass enormous wealth on its own without the support of a nation.
It would be even worse if they have a monopoly of this. Even Spain, the country where the sun never sets [1]el imperio donde nuncase pone elsolpeted with Portugal, Ennd, France and the Nethends. If all that is monopolised by a singlepany then
Theyre monsters. If we dont do something about them now, then well never recover
Id like to get some information on the situation of the sea and the different continents to the west.
Id like to get some information from the Belbe Kingdom but
Im not sure if I can ask Rosalia. Is it still too risky to trust her that much?
Timona. I want to know more about the western continent and the current state of intercontinental trade. Tell Count Ptine that this is top priority. You can use Rosalia or Fabio if youre short on manpower. But be very careful if you rely on Rosalia.
I hope that we still have options
Extra 04: Rosalia 03
Extra 04: Rosalia 03
Salomon de Valverde became a Marquis in the Belbe Kingdom at the young age of thirty. He is the second cousin of the current King of the Belbe Kingdom, the Kings advisor and an excellent general who has pushed back the Tomis Ashinaqui army on the frontline and a good uncle to Rosalia.
Rosalia had been looking at some books with a grim expression on her face, but she brightened up when the maid told her that her uncle wasing.
Uncle! Ive been expecting you.
Hey, Rosalia. I rushed here from the frontlines when I heard you had asked for me.
It was the truth. Salomon had watched Rosalia grow up since she was born and loved her like a daughter. Salomon rode his horse with all his might for the first time in a long time after having been summoned by this lovely girl.
Oh! I heard that Uncle is inmand of the frontline. Is it alright for you to leave?
Of course, Ive been doing my job well.
That was a lie. This man forced all his work onto his subordinates. Right now, themand centre on the frontlines was filled with agonising cries.
However, this man assessed the abilities of each of his subordinates and distributed just enough work for them to do as long as they work hard and came to the capital after concluding that Tomis Ashinaqui would not invade as they were focusing on helping the Theanabe Union.
He was an excellent person even though he mixed his private and public affairs a bit. Although, he is lenient on his rtives and sometimes misuses his excellence for the sake of his rtives. However, his rtives are the King and Princess, so in a sense, it could be said that he is extremely loyal.
So, why did you ask for me? Do you need me to do something for you?
Yes, Uncle.
Rosalia lifted the thick book that she had been staring at earlier.
I want you to teach me magic.
Mages are mostly aristocrats in this era. The biggest reason for this is that the aptitude to be a mage is easily inherited. Since most aristocrats are mages, their children are also likely to be mages. However, even children born from mages might not be able to use magic, or even if they were able to use mage, some of them might only be able to cast very weak spells.
Likewise, a child with the aptitude to be a mage can be born to a non-magemoner couple because of their ancestry. However, most of thesemoner-born mages dont survive. That is probably why mages are called aristocrats.
Children dont know how to control their magic when they awaken to it, and those who cant control their magic, go out of control. However, children from aristocrat families have their parents, guards, and maids who can control the childs magic and suppress it. Helping a child control their magic is clearly included in the job description for maids and guards.
However, children born tomoner families dont have someone to help them control their outburst. Some parents will kill their children on the spot if they see any signs that they are awakening to magic, but few parents are capable of killing their own child. As a result, the child goes out of control, wiping out their whole family, and in some cases, destroying their vige.
The only exception to this would bemoner families who serve aristocrats. Children mages are more likely to get sess in life. For aristocrats, it is better to have as many mage children as possible. Therefore, children who can use magic are treated well.
Commoner mages may end up bing aristocrats.
This kind of situation ismon throughout the continent. However, there is one exception, which is here, in the Belbe Kingdom.
If amoner has a mage child in the Belbe Kingdom, they can receive a huge reward if they entrust their child to the kingdom. Therefore, whenmoners find out that their children are mages, they risk their lives to report this to the pce.
The reason why the Belbe Kingdom does this is simple. A mage is a valuable asset on the battlefield. It didnt matter that they are just children as long as they can use magic proficiently.
The Belbe Kingdom had been pushed to the point where they were preparing to send child soldiers onto the battlefield, but the war situation did a 180 turn with one word from the Emperor and sending child soldiers to the battlefield was no longer necessary. Be that as it may, it was impossible to disband the child soldiers immediately since the Belbe Kingdom had spent an enormous amount of money gathering them. They were currently being trained to be an elite force.
The person who was teaching and guiding this youth mage unit was none other than Salomon. There was no one more qualified for being their magic instructor. This was the reason why Rosalia had asked for him.
Emperor Carmine can use magic?
When Salomon asked Rosalia why she wanted to learn magic, she replied, His Majesty can use magic. Salomon concluded that this His Majesty was not King Belbe, and immediately asked.
Is that true?
It was unbelievable. The rumours about Carmine said that he is a foolish Emperor, a coward, selfish, a puppet and that he is still unable to use magic.
Yes. Ive actually never seen him use it before, but he can! There must be a reason why hes hiding it.
Incidentally, Rosalia also had the aptitude to be a mage. But her magic education hasnt been considered important due to her position as Princess. Its also important to note that there is a sealing magic tool in the pce even though the pce is poor.
Hmm. But if you say you need it, then you need it.
Salomon believes that Rosalia is intelligent for her age even though he may be a nepotistic person. It was possible that Emperor Carmine could use magic since she said he could.
(Do I need to look into this? No, I cant risk Rosalia getting suspicious of me. I guess Ill just wait and see.)
Like most Belbe aristocrats, King Belbe disapproves of Rosalia and Camines engagement, partly because he doesnt trust Carmine, but mostly because he loves his daughter. He began to think that there was no need to force her to marry Carmine now that the Kingdom wasnt being attacked by Tomis Ashinaqui.
Salomon, on the other hand, approves of this engagement, but he believes that he has to make her Carmines first wife at all costs for her happiness. It was normal for emperors to have several consorts, and some eveny their hands on maids. He wanted Rosalia in a position where she could control them all, no matter what.
Although Carmina had no intention of marrying anyone else other than Rosalia at that time.
Got it. Ill teach you magic starting from today.
Thank you, Teacher!
Salomon beamed at Rosalias bright smile.
(Cute I have to make her his first wife no matter what. And if he makes Rosalia sad then I cant let him live.)
At the same time, a certain Emperor was struck by sudden trembles.
Extra 05: Nadine 01
Extra 05: Nadine 01
Richter du van Warung. His mother, Olivia, was Crown Prince Jeans nanny. For Richter, who grew up with him from a young age, Jean was his best friend and irreceable master.
When he was killed in battle (or so Richter had thought), Richter had lost one of his eyes in a previous battle and was being treated in the rear. He still regrets that he was not on the same battlefield as Jean at that time and that he wasnt able to rush to the scene.
Crown Prince Jean had actually won many battles and many generals revered him. Many of Jeans direct retainers have taken refuge with Lord Warung.
They also have high expectations for Jeans son, Emperor Carmine, so they felt disappointed and anxious whenever they heard rumours about Carmine from the capital.
Lord Warung distanced himself from the pce since he knew he wasnt good at politics. The imperial fiefs, which used to be adjacent to Lord Warungs fief to the east and west, have been ceded to other nations during the peace negotiations after the death of the Crown Prince Jean. In order to solidify the defences of his own fief, Lord Warung couldnt get involved with the toxic central government.
As a result, the Young Emperor Carmine was not given satisfactory education.
Lord Warung has been depressed these days because he has dishonoured his masters family in every way.
Nadine, who had seen her father like this, concluded that Carmine was the one who made her father sad. Nadine admired and respected her fathers imposing aura, so when she saw that her father was depressed, she thought:
If only Carmine was more decent If he bes a good Emperor, then Father will be pleased.
Father, Im going to the Imperial Capital! I will study with His Majesty and make sure that he bes a decent person!
Lord Warung was opposed to Nadine going to the capital at first. He told her that he couldnt send his precious daughter to a pce full of treacherous retainers.
But Lord Warung decided to send his daughter to the capital when he received a report stating that most of the aristocrats from both factions hadhave left the capital to suppress the Theanabe Union.
He also found it intolerable that Carmine refused to go to battle because he didnt want to die. He felt apologetic towards his former master since he had fought together with him on the battlefield.
He would have gone to the capital himself if it were possible. However, when he heard that the Ada Kingdom was making a move, he had no choice but to go and deal with them. Therefore, he reluctantly entrusted Carmine to his daughter.
Incidentally, the Ada Kingdom had acted because the Chancellor wanted to keep Lord Warung in check. The Chancellor feared that Lord Warung would win wars and increase his influence Although there is a merchant association that took advantage of this.
He sent Nadine to the capital because of these reasons without realising that he was manipted by someone else
Nadine didnt have a good impression of Carmine before she came to the capital, but that impression has grown much stronger now that she has seen him up close.
From Nadines perspective, Carmine was nothing short of pathetic. He skips sses and sleeps all day. It was pathetic of him to act like this when he is still young.
Nadines expectations of Carmine are too high, partly because she didnt know any other boys her age and because she wasparing him to Lord Warung, but she didnt realise this.
Im going to turn you into a good person at all costs!
Nadine is stubborn andpetitive by nature, so leaving isnt an option.
One day, Nadine spotted Carmine leaving ss.
Where are you going?!
He clicked his tongue when Nadine shouted at him and spoke to the attendant next to him.
Hey, do something about that.
As you wish.
Nadine cowered slightly when the Emperors attendant stood in front of her. She hated this guys cold eyes. His eyes told her that he would kill her immediately if Carmine ordered him to.
What?
His Majesty is going for a ride. He doesnt have time for trivial matters, so please leave.
Nadine clenched her hands tightly at those words.
Are you saying that the lessons and I are trivial?
Yes. Please leave.
Nadine was on the verge of tears. Her efforts and her fathers desire were meaningless.
Behind him, a boy looked as if he wanted to say something. It was Carmine. He decided to leave this to Timona, but Timona dealt with Nadine in the worst way imaginable.
(But now I know for sure that he hates Nadine.)
Carmine thought. He decided to deal with Nadine himself.
Timona wasnt interested in most people. He deliberately avoided liking or disliking them. This was the first lesson he was taught by Count Ptine in order to respond flexibly to his masters actions. So, he didnt particrly feel anything for Nadine, but he thought of her as an obstacle.
Thats enough. Lets go, Timona.
Carmine walked away with Timona and his guards.
Nadine bit her teeth since Carmine acted as if he really didnt care about her at all.
(I wont give up Im not going to give up!)
The girl ran after Carmine, Timona and the guards.
Carmine had a dumbfounded expression on his face again when Nadine came to the stables.
But he knew that she would say something else if he looked at her, so he quickly turned away and walked towards his horse.
Nadine couldnt move even though she had followed him here. She wasnt good with living beings. She didnt know what to do against beings whose thoughts and actions she couldntprehend and would cower.
Wouldnt the horse go wild if she yelled at Carmine now? Nadine was taught that she should never startle a living creature and was bewildered since she couldnt say what she wanted to say.
Carmine tugged the reins of the horse and came out. Once on the horse, he looked like he had an idea and called out to Nadine, Do you want to ride too?
He seemed to believe that she would have nothing toin about if he made her an aplice.
Alright.
Nadine, who couldnt ride a horse, answered briefly. Carmine sensed this and said mockingly, Oh, whats this? You cant ride a horse?
Whatever! I dont want to ride it anyway!
Nadine shouted. Her face was turning red.
There was one thing that Carmine could do that she couldnt. It was as if this was an unforgivable disgrace. She needed to be better than Carmine to rehabilitate him. She wouldnt be able to do what her beloved father had asked of her if she were inferior to Carmine.
Well, how about this? Get on that tform and extend your arm.
It was then that Carmine reached out his hand to Nadine.
What?
Dont you want to ride? This horse can carry two adults, so itll be fine for you to ride with me.
Nadine hesitated for a while. She was curious about the expression on Carmines face as he petted the horse. He seemed calm, and almost looked as if he was talking to the horse.
She took the Emperors hand after pondering about it for a while.
Make sure to hold on tightly. I wont be able to help you if you fall.
There was almost no difference in their height since they were both children. So, Nadine was riding behind Carmine. Even though the guards were pulling the reins of Carmines horse, it was still dangerous for him to not be able to see in front of him.
Its dangerous, soe closer. Put more strength into your arms and hold onto me.
Nadine had never been this close to a boy of her age before, but she was so nervous about riding on a horse that she didnt care. She squeezed her eyes shut and did as she was told.
Then, Carmine made the horse trot faster.
The breeze brushed against their cheeks. Nadine opened her eyes little by little when she finally got used to it.
How is it? Are youfortable?
Carmine asked Nadine, but she was so anxious that she didnt have time to think about his question, but she put on a brave face and nodded silently.
I see. But you wont be able to see whats in front of you like that. Youll have to practice horse riding yourself if you want to see the scenery.
Then, Carmine continued.
Youre Lord Warungs daughter. You should be able to ride a horse. Im sure he would be delighted to hear that youve learnt how to ride one.
What do you know about Father?
Youre always worrying him, Nadine grumbled in her mind.
Oh, youre finally getting used to it. I thought you were cowering because you thought holding onto me was disrespectful.
Nadine held onto him tighter in protest to hisughter, but strangely enough, it wasnt as strong as before.
Their appearance on the horse looked like that of a close brother and sister.
Extra 06: L’Mitedeau’s Revival 01
Extra 06: L¡¯Mitedeau¡¯s Revival 01
Ugh, I feel sick
Fabio Dunou le Vedett formerly known as Fabio Denoueix. He was drooping his head down in a port town in the Belbe Kingdom. He was leaning against a pir on the pier, dazed by the difficult orders he had received from Carmine.
Most of his negative thoughts came from seasickness though.
(I cant just meet Princess Rosalia and ask her about intercontinental trade without her finding out my purpose. How do I even meet a Princess in the first ce?)
Naturally, he might be able to enter the pce as an envoy of Carmine of Count Vedett, but it was impossible for him to meet the Princess in person without any official documents.
(The spies probably have some information.)
Still, he couldnt leave empty-handed. Fabion shuddered as he recalled his adoptive fathers spartan education over the past few months.
But the order to sneak into the pce was extremely difficult. His adoptive father had given him this order, but he still hadnt mastered the skills to achieve it.
He had a friend who had already mastered this skill, but from Fabios perspective, he was a fanaticist, so he was an exception.
(His Majesty wants information on intercontinental trade and the Golden Fleece. He probably believes that King Belbe knows something about this since he ordered me to ask Princess Rosalia about it Unlike His Majesty, that man is just a good King.)
Feeling a little better and after having collected his thoughts, Fabio stood up and began to walk.
Fabio pledged his allegiance to Carmine after an encounter that he considered close to his ck history.
He called it his ck history because he wasnt satisfied with the meeting. It was an opportunity to sell himself, but Fabio couldnt remain calm in a situation where his life was on the line and was too busy defending his own pride.
Fabio had been forced to swear his allegiance to Carmine, but he wasnt dissatisfied with that. His family had already been crushed. He was bound to be crushed again even if he made a name for himself. He originally thought that the best option would be to join an inferior camp and put himself in a high-risk, high-return situation.
He was also fortunate that Carmine, his master, was better than he expected. Although Fabio had only spoken to Carmine a few times, he was able to conjecture Carmines personality and abilities to some extent based on his words, actions and orders. That was an ability he had acquired during his long days of hiding.
(His Majesty is a good person because he views people based on a merit system. I guess I should have been happy that my initial value was high, and I could serve as his vassal but I have to adapt myself in times like this.)
The 13-year-old boy calmly assessed his master.
(Actually, it makes sense that he would entrust this mission to us.)
There are many excellent spies under Count Ptine Vedett, and if this was simply a matter of checking out the situation, then they alone are enough to handle it.
But in a friendly nation like this where you need to contact someone who knows the situation to a certain extent i.e an aristocrat, then a spy wont do.
Since spies are those who work behind the scenes, and being people who work in the shadows, spies can make others distrust someone just by being there even if they dont do anything. One required social status if they wanted to get in contact with an aristocrat. Most spies aremoners, so in a sense, this mission didnt suit them.
A person who could work in public was needed for situations like this. Of course, there are pce servants who can move out in the open. They have nothing to do with spies and dont have the skills of a spy, so people wont be wary of them.
But there was a big shortage of manpower. Fabio and his crew were asked to help because of this shortage.
Fabio was adopted by Count Ptine Vedett and has enough status to act as a proxy for him. Whats more, he was also the current head of the LMitedeau House.
When Fabio became the sole survivor of the LMitedeau House, many people who served the family left. Some moved to town, and some became servants of other families, but there were still a few who remained loyal to him and followed him. It was thanks to them that he was able to survive to this age.
Carmine also obtained the remaining retainers of the LMitedeau House on the condition that he revived the LMitedeau House. They were servants of Count Ptine Vedett on paper, so they had alsoe with Fabio to the Belbe Kingdom. They should be gathering information at the port.
(For the time being, everything will depend on the information that everyone gathers)
Everyone met up at the inn and examined the information they had gathered. They carefully put their thoughts together so as not to be misled by lies.
I see, no wonder His Majesty is feeling threatened This is tougher than I thought
ording to the information that was gathered at the port, not a single Golden Fleece ship had stopped by the port in the past few months, and no ships were bound for the Theanabe Union either. This was believable considering the Belbe Kingdoms geological position. They could have headed directly for Theanabe Union instead of stopping at the port in Belbe Kingdom.
But none of the sailors knew about the Golden Fleece.
This was clearly weird. It was possible that the Golden Fleece Association had stopped by the port under the guise of another tradingpany.
So they checked the arrival and departure records of suspicious ships i.erge, state-of-the-art ships that can carry goods from one continent to another, and found out
The ships go to Kalnaan, Licaria, Dought, Pumbunshbark and the Great Tavren ind nations Theyre all scattered throughout the nations to the south and east of the Empire, but I cant tell where theyreing from
Fabion was convinced. They were definitely trading with the western continent.
One of the surviving retainers spoke.
The sailors said that they might being from the northern continent
The northern continent was an extremely cold continent. This continent, with its harsh environment, is still inhabited by manyrge magic beasts, and dragons, who are extinct in the eastern continent and reign supreme in the northern continents ecosystem. The fur, fangs and scales of these magic beasts are rare in the eastern continent and are traded at high prices. The people who settle in the northern continent in search of these rare materials are called Adventurers.
I heard that food sells for a high price in the northern continent since food is scarce there. If they are really trading with the northern continent, then they would have brought food with them on their ships, but there were no records of such a ship leaving from the Belbe Kingdom. The fact that the merchants arent taking profitable actions means that
They are making more profitable deals.
There were no other records that would suggest trade with the western continent, so that means they have a monopoly there?
The sailors at the port were interested in the north, so they didnt know that the western continent would bring them great fortune.
(We wont be able to find much information as long as they cover their tracks Well gather arge range of information and present it to His Majesty)
Fabio believed that the Emperor must be able to see things he cant since the Emperor is younger than him.
So, what else can you tell me about the Golden Fleece?
I have something to report. I found some food in the market that Ive never seen before. They were quite expensive, and I believe they may have been imported.
One of Fabions retainers, an adventurer, reported. He used to be active in the northern continent as an adventurer, so if he didnt know what those foods were, then it was most likely imported from the west.
We should buy some of them. Father gave me quite a lot of money for this trip. I dont mind if its a bit expensive. Ill leave it to you.
Yes!
Then, a woman dressed as a maid raised her hand.
I have something to report as well. Arge fleet of ships is scheduled to stop at the port this week. The ships are from the Hismaphe Kingdom, so I dont believe they have anything to do with the Golden Fleece Association but they may know something about the Golden Fleece Association.
I see. Id like to get in touch with them Please prepare some gifts for me. Ill get in touch with them as an envoy of Count Ptine Vedett. Anything else?
There is a faction of revolutionists who believe that the holynd in the western continent should be reimed
A map of the northern continent is avable at
Apparently the pce in the Belbe Kingdom is
The retainers struggled to get as much urate information as they could.
They continued to work without taking a break all for the revival of the LMitedeau house, all to clear the false high treason.
Incidentally, Fabio decided that there was no need to contact the Princess, and she strongly protested when she found out, but that was another story.
Extra 07: L’Mitedeau’s Revival 02
Extra 07: L¡¯Mitedeau¡¯s Revival 02
Fabios title of the son of the Emperors vassal is a very useful title in many ces but it wasnt useful everywhere because the nations of this continent believe that the Empire is declining.
The Hismaphe Kingdom located in the northern part of this continent was one of those nations that didnt expect much from the Empire.
The leaders of the fleets from Hismaphe Kingdom epted a meeting with Fabio because they were distressed about the political position of their kingdom. It would have caused no problems if they came up with a reason to refuse this meeting, but they didnt have time to consult with their kingdom. If this meeting was important, then it would make the other party unhappy to have to wait.
Both sides met at a high-ss restaurant in the port town of the Belbe Kingdom. The establishment is famous for its private rooms which are useful for discussions. Fabio had rmended this establishment.
(Its a necessary expense, so I have to pay I have to pay for it)
Fabio uttered. He had been in hiding for a long time and hadnt eaten much fine food, so he skipped breakfast and lunch for this dinner.
He will do his job, but his job and appetite were two separate matters; this was the argument in Fabios mind A guard dressed as a maid, who was standing next to him, looked at him in exasperation, but he didnt care as he waited for the fleet captains.
A waiter ushered three sailors into the room. The first one had a wholesome smile on his face. He bowed his head in a soft demeanor and said, Hello. His name is Herbert Paani and is vice-captain of the fleet.
The second man was an elderly man named Raymond Lampugnani. He is the captain of the Patroris gship but his facial features were like those of a pirate captain. The countless scars on his face allowed people to surmise that he has been through numerous fierce battles.
And the third and final person to enter the room is the fleetsmander, Ugolino di Bio, the second son of Count Bio.
Fabio was astonished to see him.
He was a giant man with a majestic appearance and demeanour. His appearance was so majestic that it would have been alright to call him a hero or a supreme ruler. His unmoving expression reminded Fabio of the solidity of steel.
(He might be a tough opponent)
Please have a seat.
Fabio was ready to talk with them after regaining hisposure.
After introducing themselves to each other, they chatted amicably and tucked into the course meal that was being served.
However, only the vice-captain, Herbert, was talking to Fabio. The captain, Raymond, was uninterested and focused on his meal and the fleetmander, Ugolino, was as iron faced as ever.
Fabio had confirmed the purpose and actions of the fleet beforeing to this meeting. The purpose and actions of the fleet was so interesting, that Fabio didnt just simply contact them, he also set up a ce for them to talk.
Their goal is to have a round-the-world trip In other words, they were travelling to prove that the world is round.
By the way why did you want to meet with us today?
Herbert asked as dessert was being served. He was the diplomatic representative of the fleet.
I heard that you were nning on a round-the-world expedition, and I wanted to talk to you about it.
Ah, so you knew about it. Ill tell you as much as I can.
Herbert smiled gently and Fabio cut to the chase.
I only know about the northern continent and the old continent that is written in the holy scriptures but it seems like you have discovered other continents as well.
Yes, we found a continent to the east, and the people in the central continent call this the western continent.
Oh could you tell me more about it?
Of course.
Five continents have been discovered in this world. The old continent which is the origin of the Holy One Church, is called the central continent, and there are four other continents located to the east, west, south and north of the central continent.
Of those, the northern continent is an extremely cold ce where magic beasts still roam while many people settled to the east due to the vastnd that stretched eastward.
The central continent is referred to as the old continent in the holy scriptures, and they had superior technology than the east in those times, countless nations have risen and fallen due to countless wars, and they are now in a waning state.
The southern continent is mostly covered with dense forests and is inhabited by a race called beastmen.
The western continent is the only continent that is almost unknown.
Our goal includes exploring this western continent.
Oh! Thats great! Youre close to making history.
(Hes talking about this too easily is it a trap? No, theres no point in setting a trap with this kind of information.)
There was still no change in the fleetmander or captain. Fabio concluded that it was impossible to tell what they were thinking from their expressions.
Im sure His Majesty would be interested in this as well so, will you be heading to the western continent first?
No, we n to head to the central continent first, then well head to the west through the northern continent. Its unfortunate, but its an order from above.
Herberts words made Fabios head turn.
(What the fuck is the Hismaphe Kingdom thinking? No, its not my ce to judge them. More importantly, why is he telling me this? Is it not a state secret?)
I see. How long are you nning on travelling for?
We havent decided yet since we dont know how big the western continent is. But why are you asking?
To tell you the truth His Majesty is interested in the holy scriptures, since he seems to have doubts about the world being round. Would you be able toe to the imperial capital after youve sessfullypleted your expedition? We would be delighted to wee you.
This a decision that he had made on his own, but this was because he concluded that this round-the-world trip would take several years and believed that Carmine might be in control by then.
Carmine would surely want them if they were good enough to sessfullyplete a round-the-world trip. It was never too early to start persuading them now.
Thanks for the invitation. Ill think about it.
Its alright. If you dont mind Theres something Id like to ask you. Have you heard of the Golden Fleece?
This was the first time that Captain Raymonds eyebrows twitched.
Well We dont know much about them, but it seems that our kingdom treats them as an imaginary enemy. We should investigate them immediately.
Fabio asked him about the association, but Herbert suddenly started talking about his kingdom. So, they know that the Golden Fleece are behind the Theanabe Union independence.
Then, Raymond suddenly spoke.
Id like to order a drink. Would you like one?
Raymond knew that Fabio is a child, so he was implying that it was time to call it a night.
Fabio looked at the three. All three of them still had the same expressions on their faces. Fabio concluded that he couldnt get any more information out of them, so he refused and stood up.
No, I have to refuse since Im still only 13. Ill leave you all to it Whats wrong?
Fabio looked up and Herberts eyes were opened wide in surprise.
Eh, youre 13?
They knew that Fabio was a child, but they didnt think he was that young.
Yes, oh, I didnt tell you my age, but dont let appearances deceive you. Now then, please take your time.
The room was quiet for a while after Fabio left.
The first to speak was Captain Raymond.
He told us not to be deceived by appearances? Kuku, hes right. Aint that right, Commander?
S-scary.
The fleetmander, Ugolion muttered weakly in a trembling voice.
This man, who looked like a hero or a supreme ruler, has never been in a fight before and cant even use a sword. He didnt join the conversation because he was too scared to speak up, not because he was agitated.
I was concentrating on my meal, so I wouldnt make a mistake, and it worked Waah, that was close.
Herbert started talking as soon as dessert was served and answered Fabios questions without reservation because he sensed that Ugolino, who was sitting close to him, was on the verge of breaking.
So? Was it alright for you to easily give away secrets like that?
Its fine, since were also being used. We need to connect with a lot of different ces or else we cant return.
Herbert shrugged his shoulders.
Im fine with not returning though. Well, itll also be fun to watch the Empire fall.
Our captain has vulgar tastes but well, I wonder if it will really fall. The Empire might make a surprising recovery.
Herbert whispered thatst sentence before quietly sipping his tea.
Chapter 27: Not Something a Child Should Discuss
Chapter 27: Not Something a Child Should Discuss
One night, I suddenly felt a presence outside of my window, so nervously turned towards a window. Then, I saw the vague shadow of a person
Timona. Theres someone outside my window
I believe its Fabio Dunou.
Is this a horror? I spoke to Timona as I thought this, and he replied in his usual tone.
You should have told me beforehand if you know hes out there. I was seriously freaking out.
I didnt tell you beforehand because I didnt know when he appeared.
Really? Are my thoughts that easy to read?
I opened the window, and it was really Fabio.
Long time no see, Your Majesty. I havee to report to you.
Fabio came into the room through the window, and I asked him what was on my mind.
Why didnt youe down from the attic?
I cant do something difficult like that.
Eh, is it difficult toe down from the attic? Timona can do it.
Hmm. This is the first time youvee to report directly to me.
I did a lot of research, so I thought it would be quicker to report directly to you.
Ah, is that so?
Then, Ill use a soundproofing spell just in case
Thats not necessary, Your Majesty. Todays guard is Lord Vedetts man.
Father said he rarely uses him to avoid suspicion though.
Eh. So, Count Ptine has eyes and ears in all sorts of ces. Well, I dont mind right now since its useful, but Ill have to think about this once I begin ruling. A vassal who can interfere in other departments is usually dangerous.
Well then, lets hear your report.
I see.
I looked at the products that the Golden Fleece had imported from other continents after receiving Fabios report. Im starting to get an idea of what the Golden Fleece is doing.
Just to confirm, the central continent has been in constant warfare for a long time, right?
Yes. Because of that, many beastmen mercenaries and ves seem to be pouring in from the southern continent.
As their name suggests, beastmen are a race with the characteristics of beasts. They have extremely high physical abilities and are said to be excellent soldiers. Ive never seen any species other than humans on this continent, so this was all hearsay. They mostly live in the southern continent, and there are almost no humans in the southern continent.
I see. Thats why theyre making so much money.
Did you figure something out?
Well, its not like I really need to tell you whats going on, but I might as well tell Fabio. He seems brilliant, and Ill give this to him as study materials to develop his skills.
Theyre probably doing trteral trade.
The trade routes that connect this continent to the east, the central and southern continents. This is the lifeline of the Golden Fleece, and the association will not go under as long as it exists.
Well, trteral trade in this world probably differs from the one in my previous world.
Trteral trade?
Some of the products imported by the Golden Fleece are things Ive never seen before, but there are some that look familiar.
They were coffee beans and cocoa nuts. They were called different names here, but their uses are quite simr. They must have been produced in a warmer region, just like the southern continent.
If they were grown in the central continent, then the Holy One believers, who also came from the central continent, would have known about them, but we didnt know about them. So, its highly likely that theye from the southern continent.
Which means theres a good chance that theyre importing sugar, or rather, thats their main import product?
They trade with the southern continent through the central continent. It should be possible for the intermediary traders to make good money, but even that seems to be going into the hands of the Golden Fleece.
Ah. I know that theyre trading between the three continents, but is trteral trade really that profitable?
Fabio asked while Timona stood quietly as always even though he was probably listening in on the conversation.
Supply and demand go well together. First, there is a big shortage of weapons and troops on the central continent since warfare rages to the point where nations easily rise and fall.
The central continent was on the short end of the trades.
They import weapons and other supplies from the Golden Fleece. Its a trade, so of course they have to pay for it. They pay gold and silver for the goods, but there is a limit to this.
Gold and silver are precious, so they have value in international trade. Naturally, there is a limit.
When they have nothing left to pay the Golden Fleece, the Golden Fleece proposed, Why dont you sell your prisoners and ves acquired in the war to the southern continent?.
ves, you say? But beastmen ves from the southern continent are being transported to the central continent.
Hes asking what the point of exchanging ves is. Well, thats what most people would think, but I have knowledge from my previous life. I know of the rise of Mamluk (military ves)
Theyre treated differently. Beastmen have better physical abilities than humans, right? The central continent nations want them desperately because they want to secure their armed forces, but do you think ves who are treated badly would risk their lives for their master?
They wont.
Thats right. Thats why they treat them with care. Theyll be doomed if they anger the southern continent, but ves and prisoners of war are different. They resent themselves, and they will end up back in hostile territory if theyre let go, so theyre beyond control. Thats why the Golden Fleece suggested that they use them in exchange for the weapons. The central continent nations naturally jumped at this opportunity.
I believed beastmens are pitiful beings who are persecuted or enved, but it seems that the beastmen have superior abilities and are not easily dominated by humans.
Well, I guess one of the continents in this world being dominated by the beastmen is also a reason why they arent easily dominated by humans.
I see. The prisoners of war will be taken to the southern continent?
Yes, and they will be put to work to increase the production of these native southern products that youve brought. The Golden Fleece will then import the goods from the southern continent. They can sell weapons to get their hands on expensive goods They must be making a lot of money.
So thats supply and demand? But that doesnt benefit the beastmen much, does it?
Yes, the beastmen dont benefit from this exnation. There must be something that they want to get even if they have to produce more cocoa and coffee.
Its hard to believe that they want something other than ves from the central continent. It doesnt seem like they can export anything on their own. So, the Golden Fleece must be selling them something
About that I recall that beastmen arent good at delicate work because of their well-developed ws, right?
Yes. Thats what Ive heard.
Is it possible that the central continent is a cotton producing area?
Yes, Ive also heard about that. You are very knowledgeable.
Yup. Processing products and selling them is the most profitable way to gain money in any era.
Then, I guess thats it. So, the triangle isnt a one-way street, but a two-way street.
I see. So, the central continent is selling cotton in exchange for weapons, and the Golden Fleece processes that into clothes. The southern continent will increase its production of goods in exchange for the clothes they need.
Its just a hypothesis right now though.
Speaking of which
Timona, who had been silently listening to the conversation, said.
The Theanabe region is famous for its wool processing industry.
So, they just converted from wool to cotton. This must mean that the Golden Fleece has had control of Theanabe for quite some time.
Eh, so the Theanabe region is the equivalent of nders on Earth? Woolen goods are still being used on this continent and theres a great demand for it in the northern continent Why did you let this kind of region go independent, Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies? Arge wool producing area would be a great trade hub
Well, lets put that aside for now.
And the Hismaphe Kingdom noticed this.
The northern continent is an adventurers continent. The adventurers who went to the northern continent in search of magic beast materials, developed the undevelopednd and built cities. These cities arent under the control of any eastern continent nation They are, in other words, independent city-states. These city-states are loosely connected together by the guilds that unite the adventurers.
The Hismaphe Kingdom is the only nation that has a settlement in the northern continent, but they arent hostile with the other cities. Their city can survive in the northern continent because it co-exists with the other adventurer cities.
But this also means that there is little potential for development.
The Hismaphe Kingdom also wants to extend their reach to the central continent, but they still dont know what the central continent wants, and they dont know what they can import, so theyre doing a round-the-world trip.
You could say that the fleets round-the-world trip is a shield for reconnaissance. As long as the fleet has a proper pretense, the Theanabe Union (or rather, Golden Fleece) cant openly obstruct them unless they want to go to war.
The fleet is probably going through the northern continent, then stopping at the northern continent before they make their way west to leave information about the northern continent in their city. The western continent is like a second n.
They could probably trade with the western continent instead of the northern continent, but the central continent, which they know about, has a higher priority than the western continent, which they know little about.
And that guy Herbert, he gave up this information easily because he knows whats going on. Hes trying to look sharp in front of his new boss.
Ah, I apologise, Your Majesty. I took the liberty to invite them to the capital.
That was a wise decision. I really want a brilliant person like that I would like to get along with him even if he doesnte under mymand. Well done.
Thank you very much, Your Majesty.
Yup, I was right when I saw how excellent Fabio is. I feel a little more confident as an emperor.
The one thing that I dont understand is where the Golden Fleece is getting the weapons to sell to the central continent. Even if they had started producing the weapons themselves, it would take a long time before they get things on track. If weapons were being mass produced before Theanabe went independent, then I dont think those who are eager to protect themselves will overlook it.
Right now, only the fiefs belonging to Duke Raul, Duke Aquicurl and Duke Warung are allowed to manufacture weapons, but Lord Raul was pressuring the other two fiefs, so they were barely producing any weapons.
One thinges to mind.
Timona began to speak indifferently.
The previous Duke Raul, Jean du van Raul, was nning to gain independence from the Empire.
This Jean was not my father, the Crown Prince Jean. Royal families tend to use the same names. No one has ever used my name before though.
I heard that he worked hard to build up his armed forces to gain independence, but the current Lord Raul has changed his n fromplete independence from the Empire to being the greatest aristocrat in the Empire. He reduced his forces when he became the duke.
Hey, hey. Shit
Youre saying that he sold the weapons he no longer needed to the Golden Fleece?
Yes. Come to think of it, I havent heard anything about the old weapons which are no longer needed due to weapon upgrades. Maybe they too
The army continues to develop weapons while cutting back, so its very possible.
Hmmm, that fucking traitor. He lost the weapons he had sold. Thats quite ridiculous.
That being the case Id like to find out where the weapons which have left Duke Rauls fief went Is a spy better suited for this job?
If that fucking traitor really did sell his weapons to the Golden Fleece, then the Theanabe Unions weapon manufacturing has yet to take off. In that case, there are still steps I can take.
Yes, since theyll be working in the shadows.
Shall I tell them about this?
Yes. Thanks, Timona.
Id really like the Chancellor to do something about this, but I had sowed these seeds myself.
Chapter 28: Who’s the Clown?
Chapter 28: Who¡¯s the Clown?
The investigation revealed that the Chancellor was guilty.
He was selling his unneeded weapons to several associations. He may have thought that he had dispersed the weapons evenly, but they were all business that the Golden Fleece had opened under different names.
Now that I know the distribution route of the Golden Fleeces weapons, I can also see their next move.
The Golden Fleece had extended their influence far and wide. This was just my guess but I think that the Golden Fleece must have been responsible for the Theanabe Union, for the Chancellor and Regent faction having differentmanders, thus dividing the armies, and for having their armies consist mainly of mercenaries instead of their main force.
It was impossible for the two lords to cooperate to create a single army. They did both want to beat the Theanabe Union, but they were still themselves. The best they could do was to temporarily suspend political disputes while they were engaged with the Theanabe Union. It was impossible for two people who have been at odds with each other for a long time to cooperate beyond that.
But an army was raised with twomanders as if they were asking to be destroyed individually, and as a result, they suffered a major defeat against the forces of the Theanabe Union.
And now the me game has begun in the capital. The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies are now reluctant to send troops to the Theanabe Union again. Well, if we lose to the same opponent twice, then our honour and prestige will be in tatters. There was no need to hastily regroup the army and send them back to attack the Theanabe Union since they werent an opponent that we must beat.
War is expensive. A defensive war wasnt a win-win situation. At best, there would only be prisoners of war and equipment left behind by the enemy.
Nations fought defensive wars even if there wasnt anything to gain. You could say that this is why nations exist, but that wasnt the case for the Golden Fleece. For them, war was an act of losing a lot of money with little to gain. They probably didnt want war. But they will be attacked at some point if they dont do anything. They cant even decide when they will be attacked.
Therefore, they instigated those two, got them to build an army and defeated them. If they were going to suffer losses someday, then they wanted to make sure that they would win and that their losses would be minimal. They also made us think that there would be little profit in ming the Theanabe Union for this loss so that they could avoid a second invasion.
This was what the Golden Fleece had wanted to happen. They were extremely talented and terrifying. They control the Empire as they see fit.
But there was another way of putting this. They didnt want the army to be reorganised and deployed.
They wanted to sell more weapons to the central continent, but weapon production has yet to take off in the Theanabe Union. So, they have no more weapons to sell?
No, they do. They have the weapons they used in thedefensive battle against the Empire.
The Golden Fleeces next move is to collect the weapons and armours that they had loaned to Theanave Union to sell to the central continent while controlling the Empire to prevent them from invading again.
If that is their next move then there is something that can be done. They only made this move because they were certain that the Empire wouldnt invade, so we have to tear down that belief.
No matter how much one hates war, anyone who was stupid enough to neglect to prepare when they could be attacked Ah, but there were a lot of idiots in some peaceful nations in my previous life who say stupid things like cutting down defence expenses even though they scramble around frequently, yup.
Well, leaving aside those exceptions who cant face reality, the Golden Fleece association arent idiots and will not neglect their military as long as the threat of invasion exists.
All we had to do was make the Golden Fleece think that the Empire might invade again to stall their trteral trade and hinder their weapon sales.
The rest is up to my performance.
Conveniently enough, I was celebrating my ninth birthday. The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies will both be visiting me since they had to keep up pretences.
The Chancellor was ushered in by the steward, Helck, as I was finishing breakfast and thinking about taking a nap. He didnt even ask me if he could bring the Chancellor in Who the hell does he think I am?
Long time no see, Your Majesty. I came to congratte you on your birthday as your vassal.
With that, the Chancellor dropped to one knee and bowed his head. This was a rare Lothar-style greeting. It was originally used to show respect but I cant feel any respect from him at all for some reason.
On a side note, court etiquette and courtnguage existed during the time of the Lothar Empire, but they were all abolished and simplified by the First Emperor of the Bungdalto Empire, Cardinal since they were a pain in the ass. I like that part of him.
He revived many aspects of the Lothar culture, and only the court etiquette was changed. He wasnt good at those etiquettes, and that was why the Bungdaltos were treated as barbarians by the Lothars.
Now where were we
I adjusted my mood and spoke to the Chancellor.
Oh! Its been a while, Chancellor. Its a good day. Take it easy.
I havent thought about taking it easy since my reincarnation though. In my previous life on my birthdays, I would indulge myself in buying and eating expensive fruits that were used as gifts, buying and drinking craft beer that I normally wouldnt buy, but in this life, my birthday is a political event.
Thank you very much, Your Majesty.
Now then, shall I get to work?
By the way, Chancellor, have you heard?
Excuse me? About what?
About those rebels, Thea-something. You were going to destroy them, or have you not destroyed them yet?
Didnt you say something about them being disloyal and treasonous people? You were trying to drag me out to war.
Your Majesty. They are already calling themselves a nation. Theyre not that easy to destroy.
Hmm, youre taking back your words. Well, the reason why they cant be easily defeated is because of the weapons you sold. ording to the reports I received, the Chancellor had also noticed this, and hasnt been selling old weapons ever since Its already toote though.
I see. I cant trust the neutrals and Ive heard that the Aquicurl soldiers arent that strong. I thought the Chancellor would be the only person who could destroy them But well, if you cant then theres nothing to be done. Should I order Lord Warung to do it?
The Chancellor fell silent for a while when I said that. I dont know what youre thinking, but you only have two options.
Lord Warung has already sent his daughter to the pce. If I order Lord Warung to defeat the Theanabe Union, then he wille to the pce. If Lord Warung were to join forces with the Regent Faction then the power bnce, which puts the Chancellor at an advantage, would be tipped. The only way to prevent this was for him to say that he would defeat the Theanabe Union himself.
His other choice? To kill the Emperor and be the Emperor before Lord Warung and the Regent Faction join forces. Well, he wont get the support of the aristocrats if he does this. In a sense, my life was at stake but it wasnt the first time my life has been in danger.
Your Majesty, I am not saying that I cant defeat them, but it will take time.
But I havent heard anything about you putting together an army.
That will also take time. But please wait for a bit, Your Majesty. I will show you that I can defeat the Theanabe Union.
The Chancellor only said defeat not destroy. He hadpletely ignored my words. He was trying to change the subject.
Well, that was what I had wanted!
Oooh, really?! I knew I could rely on you, Chancellor! Im looking forward to having a good vassal.
Thispliment bnced out the praise that I had given the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies for helping the Belbe Kingodm.
The Regent seemed to be making a lot of fuss about the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies being my true loyal vassal which was why the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies didnt like her.
Now then, when I told Fabio about this idea that night, he asked, If the Chancellor really does destroy the Theanabe Union, then wouldnt the power shift in favour of Lord Raul?
If the Chancellor won against an enemy who both the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies had lost against (even though they hadnt fought directly), then the Chancellors prestige would increase and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies wouldnt stand a chance against him.
But Fabios question was based on the premise that the Chancellor will obey the Emperors wishes.
Nave, too nave. A man who only sees me as his puppet will never do the proper thing.
Two weekster, when I received a report that Lord Rauls army had engaged and defeated arge army from the Theanabe Union at the border, I was overjoyed. Iplimented the Chancellor and even gave him a reward, then I told him I was looking forward to the day that Theanabe Union is destroyed.
By the way, the Chancellor held the actual authority to give rewards, so I dont know what was given to him. I guess he just took what he wanted. The Treasurer might be screaming again, but I hope he can endure it.
I received a report of the Raul armys victory, but the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies wasnt panicking, and the power bnce wasnt upset. If the report had been given urately, it would have gone like this.
Lord Rauls army (a small force of mercenaries hired by Lord Raul) was (looting a vige on the Theanabe side of the border) at the border when they ran into an army from (intercepted by arge army from) Theanabe, (so they fled, but this couldnt be reported, so they engaged in battle with the viges who were resisting) and defeated them.
The report certainly wasnt falsified, yup.
This kind of falsified report wasnt unusual. It happened a lot in my previous life. It was just that people could be stopped from making such falsified reports under thew, or thews can be bent so that they can give such falsified reports.
People do whatever they want if they arent stopped; like announcing war or controlling information in a dictatorship. Well, the Chancellor was still a lot tamer than those people.
Ill keep this in mind as one of the charges Ill p onto him one day.
But my goal has been aplished with this action.
The Chancellor can just have some random mercenaries loot the Theanabe Union whenever I want. It was easier and less expensive than building an army of his own. He will probably do this repeatedly.
But this was an invasion even though they were just looting. How can the Theanabe Union sell off their equipment when they are repeatedly being invaded?
A fool probably could have done this, but unfortunately, the leader of the Golden Fleece is extremely talented. They couldnt risk losing their base in the eastern continent, so they couldnt sell their equipment, and their exports to the central continent would stagnate.
This was the most I could do now. This move was only to dy the Golden Fleeces dominance, and it would be meaningless once the Theanabe Union starts producing weapons.
I will have to take control of politics by then.
This probably wasnt something that would happen in the distant future.
Chapter 29: The Songstress in the Tower
Chapter 29: The Songstress in the Tower
Say, Timona. Cant I go outside?
I asked while looking out the window on a night when I didnt have training.
Do you need to do something outside?
No? I just want to get some fresh air.
I am an Emperor by birth, but that doesnt mean I only know how to be an emperor. I still have the middle-ss sensibilities of my previous life. I act as a child emperor, and it would be nice if I can switch that emperor side of me off when Im in my room but I cant since Im not alone in my room.
Im not unhappy with Timona. I just want some time alone or more urately, I want some time where Im not the Emperor.
This is an urge I have to get rid of if I am going to continue to be the Emperor. I know that.
You can, but please dont leave any tracks behind.
I know. Ill be back in a bit.
I went out the window after I had surrounded myself with various barriers.
Then I flew.
Its not like I can use levitation magic or flight magic. Like always, I couldnt do them because I think about things I dont need to think about like gravity and air resistance.
Im flying right now because of a special technique.
First, I create a physical barrier, Christnd use it as a foothold. I can force this barrier to move depending on how I manipte my mana. This is how I fly. It uses a lot of mana and is obviously inefficient, but well, its fine to use it asionally.
The night breeze that blew through my whole body was nice and the moon was full and beautiful.
The moon in this world is clearly different from the one on Earth, and it was because of this that I didnt think this was a parallel world.
As I was wandering around without thinking about anything in particr, I found myself near the eastern edge of the pce. There was a tower in front of me. My fathers concubine, Vera-Sylvie le Chaplier, is imprisoned in this tower since it has an underground prison. I heard that she was 14 when she married my father, which makes her 24 years old if she is still alive.
I said it like that because I dont know what state she is in. I dont even know if the person who imprisoned her (the Regent) even knows. Its possible that she may have already passed away or even worse
Is this another wrongdoing I need to know about?
There was also a balcony on the tower, so if she was here, she would probably be out there. I casually made my way towards the tower.
I heard a song as I got closer.
It was a song that shook my soul. The person singing the song had a clear voice which was filled with loneliness and sorrow.
Ive heard some songs from this world in my arts and culture ss, but I thought this song was better than any of those. It was so good that I couldnt help but listen to it. It wasing from behind the balcony that I was heading to.
Inded quietly and tried not to make a sound. The air was trembling. When I looked up, I saw that the windows were barred and there was only a dim lightedmp inside. I slowly peeked inside and saw that the room was much cleaner than I had expected. The room was simple, but the sanitary conditions werent bad. The problem was the owner of the room
Wh o!?
I noticed the singing had stopped. A girl, who looked only a little older than me, trembled as she stared at me.
Ah, dammit. This is bad. If people know Im here wait, it doesnt seem like she knows who I am? Since she doesnt know who I am, I should try to talk to this cautious girl first unless she screams in a loud voice and calls people over.
It was a nice song.
The words came out easily. This wasnt the time to beplimenting her, but I felt like I had to tell her this first.
Th a nks.
Unlike when she sang, her voice was quiet and barely audible. Im surprised she could produce sounds like that with her tiny body.
Your voice was so beautiful that I was drawn to it.
Fa iry?
The girl tilted her head cutely in confusion.
I dont remember how old I was in my previous life, but with this lifebined, Ive lived at least 30 years. I dont think a man who has lived for 30 years total would be a fairy. It reeks of a crime.
Well, something like that.
No, no, its not something like that. I thought it would be bad if she found out that I am the Emperor, so it would be better for her to believe that Im like a fairy. Most importantly, the eyes of the cute girl in front of me was shaking with anxiety How can I say no?
She patted her chest in relief. Eh, youre relieved by hearing that? Are you alright? Your awareness of crimes is too low.
Itll be suspicious if I rush back now. I talked to her while resigning to the fact that whatever will be will be. If Im found out erm and I y dumb, then the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies probably wont kill me even if they doubt me.
Why were you singing at night?
You know little birds and catse to visit me in the daytime.
She faltered.
But Im all alone at night. So Im lonely.
So thats why she sang such a sad song.
I see whats your name, by the way?
Vera-Sylvie.
So, this girl is the former concubine who is imprisoned in this tower? Eh, but she should be 24. She looks like shes 13 or 14 at most.
Eh, seriously?
Vera tilted her head again. I coughed and spoke while suppressing my agitation.
Ah, alright. Is there anything you want me to do to thank you for the wonderful song? Im a weak fairy, so theres a limit to what I can do.
If her request has something to do with magic, then I can manage somehow. So, I want to finish my duty as a fairy and get the hell out of here.
Hmm can you be my friend?
Oh. Thats something that wont end with just one meeting. Thats a bit
Of course.
No. If someone looks at you anxiously like that then all you can say is yes.
Its not my fault.
I talked to Vera through the bars for a while after that. Apparently, she has been imprisoned in this tower since she was 14. Her childish appearance was probably the result of malnutrition. And then there was also her childish behaviour and how she let her guard down just because I said I was a fairy. She also seemed extremely shy and unable to speak well when she was nervous. She was probably singing fluently because she was concentrating on singing. It was hard to tell with the dim light, but she probably had silver hair and green eyes.
Umm will youe again?
She asked while looking anxious as the distant eastern sky began to light up.
Sure. Ille here when its a full moon since thats the kind of fairy I am.
Ugh, its embarrassing to say this. Its a thousand times more embarrassing than when I have to act like a child emperor and show disgraceful behaviour.
Really?!
It was a cute smile full of happiness. Well, this is a bit of a change of pace for me too But I have to act like a fairy now too.
Let me hear you sing again next time. If you sing for me then ah yes, Ill teach you magic.
Im sure it wont be a waste to teach her. Well, she might already be able to use magic well enough.
Thats about all I can do, or so I thought at that time.
I can sing for you. But I cant use magic?
You cant?
Yeah because this room is sealed. Ive also never been taught it so Ive never been able to use magic.
Theres a seal in this room?
I kneaded mana into the air It certainly is stronger than normal If the balcony is like this then there must be powerful sealing magic inside of this tower. But just before
I see. Maybe Ive met an extremely gifted person.
Dont worry, youll be able to use it. Im a fairy, after all. Ill see you on the next full moon!
I said as I waved my hand and flew towards my room.
Should I read a beginner magic book in the meantime? Hmm, but I dont know how Ill borrow one.
I seeded in returning to my room without anyone noticing while thinking about this.
Timona didnt scold me foring backte Thats even scarier.
Chapter 30: Vera Sylvie
Chapter 30: Vera Sylvie
You must be Vera Sylvie. My father also sends his regards. You can count on me.
Yes, Alexia-sama. Please look after me.
Oh my, youre so cute! Im happy. Its like Ive gotten myself a little sister.
Im Norm de Alemanne. We may belong to different factions, but were both wives who support His Highness. We must not upset His Highness because of our factions. Do you understand me?
Yes. Thank you for your advice, Norm-sama.
You dont need to get that worked up Can I call you Vera-sama?
This was a dream. A memory of the time when Vera Sylvie came to the capital to be the concubine of Crown Prince Jean.
For Vera Sylvie, who had be Jeans concubine at the age of 14, they were kind older sisters.
She was weed by Alexia since they were both members of the same faction, and Norm taught her many things such as mannerism. Alexia and Norm didnt have a stormy rtionship, in fact, they shared their roles.
Alexia didnt love Jean, but she was proud to be the daughter of the Emperor and fulfilled her role as the legal wife, and Norm also knew what she had to do. Alexia supported Jeans public side and Norm supported his private side. The two seemed to have established a good working rtionship.
Vera Sylvies new life in the capital had few worries and noints. She would have her wedding ceremony with Crown Prince Jean, and from then on, the three of them would support him, or so she thought.
But a wedding ceremony did not take ce. War broke out, and Crown Prince Jean, known for his skills in battle, immediately went to the frontline. Vera Sylvie and Jean barely talked.
And then, he never returned.
The news of the Crown Princes death was delivered to the pce and the Emperor copsed the next day. Vera Sylvie had no idea what was happening, but she saw how people were changing and how malicious they could be.
Norm was bing weaker. She couldnt ept Jeans death and kept waiting for his return. She became mentally ill and couldnt even hold a conversation.
And Alexia acted as if she was being hunted by something and imprisoned the two concubines. She had not only killed the servant who had borne Jeans child and the child, but also everyone in her family.
Vera Sylvie saw Alexia just before she was imprisoned, and she didnt look like she was drunk with power or enjoyed the sight of blood. Her eyes showed fear and firm determination.
Vera Sylvie finally understood that Alexia had already realised that she was carrying the next Emperor when she heard about the new Emperor in a letter from her father.
If Norm, whom Jean had loved, had been the pregnant one, it might have ended differently, but fate was cruel.
Vera Sylvie was locked up in the tower and exposed to peoples ill will. The mens vulgar eyes, their pitying eyes and their condescending eyes and the aristocrats in the Chancellors faction looked at her as if she was a domestic animal.
Vera Sylvies father, Count Chamneaux, originally had close ties to Lord Aquicurl. His fief bordered the sea to the west, and the other three sides bordered Lord Aquicurls fief, but when his daughter was imprisoned at the sole discretion of Alexia, he was forced to move to the Chancellors faction to guarantee her survival. Ever since then, the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies has been eyeing his fief and the Chancellor has been taking advantage of him.
Vera Sylvie was in a better environment than Norm thanks to her fathers sacrifice. She was imprisoned in a way that allowed her to live.
All that mattered to the aristocrats in the Chancellors faction was that she was alive. It didnt matter to them if she was mentally ill or not.
Vera Sylvie could no longer trust humans. She had no choice but to close her mind to protect herself. That was life in the dark and gloomy tower.
The asional letters were her only emotional support. The letters were from her father and the maids who had once served her. This was all she had left.
She knew that her mind would be broken soon.
Vera Sylvie was overwhelmed with loneliness every time a letter arrived, every time she heard voices outside, every time the birds flew by, every time she smelled the rain, every time the sun shines brightly, and every time night came.
Time continued to tick slowly as if it were mocking her.
No more someone kill me.
Actually, the boy didnt even have to be a fairy. He could have been the devil or even the grim reaper. She would have epted it if he hade to kill her. He might even have been a hallucination as she was already unable to tell if she was sane or not.
But the way he looked against the moonlight with his aloof demeanour that didnt suit his small body really made him look like a fairy. Thats why she found herself saying
Fa iry?
Hmm can you be my friend?
That was surely a cry from her heart. Perhaps he had heard it because the fairy looked slightly troubled.
Of course.
Vera Sylvies time then began to progress much faster than it had before. By the night of the full moon, she would have topose what she wanted to say to him and practice speaking so she could say as much as possible.
Ermm. Like this?
Hrm, close, but I think you can do it if you repeat it a few more times. Vera, you are what is called sensualism.
Above all, she had encountered a new world of magic.
The mysterious fairy used magic regardless of the sealing barrier, and Vera Sylvie could do it too. She was sceptical at first, but she got a grasp of it after listening to the fairys careful instructions.
She became obsessed with it. A world she never knew existed, and endless possibilities that she could focus on.
Vera Sylvie was no longer alone, and her life of imprisonment was no longer boring.
Ill be back, Vera.
Ok, Ill be waiting.
Vera Sylvies stopped time began to move again.
I came to the tower again on the night of the full moon to teach Vera magic. Count Ptine Vedett seemed busy these days, so I had spare time at night.
At first, I hade to this tower for a change of pace, but then I began to teach her magic seriously. Come to think of it, this is my first-time teaching someone magic.
To say that I am struggling would be an understatement. Vera is a genius. When I struggle to get the message across, she would scream happily, I did it! I envy her a little as someone who has gone through a lot of trial and error.
Whats wrong?
Its nothing. By the way Vera, have you grown tallertely?
Eh? Maybe?
I asked her what had been bothering me for a while. She had only grown slightly, and it might have been my imagination but she certainly looked taller.
I wonder if its thanks to magic?
The girl, who had be addicted to magic, said happily.
Huh? Thats possible. Or more precisely, magic had stopped her from growing.
Im taller?
Compared to me? Well, maybe for now.
Im going to grow. Im not feeling rivalry towards her because of this.
This tower is pretty tall, isnt it? I wonder which is taller, this tower or the pce wall?
Which wall?
I had expected this question and was momentarily at a loss for words.
Which? Theres only one wall.
There are two, you know?
What? No way. Im sure I only passed through one wall during the founding parade.
Vera suggested after seeing that I didnt believe her.
Why dont you go take a look?
She said easily since she believed I can fly around freely. I was riding on a protective barrier but well, I can get to a certain altitude.
Hmm, thats reasonable. Ill go take a look.
As it turned out, there were indeed two walls. I cant believe that the Founding Hill was also inside the outer walls Wasnt I told that it was outside the capital!? I was fooled! How would I have known that the capital has expanded since its founding?!?!
You wouldnt have known this since youre a fairy.
Vera said while smirking and looking smug. Im d that she could produce more natural expressionspared to when we first met, but
So, you think Im ignorant of the world?
You dont really think Im a fairy anymore.
This is what happens to the mouth that says this.
Hyiii!
I grabbed Veras cheeks and pulled it. Oh, this is surprisingly fun.
Huh?
Her eyes widened when she noticed something.
Where are the bars?
Melted. My magic can do that much.
I looked at her smugly. Iron is powerless against heat energy. I even controlled it so that the heat wouldnt affect Vera. Arent I amazing?
Can you put them back?
I hadnt thought about that.
We-well, itll harden again once it cools down. No one would care about bars on a window even if its a little ugly.
Ill reflect on my actions. Also, you have a point about me being ignorant of the world.
Cant I somehow see the state of the Empire first hand?
Chapter 31: More Valuable Than Jewels
Chapter 31: More Valuable Than Jewels
Its been a while, Your Majesty.
It was unusual for Count Ptine Vedett to appear in my room at noon. Timona has also left for quite some time Ive never been in this situation before.
The Imperial Guard at the door was probably taken care of as well, which means theres no need for me to act.
Youve been very busytely Ill guess Ill hear that reportter. What do you want?
Please stop messing around.
Count Ptine Vedetts serious voice made me ponder if I had done anything wrong Oh, there is something.
What if I wasnt messing around?
Then you should stop.
Hmm, he sounds very serious. Hes probably telling me to stop at any cost.
Wait. This is about the Crown Princes concubine, right?
I guess hes talking about my regr secret meetings with the former Crown Princes concubine, Vera Sylvie le Chaplier. Her father is an aristocrat in the Chancellors faction, and she is grandly using the magic that has been concealed from her for a long time. It was only natural for him to reproach me for meeting her.
Was there anything else?
Count Ptine Vedett interrupted. Apparently, he couldnt grasp what I was doing at the tower.
But the guard who guards the tower where Vera Sylvie is imprisoned is changed to a spy on nights when the full moon is out. I knew this from their presence, and I only detected the spy with magic, so Im certain of this. I thought that the Chief of the Ministry of Intelligence, Count Ptine Vedett, who would have received reports of me going to the tower, would have been aware of everything, but that doesnt seem to be the case.
You havent received reports from your spies about what Im doing in the tower?
I receive reports after its happened, but its impossible to know what youre doing there because youre hidden by the barrier.
I see, so thats the limits of the spies.
Just because were allies now doesnt mean that well continue to be allies in the future. I wanted to find out what the spies were capable of. Besides, emperors shouldnt blindly trust their vassals. I want to find out what they can and cant do.
In fact, the Chief of the Ministry of Intelligence, who is standing in front of me, continues to distrust me.
Well, Im trying my best to stay hidden with the way everything is. I ordered him not to write about me whenever he wrote to his family Naturally, I cant trust him, so the letters are reviewed. This is also done by a spy. But What does he mean after it happened?
I know what happened. During the period when Count Ptine Vedett was busy, Timona Renan had been instructing the spies on his behalf. So, everything that has happened was reported to Timona only, and Timona is aware of what I have been up to.
Hmm, but its not like he betrayed you.
Your Majesty.
Yeah. Lets just try persuading the person in front of me for now.
That tower has seals on it, right?
Yes, it does.
He was still calm even though he was emotional. Im d to see youre still rational.
Its simple. The reason why Im acting so daring is because its worth it.
I was surprised when I first approached the tower because all the mana outside was shaken by her singing.
When I told him this, his eyes widened in surprise, and he muttered.
How can that be possible?
I was even more surprised when I got closer. The mana inside of the tower was shaking so much from her singing that I didnt even feel the seals. I wouldnt have noticed they were there if she hadnt told me about them.
I did think she had a beautiful singing voice at that time; her voice was so beautiful that it attracted me, but more importantly,it was my first-time feeling mana shake that much. Resonance is perhaps a better way of phrasing it.
Perhaps people feel fascinated when mana shakes. I still dont understand that part yet.
I realized that the magic I thought I had understood was only one aspect of magic.
I can use magic even within the sealed zone by forcibly releasing the mana in my body. I was doing heavybour, but Vera Sylvie is different. She can move fixed mana. Sure enough, she was able to use magic as soon as I taught her how.
Shes a real genius.
Im d I met her before other people found out about this.
There might be someone besides me who can perceive mana.
Other than me, shes the only person who can use magic in a seal.
That solves one of the problems.
Theres an issue that always pops up after I seize real power; that problem is who taught the Emperor magic?
Count Ptine Vedett and Timona arent as good as magic as I am, nor are they unique. It wouldnt be a problem if I hide my abilities by not using magic, but I might go to war or be attacked by an assassin. I cant afford to hold back.
But this problem would be solved if I pretend that she is my magic teacher. Even if she isnt as skilled as I am with magic, her unique ability to use magic within sealed areas will persuade people that shes the Emperors teacher.
This excuse is valid even if she doesnt say, Im the Emperors teacher, if anything, it would be better if she says, The Emperor taught me magic, to make people think that shes hiding the truth.
She muste to my room to teach me magic, so she would have to slip out of the tower to teach me magic. So, of course she would want to hide the truth. This is what people around me will think.
Its easy to make this lie work. I can get Vera-Sylvie out of the tower after I seize real power and treat her with respect. Just by doing this, I can create the lie of repaying a favour to an unofficial teacher.
More importantly, the ability to use magic in the pce means that assassinations and destruction of evidence can be done at will. That is incredibly dangerous. Of course, I can kill them, but what if I fail? They will get revenge and my life will be in danger.
I can guide them to someone who isnt hostile towards me.
Count Ptine Vedett. I have a favour to ask you. Count Chamneaux is a potential neutral faction member, is he not? Support him even if its just behind the scenes. Create a connection with him and get him to the point where he can change to the neutral side even if hes in the Chancellors faction Is this too much?
No, rather its too little.
Alright, did I manage to convince him?
As you wish, You Majesty This Alfredo is truly ashamed of my pushy and thoughtless words. I apologise.
Its alright. You were worried about me, and you didnt have enough information. The problem is
Why did Timona stop him from getting that information?
Timona le Renan told me that we should not question His Majestys actions
Whats with his blind faith? How did he turn out like that?
Thats troubling. Im someone who makes mistakes Keep his blind faith in check.
I am sorry, Your Majesty. That is impossible.
Eeh its scary though. With that kind of blind faith, he mighte to kill me and say, Youre not the Majesty I know, if I make a mistake
Ah, this isnt good. I feel like hes really going to do that now that Ive said it. Is this alright?
W-well anyway, please keep up the good work. And youve been busytely. Hows that going?
Then I will start by reporting the movements of the neighbouring nations
By the way, all reports are verbal since it can be used as evidence if it were written down.
In the end, the days report continued until dawn, though we did take a break for dinner. That was how tense things were in the other nations. They were all focused on what will happen after the Empire rumbles.
Theres finally no time left to spare.
By the way, Im certain that Timona is aware that I can use magic because of recent events. He probably knows that I can use magic within seals too.
He hasnt mentioned anything about this. Hes really scary
Chapter 32: Two Major Nations on the Eastern Continent (Both Coming to an End)
Chapter 32: Two Major Nations on the Eastern Continent (Both Coming to an End)
The Heavenly Mountain Range is located almost at the centre of the eastern continent. As the name suggests, it is an important strategic position with a series of steep mountains that seem to reach the sky. It is therefore impossible for an army to cross this mountain range.
So, the history of this continent has always been divided into two passages: the Heavenly East and the Heavenly West.
If the centre of the Heavenly West is the Empire then the centre of the Heavenly East is the Imperial Empire [1]Different kanji, this Empire kanji is more referring to Japan. It was no exaggeration to say that the history of the eastern continent has progressed with these two great powers at its centre.
ording to Count Ptine Vedett, there are certain things that the east and the west have inmon. When the Lothar Empire copsed, and the Bungdalto Empire was established, there was also a dynasty change in the Imperial Empire at the same time. The current Imperial Empire is the Teiwa Dynasty.
And now that the Empire was copsing, there seems to be a major movement in the Imperial Empire as well.
The Holy One Imperialist Church is the Imperial Empires state religion. The religious authority of this Holy One Imperialist Church was called the Holy Guiding Order, and it held a lot of authority. The Imperial Empire and the Holy One Imperialist Church could be said to have a history of confrontation and cooperation between the Emperor and the Holy Guiding Order.
However, the current dynasty, the Teiwa Dynasty, is a dynasty that has seeded in greatly suppressing the authority of the Holy Guiding Order. Until then, a dynastys Emperor can only call themselves Imperial Emperor only when they are recognised by the Holy Guiding Order. They could only call themselves emperors if the Holy Guiding Order hadnt recognised them, which was regarded as weak and led to the lords distancing themselves from the emperor. The Teiwa Dynasty, which has suppressed the authority of the Holy Guiding Order formed a stable power base and was steadily centralising their power to the extent that the Empire was no match for them.
But of course, there were problems.
The clergy oversaw politics in the Imperial Empire until the Teiwa Dynasty. They had received the most advanced education from an early age at guidance schools, and unlike the feudalist aristocrats, the clergy was one with the Imperial Empire. After all, the Imperial Empire was the only nation that made the Holy Imperialist a state religion. There was no fear of betrayal, and they were valued.
However, the Teiwa Dynasty kept them out of politics, believing that the Holy Guiding Order would be more influential since the clergy was at the centre of politics. But they needed people to take charge of politics, so the aristocrats were appointed to this position.
Well, its hard to say which is better. The clergy may be at odds with the emperor, but they wont betray the Imperial Empire. Aristocrats swear their allegiance to the emperor, but they may betray the Imperial Empire.
Now, the Imperial Emperor of the Teiwa Dynasty, who had strengthened his power by excluding the clergy from politics, has had his power rapidly reduced in recent years. The reason was simple. It was because of the aristocrats who had been handling politics in ce of the clergy the so-called Imperial Aristocrats havee into power and now threaten the authority of the Imperial Emperor.
And the current Chancellor The representative of the Imperial Aristocrats is said to have more power than the Imperial Emperor. In contrast, the current Imperial King, Helmut II, the 11th Emperor of the Teiwa Dynasty, is in a simr position to me.
Yes, he is a puppet.
Siegbelt Wendelin von Frentzen Orengau, the Chancellor who holds full authority in the pce, is the man who overthrew the previous Emperor. Since he was the person who put Helmut II on the throne, most of the real power is in his hands.
Helmut II has been afraid of the Chancellor ever since his ession to the throne. He feared that he would one day be taken off the throne like the previous Emperor.
In the midst of this, an incident urred where the Chancellor and the Holy Guiding Order were at odds with each other.
The banished former Emperor and his family had taken refuge under the Holy Imperialist Church. The Holy Guiding Order assisted them since they nned on having the clergy return to politics. They were secretly nning a coup dtat. The Chancellor sensed what they were nning on doing, so he burnt down the church and seeded in preventing the coup dtat from happening.
Seeing this as an opportunity, Helmut II approached the Holy Guiding Order.
The incident that urred because of this was the scandal of the Imperial Emperor entering priesthood.
One day, Helmut II suddenly dered that he would be a clergyman and secluded himself in the church. In the Imperial Empire, a clergyman cannot be an Imperial Emperor and vice versa. In effect, he was dering his abdication.
If Helmut II was indeed renouncing the throne, another person would have to be the Imperial Emperor, but the local aristocrats had already married into the imperial family. So, what awaited them was a political battle between the maternal rtives.
Perhaps judging that this choice would be unfavourable, the Chancellor sent a messenger to Helmut II to persuade him from abdicating. In exchange for his return to the pce, Helmut II demanded that all the former Emperors rtives, including those who had not conspired a coup dtat and his younger brother, be killed. He also demanded for his recement puppet to be eliminated. He believed that he wouldnt need to fear being thrown off the throne if he did this.
Naturally, the imperial family included the maternal rtives. Helmuts demand was basically asking him to oppose them. But the local aristocrats werent united. Unlike the Empire which was organised into two factions, the power struggle among the imperial aristocrats seemed to be very chaotic.
This might be a harmful effect of centralisation. Theck of an influential aristocrat prevented the factions from being united.
Well in any case, Siegbelt epted the Imperial Emperors request. He summoned the former Emperors rtives to the pce and killed them on the spot.
Helmut II was relieved that he no longer had to worry about his own exile and the establishment of a new Emperor, so he withdrew his abdication. He returned to the pce.
That was the great movement in the Imperial Empire that was reported by Count Ptine Vedett.
So, Your Majesty, what do you make of this move?
Fabio, who was outside the window, asked.
I guess its lucky. The Empire wont intervene for a while. The Imperial Empire will be stormy from now on.
ording to the report, the Imperial Empire supported the Theanabe Union at the time of its independence. Well, it seems that the Empire supports neighbouring nations when the Imperial Empire goes to war with them, so both are to me. There has never been a time when these two major nations were on good terms even during the time of the Lothar Empire.
Really? Helmut II eliminated his own rivals and reduced the Chancellors power. Wont real power return to him from now on?
The problem is where this reduced influence will go.
Unfortunately, I havent received any reports about Helmut II taking charge of politics. If anything, hes back to where he started.
First, the Chancellor killed members of the imperial family without a good cause. Even the aristocrats who have been his allies would distance themselves from him now. He will be isted without a doubt.
The Chancellor seeded in his coup dtat because the former Emperor was his adopted son and he ascended his own son to the throne. The reason for his coup dtat was to return the throne to the rightful heir.
But this time was different. It was foul y, and he had no great cause.
What about the fact that Helmut II ordered it?
Do you think thats a great cause? Doing what a puppet says? Besides, it was a verbal request.
Putting aside the fact that hes a puppet, theck of evidence is damning.
You dont have to be considerate just because Im a puppet too, you know?
The Imperial Empire will be divided between the Chancellor and the rest of the aristocrats.
That was the same as losing control.
And most importantly, the rtions between Helmut II and the Church will deteriorate.
His rtionship with the Holy Guiding Order? But it seems that they were supporting Helmut II.
Sure, the Holy Guiding Order yed a part in him entering priesthood but the question was whether they were involved in the end.
Think about it, what is the Holy Guiding Orders goal? Their goal is the political return of the Holy Imperialists. They lent him a hand for that purpose, but they got nothing in return and Helmut II returned to being a puppet in the pce. He returned to being a puppet for the Chancellor, the same person who had burnt down the Church.
Ah, I see. The Holy Guiding Order is disappointed in the current Imperial Emperor?
They are.
In the end, what Helmut II did was superficial. The influence of the Chancellor has been reduced, but that reduced influence wasnt held by Helmut II. The Anti-Chancellor aristocrats would have gained that influence and the Holy Guiding Order would support them. Helmut II, who was still being shouldered by the Chancellor, was honestly speaking, digging himself into a grave. Maybe the aristocrats will find a blood rtive of the former Emperor and support him The Imperial Empire will be divided.
By the way, what would you do if you were in the Imperial Emperors shoes?
Hmm. I dont really have a detailed understanding of the Imperial Empire Well, I dont even know what the situation is like there right now!
At the very least, I can use the fact that the Chancellor killed the imperial family to get rid of him.
He canpletely seize power that way Why didnt he do that?
Yes, Helmut IIs n this time wasnt bad. One more step and he would havepletely regained his political power. The aristocrats would not criticise him even if he got rid of the Chancellor as there is no evidence of him ordering the murder rather, they would praise him for getting rid of the Chancellor. And an authoritative Imperial Emperor would be born in the Imperial Empire. Perhaps the Holy Guiding Order supported him in anticipation of this.
There is a problem with this method. Remember, Helmut II did not cause this incident to regain his political power. He did it because he feared being banished. In other words, he never thought about ruling himself.
In fact, there are a surprisinglyrge number of monarchs who think this way. Well, monarchs dont have to use their heads, their subjects will do everything for them. That must make things easier.
I dont think I can ever be that kind of monarch.
Maybe I would have been able to be a monarch like that if I didnt know any other life except for being a monarch. I could behave as I like, run away from what I must think about, leave the thinking to others and enjoy thevish life of a monarch.
But I have the memory of having lived as a normal citizen in my previous life. I have no intention of abandoning that and indulging in the pleasures of being a monarch. If I had to do such a thing, I would have left it all behind and be an adventurer in the northern continent.
As the major nations decline, neighbouring nations move in to take advantage of the situation. Im sure that their movements will elerate in the future.
A person is an adult at the age of 15 in this nation and it is normal to have a coronation ceremony after this age I wonder if I will make it to that age.
Im sure theres not much time left. Work as hard as you can so you dont die, Fabio.
Are you telling me not to spend my time like this? Understood.
Fabio shrugged.
Somehow, youve be less formal in a good way.
I really wish some close aide would learn from him.
Do not worry, Your Majesty. You are the hope of my family Of course, I will work to the bone for you.
Fabio dissolved into the darkness of the night after imitating Timonas voice and bowing in a theatrical way.
Hope, you say?
I am different from Helmut II. I will surely regain real power and run this nation. I will achieve this even if I have to start wars, crush aristocrats or destroy other nations.
I will face the sacrifices that will be made and the blood that will be spilled as a result of this.
I dont believe I can bear them all. There is no way that I alone can bear this sinful karma. So, when I die, I will go to hell or be reborn in a simr situation.
But even so, I will continue to sin as long as the people of the Empire need me.
For those who call me their hope and light.
Chapter 33: The Kingdom’s Precocious Child and the Empire’s Foolish Emperor
Chapter 33: The Kingdom¡¯s Precocious Child and the Empire¡¯s Foolish Emperor
Ah Your Majesty. I am here to report to you.
I heard an awkward voice from outside the window.
Didnt you leave three days ago to show off?
Or was there a situation that urred in just three days that forced him to report to me?
Fabio.
I have something that I need to report to you straight away. Can I make my report now?
I was speechless. Has some nation been destroyed?
I was just practicing swordsmanship with Timona. You maye in.
Timona practiced with me whenever Count Ptine Vedett was busy these days. By the way, I have never won against him. I also cant picture myself winning against Count Ptine Vedett. I wonder if I just dont have talent with the sword.
Your Majesty.
I turned around when Timona called me, and a silver cup was offered to me.
The cup wasnt just coated in silver; it was made of silver. Even in this world, silver is said to change colour when it encounters poison. In my case, I didnt need it since Im always using magic that I had developed for warding off poisons.
Well, there was no such thing as non-silverware in the pce.
Ah, thanks.
I was thirsty after working out, so I took a sip from the cup. It was barley tea today.
Yes, in this world or rather in this nation, barley tea and green tea aremon drinks.
The upper-ss drink herbal tea or ck tea, but even aristocrats drink barley tea and green tea as if they were drinking water. It was surreal to see Western-looking people gulping down green tea, but Ive gotten used to it.
I guess I shouldnt judge the people here by themon practices of my previous life. On the other hand, I havent seen any olives, which were produced in Europe in my previous life, in this world. Maybe olives themselves dont exist in this world.
Now, lets hear your report.
Timona, who had offered me the cup of barley tea, was standing next to me. Did he want to listen to the report as well?
Actually I was told that Princess Rosalia will be moving to the pce soon. This was a sudden decision; I am sorry for reporting it sote.
Move to the pce?
Which one?
Of course, the Empires pce.
What do you mean move?
It seems she will be living here as your fiance.
For how long?
Well forever? Since she is your fiance.
Why?
Why?
Well
Eh. I dont understand anything. What am I supposed to do?
Rosalia really showed up three dayster.
Long time no see, Your Majesty.
She smiled a smile that reminded me of a flower in full bloom. Youve be beautiful in the time I havent seen you. Is this what you call a growth spurt?
Hmm. Its been a while. Im d to see that youre in good health.
You too!
The Chancellor asked Rosalia, whose happy tone did not fit the asion, with a fake smile on his face, I heard that you will be living here today, Your Highness, is that true?
Yes, Im sitting on a throne in the audience room right now.
This was a typical audience room with the monarch sitting on a golden and shiny throne as he looked down on the audience from a high ce. By the way, I heard that this chair can be remade as many times as I need while I grow. Hmm, wasteful.
From what I can see, the Chancellor aristocrats are on my left while the Regent aristocrats are on my right. This is the first time Ive seen them all together. Theres so many of them.
The atmosphere was the same as a stress interview.
Though the only people present here are the upper-ss aristocrats who happen to be staying in the capital. The Chancellor and old hag are present, but the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies and the Great Leader are absent.
Yes. I believe that its never too early to learn about the Empires customs and lifestyle.
Rosalia answered the Chancellors question. Ive always believed she was excellent, but shes quite gutsy.
After all, the Belbe Kingdom, which has existed since the time of the Lothar Empire, has much stricter and moreplex customspared to the Bungdalto Empire where those customs have been simplified.
In other words, what she had just said was just a front. It was the same as saying my real purpose for staying here lies elsewhere.
Sure enough, the aristocrats expressions changed. The reason why so many aristocrats are gathered here today was to find out the purpose of the Belbe Kingdom through Rosalia. Every time Rosalia has visited, she has yed the role of a diplomat, but they were only told that she would be living in the pce this time. The Belbe Kingdoms intentions and objectives are unclear.
It was only natural for the aristocrats, who are sensitive to the bnce of power between the factions, to gather. The aura in the room was horrible though.
What Im trying to say is that the scene happening in front of me ispletely diplomatic. On one side is an 11-year-old girl, and the other, evil aristocrats. It was an unfair matchup, but this was what diplomacy is all about.
And the Emperor sits on the side and observes.
Hmm, uncool. But its impossible for me to help her since Im a puppet.
Oh my, that is a noble mindset. So, what did King Belbe have to say about this?
The Regent to my right asked Rosalia. Youre as insufferable as ever, getting down to business out of the blue. Well, but I also want this audience to be over as soon as possible. The old hags perfume is making my nose itchy.
By the way, the Regents remark just now is allowed because this is the Empire. The fact that she called him King Belbe without any honorifics when she should have said His Majesty the King was nothing but a statement saying that the Empire is better.
As I thought, the old hag really just said that while thinking the Empire is superior.
Now, how will Rosalia respond? Her answer would be considered the answer of the Belbe Kingdom. A poor answer would lead to diplomatic problems.
Suppose that Rosalia supported one of the factions, then that faction would actually be at a disadvantage, since meddling in this factional dispute would be nothing more than interfering in the internal affairs of another nation. Aristocrats hated other nations interfering with their affairs. Many aristocrats would go to the unsupported side They have the habit of doing things themselves.
By the way, unofficial support or interfering without saying anything is something that every nation does daily, since they can get away with it by feigning innocence. It may make them look bad, but its hard to make an issue out of it. Even if she had no intention of interfering but gave a response that could be interpreted as such, then it would be considered as interfering with the internal affairs of another nation.
That said, it would be horrible if she tried to convince them she is neutral.
Neutrality has two meanings. One is a fence-sitter who follows the winner when the scales tip. The other type of neutrality is a third force. If Rosalia were to say she is neutral, then they will interpret that as her being thetter.
The Belbe Kingdom is a small nationpared to the Empire, but it is a nation. It isnt umon for the mother nation of the spouse to weaken the nation they married into and take it in as a vassal state. In this case, there is a huge power gap between the Empire and the Belbe Kingdom, so the Empire will never be ruled by the Belbe Kingdom, but its possible for the Emperor to be at the mercy of the Belbe Kingdom.
After all, the aristocrats havent given me a proper education so that I will do their bidding I believe theyre getting their just deserts.
Well anyway, a simple deration of neutrality will be taken as intervening as a third force. It isnt about how she answers, but how it is interpreted. Simrly, she cant answer vaguely.
Rosalia remained calm under the gaze of almost everyone present.
His Majesty has stated that he doesnt have any energy to intervene in the affairs of another nation.
Hmm, well I suppose thats true. The Belbe Kingdom, whose only bordering neighbour is its sworn enemy, doesnt have the capacity to intervene in the political disputes of another nation.
But that answer isnt enough. Neutral people are those who may turn into an enemy at any moment. Those who are always fighting with other factions think like this, If they may turn against us one day then lets kill them now.
But
Then Rosalia smiled and spoke again.
If you can solve my nations problem, then Im sure His Majesty will give you his full support.
I see. Their problem is probably Tomis-Ashinaqui. They will side with the one who destroys Tomis-Ashinaqui.
Thats a good move. I almost eximed in admiration.
The neutrality from earlier meant that the Belbe Kingdom had the right to decide which faction they would choose to side with. Thats why the other aristocrats dont know when they will turn against them. But now, Rosalia had dered the conditions for her nation to be their ally. If they want the Belbe Kingdom to support them, then they must destroy Tomis-Ashinaqui, otherwise, they should just leave things be.
This decision was left to the Chancellor and Regent factions.
As a result, Rosalia became someone who can always be an ally if they want her to be. At present, if one were to weigh the advantages of having the Belbe Kingdom as their ally against the disadvantages of going to war, then the disadvantage is greater, but that will not necessarily be the case in the future. For both factions, this would be a card they can hold in their hand if the situation changes.
In addition, they needed to destroy the Theanabe Union to destroy Tomis-Ashinaqui. It would take time to do that even if one of the factions wanted to make the Belbe Kingdom into an ally. If so, I can just destroy them then.
It is the Belbe Kingdoms long wish to retake the entirety of their former territory. Its understandable that they were willing to give full support to the faction that can do this.
This girl is too talented. King Belbe must be a brilliant man to raise such a princess.
Your Highness.
The Chancellor spoke again.
You said that it is never too early but unfortunately, I disagree with you.
It seems that the Chancellor and the other aristocrats have convinced themselves that the Belbe Kingdom is neutral, but they suspected that Rosalia came here because the Belbe Kingdom has an agenda, and that was why the Kings view was questioned.
The previous answer could be a reason for why Rosalia hase to the capital, but it is not a reason for her to live in the pce. It was the best answer, but if she hade here to deliver a message, then she should have returned home afterwards.
Honestly, I was also curious about why she suddenly decided to live in the pce.
We dont have the energy to intervene, nor do we have time to settle for second best. I will stay here, but I will return home at once when the timees.
Hmmm. So, you dont want a huge reward from either faction in advance, but you want to be the first to join hands with the winner after the factional strife has been settled
If the factional strife between the Chancellor and Regent faction is settled, then it would be here in the capital. This is why she wants to live in the capital. Well, that makes more sense.
Well, I think thats enough.
Chancellor, isnt this enough?
Rosalia certainly looked like she could still deal with them, but she is only 11 years old. I should end this now before she gets too tired.
I think its time for me to return.
The Chancellor looked at me in dismay. Can this Young Emperor not even sit on a throne? Was what he was probably thinking. He reluctantly gave his permission, so the audience came to an end.
Good work, you may leave now!
Rosalia withdrew after quietly bowing beautifully. Hmm, the Belbe Kingdom has stricter etiquette than the Empire.
Oh, the aristocrats were looking at me with eyes that said, Compared to the Princess, the Emperor is Hey, you guys were the ones who raised me this way. Will you realise your own crimes? I wont forgive you though.
Chapter 34: Fishing, or the Great Detective’s Deduction
Chapter 34: Fishing, or the Great Detective¡¯s Deduction
Let me show you around the pce!
Thank you very much, Your Majesty.
The Emperor visited Princess Rosalia, who was waiting in another room, after the audience and left with his fianc in tow. It was Princess Rosalias third time visiting the pce, so she didnt actually need a guide, but the Emperor didnt realise this as he showed her around proudly. Inparison, Princess Rosalia responded calmly without showing a hint of boredom. This Emperor must be an imbecile
Or so I hope they would conclude.
Im not sure if I was a little nervous because there are more aristocrats than usual or if I was uneasy since I was being too deliberate.
Im relieved I can finally catch my breath. Rosalia, Timona and someone who looked like an aristocrats attendant were here.
I couldnt let my guard down, but I was certainly rxed.
You were great earlier.
I didnt really understand what was going on, I continued to y the foolish Emperor as usual.
Thank you very much, but everything I said earlier was actually a lie.
Rosalia said before smiling mischievously at me, Its a secret though.
Hah? A lie?
Father was actually opposed to me living in the capital, so I snuck out. So, His Majesty hasnt told me anything about his ns.
Eh.
No, no, no, no. Seriously? I made a weird sound just now, but she told everyone that theyll side with whoever takes care of Belbe Kingdoms problems Wait. I see, so she didnt implicitly mention Tomis Ashinaqui!
No, but that still doesnt work. This will ultimately depend on how they interpreted her words. Since the Empire is overwhelmingly superior to the Belbe Kigdom, such deception wouldnt work. Even if its a lie, the Empire can force it to be the truth.
All my statements were unofficial, so I cant confirm whether its the truth or a lie. Besides, it doesnt matter if the result is as Ive stated.
It was true that Rosalia is a Princess, but she isnt a diplomat today. It was easy to forget that all the statements that were made at the meeting earlier were unofficial because there were so many aristocrats at the meeting. If one were to ask the Belbe Kingdom about the statements made at the meeting, their reply would obviously be That isnt true. That was the nature of negotiations made behind closed doors.
But even if that wasnt what the Belbe Kingdom said it was what Rosalia had said. She has to take responsibility for what she said. But if the Belbe Kingdom does exactly what Rosalia had said, then her statement will be truth and no one would know it was a lie. It shouldnt be a problem if thats the case.
Yes, except for me. I had heard this from Rosalia herself. No, she told me.
If I told the Chancellor or the Regent about this right now, they would treat it as the truth. The Emperor had said it after all. It would be nice if it were true, but even if it was fake, they could just me me.
It would have been better if she hadnt told me. Nevertheless, what was her intention for only revealing it to me? So, is it like that?
The Princess ran away from home. They cant tell anyone about it because it would harm your reputation, and they cant force you back. Thats why youll be living here for a long time
Well, in other words, she eloped. It would be a scandal if this were made public. I dont know how King Belbe feels about this, but he cant order her to return. If he can figure out a reason that will outweigh her reason for staying in the capital, then he could order her to return But again, the Empire must agree with that reason. Now it hase to this, the Empire, not Belbe Kingdom, has to agree since this is the Empires capital.
The only reason that would allow her to return would be the misfortune of a family member. Her reason for staying also seems to be a lie.
And she cant easily return because of her situation. This wasnt the same as rebelling and running away from home.
So, you convinced them with a lie that sounds like the truth and secured your role in the capital.
And most importantly, MOST IMPORTANTLY revealing the truth to me means that
Yes! And Ive always wanted to talk to Your Majesty like this.
She saw that I am a reasonable person and was clearing the air so that she could have a proper conversation with me without any acting. By exposing my weakness, she was forcing me, who couldnt just discard her, into being an aplice!!
When did you figure me out?
I felt like a fish that had gotten carried away and found itself jumping onboard!
Of course, since we first met!
Scary. If the Chancellor knew about this my life would be over, but shes just a little crazy, right?
Ah, Timona, whos standing behind me, is about to break out in cold sweat. What a rare sight!
Im sure I must look like a Tibetan sand fox right now.
Afterwards, thanks to the fast intervention of Count Ptine Vedett, who appeared out of nowhere (he was really helpful), ate-night secret meeting was taking ce in my room. It seems that all the spies will be there to support me. Yeah, Im sorry
Once again It has been a while, Your Majesty.
Rosalia, who should be sleeping in her room, bowed.
Well, the person sleeping in her room was a female spy. Rosalia is only 11 years old. She was probably curling her body desperately in order to imitate how Rosalia would look Good luck.
Standing next to me is Salomon de Valverde. He is my uncle and the man behind my arrival at the capital.
She introduced the aristocrat who had apanied her earlier He was in his thirties? He was young for an aristocrat. But I believe his name was in Fabios report as the Kings right hand man.
It is nice to meet you, Your Majesty. I hope that you will just think of me as the Princesss guard.
Does he have his own reason for being here?
Milord I believe you lead the army?
I was about to ask him why he was here when I was interrupted by some shocking words.
It is no problem, Your Majesty. It doesnt matter if a general or two disappear from the frontlines.
So, the military threat from Tomis Ashinaqui has been reduced?
We have seeded in concluding the triple alliance, a treaty that will never be publicised
The three alliances consist of three nations, and there are a total of seven nations to the north of the Empire in the Heavenly West. It was only natural that the Belbe Kingdom, the most western nation, was one of them, but their adversary, Tomis Ashinaqui, isnt. To the east, Eri Kingdom, and the Theanabe Union was created to the south of that, between them was the Gayuhi Dukedom, a small nation. Ghafur Republic faced those three nations and further north was Hismaphe Kingdom, which also held territory in the Heavenly East. Those make up the seven nations.
The three alliances definitely consist of
With Eri Kingdom and Gayuhi Dukedom?
Yes. Eri Kingdom, who borders Tomis Ashinaqui, is invading them while Gayuhi Dukedom, which doesnt border Tomis Ashinaqui, is reining in the Theanabe Union to prevent them from sending reinforcements. A part of the Eri Kingdom army has already entered Tomis Ashinaqui.
So, the Belbe Kingdom can intervene in the Empires politics? Then Rosalias position at the capital I see, so thats why its a secret alliance.
The situation in the north beyond Theanabe Union wont reach the Chancellor or the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies. This isnt because the two are not capable enough, but rather because the northern border, who had been monitoring the northern situation, had be independent as the Theanabe Union. In fact, even Count Ptine Vedett, who was aware that the Theanabe Union was going to go independent, had a hard time obtaining information in areas to the north of the Theanabe Union.
By the way, apparently Fabio and the others are excellent and are often sent in that direction.
At any rate
Im surprised you managed to convince both nations for an alliance.
The Eri Kingdom and Gayuhi Dukedom werent established only recently. Those two nations were watching as the Belbe Kingdom was invaded by Tomis Ashinaqui. They didnt want the blunt of the invasion to be directed at them.
Now, they have changed their course.
I would like to say that our diplomats are excellent, but it seems that this engagement has had a great influence.
Rosalia-san, can you not look a little embarrassed when he said engagement? So cute.
Oh no, I cant have dirty thoughts. Hmmm? If the Emperor and Rosalia are to marry, Tomis Ashinaqui, which is located between these two nations and hostile towards the Belbe Kingdom, would definitely be in the way. Naturally, they expect that the Empire and the Belbe Kingdom will attack Tomis Ashinaqui together. In other words
They want to tear apart Tomis Ashinaqui and make it their own. Or they will demand a share of the territory after it has been conquered by the Empire for engaging in war. Was that their demand for an alliance?
You are insightful. Another reason may be that the establishment of the Theanabe Union has created a connection between Tomis Ashinaqui, the Theanabe Union and Ghafur Republic.
Ah, I see. If those three nations join forces, then the Eri Kingdom and the Gayuhi Dukedom will be half encircled since they face the sea. It was a pre-emptive self-defence so to speak.
I see. This is valuable information that we wouldnt normally hear. So, what is your purpose, Lord Valverde?
A General hade here. He must have a purpose.
It is enough for me if you make Rosalia your legal wife. I want nothing more than that and this is non-negotiable.
Ah, alright. That was what I was nning on doing.
Shit. This person He looks serious. There are only scary people in the Belbe Kingdom
Well, thats how I got more coborators. They wont betray me as long as my engagement is the core of the alliance. I dont know what will happen if things change though.
Anyway, now I have to enjoy my new life with my fiance, who seems to like me an awful lot if I make a single mistake, my life will go downhill real fast. It was the opposite of a bad guy looking like a good guy just because he picked up a cat in the pouring rain.
Chapter 35: That’s Right, Let’s Leave the Capital
Chapter 35: That¡¯s Right, Let¡¯s Leave the Capital
After Rosalia and Salomon returned to their room, I was waiting for Count Ptine Vedett with a cup of tea made by TImona. The spies had worked hard behind the scenes so that this secret meeting could take ce. Count Ptine Vedett oversaw all the spies since he was their Chief.
He came from above the ceiling as usual just as I was finishing my second cup of tea.
Thanks for your hard work. Ive made you work extra, sit down.
I signalled Timona with my eyes and he began brewing tea for Count Ptine Vedett. Timonas skill in making tea is, frankly speaking, superior to that of a maid. ording to him, this is a part of his duty. But I dont remember Helck ever making me tea.
Count Ptine Vedett sat across from me and spoke.
This isnt much for a spy.
The spies in the ceiling twitched at those words. Apparently, that wasnt true.
Now dont say that. Pass on my thanks to the other spies too.
If that is what you wish, Your Majesty.
Is this the carrot and stick A way to manipte impressions? No, theres nothing better than having the spies like me a little but this guy never misses anything.
Just to confirm Do you want to hear the details of the meeting?
No, I dont need to hear about it.
The secret meeting was set up by Count Ptine, so I thought he would have wanted to know what it was about but I was wrong.
Well, now that my true nature has been exposed, he would have immediately got rid of them if he thought they would pose a problem. Count Ptines top priority is not my will, but my bloodline.
What do you think?
It wont be a problem for now.
I sighed at his words.
I thought the same.
Rosalias exnation and the way she secured her role in the capital were brilliant, but they were lies.
She was evaluating the aristocrats who nested in the capital too rationally.
After all, they are those whobelled opposing aristocrats as rebels and got rid of them for their own benefit. They are a mass of paranoia and power-hungry people, and they will soon be suspicious and uneasy about Rosalia and will move to eliminate her. Unfortunately, the fundamental principle that drives humans is emotions.
The only thing that can control them is continuous benefit. If you dont give them benefits all the time, they will move to eliminate you while lightly thinking You might get in the way.
In fact, they are wary of Count Ptine, who is often summoned by me, because he is from the neutral faction, even though he had dered that he would side with the one who crowns the emperor. Therefore, Count Ptine has been leaking information about me to both factions, though they are only information that can be leaked without any problems.
Rosalia and Salomon are in danger, but they ran away from the Belbe Kingdom, so they have almost no continuous benefit to offer the aristocrats. What can I do?
Shall I leave the capital?
I see, to travel?
Oh, as expected of the Chief of the Ministry of Intelligence, hes quick. Honeymoons didnt exist here, but that doesnt mean it hasnt happened before. Fortunately, Rosalia and Salomon will ept this because we have a coborative rtionship.
Yeah. Im too ignorant of what my nation is like. The information that is provided to me about the nation is also limited So, Ive always wanted to tour the nation, and Ill only be going around with my fiance.
I dont have much knowledge about this world. I dont know how themoners live or how the aristocrats live. I cant stay ignorant when I gain real power.
I have to start by knowing about domestic politics, international politics and military affairs. The fate of this nation depends on it. I wont be able to stand it if I make a mistake by thinking about things based on the knowledge I have from my previous life.
In a sense, the timing was convenient, because I can keep Rosalia away from the dangerous pce, and she will be able to see me as a child who is having fun with the person he likes.
Do you oppose?
No. I dont oppose to the idea itself.
So, it depends on how I go about it. Well, I thought so. There are several problems with this.
There are three problems with this. The first is whether the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies would agree to it. The second is whether I will be seen as doing Rosalias bidding, and the third is whether it will be seen as an act that will benefit the neutral faction right?
My objective this time is to tour around the nation. I have to drop everything else, otherwise it would be dangerous.
First, I will let the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies decide where I go except for the first ce I visit. This solves the first and second problems.
By letting them decide my destination, they can move me around as they wish. They can show me what they want me to see and not show me what they dont want me to see.
To gain something, you have to give up something. In this case, I must let myself be used to some extent.
Well, Im not saying that I will move exactly like they want.
And the solution to the third problem will have you stay in the capital, Count Ptine.
I see
Count Ptine pondered for a while after saying this.
What is this? Why does it feel like Im asking my parents if I can stay at a friends house for the first time? Dont make me nervous.
Your guard wont be a problem, since I can use the spies stationed all over the nation. I will stay in the capital for as long as possible.
Good. He seems to have given me his permission.
Ah, please do. And the first ce that I mentioned earlier If those two are deciding where I go then there will both disagree on where I should go first, right?
Both of them would probably want me to go to their ce and not the others, and they can never know how long the interest of the Emperor, a child, willst. I might immediately say, Im sick of this, and leave.
Yes, they definitely will.
We shall say that you decided on where I should visit first, and that its a ce Ive been interested in for a long time.
It wouldnt be odd for me to visit the ce first if he says that Ive been interested in it for a long time.
I see, you want to go to Theanabes border? I guess they will ask you to visit Lord Rauls fief after that.
It is where the mercenaries invaded after all. He will probably try to gloss it over, but it might be possible to expose his weakness, so the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, who wants to draw out the Chancellors weaknesses, will agree. As for Lord Raul, his fief will be the second ce that the Emperor will visit. Not bad.
Ill leave that to you. Can you arrange this?
Please leave it to me Also, you need to be considerate towards the Regent, so you have to return to the capital from time to time.
Ah, right. That person will be annoying if I leave her for too long.
Alright. I will return regrly and stay in the capital during winter. I will probably be travelling for a few years
That is fine. I will send Fabio if I have something to report to you.
Okay, thanks.
Now I just have to call those two
The Emperors selfishness has started again, someone muttered.
Youvee all the way to my nation, so Im sure youd like to see more of my Empire, no?
Yes, well
The Emperor, oblivious to Princess Rosalias slightly troubled expression, ordered the two Archdukes.
Im going to travel around the Empire with Rosalia. You may decide where I go. You are to entertain us so that Rosalia and I can enjoy ourselves.
Thus began a series of journeys that wouldter be known as The Selfish Emperors Tour.
And with the end of that journey began a turbulent era.
Chapter 36: The Lord of Treasury’s Appeal
Chapter 36: The Lord of Treasury¡¯s Appeal
ording to the gossip of the maids, the two archdukes had no choice but to adjust their itinerary despite their busy schedules after the sudden selfishness of the Emperor.
Look whos speaking! They were both on board with this from the start. They can entertain the Emperor and make a good impression while he was in their fief, and do whatever they pleased in the capital while he was away. There was no way those two wouldnt take advantage of such a good deal.
I, on the other hand met with bitter opposition from a certain aristocrat.
Please reconsider Your Majesty! The Empires treasury is already empty. We cant afford for you to tour the nation!!
Count Geoffroi de Newnbal. This man is a neutral aristocrat with the position of Lord of Treasury. ording to Count Pntine Vedett, he was the Empiresst defence.
He has managed to keep the Empire afloat amidst the financial crisis that has persisted since the time of the previous emperors and can even be called the most loyal subject of the Empire. Well, its better to be criticised in this way, so Ill continue my act.
Its your duty to do something about it.
I have already done all that I can!
Yup, youve done a great job. I know your scalp is sad because of all that hard work, that you suffer from constant stomach aches and that you always have dark circles under your eyes because you dont sleep well but I cant do anything about that right now.
There are currently three problems with the Empires finances: the nations inability to mint money, severe intion and continuous budget deficits. It wouldnt be surprising to say that the Empire has reached its limits.
The minting money problem originated with Emperor Edward IIIs reign. His follies are too numerous to mention, but I believe his name would have gone down in history even if he just sold the rights to mint. It was the first time in history that someone did something so foolish. I didnt study economics in my previous life, so I know very little about it but I still cant believe he did that.
The previous Emperor, Edward IV, tried to issue coins during his reign, but gave up due to the obstruction of the two archdukes. Most importantly, the deathblow was that they not only took the minting facilities, but also the personnel. Minting is kept under strict surveince in every nation to prevent counterfeits, and their production methods are also top secret. So, only the people who worked in these facilities knew how to make it. Apparently, there was no time to train people from scratch.
It might have worked out if only money couldnt be issued. Barter is still an excellent means of payment between themoners, and it is also possible to collect tax by having people pay grains to the government and using that as wages for the soldiers Though it would be horribly inefficient and would severely reduce the tax collected.
The problem was that the mint was purchased by Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl. As a result, the two began issuing money that they wanted as Empire currency.
In other words, money that wasnt being issued by the Empire was being engraved with the Empires symbol, and there were two different types of symbols People would get confused by this. Moreover, the two stingy men have lowered the value of gold and silver in the Empire.
As a result, the credibility of the Empires gold coins issued by Lord Raul, and the Empires silver coins issued by Lord Aquicurl is as good as trash; they have no value as currency.
That was the cause of the severe intion. Intion sets in when the value of money declines. Even I know this. I also know that many nations perish because of intion.
By the way, even though the Raul gold coins and the Aquicurl silver coins have no value as currency, the soldiers and servants of the Empire are still being paid in these coins. Foreign currencies are reserved for paying merchants.
Ordinary merchants wouldnt ept bad money but merchant associations under the patronage of Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl allow it. That means that the soldiers and servants can only shop with merchants under the influence of Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl. As a result, even those who were loyal to the Emperor became their private soldiers.
And that leads to the third issue, the budget deficit. Because the officials are at the mercy of Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl, taxes are dered less than the amount that should have been paid. Naturally, the same thing happens in the fiefs of the aristocrats who are under the two factions. Thus, the floating tax then goes to the local aristocrats and the Emperor receives very little of it. Even so, the Imperial Aristocrats would steal the Empires meagre budget under the guise of famine relief or disaster recovery. Thus, with almost no ie, the deficit increases year by year as expenditure piles up.
Now herees the question. Why hasnt the Empire been destroyed despite its terminal situation?
The answer is simple, because the neighbouring nations wont benefit from destroying the Empire.
If the Empire were to fall now, it would only create two almost unharmed nations, Aquicurl and Raul, so the neighbouring nations dont want the Empire to be destroyed even if they aim to take ournd. I think theyd prefer that we stay dying and less threatful. They are cautious about ceding fief as well just because they might identally destroy the Empire. In that case, it would give the newly created nations, Aquicurl and Raul, a good cause for reverse invasion.
As for why Lord Aquicurl and Lord Raul havent gone independent yet Well, there could be several reasons for this, but I think the biggest reason is that they are getting more money than they should be earning. There was no need for them to go independent when theyre enjoying the good life. The politics of the Empire is also in the hands of these two men.
Count Newnbal oversees the Empires finances. Him looking unhealthy in a situation like this is normal.
Im not an expert at this, but I do have some ideas ideas that can be called a political affairs cheat, but if I were to carry out those ns in this situation, it will only go to the two of them since the officials do what the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies says. Nothing will start Unless I destroy the two archdukes first.
The purpose of this tour is also to find people who will help me. Thats why I dont intend to cancel it.
Calm down, Count Newnbal. Do not raise your voice at His Majesty.
Count Newnbal swallowed hard as he listened to Count Ptine Vedett.
I knew that the Lord of Treasury woulde to protest, so I had Count Ptine Vedett act as a mediator.
The merchants have already refused to give us a loan. Please do not spend any more money.
Hmm, I understand what youre trying to tell me.
I heard the sound of teeth grinding together. Dammit, I must have agitated him.
Count Newnbal, calm down.
Count Ptine Vedett reprimanded. Im really sorry.
You need money to go on a tour. We do not have the money for it, so please stop.
I felt a tremendous pressure, maybe because Count Newnbals eyes were fixed on me.
He had a good opinion. Its the job of the Lord of Treasury to try and improve the finances as much as possible. I really appreciate his work ethic.
But I dont think the situation would get better even if I skimped on the tour costs.
Oh, is it like that? Then rest assured, Lord of Treasury. I will only visit the fief of the person who is paying when ites to visiting the Chancellors or the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremoniess fiefs.
Just that, please just stop that Your Majesty! If we owe them any more money, then they will take over.
Count Newnbal desperately appealed. His voice even sounded teary.
It seems that the Empire has already borrowed a good amount of money from the two of them His beliefs were reasonable and understandable since he is an Imperial aristocrat and the Lord of Treasury.
But no matter how much Count Newnbal continues to struggle, he is only prolonging the Empires destruction. That wont do. The Empire must make a fresh start.
Those two are my loyal subjects. They will do no such thing.
Count Ptine Vedett replied to my words.
Then let me go and tell them, Your Majesty.
Lord Vedett! You are!!
Count Newnbal red at Count Ptine. The two neutral aristocrats who are active in the capital are at odds with each other.
Shut up. Thats enough, you may leave.
Count Newnbal was about to say something in response to the Emperors words, but he suddenly looked resigned, then he bowed and left.
This is my room, so the maids are here at this time. This conflict between the two neutral aristocrats will soon spread to the Chancellor and Regent factions, and they will think that the neutral faction wouldnt unite for a while.
And the vignce directed towards the neutral aristocrats will drop even more The same goes for the vignce that is directed at Rosalia and the others.
Everything was going ording to n Yup. Count Newnbal, who hadnt heard of my n, was honestly disappointed and angry.
Im going to reward you handsomely when I take over, so please bear with me I dont think youll get this message though.
Chapter 37: Leaving for the Tour
Chapter 37: Leaving for the Tour
Sure enough, both the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies readily agreed to pay for the tour, then they began discussing my tour. Since my first destination had already been decided, they only had to work out the details such as which specific road I would take and who would apany me. They will probably make their decisions soon.
My guess is that it will take a month.
One month is actually quick, and it was terrifying.
Now then, theres something I have to do in the meantime.
Of course, I wouldnt be packing or anything since it would look suspicious.
Phew.
I took a deep breath and slowly made my way down to the tower balcony. I looked up to see emerald eyes.
Sorry, Vera. I have something to tell you.
Vera-Sylvie, who had been smiling happily, looked at me vacantly.
What is it?
Ah Im sorry, I wont be able to keep my promise toe here every full moon.
Promises made to girls shouldnt be broken. If you break it, then you must exin the situation and apologise sincerely. The memories of my previous life have been fading day by day, but for some reason, this one thing has been calling out to me like a warning bell.
What the fuck happened to me in my previous life?
Will I never see you again?
Vera-Sylvies eyes shook anxiously, and I felt like her voice was more frail than usual. I broke out in a cold sweat.
No, I just wont be able to make it for a few months. Ill at least be able to visit in winter, I promise.
I see
With that, she looked down It was hard to read her expression from earlier because of the dim light of themp. Is she. Unhappy?
Ah please, wait, a minute?
Vera seemed to have remembered something. She moved away from the barred windows.
She took an essory out from the drawer.
Hmm this
Emerald earrings?
Yup.
As expected of an aristocrat, the size of the jewel was probably something I had never seen in my previous life before Well, Im used to seeing them in my room and in other ces now though.
She handed me one of the earrings.
You can channel magic into this and
Vera then channelled magic into the earring. She had a hard time doing this the first time, but now she could do it easily.
talk
I see, its a magic tool?
Yeah!
So, she wants to use this to talk to me since we cant see each other for a while?
Alright. Ill take it, thanks. But I cant talk to you every day, alright?
I know Ill give you this one.
Vera did as shes told, then she gave me an earring.
Does this only work one way?
No, its a bit different You can always talk on this one but you cant on this.
Oh, so shes saying that she cant call me from the one she has, but if I call her from the one I have then we can talk.
Youre saying I can call whenever I want?
Yeah Since it seems like youll be busy.
Ah, thanks for being considerate.
Thanks. At any rate Im surprised you still have this.
Father told me to give it to someone I trust when I went to the capital. But I thought I couldnt use it in the tower.
Was it given to her when she got married?
Then shouldnt you have given it to the Count?
No. Father is always being watched so I cant give it to him.
Always?
Count Chamneaux is in the Chancellors faction. The area around his fief is surrounded by people in the Regent faction, but its unlikely that the rival faction would be able to get into his mansion. Does that mean that Count Chamneaux is being surveyed by the Chancellor faction?
So, Vera-Sylvie is the Chancellor factions hostage.
It seems highly possible to make him an ally.
I see Im sorry, but Ill be going back now. Ill make sure to use the earring.
Yeah. Be careful alright?
I will. See youter.
Just as I was about to leave the scaffolding, Vera added.
And if you see him, tell him Im well.
I will.
You know who I am, dont you Vera-san?
I invited Rosalia to go horseback riding the next day after breakfast. I heard Rosalia could do everything, including ride a horse. Shes a talented person.
But well, my goal wasnt to hang out with Roalisa.
When I headed to the stables with the Regents guards in tow, Nadine was there. I heard that she has been practicing horseback riding zealouslytely.
Oh my, who is this?
Rosalia asked me when she noticed Nadine. Im d shes so perceptive.
Oh, this is Lady Nadine. Nadine, this is my fiance, Rosalia. Introduce yourself.
It is nice to meet you. My name is Nadine, Rosalia-sama.
Nadine red at me for a second before greeting Rosalia. Well, shes also well-educated.
When Nadine heard that I was going to tour the nation, she vehemently objected with the Lord of Treasury, I cant believe youre going to tour the nation without studying!, but Timona brushed her off by saying, This is also a part of his official duties. Since then, she has been ring at me every time we meet.
Please call me Rosalia. I dont have many friends my age. I would be happy if you would be my friend.
R-really? You can call me Nadine too.
Okay!
Eh, youre coaxing her already? Simple-minded Well, theres nothing better than the two of you being friends.
Oh yes! Will you also being on the tour?
Eh?!
Nadine said in surprise, but then she seemed to be pondering on what to do.
Hey, idiot, notice already. It would be bad if you agree. Im begging you, dont agree!
Ah Ill have to ask Father first
Thats good I was breaking out in cold sweat because I thought she would agree.
Nadine didnt have the freedom to decide her own actions since she is only the daughter of an aristocrat. Well, it would be a different story if Lord Warung told her to, Do what you want. In that case, Nadine would be free to act as she pleased in the pce. That would mean that she would be free to negotiate with the factions. That would only be a burden to her now.
I see. Then ask Lord Warung. Good day.
Now then, how would Lord Warung react when he hears about this from his daughter? He will probably demand that Nadinee with me. I am leaving the ce. This will be the only chance for him to get in touch with me since he keeps his distance from the pce. But I dont think the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies would approve of my going to Lord Warungs fief. The best way to settle this would be for us to have a meeting in the fiefs of one of the factions. Well, thats good enough for now.
Then we strolled around the pce grounds on horseback for a while Theres always someone watching, so I have to keep the act up.
What is that building over there?
That is what is it, Timona?
This is the pce of the Third Emperor and the Late Emperor, Your Majesty.
Oh my, it is?
The pce built by the Third Emperor was located at the far end of the pce and was surrounded by walls on all sides. The Late Emperor reused this building. I think it shows well the distrustful nature of both emperors towards their subjects.
Oh yeah, Grandfathers grave is around here somewhere, isnt it? Lets visit him.
As you wish. I will show you the way.
Timona led the way to the cemetery. The mausoleums of the emperors became smaller and smaller with each passing generation. Incidentally, the mausoleum of the Sixth Emperor is the only one that doesnt exist. To be precise, he had a mausoleum built that was bigger than the First Emperors, but he wasnt buried there after his death, and it was destroyed. Of course, no one objected to it being destroyed.
The Late Emperors mausoleum was quite small and only a few people were allowed inside. In fact, there is a proper custom for visiting the emperors of the past. One of them was to do with people of different statuses entering at the same time. The person with the highest status stands in the front while the person with the lowest status goes to the back. But the Late Emperors mausoleum was so small that it was impossible to have several rows of people inside. So, only Rosalia and I were allowed to enter. Rosalia is the Emperors fiance, so she was standing in the front row like me.
The plot itself is quiterge, so I guess he was buried in thergest space possible. I personally think it would be nice if they didnt do this, but thats just my personal opinion.
Rosalia and I prayed to him as per custom. This was a culture from the Bungdalto people, not the Lothar Empire, but it seems that she had studied it properly beforehand.
I really appreciate this.
Unfortunately, not many people visit the mausoleum of the Late Emperor. Honestly, my father was more popr among the people but not among the aristocrats.
I would have to utilise a lot of things in order not to be assassinated like the Late Emperor, and of course, that includes using Rosalia.
Ill be troubling you from here on out too.
I whispered and Rosalia also muttered a small reply.
Its my pleasure, Your Majesty.
Maybe I had acquired a certain amount of karma in my previous life.
Is it? Thanks.
I decided that I wouldntin anymore and we left the mausoleum.
Chapter 38: Leaving the Capital
Chapter 38: Leaving the Capital
A different world where magic exists, and guns and cannons have been invented. The Bungdalto Empire was located in and called the Eastern Continent. This great nation, whichpetes to be the best with another nation, is in the midst of decline and copse due to a variety of problems. Economic bankruptcy, losingnd because of being defeated in war, and independence of one of its frontier areas, and the tyranny of the aristocrats.
I was born as Carmine, the emperor of such a sinking Empire. The young Emperor was a convenient puppet for Lord Raul, who is believed to have assassinated my father (the former Crown Prince, and Lord Aquicurl who is believed to have assassinated my grandfather (the previous Emperor), since they were both engaged in a fierce political struggle.
If I hadnt acted like a puppet then I would not have survived until today, and I will continue to act like their puppet.
Until the day I act.
It is the year 465 on the sr calendar. A ceremony was held to celebrate the Emperors 10th birthday as the snow thawed and at the same time, the Emperors tour of the nation was announced.
The carriage that I was riding in was equipped with magic tools The Smallest Fortress was surrounded by an excessive number of guards, and we left through the An-Doch gate which is the northern gate in the capital. This was the first time in my life that I have been outside of the capital.
I thought I had left the capital five years ago but I found out that I hadnt and decided to find out more about the capital Cardinal. I also considered that not understanding the area that Im in control of was also a problem.
Though, I only asked Count Ptine Vedett and Timona about the capital. I couldnt openly find out more about the capital or the aristocrats would get suspicious.
The capital, Cardinal. This city, which was built by the First Emperor andpleted during the reign of the Second Emperor, was a man-made city built from the ground at the confluence of two rivers, Say and Lambdet. It was nned to be both high defence and convenience.
The city was said to be robust enough to be the capital with Say River to the north and Lambdet River to the west as natural moats and surrounded by city walls (although Say River flows inside the walls for flood control).
Unfortunately, cannons have been invented and were slowly being more widely used, so it remains to be seen whether the city walls are really effective or not.
This area that is called the capital today rather than the proper capital extended a little to the west and a considerable amount to the east and south from here. In particr, the eastern part extended to a muchrger area than the proper capital because this area absorbed two cities that were originally here Sadie and Doed.
The west and south sides are surrounded by newly constructed second walls, but the east side has no such wall. The project has not beenpleted because it couldnt keep up with the unexpected speed of expansion and because the finances of the Empire have deteriorated.
Incidentally, another reason why this project was abandoned was because Lord Raul had a say in it. He said, Its hard to believe that the walls would make a difference against an army equipped with cannons.
This was proof that my enemy isnt ipetent. What a pain in the ass.
Why didnt you intervene when they were building the southern wall? Oh yeah, your fief is to the east, isnt it? And only the east doesnt have walls.
You really do whatever you want.
And like that, I became the Puppet Emperor to the aristocrats. I didnt hear any cheers like I did at the parade when I left the capital but thats understandable. The citizens have been disappointed in thesest five years.
This is an aristocrats town so I think theyre holding back because they are afraid of the aristocrats and not you, Your Majesty. Besides, we look like a small army to the citizens since there are so many guards with us.
I replied to the voice from the seat in front of me, Maybe, as I looked away from the outside and at her.
Yes, I am sure that must be it.
The First Princess of the Belbe Kingdom, and my fiance, Rosalia van Chalonge Cruveilheir, said then smiled. She had strange tastes; she came to me after I was called a Foolish Emperor, a coward and even suspected of having same sex rtions. She is intelligent and attractive. Her only drawback was that for some reason, she had an unusually high evaluation of me.
We do look like a small army with such arge number of people and horses dont we?
This group, including the guards and servants, totalled 200 people. The aristocrats of each fief that I pass through and stay in as well as their own private armies will also join us from time to time.
Rosalia, Timona and Helck, are among therge number of people, regardless of faction, who were apanying me on this tour. This time, since I was visiting the fiefs of the Chancellor faction, there were a lot of people from the Chancellors faction with me but each faction had prepared a necessary number of chefs and maids.
So, the number of chefs and maids is two times more than what is normally required.
There was no need for chefs since I will be staying with aristocrats. This was a huge waste of money. How much money do they have to spare?
I looked out the window again. We were already outside the city walls, but this area was filled with residences owned by lower ranked aristocrats. This is the area where the so-called barons and viscounts live. ording to custom, when the Emperors carriage is passing by, they are required to bow their heads until the carriage is out of sight. They will be punished for rudeness if they do not do so.
No one did this. They all ignored the Emperors carriage but they are courteous to carriages of high ranking aristocrats.
Yeah, its good to be frank. This couldnt be a more urate representation of the position of the Young Emperor.
I wont forget this though! You guys should be prepared
Well, thats just how desperate they are to get ahead. No matter how I look at it, there are too many aristocrats in this nation. Three out of four streets in the proper capital, Cardinal, are aristocratic streets (apparently, they evicted all the citizens who originally live there) and residences for barons and viscounts dont even fit there I guess the Sixth Emperors selling of government posts policy was still around. Try being on the short end of the stick, fuck.
Ah. I have to do something about this in my lifetime or else the Empire wontst much long.
Haaaah~.
Rosalia looked a little troubled when she heard my loud sigh, but she didnt say anything.
Now, the first destination of this tour is Count Beiler Novas fief which is located on the border next to the Theanabe Union.
If I simply wanted to go to the frontline to see the Theanabe Union, then I couldcan go to Count Beiler Tores fief, who is in the Chancellors faction but the reason why I didnt was because of the road. The Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies insisted that the Young Emperor couldnt make a long journey on amon road no matter how good this carriage was. To take the stone-paved main road, this trip will traverse through the fief of Marquis Maldorsa, pass through the fief of Count Beiler Tore to the northwest, then head north through Count Kushads fief to Count Beiler Novas fief. Thanks for your concern but I could have managed this tour somehow with magic.
By the way, Count Kushad is in the Regency faction. Im sure you were trying to push this fief into my trip in the name of concern, Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies.
I wont be receiving any greetings from the local aristocrats around the capital, a territory I directly control, until I leave Count Pildys fief. I feel rtivelyfortable.
I see that everyone wants to enter Maquis Maldorsas fief as soon as possible We can take it easy today.
Its been a while since we have been alone together, Rosalia added as her cheeks went pink. Cute.
I mean
Say, do my feelings show on my face?
Before and even now, if our conversation gets leaked then it would be fatal for me since I have to y the role of a Foolish Emperor.
No, not normally. But your face is full of expressions when we are alone like this Fufu. It makes me very happy.
I looked away and remembered the time when I melted the bars. Ive acted my physical age many times instead of my mental age. This was proof that I had let my guard down. I must be careful not to make this mistake in front of the other aristocrats.
By the way, I was wondering why this is called Count Pildys fief when it is His Majestys territory.
Rosalia asked after we had been in the swaying carriage for a while Im sure the aristocrats couldnt imagine that Rosalia would ask such a question to the Foolish Emperor.
Because the Bungdalto Empire is the Lothar Empires sessor nation.
For example, in the Lothar Empire it was the Maldorsa House that ruled over the Marquis Maldorsas fief.
When a House goes extinct, another aristocrat will rule thend and the name of the fief will change in ordance. The name of the fief was called the title of the fief.
The Bungdalto Empire decided to take over the fief titles and boundaries of the Lothar Empire as they were.
But the aristocrats, who had track records, sealed thend, and as a result, there is a discrepancy between the title of the fief and the House. In Japanese terms, the name of the prefecture is Marquis Maldorsas fief and the prefectural governor is Alemanne-san.
I dont know if this was part of the Revival of Lothar or if it was because it was too much trouble to decide on a new name.
So, the fief title and the House are the same as the aristocrats who owned thend since the time of the Lothar Empire with a few exceptions.
With a few exceptions?
A simple example is when a member of the royal family bes a vassal. By custom, the title of the fief is the new House name. Duke Warung and Marquis Dzran are the fourth and fifth sons of the Third Emperor, Charles I. Duke Aquicurl and Duke Raul are the third and fourth sons of the Fifth Emperor, Charles II. As proof of this, they all have van in their names[1]TN: Why dont I remember Aquicurl having van in his name. This signifies their imperial lineage.
There are other cases wherend has been reshuffled or baron titles have been newly created since the founding of Bungdalto Empire But well, I dont have to mention that.
Anyway, thisnd was governed by Count Pildy in the Lothar age, so it is called Count Pildys fief. Well, its also the capital, so its a fief title that had been inherited by sessive emperors.
The imperial throne can only be seeded by the eldest son, but the fief title can be shared by the second and subsequent sons. This is the Law of Session in the Empire. But the title of Count Pildy has been passed down the imperial throne for eight generations.
I see but I have never heard Chalonge being used for a fief title.
Ah, Rosalia is from the Chalonge Cruveilheir House, isnt she?
Since it doesnt have a fief title. We called ourselves Chalonge House before the establishment of the Bungdalto Empire, but we must have left the House early to prevent session struggles.
The family lineage that originated from the First Emperors fourth son and its branch House is the Chalonge Cruveilheir House. Cruveilheir is the Bungdaltonguage for the Belbe Kingdoms capital, Cruvleia. It means the Chalonge family of Cruveilheir.
It was a ssic example of a branch family bing greater than the main family Well, my family is the same. We were a former branch of the Garde House.
Chapter 39: Civilization Progresses Well When There Are No Dark Ages
Chapter 39: Civilization Progresses Well When There Are No Dark Ages
When the capital was out of sight, the view outside the window was filled with lush green fields.
Im assuming that its probably wheat since bread is usually served for meals Is wheat already nted at this time of the year? Unfortunately, I didnt have any knowledge in this area from my previous life, so I couldnt discern whether it was the same nt from Earth or somethingpletely different.
Farnd as far as the eye can see As expected of the Empire.
Rosalia, who was also looking out the window, said Ah, I see. I can just ask her.
Is this all wheat?
What is wheat?
Oh, she doesnt understand that word?
Does that mean that they dont call it wheat in this world? Or is it something else altogether?
What is bread made from?
Oh, white wheat.
White wheat I see. Thats how it is made in this world.
I tend to think in the terms used in my previous life because I have my past life memories, but I shouldnt. I am living in this world now.
I dont know if white wheat is really the same as the wheat of my previous life, but Ill assume that its something close to that for now.
I am sorry, Your Majesty. I cannot tell if this is white wheat, rye, green wheat, or barley
Rosalia said in a depressed tone.
I dont know what traits each of those has. But they were probably grown in the general farnd since she didnt know which one it was. As I recall, crop rotation is when you grow different crops in a cycle on the samend for several years.
It seems that agriculture is progressing efficiently.
Ah, dont worry about it. I also dont know either.
Okay Ah, but it seems that Lord Aquicurl and Lord Rauls fief use the three-field system. Perhaps you can see it on this tour.
Three-field system is a term I know as well. Was it something like by rotating the farnd through summer grain, winter grain and the livestock grazing in sequence, the fields arent depleted of its nutrients? Honestly, I dont know exactly how it works or anything.
But I do know what brought it about.
The increase in poption apanied by the increase in productivity, and the copse of the serf and manorial systems.
I see. Is that also the reason why there are so many lower ranked aristocrats outside of the capital?
The Empire is one of the leading agricultural nations on the continent. I heard this from Count Ptine Vedett. I thought it was simply because we had vast nds, but it seems that optimization is paying off.
Have you seen it before, Rosalia?
Three-field system should be impossible in the fief under the Emperors direct control, but I guess its possible in Aquicurls fief.
Thend must be divided into plots for a three-field system. It is essential to have a powerful aristocrat who canpel farmers with farnd to move to another farm or designate the grain they produce.
But there is no such person in this area. The Emperor would usually y this role, and even if there is a magistrate, they would just be a puppet of the Chancellor or Regent factions. They wouldnt go to the trouble of reforming agriculture since it would strengthen the Emperors influence.
Yes. I saw it on my way to the capital since I came by boat.
Oh, water transportation?
The fastest means of transportation in this era is by boat. The rivers flow more gently than in Japan.
I would like to ride on a boat
Well, I would actually like to see the difference between the speed of a horse-drawn carriagepared to a boat.
That would be tough on security. Of course, you might be able to protect yourself with magic if the need arises, Your Majesty
Well, thats true. The defence of this carriage is too high wait what did she say?
Magic?
Wait, hold on. Ive never shown Rosalia my magic, nor have I told her that I can use it.
How did she know?
That information is my lifeline, myst safety rope, one of my few trump cards!!!
I slowly spoke after a moment of silence.
Since when?
The tone of my voice sounded quite displeased.
Since you showed me around the Great Library.
The Great Library I wanted to read a book on magic at that time, so I used Rosalia as a cover.
I did pick books about magic back then, but I properly yed the role of the kid who wanted to show off to the girl he liked, so he picked difficult books even though he didnt understand it She shouldnt have been able to conclude that I could use magic just because I picked a book about magic. Why on earth does she
Please forgive my rudeness, Your Majesty. If you couldnt read at that time, then you would have chosen thick or decorative books. And if you could read a little then you would have chosen books with difficult titles or books with a long title.
What is this feeling? Is this how it feels to be paralysed on the spot?
You also picked up several other books that had nothing to do with magic. With those books, you only chose ones with long titles and gorgeous covers. But only the books on magic were something that was not meant to deceive. You chose practical books such as Magic Bestowal and Defensive Magic and even a theory book Research Report.
Ah, right. Shes right. Damn. Now that I think about it, I was too careless. Why hadnt I noticed? It was so obvious.
Well, it doesnt seem like the Chancellor and Regent factions have noticed. This shouldnt be a problem.
Of course, there was a possibility that Your Majesty was just genuinely interested but if that had been the case, then you would not have had to use me. So, I concluded that you could use magic.
Rosalia said. Then, sheughed quietly.
She wasnt surprised that she had realised this. But well, I did use her. I suppose an apology is in order.
Ah, Im sorry about that.
Rosalia looked stunned when I apologised and asked puzzlingly.
I apologise, Your Majesty, but what are you apologising for?
Hmm? For using you.
Rosalia blinked a couple times then slowlyughed again.
Oh my. I am at a loss, Your Majesty. I cannot believe you apologised for something like that. It is alright I hope you will use me more, Your Majesty.
Im grateful that she didnt mind. But why is there a slight hint of bliss in your smile?
Unfortunately, it seems like I will make the same mistake. I would appreciate it if you would help me out.
With pleasure, Your Majesty!
Frankly, Im scared. Shes just like Timona.
So? Who else knows about this?
Only Salomon. I do not mind if you keep an eye on me. Also, I have not told anyone else about what I concluded.
If possible, I had hoped that you hadnt told anyone.
She didnt have to say that she knew anything, since I didnt realise that she knew.
Rosalia purposely telling me this could be seen as sincerity?
Haah Im d youre my fiance.
I might have been checkmated if she had been an enemy.
I am d as well, Your Majesty!
Rosalia said as she smiled widely, and I thought, I might never be able to win against this girl.
Chapter 40: After a decade
Chapter 40: After a decade
The carriage continued to sway but as the sun rose high in the sky, the convoy came to an abrupt halt.
Well, it didnt feel like a sudden brake, and no one was panicking. So, I dont think it was an attack Did something else happen?
After a while, a voice came from outside the carriage.
Your meal is ready.
It was Timona Renans voice. I wondered what had happened since I had to wait for a while but its lunch?
We got off the carriage and ate a slightly warmer meal than usual in a spacious tent. It was only slightly warmer than usual, but it was better than having a cold meal at the pce.
I sometimes feel like crying because I miss the warm meals from my previous life. Cold meals attack you mentally. The microwave was a great invention.
By the way, my meal was the same as always Yes, it was the same thing.
The Emperor ate three meals a day at the pce. I believe this is a little different from medieval Europe on Earth. It wasmon practice over there to not have breakfast or to eat light, wasnt it?
The origin of breakfastes from break and fast, and there was a religious concept of fasting over there. On the other hand, the concept of fasting doesnt exist in the Holy One Church over here. They believe that eating three meals a day is the right thing to do.
This was due to Saint Ains legend. When they were forced to leave the Central Continent, they took their followers with them on a long boat trip. The ships of this period werent good, and it wouldnt have been surprising if some people died of starvation. However, thanks to the Grace of God, the believers were able to eat three meals a day if they had the proper faith. If the proper faith was not practiced, then the believers didnt have ess to food.
It was nonsense today to debate whether this teaching is true or not. It is themon sense of this world.
ording to Rosalia, because of this faith, not eating three meals is evidence that one is ashamed of their faith. Why is religion so extreme?
Because of this, the meals I have are the same as when Im in the pce.
I can see why they had me bring so many chefs.
Also, there was a mysterious bowl in the carriage, and I figured out what it was for. It was a vomit bowl.
We will be leaving now, Your Majesty.
We got back into the carriage and departed. Come to think of it, I remember they wanted me to get out of the direct fief as soon as possible.
No!
Y-Your Majesty?!
I dont care about the circumstances. Id rather walk than throw up in the carriage!
Due to the selfishness of the Emperor, I am now on horseback (we brought several horses with us in addition to the carriage), and Im surrounded by my guards as I stroll around. Rosalia was in the carriage.
If the Chancellor of the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies was here then this wouldnt have been possible, but the Chancellor was in the front lines and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies was at the capital. Heres one of the reasons why Im feeling a little more at ease
Theres nothing here.
Theres nothing to see, Your Majesty. Lets go back.
The Captain of the Imperial Guards, Count Bunra, who had followed me as my guard, kept urging me to go back. But well, there wasnt any reason for me to go back since it doesnt seem like Rosalia was feeling unwell. Also, I believed he was hiding something since he was obviously leading me down a certain path.
It was a rural area but there were houses scattered in this arablend. I believe they call these settlements scattered viges.
I looked around and saw a farmer having lunch, so I decided to approach him.
Please wait, Your Majesty. You will be defiled if you approach such lowly people.
Oh, he sounds like an aristocrat from the Middle Ages. Ive never heard anyone say that before Well, its partly because Ive never metmoners before.
What, Count Bunra? Are you saying Ill be defiled?
Count Bunra tried to affirm this, but was interrupted by Count Vadpo, the Emperors aide-de-camp who had followed us.
What are you saying, Your Majesty? Your Majesty is absolute and sacred. Its impossible for His Majesty to be defiled no matter how lowly the person is.
Oh, I see. Then there should be no problem.
In this case, there would be no problem if I use Count Vadpos opinion. The Emperor is a sacred existence.
But still something that the Captain of the Imperial Guard (from the Chancellors faction) is trying to hide, and something the Emperors aide-de-camp (from the Regent faction) wants to show. Im looking forward to it.
For now, Ill just continue to follow Timona.
I continued to approach several men who appeared to be having lunch. They seem to be cooking over a fire in a clearing by the side of the field. They were simmering something in a pot which means porridge?
They seemed to have noticed us too. They were looking at us with tension and fright. Well, of course they would.
They probably dont know Im the Emperor, so it should be fine to have a casual conversation with them.
I got off my horse and talked to the men who were sitting on the ground or on rocks.
What is that?
I looked closer and saw it was porridge. They were eating it with a wooden bowl and spoon.
And most importantly, it only looked like porridge to me.
T-this is thousand rice porridge.
One of the farmers answered nervously.
Hmm, Ive never seen anything like this before. Let me try some.
This was the first time Ive seen rice since my reincarnation. I have to try it myself.
Your Majesty!!
Count Vadpo heard what I had said and tried to stop me. Count Bunra was ufortable and kept his distance. Well, is that a normal reaction in this era?
There was almost no vour, only a slight broth, probably made from meat and a slight sweetness came from the vegetables.
The soup stock had an odour that made it hard to stomach. The vegetables seemed to be from leftovers.
The rice itself tasted bad. Perhaps it had been ipletely polished. Despite its porridge-like consistency, the rice waspletely devoid of vour. It was iparably worse than the rice from my previous life.
So, why do I want to cry this badly?
This is bad! This is
I wont cry since I cant cry here. Tears can be manipted at will if you control your magic a little.
This is really bad! But its interesting since its different from barley. You need to improve the vour.
Japanese rice is delicious. I ate it without knowing how it was selectively bred, or the hard work that went into harvesting the rice. I regret this quite a bit Its toote now though.
Your Majesty, these men dont have that power. I think we should ask the acting feudal lord to do it.
Oh, I see. Then Timona, show me the way.
Leaving the men with stunned expressions on their faces, I mounted my horse again and followed Timona.
Your Majesty! Thousand rice is for peasants to eat. It is not the food of nobility!
Come to think of it, rice yields are higher than wheat. Apparently white wheat is considered food for nobility. Low-yield wheat is only avable to aristocrats while high-yield rice is a staple food formoners?
You must not eat that kind of food!
Count Vadpo nagged for a while.
Is there such a teaching?
Excuse me? No, there is no such teaching
The teaching refers to the Holy One doctrine. It was very convenient since I could shut him up with one word.
Then theres no problem. Everything is by the Grace of God, is it not?
After that, I wondered what was going on since Count Bunra started getting restless and the acting feudal lord seemed like he was panicking but it was nothing. They were acting like that because someone from the Chancellors faction was serving as acting feudal lord in the Emperors direct fief.
I expected this from the beginning since they did whatever they wanted in the pce. I wasnt surprised by this it was quite a let-down. Did the Emperors aide-de-camp justugh at this?
But that isnt the right reaction in a situation like this.
Why why is my fief being taken away from me by someone under the Chancellorsmand?!
The Chancellors people were sweating like waterfalls at my words and Count Vadpo looked satisfied.
If the Chancellor were here, Im sure hed be calmly justifying himself while also deciding whether he should kill me or not.
Please calm down, Your Majesty.
It was Timona who stopped me.
The Chancellor presides over politics on Your Majestys behalf and protects this nation until your coronation. It was necessary to have an acting feudal lord in your fief to protect you. If there is no feudal lord, then who will protect thisnd while you are away?
Hmm alright.
I acknowledged Timonas opinion, which wasnt heartfelt at all, even though it wasnt a good one. This was for the best.
With this, the Chancellors faction now owes Timona. Use it well Timona.
Am I causing trouble to get credit from it? Yes, but so what?,
The carriage continued to sway but as the sun rose high in the sky, the convoy came to an abrupt halt.
Well, it didnt feel like a sudden brake, and no one was panicking. So, I dont think it was an attack Did something else happen?
After a while, a voice came from outside the carriage.
Your meal is ready.
It was Timona Renans voice. I wondered what had happened since I had to wait for a while but its lunch?
We got off the carriage and ate a slightly warmer meal than usual in a spacious tent. It was only slightly warmer than usual, but it was better than having a cold meal at the pce.
I sometimes feel like crying because I miss the warm meals from my previous life. Cold meals attack you mentally. The microwave was a great invention.
By the way, my meal was the same as always Yes, it was the same thing.
The Emperor ate three meals a day at the pce. I believe this is a little different from medieval Europe on Earth. It wasmon practice over there to not have breakfast or to eat light, wasnt it?
The origin of breakfastes from break and fast, and there was a religious concept of fasting over there. On the other hand, the concept of fasting doesnt exist in the Holy One Church over here. They believe that eating three meals a day is the right thing to do.
This was due to Saint Ains legend. When they were forced to leave the Central Continent, they took their followers with them on a long boat trip. The ships of this period werent good, and it wouldnt have been surprising if some people died of starvation. However, thanks to the Grace of God, the believers were able to eat three meals a day if they had the proper faith. If the proper faith was not practiced, then the believers didnt have ess to food.
It was nonsense today to debate whether this teaching is true or not. It is themon sense of this world.
ording to Rosalia, because of this faith, not eating three meals is evidence that one is ashamed of their faith. Why is religion so extreme?
Because of this, the meals I have are the same as when Im in the pce.
I can see why they had me bring so many chefs.
Also, there was a mysterious bowl in the carriage, and I figured out what it was for. It was a vomit bowl.
We will be leaving now, Your Majesty.
We got back into the carriage and departed. Come to think of it, I remember they wanted me to get out of the direct fief as soon as possible.
No!
Y-Your Majesty?!
I dont care about the circumstances. Id rather walk than throw up in the carriage!
Due to the selfishness of the Emperor, I am now on horseback (we brought several horses with us in addition to the carriage), and Im surrounded by my guards as I stroll around. Rosalia was in the carriage.
If the Chancellor of the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies was here then this wouldnt have been possible, but the Chancellor was in the front lines and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies was at the capital. Heres one of the reasons why Im feeling a little more at ease
Theres nothing here.
Theres nothing to see, Your Majesty. Lets go back.
The Captain of the Imperial Guards, Count Bunra, who had followed me as my guard, kept urging me to go back. But well, there wasnt any reason for me to go back since it doesnt seem like Rosalia was feeling unwell. Also, I believed he was hiding something since he was obviously leading me down a certain path.
It was a rural area but there were houses scattered in this arablend. I believe they call these settlements scattered viges.
I looked around and saw a farmer having lunch, so I decided to approach him.
Please wait, Your Majesty. You will be defiled if you approach such lowly people.
Oh, he sounds like an aristocrat from the Middle Ages. Ive never heard anyone say that before Well, its partly because Ive never metmoners before.
What, Count Bunra? Are you saying Ill be defiled?
Count Bunra tried to affirm this, but was interrupted by Count Vadpo, the Emperors aide-de-camp who had followed us.
What are you saying, Your Majesty? Your Majesty is absolute and sacred. Its impossible for His Majesty to be defiled no matter how lowly the person is.
Oh, I see. Then there should be no problem.
In this case, there would be no problem if I use Count Vadpos opinion. The Emperor is a sacred existence.
But still something that the Captain of the Imperial Guard (from the Chancellors faction) is trying to hide, and something the Emperors aide-de-camp (from the Regent faction) wants to show. Im looking forward to it.
For now, Ill just continue to follow Timona.
I continued to approach several men who appeared to be having lunch. They seem to be cooking over a fire in a clearing by the side of the field. They were simmering something in a pot which means porridge?
They seemed to have noticed us too. They were looking at us with tension and fright. Well, of course they would.
They probably dont know Im the Emperor, so it should be fine to have a casual conversation with them.
I got off my horse and talked to the men who were sitting on the ground or on rocks.
What is that?
I looked closer and saw it was porridge. They were eating it with a wooden bowl and spoon.
And most importantly, it only looked like porridge to me.
T-this is thousand rice porridge.
One of the farmers answered nervously.
Hmm, Ive never seen anything like this before. Let me try some.
This was the first time Ive seen rice since my reincarnation. I have to try it myself.
Your Majesty!!
Count Vadpo heard what I had said and tried to stop me. Count Bunra was ufortable and kept his distance. Well, is that a normal reaction in this era?
There was almost no vour, only a slight broth, probably made from meat and a slight sweetness came from the vegetables.
The soup stock had an odour that made it hard to stomach. The vegetables seemed to be from leftovers.
The rice itself tasted bad. Perhaps it had been ipletely polished. Despite its porridge-like consistency, the rice waspletely devoid of vour. It was iparably worse than the rice from my previous life.
So, why do I want to cry this badly?
This is bad! This is
I wont cry since I cant cry here. Tears can be manipted at will if you control your magic a little.
This is really bad! But its interesting since its different from barley. You need to improve the vour.
Japanese rice is delicious. I ate it without knowing how it was selectively bred, or the hard work that went into harvesting the rice. I regret this quite a bit Its toote now though.
Your Majesty, these men dont have that power. I think we should ask the acting feudal lord to do it.
Oh, I see. Then Timona, show me the way.
Leaving the men with stunned expressions on their faces, I mounted my horse again and followed Timona.
Your Majesty! Thousand rice is for peasants to eat. It is not the food of nobility!
Come to think of it, rice yields are higher than wheat. Apparently white wheat is considered food for nobility. Low-yield wheat is only avable to aristocrats while high-yield rice is a staple food formoners?
You must not eat that kind of food!
Count Vadpo nagged for a while.
Is there such a teaching?
Excuse me? No, there is no such teaching
The teaching refers to the Holy One doctrine. It was very convenient since I could shut him up with one word.
Then theres no problem. Everything is by the Grace of God, is it not?
After that, I wondered what was going on since Count Bunra started getting restless and the acting feudal lord seemed like he was panicking but it was nothing. They were acting like that because someone from the Chancellors faction was serving as acting feudal lord in the Emperors direct fief.
I expected this from the beginning since they did whatever they wanted in the pce. I wasnt surprised by this it was quite a let-down. Did the Emperors aide-de-camp justugh at this?
But that isnt the right reaction in a situation like this.
Why why is my fief being taken away from me by someone under the Chancellorsmand?!
The Chancellors people were sweating like waterfalls at my words and Count Vadpo looked satisfied.
If the Chancellor were here, Im sure hed be calmly justifying himself while also deciding whether he should kill me or not.
Please calm down, Your Majesty.
It was Timona who stopped me.
The Chancellor presides over politics on Your Majestys behalf and protects this nation until your coronation. It was necessary to have an acting feudal lord in your fief to protect you. If there is no feudal lord, then who will protect thisnd while you are away?
Hmm alright.
I acknowledged Timonas opinion, which wasnt heartfelt at all, even though it wasnt a good one. This was for the best.
With this, the Chancellors faction now owes Timona. Use it well Timona.
Am I causing trouble to get credit from it? Yes, but so what?
Chapter 41: Chaplier’s Earring
Chapter 41: Chaplier¡¯s Earring
After ordering the Viscount, the acting feudal lord, to improve the thousand rice, we returned to the ranks.
In the end, my detour had repercussions and it waste in the evening when we arrived at the Marquis Maldora mansion where we would be staying.
Dinner was served without much of a greeting, and we were immediately pushed into our rooms.
This mansion wasnt owned by Marquis Maldora but is the residence of one of his subordinate viscounts.
It seemed that so-called lower-ss aristocrat mansions dont have sealing barriers, so one was brought all the way from the capital. This one was smaller than the one used in the pce and could be carried around. This would prevent any magical assassinations but was in the way now that I want to use the magic tool that Vera-Sylvie left me.
I might be able to use it in the sealing barrier but I dont know if it will operate normally. I would prefer to use it outside if possible
Timona, how many guards are there?
The guest room was smallerpared to my own room. Personally, I felt more at home here. The only two people in the room were me and Timona Renan. This is how its going to be like every time.
There are two guards in front of the door and a few spies in the yard outside.
Hmm. Then, I guess itll be fine if I use the window to get outside.
Are you the one in charge of the spies?
No, a young spy named Henri de Mallow is in charge of the spies. He belongs to a family who has served Count Ptine Vedett for generations.
I almost mistook him for a boy since you said young but it probably just means that he has only just been promoted to a spy.
I see. Then No, this is fine.
I thought about asking them to step down for a second, but then I realized that they would probably know that Im involved with Vera-Sylie, and they wouldnt be able to hear me if I put up a soundproof barrier anyway.
Im going out for a bit. Have everyone stand by.
Yes. As you wish.
I went outside and put up a barrier. I only put soundproofing on the barrier, allowing magic and mana to pass through.
Then, I put mana into the earring that Vera-Sylvie gave me.
Oh, its glowing.
It charged for a while then the emerald began to flow.
Can you hear me?
Then Veras voice came from the gem.
Oh, I can hear you. I can.
Thats good. It works properly.
Hmm. But still, how does this thing work? Is it transmitting some kind of radio waves? Where is her voiceing from when this just looks like a normal gem?
Oh no. I want to know how this works. I want to take it apart but I wont.
Say, do you know how this thing works?
But Im curious about how it works, so Ill ask.
I dont know. But it was originally the same gem Father
The same gem? That may be the reason why this earring is a magical tool, but I dont understand I guess there are still some magic theories that I dont know about. Im looking forward to learning them.
You mean the count would know more about it?
Hmm. Probably I dont know Maybe? Its an old family heirloom.
Artillery[1]TN: He misunderstands what she says Heirloom and artillery have the same word in Japanese? She didnt say artillery or luck Huh? Is this a family heirloom!?
In this nation, heirlooms are the kind of thing that people say they would die of shame and indignation if the enemy took away their heirlooms.
Hey, is it alright for you to give me this?
Yeah. Because I wanted to give it to you.
Its problematic even if you say that cutely. I have to give it back to her I cant take this apart.
I see. Ill give it back to you.
But still I wonder if Count Chamneaux will kill me if he finds out I have one of his heirlooms.
Oh. Hows it going? How are things over there? Well, its only been a few days since west met though.
Hmm I had a lot of food today.
It seemed like a happy asion and her voice was full of excitement.
Oh, I see. Im d to hear that.
I hope Ill get lots of food tomorrow too.
Im sure youll get lots of food tomorrow too.
The amount of food she was eating has increased dramatically
I ordered Count Ptine Vedett to increase her food intake when Vera started learning magic and her physical growth resumed. At that time, I assumed that Vera had unconsciously used magic to stop her growth due to malnutrition, and her growth, which had stopped, had resumed when she became able to control her magic.
But increasing her food intake would raise suspicion since she was in confinement. I didnt have enough power to rece all the tower guards with spies. So, we increased her food intake secretly
But it was still obvious. In other words, the Counts at the capital decided that increasing her food intake wasnt a problem. The surveince around Vera had weakened.
Lord Aquicurl wasnt happy because Count Chamneaux would have been in the Regent faction if she had not been imprisoned. For him, there was no merit in keeping Vera-Sylvie imprisoned.
The Chancellor faction was probably monitoring her. But it was inconceivable for the Chancellor, who had brought Count Chamneaux into his own faction under the guise of her being unjustly imprisoned by the Regent faction, would tantly monitor her from inside the tower.
Who had decreased her surveince? Who had imprisoned her in the first ce?
There was only one person. That old hag.
I see. It seems that the Regents influence in the capital has diminished in one day now that Im gone.
The Chancellor wasnt in the capital now, so it was hard to believe that his faction had taken action. So, the one who had caused this was the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies?
He unified his own faction, which had been divided, while there was no one left to cover for her. Was this why he let the Chancellor decide on the destination of the tour?
But well, Ill leave this be for now. He has several sons unlike the Chancellor They all had an incredibly bad rtionship with each other, so a plot can be hatched at any time. Their possibility for sess was low as long as the old geezer was around.
I should be worried about the Regents outbursts Im not good at dealing with her since I dont know what shes going to do. I guess Id better cut this tour short before she goes off the rails
Ive been talking to Vera for five minutes with this earring.
I was feeling a little sentimental because it reminded me of mobile phones from my previous life. I miss them so much.
We then spent a week or so travelling through Marquis Maldoras fief. During this time, nothing unusual or interesting happened. I had met Marquis Maldora at the pce several times, so there was nothing new.
We passed Count Bailer Torres fief in one day. We were really just passing through. But Count Bailer Torre wanted to collect as much tax as he possibly could, so he set up three toll gates on this road that only covered his fief for a short distance and charged merchants a toll for each time they passed through.
This was dirty and disgraceful. Isnt this decreasing the number of merchants going to the capital? I wish he would stop.
And today, we arrived at Count Kushads fief without incident. Or rather, we had just entered Count Kushads vi which was near the border of Count Bailer Torres fief.
Ah, Im so d. I was almost forced to sleep outdoors today.
Because there was a big dispute when we entered Count Kushads fief from Count Bailer Torres fief. Over handing the troops leadership over to the Regent faction. The dispute was mainly between the two Counts.
I was told that this waster than nned, the number of people didnt match what was previously dered, and that they had incurred unnecessary expenses and that it wouldnt be paid. I think this dispute happened because Count Bailer Torre is stingy, and Count Kushad is fussy. They both whine about every little thing.
And our dy of less than an hour was getting worse because of their quarrel.
It got ridiculous, so I took a nap in the carriage and didnt hear what had happened after that, but they were still quarreling by the time I woke up, so they must have wasted a lot of time. Everyone was exhausted, even Timona.
Me? I was sleeping like a log, so Im fine. Its great to sleep on a girlsp.
Now then, I went into the room first and it was surprisingly big today.
Timona.
It was a perfect time for a break, so I spoke to Timona to see if I could contact Vera but he didnt answer.
I thought he was outside the door, so I searched for him with thermal magic when I suddenly realized
I couldnt feel the sealing barriers immobilizing magic.
Hmm. This is
As a test, I tried to knead mana outside of the door but I couldnt. So, the sealing barrier is working outside of this room? Its only off in this room? I didnt think that was something that could be tweaked.
Next, I sent my magic through the walls. This is an inward Christel? One that is effective against both physical attack and magic.
This clearly shows it was carefully prepared. And of course, the culprits purpose was to
Then a man in a butlers uniform suddenly appeared at the center of the room without a sound and he spoke.
It is nice to meet you, Your Majesty. I will get right to the point Please die here for Ojou-samas sake.
Oh my, an assassination? I knew it.
Chapter 42: Alumni Meeting
Chapter 42: Alumni Meeting
The man who suddenly appeared in the center of the room.
He was a young man dressed in a butlers uniform and could probably use magic. It was safe to assume that he was capable of spatial maniption magic (which I couldnt use) or mental and thought maniption magic.
His purpose was to assassinate the Emperor, but there is no assassination without a client or motive. It was easy to imagine that this was the work of the Chancellor or Regent faction, but I dont think they know that Im acting. If he was sent by the Chancellors faction, then they would have acted at a time where no one from the Chancellors faction was present, and if he was sent from the Regents faction, then they would have sent him while I was in the Chancellor factions fief.
Was he sent by another nation to disrupt the Empire? For what purpose? If the puppet dies, then another puppet would take his ce, or the Chancellor or the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies bes the Emperor. It was definitely more convenient for them if I were the puppet.
So, who sent him and for what purpose? Wait, what did he just say? Ojou-sama? Sake? I will be harmful to this mans Ojou-sama in the future Me?
Most people dont know how I really am. So, the me who will be harmful to her is the stupid puppet Emperor?
I see, so I have room to negotiate.
I will make this as painless as possible.
But youll have to defeat me to do that!
Christel (Barrier).
I blocked the flying knife first. He didnt waste any time, but I was able to follow it with my eyes because the man is still young.
But it was more powerful than I had expected. There was a crack in my barrier. Ill cancel this barrier and put up another one No, lets put up a few, and Ill also use magic to finish him off.
What?! A body double?!?!
A magic reaction. He can use magic after all.
He immediately assumed I was a body double when he saw that I could use magic My guess was correct.
cies Lapal (Ice Pellet).
Several ice pellets flew towards me. Ice magic, which melted into water, was perfect for assassination I see, Im learning a lot.
Ill also use my best magic on him. I converted mana into thermal energy,pressed it, added a fire attribute and shot it out.
ma Lacus (me beam)!
The white ray of heat, that had the fire attribute attached to it, shot out from my finger, melted the ice pellet, and headed towards the man but he dodged as if he had moved instantaneously.
I guess hes using either spatial maniption or illusions, or maybe both.
Aser beam!?
The man in the butler uniform panicked because of my attack.
Huh? Laaasseer?
As I recall, thats an English acronym, isnt it? Are you from the same ce as me? Are you a reincarnator?!?!
This is nice. Im getting excited.
He probably applied his knowledge and the principles of his previous life into his magic just like I have. I cant let my guard down. I must fight with all my might.
I activated the same magic as earlier, but this time around my whole body instead of just at my fingertip.
If I cant win with just a dot then Ill use my surroundings.
ma Lacus (me bream), Winstinty (20 point), Perdele (Fuside).
The most important thing in war, orbat, is to always be ahead of your opponent.
A suppressive fireing from 20 ces. This would normally be enough to win a battle.
But my opponent can manipte space. So, a surface attack is meaningless.
Supens Kalkel (Sage Prison).
A portal to another space opened up in front of me. The beams were sucked up by that space.
Even the cies Lapal that were used to counter the beams were sucked in.
But that magic isnt offensive magic, is it?
The man who had used this portal to another space wasnt able to see me, his target, because of his magic. So, the cies Lapal were probably there to keep me from moving.
I used this momentary gap to tamper with the room.
I used Christel to dispose of the flying pellets, then activated magic when I saw that the portal to another space was going to close.
ma Lacus, Winstinty, Perdele!
But I aimed this at the barrier that I had created previously.
The magic that hits the barrier would naturally be extinguished.
if that were a normal barrier.
What?!
The ma Lacus rained down on the man in all directions.
The barrier that I had set up earlier was made up of four types of barriers. One is an orthodox defensive Christel which blocks against both physical and magical attacks.
I just hit ma Lacus against the offensive Christel. It was made up of Renfro Daxio Christel (Reflect Barrier) and Spec Daxio Christel (Warping Barrier). [1]TN: Am I the only one sick of these names :sob:.
As the name implies, Renfro Daxio Christel acts like a mirror. I activated this near the man and reflected the rays of light towards him.
Spec Daxio Christel is something I created. I activated several of them in front of me. By bending the rays of light, I make it difficult to predict their trajectory.
If two dimensional isnt good enough then Ill use three. But
The man seemed to have decided that he couldnt dodge all the beams at once. He was hit by several rays of light, but then he closed our distance in one fell swoop with some kind of instantaneous movement.
I dont think he knew this, but the rays of light which were being reflected back at him werent as strong, so he made the right move.
The man in the butler uniform appeared out of nowhere with a dagger and was within a swords range from me.
Ill block it with my barrier
Or so you would think, right?
c Sactia (Ice Shield Counterattack).
Gah.
But a protective barrier is a handicap in closebat.
c Sactia was abination of offensive and defensive magic, it created a wall of ice in front of me, could change shape and stab the enemy. I can use magic from textbooks too.
When the man tried to chase after me, the distance between us grew wider.
There was a magic reaction behind me at that moment.
Its useless.
Thest of the four-type barrier that I activated was Liberia Christel (Counterattack Barrier). I intercepted his attack with this barrier which I had set up beforehand to counterattack ma Lacus.
But a sword still appeared out of thin air. This was probably another way to use portal to another space. So, its possible to do something like this too.
Dammit!!
The man seemed to have decided that he would be at a disadvantage if he continued to fight since he was prevented from making any attempts on my life. He probably intends to escape by interfering with space just as he had done when he had appeared.
This was the correct decision but
Youre toote.
I channelled more mana into the Christel that I had activated around me to strengthen my defences.
ma Lacus, Winstinty, Tortra (Continuous Firing)!
Rays of light shot in all directions of the room and reflected off the walls.
Goaahh.
There was no telling where the rays of light woulde from. The man used Christel for the first time in this situation. He hadnt used this before, so I wondered if he was bad at it, and I was right. He got hit a lot because he couldnt handle all the rays of light that wereing at him.
Well, ma Lacus had piercing, so it will pierce through if I angle them or put more mana into them. So, in a sense he is defending against them?
Wh why?
This? I just made use of the magic that you put in this room.
He had probably used this magic so that he wouldnt be discovered even if he used magic or assassinated me.
I put multiple Renfro Daxio Christels in different angles to cover the barrier.
Its impossible for me to maintain such arge number of Renfro Daxio Christel when I activate them all at once. But I can use as much mana from the air as I want thanks to the Sealing Barrier.
I have to constantly direct a certain amount of awareness at the magic or else it will disappear. The required awareness varies greatly depending on the magic This Renfro Daxio Christel usually floats in the air, so I always have to be aware of where it is, which is quite annoying. It requires three dimensions, so it eats up quite a lot of my awareness.
But once its attached to a barrier in this way, the location can be fixed. All that was left was to devote a small amount of awareness to it so that it wouldnt disappear.
Thanks to that, I was able to devote my attention to other magic.
In the midst of the barrage of light rays, the man with a somewhat resigned smile spoke.
When did you?
When your gaze was broken by the Supens Kalkel.
Each of the Renfro Daxio Christel was quiterge since his gaze was only broken for a split second.
Because of this, the pattern of the rays of light was determined to some extent. This man has time to talk now which means, hes getting used to the pattern.
But well, its enough to buy time.
I stopped ma Lacus so he could defend against my finishing blow.
Why did you stop?
Youre used to it, arent you? I should negotiate if you can defend against this magic. Prove to me that youre worth it.
Negotiate?
I need you to negotiate with me since I have almost no allies. This is more like a threat to get the negotiations going.
So
Do everything in your power to protect yourself, alright? Dont die too easily.
I flung a table-sized Alex (Barrier) at him. I cancelled the barrier that covered the magic.
Shall I exin how this works?
By the way do you know what a backdraft is?
What did you say?!
It exploded.
Chapter 43: An Important, Important First Step
Chapter 43: An Important, Important First Step
During a backdraft when there is a fire in an enclosed space, the fire dies down due to ipletebustion and thebustible gases such as carbon monoxide builds up. When the windows and doors are opened during a fire and oxygen is supplied to the fire, the carbon monoxidebines with the oxygen and undergoes a chemical reaction to create carbon dioxide. An explosion urs during this chemical reaction.
This is a backdraft (or so it is known on Earth). All this requires is an enclosed space, ipletebustion, a spark, and oxygen to be supplied and time for the carbon monoxide to build up.
This was the easiest chemical reaction that I knew which could be reproduced with magic.
First, the magically created me is covered with a barrier that doesnt let oxygen through Perfe Alex (Perfect Barrier)and then the me is forced to continue to burn with magic to continue the ipletebustion. Then when carbon monoxide has filled the barrier, the entire barrier is moved to the target and released. It reacts with the oxygen in the air at once, causing an explosion artificially creating a backdraft.
The advantage of this magic would be that the explosion was caused by a chemical reaction.
For example, ma Lacusis just apression and projection of pure heat energy, so it doesnt affect Chistel which is only for anti-magic, but I can generate this heat energy by converting mana, so this heat energy has magic as its origin and Chistel can protect against it.
But the artificial backdraft that I used this time was a pure chemical reaction, so Chistel cant protect against it. This would be effective against mages in this world who tend to only prioritise protecting against magic.
But well, there was another reason why I chose this magic this time.
One of the weaknesses of this magic is that there is a slight timeg before the carbon monoxide reacts with the supplied oxygen, and that was one of the reasons why I chose to use it. After all, he needs to protect against it. I even told him I would cause a backdraft. I knew that he would be able to protect himself against it, even if only just for a second.
When the mes subsided, the man in the tattered butlers suit kneeled down and raised his hands in the air.
I give up. I dont stand a chance against you, and I have no energy left. Theres nothing left I can do.
It looked as if the explosion was perfectly blocked by the Portal to Another Space though?
That requires preparation Besides, that was thest one.
Really? He probably has at least one more on reserve.
I cant believe The body double is from the same world as me.
Hmm, thats a shame. If youvee this far and still cante up with an answer then why dont you reevaluate your assumptions?
The man widened his eyes at those words.
You cant be the Emperor himself?
I have my reasons. Ive been acting the fool since I was born. Im confident that Ive be an expert at acting like a fool now So? Will you still try to assassinate me?
No, if that is true then that changes everything I see, so were negotiating.
Good. So, he wasnt happy that I was a foolish emperor.
Then lets negotiate Well, you dont have the power to refuse though.
Now then, can you tell me your Masters name?
Thats the only thing I will keep to myself. Even if it costs me my life.
Well, you seem extremely loyal, but youre more trustworthy this way.
Very well. Then lets proceed under the assumption that this Ojou-sama is an aristocrat from the Empire.
I can guess the position of this Ojou-sama in this case.
If shes the daughter of a key member of the Chancellor or the Regent factions then I dont see her being at a disadvantage because Im a foolish Emperor. So, she must belong to the neutral faction or is the daughter of someone who isnt a key member of either faction, or she might be the daughter of a key member but doesnt have peerage.
If she were from the neutral faction, then Count Vedett would have told me about this in advance, and if she wasnt a key member then it would have been especially difficult for this butler to attack me today.
We had a major dy today because of those idiots and you could have hidden in the mansion for a long time with your magic but you could have still been discovered. So, you knew that I would be arriving at this time. And you wouldnt be able to return after the assassination if you dont know where everyone is in the mansion So, she is a family member of a key faction member but shes not the heir. Am I warm?
If he wasnt going to return after the assassination then there would be someone outside who would be observing the results of the assassination, but I havent been able to detect anyone like that. Its safe to assume that he acted alone.
Also, a low-level aristocrat would have a difficult time knowing where I am staying. The death of the Emperor before they are ready is disadvantageous to both the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies The Emperors detailed itinerary would be kept strictly confidential.
The view of this Ojou-sama likely differs from those of her house Or something like that?
The man in the butlers uniform silently shrugged his shoulders Hmmm, I cant read anything from his expression.
She believed that the foolish Emperor would be harmful in the future and plotted to assassinate him So, she wants the Emperor to be a proper person. Well, the current situation certainly needs to change.
But you want to maintain it. Youre not satisfied with your situation and are simply waiting for an opportunity?
Of course. They will stubbornly survive if I do things half-heartedly.
I could take political power even now depending on how I went about it, but there would be a problem after that. I can only do my best to maintain the area around the capital with no military strength. Defeating Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl will just be a pipe dream.
That isnt good. The Empire will weaken even further.
So, my proposal is will you help me?
You want me to help you, who is called a fool?
What? Im not asking you to be my ally or help me now. Im also looking for the right timing, and I will be troubled if you act on your own. So, heres my proposal. If I takeplete control of the pce and the area around the capital then what awaits me is a civil war with Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurls armies, when that timees, I would like Ojou-sama to take over her house and follow me.
The man frowned. Well, taking over a house has its risks.
Whats in it for us?
The survival of the family name. Ill overlook that she belonged to a faction. I can let her family go or punish them I dont mind punishing only her opponents and pardoning everyone else either. The reason for me pardoning them will be that they will devote themselves to the Emperor.
The vassals will be indebted to the Ojou-sama not the Emperor. This will make it extremely easy to control them. Well, if the houses of the lords who will be my allies are in dismay, then I, of all people, will be troubled. That much trouble will be a necessary expense.
She would at least like to have a title promotion. Can you guarantee at least that much?
That depends on how she acts. Im sorry, but I dont have a position to give away to someone who is ipetent. But she will be rewarded if she works properly. After all, the top brass will be purged, so there will be plenty of empty positions.
I can even give her freedom if she wishes.
I see. It seems like youve been thinking about things properly.
I am, and dont worry. I have no intention of running this nation ineffectively through male chauvinism. I cant afford to let talented people, either male or female,ze around.
This was a necessary condition for the Ojou-sama and should be the most attractive condition. This world also leaned towards male chauvinism, though not as much as my previous one.
Im sorry, but I cant give you a reply right now, but I will certainly convey those conditions to Ojou-sama.
Thats fine. I dont even know what house you serve. Oh, and the conditions I mentioned earlier will apply to all the houses that join my side after I take control of politics.
I should say this. It would be troublesome if they make a fusster.
Oh. Then those arent conditions that are avable only to my house.
Oh? You shouldntpare knowing with not knowing. Especially now that youre first in line.
Normally, first in line is information that should be withheld in negotiations like this. It is safer for people to follow suit, thats why I said when the timees instead of right now. Furthermore, the specific timing was left to me It would be toote for her to take over her house as soon as I try to invade. The time to ensure sess was now.
Thats why it doesnt matter if I disclose and emphasise that they are the only ones who know this.
You are right. Its not like were paying in advance for this being overlooked.
Then, that concludes the negotiations. Now then
I looked around the room I had protected the items that would be a pain to fix, but the walls, ceiling and carpet were pretty much burnt.
What shall we do with this room?
I can repair the damage with my magic to some extent but unfortunately, I cant do anything with my low mana right now.
Youre low on mana?
You can use as much mana as you want from the air.
Yes. This often happens when mages fight each other. The mana in the area suddenly depletes and runs dry and is ineffective until mana flows in from somewhere else. This happens a lot on the battlefield the battle just now was quite intense.
I see. From the looks of it, that spatial interference magic seems to use a lot of mana.
Unfortunately, so.
Now that he mentioned it, it was hard to handle mana right now? No, I guess I can handle it if I squeeze it out Does it vary from person to person? Well, whatever.
Hmm. Then wait a bit.
I retrieve mana from the usual point in my body.
What are you doing?
Im returning the mana that Ipress and store in my body to the air. It wont be as much as what you and I just used before but it should be enough for you to repair the room.
I see, this is why I am no match for you.
The man in the butler suitughed scornfully at himself.
Really? You used mana before the battle too, didnt you? This room isnt under the influence of the sealing barrier because its isted from the building and mistaken for a separate building, right? You also made it impossible for the guards to enter. You might have been able to win had you not used your mana for those things.
I was also in a rather dangerous position because of this mans attack. Yes, the one where he ambushed me from behind with a weapon. I had been reproducing an ipletebustion to create a backdraft in the barrier ever since the battle began. If he had hit me at that time, then the explosion would have gone off.
I would have found a lot of unnatural things had I been cool. He had finally used Liberia Christel in that surprise attack to prepare to protect himself for the backdraft. I couldnt move during the battle because I had a table-sized barrier behind me. I didnt follow up with an attack during the continuous random Tortra of ma Lacusbecause he was desperate to protect his magic from the random reflecting rays of light.
So, he chose to continue the surprise attack from behind. Well, theres no need to reveal his moves now, so Ill keep quiet.
I just inserted a few millimeters of other dimensional space. You could have broken that much at any time you wanted. The Sealed Barrierwill return if you did, and the rest would be a one-sided match.
Oh? Hes convinced that I can use magic within the Sealed Barrier. He really is dangerous.
The mans magic continued to repair the room while he was talking.
Oh, so thats how you do it. Ah, thats what you do when you heal. Hmm, I see. Im learning a lot.
Lasty, I would like to give you some personal advice in return for letting me live.
The room was repaired to how it was before the attack and the man spoke.
Hmm, lets hear it.
You must never drink wine. Please dont forget this. Now if youll excuse me.
He said as he melted soundlessly into the background just as he had appeared.
So, you did leave a way for you to escape. He would have escaped if I hadnt said negotiate beforehand.
But like
Im a kid, so I cant drink alcohol.
Hmm, what did he mean by that? Well, I dont n on drinking, so I should be fine for the time being.
Chapter 44: Sharing a Bed
Chapter 44: Sharing a Bed
The man in the butlers uniform left and a short whileter there was a knock at the door.
I told them to enter and sure enough, it was Timona. He entered the room, closed the door, and fell to a prostrate position in a fluid motion.
It is my lifetime shame to allow an assassin to enter your presence, Your Majesty. I can offer no apologies for this blunder. I will slice myself to pieces with my own hand if you order me to do so. Please give me the order.
Whats with this grotesque apology? Eh, you cant be serious, can you?
Whos going to take care of the mutated corpse? You dont need to apologise. Thats how good a mage he was.
Being able to interfere with space is usually a cheat. Im jealous because I cant use spatial magic.
I guess I need more theoretical knowledge and a more detailed image because imagining it like it was used in games doesnt work.
I should reprimand him as his Master but thats a bit different from tormenting him about it.
Honestly, there would have been nothing I could have done if he had snuck in while I was sleeping Ah, Timona, whos on guard duty at night, might have prevented the attack. HE would have been able to prevent the assassination. I dont need to reprimand him for the attack.
Im just tired.
I had just fought for my life. Im tired physically and more importantly, mentally.
Should I call Rosalia-sama?
Why would you call her? By the way a bit of time passed between the mans departure and your entry. Were you isted far away?
No. I was so angry that I kicked him.
You used magic to catch him while he was escaping and kicked him? Thats difficult even for me.
Hey, I told him Ill overlook this, didnt I? Will this be a problem?
No wait. I told him I will overlook it, but I didnt say anything about anyone else, so it should be fine. Yeah, its fine.
So? Whats going on in the front line?
Ah yes. Let me give you an update on the situation at the Theanabe Union border.
Our purpose this time was to see the nation that were at war with or rather, the rebels. Well anyway, the official reason is to see the front line and confirm that they are fighting properly.
And the Chancellor and the others are heading all the way to the front lines to deceive the Emperor into thinking that they were fighting properly.
In reality, they werent fighting properly. They will probably be surrounded by tighter security to prevent the Emperor from finding this out. They werent doing this to prepare for the enemy, no, they were doing this to prevent me from talking tomoners and merchants who know of the reality of the situation.
It was a futile effort of course.
The border appears to have already been breached. Our group has also changed its course and will likely be advancing beyond the border.
Putting the Emperor in the frontlines? Thats how far theyve pushed them huh.
They werent using mercenaries this time, but was the fight really that one-sided even though the Chancellor is leading the Dukes army?
No, actually there are almost no battles on the frontline. The Theanabe Union forces have fallen back and the viges near the borders seem to have been abandoned. Lord Rauls army is burning those viges and iming, they have won.
There are no battles?
Could it be a trap?
Yes. But but theres no sign of the armyying low now are they hiding the fact that they have arger army than Lord Rauls. The troops close to Theanabe Union capital have also been destroyed which leads us to believe that they are avoiding a confrontation.
Tsk. They predicted everything?
I clicked my tongue I was hoping Lord Rauls army and the Theanabe Union army would destroy each other
Are they cutting their losses? Thats very merchant-like.
Yes. They weighed the cost of losing soldiers in battles against losing a few viges I think its safe to say that its gone below an eptable level, and the Dukes army has realised this so they havent gone beyond a certain point.
Shyt. I guess itll end with apromise.
Well, weve confirmed the Theanabe Unions forces, which means weve aplished the minimum task of not sending more weapons and mercenaries to the Central Continent. I can only consider that this is good for now.
Then the problem is
Any movements from the Regent faction?
The Regent faction, you say?
Yeah. I dont want them to give any extra support to Theanabe Union just because they want to thin out Lord Rauls army.
The Golden Fleece Association was steadily expanding its profits in the war-torn Central Continent. They want to sell things that are short in supply on the Central Continent at a high price. One example is weapons and mercenaries.
But there is one thing that has a higher shortage in nations at war.
Yes. Food.
And the Empire has one of thergest granaries on the Eastern Continent.
Ill be troubled if they give food to Theanabe Union just because they hate Lord Raul. The Theanabe Union will surely sell that food to the Central Continent.
I see. Then Ill have a spy keep an eye on them.
Please do.
Honestly, I dont believe the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, who is strengthening his faction in the capital, can afford to do such necessary things but I cant tell what his sons will do since they are still in their fiefs.
Still
They cast pieces away when theyre invaded theyre no longer a nation.
Normally, you would send out the army if youre invaded. If the odds are against you, then you look for an opportunity to turn the tides.
A victory thates at a great cost is called a Pyrrhic victory, but on the other hand, war happens even if its not worth it. Surrenderingnd because it is a loss is hardly the actions of a nation.
Of course, there are times whennd is surrendered as a strategy for victory.
And perhaps, this was how the Golden Fleece exined this to the feudal lords. The Golden Fleece was only a tradingpany who were cooperating with the Theanabe Union.
Actually, the feudal lords were probably emascted.
Hmm, can this be used to pester them?
If the feudal lords are convinced that the forced retreat by the Golden Fleece was not a strategy but a way to cut loss, then they will probably rally against the Golden Fleece. Theyve been duped after all.
The question was how to do this? They can say whatever they want once theyve recovered. The argument that the retreat was for victory would make sense, no matter how painful it might be.
If thats the case, then I just need to create a reason as to why Lord Rauls army cannot withdraw and turn the current situation from temporary into something that must be preserved.
So
Your Majesty. Your Majesty!
I smelled the faint smell of flowers and realised that someone had called out to me.
Oh, Rosalia?
Rosalia appeared before me without me realising. She was holding my hand and looking at me worriedly. I looked around and saw that Timona had disappeared.
Why are you here?
Lord Renan forced me in here Are you hurt, Your Majesty?
She knew that I had been attacked He said something unnecessary.
Im not, so dont worry Did you hear about this from Timona?
No. The maid noticed. And the battle ended while I was gathering people I am sorry.
Rosalia apologised while obviously looking down.
Ive used Timona of something he didnt do but he did let her in my room. Well, I wouldnt get angry at him over something as small as this though.
I guess he was telling me to take a rest seeing as how he wasnt in the room.
Lets put that aside. The barrier was up even though the battle was intense. The maid being able to sense that battle despite this means
Is the maid a mage? And an excellent one at that.
She is.
I see.
And you said you were gathering people which means you brought other mages with you? And all of them are from the Belbe Kingdom?
Yes Are you going to reprimand me for bringing them?
No. Its up to you who you bring, but Id like to know more about them.
She is a Princess of a nation. Theres nothing wrong with not trusting the Imperial Guards and bringing your own. I dont trust the Imperial Guards either!
Of course, Your Majesty. Only three of them were able to infiltrate this group. The remaining 18 are deployed around the perimeter so that they wouldnt be noticed by the guards. They are led by Salomon de Valverde, my uncle.
He was a part of the tour group. It must be hard for him to get in contact with the mages outside from within the group, and he is amander? Hes a former general.
Are they all mages?
Yes. I should have sent the three of them in here, but I thought that they would slow you down and create unnecessary confusion if they werent prepared
Hmm, you say that as if its your responsibility
Lord Salomon made that decision, didnt he?
He did.
He made the correct decision. Dont worry about it.
I would have done the same, but well, the mages seempetent since they were able to judge that it would be pointless to intervene with the battle.
Oh yeah, before Rosalia and I got engaged, the Belbe Kingdom was on the verge of sending kids who can use magic into battle as soldiers, werent they? I believe Salomon was the one who took care of them maybe its that unit?
We finally met up with the other 18 in this city. I am sorry for not reporting this to you sooner.
You dont need to apologise again.
I dont feelfortable with Rosalia looking at me like that.
I might need to rely on them one day. Tell them Im counting on them. And please stop looking at me like that.
But Your Majesty It hurts me to think that something might have happened to you.
I told you Im fine, geez. You dont have to worry that much.
Well, I also know that emperors dont directly fight, so I know I made her worried but, you know, its embarrassing. The way shes acting.
So will you rest? I am also worried about that, Rosalia said.
Its unfair of you to look up at me with puppy eyes, Rosalia-san.
I really wanted to think about more countermeasures against the Theanabe Union but well, I can just think about that in the carriage.
Alright. Im going to bed.
Yay!
Hmm? Are you not going back to your room?
Are you sleeping here? You want to make sure Im resting properly? Is it alright for us to sleep in the same bed before were married? Well, were kids, so nothing will happen though.
Chapter 45: Don’t Look Away
Chapter 45: Don¡¯t Look Away
On a certain day on the fifth month, the Emperors group arrived safely in the northern part of Count Bailer Noves fief i.e. we arrived near the border that was shared with the Theanabe Union.
The town in the north was bustling as if they were holding a festival.
Its surprisingly crowded.
It was just me and Rosalia inside the carriage like always. The rule was that only the Emperor and his wife were allowed to enter.
But now that I was here the carriage was always surrounded by aristocrats, because of this, I had to act as the Foolish Emperor. Im really sorry.
Yes, Your Majesty. Our fief is always this crowded. It must seem desertedpared to the capital.
Timona le Chauvire, Duke Bailer Nove I believe his official title is the Chief of Hunting. I remember him well because he had a strikingly croaky voice and the way he craved the limelight was unpleasant.
I dont know since I never leave the pce, but it was quiet when I left the capital.
What?! I was always on the frontline fighting against the rebels, so I do not know what it is like in the capital. Forgive me for my narrow view of the capital.
He probably meant, Isnt it great that my city is more crowded than the capital?
Do you enjoy asserting your dominance on the young emperor? Your words and actions are like a braggarts.
The city is only busy because of the emergency war demands Economy is only blooming right now. Im sure hes receiving financial support directly from Lord Raul. This city, which was on the frontier, wouldnt be so crowded without the war.
And this manes to the capital on a regr basis. He makes fun of me in a roundabout way then leaves. I pretend not to notice his remarks, and he goes home satisfied every time, so its a lie that he doesnt know what goes on in the capital.
Besides, its also a lie that he was on the frontline. I heard from Timona that he has been taking a percentage of the goods looted by the soldiers in this city, iming it to be tax, and living the life. I think his body has doubled in thest few months. Sideways, of course.
I hate it. If all the aristocrats in this nation are like this, then its going to be tough cleaning them up.
Hmm, good. Where is the frontline? Is it close?
Yes, it is. Please stop here for the night and we can head to the frontline tomorrow. I will show you around the city
Youre always in this city, so you think its the frontline, huh? I was being sarcastic; did you get it? Ah, he didnt get it.
But Rosaliaughed a little. Yay.
The next day at breakfast, Timona came to me when I was eating with the local aristocrats and Chancellor, which was rare. Timona was usually silent and reserved in the presence of the aristocrats in order to keep a low profile.
But Timona, of all people, came to me in the presence of the Chancellor.
Please eat your breakfast sparingly, Your Majesty.
Timona whispered a short sentence into my ears.
But that was enough.
Hmm, alright.
I replied not with gratitude, but with those words since I didnt want to be seen as suspicious in front of the Chancellor. Timona would get the message. It was really good advice.
I hadnt forgotten, I justcked imagination. I hadnt experienced war in my previous life, so I only have an abstract image of what it is like.
For me, who was born as an emperor in this world, to not know war is an inexcusable luxury.
The frontline or so the Chancellor and the others im. We are climbing the hills that overlook that area. The horses cannot go up with a carriage, so we are going up by horseback The thick smell of blood was getting stronger and stronger.
It stinks. My nose is getting strange.
Hahaha. Your Majesty, this is the smell of the battlefield.
The Chancellor in front of me said. He looked back at me, and his eyes calmly assessed me.
He doesnt seem to have a problem with me talking about it if its just this level of physiological dislike, But if I were to show an attitude then I will not be able to out against the war or the army at all from now on. If he had said, Your Majesty doesnt seem to like the battlefield. You dont need to think about things you dislike, then I wouldnt be able to say anything else.
They will probably get suspicious of me if I keep bringing it up, and I will be immediately disposed of if they believe Im not a foolish puppet.
I must act simple-minded and short-tempered as if I were watching a y and like I had no idea that the people who were being killed were the same as me.
Since I wasnt taught that war was bad, and themoners and aristocrats are all people. I cant be doubted by the aristocrats in a ce like this.
Even if the scene spread out in front of me was like hell.
We arrived at the top of the hill. I looked down and saw a vige in the Theanabe Union no, a ce that was a vige there.
It was on fire; the fields, houses and even the people hanging from the trees by the roadside.
Count Bailer Nove pridefully told a lie.
Please look. There were cowardly enemy soldiers hiding in that vige, but we are victorious and undaunted by such a dirty strategy. It was a great victory.
The Golden Fleece Association didnt want to wear down their soldiers by engaging in battle, so they abandoned the viges which were close to the Empire, so the Theanabe Union army did note.
Perhaps they resisted to protect their own vige, and these guys imed they were enemy soldiers. That is what led to this disaster.
The smell of blood, the smell of burning flesh, the smell of the smokeing from the burning fields and a slightly pungent odour. Amidst the nauseating smell, the first sound I heard wasughter.
The soldiers wereughing.
Then, there was a sharp, resounding scream, thenughter again.
When I realised what that was, I thought after all this time.
Ah, this is another world.
The screams of men being burnt alive, the vengeful cries of women being vited and the cheers of the soldiers who watched this, and theughter of the aristocrats lingered in my ears.
This is the norm of this world.
And the devastation caused by my words. This was because I had asked the Chancellor about the suppression of the Theanabe Union and because I chose this as a destination for my tour.
This happened because of my order.
Perhaps, this disaster had happened because of my careless words or actions in the past, and if I were to regain real power as the emperor and ran this nation then the exact same scene would be repeated thousands of times.
That is an emperor.
So, they are the survivors of the enemy army?
Disgusting.
And those who coborated with the enemy, butmoners cannot be trusted. We must kill them before they coborate with the enemy again.
Hmm. I see. Then what are they doing?
Disgusting.
Ah. That is They are getting information about other enemy units. They wont talk unless you do something like that.
Oh! They are already preparing for the next battle? Excellent, excellent.
Disgusting, disgusting, disgusting!!
This sight! The smiles on those guys faces! And me, the powerless one who has to speak those words!
Disgusting Fark
What a sinful being the emperor is.
This spectacle is proof of that sin. They will get their share of suffering if there is an afterlife. If there is a hell, they will taste its torments forever.
I have already been reminded of that So I want to cover my ears and close my eyes.
How much easier would it have been if I had nevere to this ce; if I had never known. They just look at people as numbers and take hundreds and thousands of lives with a single document. Thats what the politicians of this world are. Cant I also act like that?
I want to turn my eyes away from this scene as soon as possible. But, even so.
Its even more sinful not to know.
I want to see them fight.
Dont look away.
Hmm, I want to see the danger even if it is from a distance.
Dont let them sense your disgust.
Ooh! Its on fire. This is a sight to behold.
And let this sight be etched into your soul!
But its quite smoky What? Theres a tent in front of the hill! Youre well prepared. As expected of the Chancellor.
Deceive. Laugh. And dont forget!
I am the emperor.
I burnt this scene into my mind until the sun set and the mes consumed everything in sight.
Chapter 46: Carmine Hill
Chapter 46: Carmine Hill
Perhaps the enemy forces wille again and Ill be able to see a battle this time so I decided not to return to the city, but instead stayed in a tent overnight here.
The aristocrats looked at the Emperor with a disappointed smile when they heard his selfish request. Of course they would there arent any enemy forces in the first ce.
The Emperor was too stupid to understand that I ended up spending the night here. I think Im going to get what I came here for.
After dinner, I went into the tent that was prepared for the Emperor. It was treated as the Emperors private room even though it was only temporary. The aristocrats couldnt enter and Timona was the only person who was allowed to follow me into the room. For some reason, Rosalia was in the room as well but I dont have time to pay attention to her.
I squatted down in the corner of the tent and vomited in the hole that Timona had secretly dug out for me. I had really reached my limit.
The stench of blood and smoke that had stained the area reminded me of that scene.
Your Majesty!
Rosalia screamed.
Your voice is loud. I dont want them to know.
Yes.
I felt really bad. I guess the aristocrats hadnt considered that the vigers who were killed were also human like that since they were eating normally after seeing that massacre.
I believe its something I have to get used to, but every time it happens
Its really draining.
Your Majesty. I will go out for a while. I dont think you should be seen like this.
Thanks.
Timona went outside, leaving Rosalia and I in the tent.
Your Majesty
She rubbed my back. Im grateful for your concern but
Why did youe?
Rosalia was supposed to be waiting nearby with the carriage. It wasnt my intention to bring her to a ce that smelled thick of blood.
Your Majesty. I am the woman who will eventually be the empress.
She sounded as if she was about to cry.
I will never ask to share the burden that you shoulder. The weight of ones fate is not something that someone else could lightly ask to carry. I am well aware of that. I am sure todays events would have been hindered by my presence since I am a woman.
That wasnt my intention. I probably didnt want her to experience something painful. I didnt want to show her the evils of this world.
But shes right, she is going to be the empress and I dont want her to be another Marie Antote either. I have to alter my ns.
Then Rosalia gently wrapped her hands around mine. My nausea subsided.
But even so, that does not mean I should not know the burdens you shoulder. So please forgive my selfishness just this once.
Im surprised. You said something that I would say.
Alright, I wont tell you off for this.
I couldnt help but smile. Are we simr?
Im tired.
Your Majesty. Please just rest for today.
Im so exhausted that I can even tell Im tired. Its something I have to get used to but it would be a problem if this happens every time. Ill try developing magic to suppress my nausea when I have time or even magic to suppress my emotions.
Alright.
I put my hand over the hole and filled it back up with earth magic. Timona dug a pretty deep hole even though he probably didnt have that much time. I couldnt smell the vomit once it was covered.
The smell of blood and smoke that had stuck to my body was still there though.
Iid down in the smaller than usual bed in the tent, then the nausea, which had gone down, came rushing back.
Your Majesty.
Im sorry. Im just feeling a bit sick now that Iveid down.
Hearing this, Rosalia got up onto the bed andid next to me.
The bed was smaller than the ones in the capital or in an aristocrats mansion, but it wasrge enough for two children.
Then she suddenly held me.
She buried my face in her chest. I would normally be excited if a girl did this to me, but I felt strangely at ease now.
Youll get dirty.
Im sure Im covered in soot since I was in the smoke all day, and I was puking earlier. I dont think I have any vomit on me, but Im not clean.
I do not mind.
The smell will transfer onto you.
I do not mind. Now please go to sleep.
She smells good. The smell of blood and the presence of death that had stuck to my body seemed to be fading away, and then I felt drowsy all of a sudden.
Thanks.
I let go of my consciousness while surrounded by kindness and warmth.
I woke up early the next day. I looked next to me and saw that Rosalia was still sleeping.
She supported me in many ways yesterday, and its just a hunch but I have a feeling that shell support me many more times in the future.
Thanks for keeping guard all night without sleeping, Timona. Are you feeling alright?
Not sleeping for a night is not a problem.
We both spoke in low voices so that we wouldnt wake up Rosalia.
Will you be washing up?
Baths and showers arent brought to the battlefield. In ces like this, you only need to wet a cloth with hot water and wipe down your body.
Yes, thanks No, it wouldnt be right for me to ask you to do this kind of work. Can you call Rosalias maid? Shes waiting outside.
I know that there are two maids waiting outside from my heat detection which I now use habitually.
Though honestly speaking, I could wash myself but its rxing to leave it to others, so I let others wash me.
No, I am not sure if we can trust the maids, so I will do it myself. Please do not mind this.
I see. Then Ill leave it to you.
I was lost in thought while he was wiping me down.
I will go up the hill again after this and then back to the city, then Ill make my rounds to the different fiefs and make them speak their mind My tour will continue until autumn if Im not careful, but well Ill just think of it as work Having to listen to a principals speech or a drunken bosss ramble is much better than this though. Especially since the feudal lord here was the first of them.
Oh yeah.
I believe Count Bailer Noves name is Timona le Chauvire?
Yes, he has the same name as me. Is it confusing?
Its fine since Ive never called him by his name before I was just suddenly thinking about yourst name. Is yourst name perhaps not Renan, but Nan?
Timona looked nk, which was rare.
Yeah is Renan yourst name?
His hands stopped. It seemed like this was devastating news to him.
I was now sweating profusely. I hated it when my bosses remembered my name incorrectly Our master/servant rtionship wont crack right?
Fufu. You certainly started calling me by my name when you started to trust me.
Timonaughed?! What does hisugh mean? Is it a badugh? A goodugh?
Come to think of it, on Baron Renans I mean Baron Nans grave there is a little gap between Re and nan [1]TN: Have I just been getting this wrong the whole time? I thought it was weird that there were tons of typos on his name
It isnt good to assume.
Im sorry.
It is alright. I was going to sever all ties with the Nan House So why dont I just call myself Renan? There is no greater honour than to be given a family name from my master.
Dont tease me.
I am not joking
He dressed me. Anyway, it doesnt seem like hes angry.
That honestly gave me a fright.
I see, I have to achieve something in order to say that I am from the Renan House.
I cant tell if youre joking or not so can you stop?
You two seem to be having fun.
I looked towards the bed and saw that Rosalia was looking this way sullenly.
Its because you were pretending to be asleep even though you woke up half-way through our conversation!
This was extremely obvious, but the enemy army didnt show up today.
What? Theyre noting?
Yes. They cannot put up much of a fight against the Empires powerful soldiers.
Count Bailer Nove said as heughed loudly.
The army thats here isnt the Empires army but Lord Rauls though Theyre the Chancellors private army.
Hmmm. Then it seems that the Theanabe Union will soon be destroyed.
My words stiffened the aura around me in an easy-to-understand manner.
Count Bailer Nove realised that he had said something unnecessary, immediately fell silent and nced at the Chancellor, Lord Raul. Thats what happens when you get carried away.
But well, its dangerous for me to meddle anymore.
But I do not know much about this, so I will leave it to the Chancellor.
Hah, certainly.
Im sure he doesnt want to. He looks like hes ready to get out of here.
I wont let him.
But then again, this is the hill where I am seeing a war for the first time. I like it! This hill shall henceforth be known as Carmine Hill!!
Hah? You are going to add your name to this hill?
The aristocrats were stunned.
As they should be. The emperors name should only be added to special ces, like the capital Cardinal, since their dignity was at stake. Having it taken away by another nation was like crushing the emperors face.
It would be a mistake to attach it to such a tiny hill, and the hill is near the border as well.
Hmm. Its a symbol of my victory. Spread it around.
Feeling good and attaching your name to something is normal, and the Emperor is a child. He doesnt understand what dignity is all about, so this deration wasnt strange.
And the Chancellor can no longer abandon this hill. His dignity would drop if thend with the Emperors name on it were to be handed to the enemy without any resistance. The Regent faction would use this to condemn him.
Of course, my dignity would drop as well if that were to happen. There was nothing more embarrassing than having an enemy steal thend that bears my name
Well, thats only if a puppet emperor has dignity though.
How about building a castle here at some point? A vi is fine as well.
Now I have a reason to regrly inquire about this ce, and the Chancellor cant pull out his army because of such a huge risk.
As long as the Chancellors army is in ce, the Golden Fleece Association, which is under pressure, wont be able to send troops to the Central Continent. I can achieve my goal to buy time against the Golden Fleece Association.
Besides This will probably aggravate the rtionship between the feudal lords at the Theanabe Union and the Golden Fleece Association. The feudal lords cannot get theirnd back as long as Lord Rauls army is here. The Golden Fleece Association will be questioned about why the feudal lords had to surrender theirnds unconditionally.
Of course, this was all under the assumption that the Chancellor wont withdraw his troops. Its also possible that he will abandon this hill but the Chancellor couldnt show any weaknesses since the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies was consolidating his power by sorting out his faction.
And I personally have no intention of forgetting this hill.
Chapter 47: Hishanove Case 01
Chapter 47: Hishanove Case 01
Sr calendar year 465, 8th month.
The emperors group entered Lord Rauls fief.
In terms of fief titles, it is the fief of Marquis Etrusal. Most of the territory to the east of here belongs to the Chancellor.
But he wasnt with us because he couldnt leave the frontline.
He will probably do something to get back his fief but I cant do anything about that.
We continued east after leaving Count Bailer Noves fief. We passed through Count Bailer Torres fief, Count Pecsars fief, Count Dinkas fief, Marquis Arndals fief and Count Vadpos fief. Well, I forced them to stop at Count Dinkas fief.
I saw famous products and ces of interest in each of the fiefs This is a tour, but what Im doing is no different than an educational field trip.
But it was a worthwhile trip for me since I wanted to learn more about this nation. I had a different attitude from when I went on field trips in my past life. Lives are at stake.
The first thing I learned is that the northern part of the Empire is mostly hilly and is a major wool producing area. In Count Bailer Torres fief, there were so many sheep that I believed they outnumbered the people. Lamb was served at every meal.
The forestry industry was thriving in Count Vadpos fief. I was surprised that they implemented the afforestation concept. This may be No, I dont have to worry about that for now. Anyway, the mountains are well managed which is a good thing.
It seems that Count Pecsars fief is famous for its ssware. I was gifted so many ss products to the point where it became a nuisance.
Unfortunately, I have no knowledge about ss, so I dont know how developed they are or how it could be improved. I have never seen ss products being made before, not even in my previous life.
Count Dinkas fief is to the south of Count Pecsars fief. It wasnt on the agenda but I insisted that we stop there. The most famous product in Count Dinkas fief is iron.
It is an indispensable material for weapons. It was normal for me to be curious about it.
I learnt three things here. The first is that steel is used for guns and cannons. The second is that steel cannot be mass-produced and is rare. And the third is that rails exist.
I wasnt surprised by the steel. As I recall, mass production of steel began after the Industrial Revolution. I dont know the manufacturing process that made mass production possible either.
I just didnt expect that rails already existed here. I had nned to have someone make rails and trolleys after I took control of the nation.
But due to the low production of steel, the rails were made of wood. They were less durable, and idents urred frequently. So those working inside the mines were mostly ves.
ves yet another difficult problem. Honestly, I believe that this system will copse sooner orter. But if I suddenly dere the abolition of this system, then there will be confusion and the deration will lose its effectiveness. And it would be aplete disaster if the ves lost ess to food, clothing and shelter once freed What can I do?
Finally, Marquis Arndals fief. His fief is one of the few areas with tnd in the northern part of the Empire and their granary could be called the lifeline of the north.
He supplies food to Count Dinka and Count Vadpo because they belong to the same faction, but he doesnt supply food to the Chancellors faction. There is a food shortage in Count Pescals fief, although it wasnt at the level of a famine yet. This disparity will definitely have repercussionster.
I can rece the aristocrats, but its difficult to change the feelings of the peasants
All of those things were good to know about. If I can go around the whole Empire, then I will see what needs to be done and what things need to be changed.
By the way, Nove means west, and Torre means east in the Lotharnguage.
Though I dont know if the current fief Im in, Hishanove also means west. Since I was only supposed to be passing by ording to the trip agenda.
It was a sudden thing.
First, the group stopped on an empty roadside.
Somethings happening in front of us again.
Is it the same thing that happened before?
The group stopped daily. Themoners didnt prostrate themselves before me and the carriage behind us was closing the gap but themotion this time was louder than usual.
Or the carriage may have broken down
Wait. Somethings off.
Timona, who usually arrived to exin things, still hadnt arrived and there were carriages and horses passing by at a very fast pace.
Above all
That carriage just now the crest on it belongs to Count Vadpo?
He is an aristocrat who belongs to the Regent faction, and he followed us here saying that he would escort me as a guard after I passed through his fief.
Is he running away? This
The carriage door opened with a bang at that moment.
Its the Ghafur army! I will drive the carriage!!
Timona shouted while looking panicked.
The Republic of Ghafur is an enemy nation located to the north of Lord Rauls fief.
This is bad.
Wheres the coachman?
He has already fled!
Seriously? I didnt notice at all.
This carriage was soundproof to prevent any sounds froming out of the carriage.
Ill leave it to you.
Yes!
Honestly, this was probably the biggest crisis Ive faced since my reincarnation, but I was feeling calm and rxed.
Timona turned the carriage to the right and started driving south off the road.
It was a good decision. Ill leave the destination and steering up to Timona.
Y-your Majesty!
Calm down, Rosalia. Its alright. We havent encountered the enemy yet.
I couldnt hear any fighting and even if I was the target of the Ghafur army, it was unlikely that they would catch up to us any time soon.
Rosalia, youre my only hope now. Do you understand?
It was normal to be frightened in this situation, but that wasnt a choice. From the looks of things, the aristocrats have left to save their own skins. They didnt even exin the situation to the Emperor. Well, I am just a puppet Emperor after all.
So, the three of us will have to deal with the situation. There was no time to be frightened.
Y-yes. I am okay.
Good. Can you open the door and check the situation outside? Ill hold you steady, so you wont fall.
Understood.
Id like to use all the magic at my disposal right now but I couldnt do so in front of the aristocrats. The first priority is to survive, but I have to think about what will happen afterwards as well.
Hmm We still have about half the group left! It looks pretty chaotic I do not see any Ghafur troops.
Are there any people around us?!
I do not see anyone!
Alright, thanks! You can pull yourself back inside.
It was windy but Id like to keep the door open so that I can see the situation outside. ording to Rosalia, there was no one around us
I leaned out of the carriage and manipted my mana.
I imagined a barrier covering the top and front of the carriage as well as the left and right sides. It should also keep out the wind
Christel!!
Thank you very much, Your Majesty!
Now I canmunicate with Timona who is outside.
How valid is the information?
I received reports from both the spies and the Belbe Kingdom unit! A part of the Belbe Kingdom unit is approaching the army and gathering information while the main force is moving ahead to the south.
The mage unit is helping me?
I wonder what would have happened if I hadnt been engaged to Rosalia.
And those who were serving as maids?
The maids and Salomon-dono will stay behind and buy us some time.
I appreciate that What about the spies?
Most of them are out of contact. They might have been hunted.
I see It seems the Ghafur army is aiming for the Emperor.
But they will be at a greater disadvantage if they kill me. The Raul monarchy with their pretexts will be a greater threat than a corrupt Empire.
Which means their aim is to take the Emperor hostage? They wanted to confuse the Empire just enough to discredit the dignity of Lord Raul, whose fief was adjacent to theirs and to destroy the Emperors dignity and break his pride. They will also instill fear and make the Empire aware that they will be hard to deal with. They were all good ideas.
But when ites to making sure that they take a hostage
The enemy is a small, elite force.
There are about 1000 cavalrymen. There does not seem to be any infantry.
Thats a lot. As expected of an ex-equestrian tribe.
The carriage was making a creaking sound since Timona was making the horse run at a fast speed.
I cant repair the carriage since I dont know its structure. Lets abandon it, get on horses and flee.
It is impossible for two inexperienced people to ride on a horse for a long time.
Ill muster up all the magic I can.
It is a four-horse carriage
You two ride on the horses. That way youll both have a spare horse. Ill move on the golem while supporting Rosalia with magic. This will give us some distance How does that sound?
As you wish.
Did you hear that Rosalia?
Yes!
Alright. Well survive at all costs.
Chapter 48: Hishanove Case 02
Chapter 48: Hishanove Case 02
We camped on the hill that night.
We have gained a considerable distance in the south from where the group had stopped. The difference in elevation in this area should have slowed down the Ghafur army since they werent familiar with the terrain. Although, Rosalia and I were also not familiar with the terrain and even Timona, who had the area mapped in his head, struggled with the discrepancy between the map and the actual terrain. It seems that the maps of this area are still not very urate.
We could also run all night but since the enemy had dispersed their forces to search for me, we had to give priority to information gathering.
We set up a simple camp on the opposite slope to create a blind spot from the area where the Ghafur army was thought to be deployed.
The only equipment we had was a simple tent and bedding that had been hastily purchased in a nearby town by the Belbe Kingdom mage unit, so it was more like sleeping outside than camping.
We had to be careful in our escape so that the enemy couldnt track us. This was a blind spot, so we should be able to sleep through one night without being caught. They might be able to see the smoke from the bonfire but they shouldnt be able to tell that its smoke unless theyre close by. The mage unit was also on watch duty.
If we get caught then it will be in the morning.
If the enemy camps out and gets a good nights rest then weve opened up a days worth of distance from them.
Timona was right. This will depend on how the enemy moves, that was why we were waiting for information.
But that is unlikely, since they have prated deep into the Empire. They will want to capture the Emperor as soon as possible.
Weve done all we can for now, all that was left was
Sleep. Timona and Rosalia, you two should also sleep while you can. Ill leave the watch duty to them.
The troops from the Belbe Kingdom are from another nation. I really shouldnt trust them but we didnt have the energy to take turns for watch duty. Besides, if they really betray us, then it would be pointless to have someone on watch duty. Ill worry about it if it happens.
I woke up to the sound of people talking. They didnt feel dangerous So its an ally?
Timona was already awake when I stepped out of the tent. Next to him was a man who was covered in dust and dirt. He had his head down.
Your Majesty. This is Henri du Malow. He is Count Ptine Vedetts subordinate and the current leader of the spies on this tour.
I have no excuse for exposing you to danger, Your Majesty.
I see, so a spy survivor has finally caught up to us.
You dont need to apologize. Report.
The information he brought back to me was priceless.
First was the movement of the Ghafur army. Apparently, they were moving while periodically taking short breaks.
When the Ghafur army confirmed that the Emperor wasnt in the carriages, they concluded that he must be nning on fleeing to the city. Well, I would think that way too since the Emperor is foolish. Their conclusion wasnt wrong; unfortunately, however, I didnt head in that direction.
The Ghafur army had blocked all the roads leading to the surrounding cities, but they failed to capture the Emperor, so they were preparing to retreat.
They must have concluded that they have already achieved their minimum goal.
Their goal was to confuse the Empire, damage Lord Rauls dignity and instill fear and wariness towards the Ghafur Republic in the Emperor. They had certainly achieved those goals when they attacked the tour.
But they received a report that changed the situation drastically. They had found the Emperors carriage. This not only raised the possibility of the Emperor being in the vicinity but that he was fleeing on an unfamiliar mount. The Ghafurmanders ordered their entire army to advance since they believed that they could catch up to the Emperor.
They recalled the troops who were blocking the highway and continued southward, widening their circle of search. I will be captured on this hilly area tomorrow morning if things continue the way they are.
Then, the spy reported the movements of the Empire. Lord Raul had taken his main force to the frontline and had hired some mercenaries to make up numbers. I had already known that.
But the Chancellor didnt ce his army at his fief border, but at a city instead and he left the border security to the mercenaries.
The reason behind this attack was probably because several mercenaries that were guarding the border had betrayed Ghafur for money.
They werent scheming diplomats, but that was just who mercenaries are.
Now, that didnt mean that the Empire wasnt resisting Ghafur. Apparently, the aristocrats in other fiefs have begun mobilizing their troops, but they will definitely not make it in time.
There are two armies who are currently on their way towards me. Well, two tribes to be exact.
First, the Gotilove tribe. The only self-governing tribe in the Bungdalto Empire. Their territory is located at the foot of the Heavenly Mountain Range further east of Lord Rauls fief. They are a so-called mountain tribe and were the first to make a pact with the Gades tribes when they moved south. Since then, they have supported the Gades tribe as neighbours and allies even after the Gades tribe became vassals to the Lothar Empire and even after the Bungdalto Empire was established.
But they arent on friendly terms with the present Empire. The Chancellor has some conflicts of interest with them and has been constantly trying to interfere with their autonomy in the name of the Empire.
The current chief, Genadieffe, is a tribal hero who united the divided north and south Gotilova tribes in his 20s. Therefore, he was sometimes respectfully referred to as the Chief of both Gotilova tribes.
They havee all the way to the western part of Lord Rauls fief which means they had information about this in advance. Thats disturbing I want to know if they are here to save me or kill me.
The other army is the Atururu Calvary. Although they call themselves a mercenary group, they are actually a nomadic equestrian tribe. They arent native to one region like the Ghafur tribe and are also one of the reasons why the Western faction of the Holy One Church has been working hard to eliminate different ethnic groups.
They can receive temporary protection from local aristocrats by operating as mercenaries. Having survived this way, they are now employed by Lord Raul. Under the leadership of the current chief, Peter Pearl, they are, ording to Henri du Marlow, the most dangerous mercenaries.
They, too, shouldnt be considered allies.
The older brother is at odds with the Gotilovas and has hired the Atururu Calvary. The younger brother, however, is pushing for the persecution of the Atururus and is not at odds with the Gotilovas. Because of this, it isnt clear what both tribes want with the Emperor. I also heard that these two tribes are on good terms with each other.
Both these groups wereing straight towards me. They must be here to capture me.
What should we do, Your Majesty?
Running away is out of the question. I dont see the situation getting any better. We will have to wait and see.
There was no way we could escape from a real nomadic tribe.
They may take advantage of this chaos to take revenge on Your Majesty.
Well worry about it when it happens. Ill fight for my life.
Things will work out if I go on a rampage with my magic. If that doesnt work then Ill die here. Thats all there is to it.
Thats war. I dont intend on being on a different stage.
How long until they get here?
They should be within our sights by dawn.
The eastern skies will wee the sun soon.
Timona added information about the eastern skies I see, so soon?
The Ghafur army will be heading this way as soon as they notice the movements of both groups. If things go well and the two tribes are on my side, then we will battle the Ghafur army here. Henri du Marlow, make a map of this hillside and the surrounding areas to the best of your abilities. I will allow you to use light for this task.
Yes. I will do as you wish.
Timona, prepare to wee the two tribal chiefs as attendants to the best of your abilities.
Understood.
This was a gamble. If things go well, then I will have gained two powerful allies. Or rather, if I cant persuade them then I wont be able to make it as the Emperor in the future.
I guess we should wake Rosalia up now.
Only God will know what will happen next.
Chapter 49: Sunrise on the Hill
Chapter 49: Sunrise on the Hill
The sun rose in the east in this world as well.
The light peeked through the small gaps in the Heavenly Mountain Range which were as high as the European Alps on Earth. The people of thisnd called this the Gods Arrow of Light before the arrival of the Holy One Religion. The light of God that gave power to the living and destroyed evil. The army, bearing this light sigil on their backs, marched with perfect coordination, and even looked divine.
Your Majesty, it seems that the two groups have arrived.
I stood up from the stump that I was sitting on when I received this report from Henri du Malow.
They truly are an elite force since they can march in perfect form even without amander.
Timona should be dealing with both chiefs. We couldnt keep them waiting.
Your Majesty I wish you all the best.
Rosalia didnt know what to say to me and seemed more anxious than normal.
Or was it simply because she had just woken up?
Luck huh? Thats a fitting phrase.
Indeed, this meeting was like a battle for me. I wouldnt be surprised if I were killed on the spot by the two chiefs, who were both more powerful than me.
Im off.
Well well see what happens.
A hastily made round desk with three chairs. It was too seedy looking for an Emperor to receive guests.
But this was what I asked Timona to do: no need for unnecessary niceties and all the chairs had to be the same height.
The two who were already sitting down in the chairs noticed the Emperor and tried to stand up.
No need. I havent had my coronation yet.
Any unnecessary titles or formalities would only be an obstacle in front of these two.
I sat down on my chair and faced them.
This is the Chief of both the Gotilova tribes, Genadieffe Gotilova and the Chief of the Atururu tribe, Atururuche don Pearl Istavan ro Peter.
Timona silently left the room after he introduced the two.
Chief Gotilova raised his eyebrows as if he didnt expect the Emperor to talk with them alone.
The Atururu Chief, on the other hand, didnt change his expression, but his eyes seemed to be looking at me with interest.
I am Carmine de Gade Bungdalto. I will get straight to the point what should I call you two?
I said this mainly out of consideration for the Atururu Chief. His official tribal name is long, and he has no imperial title.
Peter Pearl is fine.
You can call me Genadieffe.
Very well. You two can call me whatever you like.
I said as I observed the two. Genadieffe the Chief of both Gotilova tribes is a muscr man with a medium build. He looked like a barbarian with his beard and outfit. He had an overwhelming presence. Well, the Bungdalto tribe were originally barbarians too.
Peter Pearl, the Chief of the Atururu tribe, had brown skin which was rare for people in this area. He looked younger than his actual age. He was almost expressionless which made him look intimidating.
I put Timona in charge of their weapons But the two of them look like they can kill a child with their bare hands. I cant let my guard down.
This is almost diplomatic Youre very different from the rumours.
I nodded at Genadieffes words. The three of us were seated at the round table and were equally spaced without any superior or inferior seats just like in a diplomatic negotiation.
I am about to ask for your support. What use would it be to y the fool now? Since the decision is in your hands.
I already know that their goal is to assess the Emperor.
If they were going to be hostile from the start then they would have attacked already, and if they had onlye to greet the Emperor because he is the Emperor, then they wouldnt have sat down at the table to have a conversation.
I see. You are absolutely right.
Genadieffe continued while toying with his beard.
Let me ask you something. I heard that Your Majesty went to the Theanabe Union border to inspect the frontlines. How was it?
You are being very vague. What is it you want to say?
Did you hear about the resentment and grief of the people who are suffering from being plundered?
Oh, so he knows that much?
I heard it very well, and Im not the kind of person who will get excited from hearing those sounds.
Then what do you think of the act of plundering, Your Majesty?
I see. That is a very deep question. Not to Carmine, the Emperor of this world, but to Carmine, the reincarnated one.
No, Ill think about that moreter.
If you want to know why the plundering is taking ce, then you can put it in one word, oue.
Hoh, oue, is it?
Yes. If the politics of the Empire up until now have been a form, then the plundering is the solution. The plundering that will happen from now on will all just be a solution. To change the solution, the form itself must be changed.
The Empire must change, but I dont have the violence to intervene against the violence of the military.
Looting isnt a foolish act to begin with. It can be a part of a tactic. It can instill fear into the enemys citizens, squeeze their supply and raise the soldiers morale. If you cant govern by upying, then plundering is a viable option.
Even on Earth today, looting urs during chaos caused by demonstrations and disasters.
A world without looting and a world without war. That is an idealistic world. It is good for a monarch to hold those ideals, but a monarch shouldnt be caught up in them. An impracticable theory kills people.
Then how can we eliminate plundering? The answer is simple. We can rebuild the entire army into an elite force that doesnt need to plunder. A highly motivated army, disciplined by a military code who can instill fear into the enemies and effectively manage their supplies.
Hoh The Gotilovas are unbeatable in the mountains but we will plunder if necessary. Are you saying that were not enough?
The corners of Genadieffes lips curved up in a smile. I dont feel any killing intent from him, but he was intimidating. Is it because he feels like hes been told they arent the best?
But I have no intention of backing down.
Thats right, but Im not saying your tribe isnt well trained. What youck is logistical support. You arecking in squads that dont fight such as a reconnaissance squad, an intelligence squad, a supply squad, and treatment squads. So, you are forced to plunder to get information, to show the enemy your might and to get supplies. What we need is the ability to keep upying, the ability to keep fighting.
To keep fighting I see.
Its impossible to make such an army in my generation, but if this is the ultimate goal, then reforms and trials must be made with this in mind.
Hmmm, interesting.
Genadieffes eyes be more serious than before.
The entire sky was getting brighter with every second. It was about time for the Ghafur army to arrive but I cant be impatient.
Then let me ask the question that our ancestors asked the emperors of their time What is an Emperor?
They are the most central cog in the governing body.
This was the answer that Ive been trying toe up with ever since my reincarnation.
A cog
Thats right. A cog is hard to rece and if it breaks, the machine stops working and a cog must not go missing.
For example, the Emperor, who is said to be sacred and absolute, can paradoxically give absoluteness to aw by upholding thew. Also, being an Emperor gave one advantage over other nations. This advantage cannot be ignored in negotiations.
There are other advantages of having an Emperor, but they arent prerequisites.
You seem to think that an emperor is not necessary.
It is necessary now. The nation wont operate if the emperor is gone, but just like how magic tools are advancing every day, the state will also change. If a more efficientponent than the emperor appears, its highly likely that the emperor will be reced with that.
An emperor isnt someone who absolutely needs to exist. I, who know the history of Earth, know that very well.
In a few hundred years, a nation in which the people choose their representatives by majority vote will appear and this will soon be normal in that future. Kings and emperors will cease to have any real power if they still exist.
It would be fine if they dont exist, but as a reincarnated person, I know that the monarch can be an emotional pir for a nation.
But at the same time, tradition isnt something to be ridiculed no matter how useless it may be. It takes a moment to break it, but it takes a century for tradition to be born, hence its value.
I, for one, am fine with the monarchy system being abolished, but once something has been abolished, it cannot be restored.
Thats why Im leaving it be. Theter generations will be able to choose between a monarchy, a republic or a constitutional monarchy.
I have only one principle: to give the future generation as many choices as possible in every aspect. Having a monarch is one of them.
Its hard to imagine a world without kings.
Really? If mankind were to be extinct, then the existence of kings will surely cease to exist as well.
I see. Well, well
Genadieffe muttered a few words then continued, Hes much more than the rumours say he is.
Those rumours wouldnt be about me being a Foolish Emperor, right? So, they came here even though they know how I actually am.
What did you want, Peter Pearl?
Genadieffe spoke to Peter Pearl who had remained silent for a long time.
I only have one thing to ask you: Will you protect my tribe?
I see, that is a reasonable request.
Then, lets talk about the benefits.
But even if they request for a specific amount of money I cant give it to them, so I can only make empty promises right now.
The only way I can do that is after I gain real power How about I promise freedom of religion, abolition of the West sect of the Holy One Church, recognition of the Atururu tribe as citizens of the Empire and protecting your culture, and bestowing the Atururu tribe Chief with an aristocratic title?
I proposed while thinking Ill be at a loss if they ask for immediate benefits.
Alright. I will be your vassal.
Peter Pearl nodded in agreement that was easy. Im afraid now since it was too easy.
Didnt I feel something like this when Timona agreed to be my vassal as well?
Then what will you offer me, Your Majesty? Im already an imperial aristocrat.
I will officially recognise your region as an autonomous territory which is a part of the Empire and ban all tariffs Thats what you want isnt it?
The Gotilovas are powerful enough to be independent at any time, but they havent because they cant.
Their territory is in a mountainous area, so theyck food. Thats why they couldnt be independent from the Empire, who are one of thergest grain-producers in the continent, no matter how much the Chancellor harassed them.
The Chancellor harassed them by imposing exorbitant tariffs on their food supply. Abolishing that would be the least they expect from me for their cooperation.
They will still need to depend on the Empire for food even if the tariffs are abolished, so theres no need to be stingy.
Ill also do something about the toll taxes that the aristocrats impose. I cant say that I will get rid of itpletely though since we need it for national maintenance and such.
I looked at Genadieffe and his shoulders were shaking slightly. Then, his shoulders started shaking more and more
Kukkukku Haahaahaa!!
He suddenly startedughing loudly.
Fine! We will make a Five Generation Oath with you From now on, our tribes will serve as your shield in ordance with that oath.
What is the Five Generation Oath? Also didnt your attitude suddenly change too much?
Now, Your Majesty. We are at yourmand. What can we do for you?
Just as I was about to ask what the Five Generation Oath was, Timona informed me that the enemy was approaching. We immediately started talking about our strategy.
The negotiations were a sess, right? Im a bit nervous for some reason though.
Chapter 50: War of Different Races
Chapter 50: War of Different Races
We had a light strategy meeting after that, then both the Gotilova and Atururu tribes went into battle formation, but it was still unclear whether there would be a battle.
The Ghafur army had originally nned to easily capture the Emperor, who would have been confused by their sudden attack.
They should have given up and retreated once he escaped and joined up with friendly troops, but
The enemy seems very determined.
Salomon? Youve shown up at a very opportune moment.
I said and Salomon de Valverde bowed his head in silence.
Where are the maids?
Ive ordered them to find Rosalia as her maids. Im sure they should be in town right about now asking questions about where she may be.
I see.
Im d that the negotiations with Genadieffe and Peter Pearl went well, and Ive started to see things in a different light now that Ive calmed down.
You said that the Ghafur cavalry number about 1000, but it looks like theres twice as many. If you knew about this beforehand, then it should be easy to exin.
The Ghafur cavalry is ssified as a heavy cavalry. The mountednces they carry prate well but are easily broken, so they return to their own positions to receive newnces after each charge. So, they are apanied by an attendant who holds their recements.
Salomon exined, not seeming diposed at all.
Well, I dont have any evidence to me him with, and he will just evade my usations, and I have no intention of ming him for this at all.
By the way, Timona, who hade to his own conclusions, was ring at Salomon.
I should pull myself together and focus on the battle that is about to start right in front of me.
The Ghafur army consisted of about 1000 cavalrymen and 1,500 attendants. They are forming a semi-circle around the hillside.
In contrast, we have about 500 Atururu cavalrymen and 300 Gotilova soldiers. Of these, only the 300 Gotilova soldiers were on the hill, the Atururu cavalry were spread out on the ins facing the enemys left nk.
Is it really alright with a n like that, Your Majesty?
I dont know their way of fighting or their best tactics. It would be better to leave it up to them.
When we were discussing tactics before, I left everything to Genadieffe and Peter Pearl. As a result, it was decided that the Atururu cavalry will simply reduce the number of enemies and the Gotilovas will not be fighting on the foot of the hill, but a little higher where the trees were thicker to draw the enemy into the hill, their preferred battleground. Its possible for an attack to fly up towards me with this strategy since I will be at the top of the hill but I can stop them with Christel.
The two had said that they would never be beaten if they yed to their strengths and Im not a military expert, so I left everything to them.
But the Atururu cavalry are far away from here. They might defect.
I understand your concern, Timona but I think well be fine this time. The person who thought up this plot seems to be quite brilliant. This battle will probably
Saying well win will be like raising a losing g. Ill stop there.
Hmm? The enemys moving. Huh did they get off their horse?
Thats one of the reasons why people say the Ghafur army is strong. They are also trained as infantry.
The hill where we were positioned was barely near the summit but the rest of the hill was covered with trees. The enemy concluded that it would be impossible to attack with a cavalry.
Your Majesty, the Atururu tribe has begun their assault on the enemys left nk.
Only the soldiers on the centre and right nks dismounted from their horses while the left nk was engaged with the Atururu tribe.
Oh, the Atururu tribe has already started their retreat.
ording to the information provided by Peter Pearl, the Atururu cavalry attacked using bows.
Bows still have a longer range than guns in this world. The bows the Atururu tribe use seem to be special and more superior to other bows. They probably usedpound bows.
The Ghafur army used close formation and charged in unison. The Atururu tribe, on the other hand, also maintained a high level of coordination as they continued to fire their bows while retreating. Both are elite cavalrymen who had been training for a long time. They are well coordinated.
Its as if were watching art.
It was a small-scale battle, but I felt as if I was witnessing the worlds greatest battle.
With the way theyre fighting, the enemy could split into two and be pushed to go around to the unprotected side of the hill.
You make a good point, Timona but Genadieffe will deal with them if that happens.
From what I can see, the Atururu cavalry also seemed to be separating to prevent the enemys left nk from falling back. Instead of retreating at the same speed, they were breaking the enemys formation little by little by retreating at different speeds, it was like they were a wave.
Then a trumpet sounded simultaneously from the enemy.
The enemy infantry has begun to advance, Your Majesty. They have entered the hilly area.
The enemys right nk and centre advanced and stopped in front of the slope, then those who looked like mages stepped forward.
Is that magic?
Its summoning magic. Most of them can only summon weak demons that will dissipate with a single bullet
Theyre using the summons to avoid the bullets, and in a battle like this, they could be used to locate the enemy.
It reminded me that I was living in a fantasy world when I saw that magic was used in war.
The Gotilova soldiers are quiet.
They should be on this hill as well, but I havent seen or heard from them.
The Ghafur army seemed to think that the enemy was few in number and resumed its advance, but
The summoned demons are gradually decreasing silently thats frightening.
A full-scale battle began between the two armies but the Gotilova tribe, who were outnumbered, probably had the upper hand. The Gotilova tribes fighting style, however, wasnt visible at all due to the trees.
After that, I watched the battle while fending off enemy magic that came flying this way from time to time.
It happened then.
Hmm? Isnt the area behind the enemys right nk where the attendants are lining up copsing?
Some of the attendants in the right and centre nk were waiting in the line of battle and had not entered the hillside. They were probably reserves who were taking care of the horses that had been dismounted. Some of them suddenly copsed.
Half of our troops were hidden in the woods behind the enemys right nk.
Apparently, this was Salomons doing. Were the reports about the former child soldiers of the Belbe Kingdom having already experienced war true?
Arent they copsing too much even if it were?
Upon closer inspection, I saw several swords were thrown from the forest.
Theres no doubt. The man in the butlers uniform is here too.
This might be your apology but I dont intend to me you.
I couldnt help but let my true feelings slip out in a whisper.
If hes here, then the chaos will spread even further.
The enemys infantry unit seems a lot thinner too The Gotilovas are terrifying.
Whats frightening was that the enemymanders cant see the damage and therefore cant notice that they are being destroyed. When I look at them, all I can think is, Hey, when did they lose so many soldiers? The enemy wouldnt understand whats happening to them.
The mountains are truly a garden to them. This may also be the first battle between the Gotilova tribe and the Ghafur army. The Ghafur army didnt know how the Gotilovas fought and the Golitovas, whose enemies changed from a cavalry unit to an infantry unit. The difference between them was obvious.
The enemys left nk is crumbling.
The Atururu cavalry was the winner because of their affinity. The heavy cavalry which emphasizes attacking with heavy armour and the light cavalry who mainly shoot from out of range and are fast on their feet. It was already a one-sided battle.
The battle situation is tilting in our favour. I think the enemy will retreat soon.
I nodded at Salomons words.
We had the advantage. The confusion in the rear of the enemys right nk was spreading and the enemy will soon give up on the Emperor and retreat.
Its about time.
Your Majesty
Timona, who guessed what I was about to do, uttered in dismay.
The enemy will retreat with the current situation, but that wont destroy them.
If all goes well, this is a chance to eliminate 1000 elite forces from Ghafur Republic. I couldnt let this chance pass as the Emperor of the Empire.
It doesnt matter if those here know. The Gotilova and Atururu tribes will say nothing if there is no proof that I used magic.
I manipted my magic. I learnt that the range of magic was slightly longer than a gun and shorter than a bow while I was preventing the magic from earlier.
I can expect a certain amount of damage from the range Of course, rifles have the furthest range and damage.
Well, anyway, the effective range of magic isnt that far. The further away magic is from the mage who cast it, the more difficult it is to control, thus, the power of the magic decreases.
Themander is that?
What if its only difficult to control for a second?
ma Lacus
The straight ray of light prated the enemymander.
I could have fired a few more times but if someone who I didnt want to know found out about this, it would be meaningless. So this much will do.
The enemymander is dead The Ghafur army is in chaos and will crumble. Prepare for pursuit.
Hah?
The Ghafur army lost nearly half their men in this battle and because of the pursuit that followed. The Gotilova and Atururu tribes didnt suffer much. It was a one-sided battle after they found out who I truly am.
Chapter 51: Verifying Answers
Chapter 51: Verifying Answers
The battle on the hills ended in an overwhelming victory.
The Gotilova had the terrain advantage, and the Atururu excelled in speed and manoeuvringpared to the Ghafur cavalry, who were slower and heavier. The result might have been obvious from the start.
After the pursuit we decided to return to the capital, escorted by the Atururu. The Gotilovas will be going back to their own territory. Well, the Gotilova tribe didnt bring their horses with them, so Im surprised they even made it to the hill.
I havepletely lost the touring party and there must be some confusion in the capital about my safety. I need to return before the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies do something unnecessary.
The problem was how I should act once I return. The Chancellor and Regent factions will me me, and I have the chance to reduce that criticism but I will be eliminated if I overdo it.
Since I had abandoned the small fortress while I was fleeing, I had Timona prepare a regr carriage for me to return in.
This one had no annoying rules unlike the small fortress. It was a good opportunity to talk with Timona and Rosalia about how they should act once they return to the capital, so we all got into the same carriage but
there was a stranger here with us.
This man unexpectedly appeared when we got into the carriage. He had white skin, silver hair that reached down to his waist and his eyes remained closed.
He was dressed as a clergyman but was wearing a sword on his belt. He introduced himself as Defrott le Moissan.
Would it make things clearer if I say I am Count Ptine Alfred Vedetts son?
I nced at Timona who nodded, then turned to the man who called himself Defrott.
I have heard your name before, and I understand that you are currently the cardinal. But you cut off your ties with Count Ptine when you entered the clergy. What business who instructed you toe here?
Rosalia, who was sitting next to me, stiffened and our Atururu escorts put up their guard.
Well, this situation was perfect for an assassin since people would normally be off guard after a victory. The head of the Western Church is the Chancellors brother. They have reasons for wanting me dead too.
Father [1]TN: He uses a weird term Ive never seen before has told me to protect His Majesty. And provide you with some help. First, please take this.
With that, he pulled out a book from his pocket.
What is this?
This is the Holy One Churchs original scripture.
After a moment of silence, Timona was the first to speak up.
Thats impossible. There are only a few copies of the original scripture, and they can only be found east of the Heavenly Mountains. They are national treasures if they are found, and you treat it like this.
Yes. Of course, this is a trantion of the original. It is tranted into the Bungdaltonguage so that His Majesty could read it easier. But I am confident thatI have tranted it quite urately. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have if you will allow me to apany you to the capital.
He tranted the original scripture which should not exist to the west of the Heavenly Mountains Is he connected to another sect? But then he wouldnt approach me with such dubious methods. I dont know how high a cardinal is, but he is most certainly a clergyman from the Western Sect. A clergyman will be immediately burnt for heresy if he is found to be connected to another sect.
Then, is the owner of the original scripture also a Western clergyman? But the original scripture hasnt been discovered in the Empire until now No, its possible for it to exist here if it has been kept a secret for a long time. I have to be wary of the Great Leaders since their brains are only filled with politics. Is this father at odds with the Great Leader?
Ah, I see. Him? Thats why Defrott appeared now I see. Alright.
Alright. Ill hear more about what you have to say inside the carriage. Ive made all you worry. Everything is alright.
I pulled Defrott into the carriage after saying this to the Atururu tribe.
Wait, do they understand the Bungdaltonguage? Well, whatever.
Do you trust me, Your Majesty?
Timona was still looking at Defrott with wary eyes inside the moving carriage.
I dont believe that father of yours wants to kill me even if he may use the assault of other nations to get the heads of the different tribes on his side.
I said and Defrott chuckled.
Yes, because fathers eyes seem to be able to see the future.
What do you mean?
Rosalia raised her voice in surprise. Well, we were running for our lives, so Im sure shes surprised to hear that we were dancing on the palms of someones hands.
You have good timing. I wanted some answers.
There was one major problem with how the Ghafur army had crossed the border and the sequence of events that urred after.
The defection of the mercenaries who guard the border and the tour being attacked by an elite group of Ghafur cavalrymen. These two things happened so suddenly that we had to flee as fast as we could. Now, Rosalia, do you think this attack was spontaneous? Or do you think it was well orchestrated.
Of course, it was well orchestrated Ah.
Yes, their movements were too precise. It was as if they knew when the Emperor would pass.
They definitely knew about the Emperors movements. That information was only known to a small portion of aristocrats, so someone tipped them off Now, who do you think it was?
Uh Lord Raul, I presume?
Hmmm. You do look cute with your head tilted to the side like that in confusion, but too bad. Rosalias answer gets 30 points.
Lord Raul has the incentive to do so. He wants to get out of the unimportant Theanabe front lines and back to his own fief as soon as possible. If the Emperor is attacked in his fief, then that certainly is a great reason to retreat, but the risk is too high for him.
Lord Rauls prestige might have plummeted. Not only had he allowed the enemy to invade his fief, but the mercenaries he had hired had betrayed him, and then the Emperor who was passing through his fief was attacked and temporarily disappeared. To pour more salt onto the wound, the army that had protected the Emperor was not his own but was an army from a different tribe.
His reputation will be ruined. Even his position as the Chancellor would be shaken. He has too much to lose.
Who do you think it was, Timona?
Lord Raul schemed to have the Ghafur army make disturbing movements, but the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies used that scheme to have them actually attack?
Thats a good guess. But 60 points. If he had just answered with the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, then he would have gotten 30 points like Rosalia.
It is the perfect opportunity for the Chief of the Ministries of Ceremonies to gain power in the capital now that both the Emperor and Chancellor are away from the capital. If the Emperor dies then its highly likely that the capital woulde under his control, but there is one problem with your guess.
Count Vadpo?
Exactly.
The aristocrat who was the first to flee during the attack. Count Vadpo, a Regent faction aristocrat.
He even dered that he would be escorting me as the Emperors aide-de-camp, and yet, he abandoned the Emperor and fled.
If the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies had nned to kill me or have me captured from the beginning, then he wouldnt have bothered to have someone from his faction apany me.
I intend to point this out when I return to the capital and thereby reduce his power.
Now, my guess is that It clearly started with the Chancellor. He wanted to withdraw to his own fief, so he passed my information onto the Republic of Ghafur. However, he probably only told them the vicinity I was in. If there were any movements from Ghafur then he nned on using that as a reason to return home.
He nned to withdraw even if the Republic of Ghafur had only sent spies or scouts.
Then the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies learnt of the Chancellors ns. He used this to discredit the Chancellor and raise his own reputation. The Chancellors honour would be damaged if the Emperor was attacked in his fief. If someone in the Regent faction defended the Emperor, then his own prestige would rise. I dont know what exactly he had in mind but he could have asked the mercenaries who the Chancellor employed to attack the approaching army then retreat before they suffered any damage.
Count Vadpo was deployed so that the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies would get credit for defending me, that was why he panicked when the Ghafur forces attacked before schedule and made the mistake of fleeing first.
There was someone who saw this back-and-forth situation as an opportunity. He had the Ghafur army attack in full force and sent the Gotilova and Atururu tribes to the Emperor to protect him. If Im not mistaken, he may have been the person who set up the hill as the battlefield.
The Gotilova territory was in the mountainous regions near the Heavenly Mountains to the east of Lord Rauls fief, but the hill where the battle took ce was in the north-western part of Lord Rauls fief. They had traversed a long distance which would have taken several days even on horseback. It was safe to assume that that person had been aware of the Ghafur armys attack for several weeks.
He took caution to inform Salomon of this information in advance so that he could control the Emperors movements to some extent. He stalled the Ghafur army with false information about the Emperor being in the city to prevent them catching up to the Emperor. He really did an amazing job.
Defrottughed. Hisugh seemed to indicate that I was correct.
First, he wanted to ruin the reputation of the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies at the same time. Second, he wanted to bring the Emperor and the Gotilova and Atururu tribes together without the Chancellor or the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies noticing and have the Emperor win them over to his side. Andstly he wanted the Emperor to know that he had a supporter.
And his fourth reason which I hadnt stated was probably because he knows I am a reincarnated person. I think he wanted to convey that to me.
I know where he got his information from. It was from that reincarnated man who was dressed in a butlers outfit. That was why he was there on the battlefield. He may not have been visible, but he was there using all the magic that he knew to let me know that he was there.
He must have provided this information because he thought it would be beneficial for me to have more allies. So, I guess hes almost willing to ept my proposal. Wonderful.
His participation in the fight might have been his way of apologising for telling someone else that I was reincarnated.
But I dont me him for that. He is not my vassal yet and I have gained a powerful ally because of his actions.
Most importantly, I dont have proof, so I cant rebuke him if he feigns ignorance.
Well, lets not talk about him for now.
Andstly he wants to confirm if his intentions have been properly conveyed. That is your role, Defrott le Moissan. Your so-called father is that person. Am I correct?
Excellent, Your Majesty. It seems that Fathers message has been conveyed perfectly.
The question was who is this father He is someone who is in a high position within the Western Sect and doesnt belong to the Regent faction. I could identify him if I wanted to but Ill stop. Hes supporting me this openly, so hell contact me if he needs to.
I believed that it would take a few days to get an answer What should I do?
Hmm? Thats great.
Then Ill read this tranted scripture, and Ill ask questions if I have any. Is that alright with you?
Yes, of course.
I dont know if this is an urate trantion of the original, but this is the first time that Ive read the scriptures. This is necessary to live in this world and I must finish reading it before we arrive at the capital.
The scripture was written in ridiculously small letters to fit everything in. It was difficult to read in a carriage that was shaking violently but I surprisingly got used to it.
Rosalia, who was peeking at me from the side, soon felt sick and fainted.
Oh yeah, Ive never gotten motion sickness before even in my previous life.
Chapter 52: Cleaning up the Chaos
Chapter 52: Cleaning up the Chaos
The year ended, the new year, 466. Politics in the Empire has been stormy in the months between my return and today.
First, let me tell you about myself.
It seemed that the citizens of the capital looked favourably on the Emperor who won his first battle. The negative image they had of me as the child of the former Crown Prince who died on the battlefield had been erased.
But the aristocrats werent particrly rmed by this victory because there was a rumour spreading around them stating that I left the fighting to foreign tribes and hid and trembled at the back of the battlefield. Well, I ordered Salomon to spread this rumour though.
The aristocrats werent wary of me, and the citizens saw me in a positive light. I believe I have settled into the ideal position.
Next, let me talk about the Chancellor and Regent factions.
These two factions med each other and pushed the me to each other until I returned to the capital.
The Chancellor was med for the defection of the mercenaries he had hired and for the attack on the Emperor in his fief. The Chancellor was criticised for an aristocrat in his faction fleeing even though he had volunteered himself as a guard and for his own suspicious activities in the capital during the few days the Emperor was missing.
These pointless arguments continued for some time after the Emperor returned to the capital and their political positions were facing imminent danger.
This situation was actually very bad for me. The aristocrats under their control wouldnte under the influence of the Emperor even if they were to lose their positions and most importantly, they might resort to force if they are driven into a corner (this could be in the form of assassination or rebellion).
So, I refused to meet with any of the aristocrats.
I did this under the pretence that the young Emperor, having experienced the fear of having his own life targeted, became suspicious and distrustful of the Chancellor, the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies and the other aristocrats.
This may seem like a disadvantageous move for the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies but it was a way for me to buy them both some time.
In other words, I was telling them to stop pushing the responsibility onto the other and destroy the evidence.
The Emperor would have no choice but to bring them to justice if evidence of their wrongdoingse to light, but the Emperor has no military power (for now) and couldnt punish them. So, I believe it would be better to pretend it never happened.
The reputation of both sides has already been damaged. Thats enough. People say that a cornered rat will bite a cat.
But it wouldnt be any fun to restore the situation to its original state without any problems, so I decided to harass them.
I made an exception to meet with only two people while I was cutting offmunication with all aristocrats. The first was the old hag, whose political power had been reduced greatly by her own father and the other was the Chancellors brother, George V, the Great Leader of the Western Church.
In conclusion, the Chancellor was able to meet the Emperor through his brother, George V, and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies was able to meet the Emperor through the Regent. As a result, the Regent faction now has two leaders, the Regent and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies and the Chancellors faction could no longer ignore the Western Church.
The Chief of the Ministries of Ceremonies must be outraged by this. He had just reorganised the Regent faction to make himself as the leader to only have it revert to how it originally was. Serves you right!
The Chancellors faction was superior but now the split of power was 50/50.
This was because the Great Leader, who was supposed to increase the factions influence in ce of the Chancellor, suddenly stopped.
I dont know what happened, but something must have happened in the church. This was definitely the work of said clergyman. If he believes this is the right move to make right now, then Ill leave it to him.
Thus, the politics of the Empire settled into a strange four-way situation with the Chancellors force, followed by the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, then finally the Western Church.
It was like a powder keg that could ignite at any moment, but it was better to keep the fire burning.
The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, who were finally able to meet the Emperor, settled those series of events by saying it appears that that was the Theanabe Union and the Republic of Ghafurs foul attempt to cause chaos in the Empire. The highlight of that sentence: it appears. What they said wasnt a lie since they hadnt outright said that this was an attempt by those nations, they were just saying they think it was.
This kind of false usation and spection which are prepared as fact was done in modern Earth as well. It was easy to make about 30 million people in the Empire believe this since this tactic was used on Earth to deceive 1.4 billion people.
Well, it was reasonable to include the name of both nations in their ims.
Both of these nations were at war with the Empire. So, it was unlikely that they hadnt done anything at all.
So, the unfortunate misunderstanding was resolved, and the young Emperor was furious at these two cowardly nations. He ordered the Chancellor to take out the Republic of Ghafur and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies to take out Theanabe Union.
Naturally, they were both furious that they had been taken advantage of, so they respectfully epted the order and vowed to the Emperor that they would destroy their enemies. The two men returned to their respective fiefs to prepare their armies.
What a stupid farce.
I didnt expect either of them to seriously subjugate their opponents but they both knew that the other would criticize them if they tantly cut corners, so there will be some fighting going on.
Thats fine for now. It will cause some loss on both sides.
And after I returned to politics, I hit both nations hard.
I have a good reason for this.
The current Bungdalto Empire has seven nations adjacent to it. Of those, the Teiwa Dynasty and the Godiyon Kingdom in the east are close to the mountains so there was no need to move the border there. The problem was the two nations bothering the north and the three nations bothering the south.
These five nations have repeatedly invaded and plundered the Empire since they are after the Empires grain production. Not only are their respective fronts too vast, but they always attack in a pincer attack. Their attacks have weakened the Empire.
The Empire will always be at war if those sides arent stabilised.
This is why I must strike them. Destroying them was another matter, I just needed to damage them enough so that they wont plunder the Empire anymore.
Count Ptine Vedett told me that the state policy has remained the same for generations (except for when that idiot ruled).
Ah, speaking of Count Ptine Vedett.
Defrott le Moissan, who imed to be his son, is apparently his son. Count Ptine Vedett said that he left the family because his ideals were too different from his familys. Count Ptine Vedett values the Lothar bloodline but Defrott values the nation.
He is willing to sacrifice you for the sake of the Empire. Please be careful, Count Ptine said.
I can see now why I had to flee with all my might and suddenly meet with chiefs from foreign tribes. Well, my personal thoughts align more with Defrotts ideals.
He left us just before we entered the capital. Apparently, he was born blind but could see the distance between things by sensing faint mana. He left after saying, I get tired when there are too many people around.
No, that man has a magical prosthetic eye, so he can live like a normal person.
His own father said, so it must be true. And I also guessed why he didnt want to follow me into the capital. It was because he didnt want to meet his father. They are a troublesome father and son pair who only refer to each other as that man or him.
Well, not like I can say that about others.
I saw my mother as nothing more than a pawn to keep the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies in check and my mothers first words to me when I returned was, Im d youre alright, before she went on a rant about the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies. So, we arent a proper parent and child pair either
By the way, I only received a Im d youre safe, from Count Ptine Vedett after I returned to the capital. Well, we do have a business-like rtionship so there wasnt much to say other than that.
What surprised me was Nadine Warung. When I saw her, she cried and said, Dont make me worry, you idiot!. I really made her worry. Ah, what a tsundere, I thought, but kept my mouth shut since I could read the room.
Vera-Sylvie cried too, and she even hugged me after she removed the bars from the window. How long has it been since she learnt how to remove the bars? I wondered, and she also wasnt hiding the fact that she knew who I was anymore, but again, I could read the room, and didnt say anything.
Im not used to people crying for me, so I didnt know how to react.
I wondered if anyone cried for me when I died in my previous life.
Chapter 53: Second Tour
Chapter 53: Second Tour
Summer of year 466. The Emperors group set out on their second tour of the nation.
The main purpose of this tour was the western part of the nation, an area influenced by the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies.
The Regent and Count Ptine Vedett persuaded the Emperor to go since he was traumatised by Ghafur armys attack on the first tour and was very reluctant (or pretended to be reluctant). The Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies owed a great debt to these two for persuading the Emperor.
The Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies went to such lengths because he felt it was unfair that the Emperors previous tour had been almost exclusively to the Chancellors fief.
If the Chancellor was still his old self, he would have intervened at this point by standing up for the Emperor, who didnt want to go, or at the very least, he would have criticised the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremoniess actions.
But he didnt do either of those things this time because he didnt have any energy to spare.
Rosalia and Salomon will stay in the capital since I would be troubled if they decided to raise an army here.
One of the reasons why I originally wanted to go on a tour was to get Rosalia and the people of Belbe Kingdom out of the capital but the situation has obviously changed.
The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies thought of me as an existence that they would eliminate if I got in their way until thest tour. Even if I protested here, they would twist it and say that Rosalia and the others have received secret orders from the Belbe Kingdom and are nning something wicked.
But the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies are under suspicion for betraying the Empire because of the recent attack. Though I believe theyre nothing more than convenient parasites.
Stating that they might be betraying the Empire was nothing more than an usation at this point, so they are only under suspicion.
Rosalia and the others, on the other hand, are trusted by the young Emperor because they had participated in the battle (well they didnt fight but they were there). If the Chancellor or the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies were to touch Rosalia and the others in this situation, then it would be considered a sign of betrayal and they wouldnt be able to justify their actions.
As they say, The nail that sticks out gets hammered down but thats only true when you have a hammer. They are safe until the hammer is repaired (that is until the factional unrest calms down).
And those two arent cornered enough to strike empty handed.
Rosalia and Salomon would function as a bncer between the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies. And the annoying old snob (Lord Aquicurl) will be with me.
So, the tour, with a greater number of guards than the previous tour, set out in the 8th month.
By the way, Count Ptine Vedett was also apanying me on this tour. He hadnt said anything, but it seemed that he had some thoughts about the attack on the Emperor incident.
As expected, there were no assassination attempts or attacks during this tour.
Count Ptine Vedett was apanying me unlikest time. I was able to learn many things thanks to him such as the personality of the aristocrats, the locals evaluation of the fief lords and of course about the facilities that I wasnt allowed to visit.
Timona had taught me a lot of things, but he didnt know much about local affairs since he was always apanying me.
From what I know the west part of the Empire receives a lot of benefits from maritime trade. The west may be even richer than Lord Rauls fief.
But those riches arent directly connected to Lord Aquicurls military power because he has transferred some of his fief to his sons: the eldest, Freed, Marquis Aquicurl Nove, and his second son, August, Marquis Aquicurl Diederich. These two dont get along with each other. This was the weakness of the Regent faction.
Well, the Chancellors faction also has their own weakness but moving along.
But that weakness isnt fatal. For example, silver is the main currency in the western part of the Empire and thergest silver mine belongs to Lord Aquicurl.
The amalgam method using mercury is widely used for refining silver. Another domestic politics cheat n of mine has been destroyed.
But this wasnt something I was able to see directly. I wasnt allowed to visit any of the silver or salt manufacturing ces. Apparently, these were the two main industries in Lord Aquicurls fief.
The magic tool workshop was also interesting. Just as cannons are beginning to be mass produced in Lord Rauls fief, the development of magic tools which can be used for military purposes is being developed here. But even Count Ptine Vedett was unable to find out what exactly was being developed and to what stage. They have counterintelligence methods in this region.
The rest of the trip was boring, and I had nothing to do except for being warmly weed into the fiefs.
The small fortress was recovered halfway through the tour, so I was always alone after that. It was really boring.
There wasnt much to see on the tour, but I noticed a few things. It was difficult to put into words but I guess you could say the atmosphere of the area. It was different from myst tour. The citizens here didnt wee me as much.
The Emperors mother was the daughter of Lord Aquicurl and yet he isnt weed by the citizens.
But that didnt mean that the citizens rallied against me or dismissed me. The most appropriate word to describe their attitude towards me was indifference.
I did feel that the barons and viscounts were dismissing me. ording to Count Ptine Vedett, they are survivors of the former Aquicurl Kingdom.
One can understand their opposition if one unravels the history of the Aquicurl region.
The Aquicurl region had its own cultural sphere before the copse of the Lothar Empire. They were the first to gain independence from the Lothar Empire and the ones who resisted the most when the first Emperor of the Bungdalto Empire tried to reunify the Empire.
Edward I, the second Emperor of the Bungdalto Empire, was forced to offer generous terms for their surrender. Although the aristocrats of Aquicurl have been reduced to barons and viscounts, their authority remained the same as that of a count of marquis. They were also promised exemption from participating in war. This was an extremely favourable condition since they didnt have to dispatch troops even in a defensive war.
But their prosperity didntst long.
During the reign of the third Emperor, Charles I, Ghafur Kingdom (which was already a Republic but with a nominal King) invaded the Empire. The Empire suffered greatly in this war but managed to withstand the invasion with the help of the lords.
The Empire didnt gain any territory from this since it wasnt an aggressive war. The lords who participated in the war didnt receive any fiefs and were dissatisfied.
Most of the Aquicurl aristocrats, who were exempted from war by the second Emperor, did not participate in this war.
Charles I, therefore, dered that this act served the interest of the enemy and confiscated their territories.
This was a clear vition of the terms set out for their surrender. He had done this many times in the past but failed to gain the approval of the aristocrats. However, this time was different. Charles I promised to distribute the territory to the lords who had participated in the war.
So, his reckless action was approved by the lords who put their own interests first.
The fact that the Aquicurl aristocrats remained somewhat autonomous also impacted their decision. To the lords, they were Aquicurl aristocrats and not Imperial aristocrats.
It was toote to revolt. The Aquicurl aristocrats gave up on the idea of raising an army since the lords armies had already entered their territory.
The Aquicurl aristocrats were also deprived of various other privileges during this time.
The fourth Emperor, Edward II, seeded in calming down the Aquicurl aristocrats, who hated the Empire, through repeated negotiations. Then the sixth Emperor, Edward III, kept raising taxes which led to the Great Aquicurl Rebellion. Phillip, the present Lord Aquicurl and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, suppressed the Great Aquicurl Rebellion and brought them under his rule.
In other words, the Emperor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies are both enemies. They arent rebelling right now because they dont have the power to raise an army. However, they might raise an army if the situation changes.
What Im trying to say is that the Regent Faction seems more fragile than I thought. There are two leaders, Lord Aquicurls first and second sons dont get along, and the old Aquicurl aristocrats resentment towards Bungdalto.
Maybe I could use this.
Chapter 54: Final Tour
Chapter 54: Final Tour
Year 467. I finally turned 12.
Ive entered my growth period and have been growing taller and taller.
But nothing else has changed the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies feel threatened by the Emperor who has be a boy. Incenses have been offered to me recently. Ive forgotten about what they said about its effect.
The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies both gave me incenses and told me that they were rare.
Theyre obviously the kinds that I shouldnt inhale. Count Ptine Vedett stopped me from inhaling them with a serious expression on his face. Dont call these things incenses. Apologise to the real incenses.
Why do those scums only cooperate when they do stupid things like this?
But it was certainly a quick way to weaken the Emperor. I acted like a Foolish Emperor because I didnt want something like this to happen or maybe theyve grown tired of my tantrums.
Anyway, I can sense their impatience.
Now this dangerous present. Honestly, I want to dispose of it right away, but I cant let the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies know that I havent used it.
I had no choice but to burn it, but I have put severalyers of Christel up to prevent the ingredients from getting into my body. Its the end if I inhale it. Having a lot ofyers of Christel up is just perfect for this.
Luckily, the aristocrats are aware of the danger of these gifts, so they rarely approach the Emperors room now.
The only one whoes is Helck, the steward. I dont know what they told him to do, but he suddenly became motivated and started showing up more frequently these days but the frequency of his visits is gradually decreasing as well. His eyes became vacant and dazed more often and it seems like hes toozy to do anything.
Well, I have to let him inhale it since he came to check if I was using the gift. I had no choice.
He used me as a source of ie when I was a baby, so he shouldnt have anyints about being used as a guinea pig for my performance, right?
Enough about that now. Ive been stuck in my room because of these gifts, partly because I have to actzy because of these gifts, but also because maintaining the barrier is tiring.
Im d theres magic in this world. Seriously.
My concern is that these gifts were also given to Rosalia too but they didnt go that far.
It would be a diplomatic issue if people found out they gave this to Rosalia and if Rosalia and her kingdom know about these gifts then they mighte to stop me from inhaling it. They would rather intervene by making sure Rosalia and I dont contact each other.
And so, I was living a reclusive life.
It was only in the summer that I finally went outside for the first time in a long time for the third tour.
Well, I did visit Vera Sylvia and stuff. Im talking officially though.
The third tour was mainly to see Raul Dukedom because the first tour was interrupted in the middle, even though you were the one who caused the interruption, Chancellor.
And next year, Ill be going to Aquicurl Dukedom Well, whatever.
There was a big difference between this tour and the previous tours, it was
Wait! You should get out and get some exercise! Dont just stay in the carriage.
Nadine du van Warung was with me.
At 11, she was starting to showposure befitting of her age probably.
Its a hassle.
Youll get fat if you stay still for too long!
See, the way she invites me to go horseback riding has be gentler than before.
Not today.
Nadine, you shouldnt force His Majesty to do things. Come, lets go.
Surprisingly, Rosalia and Nadine became good friends in an instant. They didnt interact much in the pce, but they became close after riding in the carriage together for a day.
If Onee-sama says so
I cant believe that Nadine woulde to love Rosalia like a sister. What kind of moves did Rosalia use?
I told Rosalia about the gifts. I also told her that I was warding it off with my magic and about my performance as well, thats why Rosalia wont be riding in the small fortress on this tour. I might have to burn the incense in the carriage on the tour as well.
By the way, we wont be passing through the southern part of the Empire where the Warung Dukedom is located on this tour. But Nadine followed me despite this so this must mean that Lord Warung will probablye see his daughter in one of the Chancellor aristocrats fiefs. It wouldnt be strange for him to greet me if his daughter is with me.
But, well, it will definitely be under the watchful eye of the Chancellor and his aristocrats. It wont be like when I spoke with the Gotilova and Atuturu chiefs.
Unlike the first tour, we left the capital and headed straight east. East of Count Pidlys fief, where the capital is located, is Aphora Dukedom, a fief under the direct control of the Emperor.
To the north of Aphora Dukedom is Count Vadpos fief, which I passed through on my first tour.
Ah, speaking of Count Vadpo he was used of abandoning me and fleeing during the Ghafur cavalry attack and was forced into retirement after handing his title to his eldest son.
We will depart from Aphora Dukedoms easternmost city, Kiama, and are scheduled to arrive at Leydra, a city in Count Verias fief, by the end of the day. Aphora Dukedom was chaotic since It was governed by both the Chancellor and Regent factions. No one cares that its a fief under the direct control of the Emperor. It feels as if theyre telling me to rx in their fiefs.
Hmm? Count Ptine, is that a hill?
I was curious about the scenery that I saw from the window of the carriage and whispered to Count Ptine, who had followed me on this tour and was running beside the carriage on his horse.
It is. I believe it is called Chn Hills. It is also the boundary that separates the Aphora Dukedom and Count Verias fief.
Its big Way bigger than the hill from that day.
I was referring to the hills where we had engaged with the Ghafur cavalry. I heard there are a lot of hills from here to Raul Dukedom.
ording to heretic legend, it is the tomb of thest Emperor of Hyperion Empire.
Leydra was located almost directly east of Kiama. Chn Hills was directly located between these two cities, so the road didnt go straight, instead it curved to the south of the hills.
This was definitely a strategic ce. If we could hold this ce, then we could control the road.
The Emperors tomb, huh? Thats a bad omen
Its ced in an ideal position and is big. It could be fortified and used as a base or used as a battlefield.
Count Ptine.
Count Ptine turned his gaze to me since I was whispering even quieter than before.
Can you produce a detailed map of Chn Hills and its surroundings?
I can.
I see, then
We need water. If theres a wall, then fix it, if not then see if you can dig one. If theres no underground source of water then dig a hole for a reservoir and fill it back up, so it wont be detected. Fabio and the others can be used for this task. I want you to give this your highest priority and be careful.
I understand.
The n that I had been working on alone for so long was slowly taking shape. Only God will know if it will work or not, but will I be able to execute my n?
I was finally able to see.
The Gotilova and Atuturu tribes, and the stalemate and weakening of the Chancellor and Regent factions. The forces of the two dukes which were divided between the Theanabe Union and the Ghafur Republic, and the poorly armed capital.
Honestly, it was already a good time for me to get into politics. The problem was the tactics I should use but Ive found the silver lining.
The only thing left is to see if I can y my cards well when I meet with Lord Warung.
Chapter 55
Chapter 55
The tour around Raul Dukedom went well. There wasnt really anything to do.
On the way back, I met with Lord Warung in Marquis LMitedeaus fief.
Lord Raul seems wary of Lord Warung since he was a renowned militant since he was only granted a small audience with me in the presence of the Chancellors many aristocrats.
I see They are wary of Lord Warung. Lord Warung has a military force that was said to rival Lord Rauls in terms of military power. That was why the Chancellor wasnt paying attention to things he usually paid attention to.
This could be said to be luck. He didnt set the meeting here. It was the Chancellor.
Marquis LMitedeaus fief was upied by an unauthorized person. The original owner of this fief was Fabio.
By a stroke of luck, I was able to sneak the surviving members of LMitedeau into here.
I will ask them to hide in the fief and prepare to raise an army After they have surveyed the hills Good luck.
Im waiting in a heavy and gaudy outfit for the audience. I guess this was another way for the Chancellor to apply pressure on Lord Warung.
I will definitely get rid of this formal attire when I obtain real power. Why do they put heavy gold decorations on their clothes? Its too heavy.
The 8th Emperor, Carmine de Gade-Bungdalto.
The gift I was given was called guandeleo and was made by drying something called guande grass.
Symptoms I have learnt from observing Helck le Duffe are A foggy mind, and lethargy. The withdrawal symptom is sudden irritability. This doesnt ur over time, but straight away.
Im going to act out these symptoms thoroughly.
It has been a long time since we have met, Your Majesty. I am Richter du van Warung.
Lord Warung came to see me with Nadine numerous times when I was a child but we could only briefly greet each other at that time.
He was a typical military man who rarely came to the capital. He respected my father, who went to war with him, and distanced himself from politics since he wasnt good at it.
I need him to show me how he feels about his sworn sons friend being used as a puppet for the aristocrats.
Who are you?
I leaned back in my chair and stared at him nkly. The Chancellor and the other aristocrats werent surprised when they saw me act like this. They think their gifts are working.
What? I am Duke Warung. I am sorry for all the trouble that my daughter has caused you.
Duke Warung thought I was sulking. I hope he notices whats going on.
Lord Warung, His Majesty is tired from his long journey.
Are you trying to make this meeting end earlier? Youre annoying, Chancellor.
Lord Raul Then why have you not responded to my formal notice
Ah, Lord Warung. Long time no see.
The room was silent. The vacant Emperor had interrupted Lord Warung. Anyone would feel ufortable.
Lord Warungs eyes widened in shock. Hes noticed.
For Lord Warung, who was a warrior, the Emperor his lord, and someone whom he should protect. He would not tolerate my current behaviour.
I understand. If Your Majesty is not in the best of moods, then we will have to reschedule this for another day.
Oh, did he back down? I was going to act like I was going through withdrawal symptoms if he hadnt noticed. I thought he would be outraged Did I fail?
I nced at Count Ptine Vedett but he shook his head.
I dont need to act like Im getting worse?
So, Lord Warung isnt bad at politics, he just doesnt like it.
Now, let us return Your Majesty.
The Chancellor led me out of the room. Perhaps the Chancellor and his aristocrats are letting their guard down, just as Lord Warung intended.
This seems promising.
Lets talk about politics for a bit. If a rebellion urs in the Empire, they will be rebelling against the Empire not against the Emperor.
Legally, an Emperor is only recognised as an Emperor once they have been enthroned, but my coronation has yet to be held due to the political strife. The ceremony, which should have been performed, has yet to be since it was more convenient for the aristocrats this way. In other words, they were infringing on the Emperors authority.
So, the rebels will actually have a cause; taking down those who try to butter up to their masters while secretly plotting against them.
Incidentally, the Theanabe Union rebelled for independence, so they didnt need a just cause to begin with.
My purpose this time is to make Lord Warung raise his army. I can worry about whether he rebels or notter as long as the cause of defeating the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies for the Emperor was established.
I dont care if he seeds or not. All that matters is that he rebels.
What would the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies do then? They will probably rush my coronation to prevent this just cause, and at the same time, they will send their troops to deal with the rebels, leaving the capital bare.
That is what Im aiming for. This is when I will purge the aristocrats and seize real power.
This was why I needed to get Lord Warung to make up his mind to rebel at this audience.
I have a good reason for choosing Lord Warung for this role. Actually, I chose him to start this rebellion from the very beginning.
First, because of his military power. The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies are wary of Lord Warungs army, so they will have no choice but to respond with everything they have if he rebels.
Second, because of geographical factors. The capital, Cardinal, is located at the centre of the Bungdalto Empire Lord Warungs fief is in the southern part of the Empire, Lord Aquicurls fief is in the western part of the Empire and Lord Rauls fief is in the eastern part of the Empire. The distance between these fiefs and the capital is almost the same.
Lord Warungs fief is in an excellent position; it wasnt too far, nor too close, but far enough away to buy me time to act.
If the capital is upied before I take control of it, then I might be the puppet of the next upier.
Thats why this meeting was quite important. I had to make Lord Warung raise his army no matter what it took.
At first, I was worried that I had failed when I saw Lord Warung withdraw from the audience so quickly but Judging from the way Count Ptine Vedett acted, it was the opposite.
He backed down to ensure that the Chancellor and the other aristocrats wouldnt realise that he had decided to raise his army; thus, ensuring its sess.
It was easy for Lord Warung to pull off this feat as a general who has fought many battles.
After I returned to the capital, the new year started without any signs of movement. The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies were wary of Lord Warung but they let their guard down since Nadine, a potential hostage, was still in the capital.
But I know that Nadine was restless.
Lord Warung will definitely make his move.
History is about to be made.
Extra 08: Setting 01
Extra 08: Setting 01
Empire
The Former Giorus Dynasty of Lothar EmpireYear 101 before the new calendar ~ Year 248 on the sr calendar (including when it was a kingdom)
The capital was Odunau. Itsted for about 20 generations. In its golden age, it was a dominant power on the Eastern Continent and had influence throughout the continent.
epting the Holy One Teachings Year 53
At this time, the Lothar Kingdom, which believed in the same polytheistic religion as the Great Monarchy Kalnaan, located to the south of the Empire, was in a peculiar situation where it was superior to the Great Monarchy Kalnaan in terms of power, but the Lothar Kingdom had to pay homage to them in terms of religion. Then, Lothar Kingdom seeded in escaping from the political interference of the Great Monarchy Kalnaan by epting the Holy One Teachings which had spread far and wide to the east of the Heavenly Mountain Range. From this point, the Lothar Kingdom took its name from the legendary Hyperion empire and changed its name to Lothar Empire.
Copse of the Eastern GateYear 222
A rebellion broke out in the year 220 due to the tyranny of the Chancellor. The Chancellor fled when he couldnt suppress the rebellion. The capital Odunau fell to the small group of rebels. This was called the Copse of the Eastern Gate because they broke into the capital through the Eastern Gate.
This rebellion damaged the Empires influence causing more rebellions and vassal states to frequently dere their independence.
Civil war (234-239) also broke out during this period due to religious conflicts. As a result, the Great Schism Period began.
Year 248. Ghafur mercenaries, Grakion, kidnapped thest Emperor (it was said that he was killed on route), and the city was destroyed.
The Great SchismYear 245
Aquicurl Kingdom dered its independence which led to other lords dering their independence. It was said that nearly 20 nations were established at its peak.
Three Dynasties
The three nations which called themselves Empires during The Great Schism are called the Three Dynasties.
Phetail Dynasty of the Lothar EmpireYear 249 282
The Chancellor, who had escaped the capital just before the fall of the Empire, with a set of treasures used by sessive emperors, ascended to the throne as the sessor of the Lothar Empire in the fortified city of Haulow, and his line continued for three generations.
Later Giorus Dynasty of Lothar EmpireYear 252-309
The dynasty founded by a distant rtive of the Former Giorus Dynasty. The Phetail Dynasty finally fell after three generations, but the political situation was a mess since they tried to revive the political system of the Former Giorus Dynasty and made the frontier city Odunau their capital. Hakureas Folly was the final blow, and this dynasty was destroyed in four generations.
Hakureas Folly
When the Third Emperor died, he had no children, so the legitimate heir to the throne was Cardinal Bungdalto, the son of the only sister of the Second Emperor, but Empress Hakurea didnt like the idea of a barbarian bing emperor, so she adopted her brothers son and made him the Fourth Emperor. Many aristocrats abandoned the Fourth Emperor and he failed to suppress the survivors of the Phetail Dynasty. The Later Giorus Dynasty was destroyed by the Seldonal Dynasty that the survivors from the Phetail Dynasty created.
Seldonal Dynasty of Lothar EmpireYear 299-312
Founded as the sessor to the Phetail Dynasty. The capital was Haulow. They were destroyed by Emperor Cardinal in only two generations even though they had destroyed the Later Giorus Dynasty.
Chapter 56: The Beginning of Civil War
Chapter 56: The Beginning of Civil War
Duke Warung Raises His Army!
The pce wasnt surprised when this news was brought to the capital in May 468, because Lord Warung and the Chancellor have been at odds with each other since the days of the previous Emperor. The Chancellor was on very bad terms with Lord Warung and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies because they were both respectively in charge of military affairs and politics.
He could have revolted at any time. Or so most aristocrats believe. In fact, some even asked why he had kept quiet about everything until now.
As expected, the so-called punish those who secretly plot against their lord n was notified to aristocrats in every region. He stated that the ession ceremony that had yet to take ce was the cause and that he would destroy the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, who are monopolizing the government and liberate His Majesty, the Emperor.
In response, the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies put aside their political dispute for the time being and agreed to hasten the ession ceremony.
The problem was which one of them would ce the crown on the Emperors head; this was the reason why the ession ceremony was dyed for so long.
They decided topromise, so both will hold the crown and put it on the Emperors head at the same time.
If youre both alright with that, then you should have done it at the start.
People wont do what they can unless theyre cornered.
Is that all youve decided at this point? Well, I dont feel rushed.
Three dayster, the pce was in an uproar as if it had poked a hos nest when it received word that Lord Warungs army was passing through Marquis Dzrans fief unscathed.
Marquis Dzrans fief was located in the southern part of the Empire, just north of Lord Warungs fief. Its feudal lord, Marquis Alowa le van Dzran is a former royal, just as his name van implies.
His ancestor was Rene, the 5th son of the 3rd Emperor, Charles I. Renes oldest son, Charles was adopted by the 4th Emperor, Edward IV, who had no male children, and ascended the throne as the 5th Emperor, Charles II. He was the father of the Imbecile 6th Emperor, Edward III and Duke Aquicurl. I was descended from them.
It was a prestigious family lineage (in the Bungdalto Empire), but lineage and ability are two different things.
The fief ruled by the current Marquis Alowa le van Dzran had fallen to the size of a Counts estate since half of his fief was ceded to the neighbouring Ada Kingdom during 3rd Appas War when my father was assassinated.
Marquis Dzran was seeking to reim his fief. He approached the Chancellors faction with bribes in hopes of using Lord Rauls army, thergest army in the Empire.
But Marquis Dzran was never in the Chancellors faction because the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies took advantage of his eldest son, Manbel le van Dzrans ambition to oust his father and take over his title as soon as possible. Manbel seized part of the Marquis Dzrans power with the support of the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, which caused the father and son to be divided between the Chancellor and Regent factions. They were on neither side, so they became known as neutrals.
Incidentally, Marquis Dzran doesnt know that Lord Raul, who was wary of Marquis Dzran because of his noble lineage, was the reason why he had to give up a part of his fief.
He was a pitiful man from an outsiders perspective.
Of course, their family quarrel was a proxy quarrel between the Chancellor and Regent factions in the capital.
But the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies agreed to suspend their political strife and deal with this rebellion together since Lord Warung had raised an army.
So, there was also a temporary truce between Marquis Dzran and his son, and a notice was issued for them to fight Lord Warungs army.
But
Impossible! They were instructed to buy time.
Are you sure they battled them at all?
Theyre advancing too fast! We wont be able to draft soldiers in time!!
I was taking a nap when I was dragged out by the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies and made to sit on the throne where I was forced to watch the panicking aristocrats for hours on end.
It was very amusing.
I knew what was going on as Id been informed of the situation by Count Ptine Vedett. Apparently, Marquis Dzrans second son, Anselm le van Dzran, had sowed discord between his father and elder brother and seized control of the army. Then, he allowed Lord Warungs army to pass through his fief.
I dont know if Anselms actions were part of Lord Warungs ns or if he did it on his own but I suspect it was thetter.
Anselm had given Lord Warung permission to pass through his fief, but he did not lead his army and join him. If he had a prior connection to Lord Warung then he would have sent his troops to assist him.
Calm down! Calm down!!
The Chancellor yelled. It must be tough.
Its toote to make a move, you guys. You should have acted swiftly when Lord Warung raised his army. Most of you probably looked down on Lord Warung and believed him to be nothing more than a musclehead.
But well, its easier for me to make my move when the aristocrats are panicking.
Fortunately, Count Ptine Vedett took Nadine into custody when he detected suspicious movement from Lord Warung. We can buy ourselves a lot of time if we negotiate with her as the hostage. In the meantime, we must gather our troops. We can start by gathering mercenaries.
The aristocrats became excited at the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremoniess announcement.
Ah, the Chancellor was sulking since the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies stole the spotlight.
Me? I was just watching the scene in a daze like always. Did I really need to be here for this?
Count Chamneaux, one of the generals, is already on his way with his army! We will surely be victorious with him inmand, even if it is against Lord Warung!!
The Chancellor mentioned Count Chmnaeuxs name as if he was taking a dig at the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies! The aristocrats were overjoyed. Lord Aquicurls face was twitching!
This is surprisingly fun.
Count Chamneaux Vera-Sylvies father willmand the army?
Im sure Count Ptine Vedett contacted him some time again and got him to be on my side
I nced at Count Ptine Vedett and he chuckled silently.
. I see, you have the Chancellor wrapped around your fingers.
He was working on another task for me When did he put these ns in motion?
One week ago.
I received a report from Count Ptine Vedett. The three men present were Count Ptine Vedett, Timona and Salomon de Valverde.
Your Majesty, Lord Warung seems like he will be raising an army.
Seems like? So, he hasnt yet.
He has not, but I hear he has decided to.
I see. So, Count Ptine Vedett knows exactly what Lord Warung is nning to do.
Alright. Then, always keep an eye on Nadine. If she acts suspiciously in any way, then arrest her and put her in jail.
Oh Is that alright with you?
Yeah. I want her to act as a messenger between me and Lord Warung. She is suitable for this role, is she not?
Hmm, indeed.
Lord Warung doesnt know that Im not just a puppet, so he might not believe that I have seized real power in the capital. But thats the thing that has been troubling me. I want Lord Warungs army to remain unscathed.
Look after her and make sure she doesntmit suicide. Hmm Get one of the spies to act as Lord Warungs ally from early on and get them to contact her. Tell them to tell her that theyre looking for an opportunity to let her go and keep her informed of whats happening. They should preferably be a woman.
Hopelessness kills, but on the other hand, people can survive if they have some hope.
Understood, Your Majesty. But you are being very attentive.
Do I sound unusual?
No, I am impressed.
Why, thank you.
Well, I admit Im a little excited. After all, Im just one step away from being rewarded for more than 10 years of patience. Its hard to stay calm in a situation like this, right?
Tell Fabio to raise an army just before Lord Warung enters the fief. If he can raise an army, then he should take a different route to the capital instead of joining up with Lord Warung.
As you wish.
Worst case scenario, Ill need the LMitedeau army to storm into the capital. And
How many decent knights are in the Imperial Guards? I want them on my side. Can you prepare a ce and select the men, Timona?
Please leave that to me.
Timona, whose voice had started to break before mine, responded. By the way, I cant do anything against him with a sword anymore I guess that hasnt changed.
Your Majesty, please give me an order.
I guess that will do for now, I thought, and Salomon spoke.
Is it alright for you to move under mymand?
Salomon is an active Marquis in the Belbe Kingdom, and I was nning a coup detat.
Yes, it is what Her Highness Rosalia wishes. And if we can get involved at this stage, then the Belbe Kingdom will be safe and sound.
So, its fine for you to act on your own as long as the results are good? Decisive.
But Im sure the Sealing Barrier will be up during the coronation.
That was why I was nning on making my move then. I had an overwhelming advantage since I can still use my magic even within the Sealing Barrier.
What is Rosalia nning to do?
Her Highness will be returning to her Kingdom for the time being. She will return under the pretence of the change in circumstances but her purpose is to prepare additional forces for Your Majesty.
Hmmm, I havent asked her to do anything yet though. But if she can prepare reinforcements then that would be a great help.
Is it alright for you not to go with her?
She is worried about you, Your Majesty. I will stay behind with my men.
Well, alright. Ill just think of it as me having reserve forces. It will be easier for me to move daringly if Rosalia is away from the dangerous capital.
Be prepared to be deployed at any time.
I dont have much time left. I need to be as prepared as I can.
Chapter 57: Elevator
Chapter 57: Elevator
Three dayster, Lord Warungs army entered Marquis Emassaches fief, which was under the direct control of the Emperor.
Meanwhile the capital was in chaos. Rumours of the approaching rebel army had caused some of the citizens to flee from the capital.
Arge number of mercenaries were assembled in the capital and security deteriorated rapidly. Supplies were forcibly collected from many stores to make up for the shortage of food. Of course, this was all ordered by the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies.
The citizens in the capital had horrible opinions about these two. Thank you for being viins.
Also, another reason for the shortage of food for the troops was because the Gotilova tribe had brought arge amount of food even though they were in debt.
To be more precise, the Gotilovas tantly brought all the food they could in a short time period while Lord Warung took his time to umte rations. It was as if they were saying, Were going to war now. As a result, it was a good cover to conceal Lord Warungs movements and the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies didnt detect Lord Warungs movements until the rebellion.
And the Chancellor who took this as a sign of Gotilovas rebelling, left most of his troops in his fief.
Well, he wasnt wrong.
Incidentally, I hadnt instructed the Gotilovas to do this.
And the Atururu tribe was among the mercenaries who had gathered in the capital. Im sure the Chancellor called them out to be assets in the war effort, but it was backfiring.
Im so grateful to the Chancellor for bringing a dependable force to the capital.
The pce was in chaos in preparation for the Emperors coronation ceremony.
This was also partly because there was no time to spare before the ceremony, but also because politics was stagnated and in disarray.
The politics of the Empire has not been functioning perfectly up to now because political disputes were taking ce due to the divide between the Chancellor and Regent factions. They divided the roles based on their own self-interest.
But this division in roles suddenly copsed when the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies announced that they would put their disputes on hold. As a result, some problems had several people trying to deal with it while others had no one dealing with it.
I was outside the pce in the midst of all this. To be precise, I was heading for the church that was built on the Founding Hill.
It was said that the ceremonial sword which was essential to the coronation ceremony was kept here, and ording to the will of the First Emperor, Cardinal, has not been touched by anyone except by the person who bes the Emperor. That was why I was here with Count Ptine Vedett right now.
The other aristocrats didnt have enough time to follow me here just to get the sword.
I found an old man inside the church which I hadnt seen since the Founding Festival. He looked like a clergyman and judging from the decorated hat that he wore; he must have been a high-ranking clergyman.
It is nice to meet you, Your Majesty. I am d that things are going well with your ns for ruling the Empire.
With that, the old man bowed deeply.
Only Count Ptine Vedett was with me. I see, so this is where hes contacting me.
Defrott le Moissans Father?
The man who took advantage of the Emperor and his enemies to get the Emperor on his side. The man who manipted everything during the attack.
He was a dangerous man. But I was able to meet the Chief of the Gotilova and Atururu tribes thanks to him.
My name is Daniel de Pierce. I am pleased to make your acquaintance.
Count Ptine Vedett, who was standing behind me, gave me more information about this man.
He is the leader of the Holy One Churchs Western Factions administration office, and publicly belongs to the Regent faction.
The leader?
There are three people under the Great Leader in the Western Faction, and I am one of them. I am mainly in charge of facility management.
Daniel de Pierce exined then shifted his body half-way and showed us his back.
There was a hidden door there; one that had not been here when I visited the first time.
I see, so you are saying that taking care of the ceremonial sword is one of your duties.
It is. Pleasee this way I will show you it.
We followed his lead. Count Ptine Vedett stopped when we reached the hidden door.
Your Majesty, I cannot go any further.
I see.
Is this another custom?
So, just one more thing
Count Ptine Vedett thought for a while and then spoke again.
We will be loyal only to you no matter what you decide; even if you desire to conquer the world, we will follow you. Remember that you do not necessarily have to listen to what that man says.
I see. I dont understand what hes saying but theres something unusual in store for me beyond this door.
Very well. I will keep that in mind.
Please do. I will keep watch here, Your Majesty.
I nodded once before going through the hidden door.
Beyond the hidden door was a spiral staircase.
There was another door when we went down, and a small room beyond that, then another door.
Somethings wrong.
The Empires Ceremonial Sword is usually kept beyond this door.
Daniel de Pierce said as he held something up to the door.
But I wanted Your Majesty to know the truth, so I have moved it to its rightful ce.
The floors shook slightly with those words.
The room is going down?
An elevator?
It is much slower than that.
He smiled as he said that.
It will take some time for us to arrive. Unlike electric power, magks instantaneous output.
This man seemed to know that I was a reincarnated person. So
Did you also reincarnate here?
I asked and the man shook his head.
I am not, but I am someone who knows about reincarnation.
Knows? Dont you know too much though?
Saint Ain is called the Instructing Saint in the Holy One Teachings but that was a title of respect given from those around him, and he has never called himself that. He has introduced himself with two names.
Were suddenly talking about the holy scriptures?
The book that Defrott had handed me was a trantion of the original scripture and contained the doctrine of the Holy One Teachings and notes from Ain. It was quite interesting, and I read a great deal of it since I believed that I needed to know it for ruling the Empire.
He called himself Gods Most Devoted Believer and Aech Propagator. He mostly called himself the former, and for some doctrines, he called himself theter when talking about the Aech.
That was why Ain was called the propagator.
I am d you enjoyed the scripture. Our believers all have different interpretations of what Aech is. For example, the Holy Imperialists believe that Aech is a messenger of God, and the Western Faction believe that Aech is the name of God. But you would interpret this word in a different way, Your Majesty.
I see.
Aech A word that could only be interpreted as a proper noun in this world. But to me to a reincarnated person, it has a different meaning.
Wisdom.
The teachings are from the wisdom of mankind but from a different world.
In other words, the founder of the Holy One Teachings, Ain, was a
He was a reincarnated person?
Yes. And we, the Ains Storytellers are those who know the truth.
Now that he mentioned it, I did notice some things.
The theory that the world is round. Refusing to fast I only thought that the doctrine was unique to this world and was slightly different from the religion I knew in my previous life.
But those were themon sense of the previous era, which have been taught as a religion here.
There were plenty of hints, but I didnt notice them at all.
Then that means
Theres no God?
Saying this in front of a clergyman could get me burnt at the stake I mean the man in front of me was a clergyman too.
There is. God asked Ain to pass on his advanced knowledge from his world onto this one.
Is that fact? Or an interpretation?
Well, I dont know if Ill believe you even if you say it was fact.
It is a fact to us, but it can be considered an interpretation since I have no way of proving it.
Well true. Im d hes a rational believer who can understand that.
So? What is Ains Storyteller?
I think Ive heard something simr Oh, when Count Ptine Vedett called himself Lothars Guardian.
If we were to describe ourselves with one word then it would be Reincarnationism [1]TN: Just go with it something like the study of reincarnations too long
Not of the Holy One Teachings?
Our faith is based solely on the words of Ain. That was our contract with him.
. Hmmm. I guess I need to know more about this.
We only believe in one thing. We believe that a reincarnated person who knows the mistakes and failures of their advanced world can lead this world in a better direction.
Indeed, we know about the ethical problems, environmental problems and religious problems that would ur hundreds or even a thousand years from now. What will be wrong and what will be right if this world goes on as it is?
We want to make the world a better ce. That is the earnest wish of every human. Their underlying ideals are the same even if conflicts arise due to their differences in means or even if someone chooses the wrong methods.
And Ains Storytellers chose reincarnated people as a means to achieve this. In a sense, we reincarnated people know the answer.
But doesnt that clearly deviate from Ains belief in God?
Yes. We are heretics who believe in God but prefer reincarnated people. Ain approved of this, but he made three requests on his dying bed in exchange. One was to convey the Holy One Teachings as it is. Every faction epts people easily or are interpreted in ways that would suit the politics of that time but that has nothing to do with us.
Ironic, that the people with the least amount of faith are the most faithful to the teachings.
Oops. I let my thoughts leak out.
Power clouds peoples minds. Thats why Ain couldnt trust his followers while he was alive.
Sounds bloody.
So, he made you sign a contract.
Yes. We were no exception.
Daniel de Pierceughed.
And another one of his requests was
The cunning clergyman stared at me in the eyes and said some shocking words.
That his child was to be kept a secret for 200 years and told only to those who needed to know after the 200 years are over.
Chapter 58: Ain’s Storyteller
Chapter 58: Ain¡¯s Storyteller
That his child was to be kept a secret for 200 years and told only to those who needed to know after the 200 years are over.
I stopped thinking for a few seconds when I heard those words.
The Holy One scriptures state that he was celibate all his life and had no children, so his followers inherited his teachings and became divided because of their differing interpretations.
You lie.
The Holy One religion would be turned upside down if what he was saying was the truth.
Oh, I see. Ain didnt want that to happen.
He didnt want his descendants to be taken advantage of, so he set a period of 200 years. If the sects managed to build a stable foundation, then they would just treat this information as a hoax. Did he see that the repercussions would be small?
Wait, then why did Daniel tell me this? Is he implying that I am one of the few people who need to know this information? Because Im the Emperor? Or because Im someone who should have been told this long ago?
A reincarnated person. Those who entrust the world to a reincarnated person. Information that is handed down through Ains descendants. Ain Im sure that means 1.
Daniel de Pierce.
Daniel is fine, Your Majesty. What is it?
What is the name of Ains child?
Of course, it was Zwei.
That name means 2. I knew it.
So that was why Ain entrusted his child to the storyteller. You storytellers would do your best to protect them since you see hope in the reincarnated.
So
His child was a reincarnator as well, wasnt he?
Yes, we believe he was. We hypothesised that a reincarnated person will be born among Ains descendants. Not all of Ains descendants are reincarnators, but if we protect the descendants of Ain, then we will gain the possibility of having many reincarnators being born. That was our conclusion and it has been proven correct so far.
Reincarnators are born to Ains descendants, so
I have Ains blood in me, thats why I am one of the few people who need to know.
That butler guy is also a reincarnator, which means he is a descendant of Ain and is connected to Ains storytellers.
Even we did not expect that his blood would enter the emperors bloodline so soon, or that the first child born would be a reincarnator.
Which means. I got it from my maternal grandmother?
Yes. The deceased wife of the present Lord Aquicurl, Maria-sama, is one of Ains descendants.
He told me shocking facts one after the other. You know, Im in the middle of preparing for a coup though.
I nced at Daniel and saw that he had knelt down without making a sound and was bowing his head.
Your Majesty. We, Ains Storytellers, would like to devote ourselves to you, the reincarnator. We need neither merit nor reward. We only ask two things of you.
Two things? I can guess what one of those things are, but well, alright.
Tell me.
I would like to ask you to spare the descendants of Ain as much as possible after theing civil war.
I knew it. They wanted to have as many chances as they could to have a reincarnator in this world, so theyre asking me to spare Ains descendants.
So, you want me to forgive Lord Aquicurls family?
Not all. There are some who cannot be forgiven, but I would be grateful if you spared those who surrender to you, Your Majesty.
Id really like to get rid of them all but I guess Ill spare them if this man will be on my side in exchange.
Youll have to look after them then, and I cant make any guarantees since nothing has happened yet but Ill keep that in mind.
Thank you very much.
But are they worth protecting? A reincarnator may know the future, but they could misuse their knowledge.
They could misuse their knowledge of another world to fulfil their selfish wishes. A person like that will definitely be reincarnated here.
Yes, we understand the danger. Therefore, our role is to protect and monitor.
So, Im one of the people theyre monitoring. Im used to being monitored.
And the thing we want to avoid the most is stagnation. We will overlook a certain amount of misuse if it brings about change. Our race is dying because we are being submerged by a swamp called stagnation.
Our race?
I asked and Daniel took off his hat.
He had long, pointed ears.
Youre an elf?
I am.
Elf This word and his features closely resembled the elves who were described in the fairy-tales of my previous life. Ive never seen them before in this world but everyone here knows what they look like.
ording to the legend, Ain and his followers saved the wise, beautiful and long-lived race (the elves) and persecuted the short and quick-tempered barbarians (the dwarfs) on the Central Continent. This topic was often spoken about in the boring sermons given by the Western Sect.
Come to think of it, this wasnt in the original text.
Ain was certainly persecuted, but he thought that deeply rooted discrimination would be born if youpliment or criticise certain races, so he told his followers not to hold any grudges and strictly ordered them not to write or document anything down. But there were many followers who were persecuted along with Ain, so their writings have been left behind in every sect.
I used to see Ain as just the founder of the Holy One religion but I respect him now that Ive heard this. Maybe because I was told that he was my ancestor but I think hes a great predecessor as a reincarnated person.
But elves and dwarfs arent supposed to live in the Eastern Continent.
Which means The elves not only helped Ain in the Central Continent but on the Eastern Continent too. And with their long lives
Unfortunately, the elves are not as long-lived as you believe, Your Majesty. Therefore, it was not I who started the Ain Storytellers, but my father.
Hmm. I thought Daniel had met Ain in person.
The room seemed to be descending slowly. There may still be time for questions.
Why didnt you know that I was a reincarnated person until I came into contact with another reincarnated person on my first tour even though you had considered the possibility of me being one? And why didnt you contact me after that?
You should understand, Your Majesty. It took me many years to infiltrate the Western Church. All of our efforts would be for naught if the Guardian of Lothar were to be our enemy.
I thought of Count Ptine Vedett who had been by my side earlier. So, he was the reason why Daniel didnt contact me.,
That his child was to be kept a secret for 200 years and told only to those who needed to know after the 200 years are over.
I stopped thinking for a few seconds when I heard those words.
The Holy One scriptures state that he was celibate all his life and had no children, so his followers inherited his teachings and became divided because of their differing interpretations.
You lie.
The Holy One religion would be turned upside down if what he was saying was the truth.
Oh, I see. Ain didnt want that to happen.
He didnt want his descendants to be taken advantage of, so he set a period of 200 years. If the sects managed to build a stable foundation, then they would just treat this information as a hoax. Did he see that the repercussions would be small?
Wait, then why did Daniel tell me this? Is he implying that I am one of the few people who need to know this information? Because Im the Emperor? Or because Im someone who should have been told this long ago?
A reincarnated person. Those who entrust the world to a reincarnated person. Information that is handed down through Ains descendants. Ain Im sure that means 1.
Daniel de Pierce.
Daniel is fine, Your Majesty. What is it?
What is the name of Ains child?
Of course, it was Zwei.
That name means 2. I knew it.
So that was why Ain entrusted his child to the storyteller. You storytellers would do your best to protect them since you see hope in the reincarnated.
So
His child was a reincarnator as well, wasnt he?
Yes, we believe he was. We hypothesised that a reincarnated person will be born among Ains descendants. Not all of Ains descendants are reincarnators, but if we protect the descendants of Ain, then we will gain the possibility of having many reincarnators being born. That was our conclusion and it has been proven correct so far.
Reincarnators are born to Ains descendants, so
I have Ains blood in me, thats why I am one of the few people who need to know.
That butler guy is also a reincarnator, which means he is a descendant of Ain and is connected to Ains storytellers.
Even we did not expect that his blood would enter the emperors bloodline so soon, or that the first child born would be a reincarnator.
Which means. I got it from my maternal grandmother?
Yes. The deceased wife of the present Lord Aquicurl, Maria-sama, is one of Ains descendants.
He told me shocking facts one after the other. You know, Im in the middle of preparing for a coup though.
I nced at Daniel and saw that he had knelt down without making a sound and was bowing his head.
Your Majesty. We, Ains Storytellers, would like to devote ourselves to you, the reincarnator. We need neither merit nor reward. We only ask two things of you.
Two things? I can guess what one of those things are, but well, alright.
Tell me.
I would like to ask you to spare the descendants of Ain as much as possible after theing civil war.
I knew it. They wanted to have as many chances as they could to have a reincarnator in this world, so theyre asking me to spare Ains descendants.
So, you want me to forgive Lord Aquicurls family?
Not all. There are some who cannot be forgiven, but I would be grateful if you spared those who surrender to you, Your Majesty.
Id really like to get rid of them all but I guess Ill spare them if this man will be on my side in exchange.
Youll have to look after them then, and I cant make any guarantees since nothing has happened yet but Ill keep that in mind.
Thank you very much.
But are they worth protecting? A reincarnator may know the future, but they could misuse their knowledge.
They could misuse their knowledge of another world to fulfil their selfish wishes. A person like that will definitely be reincarnated here.
Yes, we understand the danger. Therefore, our role is to protect and monitor.
So, Im one of the people theyre monitoring. Im used to being monitored.
And the thing we want to avoid the most is stagnation. We will overlook a certain amount of misuse if it brings about change. Our race is dying because we are being submerged by a swamp called stagnation.
Our race?
I asked and Daniel took off his hat.
He had long, pointed ears.
Youre an elf?
I am.
Elf This word and his features closely resembled the elves who were described in the fairy-tales of my previous life. Ive never seen them before in this world but everyone here knows what they look like.
ording to the legend, Ain and his followers saved the wise, beautiful and long-lived race (the elves) and persecuted the short and quick-tempered barbarians (the dwarfs) on the Central Continent. This topic was often spoken about in the boring sermons given by the Western Sect.
Come to think of it, this wasnt in the original text.
Ain was certainly persecuted, but he thought that deeply rooted discrimination would be born if youpliment or criticise certain races, so he told his followers not to hold any grudges and strictly ordered them not to write or document anything down. But there were many followers who were persecuted along with Ain, so their writings have been left behind in every sect.
I used to see Ain as just the founder of the Holy One religion but I respect him now that Ive heard this. Maybe because I was told that he was my ancestor but I think hes a great predecessor as a reincarnated person.
But elves and dwarfs arent supposed to live in the Eastern Continent.
Which means The elves not only helped Ain in the Central Continent but on the Eastern Continent too. And with their long lives
Unfortunately, the elves are not as long-lived as you believe, Your Majesty. Therefore, it was not I who started the Ain Storytellers, but my father.
Hmm. I thought Daniel had met Ain in person.
The room seemed to be descending slowly. There may still be time for questions.
Why didnt you know that I was a reincarnated person until I came into contact with another reincarnated person on my first tour even though you had considered the possibility of me being one? And why didnt you contact me after that?
You should understand, Your Majesty. It took me many years to infiltrate the Western Church. All of our efforts would be for naught if the Guardian of Lothar were to be our enemy.
I thought of Count Ptine Vedett who had been by my side earlier. So, he was the reason why Daniel didnt contact me.
Chapter 59: Secret Ruins Under the Capital
Chapter 59: Secret Ruins Under the Capital
The first thing I felt was a fresh warm breeze when the door opened.
I took a step into the room. The room was dimly lit, but what I experienced was a variety of red, green and purple lights.
What is this?
The room was sorge that it was hard to believe that this was underground. The ceiling was also very high, but that wasnt the surprising part; the surprising part was the true nature of the various colours in the dimly lit room.
Is this a magic circle?
Yes. I believe that they all have some kind of meaning, but unfortunately, those meanings are unclear to us now.
The walls, ceiling and floor were covered in shining patterns of various sizes. Looking at the patterns alone, one would believe that this was from a developed civilisation, but in contrast, there were parchment books, bricks and wooden structures.
I would have no idea what these things are before my reincarnation, but now I know what they are.
How much magic is in this room? What kind of magic is this?
Daniel walked straight into the room despite my fright. I rushed after him.
These magic circles frightened me because I understood magic. Someone could at least understand what kind of magic this is even if they dont understand the principles of magic, but these magic circles were different. I couldnt understand them.
But their position gave me some idea of what their roles were. The thin pattern stretching across the ground was probably a kind of cord. The parchment was for disy, and the wooden structures were to store something.
It was clear that this was different from Earths civilisation at a nce. If Earth was a civilisation based on science, then this was a civilisation based on magic.
But this was more advanced than Earths civilisation?
What is this? What is this ce?
It is the remains of an ancient civilisation.
Lost technology. A product of a lost advanced civilisation. This was also something that existed on Earth, but I thought it was only a fable.
Now it was in front of my eyes.
Why is this thing in a basement in the capital?
Of course, its because the Empire has ambitions. They want to control the world with the technology in these ruins.
I see. It was certainly an ambition that a monarch may have.
The Empire? That means
It was the Guardian of Lothar who looked after this ce before I took over.
What? You mean the Lothar Empire already knew of this?
But this wasnt the capital until Emperor Cardinal set eyes on it.
Yes. The only part that mattered to the Lothar Empire was the underground. These ruins were both a mystery and a threat to them. Emperor Cardinal only made this the capital because of his boldness.
I see. So, thats why it was named Founding Hill. Emperor Cardinal saw this and wanted the technology, so he made this the capital.
We could conquer the world if we possess such overwhelming magic, but no one has been able to analyse it.
Daniel paused.
All they were able to do was take advantage of a part of this facilitys original use
In front of him were a number of swords held in ce by a magic circle in the air.
Swords?
The original purpose of this facility was to make artificial holy swords.
Holy sword. It was a special weapon that appeared in myths and legends on Earth. It was thought to be a fantasy object.
These swords were real in this world where magic was no longer fantasy.
Holy swords exist, do they not?
There are a few of them left because they were made before the nk War.
This isnt good.
I cant keep up with your exnation. Exin in in words.
As you wish, Your Majesty. Otherwise, we cant get into the main topic.
There were many races in this world in the past, and their magic knowledge was much more advanced than what we have now. They started a war with their advanced knowledge. A war for the survival of their species. This is known as the nk War in our eleven lore.
The nk War?
The ground sunk, the seas split and the sky ripped open.
And the continents shifted for hundreds of years after.
The worst man-made disaster that could have destroyed the.
Everyone lost about 80% of their poption and some races even became extinct. There were no winners; it was just a foolish war that left the on the verge of death. A war that wiped away civilisations
Youre saying that this facility is from that time?
Yes. This was a weapon factory used to create artificial holy swords. A weapon used to kill other races.
It sounded unbelievable I wanted to brush it off as a tall tale or wild idea.
But that was in the past. Those things dont matter to us now.
I said and the old elf pointed at a sword.
The problem is that Emperor Cardinal has designated one of the powerful man-made holy swords as a ceremonial sword.
That was terrifying, a disaster. An unadorned sword oozing with murderous intent and madness. This sword, which had stored an unbelievable amount of mana, couldnt be called a ceremonial sword.
It was truly a weapon. I broke out in a cold sweat just from looking at it.
I dont want to look at it directly. It makes me feel sick.
Anyone who understands magic would think that, but Emperor Cardinal did not understand how terrifying this sword was. So, he only focused on its ability and turned it into a ceremonial sword.
Then, he gave a small shudder and called the swords name.
The man-made holy sword, Warstadt, makes people around it obey unconditionally.
Whoa! Thats not even magic anymore. Its heinous.
Emperor Cardinal dered two things when he made this into a ceremonial sword. The first was that it should only be used for the coronation ceremony and that it should never be touched again afterwards.
During the coronation ceremony in Bungdalto Empire, the Emperor is the only person who can be armed with the ceremonial sword, and after being crowned, they draw the sword and dere their ession to the throne. In other words, this sword was used to force everyone to acknowledge the Emperors ession.
He must have wanted to make unstable essions into a stable ession. He was an excellent warrior and politician, but he also had his shorings as a monarch.
He must have trusted his descendants.
He must have.
The 1st Emperor established this rule. He believed his descendants would abide by it.
Of course, they wouldnt. People are stupid.
I have always wondered why the emperors of the past could do whatever they wanted, and no one stopped them For example, Edward III, the 6th Emperor, repeatedlymitted all kinds of foolish acts and caused the Empire to decline, and yet no one assassinated him and he remained the Emperor until just before he passed away from illness. So it was because of this sword?
Yes. He always wore this ceremonial sword with him.
So, the sword that Emperor Cardinal left behind to help future emperors has ruined the Empire this much.
The Guardian of Lothar, who had managed this ce until then, concluded that they could not manage it when they failed to stop the 6th Emperor, and the role of managing it was passed onto me.
You say it as if that was what you were aiming for.
It is. I infiltrated the Western Church, so that I could manage it, and it is also rted to Ains third wish.
It doesnt seem like youre trying to use this facility from the way youre talking.
Im going a bit off topic but do you know the story about Ain and the heretic shamans?
Yeah, its mentioned in the scriptures.
The heretic shamans tried to deceive Ain with false oracles created through magic to undermine the Holy One Religion which was rapidly gaining believers, but the scriptures state that Ain saw through their attempts. I hadnt paid much attention to this story since I thought it was a so-called saved by righteous faith story.
Actually, Ain could not use magic, so he had little means to discern whether the shamans magical oracles were real or not. There was only one way he could tell. He kept the secret of what God called him until just before he passed and did not tell anyone.
What did God call him?
The Interventionist of Past Knowledge was what God called Ain.
The Interventionist of Past Knowledge?
Does that mean he knows the past?
Ain knew what happened in the past. Of course, he knew about the nk War as well. God had entrusted him with another mission aside from spreading the knowledge of another world.
To destroy ancient ruins like the one here?
Yes. That was why he came to this continent.
So, he didnte here to escape persecution in the Eastern Continent?
If he didnt, then his main job must have been to destroy ancient ruins like this.
In Ains lifetime, he seeded in demolishing all the ruins found to the east of the Heavenly Mountain Range, where the Holy One Religion was easily epted, but he could not demolish all the ruins to the west of the Heavenly Mountain Range because the Holy One Religion was not epted in this region in his time. So, he left us a third request which was to demolish all the ruins that remain on this continent.
If the nk War was the world ending itself because it went in the wrong direction, then the world that a reincarnator lived in was a world heading in the right direction. And Ains Storytellers who want the world to head in the right direction would want to demolish the ruins.
Why didnt you demolish them before? Why did you lead me here?
I can stop people from entering the ruins, but I cannot demolish them. Failure is not an option, and it takes a lot of time and effort to demolish these ruins. I concluded that it would be impossible to demolish it in secret, and it is also under the capital.
It would certainly take a lot of time and effort to demolish it without losing control of your magic.
So, we waited eagerly for a ruler who would understand why they must be destroyed.
The old elf said before kneeling down again.
I see, so thats his second request.
Our wish is that tragedy will not strike again. We are aware of the value of this facility. We may be able to unify the continent if we analyse the ancient technology and use it well, but there is no future beyond that. Your Majesty, I beg you to abandon this facility. If you will ept this request, then
No, the only option is to abandon this facility.
I probably should not be the one saying this, but are you really sure?
I would rather have no other choice.
This was like alien technology from an overwhelmingly advanced civilisation. Using it was nothing more than a g for destruction.
Ambitious emperors would have used this facility long ago if it were possible to analyse the magic of this facility.
You dont have to set that as a condition. This facility is beyond our control. How would we be able to use it? Its not possible to use this facility. If we try, we would be destroying ourselves but you can help with demolishing it, right? But I guess that will have to wait until the civil unrest settles down.
Thank you very much. We can finally carry out his will.
I probably wasnt imagining it when I heard his voice cracking.
But I pretended I hadnt noticed.
For now, well continue to forbid entry into the facility like before and Ill think about how to demolish itter. Ill have to conduct experiments above ground to safely demolish it in a way that wouldnt cause my magic to run amok.
The problem was
What should we do with the ceremonial sword?
What can we use to rece it if we abandon Warstadt? The aristocrats would get suspicious if we suddenly started using a different sword
We could use this sword?
Daniel said as he presented a sword from the floor instead of one of the ones lined up in the air.
Hey, isnt this a man-made holy sword too?
This facility has two processes. The first is to manufacture swords which will be holy swords, and the second is to turn swords into holy swords by channeling them with magic over a long period of time. The second process seems to take at least a hundred years. I am just guessing, but Warstadt must have undergone the second process for about 1,000 to 2,000 years.
So, this is a sword that hasnt undergone the second process yet?
Yes, it was made as a weapon. It looks the same as Warstadt. I guess they did not want the enemy to be able to tell its abilities based on its appearance.
So, it was possible to rece it.
But this sword looks like a magic tool too.
It is, but its abilities are quite simple. It stores mana and releases it. That is all it does. It is at a technological level that can be produced today, so it should be fine to use.
Oh. Isnt that good for everyday use?
I see By the way, it would be bad to use this sword on a regr basis, wouldnt it?
Even though it was a different sword, I couldnt go against the order of the First Emperor.
You should be able to. The Guardian of Lothar may disagree but they obey Lothar over Bungdalto, so they will follow your decision.
Alright. Then Ill use it.
I picked up the sword. This one didnt feel ominous or terrifying.
I might be able to walk around alone at the coronation ceremony with this sword.
Then, let us return to the ground, Your Majesty.
Ill be counting on you from now on.
Honestly, it was a heavy conversation. I had more things I had to think about now.
But I got two new powers, this sword (which wasnt as powerful as a holy sword and the Ains Storytellers. This was a massive gain.
There are only five days left until the coronation ceremony.,
The first thing I felt was a fresh warm breeze when the door opened.
I took a step into the room. The room was dimly lit, but what I experienced was a variety of red, green and purple lights.
What is this?
The room was sorge that it was hard to believe that this was underground. The ceiling was also very high, but that wasnt the surprising part; the surprising part was the true nature of the various colours in the dimly lit room.
Is this a magic circle?
Yes. I believe that they all have some kind of meaning, but unfortunately, those meanings are unclear to us now.
The walls, ceiling and floor were covered in shining patterns of various sizes. Looking at the patterns alone, one would believe that this was from a developed civilisation, but in contrast, there were parchment books, bricks and wooden structures.
I would have no idea what these things are before my reincarnation, but now I know what they are.
How much magic is in this room? What kind of magic is this?
Daniel walked straight into the room despite my fright. I rushed after him.
These magic circles frightened me because I understood magic. Someone could at least understand what kind of magic this is even if they dont understand the principles of magic, but these magic circles were different. I couldnt understand them.
But their position gave me some idea of what their roles were. The thin pattern stretching across the ground was probably a kind of cord. The parchment was for disy, and the wooden structures were to store something.
It was clear that this was different from Earths civilisation at a nce. If Earth was a civilisation based on science, then this was a civilisation based on magic.
But this was more advanced than Earths civilisation?
What is this? What is this ce?
It is the remains of an ancient civilisation.
Lost technology. A product of a lost advanced civilisation. This was also something that existed on Earth, but I thought it was only a fable.
Now it was in front of my eyes.
Why is this thing in a basement in the capital?
Of course, its because the Empire has ambitions. They want to control the world with the technology in these ruins.
I see. It was certainly an ambition that a monarch may have.
The Empire? That means
It was the Guardian of Lothar who looked after this ce before I took over.
What? You mean the Lothar Empire already knew of this?
But this wasnt the capital until Emperor Cardinal set eyes on it.
Yes. The only part that mattered to the Lothar Empire was the underground. These ruins were both a mystery and a threat to them. Emperor Cardinal only made this the capital because of his boldness.
I see. So, thats why it was named Founding Hill. Emperor Cardinal saw this and wanted the technology, so he made this the capital.
We could conquer the world if we possess such overwhelming magic, but no one has been able to analyse it.
Daniel paused.
All they were able to do was take advantage of a part of this facilitys original use
In front of him were a number of swords held in ce by a magic circle in the air.
Swords?
The original purpose of this facility was to make artificial holy swords.
Holy sword. It was a special weapon that appeared in myths and legends on Earth. It was thought to be a fantasy object.
These swords were real in this world where magic was no longer fantasy.
Holy swords exist, do they not?
There are a few of them left because they were made before the nk War.
This isnt good.
I cant keep up with your exnation. Exin in in words.
As you wish, Your Majesty. Otherwise, we cant get into the main topic.
There were many races in this world in the past, and their magic knowledge was much more advanced than what we have now. They started a war with their advanced knowledge. A war for the survival of their species. This is known as the nk War in our eleven lore.
The nk War?
The ground sunk, the seas split and the sky ripped open.
And the continents shifted for hundreds of years after.
The worst man-made disaster that could have destroyed the.
Everyone lost about 80% of their poption and some races even became extinct. There were no winners; it was just a foolish war that left the on the verge of death. A war that wiped away civilisations
Youre saying that this facility is from that time?
Yes. This was a weapon factory used to create artificial holy swords. A weapon used to kill other races.
It sounded unbelievable I wanted to brush it off as a tall tale or wild idea.
But that was in the past. Those things dont matter to us now.
I said and the old elf pointed at a sword.
The problem is that Emperor Cardinal has designated one of the powerful man-made holy swords as a ceremonial sword.
That was terrifying, a disaster. An unadorned sword oozing with murderous intent and madness. This sword, which had stored an unbelievable amount of mana, couldnt be called a ceremonial sword.
It was truly a weapon. I broke out in a cold sweat just from looking at it.
I dont want to look at it directly. It makes me feel sick.
Anyone who understands magic would think that, but Emperor Cardinal did not understand how terrifying this sword was. So, he only focused on its ability and turned it into a ceremonial sword.
Then, he gave a small shudder and called the swords name.
The man-made holy sword, Warstadt, makes people around it obey unconditionally.
Whoa! Thats not even magic anymore. Its heinous.
Emperor Cardinal dered two things when he made this into a ceremonial sword. The first was that it should only be used for the coronation ceremony and that it should never be touched again afterwards.
During the coronation ceremony in Bungdalto Empire, the Emperor is the only person who can be armed with the ceremonial sword, and after being crowned, they draw the sword and dere their ession to the throne. In other words, this sword was used to force everyone to acknowledge the Emperors ession.
He must have wanted to make unstable essions into a stable ession. He was an excellent warrior and politician, but he also had his shorings as a monarch.
He must have trusted his descendants.
He must have.
The 1st Emperor established this rule. He believed his descendants would abide by it.
Of course, they wouldnt. People are stupid.
I have always wondered why the emperors of the past could do whatever they wanted, and no one stopped them For example, Edward III, the 6th Emperor, repeatedlymitted all kinds of foolish acts and caused the Empire to decline, and yet no one assassinated him and he remained the Emperor until just before he passed away from illness. So it was because of this sword?
Yes. He always wore this ceremonial sword with him.
So, the sword that Emperor Cardinal left behind to help future emperors has ruined the Empire this much.
The Guardian of Lothar, who had managed this ce until then, concluded that they could not manage it when they failed to stop the 6th Emperor, and the role of managing it was passed onto me.
You say it as if that was what you were aiming for.
It is. I infiltrated the Western Church, so that I could manage it, and it is also rted to Ains third wish.
It doesnt seem like youre trying to use this facility from the way youre talking.
Im going a bit off topic but do you know the story about Ain and the heretic shamans?
Yeah, its mentioned in the scriptures.
The heretic shamans tried to deceive Ain with false oracles created through magic to undermine the Holy One Religion which was rapidly gaining believers, but the scriptures state that Ain saw through their attempts. I hadnt paid much attention to this story since I thought it was a so-called saved by righteous faith story.
Actually, Ain could not use magic, so he had little means to discern whether the shamans magical oracles were real or not. There was only one way he could tell. He kept the secret of what God called him until just before he passed and did not tell anyone.
What did God call him?
The Interventionist of Past Knowledge was what God called Ain.
The Interventionist of Past Knowledge?
Does that mean he knows the past?
Ain knew what happened in the past. Of course, he knew about the nk War as well. God had entrusted him with another mission aside from spreading the knowledge of another world.
To destroy ancient ruins like the one here?
Yes. That was why he came to this continent.
So, he didnte here to escape persecution in the Eastern Continent?
If he didnt, then his main job must have been to destroy ancient ruins like this.
In Ains lifetime, he seeded in demolishing all the ruins found to the east of the Heavenly Mountain Range, where the Holy One Religion was easily epted, but he could not demolish all the ruins to the west of the Heavenly Mountain Range because the Holy One Religion was not epted in this region in his time. So, he left us a third request which was to demolish all the ruins that remain on this continent.
If the nk War was the world ending itself because it went in the wrong direction, then the world that a reincarnator lived in was a world heading in the right direction. And Ains Storytellers who want the world to head in the right direction would want to demolish the ruins.
Why didnt you demolish them before? Why did you lead me here?
I can stop people from entering the ruins, but I cannot demolish them. Failure is not an option, and it takes a lot of time and effort to demolish these ruins. I concluded that it would be impossible to demolish it in secret, and it is also under the capital.
It would certainly take a lot of time and effort to demolish it without losing control of your magic.
So, we waited eagerly for a ruler who would understand why they must be destroyed.
The old elf said before kneeling down again.
I see, so thats his second request.
Our wish is that tragedy will not strike again. We are aware of the value of this facility. We may be able to unify the continent if we analyse the ancient technology and use it well, but there is no future beyond that. Your Majesty, I beg you to abandon this facility. If you will ept this request, then
No, the only option is to abandon this facility.
I probably should not be the one saying this, but are you really sure?
I would rather have no other choice.
This was like alien technology from an overwhelmingly advanced civilisation. Using it was nothing more than a g for destruction.
Ambitious emperors would have used this facility long ago if it were possible to analyse the magic of this facility.
You dont have to set that as a condition. This facility is beyond our control. How would we be able to use it? Its not possible to use this facility. If we try, we would be destroying ourselves but you can help with demolishing it, right? But I guess that will have to wait until the civil unrest settles down.
Thank you very much. We can finally carry out his will.
I probably wasnt imagining it when I heard his voice cracking.
But I pretended I hadnt noticed.
For now, well continue to forbid entry into the facility like before and Ill think about how to demolish itter. Ill have to conduct experiments above ground to safely demolish it in a way that wouldnt cause my magic to run amok.
The problem was
What should we do with the ceremonial sword?
What can we use to rece it if we abandon Warstadt? The aristocrats would get suspicious if we suddenly started using a different sword
We could use this sword?
Daniel said as he presented a sword from the floor instead of one of the ones lined up in the air.
Hey, isnt this a man-made holy sword too?
This facility has two processes. The first is to manufacture swords which will be holy swords, and the second is to turn swords into holy swords by channeling them with magic over a long period of time. The second process seems to take at least a hundred years. I am just guessing, but Warstadt must have undergone the second process for about 1,000 to 2,000 years.
So, this is a sword that hasnt undergone the second process yet?
Yes, it was made as a weapon. It looks the same as Warstadt. I guess they did not want the enemy to be able to tell its abilities based on its appearance.
So, it was possible to rece it.
But this sword looks like a magic tool too.
It is, but its abilities are quite simple. It stores mana and releases it. That is all it does. It is at a technological level that can be produced today, so it should be fine to use.
Oh. Isnt that good for everyday use?
I see By the way, it would be bad to use this sword on a regr basis, wouldnt it?
Even though it was a different sword, I couldnt go against the order of the First Emperor.
You should be able to. The Guardian of Lothar may disagree but they obey Lothar over Bungdalto, so they will follow your decision.
Alright. Then Ill use it.
I picked up the sword. This one didnt feel ominous or terrifying.
I might be able to walk around alone at the coronation ceremony with this sword.
Then, let us return to the ground, Your Majesty.
Ill be counting on you from now on.
Honestly, it was a heavy conversation. I had more things I had to think about now.
But I got two new powers, this sword (which wasnt as powerful as a holy sword and the Ains Storytellers. This was a massive gain.
There are only five days left until the coronation ceremony.
Chapter 60: Imperial Guard Balthazar
Chapter 60: Imperial Guard Balthazar
The next day, I was in my room waiting for someone with a cup of herbal tea that Timona made me.
The ceremonial sword that I had brought back yesterday was wrapped tightly in a purple cloth in my room.
I asked Timona to find a scabbard for it since I didnt have one, but that wasnt the reason why it was wrapped in a cloth; apparently, this was part of the ritual for the coronation. The reddish-purple colour that the cloth was dyed in was called Lothar colour and used to be reserved only for the emperor of Lothar. It was a so-called sacred colour. Well, there were no restrictions on the use of the colour nowadays, so I guess it was just part of tradition.
Now, the sword wrapped in the cloth had the ability to draw mana from its surroundings and release it at the users discretion. Its ability was something that could be reproduced with a magic tool, but I wanted this sword so badly that I couldnt wait to get my hand on it.
When you imagine a wizard, you probably imagine him with a wand. Ivee to understand now that I can use magic in this world, that it was probably theoretically correct to say that a wizard uses a wand.
The easiest way to use magic was to use the mana in your body to influence the mana in the air. This was probably the mostmon method for mages in this world, but it was necessary to imagine the magic you want to use and imagine tempering the mana when using this method. Well, the magic would still be activated even if you dont imagine kneading the mana. You needed to properly imagine tempering mana to achieve a certain degree of power.
It was quite difficult to imagine two things at the same time, and you would often devote your attention to other things when youre in the middle of battle, so you would have multiple thoughts jumbling together.
That was where the wand came in. You would imagine the magic you want to use, but the mana tempering would be done through the wand. In other words, it was a way to organise your thoughts.
If you try to send two images from one starting point then they might get mixed up, so we prepare another starting point, the wand, and separate the two images from their respective starting points to prevent them from mixing together.
I was killing two birds with one stone since this wand functioned as a mana conductor.
I tend to move my hands when I use magic. If I pay attention, then I can use magic without moving my hands at all, but if Im not, then I end up moving them. That was probably because that was how I imagined using magic was like. In fact, I could use magic more urately and quickly with hand movements.
So, a wand doesnt have to be a wand. I can use a sword as well since my hand movements were also a substitute for a wand.
This sword also had the function to store mana, and apparently releasing it as well. When I tried using it, I found that it burst the mana out.
But simply bursting mana was the same as using a water pistol. I couldnt use it as a means of attack.
But this force was exactly what I was looking for. The sealing magic casted by the Sealing Barrier wasnt something that acted instantaneously.
Yesterday, I tried to use it a bit in my room (inside of the barrier ward) after I came back and as I expected, mana was released from the sword. This was proof that the mana wasnt being stored on the surface of the sword but inside it.
And I was able to use magic by using the mana in the sword. The released mana would be restricted over time but if the unrestricted mana was generated swiftly, then it would take time for it to be restricted.
Ive been using magic by releasing mana from inside of my body up until now but from now on, I can also use this sword. My power had increased by two-fold.
And this sword was the base of a Holy Sword and apparently was of fine quality.
So, if I used this sword then the coup dtat at the coronation ceremony will probably seed. After all, only the emperor can be armed with a sword at the coronation ceremony and the Sealing Barrier will definitely be activated on my coronation day.
I will be the only one with a sword and I will probably be the only one who could use magic within the barrier.
I would be able to control the situation with this one-sided advantage. It will be easier for me to seize control of the capital if I can restrain all the aristocrats who will be at the coronation.
The other problem would be controlling the Imperial Guards (the internal troops) and the army that had been formed to defeat Lord Warung (the external troops). I am waiting for a report from Count Ptine and Timona on this
Your Majesty, I have brought an Imperial Guard who meets the requirements.
Come in.
Now what kind of person has he brought?
The soldiers who defend the pce are people who I mustmand.
As a result of Emperor Edward IIIs misruling, the Imperial Guard position had be a tool for aristocrats and merchants to gain prestige. The powerful and proud Imperial Guards have disappeared.
Nowadays, only the heirs of powerful aristocrats and rich merchants call themselves Imperial Guards.
But the duty of guarding the pce didnt disappear. The 6th Emperor Edward III was a fool, but he was obsessed with surviving. He knew that he wouldnt be able to protect himself without the Imperial Knights even if he had a lot of artificial holy swords. When he sold the official position of Imperial Knight to the merchants, he hadnt bestowed them with the Quole Aques (Imperial Guard) [1]TN: This was really confusing and I went back to check if I got it wrong cause he used different words for both this time but Ill just stick with what he originally wrote dozen or so chapters Continue reading title which would be given to someone at the same time they became an Imperial Guard since he wanted to differentiate between the two.
Even though he had sold the Imperial Knight title, he had not sold the Quole Aques (Imperial Guard) title.
Did the Imperial Knightsin at that time? Well, they can be silenced with money. They all got a pay raise. I dont know how they actually felt at that time, but they didnt rebel against Emperor Edward III because of the sry increase.
I heard the Imperial Knights have a high sry because of this. Also, it was the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies who took the paid raise that was meant for the Quole Aques and gave it to the entire force.
Honestly, I have a problem with their sry. Financially, I should probably lower it, but I wont have their support if I do. What would happen then, you ask?
Well, you just have to look at a certain Roman Emperor and his Imperial Guards.
Ill be killed if Im surrounded by the entire Quole Aques force. I must do something before that happens.
The best option for me was toplete the ession without their help, hold them ountable for siding with the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, reduce their sry and numbers, or dissolve them.
But they could rebel during my coronation if I went with this choice. I would be killed if I fail to restrain them at the coronation, and the aristocrats could escape during the battle.
I weighed the merits between the Imperial Guards and the aristocrats and decided that I would crush the aristocratspletely.
The guard corps? Ah right, they exist, dont they? But that was a title that was created so that it could be bestowed to the aristocratic children. Ive never seen them work. So, theyll be crushed too.
Thats why I chose to have a meeting with one of the Imperial Guards. I was able to do so because the aristocrats were bing less and less wary of me. I guess they have a lot on their hands.
The man finally entered my room after a thorough body check by Timona at the entrance since I had to be on guard against recording magic tools.
This way please, Chevird-dono.
Balthazar, the man who was led into my room by Timona, kneeled and looked down so that he wouldnt make eye contact with me.
Oh
It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Balthazar Chevird. I
Its been a while.
I only nced at his face, but I recognised him immediately. It was the man who had given me an answer when I was puzzled by the cheers of the people; the man who I saw through the carriage window. Has he aged since then? I dont think he had a beard like this back then.
I havent seen you since the parade, Schwarov le Goose I didnt know you could change your name in this nation.
His shoulders shook. It was a little amusing. Since hes here, lets threaten him a little.
I had Count Ptine Vedett search for someone named Schwarov le Goose early on since he seemed like a decent person for an Imperial Guard even though I only exchanged a few words with him. So, I knew that no such person existed and that I had been given a fake name but I had no idea that Timona would bring him to me.
I needed someone who was experienced inmanding troops inbat and would be able to pledge their loyalty to the emperor. The persons ability tomand troops was especially important. A spy hiding in the Imperial Guards could neutralise the troops, but they wouldnt be able tomand them. It seemed that Balthazar had experience inmanding troops even if it was only with small toons.
Or am I mistaken, and you just resemble that person? Which is it?
He seemed to be shaking slightly. Well, he did lie to the Emperor after all. Maybe he thought that I might use him of being disrespectful. Im not mad at him. He seemed to have good intuition since he used a false name to avoid any trouble. The ability to sense danger was important in any situation.
If he had been a low ranking aristocrat, he would have started talking about his official position and even his family history without even being asked.
Balthazar remained on his knees and didnt talk Doesnt he seem a bit pitiful?
You lied about your name, didnt you?
I am extremely sorry about that. Please! Please forgive me!
Whether I forgive you or not depends on your answer. First, look up.
Well, I have to kill him or lock him up to prevent information from leaking if he refuses.
I spoke to him briefly; I told him about the current state of the Empire, the assassinations of the previous Emperor and Crown Prince and my intention to stage a coup dtat at my coronation ceremony.
So you want me to help you gather troops.
He didnt seem surprised about the assassinations. Perhaps, people were already gossiping about this in town.
Hmm. I shouldmand you since you are a part of my Imperial Guards but I dont have that power yet. You could interpret it that way.
Hah. You are right.
Balthazar said before looking down, then he slowly spoke again after contemting for a few minutes.
Why did you summon me?
Because I concluded that I would need you for this n.
Actually, it was Timona who brought him here, so it wasnt me who made the decision, but I trust Timona. So, his decision is my decision, and if this fails, then I will take responsibility. Monarchs werent the only ones who took responsibility; anyone who stood at the top did as well I havent experienced this in my previous life, so Im just winging it in that area.
Thank you for your kind words. As Your Majesty Orders. I, as an Imperial Guard, pledge allegiance to my rightful master.
Thanks. Ill need to contact you often Ill assign a spy to serve as a liaison until the coronation. Ill introduce the two of youter.
This arrangement will also serve as a way to monitor him. Im sorry, but I cant afford to screw up here.
Sit down. Make yourself at home Im not offended that you gave me a fake name.
Balthazar sat down on the sofa, drank tea made by Timona and seemed to calm him down a little. It seems like he has a lot of courage.
Well, I guess I look forward to working with you, Schwarov le Goose.
Please stop. I know a guy who has that name.
He looked as if he really hated it. Then why did you introduce yourself to me as that?
Im joking Balthazar. I would like to talk about your first assignment. Is it possible for you to take control of the Imperial Guards?
There are about 50 Imperial Guard members in the capital. Ten of them are part of the upper echelons, and the others aremoners like me
The Imperial Guards, who were scattered by the sale of the title, has be a title for aristocrats and their children to gain prestige. They werent in the capital because they had no intention of fulfilling their duties as an Imperial Guard. The only ones who are in the capital are mostly those from peasant backgrounds. So, it may be possible for him to seizeplete control of the Imperial Guards while I take control of the capital.
I believe there will be a good number of people who will agree to this since there are a lot of aristocrat haters in the Imperial Guard, but I am the only person with the Quole Aques title
All the people who are supposed to be in a position to control the Imperial Guards are aristocrats which means they are my enemies.
So, what if we have all the information on all the Imperial Guards in the capital, their thoughts, connection to aristocracy and their personalities?
Ah, well, then
Count Ptine has all this information, and this information is updated every few hours.
The people we ced to monitor other things could be re-allocated to this task thanks to Lord Warung raising his army and thanks to the fact that the actions of the two factions were predictable to a certain extent.
. It might still be difficult to takeplete control of the Imperial Guards even with that information. Im sorry.
Well, its hard to be sure.
Were in a situation where failure is not an option. Its better to tell me you cant rather than you can. Then, how about you take control of a portion of them, and assign them to the coronation ceremony?
I dont know about that either. There are many people who would like to participate in your coronation, especially those at the top.
Hmmm. Hes right, they would want to participate, and it would be risky to intervene in that.
Balthazar pondered for a moment, scratched his head, then spoke again.
Ah how about we assign those we have control of to the outside?
The outside?
Yes, the Imperial Guards will be divided into two groups on the day of the coronation: those inside the venue and those outside. The outside guards can still have all their gear on them, but the inside guards are not allowed to arm themselves.
I see. Thats news to me. Hes right, only the emperor is allowed to have a sword at the coronation ceremony I see, so that applies to the Imperial Guards as well.
We will rush into the hall armed and ready as soon as you make your move. We can restrain both the aristocrats and the Imperial Guards this way, but we will be dyed by a few seconds because of the distance
Good idea. If we use this strategy yup, itll work.
Thats fine. I can hold them back for that long, then lets work out the details of the n.
There are only four days left until the coronation ceremony. If I keep my guard up and go through the n then I should be able to aplish this.
Chapter 61: With Love from the Tower
Chapter 61: With Love from the TowerWar was approaching. Even the citizens living in the capital seemed to have sensed this even if they didnt have much ess to information. The capital was in chaos ording to the reports.
Security had deteriorated due to the mercenariesing to the capital. Bars had be lively, but many citizens closed their doors tightly out of fear.
Some even concluded that the capital would be a battlefield and were trying to escape, and aristocrats were among those trying to escape.
Lord Warung was known for being a skilled warrior. His troops totalled 20,000. They were heading straight north toward the capital, and another piece of information came in that caused people to elerate their ns to escape.
The surviving members of Marquis LMitedeaus House had raised an army Fabio had seeded in raising his army and was now approaching from the east of the capital with 5,000 people at hismand.
I think thats too many people, but I havent received any reports about whether its too much or not.
On the other hand, the punitive force that was gathering in the capital numbered 50,000 in total but their actual numbers are unknown because the mercenaries say they have more people than they actually have.
Mercenaries are considered dependable if they have more people in their group and they are paid more, so they say they have more people than they actually have. If they get caught stating that they have more people than they actually have then they will be charged but there wasnt any time to investigate all the mercenary groups.
I heard that Count Chamneaux, Matthieu le Chaplier was chosen as the general of the Defeat Duke Warung army. The Chancellor will formally delegate themand of the army to him, and he will leave the capital.
Why is the person who ismanding the army to defeat Lord Warung not the Chancellor or the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies? Well, because theyre not generals.
As a matter of fact, the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies dont have the authority tomand the Imperial Army. They can onlymand their own private armies, i.e. the Raul Army and the Aquicurl Army.
There are three positions in the Empire that have authority to lead the Imperial Army; those are the Emperor, a Marshal, and a General. Marshals and generals vary ording to the times (e.g. there are more of them during wartime) but there are usually 1-2 marshals and 3-5 generals. Even the Crown Prince cannot lead an Imperial Army without one of these titles. My father had the general title when he went to war.
By the way, this rule was disregarded after I became Emperor, thats why both the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies both refer to their private armies as the Imperial Army to increase their prestige.
But Lord Warung dered that they were oppressing the Emperor, so it seems that they, too, have decided to follow the rule this time.
Currently there was only one person in the Empire that held the marshal position. Count Zeefe, Justo de Zeefe. The rank of marshal is higher than that of a general in this nation, so he should have been inmand if things went ording to thew.
But he was a neutralist, and while Count Zeefe is a title without a fief, he also holds another baron title that came with a fief, and this fief was in the southern part of the Empire in other words, he was within Duke Warungs sphere of influence.
He was a man that the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies had to be wary of and he was currently under house arrest in his residence at the capital.
Why did the Chancellor appoint such a person as the marshal? He probably appointed him because he and the Chief of the Ministry believed that it would be better to have someone from the neutral faction be in that position instead of someone from the opposite faction. Also, the Chancellor and the other aristocrats will likely suffer if they didnt have apetentmander if we did go to war with another nation.
Though, Count Zeefe isnt on my side. I asked Count Ptine Vedett to get in touch with him through a spy, but he said that he wouldnt get involved with civil war and that he would fight foreign enemies but wont interfere in politics.
Hes a stubborn person. Hes not a priority since hes not leading an army, so Ill leave him alone for now.
Next, there are three people who could be called generals. Among them there was one person who was in a veryplicated situation.
That person was none other than Lord Warung, Richter du van Warung.
I recently learnt that the Chancellor had asked him to take the general position when he stepped down from being a marshal, but he put this proposal on hold since he wanted to keep his distance from the pce, so some people call him general while others dont.
This proposal was still on hold even after 10 years, but the Chancellor withdrew this offer when Lord Warung decided to raise his army.
The other two generals Well, one of them belongs to the Regent faction and the other the Chancellors faction.
The Regent factions general was Phillip de Aquicurl. He has the same name as Lord Aquicurl but he wasnt him. He was the legitimate son of Lord Aquicurls eldest son, Freed; in other words, he was the grandson of Lord Aquicurl.
By the way, he has no experience in leading an army, so naturally, he cant lead the punitive force. Why did Lord Aquicurl give such an important position to his grandson? That position isnt a present.
He may love his grandson since he gave his grandson the same name as him. Well, thanks to that, it was easy to decide who themander should be.
It still took a few days for them to decide though.
The third general, Count Chamneaux, Matthieu le Chaplier. He was Vera-Sylvies father, the man who will be leading an army to defeat Lord Warung and the man who I am about to meet.
Count Chamneaux, Matthieu le Chaplier. His personality can be summed up in one word: cautious.
His daughter was being held hostage by the Chancellor faction. He was in a tense situation since his fief was surrounded by those in the Regent faction. Even so, his perseverance to continue to endure this situation was genuine.
He refused tomand the punitive force twice and finally agreed when asked for the third time.
He stubbornly refused to give Count Ptine Vedett a definite answer despite Count Ptine Vedett approaching him numerous times which showed he was cautious.
The Count, however, wasing to my room today to greet me before going into battle. The meeting was arranged at thest minute, so both the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies couldnt take any precautions. The Chancellor, in particr, had one of his lines ofmunication with his fief cut off by Fabios army. They were now advancing towards the capital, but if they started advancing northward, then Lord Rauls fief and the capital could bepletely separated.
Your Majesty, I have a report to make before you meet with the Count.
A steaming cup of tea was quietly ced in front of me as I sat on the sofa.
Tell me.
I sipped the herbal tea that Timona had brewed.
The matter with the Imperial Guards is going well.
Really? Alright. Keep me updated.
As you wish.
No one knows that I ammunicating with Balthazar, so Ive been trying to keep names out of it. I wish I could use Schwarov as an alias for him but he seems to hate being called that.
I contacted Balthazar just before the coup because I was waiting for the Chancellor and Regent factions to rx their surveince of me and also to prevent my meeting from leaking to others. It bes more likely for information to leak when more time passes.
But more importantly, spies hiding in the Imperial Guard can temporarily immobilise them by administering non-lethal poison to them. So, I had countermeasures even if Balthazar refused to cooperate with me.
By the way youre making me a lot of herbal teately.
Well, I do like the vour though.
The herbs in your herbal tea have detoxifying properties.
Why? Ah, the guandeleo?
Guandeleo was dried guande. I was burning some, but I had perfect control of the smoke thanks to my magic, so I didnt inhale any of it.
Also, they stopped sending me the guandeleo after Lord Warung raised his army, and were telling people that Im holed up in my room because of withdrawal symptoms.
I rubbed the scent on my clothes just in case.
I have that well controlled by magic too. I didnt know if the symptoms were caused by inhaling the nt or just by touching it, so I was very careful and didnt let it touch my skin at all.
Youre being too overprotective.
That is a servants duty Hes here.
I put down my cup and looked up. Count Chamneaux, who was apanied by Count Ptine Vedett, was a handsome young-looking man. I see, he certainly looked like Vera-Sylvie.
He looked like a slightly grown-up Vera after the magic stopped.
Please sit down, Count Chamneaux.
I had an alternative n when I met with Balthazar, but I didnt have one for Count Chamneaux.
But Count Chamneaux will definitely be on my side, because this is the best decision he could make.
If he doesnt side with the emperor and continues to lead the army against Lord Warung, then he will have to take responsibility if he loses. Worst case, his fief will be taken from him.
It would be even more disastrous if he wins. The factional dispute between the Chancellor and the Regent factions will regress. Count Chamneaux was a member of the Chancellor faction and was surrounded by the Regent faction, so he would be isted again theres a high chance that he would be assassinated by the Regent faction without even being able to return to his fief.
He was able toe to the capital this time because the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies made a temporary truce because of Lord Warung which removed the pressure from the fiefs surrounding his own.
Count Chamneaux was a hound that was kept alive because it had a prey, Lord Warung. He will be disposed of as useless when there are no more prey.
So, what will Count Chamneaux do? Leave the prey alone? No.
He should follow a new master, the Emperor, and change his ss from hound to guard dog. That was the right choice to make as an aristocrat.
This was correct in terms of the rtionship between a monarch and the aristocrats.
But a rtionship solely based on interests cannot be trusted.
So, Ill go with a more backhanded approach this time.
Im sorry for doing this without notice but just give me a minute.
I channelled mana into the magic earring.
Ah! Thats
Vera. Im going to give the earring to Count Chamneaux now. Is that alright?
Yup. Im nervous. But, its alright.
I had told Vera-Sylvie that I might do this beforehand but she was still nervous.
Calm down. You dont have to stress about this Youre just talking to your family for the first time in a long time.
Ok. What, should, I talk about?
Just talk about whatever you want. You dont have to talk about me. Alright, Ill give him the earring now.
This earring worked normally even inside of a Sealing Barrier, but the call will stop if I stop channelling mana to it. I channelled a little more mana into the earring from inside my body and handed it to Count Chamneaux.
I have an urgent matter to, Count Chamneaux. Ill be back soon, so take care of this earring until then Well talkter.
Count Chamneaux quietly epted the earrings. He held it in his palms as if it was very important.
His hands were trembling slightly.
I turned away and quietly left the room.
Chapter 62: The Cards are Falling into Place
Chapter 62: The Cards are Falling into ceI left my room and slowly walked down the hallway, since I was supposed to be suffering from withdrawal symptoms.
Where are you headed?
I shrugged slightly at Timona. The room was secured by the spies, so the call would be undetectable, but what should I do?
Well, I hadnt thought that far ahead.
Theyll know I was faking my symptoms if I go outside.
How about a bath? It wouldnt be unnatural for me to tell the maid that youre feeling unusually well.
I stayed in my room except for that time when I went to get the ceremonial sword. This was natural behaviour for an emperor who was under the influence of guandeleo, so Ive only been able to get my body wiped and have my head washed for the past few days.
Alright. Can you arrange my bath for me?
As you wish, I will go ahead and get it ready.
Timona went to the bathroom first, and I spoke when he was out of sight.
Do you have something you want to say to me?
Count Ptine Vedett was next to me.
No but I have something on my mind.
Something on his mind huh.
About how to get Count Chamneaux on our side?
Peoples hearts will change even if you get a convenient reply through fear, so its better to appeal to their emotions. Thats why I used the girl to persuade Count Chamneaux.
The method I used wasnt much different from what the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies use.
I hope that was alright. The Count has no choice but to obey you under these circumstances. The problem is with your emotions not with your reasoning What Im trying to say is that you shouldnt expose yourself to your vassals too much.
Ah, the call. He was being reasonable.
I got it. Ill be careful.
Hes telling me to be like an emperor.
By the way, Count Ptine, did you spread the information about the deaths of the previous emperor and my father?
I did. Did I do something unnecessary?
Like Balthazar had told me, the citizens in the capital didnt view the emperor in a bad light because there was a rumour that the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Cermeonies had assassinated the popr Crown Prince Jean. The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies were hated by the people, and the people are more sympathetic towards me.
No? Keep doing it but dont let them find out about it.
Understood.
I dont consider manipting information bad. Misinformation and lies will spread without restrictions. I have seen the good and the bad of this in my previous life, and in an age where the masses have yet to be educated, it will be difficult to decide whether the information was true or not. Some degree of information maniption was necessary so that the popce wont get confused.
Even if it was justified, people cannot forgive what cant be forgiven. I was on that side in my previous life too,
But havent the Chancellor and the others heard the rumours?
They probably have, but they understand that it will only make things worse if they punish people for it.
He rules his own fief, so hes cautious in that area.
If he were to do that then he would have to do it thoroughly, even to the point of terror, but the opposing faction would exploit this. Thats why he cant do anything.
He somehow managed to maintain this fine bnce of power.
When I returned to my room after taking a bath, Count Chamneaux was kneeling and gently offered me the earring.
I took it politely and spoke to him.
Are you sure?
Yes.
He was talking to a daughter who he wasnt allowed to see for more than ten years since she was imprisoned. I imagined he would have wanted to talk to her longer.
I will overthrow the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies at my coronation and crown myself the emperor with my own hands. Then, your imprisoned daughter will be released as soon as possible. Will you side with me, Count Chamneaux?
I had nned to obey you after you were crowned, but I was wrong. I pledge my absolute loyalty to you right here and now. I cannot apologise for the dy in my pledge.
Thanks, Count. Your loyalty to the Empire is genuine.
Well, I dont understand what people are thinking, but Im certain that Count Chamneaux is on my side. The least risky option would be to join me since even if the Chancellor or the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies says that they will release Vera-Sylvie, theres a chance that the other faction will intervene.
Now, make yourselffortable, Count Chamneaux. I have a favour to ask of you.
The first step was to get information about the army gathering in the capital. Count Chamneaux was now the general in charge of this army, but
It is difficult to find out the exact number of the army?
It is. With an army thisrge there must be at least 40,000 men.
But if theyre mainly mercenaries then wouldnt it be difficult to disband them?
What should I do with this force? Even if themander of the army, Count Chamneaux, supports the army, that doesnt mean that all of his men will readily follow his lead. After all, this wasnt his army, but a mash of troops. Some of them may even rebel.
But mercenaries are hired with money so they shouldnt openly rebel as long as they receive their payment.
Some of the troops are from the lords and the majority of them will be troops from the Chancellor faction. Lord Rauls main army isnt able to move from his fief due to the increasing movement from the Gotilova tribe Are they also your allies, Your Majesty?
Yeah. Theyre supporting me.
But well, Im not sure if I can control them, but I stayed silent about this since I couldnt tell Count Chamneaux about it.
I knew it The Regent aristocrat armies are scattered in small forces everywhere. It seems that most of the old Aquicurl aristocrats arent participating On the contrary, some of them seemed to have joined with Lord Warung.
They joined Lord Warung?
The old Aquicurl aristocrats were rebelling against the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies but was that reason enough to side with Lord Warung?
Are you aware of the current situation of the former Marquis Aquicurl-Torre fief?
Aristocrats in Marquis Aquicurl-Torre fief were the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremoniess former political enemies and whose fief was ceded to the Ada Kingdom just before I was born.
They werent satisfied with this kind of reconciliation since they hadnt lost, so they were resisting against the Ada Kingdom, who hade to upy the region.
They didnt receive any support from the Empire and their resistance was suppressed one after the other.
The aristocrats in Marquis Aquicurl-Torres fief certainly have reason to resent Lord Aquicurl Are you telling me that they have sided with Lord Warung along with the old Aquicurl aristocrats?
Yes.
Which means the resistance who were supposed to be in Ada Kingdom are now in Lord Warungs army? Would the Ada Kingdom, who are connected to Lord Raul, allow that to happen? No, it would be better for them to take advantage of this opportunity to expel the rebels from their nation than to have them rebel in their ownnd.
Then, are Lord Raul and the Ada Kingdom not that deeply connected? This may be valuable information Ill think about diplomacyter.
Likewise, troops areing from the former Empire fief in Rocourt Kingdom as well. They have joined up with the aristocrats of Marquis LMitedeaus fief were they your doing as well Your Majesty?
I see No wonder Fabios army is sorge.
Yeah. They have sworn allegiance to me.
If Fabio can control them that is.
Then you dont require me to help you to get the army on your side.
There are too many uncertain elements in the army you lead You can just use them to defend against Lord Warungs army. In the meantime, I will seize the aristocrats in the capital and take full control.
Most of the aristocrats in the capital will participate in the coronation ceremony. If I can gain control of the ceremony, then I can seize the aristocrats. The lords troops who are participating in the battle against Lord Warung wont be able to take action easily if I suppress the aristocrats.
After seizing the capital, I will take the time to disarm or dissolve Lord Warungs army and the allied forces.
You will? Im sure Lord Warung will follow you if you get rid of the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies with your own hand.
Lord Warung raised his army with the cause of defeating the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies who are monopolising the government and liberating the Emperor. If I seed in seizing the capital then Lord Warungs cause will be lost in the form of an achievement. He could have chosen to take real power as the new Chancellor if the Emperor was really powerless, but I am no longerpletely powerless with Fabios army, the Atururu cavalry and the Gotilova, who are not here.
So, there are only two options he could take. Those were to obey the Emperor or not. He stated that he would liberate the Emperor when he raised his army, but he isnt crazy enough to act in such an iprehensible way such as confronting an Emperor who had freed himself from the control of the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies.
Well, I dont know if he will follow me forever.
You think so?
I do. He is that kind of person So, you are asking me to keep Lord Warungs army in check to buy time?
Lord Warung will probably obey me if I seize power, but it is possible that his army will act preemptively before I take control.
That is part of what Im asking you. It will take some time to bring everything under control, so I would like you to standby and not engage in battle. But I also have another request for you. I would like you to send troops that you trust to hold the gates.
I n to seal all the entrances and exits to the capital to prevent the aristocrats from escaping. Count Ptine Vedett has already proposed a n to seal the inside of the gate, but his n might not be perfect, so I needed to hold the gate shut from the outside as well.
Is it enough just to hold the gate shut?
Yeah, the inside of the gate is already under my control, but I want you to hold the gate shut from outside just in case. I also want you to suppress the east side of the capital.
The east as well? Ill need to allocate more troops in that case. I understand. I promise I wont let a single person escape.
The east wall of the capital hasnt beenpleted, so I will have to send extra troops to the east.
Thanks for your help Count Chamneaux. These are things only you can do. I promise to reward you handsomely for your service if you seed.
To tell you the truth, I could have asked the Atururu Cavalry to lock down the capital, but they will be in charge of surveince this time.
Of who? Of Count Chamneaux of course.
Count Chamneaux will probably do as I tell him, but I dont know if he will follow my instructions perfectly. For example, he may turn a blind eye and let those who have a connection to him escape. Thats what Im trying to prevent.
I have faith in him, but I cant trust him.
Chapter 63: And the Stage was Set
Chapter 63: And the Stage was SetOn the night of my meeting with Count Chamneaux, I was escorted by a few spies to the dungeon in the capital.
There are two ces which are called prisons within the pce.
One was a prison for aristocrats and knights who were captured while we were at war with other nations. Life in these prisons wasntfortable but a certain amount of human rights was guaranteed.
After all, they were bargaining chips for ransoms. The prisons were very secure to ensure that the prisoners wouldnt escape, but the aristocrats treat aristocrat and knight prisoners of war in a certain way since the ransom amount may be lowered if they are injured or be ill, and they also want to be treated ordingly if they were to be prisoners of war themselves.
Incidentally, no one has been here for a few years. There havent been any major battles, and the number of battles that the Empire has won can be counted on one hand.
But the other prison the so-called dungeon was a different story.
It was a ce for tormenting prisoners. The inmates are traitors and people who are the scums of the earth. Therefore, they wont get released. The only time they can get out of the dungeon is when they go to the gallows.
A certain Emperor threw a lot of people into the dungeons but most of them never made it out alive.
The dungeon was, of course, unkempt and no light reached inside. Nadine du van Warung was held in this rotting prison.
Pishan, pishan!
A spy, who was working as a dungeon guard walked in front of me and stepped into a puddle of water, which made a sshing noise I dont know if that was water or not. The floor seemed to be paved with stones instead of concrete and obviously had poor drainage.
There were no windows or even a good venttion system. There was almost no light and the only source of light wasing from amp held by the spy walking in front of me.
This ce gave off a stench. I covered myself with Alex since I couldnt get caught by this stench when I returned to my room but even the spy who was working here was holding his nose. The stench was unbearable.
I was walking on Christel, so that I wouldnt step on the floor as well. I couldnt let anyone know that I was here.
This dungeon would be unbearable for a girl who has just reached her teens, but the aristocrats were adamant that she be imprisoned here because she was a traitors daughter. Apparently, the spy had managed to deliver her meals to her under their watchful eye but
Count Ptine Vedett hadnt apanied me here. He said it would be better for him not toe since he had captured her himself.
It wouldnt be odd for her to hate the person who threw her in here but Im the one who gave him that order.
The footsteps of the spy walking in front of me stopped. The girl on the other side of the bars slowly looked up. She squinted at the light that had suddenly appeared in the darkness.
Nadine.
The clothes she was wearing were dirty. Her cheeks also looked slightly thinner.
Nadine replied weakly as if she recognised my voice.
Are you okay?
I dont know what she was talking about.
Thats what I should be asking you since youve been in jail for a few days.
Guandeleo. You look like you were in pain.
Ah, I finally understood what she was asking. She might have heard this from Lord Warung.
Im sorry, that was an act. I had to do it Ive actually never smoked it once.
I see Im d
Nadine finally looked me in the eyes when she got used to the light.
I couldnt do anything even though I was by your side.
Her voice was incredibly weak. She sounded like she was about to cry and as if she had lost confidence in herself.
She was a shadow of her old self. She wasnt the same lively Nadine who made fun of me and corrected me. This was heart-breaking. I dont think I can ask her to do anything in this condition.
But she didnt seem to be in despair from what I can see.
I thought for a moment and decided to speak as myself and not as the Emperor.
Maybe so, but I dont believe youre someone who cant do anything, Nadine.
I have learnt some things about Nadine after spending time with her for a few years. She was a girl typical of her age and had many shorings. It might be unfair topare her to Rosalia or Timona.
But she was a person of action. She came to the pce to correct my behaviour and even overcame her weakness of horseback riding. She also preserved and stayed in the pce despite receiving constant hostility from the Chancellor and Regent factions.
She wont give up or despair just because of a single setback. She was that kind of girl.
I have something to ask of you. I need you to do something for me.
To set me free?
Dont get me wrong. Im not that good of a person. This is something only you can do. Thats why I came here to speak to you.
Im not a good person. Im the one who put her in here.
This task isnt to set you free. Im setting you free for my own sake. You will die if you fail, and they might kill me too, so I cant afford to have you act half-heartedly.
Nadine might resent me if she knew the truth, but I dont care.
Its a deadly mission The fate of this nation is at stake. Im going to ask you again. Will you do this for me?
I felt the light return to her eyes.
Do you need me?
Yes. Youre the only one who can do this.
Ill do it.
She said clearly in a strong tone.
Good. I believe she can handle it now.
The allied forces under themand of Count Chamneaux will leave the capital as soon as dawn breaks. The capital will be in chaos. I want you to leave the capital at that time and deliver my letter to Lord Warung.
There was no guarantee that there wasnt someone in Lord Warungs army, or more precisely, among his direct vassals, who are connected to the Chancellor or Regent faction, so I didnt want anyone to see my letter to him, but Nadine should be able to meet Lord Warung directly as his daughter.
You will be questioned if you get caught by the allied forces in the capital and I cannot guarantee your safety if you get caught by a wicked mercenary.
I understand.
I will assign a spy to you. Shes spoken to you several times, so you remember her voice, right? The both of you will go to Lord Warung.
The spy will be her escort and watchdog. She will be in charge of disposing of the letter if need be.
I got it.
I have prepared horses and a change of clothes for you. You can clean yourself up at the well and wait for daybreak.
I dont know how much time I can buy before her escape is discovered and whether the spies will be discovered, but Count Ptine Vedett told me to leave it to him, so I will.
He has been gradually discarding the spies he has all over the ce, but it seems he intends to discard them all this time. Apparently he had concluded that now was the moment to do this. Theres no need for spies to lurk around the pce once I seize power.
I said some final words to Nadine who was let out of her cell by a spy.
Take care and aplish this task.
You too take care of yourself, Your Majesty.
Well, I guess she can tell what I want to do from our conversation.
I will Im counting on you.
I left the dungeon.
When I returned to my room, we had a final conversation about what would happen at the coronation ceremony.
I wont have any free time the day before the coronation. The Regent would be on me all day about the details of my clothes and essories.
Wee back, Your Majesty.
Thanks. Things with Nadine went ording to n. Report back to me as soon as possible.
Timona, Balthazar, Count Ptine Vedett, Salomon and the Storyteller Daniel were all present.
The Imperial Guards have been assigned their duties for the coronation and everything is going as we had hoped it would.
I nodded at Balthazars report and turned to Daniel.
I have finished with all my arrangements as well.
The n was to have the Western Church, which was almost under Daniels control,pletely suppressed during the coronation and then having them disclose information to the public.
Some of the clergy attending the coronation ceremony will also be asked to take up positions by the entrances to the venues. They will stop the aristocrats who are trying to escape with their bodies until the armed Imperial Guards who are led by Balthazar arrive. The aristocrats wont be armed. The clergy should be able to hold them off for a few seconds.
The next person who spoke was Count Ptine Vedett.
I have a report to make as well. I have received permission from Count Newnbal regarding the garrison. All the gates will be closed as soon as the coronation ceremony begins, and we will deploy some guards to patrol the area.
The garrison was an organisation made up of mostlymoners whose authority was somewhere between the police and guards of modern times. They were also gatekeepers during peacetime, so their cooperation was necessary to lockdown the capital. The lockdown would go well with their cooperation.
As to why it was necessary to talk to the Lord Treasurer in order to obtain their cooperation, well that was a littleplicated.
The garrison was under the jurisdiction of Major Cardinal ording to Lotharw, but there has never been a Major Cardinal in the Bungdalto Empire, because one of the reasons why the capital Odunau fell was because the Major Cardinal defected.
Until now, the mayor of the capital was the Emperor himself or someone appointed directly by the Emperor (a temporary position with limited authority given to a person during times when the Emperor goes on a military expedition).
In other words, they were directly under my jurisdiction, but the Emperor is too young to manage them so the Chancellor tried to manage them like any other organisation.
But the garrison hated Lord Raul, so they proudly refused his orders iming that he was overstepping his authority. The Chancellor has repeatedly tried to abolish the garrison but the Lord Treasurer considered them necessary and has continued to budget for them (despite the budget deficit).
And now they were following Count Newnbal, who pays their sry.
Good work. So, you told Count Newnbal everything?
I did not. I only told him what he needs to know.
It would be obvious that something is going to happen at the coronation ceremony if the garrison is moved. I thought that he would have told the Lord Treasurer about the n at this stage but it seems that Count Ptine was still very cautious.
I dont want him to panic on the day.
Please do not worry about that, since I will be by his side.
Count Newnbal, the Lord Treasurer, was a neutral aristocrat, so he would cooperate if he was told of the n.
But Count Ptine Vedett was being careful. This didnt mean that he was suspicious of Count Newnbal. In fact, Count Ptine confirmed that Count Newnbal waspletely neutral.
The people around Count Newnbal were the problem. Count Ptine was suspicious of those who were close to the Lord Treasurer. ording to him, it was possible that they were connected to the Chancellor or Regent faction.
The secret service was well informed on everything, but there was a time when the information they had was inurate; that was when Count Ptine became the head of the secret service after the assassination of the previous Emperor in other words, when his predecessormitted suicide.
During that period, Count Ptine said that the previous Emperors private funds (money which the Lord Treasurer had no control over) had somehow gone missing.
Neither the culprit nor the money has been found to this date. Both the Chancellor and Regent factors ce the me on each other, and the Lord Treasurer was suffering from financial difficulties. Count Ptine hasnt been able to collect information on this matter, since this happened while the secret service was in chaos.
Count Ptine suspects that the culprit was a close associate of the Lord Treasurer. If it really is a close associate of the Lord Treasurer, then the previous Emperors private funds would have flowed to either the Chancellor or Regent faction.
Though, it was highly unlikely. But he was still taking precautionary measures. In fact, most of the Lord Treasurers connections were made through Count Ptine.
Alright, Ill leave it to you since I understand your concerns. Hows everything else?
Everything else is going fine.
I nodded. I received Timonas report before this meeting. Finally, I turned to Salomon de Valverde.
I need you and the mages of the Belbe Kingdom to be resourceful on the day.
I have already shared the strategy with the mages. The rest will depend on how the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies act on the day.
There were still a lot of variables even though I had made a lot of ns for the coronation. I dont know what the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies will do.
So, we made several assumptions and created a strategy for each of those assumptions. The role of the Belbe Kingdom mages was simr to that of a ranger.
I know its a lot of work, but Im counting on you.
It is not much workpared to what you have to do, Your Majesty, but are you sure you want to do this?
Of course, I am.
What I will do is simple. I will crown the emperor with my own hands no matter what happens.
This wasnt a burden. I have endured everything for this day.
Even if I have to kill my rtives with my own hands
This is only the beginning Do you understand?
We do!!
The stage is set.
Extra 09
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Chapter 64: Blood-Soaked Coronation Ceremony (1)
Chapter 64: Blood-Soaked Coronation Ceremony (1)
The 28th of the 5th month, year 468. Lord Warungs army took position at the south of the capital which was about half a day away from the capital.
On the other hand, the allied army of the lords and the mercenaries led by Count Chamneaux were confronting Lord Warungs army with the capital at their rear. Both armies kept a certain distance from each other while gazing at the other.
It was as if both sides were waiting for something.
Meanwhile, the coronation ceremony was solemnly held at the capital in a bit of a rush.
The aristocrats gathered in the building used by the 2nd Emperor for social gatherings as they waited restlessly for the young Emperor to appear.
They would leave the capital with their families as soon as the coronation ceremony is over or well, that is their n anyway. The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies werent an exception to this. They were also preparing to return to their fiefs in case Count Chamneaux was defeated.
The whole Empire was focused on the battle between Lord Warung and Count Chamneaux. Even the aristocrats who were attending the coronation ceremony were more interested in the oue of their battle than the Emperors coronation.
The ession of the Puppet Emperor wouldnt change the situation.
It wasnt only the aristocrats who thought this; the citizens of the capital thought this as well.
The coronation ceremony which wouldtere to be called the Blood-Soaked Coronation Ceremony is about to begin
It was raining in the capital on the morning of the coronation ceremony.
It didnt affect the coronation ceremony since that was originally scheduled to be held inside, but it did slightly change the position of the Imperial Guard; they were moved into a position which made it easier for them to rush to the venue.
It was like things were blowing in my favour.
The building where the coronation ceremony will be held was in the northwest section of the pce. It was surrounded by walls on all sides which made it convenient for me.
I was waiting in the waiting area dressed in a showy outfit. Oh my! It suits you a lot!
The Regent eximed after she entered the room. I heard that line a lot yesterday.
Thank you very much, Mother.
Oh my, you look like youre feeling better today.
Yes, I feel calm.
This person must know that her son was given Guandeleo, and yet she was acting like this. How shameless of her.
Your dignified appearance looks just like that person. Dont you think, Father?
This old man almost cried in joy at his dignified appearance.
The Regent and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies were in the room with me. The Chancellor and George V were here until they arrived. I was wearing the cloak I received from them. It had too much gold on it for my liking.
Its my grandsons big day. I have prepared the best for you.
The Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies said as he took an item from the servant and uncovered it.
This is a wand made by the best craftsman of the Empire for today.
This wasnt a wand used by mages, but one that was traditionally carried by royalty. Most of todays aristocrats and royals can be traced back to mages, so royals often carried decorative wands as a formality.
The difference between this and a mages wand was that no thought was given to its functionality. There were a lot of gold, silver and other useless decorations on the wand. It was a hindrance to use it for magic.
Oh my! This is a wand fit for His Majesty.
Do you like it, Your Majesty?
Honestly, I dont like it at all. Obviously, since these people dont know what I like.
Hmm, Im happy. Thanks, Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies.
Thank you for your kind words.
We were ying family. The Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies and the Regent, who speak as if they get along well, are in the same faction but were both fighting for influence. It doesnt matter that theyre rted by blood.
And the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies killed my grandfather, and the Regent has also ordered assassinations and imprisoned Vera-Sylvie and others.
I have no sympathy for these people. They deserve to be killed. They have done a lot of evil deeds.
I, who will live as the Emperor, may also be involved in things like that.
I continued to y family in that room until they told me the venue was ready. I spoke with a lisp and kept my eyes unfocused.
Those two chatted happily in front of the Emperor while he was acting like that. Some people might even believe that they were insane, or maybe that was normal for the two of them.
I might also be crazy for trying to kill them both.
Whether they die by my hands, or the gallows remains to be seen, but Im going to kill them. Im going to kill people who are connected to me by blood.
Well, I dont have any doubts about this or any regrets.
Todays coronation was just a path I had to take. I dont intend to stumble.
I heard instruments being yed in the distance such as what sounded like a trumpet and drum. The sound became louder the closer I got to the venue.
Timona and the Regent supported me as I walked slowly down the passage that led to the venue.
I could tell that the Regent was still in a good mood. She didnt know what was going to happen at the coronation and probably believed that her sons formal enthronement would bring her more influence than what she had now.
But Timona was remarkably calm. He lookedposed and nonchnt. That was when I realised that I was a little nervous.
I almost burst outughing but I held it in.
Whats the use of being nervous? Failure wasnt an option.
The Regent left and entered the venue when we reached the door, and after a while, the performance stopped, and everything was silent.
Your Majesty.
Final confirmation. Are there any problems?
There are none, but both dukes have swords.
Ah, I see
I see, Ill take care of it. Have you informed Lord Salomon?
I have.
A voice sounded from inside as Timona replied. Its time.
Good luck Your Majesty.
Thanks Lets go.
Timona slowly opened the door.
What is the meaning of this, Count Vedett?
Count Geoffroi de Newnbal red at Count Ptine who stood next to him and made no move at all. The Emperor was sitting on the throne in the venue and Lord Aquicurl and Lord Raul were holding the imperial crown as they slowly made their way up the stairs, one step at a time.
What are you asking about?
Havent your actions up until now been to stop the evil deeds of the two dukes?
Count Newnbal had an idea of what Count Vedett wanted to do when he received his request to move the garrison. That was why he had given his permission. He believed that the reason why Count Vedett hadnt told him about the n was to prevent other people from knowing about it; that showed how serious he was.
The supremacy of the two dukes will be cemented once the imperial crown is ced on the Emperors head. Why dont you act?
The person who ces the crown on the Emperors head will be recognised as the Emperors guardian, so all their previous tyrannies would be justified. To Count Newnbal, this was thest chance to stop them, and yet Count Vedett hadnt made his move.
Are you going to betray me at thest moment?
Calm down.
Count Vedett was watching the two dukes take theirst step as well as the unfocused eyes of the Emperor which had been gazing into the air.
Calm down.
Count Vedett said to Count Newnbal again, but with a smile this time.
And watch. This is the dawn of the Empire.
Count Newnbal turned his gaze towards the throne when he heard those words.
And then light shone.
The view from the throne was a sight that could only be described as magnificent.
The throne and the decorations in the venue gave the illusion that this nation was rich and wealthy. Well, most of the decorations were loaned by the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies.
Most of the aristocrats in the venue seemed to have the count title. Both factions tried to get lower ranked aristocrats to attend the coronation to make their factions look as big as possible, but they found out that the venue couldnt fit that many people so they settled for a lower number. So, I have to suppress the aristocratic district after this as well.
There were so many people in here that it was impossible to distinguish who they were from the throne. Come to think of it, I think I saw a simr scene as soon as I reincarnated. I remember I cried uncontrobly at that time.
There were several steps in front of the throne and the Chancellor, and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies was walking up it slowly while holding the crown.
It was finally time. There would normally be more rituals in the coronation ceremony, but they skipped all of those because they were in a rush. The enemy was half a day away from the capital, so they couldnt afford to go through all of the steps.
The servant standing next to me was holding a piece of parchment. They probably wanted me to use that as an edict and dere that Lord Warung is a rebel as soon as they ced the crown on my head.
Like Timona had said, they were carrying swords.
We had several strategies created for different situations.
For example, one for if someone brings a magic tool into the venue. The Sealing magic tool is activated at the venue, but other magic tools can be used too under certain circumstances. So, magic tools can be unpredictable elements when we try to gain control of the venue.
I have told Lord Salomon to interrupt the Sealing magic tool and I will temporarily control the venue with magic. During that time, the mages of the Belbe Kingdom along with the Imperial Guards will rush into the venue and bring it underplete control.
This way I could hide the fact that I could use magic under the Sealing Barrier even if they discover that I can use magic.
We also created strategies to deal with the situation if Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl are equipped with swords.
In the Bungdalto Empire, only the Emperor was allowed to have a sword during the coronation ceremony, but since these two were now in power, it was possible that this rule would be disregarded.
And it was.
They probably werent carrying swords as a precaution against me, but they were carrying it as a precaution towards the person next to them. The two of them have been political rivals for so long, so they didnt trust each other even though they had temporarily joined forces. They carried swords because they were wary of walking next to the other unarmed.
Beside the throne was a round desk covered with jewels and the wand that I had been given earlier as well as the ceremonial sword wrapped in purple cloth which I had reced with a lesser holy sword, was ced on the table.
There are three people in this venue who are armed. The two in front of me and me since the sword on the table was within my reach.
So I had to do it. They will be an obstacle to controlling this venue as long as theyre armed. Risks like this needed to be eliminated since failure wasnt an option. What I do will be the signal for this operation to begin.
The two men finally reached me. They bowed in ordance with the customs.
I reached for the ceremonial sword on the table while they were looking away, then I slowly stood up from my throne so as to not rm them.
Our eyes met, and they widened their eyes in surprise.
I gripped the hilt of the sword tightly.
Chapter 65: Blood-Soaked Coronation (2)
Chapter 65: Blood-Soaked Coronation (2)
What will the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies do? What do you all think?
This happened when I received a report about Duke Warung raising his army from Count Ptine Vedett. I asked the three men present Count Ptine Vedett, Timona and Salomon de Valverde for their opinions on how to deal with the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies.
We can either restrain them, have them put on trial then executed in front of the people or kill them on the spot.
The former would be easier for the citizens of the capital to understand. But doing it this way would allow them the chance to be rescued.
I nodded at Count Ptine Vedetts opinion.
It would. What do you two think?
Salmon de Valverde pondered for a moment before speaking.
Ive never heard of a monarch killing an aristocrat himself at a ceremony though I have heard about monarchs hiring assassins to get rid of aristocrats. Killing them will have repercussionster.
He was right. The aristocrats will be shocked to see a leading aristocrat being killed at the ceremony. It would set a precedent, and they would be wary of me afterwards.
But that method would get rid of the image of the Emperor being a puppet. They would be wary of you, but it would also be harder for them to rebel.
Timona had a point. Well, even if they dont rebel on the spot, they will likely take actionter.
But being seen as a Foolish Emperor or a Puppet would be a hindrance to me ruling. It would bring me more benefits than harm if I could get rid of those impressions once and for all
Who would it affect if I were to kill both dukes with my own hands?
I assume that you would hold another trial at ater date to bring their crimes to light So its only aristocrats with a guilty conscience that will be afraid of you. I dont see any problem with that.
Let me get this straight. The advantage of having a public execution would be that the people would clearly understand that the government has changed, and it would give them the impression that both dukes are evil and the Emperor, who executed them, is good. This wille in handy when I seize control of the capital.
On the other hand, if both dukes seed in escaping while they are held in jail, then they would be able to quickly restore their disordered factions, but well, itll be fine if I dont allow them to escape.
Killing them on the spot will neutralise the strong influence they have over the aristocrats as the head of their factions. Dead men tell no tales. The other advantage would be that the image they have of me would be gone.
The disadvantage would be it would take more time and effort to get the people to understand why they were killed. It will be a race against time after the coronation. I must take control of the capital, have Lord Warung under mymand and attack both factions before they can recover.
Is the stumbling block there too great?
It all depends on how much force we can muster in the end.
So you are nning on executing them?
If we can get enough Imperial Guards to control the venue.
Leave that to me.
Timona bowed deeply.
I nodded and continued.
If I conclude that we cannot restrain both dukes, then I will kill them myself.
The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies finally finished climbing thest flight of stairs. They bowed deeply in ordance with the ritual.
They had swords at their waists. I dont know how good these two are with the sword, so I was on maximum alert. Ill finish them off in a single blow the moment they let their guards down.
I quietly rose from the throne. I did so slowly and with little effort, so no one would put up their guard.
Then I extended my right hand to the desk. I made sure that I had a firm grip on the hilt of my sword and looked at the two men as I pulled it towards me.
They looked at me with eyes wide in surprise, then their gazes turned to my right hand. I pulled the cloth that was wrapped around the sword while feeling like the world was moving slowly. The cloth, which Count Ptine Vedett had created before the coronation, was easily removed, exposing the de of the sword.
Not that I think about it, Count Ptine might have believed this would happen.
I wasnt good with a sword. I cant even beat Timona, so I had to use magic to kill both of them.
The Lesser Holy Sword that reced the coronation sword. I channelled the magic that was stored inside the Lesser Holy Sword and d the sword in magic.
ma Lacus the heat energy that I would normally fire was wrapped around the de.
I was surprisingly calm. My left hand was also gripping the handle and my right foot was in front of me for better aim.
They finally understood what was happening and tried to speak up. I stepped forward and swung my sword with all my strength so that I could cut their heads, which were at different heights, with a single stroke.
I have always feared being assassinated. I have yed a fool all my life. I have quietly endured everything in my life. Baron Nan, the vige in the Theanabe Union, and the Guandeleo. I havent forgotten about any of those things.
So, I thought I would feel delighted as I killed them.
But I didnt feel either hatred nor joy. All I thought about was swinging my sword.
The de, d in magic, surprisingly passed from left to right with ease.
Blood sshed into the air and onto my right cheek. It felt hot. Then, I smelled slightly burnt flesh and blood.
I had the sound of two things falling, and I gently caught the imperial crown with my left hand as it was about to fall to the floor.
I heard a scream. I finally realised that this ce had been quiet until a few seconds ago.
The aristocrats all started screaming and chaos ensued. I inhaled deeply amidst the stench of blood and shouted, DONT PANIC!!
The two bodies, both of which had lost their strength, slowly copsed. I shouted once more, HAVE YOU ALL FORGOTTEN WHY ONLY THE EMPEROR IS ALLOWED TO BE ARMED WITH A SWORD?!?!
The aristocrats in front seemed to have stopped moving. My voice hadnt reached the people at the back yet but the armed Imperial Guards had already rushed to the entrance.
I raised the sword in my right hand which was slightly stained with scorched blood and eximed.
I have personally purged the scums who assassinated the Emperor and the Crown Prince! Come at me if you have any objections.
Fortunately, Warstadts abilities are only known to a small portion of people thanks to the fact that it was almostpletely sealed. They were the Guardian and the Storyteller, who were on my side. Even if the aristocrats noticed that magic had been used, they would believe it was from the ceremonial sword, since it was more believable than being able to use magic inside of a Sealing Barrier.
Then I looked down on the aristocrats for a while. Timona had already rushed to my side. But none of the aristocrats opposed me.
The aristocrats were being restrained one after the other by the armed Imperial Guards at the back of the room under themand of Balthazar. The unarmed Imperial Guards, who were in the room, were the first to be restrained. There was almost no resistance, and it seemed that some of the spies had also helped with restraining the aristocrats. It was going smoothly.
I tried to put on the warm imperial crown in my left hand when I finally realised that my hands were shaking.
Unlike shooting the enemymander with magic, killing them directly with a sword seemed to have taken a toll on me. Both methods killed, but my body was honest.
I forced my left hand to stop shaking and slowly raised the imperial crown which was dripping with blood.
Then, I ced that bloody crown on my head.
I am Carmine de Gade Bungdalto, the 8th Emperor of the Bungdalto Empire. Dont forget this, lords. I have crowned myself the emperor! I obey no one and yield to no one!!
Another drop of blood trickled down.
I am the emperor!!
It was as if it was hinting at the future.
The leader of the spies slowly bowed his head in front of me.
Chapter 66: Blood-Soaked Coronation (3)
Chapter 66: Blood-Soaked Coronation (3)
Everyone was restless in the capital while the coronation ceremony was taking ce at the pce. All the gates were suddenly sealed. Even the normally bustling ck Square was quiet that day.
It was like the calm before the storm. The first unusual event urred at the cathedral, the headquarters of the Western Church.
The cathedral was built at the same time as the capital and faced the ck Square.
Devote believers were visiting the cathedral to pray on this day as well. However, the Cardinal, a clergyman belonging to the Holy One Teachings, and a higher-ranking Deacon appeared and the devoted believers were driven out of the cathedral.
A short whileter, screams and shots could be hearding from inside the cathedral, and the citizens sensed that something unusual was going on. This happened just as the coronation ceremony began at the pce.
Silence followed. The gates of the capital were tightly shut and the old city (the original Cardinal) and the new city (the old Sadie and Duede cities), which were normally essible, were sealed off, but some time after noon, about 100 citizens were suddenly escorted by guards from the new city and brought to the ck Square.
News had spread that the newly enthroned Emperor was to appear in the cathedral. Those who wished to have an audience with him were told to gather in the square.
By this time, the citizens had sensed that something unusual had happened at the pce and knew that some kind of political change had urred, but they didnt know what had happened or even who ascended to the throne. There were even rumours that the young emperor had been deposed and that either Lord Raul or Lord Aquicurl had ascended to the throne.
Many citizens crowded around the square to find out the truth.
Then, the Emperors carriage finally appeared surrounded by the garrison and Imperial Guards.
On that day for the first time on record, Carmine spoke to the people of the capital. The ession was greeted with shock and joy by the citizens of the capital.
My dear citizens of the imperial city.
The person who descended from the imperial carriage whose defences are said to rival those of a fortress, looked like a boy. He appeared on the balcony as soon as he entered the cathedral and addressed the crowd gathered in the square.
My dear people of the Empire, my name is Carmine de Gade Bungdalto, the 8th Emperor of the Bungdalto Empire.
His voice was that of a childs. That was probably why the boys distinct, slightly high-pitched voice echoed throughout the ck Square.
Im sure you have spent many anxious days in the face of Lord Warungs approaching army, but you need not fear them anymore, for they are not the rebels.
For many of the citizens, this was the first time they had seen him since the National Day Parade. The boy had grown up a lot and he had the dignity of an Emperor.
I proim this as the Emperor, Lord Warung is not a traitor. The real traitors are Karl, Lord Raul and Phillipe, Lord Aquicurl.
The people gathered in the square were shocked. The Emperor himself had called the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, who had both previously held the most political power, traitors.
The citizens were in an uproar. The Emperors tone changed as he spoke to them and his words were encouraging.
My citizens! My grandfather, Edward IV, loved you. He loved and cared for the Empire and fought to be its protector. The same is true for my father, the former Crown Prince Jean. You know well that my father took up his sword and went to the battlefield to protect you.
The citizens had zealously supported the former Crown Prince. He was a hero when he went into battle and won.
But my father the Crown Prince who fought to protect you was killed.
The citizens of the capital were deeply saddened by the death of their hero. Only about ten years had passed since that tragedy. It was an event that still left a deep impression on them.
Was he killed by the enemy? No. No, he wasnt, my citizens. It wasnt the enemy who had killed the heroic Crown Prince. It was none other than Karl, Lord Raul!
The square was in an uproar, but the Emperor continued, undaunted.
And in the midst of this sadness, there was someone who wanted to kill the previous emperor and rule the Empire. Yes, it was Phillipe, Lord Aquicurl!!
The citizens voices had already filled the square, but the Emperor continued shouting.
Those traitors murdered the Emperor and the Crown Prince for their own greed! They have sold thend for their own gain, left you people to die and ruled the Empire with tyranny! They have corrupted the Empire and unjustly collected taxes from you!!
Anger was a primordial human emotion. It was simpler to understand than a hundred theories.
Some were enraged by the assassination of their hero, some were angry at the politicians who had satisfied their own greed while reflecting on their own poverty, some knew the regrets of those whosends have been ceded to other nations and some were driven into righteous rage over their tyranny. The anger they each felt was different, but they were all equally angry.
The people gathered in the square were now united by their feelings.
And they were always looking for an opportunity to kill me and usurp me!! Unforgivable tyranny. Unforgivable usurpation! Unforgivable scums!
The angry voices of the citizens echoed through the square. Everyone was shouting in anger.
Their rule has destroyed this nation. The dignity of the Empire has been trampled on, the invasion of the other nations has frightened citizens, and the peasants are living in poverty. They have mocked my dear citizens and trampled on them for their own selfishness!
They were evil. Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl were now unforgivable viins.
Carmine looked around at the citizens who were gathered at the square.
The Emperor silently stared at the square which was stained with anger and where human voices were drowned. The noise soon subsided as if a tide had receded in front of the dignified boy who was undaunted by the angry shouts of the people.
Everyone stayed silent and waited for the Emperors next words. He shut his eyes once before opening them and proiming.
But you do not need to endure their atrocities any longer. Because those heinous criminals have been killed today!!
With the Emperors words, two boxes wereid out in front of the cathedral, and the Imperial Guards pulled out two heads from those boxes.
These two heads belong to the two heinous criminals, Karl, Lord Raul and Phillipe, Lord Aquicurl, who had killed my father, the person who fought to protect you, and assassinated the previous emperor. Both of these men were purged by my hands, by the hands of the 8th Emperor, Emperor Carmine!!
Carmine said before raising his sword high in the air.
The two heads and the blood on the sword were probably only visible to those near the front, but everyone in the square understood. The viins were gone. The one who had gotten rid of them was the boy in front of them the small, but brave, Emperor Carmine.
I won! Their evil reign has ended!!
The square was filled with shouts of joy. The viins had been defeated. The treacherous retainers who had preyed on the Empire were no more. The future of this nation was bright. Everyone who was gathered in the square thought this.
Dear people of the capital! I, the 8th Emperor Carmine, proudly proim before you in this city which bears the name of my great ancestor!
The voices praising the Emperor echoed across the square.
The Empire will be reborn! I will lead this nation to dominate the continent once again! I will bring victory to this nation!!
This Emperor will make it happen, the people in the square thought. The people cheered at his youthfulness, even though it would normally make one feel uneasy, as if it was the symbol of the Empires bright future.
Glory to the Empire!!
Glory to the Empire!!
Hail to the Emperor!!
The square went crazy for a while.
Our hope!! Our light!!
The cheers that Carmine had heard on that day had made him decide to live as the Emperor was now echoing throughout the capital.
The capital remained closed for the next few days but the citizens were surprisingly cooperative.
Thus, the new ruler of the capital was enthusiastically weed by the citizens.
The Blood-Soaked Coronation which marked the beginning of Carmines reign, was often narrated with his speech to the citizens. The hallmark of his reign may be that he addressed the citizens on numerous asions. This led to bacsh from the aristocrats, but the citizens never rebelled against him during his reign.,
Everyone was restless in the capital while the coronation ceremony was taking ce at the pce. All the gates were suddenly sealed. Even the normally bustling ck Square was quiet that day.
It was like the calm before the storm. The first unusual event urred at the cathedral, the headquarters of the Western Church.
The cathedral was built at the same time as the capital and faced the ck Square.
Devote believers were visiting the cathedral to pray on this day as well. However, the Cardinal, a clergyman belonging to the Holy One Teachings, and a higher-ranking Deacon appeared and the devoted believers were driven out of the cathedral.
A short whileter, screams and shots could be hearding from inside the cathedral, and the citizens sensed that something unusual was going on. This happened just as the coronation ceremony began at the pce.
Silence followed. The gates of the capital were tightly shut and the old city (the original Cardinal) and the new city (the old Sadie and Duede cities), which were normally essible, were sealed off, but some time after noon, about 100 citizens were suddenly escorted by guards from the new city and brought to the ck Square.
News had spread that the newly enthroned Emperor was to appear in the cathedral. Those who wished to have an audience with him were told to gather in the square.
By this time, the citizens had sensed that something unusual had happened at the pce and knew that some kind of political change had urred, but they didnt know what had happened or even who ascended to the throne. There were even rumours that the young emperor had been deposed and that either Lord Raul or Lord Aquicurl had ascended to the throne.
Many citizens crowded around the square to find out the truth.
Then, the Emperors carriage finally appeared surrounded by the garrison and Imperial Guards.
On that day for the first time on record, Carmine spoke to the people of the capital. The ession was greeted with shock and joy by the citizens of the capital.
My dear citizens of the imperial city.
The person who descended from the imperial carriage whose defences are said to rival those of a fortress, looked like a boy. He appeared on the balcony as soon as he entered the cathedral and addressed the crowd gathered in the square.
My dear people of the Empire, my name is Carmine de Gade Bungdalto, the 8th Emperor of the Bungdalto Empire.
His voice was that of a childs. That was probably why the boys distinct, slightly high-pitched voice echoed throughout the ck Square.
Im sure you have spent many anxious days in the face of Lord Warungs approaching army, but you need not fear them anymore, for they are not the rebels.
For many of the citizens, this was the first time they had seen him since the National Day Parade. The boy had grown up a lot and he had the dignity of an Emperor.
I proim this as the Emperor, Lord Warung is not a traitor. The real traitors are Karl, Lord Raul and Phillipe, Lord Aquicurl.
The people gathered in the square were shocked. The Emperor himself had called the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, who had both previously held the most political power, traitors.
The citizens were in an uproar. The Emperors tone changed as he spoke to them and his words were encouraging.
My citizens! My grandfather, Edward IV, loved you. He loved and cared for the Empire and fought to be its protector. The same is true for my father, the former Crown Prince Jean. You know well that my father took up his sword and went to the battlefield to protect you.
The citizens had zealously supported the former Crown Prince. He was a hero when he went into battle and won.
But my father the Crown Prince who fought to protect you was killed.
The citizens of the capital were deeply saddened by the death of their hero. Only about ten years had passed since that tragedy. It was an event that still left a deep impression on them.
Was he killed by the enemy? No. No, he wasnt, my citizens. It wasnt the enemy who had killed the heroic Crown Prince. It was none other than Karl, Lord Raul!
The square was in an uproar, but the Emperor continued, undaunted.
And in the midst of this sadness, there was someone who wanted to kill the previous emperor and rule the Empire. Yes, it was Phillipe, Lord Aquicurl!!
The citizens voices had already filled the square, but the Emperor continued shouting.
Those traitors murdered the Emperor and the Crown Prince for their own greed! They have sold thend for their own gain, left you people to die and ruled the Empire with tyranny! They have corrupted the Empire and unjustly collected taxes from you!!
Anger was a primordial human emotion. It was simpler to understand than a hundred theories.
Some were enraged by the assassination of their hero, some were angry at the politicians who had satisfied their own greed while reflecting on their own poverty, some knew the regrets of those whosends have been ceded to other nations and some were driven into righteous rage over their tyranny. The anger they each felt was different, but they were all equally angry.
The people gathered in the square were now united by their feelings.
And they were always looking for an opportunity to kill me and usurp me!! Unforgivable tyranny. Unforgivable usurpation! Unforgivable scums!
The angry voices of the citizens echoed through the square. Everyone was shouting in anger.
Their rule has destroyed this nation. The dignity of the Empire has been trampled on, the invasion of the other nations has frightened citizens, and the peasants are living in poverty. They have mocked my dear citizens and trampled on them for their own selfishness!
They were evil. Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl were now unforgivable viins.
Carmine looked around at the citizens who were gathered at the square.
The Emperor silently stared at the square which was stained with anger and where human voices were drowned. The noise soon subsided as if a tide had receded in front of the dignified boy who was undaunted by the angry shouts of the people.
Everyone stayed silent and waited for the Emperors next words. He shut his eyes once before opening them and proiming.
But you do not need to endure their atrocities any longer. Because those heinous criminals have been killed today!!
With the Emperors words, two boxes wereid out in front of the cathedral, and the Imperial Guards pulled out two heads from those boxes.
These two heads belong to the two heinous criminals, Karl, Lord Raul and Phillipe, Lord Aquicurl, who had killed my father, the person who fought to protect you, and assassinated the previous emperor. Both of these men were purged by my hands, by the hands of the 8th Emperor, Emperor Carmine!!
Carmine said before raising his sword high in the air.
The two heads and the blood on the sword were probably only visible to those near the front, but everyone in the square understood. The viins were gone. The one who had gotten rid of them was the boy in front of them the small, but brave, Emperor Carmine.
I won! Their evil reign has ended!!
The square was filled with shouts of joy. The viins had been defeated. The treacherous retainers who had preyed on the Empire were no more. The future of this nation was bright. Everyone who was gathered in the square thought this.
Dear people of the capital! I, the 8th Emperor Carmine, proudly proim before you in this city which bears the name of my great ancestor!
The voices praising the Emperor echoed across the square.
The Empire will be reborn! I will lead this nation to dominate the continent once again! I will bring victory to this nation!!
This Emperor will make it happen, the people in the square thought. The people cheered at his youthfulness, even though it would normally make one feel uneasy, as if it was the symbol of the Empires bright future.
Glory to the Empire!!
Glory to the Empire!!
Hail to the Emperor!!
The square went crazy for a while.
Our hope!! Our light!!
The cheers that Carmine had heard on that day had made him decide to live as the Emperor was now echoing throughout the capital.
The capital remained closed for the next few days but the citizens were surprisingly cooperative.
Thus, the new ruler of the capital was enthusiastically weed by the citizens.
The Blood-Soaked Coronation which marked the beginning of Carmines reign, was often narrated with his speech to the citizens. The hallmark of his reign may be that he addressed the citizens on numerous asions. This led to bacsh from the aristocrats, but the citizens never rebelled against him during his reign.
Chapter 67: The Beginning, Not the End
Chapter 67: The Beginning, Not the End
After the coronation ceremony, I quickly washed off the blood on my body and called Count Ptine Vedett, the Storyteller Daniel and Count Newnbal to my room.
Balthazar and Lord Salomon are entrusted with guarding the restrained aristocrats.
All three of them quickly kneeled and bowed their heads when I entered the room. I told them to rx and only two of them looked up. Count Newnbal was still bowing.
You may look up too, Count Newnbal.
I was not aware that you were acting to deceive the traitors
He tried to apologise, but I put my hand on his shoulder and said, This nation hassted thanks to you. I deeply appreciate that. Please look up.
Thank you for your kind words.
I know I have bothered him, but I still need him to continue working for me. I have a shortage of human resources and a mountain of problems to solve.
Please continue doing your best for the Empire.
I will. Thank you for your kind words.
Perhaps I should be more concerned about him working himself to death.
I want to have a trial first, even if it will be an informal one.
I informed the three who were sitting on their chairs.
By the way, we dont need a suspect or a defence attorney in this trial, and theres no need for the judge to be neutral. So, it may not be a trial like the ones in my previous life but that was the way it was in this time and world.
I will exercise the jurisdiction held by the Emperor and hold a trial against Lord Rauls House and Lord Aquicurls House.
First, aristocrats have fief authority which is recognised by the Emperor. Their authority includes the right to collect taxes (within their fiefs) and the right to hold trials. The aristocrats of each fief have the authority to solve their own problems (such as disputes). The Emperor, on the other hand, retains the authority to judge aristocrats.
I just dered that I am judging them which was within my rights All of this isnt explicitly stated in thew; it was just a customaryw.
The legition in this area is quitex. There are various reasons for this such as: the imperialw and the tribalws still being mixed together, privileged sses (the aristocrats and emperor) do not want to createws that will bind them, and military power surpasses thew.
Laws are not unconditionally followed if they exist in the first ce. Laws need to be followed by the people. In modern times, the police would be the people who enforce thesews.
In this nation, the Emperors armed forces enforce thew, but of course, it was possible to rebel against the armed forces because aristocrats also have armed forces. So, the aristocrats can revolt if they are dissatisfied with the results of the Emperors trial. The Emperor is not free to judge as he pleases.
And of course, the aristocrats other than those involved will revolt if they think that it will be their turn next tomorrow, so the Emperor must read the aristocrats.
There was no need to worry about that this time though. After all, Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl have already been taken care of. The Duke fiefs whose lords have been killed will surely revolt, so there was no need to read them.
Daniel de Pierce will be there as the Holy One Churchs guidance head.
Lord Raul ordered the assassination of the former Crown Prince, Jean and Lord Aquicurl ordered the assassination of the previous Emperor, Edward IV. They also wrongfully concluded a peace treaty that was detrimental to the Empire, falsely used Marquis Aquicurl Diederich, Maquis LMitedeau and Count Veria of crimes they did notmit, and unjustly invaded and upied territories. If anyone objects to any of those charges, then they can answer for them.
The trial can be held in the presence of at least three of these people: a clergy, the Emperor, who will judge the crime, and an aristocrat who will affirm or deny the charges, and there is no need to provide evidence unless someone objects. So, the trials have no credit, and the aristocrats openly ignore or revolt against the trial. This was the norm here.
Both dukes are found guilty since there are no objections. For these charges, Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl will forfeit all their property, titles and offices that they hold, and both patriarchs will be sentenced to death and their heads disyed. Anyone who objects will have to answer for them.
Even I thought this was a heavy punishment, but in this case, the heavier the punishment, the more it would be advertised that both dukes havemitted a great crime. That was the purpose of holding the trial in this way.
I see that no one has any objections in this case, so both dukes will forfeit their properties, and all the titles and offices that they hold and the patriarchs of these two families are sentenced to death and heads will be on disy. The court is now adjourned.
I, Daniel de Pierce, the guidance head of the Holy One Church, certify that this trial was conducted in ordance with the teachings and with justice.
You may assume that the guidance head title that Daniel calls himself is the same as a clergy. There are ceremonial heads under the guidance head but they are not recognised as clergy, and even if he were the great leader (the representative of the Western Sect), it doesnt change the fact that he is a guidance head. I dont know how its done in other sects.
Count Ptine Vedett, arrange their two heads like we nned. Treat them with utmost care.
As you wish, Your Majesty.
From here on out, it was a race against time. I will be checkmated if the citizens revolt.
Sir Daniel, how are things at the church?
I have already taken control of it, and George V, who you have detained here, will be burnt at the stake. We can execute him immediately if you hand him over.
Ill hand him over tomorrow. Thank you for your hard work.
By the way, even the emperor cannot execute a clergyman. Only the clergy can judge their fellow clergymen, so even though Im unsure about the way you put it, Im d hell be burnt at the stake.
And Count Ptine Vedett, about the location for the speech
The public would have known what had happened immediately if I had been able to detain and publicly execute both dukes, but I chose to get rid of them at the coronation. It was possible that the citizens didnt understand why I had done this, so I had decided to make a speech to the public. The problem was the location.
I cant go to the White Square?
Unfortunately, it is not safe. The ck Square is the best we can do.
The White Square was located outside of the original Cardinal capital between the old Sadie and Duede cities. The ck Square, on the other hand, was located inside of Cardinal. The White Square wasrge in size and manymoners live on that side of the city, so my speech would have more impact there but I shouldnt be taking risks in this situation.
And I am sorry to inform you, but we can only allow 100 citizens from the new townside to be there.
It would be difficult to convey my speech to the new townside due to current traffic restrictions.I will make my speech in the old town, so I asked him to bring 100moners from the new town instead.
If you say thats as many as you can bring, then theres nothing we can do. Proceed with the preparations.
Understood.
Even if the people in the old town ept it, it will alle to nothing if the citizens in the new town cause a riot. There should be moremoners in the new town but I have entrusted the spies with multiple tasks. I wont say its impossible.
Oh, and Count Ptine
Yes, Your Majesty?
I look forward to working with you from here on out too.
I told Count Ptine at that time to help me until the coronation, so I dont think there will be any issues since I crowned myself with my own hands but I said it just in case.
Then, Count Ptineughed and said, Of course, Your Majesty. Your words at that time were not a lie.
I feel like Ive been cheated, but thats okay.
My speech was to take ce in the Western Sects cathedral. I had a little time to spare before they finished preparing the venue, so I pondered over some ns over a cup of herbal tea that Timona had brewed.
First the detained aristocrats. I need to decide whether to release them or punish them. Also, if I release them then the timing will be critical. If I release them too quickly then they will remain as stable as they are, but if I take too long to release them then their fiefs will be a mess. The second and third sons, who arent heirs to the title, will begin to make unsettling moves. If I handle this well, then I should be able to control the aristocrats movements. I need to think about this carefully.
Next was Lord Warung. I believe Nadine has sessfully delivered my letter to Lord Warung. Now it was up to him to make his move. He will return to the Empire under these circumstances, but what will he do next? I hope he leaves his army here, but if he returns to his fief, then Ill struggle a bit. I need as many troops as I can get right now.
I have the unitmanded by Count Chamneaux, and the aristocrats troops who are within this group need to be disarmed as soon as possible. It would be very troublesome if they tried to rescue the aristocrats. I need to be very careful.
Count Chamneaux has done a very good job with the mercenaries. The mercenaries were originally hired by Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl, so they could be my enemies, but immediately after meeting me, Count Chamneaux requested that the two dukes temporarily change the employer to himself until the battle with Lord Warung since the mercenaries might not move as instructed if themander and employer arent the same.
So, Count Chamneaux was still their employer. They will follow his instructions as long as they are paid, but their employment period isnt very long, and we do not have the money to hire them again.
Yes, money. Anyway, we dont have money. I have a few ideas on how to gain money as well, but it would be difficult to rehire them, but I dont want to fire them and have them be thieves What should I do?
And the biggest problem is the battle between the Raul Dukedom and the Aquicurl Dukedom.
A lot of aristocrats participated in the coronation ceremony and I seeded in capturing them all, but they didnt have their families with them, and the same goes for Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl.
Lord Rauls only son, Sigmund du van Raul, Chief of Cavalry was apparently preparing his army in Lord Rauls fief and was on the lookout for the Gotilova tribe, and the second son of Lord Aquicurl, August de Aquicurl, Marquis Aquicurl Diederich had apparently remained in his fief as well. They will undoubtedly dere their session to the dukedom and raise an army as soon as they receive information about the political purge. Only after defeating them would the Empire be brought under myplete control.
Nothing was over yet, or rather, the civil war had just begun.
But this was also a once in a lifetime opportunity to strike them since the leader of their faction and feudal lord had disappeared and many of the aristocrats who were in those factions were detained in the capital. I could directly attack Lord Rauls fief and Lord Aquicurls fief if the aristocrats in their factions dont get in my way.
And the rest of the aristocrats in those factions can be called mobs if I get those two dukedoms under my control.
But how do I control the dukedoms
Everything is ready, Your Majesty.
I see. Iming.
Timona said, and I stopped thinking and stood up. I had to give this speech first.
Please take this first, Your Majesty.
I turned to Timona and saw that he was holding a scabbard sword.
Is this that sword?
The lesser holy sword that had reced the imperial ceremonial sword was in its scabbard.
I put it in its scabbard since it was ready. You should change peoples impression of it if you are going to use it in the future.
I pulled out the sword a little and saw red liquid on the sword.
Clotted blood?
Yes. Emperor Cardinals words wille to peoples minds if they see it as a ceremonial sword, but no one will make a fuss if you present this sword that is used for political purging and leave a greater impression on the people.
Purging Sword? I like it.
Impressions could also make a big difference with swords as well. Ill do that.
Also, Count Ptine has informed me that he has found one of Lord Warungs men in the capital. He appears to be gathering information. I think you should keep this in mind.
He was probably only gathering information on what was going on. Lord Warung probably isnt someone who would believe in a single letter.
Then, I will add to my message to Lord Warung
Alright. Lets go.
Unlike that day, I had no fear as I headed out to face the people.
Chapter 68: Audience
Chapter 68: Audience
Three days have passed since the coronation ceremony. The capital was still sealed off, but it was impossible topletely stop people from going in and out of the capital, so of course it was impossible to stop the information about the purge and arrest from getting out. The poption of the capital was toorge to stop this.
I needed information now instead of using spies. I instructed the spies to investigate the movements of the lords whose heads of families were not present as well as the movements of Raul and Aquicurl.
At the earliest, information about the coronation ceremony would have already reached Lord Rauls fief and Lord Aquicurls fief. They are expected to raise their army immediately.
Also, Count Chamneaux requested that I disclose information about the purge the day after the coronation ceremony. As Ive stated before, this wasnt information that could be hidden anyway, and gave them permission for him to share this information if it could be used in a meaningful way.
Count Chamneaux received my permission and informed themander of the Chancellor and Regent faction units who had joined the campaign against Lord Warung about the purge that took ce at the coronation ceremony. He also added false information: a lot of the aristocrats fled, and it is suspected that they have fled to your units, and these aristocrats may attack the Emperors private army and Lord Warung who has just returned.
Many of the aristocrats armymanders were vassals so they were almost at the lowest stratum among aristocrats. They couldnt digest this information and decided to return to their own fiefs for the time being. It was normal for them to decide not to stay in the vicinity of the capital which was filled with enemies.
Count Chameanux effectively neutralised the aristocrats forces. I appreciated that he didnt disarm them but let them flee instead. It wasnt good to have enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the capital and we could exhaust our precious military force if they resist our attempts to disarm them.
They were untrustworthy mercenaries, but they are valuable assets right now.
Thest thing I want right now is for them to try and rescue the aristocrats that we have captured. It was better for them to return to their fiefs rather than have them act rashly in the capital. Capturing the head of the family was the same as sealing off the army under theirmand.
Lord Warung, who has received my letter, seemed to have realised that we arent hostile towards him. He has already received an official letter requesting his return so that he could pledge his allegiance to the Emperor. So, I have asked him toe to the pce today. He will have an audience with me together with Count Chameanux and Fabio.
I had hoped to have hime yesterday, but it was impossible since his army was facing Count Chamneanuxs army. They were enemies until yesterday. Even if Lord Warung agreed to pass Count Chameanuxs army on his way to the capital, his vassals wouldnt.
So, I asked both armies to move first. Count Chameanuxs army which now consisted of mostly mercenaries, was asked to move to the south side of the capital, and the army led by Lord Warung and Fabio was asked to move to the west side of the capital, since it was easier to defend on these sides due to how they were structured.
It has only been a few days since the ceasefire (even though no battle actually took ce), so I couldnt let them go to the east side of the capital since there were no walls there.
Lord Warung passed through the gates of the capital with his guards. The citizens weed him warmly.
This may be because my speech gave them the impression that Lord Warung was a loyal subject, but he was also popr among the people when he was a marshal. Amander who brings victory is always popr.
I was about to wee Lord Warung, Count Chamneanux and Fabio.
I decided to hold audiences at the pce where social gatherings took ce during the reign of the 6th Emperor instead of the pce where the coronation ceremony took ce. The pce where the coronation ceremony took ce was in a secluded part of the pce which made it difficult to use and it still hasnt been cleaned yet.
Some blood had been spilled when we were capturing the attendees. Many people who work at the pce belong to the Chancellor or Regent factions, so I couldnt get them to clean that room.
Lord Warung, Count Chameanux and Fabio came to the hastily prepared audience room. By the way, I had them drag out the throne that had been used by the 4th Emperor, Edward II. It was the simplest throne, but it was still elegant andfortable.
I waited for them to kneel on the slightly elevated seat of honour. One might think that looking down on people and waiting for them to kneel is arrogant, but for an emperor, sitting and waiting on their throne for someone was the highest sign of respect.
Everyone ignored the emperor when he was a puppet. Naturally, manners that should be shown to an emperor werent. Thats why I act arrogant as an emperor to protect myself. Only a fool would act friendly in the audience room. Familiarity sometimes leads to insults.
I have to y the role of a strong emperor from now on.
Daniel du Pierce read the names and titles of the three men. This was normally the job of the Chancellor, but that position was vacant right now. A clergy can act as a substitute in times like this.
Thank you foring. Raise your head.
Lord Warung had brought an aristocrat with him as a guard, but in this case, that aristocrat can be treated as not being present. To be precise, the guard was regarded as a weapon a possession, so they werent allowed to speak at all. Likewise, my guards, the Imperial Guards, arent allowed to speak either. It was a bit formal, but this was a formal asion.
First of all, Lord Warung, thank you for heeding my words. I wouldnt have been able to rise to action if you hadnt raised your army. You have done well. You are the epitome of aristocracy.
Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty.
I shall reward you handsomely for your great deeds immediately after I punish the traitors.
For Lord Warung, this was a sudden purge and the rise of a young emperor who had been a puppet. He couldnt trust what was happening so easily. He was probably still probing the Emperors nature.
He probably came to the pce despite this because the Emperor had denied that he was a rebel in front of the popce and because of the personal letter that I had entrusted to Nadine.
I will surely ruin those who are disloyal to you as your sword and shield.
Well said, Lord Warung! There is no shortage of officials. Emperor Carmine of the Bungdalto Empire appoints you as marshal!!
This was just a copy of what I had sent him in my letter.
It was decided beforehand that he would be appointed marshal and rewarded in return for me taking action thanks to his uprising and him not starting a fight with the army led by Count Chamneaux while I took care of the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies.
Use your skills as a greatmander to bring peace to the Empire.
I will!
I nodded then turned my attention to Count Chamneaux.
You have done an excellent job, Count Chamneaux.
I am honoured to receive your words.
Emperor Carmine of the Bungdalto Empire appoints you as marshal. Use your talents for the sake of the Empire.
And of course, Count Chamneaux had been notified of this in advance. I decided to appoint two marshals to disperse power. Well, even these two would not be enough considering the size of the Empire But that will have to wait until Ive established my rule over the nation.
I am delighted to be appointed as the marshal. I will destroy the enemies of Your Majesty and the Empire.
Hmm, and your daughter has been released Count. Count Ptine Vedett will escort you to where she ister.
Excuse me?!
Vera-Sylvie, Count Chamneauxs daughter, was released on the day of the coronation. We had her rest, and then she will need to go through rehabilitation and be observed. Although she had improved a lot during theter half of her imprisonment, she was confined for a long time. She didnt have enough food or exercise, so she wasnt very healthy.
But well, she can return with Count Chamneaux if that is what they both wish.
After all, there wont be any medics at the pce for a while. In fact, the Storyteller elf, who knew a lot about medicine, was looking after Vera-Sylvie right now.
Why are there no medics at the pce? Because its highly possible that the person who assassinated the previous emperor is one of the medics. All the medics were being heavily interrogated by Count Ptine Vedett right now.
Lastly, Fabio This is the first time weve talked in public.
My loyal subject, Fabio. I am grateful for your help once again. I must reward you for your many sacrifices and long devotion.
Those words were more for Lord Warung and Count Chamneaux to hear than Fabio. I wanted to exin that the reason why Fabio, who led the fewest troops out of the three and had the lowest rank as an aristocrat, was being awarded more than the two was because he had been loyal to me for a long time.
Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty.
By the way, my words might sound contradictory because Lord Warung was also supposed to have previously sworn his allegiance to me.
For example, Count Chamneaux has recently sworn his allegiance to me, but he hadnt before that. In other words, swearing allegiance could be interpreted as not having sworn allegiance before that.
And Lord Warung revolted for the Emperor. If he swears an oath of allegiance to the Emperor now then it can be interpreted as he hadnt sworn allegiance to the Emperor when he rebelled, which means that him rebelling for the Emperor was also a lie, so it was necessary to say that Lord Warung had sworn his allegiance to me since before.
Frankly, I dont think anyone here would find fault in him for this. The problem was the former Chancellor and Regent lords. Most of the aristocrats that are being held will probably be released. If I were to kill them all then all the imperial aristocrats would be my enemies and I would be banished without much resistance.
And some of the released aristocrats will contribute to the Empire and make aeback to central politics. I cannot stop them. If I bend the reward and punishment principle, then no one would follow me.
That was why I needed to do things like this. It was troublesome but even in my previous life, politicians and fault-finding went hand in hand.
Now lets get back to Fabios reward.
I received a piece of paper from Timona who was standing next to me. It was an official document signed by the Emperor.
Emperor Carmine of the Bungdalto Empire hereby deres that the Three Families Rebellion was the result of the previous Lord Raul and previous Lord Aquicurls oppression. Therefore, we shall withdraw all charges against Marquis LMitedeau House, Marquis Aquicurl Diederich House and Count Beria House, and work on restoring their honour. We also recognise the reestablishment of Marquis LMitedeau House and anoint you, Marquis LMitedeau.
I cant believe it I am truly, extremely grateful for this. I can finally avenge my ancestors.
Fabio said with tears in his eyes while looking down.
Our previous deration will be issued as an imperial decree. You have done well to persevere until today. From now on, you will be known as Fabio de LMitedeau Denoueix.
Haha.
This was a reward but also for me. It will be a plus for me to have Fabio gain power as an aristocrat, and the survivors of Marquis Aquicurl Diederich House and Count Beria House, who have been in hiding until now like the LMitedeau House, may side with me. This was also a good way to criticise the Chancellor and Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies.
Finally Lord Warung.
Yes?
He probably didnt expect to be named and sounded a little confused.
Is it true that you once rode with my father into the battlefield?
It is. His Highness called me a friend.
I do not know my father, so wont you tell me about him? Were in the middle of a national crisis, so I dont have much time to talk to you about him but I would like to hear about how my father was on the battlefield after all this has settled down.
Lord Warungs eyes widened in surprise, then he answered.
Oh, my His Highness would be happy to hear those words Of course, Your Majesty. I would love to tell you about your father.
Lord Warung teared up a little and my first real audience was over.
Chapter 69: Time to Collect Evidence
Chapter 69: Time to Collect Evidence
It had already been a week since my ession to the throne.
During this period, the armies of Lord Warung and Lord Chamneaux upied and secured the fief that was originally under the direct control of the Emperor. Although, there wasnt much resistance. Most of the magistrates in the Chancellor and Regent factions who were in control had already fled.
The capital had issued an imperial decree regarding the Rebellion of the Three Families. This was only announced to the capital and its surroundings, but I intend to notify all the lords about this along with other information.
I had dered this at the audience, but I had only ced the responsibility on Aquicurl House and Raul House. I have decided to charge the lords who had attacked LMitedeau House and the other two families under the instructions of the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies.
This was our limit. If we are too harsh on the lords in the Chancellor and Regent factions, then they will all turn against us. We wont be able to win the civil war if all the lords from the factions turn against us and then I wont be able to govern.
This was my basic policy as the Emperor. I will severely punish Aquicurl and Raul House and be rtively lenient with the other lords. I intend to be lenient towards them for a while.
The lords who participated in my coronation ceremony are still under the guise of interrogation instead of being unjustly imprisoned. The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremoniesmitted many crimes, including assassinating the Emperor and the Crown Prince and tax evasion. The lords were being questioned about whether they helped the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies with their crimes or if they had known about their crimes.
Well of course I expect all of them to say, I dont know.
I dont expect to get a testimony from them either. Their interrogation was only conducted to buy time. In the meantime, I had the spies and bureaucrats working under the Treasurer to spend a week scrutinising every document that remained in the pce.
I will release most of the aristocrats but not all of them. If there is evidence that deserves to be judged, then it will be judged. It was necessary to make an example.
As it turned out, there was little evidence of any wrongdoing.
They arent stupid; theyve already covered everything up. The wrongdoings of the Regent Faction were probably covered up by Lord Aquicurls eldest son who held the official position of Secretary General, and the wrongdoings of the Chancellors faction were probably covered up by the Chancellor himself.
But they had evaded tax as well as other crimes on arge scale. The figures were obviously unnatural because they were all covered up. These documents which were apparently never disclosed even when the Treasurer requested them were apparently documents that pretended they hadnt evaded tax.
On the other hand, the Treasurer had good records of reported tax revenue and reported annual expenditure. All the tax evasion took ce before the reports went to Lord Newnbal. So, what he had with him were the post-tax evasion records. We found many discrepancies when wepared the two documents.
It was impossible to know who had evaded taxes and to what extent since the documents had been falsified, but it was clear that they had done this illegally, so they will be judged for it.
And we have also secured evidence of their wrongdoings although it wasnt much. We hadnt gotten this evidence through investigation; it was brought to us by the Western Church.
By the way, Count Newnbals close associate who was suspected to have been involved in the disappearance of the Emperors personal funds was found to be innocent. I know who the culprit is but I dont know what to do with them.
Your Majesty. Daniel de Pierce hase to make his report.
Timona interrupted my pondering.
Let him in.
An Imperial Guard had been assigned to protect him since the coronation ceremony. Timona had settled into his attendant role as he should.
Daniel looked around the room for a moment after he entered. I wasnt surprised since the interior had changed so much.
I had cleared out all the excessive dcor that wasnt to my liking. I dont feel at home with all the gold and jewel dcor in the room. Ill put up with it to a certain extent when Im out though.
Ive just noticed that the way he looks around is simr to how Count Ptine Vedett looks around. This was what people who could fight did. Perhaps he had a military background.
Daniel bowed and began his report.
We have carried out Georg Vs execution, Your Majesty. His five most trusted retainers have also been executed as well.
I see. Thanks.
Georg V, the Great Leader of the Western Church, was sentenced to be executed by burning within the Western Church. The Western Church buried people in the earth or by fire, so they believe that the soul will not be allowed into the afterlife if the person has been executed by burning. Even the Emperor cannot be burnt at the stake without the churchs permission.
This was decided by the Western Church, and I only had to acknowledge it. They probably knew what I wanted since that thing happened with Baron Nan. Though, there were people in the church who resented him as well.
He was executed for epting bribes and unjustly exercising the Inquisition. Taking bribes was against the Great Principles which absolutely must be followed. It was understandable that Georg V had been executed by burning since he hadmitted a crime that should not bemitted.
Well, epting bribes was easy to get away with since the church epted donations and contributions. There werent many cases where the church would use someone of taking bribes. That is why bribes are rampant in the pce as well.
Daniel de Pierce was the person who had collected enough evidence for his crimes to be considered a bribe.
You did a great job.
Georg V was a man who was put into his position by the Chancellors influence. Many of the clergy were dissatisfied. Well, with him. He would have been burnt at the stake even if I didnt have evidence against him since his backer is gone.
Well, because it seemed that he had used the money he got from bribes on himself.
But it was thanks to you that his subordinates were wiped out. Isnt that right?
My purge had been bloody too, but I only killed two men. In contrast, the purge within the Western Church spilt much more blood. Who said the church had no power? I forgot that being able to use magic is the same as being able to use a sword.
But some of them escaped.
I guess it doesnt matter if they join up with Lord Rauls army. Well fight them eventually Also, thanks for giving me that evidence.
The evidence collected by the Western Church illuminated the bribes received by Georg V and his associates.
The aristocrats who had bribed them were not only from the Chancellor faction; some of them were from the Regent faction as well. Georg V was bedazzled with money. Since he had been trialled by the Western Church for epting bribes, the aristocrats who had bribed him can be trialled for giving out bribes.
We are honoured to be of service.
And now for the next Great Leader I wont be nominating them. That would be better.
Thank you.
Georg V became the Great Leader through the Chancellors influence. The dissatisfaction of the clergy over this matter exploded and he was burnt at the stake. So, if I were to, for example, nominate Daniel as the next Great Leader then he will bear the brunt of their dissatisfaction.
Things wont go well just because the Emperor was the one who made the decision. There will be a struggle within the church for a while.
The church will be unstable for a while.
It will stabilise as soon as the turmoil in the nation is over.
Well, thats true. Whatever happens wont happen until the situation in the nation haspletely settled.
Did you have something else to report?
I asked Daniel since he looked like he wanted to say something. He hesitated then spoke as if he had made up his mind.
Your Majesty, Count Ptine Vedett must stop interrogating the pce doctors immediately.
Count Ptine Vedett was currently interrogating the pce doctors who were involved in the assassination of the previous Emperor. The way he was conducting the interrogation must be the problem.
Hes like a beast.
It probably isnt pretty to watch.
He was more like a machine than a beast from the moment he decided to help me. He was like a robot who had been programmed to be the Guardian of Lothar.
I believe Count Ptine Vedett has extraordinary feelings about the assassination of the previous Emperor. Am I wrong?
No, you are right. tThat is why you should rein him in. His actions are like
Like vengeance?
The assassination of the previous Emperor Edward IV. If he hadnt been assassinated then I might have been able to ascend to the throne more easily, but then again, I might have been killed off early by the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies for being an obstructive sessor. So, I didnt want to seek revenge against those who had assassinated the previous Emperor.
But I was overlooking Count Ptine Vedetts actions because I dont n on forgiving them either.
He might be doing it out of revenge, but at least hes not venting his anger out on them. The only people who are still being questioned by him are those who are definitely guilty. Some of the pce doctors were released without even being questioned.
The pce doctor who had examined Baron Nan was one of them. Perhaps that doctor was allowed to examine Baron Nan at that time because they were innocent.
I wont stop him as long as he doesnt make a mistake since he would do the same for me. He has done other work and has achieved results there as well.
The way he did things was problematic but the things he did werent wrong, and most importantly, he got results.
Or perhaps that seemingly vengeful interrogation was the best solution he coulde up with.
I know he is a dangerous man, and I also know why you are worried, so dont worry. You may continue to monitor him.
I apologise for bringing this up. That is all I have to report.
Daniel bowed after he said that.
Did something happen between these two that I dont know about? I have to be careful
Chapter 70: Trial for 8 People
Chapter 70: Trial for 8 People
The capital, Cardinal, was stable; it was hard to believe that aristocrats had just been purged.
There were several reasons for this. I had spent a week interrogating the aristocrats. If I had only wanted to punish the aristocrats for convenience then I would have conducted a formal interrogation and held a trial immediately, but because I had interrogated them privately and didnt hold the trial the barons and knights who couldnt attend my coronation ceremony has decided to sit back and watch.
The merchants were doing the same. I should call them former Chancellor and Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies now since theyve been stripped of their title. The merchants who were influenced by them are potential enemies. They are still not cooperating with the emperor, but I havent taken any action against them since they have value.
And the citizens. They are very cooperative with the emperor because of my speech, but I was also most careful with them since one mistake can turn them against me.
Only the Western Church was hectic, but interfering with them now would be like putting myself in harms way for someone else. Ill just leave them alone for a while.
The Western Church would need to bepletely reformed To cure the corruption within it. They would have to fight it out until they acknowledge that they need the intervention of the emperor.
Two major pieces of news arrived almost at the same time in the otherwise peaceful capital.
The first son of the former Duke Raul, Sigmund du van Raul, the Cavalry Chief, dered his session.
The second piece of news was that Augusto de Aquicurl, the second son of the former Duke Aquicurl and the current Marquis Aquicurl Diederich, has dered his session.
Both of these men have raised their armies to go against the emperor.
This was the beginning of a civil war.
Inheriting the Duke Raul and Duke Aquicurl titles and raising armies. I summoned Lord Warung and Count Chamneaux, who had returned to the capital, and Count Newnbal, who had remained in the capital, Count Ptine Vedett, and Fabio, who had be Marquis LMitedeau.
I didnt summon them to talk about how to deal with the rebels I had summoned them to open the trial against the aristocrats who were being locked up.
I dered the start of the trial when I saw that they were seated in the chairs provided.
I exercise the jurisdiction held by the Emperor to dere that this trial will now begin.
You may wonder if its alright for me to do things like this at this time, but Ive already begun to stall Lord Rauls army and I have a n to stall Lord Aquicurls army as well. Its fine.
The Ceremonial Great Leader and the Records Great Leader were also here along with the five aristocrats. They started to give their derations as witnesses.
They ranked under Daniel in the Western Church and were the two who were fighting for the position of Great Leader. They were trying to make this trial go the way the emperor wants to improve their reputation as much as possible.
Daniel wanted to stay out of their fight. He probably wont show up at the pce for a while to avoid having them put up their guard against him. Other clergy who foresaw that this conflict would be messy all seem to be distancing themselves from it. One of them, Count Ptine Vedetts son, Defrott le Moissan, who had led Georg Vs purge, apparently returned his priest robes because everything had proceeded too hastily.
He came to serve me a short while after he stopped being a clergy. He said, My status as a clergy has been useful for the Empire, but itll just get in the way from now on. A clergy shouldnt be able to quit so easily, but he was allowed to do so this time because they were making him take responsibility for his actions.
This man really doesnt care about the Holy One Churchs God does he?
But it is true that Im short staffed. I hired him on the spot and immediately sent him as an emissary to the self-governing Gotilova.
He showed up right after my meeting with the Gotilova Chief, Genadieffe. The Storyteller Daniel had arranged this meeting. I guessed that Genadieffe and Defrott knew each other since Defrott is Daniels messenger and I was right.
I heard the emissary had already arrived and that the Gotilovans have invaded Lord Rauls fief after expressing that they support the Emperor in his fight against the new Lord Raul, Sigmund who had raised an army. Sigmund remained in his fief with Lord Rauls main army because the Gotilovans were preparing for war. He had no choice but to response to opponents who he was on guard against if they make a move even if he wanted to rebel against the Emperor.
The Gotilovans have been instructed to focus on drawing the enemys attention while minimising their casualties, but if the Raul army ignores them then they were instructed to ravage the fief and weaken their ability. I wish they could drag the Raul army into the mountains and lessen their numbers but that was too much to ask for.
Lets go back to the trial.
The trial for aristocrats who rank below viscount will be held at ater date due to time restraints. First, I would like to confirm Lord Aquicurl and Lord Rauls punishments.
I wanted to review the former Duke Raul, Karl and the former Duke Aquicurl, Phillipes punishments, which would respectively dere the punishments of Sigmund and Augusto, who had inherited their titles, because the punishments were dered for the Head of the Dukedom and not for the individual. So, it would apply to those who had seeded them. Well, the aristocrats need to agree before the sentence could be passed down again.
There was no one who could stop me. Sigmund and Augusto were sentenced to death with their heads put on disy and all their titles and fortune will be seized.
Incidentally, the residences of the two dukes in the capital were seized during their trial. They had furnishings and pieces of art that could be sold for money, but it wasnt enough to help the Empires financial situation, and there wasnt much hard currency at their capital residences.
They used gold and silver in this time which was heavy and bulky unlike paper money. I had expected this, but they carried very little money with them. They left bills with the merchants they were connected to and paid all of it when they returned to their fiefs.
Next was the aristocrats punishments.
Marquis Fred Aquicurl Nove, the eldest son of the former Duke Aquicurl and Secretary General, was sentenced to death and all his assets and title were confiscated for the crime of forging official documents. The death penalty was appropriate for him since forging official documents was a serious crime and we had evidence that he had covered up evidence of tax evasion for years.
His son, General Phillipe de Aquicurl, was also sentenced to life in prison for his role in the document forgeries.
In the Chancellors faction, Count Joseph Nummecht was sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in forging documents for the former Lord Raul.
Next was the sentence for the perpetrator of the previous Emperors assassination. Several pce doctors, who Count Ptine Vedett had interrogated and investigated for a long time, finally confessed to this crime, but testimonies obtained under coercion were unreliable and would not be admissible in my previous life. I honestly wondered if it was alright to judge them based on their confession but to my surprise, Count Gautier Voddi, who had been holding them, provided evidence of their crime.
He was in the Chancellor faction and held the office of Pce Secretary. He was at the pce when the previous Emperor was assassinated, so he was a reliable witness. He also stated that Count Boris Odameyom, who became Head Chef [1]TN: Not the word that was used like the person in charge of pce meals., had covered up the evidence.
Count Odameyom readily admitted covering up the evidence when I questioned him about this under the condition that he wouldnt be charged with a crime.
I now know why Daniel had said he was just venting anger. Interrogation wouldnt have been necessary if there had been other evidence.
Anyway, the head doctor, Augusto udiano, and three other doctors were sentenced to death with their heads disyed, and the other two doctors were sentenced to death.
Next was the bribery cases. Those convicted of bribery were the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Count Bernardin Pecsar, the Minister of Pce Affairs, Count Marius Kalkus, and the Regents lover, Royal Sommelier, Count Jean Copardwall. They were removed from their official positions and fined. This was probably a very light sentence. I didnt take away their peerage or demote their rank.
There was a good reason for this. Aristocrats dont give bribes directly to other people. The bribe was handed over by the aristocrats messenger. So, they could im that the messenger mistook it for a bribe even though it was a donation, so I had to reduce their sentences. It was an unsightly excuse.
Of course, my impression of them was the worst Dont think Ill let you die peacefully.
The rest of the aristocrats were mostly acquitted. To name a few: Count Silvestre Kushad, Count Vire Meyol, Marquis Theodore Arndal, Count Theophane Vadpo, Count Gautier Voddi, and Count Boris Odameyom. They will be released soon but I have to time their release carefully.
There are other aristocrats whose sentences are still pending. One of them, Count Hubert Bunra, the Chief Imperial Guard, was under investigation for using the Imperial Guards for his own personal gain. Though, all of them used the Imperial Guards for their own personal gain But this was just to buy time.
There was a difference between the verdict I want to give vs the verdict I can give even at this trial. For example, Count Bunra would be acquitted and released at a normal trial, but his fief was located to the north of Lord Warungs fief and to the south of Marquis LMitedeaus fief. If he were to be released and joined up with Lord Rauls army Then in the worst scenario, I would be cut off from Lord Warungs fief. Strategically speaking, we cannot give up this important position that could potentially be a counteroffensive stronghold to the Raul army.
We are currently conducting various operations within Count Bunras fief, so we have no intention to proceed with his trial until those operations areplete. I will not waver in my decision even if people believe that I am detaining him unjustly.
And finally Regent Alexias sentence.
Her crimes include helping others use the young Emperor for tyranny, unjustly imprisoning the former Crown Princes concubines, and directing the assassination of the servant who had fathered Jeans child and the child. She may have also turned a blind eye to the assassination of the previous Emperor. She deserved to die for those crimes.
I find no objection to the charges and find the Regent Alexia guilty. All her property and titles should be confiscated, and she will face the death penalty. Anyone who objects may speak up.
I object.
Fabio raised his hand and said.
I will allow it. Speak.
Your Majesty, no monarch throughout history has ever killed their own mother regardless of how tyrannical they may have been.
Really? I think there was a Roman tyrant who killed his mother But well, I guess it is unheard of in this world.
And the citizens believe that parents must be respected. Public opinion is a fickle thing. If you were to impose the death penalty on Regent Alexia, then the resulting bacsh might worsen the publics opinion of you.
Would sentencing her to death have that much of an impact?
Yes, without a doubt. It would go against the reign you desire.
I see. Well, she doesnt have to die. Besides, I have other means if she bes troublesome like assassination. Theres no need to make the citizens distrust me.
I understand your opinion. I will revise her sentence. All her property and titles shall be confiscated, and she shall be imprisoned for life. Anyone who objects may speak up now.
Her sentence was decided since no one objected.
The court will now adjourn.
I let out a small sigh as I listened to the two clergys derations.
Chapter 71: Plan for the Navy
Chapter 71: n for the Navy
This concludes the trial, but I would like the lords to remain.
I turned to the lords in attendance when the two clergy had left the room.
I would like to call a meeting.
A meeting?
Count Newnbal sounded puzzled. This wasnt surprising. I had done some research into the reigns of the previous emperors and while they have asked the opinion of the aristocrats, they have never had meetings to discuss opinions.
Yes, a meeting. I would like to revive the Council of Wise Men that was held during the former Giorus dynasty.
The Council of Wise Men was an advisory council that existed during the former Giorus era. The Emperor of that time convened the leading aristocrats and the royal family and solicited their opinion on policies.
This council was never held during the Later Giorus era. I wont go into details, but it is said that not holding this council was the the reason why the Empire declined, but I believe the Council of the Wise Men wasnt a bad idea, but just reviving it would be a repeat of the past. I needed to have countermeasures in ce to ensure that it would still be held past my reign.
But we can talk about thatter. I want to ask your opinions and am giving you the opportunity to express them. I want you to speak up unlike with the trial.
Huh?
First, I would like to discuss the disappearance of the Emperors fortune and the culprit who took it.
Count Ptine Vedett was still investigating the disappearance of the Emperors fortune.
A new position, Chambein Treasurer was created by the Chancellor after the death of the previous Emperor and Count Dinka Salim was appointed to this position. It was overtly suspicious that he had created a new position rted to finance and Count Ptine distrusts Count Dinka.
However, an investigation that was held after the coronation ceremony revealed that neither he nor his associates were involved in this matter. Apparently, Chambein Treasurer was a nominal position with no role at all and he knew nothing about it, but there isnt any evidence that he ispletely innocent, so he is being held pending trial.
Rather, the clues pertaining to the disappearance of the Emperors assets were found in documents that had been covered up by the Chief Secretary. The document recorded that the previous Emperors assets were given to a certain person shortly after the death of the Crown Prince. That person is
Ireel Fechner The head of the Golden Fleece Association and is believed to have manipted the Theanabe Union. You may exin this in more details, Count Ptine.
As you wish, Your Majesty.
Ireel Fechner. Born as the daughter of one of the wealthiest merchants in the Empire, she drove her father out at the age of 15 and took over his tradingpany, the White Fleece. After that, she became the previous Emperors purveyor in just five years. She changed the name of herpany to Golden Fleece during that time and became thergest tradingpany in the Empire, but she disappeared after the assassination of the previous Emperor.
Among the records of the trading ships left by the Regent, I found a number of ships identical to the disguised ships believed to belong to the Golden Fleece Association which Marquis LMitedeau has investigated. Apparently, they had been using the ports in the Empire for some time after the death of the previous Emperor.
But they didnt like being under the influence of the former Duke Aquicurl who levied hefty tariffs and expensive port fees and sought to obtain ports for their own convenience.
The Regent faction, which has most of the Empires coastline under their influence, has profited enormously from port fees and tariffs. The former Duke Raul had used his military power to obtain the Chancellor position and expand his position whereas the former Lord Aquicurl increased his faction through his economic power.
As a result, Vera-Sylvie was used by the former Duke Raul, who wanted a port, and Count Chamneauxs fief became the only port in the Chancellors faction. By the way, Count Chamneauxs port was overcrowded by merchants influenced by the Chancellors faction, and the Golden Fleece were probably not allowed to enter his port.
She then turned her eyes to the Theanabe region. This region was under the influence of the Regent faction before its independence, but she provided them with money, armed them and had the neutral lords of this faction raise an army.
So, thats how the Theanabe Union was formed?
I nodded at Count Chamneauxs mutter.
Both the Chancellor and Regent factions tried to defeat the Theanabe Union, but they were defeated miserably as you know.
The tradingpany, which is believed to have severalrge vessels capable of intercontinental trade, sells sugar, a luxury item, on the Eastern Continent. Is it believed that they make huge profits from this and is believed to still be controlling the Theanabe Union behind the scenes.
The head of the Golden Fleece, Ireel Fechner. If she did steal the Emperors assets, then she must be caught even if it costs the Empire its prestige.
But do you really trust the evidence, Your Majesty?
Lord Warung questioned.
I heard that spies from the Golden Fleece have infiltrated the Empire. Would they really leave evidence behind?
You make a good point. Im also in doubt since theres no trace that they tried to cover up, but it would make sense that she disappeared because she stole the Emperors assets.
There are two possibilities: either the culprit is someone else who is trying to frame the Golden Fleece or the culprit intentionally left evidence behind, so that it could be found.
Im going to put Ireel Fechner on the wanted list to confirm this.
She might ignore it if it was the former scenario, but if it is thetter then she might be more open than I might think.
A wanted poster for Ireel Fechner? But the Theanabe Union is an enemy of the Empire. Will it really work?
I understand what Fabio is trying to say. The wanted poster could be ignored as long as the Empire and the Theanabe Union are in conflict.
But I dont have any other methods to use We could crush the Theanabe Union after the civil war, but doing so would allow the Golden Fleece to escape by ship. We wont be able to capture Ireel Fechner.
We could block their route at sea if the Empire had a proper navy, but Duke Aquicurl has controlled the Empires seas for many years. I doubt even his navy would be able to defeat therge fleets believed to be owned by the Golden Fleece.
But it wouldnt be pointless to strike the Theanabe Union if that is their stronghold.
I shook my head at Lord Warungs military opinion.
We will only make enemies out of the Golden Fleece if we cause them harm. Most importantly, they have been purchasing luxury goods from different continents since they were the previous Emperors purveyor which means that they have bases in the Central and Southern Continents even before they made the Theanabe Union independent.
I said and Count Ptine added.
The Empire doesnt have any facilities that can buildrge ships capable of intercontinental trade. It may be possible to purchase a ship or two from the Hismaphe Kingdom, but the Golden Fleece is estimated to have dozens of ships. They definitely have shipbuilding facilities on other continents.
They put ves they obtained in the Central Continent to work in the Southern Continent. My guess is that theyve built a somewhat strong base using ves, and they will just build a new base somewhere else in the Eastern Continent if the Theanabe Union is gone.
With all due respect, Your Majesty, did you say we will make enemies out of them? Our understanding is that we are already enemies.
We are not, Count Chamneaux. Our enemy is the Theanabe Union not the Golden Fleece.
They made the Theanabe Union independent for their own interests, and because they didnt like the influence of the former Duke Aquicurl In other words, their enemy is the former Duke Aquicurl, not the Empire. In fact, the Golden Fleece has no interest in the Empire at all.
Well, I did interfere with what I could, so I dont know how they feel about that.
If the evidence of the previous Emperors assets was also left behind on purpose then did she consider the possibility of me fighting the Chancellor and Regent factions? No way, right? I wasnt even born at that point. How could a mere human predict that far ahead into the future? Well, its possible that she isnt just a mere human
Your Majesty?
Ah, sorry. I want to make it public and am willing topromise.
Stealing the previous Emperors assets is a felony, but if she epts some of my conditions, then I will consider reducing her sentence I announce this to the Golden Fleece.
I want to take them in as allies.
They are dangerous, Your Majesty. You may think youve brought them to your side, but they could tear us apart from the inside.
Fabio, who had investigated them and experienced the dangers they posed firsthand, immediately countered.
You have a point. They are dangerous people to have in ones pocket, but it would be more frightening to let them run free as enemies. So, its better to hold the reins and keep them under constant surveince.
We could be hostile towards them if we had a strong army, but we dont. Our options are limited. We may be able to win against them in the sea if we spend a few decades focusing on building a navy but we will gain very little from this.
I see, so you will have them go after the Aquicurl army?
Lord Warung was an excellent general. He saw the advantage of bringing them to our side.
Duke Aquicurl who had raised an army had undoubtedly taken over the navy as well. While they may not be overwhelmingly powerful, they had an advantage over us who didnt possess a navy at all. Even if we win on the ground and suppress Duke Aquicurls fief, I dont know if we could bring the entire navy under our control. In the worst-case scenario, they could be pirates and trade woulde to a halt.
But the Golden Fleece Association who are loaded with luxury goods definitely know how to deal with pirates. And it is believed that a percentage of the warships belonging to the Theanabe Union are owned by the Golden Fleece. They had many warships even though it hasnt been that long since theyve gained their independence.
There is another advantage to having them as allies. We currently dont have enough troops. We can recruit soldiers, but we dont have any weapons to give them. It has been confirmed that the Golden Fleece has been exporting mercenaries and weapons to the Central Continent. If we can purchase those weapons, then it might solve ourck of power.
The weapon shortage was our biggest problem. I am willing to make a contract with the devil to solve this one problem.
And we have little information about the different continents. The people on the Eastern Continent consider the Central Continent as an old continent, so they have little interest in it. The nations in the East are focused on the Northern Continent.
But the luxury goods supplied by the Southern Continent are more than enough to change the course of the world. If we dont reach out to them, then we will eventually be protected by other nations.
Then, Count Newnbal spoke.
But will they agree?
I could understand his worry. You would normally ignore it if someone used you of a crime and asked you to join forces with them at the same time, but they are merchants. Moreover, they are merchants who have a good nose for thetest trends.
I expect they would agree. They wanted to export the Empires food to the Central Continent. There are also 30 million potential consumers in the Empire for them and most importantly, I dont have a purveyor yet. They wouldnt want to miss all these business opportunities.
The Empire has an abundance of food since there hasnt been any major wars here in nearly a decade, but no money circtes through the Empire due to the destruction of the mary economy and themoners barter for food instead of paying money for it. Food isnt that expensive due to the surplus, but the Empire is suffering from a shortage of food. Our interests match with the Golden Fleece.
But the Golden Fleece Association are the type of people who would make a state independent to gain a port. They may pretend to be our allies while maintaining their ties with the Theanabe Union.
We wanted to prevent them from working together again.
We need to sever the rtionship between the Golden Fleece and the Theanabe Union to prevent that.
The Theanabe Union was a unique state. It was a federation of lords who had gained independence from the Empire, so there was no one to give them orders or there shouldnt be, but they are at the Golden Fleeces beck and call. Though this world still has a ss system so the feudal lords in the Theanabe Union cant be happy with being ordered around by merchants.
And the Carmine Hill incident wasnt a waste of time. It seems that there is already conflict between Ireel Fechner, who always prioritises the interests of the Golden Fleece, and the feudal lords who consider themselves as representatives of a nation.
The Theanabe Union will send an envoy to negotiate. Our demand will be the extradition of Ireel Fechner. In exchange, we will formally recognise their independence and acknowledge them as a nation, and we will agree to a ceasefire. The Theanabe Union can also do whatever they please with other members of the Golden Fleece.
The aristocrats who are being ordered around by a merchant would be told that we would recognise their independence if they handed that merchant over, and they would not hesitate to hand her over. The Golden Fleece was like a goose thatid golden eggs They would jump at the opportunity to do what they like with the goose since theyve seen what the goose can do up close.
Your Majesty, Count Ptine Vedett spoke up.
I have not been able to report this to you yet, but ording to my investigations, the Golden Fleece Association has also managed to bring in several otherpanies who were simrly dissatisfied with the former Duke Aquicurls tariffs when they facilitated the Theanabe Unions independence. Lets also issue them a patent letter for the Golden Fleece in exchange for Ireel Fechner.
That is a good idea. Ill also add in the reward of bing my purveyor.
Wouldnt the Golden Fleece be more formidable if we offer that many conditions to them? They might wash their hands of the Empire and the Theanabe Union and move their base to another continent.
Thats possible, but Marquis LMitedeau, they are merchants. They would rather take the risk than give up on their rights on this continent Or so I believe.
I looked at the lords. They didnt seem to have any other opinions. Despite this being a meeting, I ended up forcing them to ept my opinion But the process of listening to each others opinions and exining our thoughts wasnt pointless.
Please make the arrangements, Count Ptine Vedett.
As you wish.
Now the real issues start now.
Next I would like to decide on how our army will respond to Lord Aquicurl and Lord Rauls armies.
Chapter 72: Land Strategy
Chapter 72: Land Strategy
First, let me exin the current situation.
Lord Raul and Lord Aquicurl have raised their armies, but they arent going to march towards the capital anytime soon. Both parties are in the process of gathering troops, preparing supplies, and working on the handover.
The transfer of authority is done in stages. If all those stages are done in a rush, then you can lose everything you have built up just like me. A lot of the authority and vassals that the Emperor had was not passed to me when my father and grandfather died, and I suddenly became the Emperor. Many of the former Crown Prince Jeans vassals worked for Lord Warung, not me. It was inevitable that they would follow their master after losing Crown Prince Jean.
The same thing was happening to Duke Raul and Duke Aquicurl due to the purge at the coronation ceremony. Well, unlike me, they are starting from a ce where they have some power, but sudden changes create huge bacshes. Their power must be really fragile.
Or, if Duke Raul, who had arge private army, had managed to control his army, then it would be possible for him to direct them towards the capital but they are now pinned down on the eastern frontier by the Gotilova Tribe.
He cant make a move at the moment, but we can. The choice is ours. Should we strike from the east or from the west? I want your opinion on this.
We couldnt strike at both armies. I could divide the forces into defence and diversion units, but I would like to have our main forces in one ce.
By the way, this isnt the current course of action but the next course of action. My current course of action is to bring the southern part of the Empire under myplete control. So, I am conducting various operations in Count Bunra fief to achieve this.
All that remained to be seen was if Anslem Marquis Dzran will follow me now that he has defeated his parents and brothers. I have already sent a message to summon him to the capital. If he doesnte, then the first step would be to attack Marquis Dzran.
Your Majesty, I would like to share my thoughts with you as someone who knows the finances of the Empire.
The first to speak was Count Newnbal, the Lord Treasurer.
The people of the Empire are short on all kinds of goods at the moment, but we have arge surplus of food. We should first attack Aquicurl in the west, secure its port and then conduct trade there to obtain foreign currency.
The Empire also has many neighbours onnd, but most of those nations see the Empire as an enemy or do not have a very close rtionship with the Empire. Even if we trade with them through thend route, at best we would have to lower our prices, so if we want to trade then it would be essential to take control of the sea. It was an opinion from an economic point of view, typical for the Lord Treasurer.
As someone whomands the army, I believe we should start from the east.
The next person to express their opinion was Lord Warung.
If we attack Aquicurl, we can expect strong resistance from the aristocrats of the former Aquicurl Kingdom. Those people are a nuisance, but Duke Raul is from Bungdalto. It should be rtively easy to suppress him if we keep winning.
The Aquicurl aristocrats? Oh yeah, it seems that Lord Warung was once troubled by the gueris during the war with the three southern nations. This opinion seems to be based on his own experience.
I agree with Lord Warung. I believe we should attack the east.
After Lord Warung, Fabio, Marquis LMitedeau, stated that priority should be given to the east.
It will give people the impression that the Empire is strong if we beat the Raul Army which is known for its strength. upying the fief is a separate matter. I believe we should attack the Raul army at least once and support the Gotilova Tribe.
One victory would certainly bring many benefits.
All of your opinions are worthy of consideration
But if I had to choose between a military threat and economical gain, I would choose the former.
But we do not have the time to ponder over these opinions today Ive decided, lets start by attacking Duke Raul in the east.
Even though the Gotilova Tribe is good at fighting in the mountains, they are not immune to exhaustion. It could affect our future rtionship with them if we put too much strain on them.
If the Golden Fleece epts our proposal, then it will be a while before they will be of actual use to us. We cannot have a pincer attack in the west between the Golden Fleece and us right now, but we can create a pincer attack in the east, but we wont be able to do this if the Gotilova Tribe is exhausted and retreat. The opportunity to attack the east is now or never.
And I havent told the aristocrats this because it is a matter of authority, but I have a method to divide the Aquicurl aristocrats. I had the body of Lord Aquicurl preserved (there is magic for this apparently) for this.
But we cannot give up on the west, so Count Chamneaux, I want you to return to your fief with the mercenaries.
If I say that I will give priority to the east, then Count Chamneauxs fief, which is surrounded by aristocrats in the Regent Faction, will be abandoned. Count Newnbal might have taken this into ount when he suggested that the west should be prioritised.
I appreciate your concern, Your Majesty but there is no need for that.
As I expected, Count Chamneaux strongly refused. Perhaps he wanted to show his loyalty even if he had to abandon his fief.
Im not holding back because of you, Count Chamneaux. If the Golden Fleece does ept our proposal, then they wouldnt be able to use the ports of the Theanabe Union as their base of operations. I want you to secure the port in your fief in case this happens.
Also, if we lose Count Chamneauxs fief, then the morale of his people would be lowered even if hes alright with losing it, and I dont want them to rebel against the Emperor.
One more thing. We can pincer Duke Rauls fief now that Duke Rauls fief is being pressured by the Gotilova Tribe in the east. I would like you to pressure Duke Aquicurl from the west like this as well.
If that is the case, then I am at your service.
I also want to hire the mercenaries.
If we let them disband around the capital, then they could run rampant around the capital as bandits, or they could work for Duke Raul or Duke Aquicurl.
They are also valuable troops. An army can maintain their strength through enlistments as long as they can secure weapons. Of course, mercenaries are far stronger than enlisted soldiers. Enlisted soldiers will flee if they feel even the slightest bit of disadvantage.
But they will not betray you. It is themander who makes that decision, not the soldier. Mercenaries, on the other hand, may betray you because theirmander is not themander of the army. Their leader is the boss of the mercenary group.
In this case, I have concluded that it would be more disadvantageous for someone to betray us than for someone to escape. Most importantly there isnt just one mercenary group, and it is difficult to get all those groups to work together. It is impossible for mercenaries to win against the well-trained Raul army.
We cannot win against the Raul army if we fight head-on on level ground whether it be with mercenaries or enlisted soldiers.
Of course, I have no intention of fighting in a situation like that. I intend to create a battlefield where I can win with the soldiers I have drafted. I need soldiers who will not betray me Mercenaries who are an uncertain element are a nuisance.
Dont worry about what you have to pay them. Make sure you can hire them. You will go to battle as soon as youve hired them.
Count Newnbal frowned as soon as I mentioned money. I have a n to raise money, so dont look at me like that.
Please wait, Your Majesty.
It wasnt Count Newnbal who spoke up, but Lord Warung.
What is it, Lord Warung?
Are you dissatisfied with something?
You should not let them have their reward. We should only give them the bare minimum and transport them ourselves even if we have to use our army.
I see. Its possible that they will run away if they have all the money upfront.
If its arge mercenary group or a famous mercenary group who are always sought after by different nations, then they wouldnt do something that could affect their next job, but if they are former bandits who just call themselves mercenaries, then they might do it since they are not conscious of their next job.
That hadpletely slipped my mind. Lord Warung was extremely helpful.
I see, you make a good point. Thank you, Lord Warung.
It is nothing. I apologise for interrupting you, Your Majesty.
Then we will be responsible for sending them their additional rewards. You will leave immediately, Count Chamneaux.
Haha.
That should take care of the military course of action for now. Now it is time for diplomacy.
I have onest thing to discuss. Its about our neighbours.
They will definitely try to intervene in this civil war either directly or indirectly.
I dont n on having anyone other than our allies intervene, not as our enemies or as our allies.
It would be troublesome if the nation who intervened was an enemy, but it would be even more troublesome if they became allies to make us indebted to them. It would be a burden to prevent interferencepletely.
Therefore, I shall assume the position of Foreign Minister for the time being and negotiate directly with different nations.
You will, Your Majesty?!
Count Newnbal shouted. Lord Warung and Count Chamneaux were equally surprised, and well, Fabio was surprised as well. The only person who had not reacted was Count Ptine Vedett or rather, this man hasnt uttered a single word since the military was brought up. He refrains from making unnecessary remarks when he deems that it is out of his area of expertise
Yeah. Byw, it shouldnt be a problem for me to hold that position while being the Emperor.
But it is unprecedented. There have been Emperors who have been marshals but
Well, because its showy to be on the battlefield as a monarch. I guess a lot of the emperors were show-offs. Being a Foreign Minister might seem modestpared to being a marshal.
I personally believe that it was a waste of time to be a marshal as an emperor since the emperor has the authority tomand the military.
Of course, this is only temporary. I will show the nations that Im willing to negotiate directly with the neighbouring nations.
Well, were simply shorthanded. Id hate to see someones health deteriorate as a result of working too hard if I delegate this position to someone else.
There will be times when we will have to take a hard line with them or negotiate weakly with them but all of this is to buy time until the civil war ends. I dont intend to enter an agreement with them. You must keep that in mind.
I have to act like a weak person again. I dont want them to be disappointed or rebel when they see this, so I had to tell them this in advance.
This concludes todays meeting. It was a productive meeting.
We have shared most of our most recent and general action ns.
The ns will need to be adjusted each time depending on which side the returning lords side with.
Chapter 73: Bad Law, Old Law
Chapter 73: Bad Law, Old Law
I rarely left the pce of my own volition when I was a puppet and I have never strolled freely in the capital. I only rode in a horse-drawn carriage at the founding ceremony, like I was told to.
Thest time I left the pce on my own volition was during the tour. I could only gaze at the capital through the carriage window at that time.
Ah, I did go out to check how many castle walls there are, but thats about it.
So now that I have real power as the Emperor, I can roam wherever I want? Nope, not at all.
Im riding the Small Fortress to give a speech at the cathedral again. The guards were in a triple formation, and only those who had undergone a background check were allowed to approach me.
Although it may seem a bit excessive, this level of protection may be necessary for an emperors bodyguard.
Until now, there was no chance of someone assassinating me as long as I was a convenient pawn for the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, but it was different now. I dont know who will target me or when I will be targeted.
But it was hard to grasp the situation in the capital while looking at it from a carriage. I can see it at a distance but there are many things that I cant understand from inside a carriage. Im also curious about the price of goods for themoners and the cleanliness of the back alleys. These things should be inspected in person rather than having it investigated and reported back to me.
But there will definitely be chaos if I go inspect these things with this many guards and we were temporarily blocking the streets every time I passed.
I asked Balthazar to arrange a small number of guards so that I can inspect the capital but he told me it was impossible. He told me that it would be dangerous to reduce my guards further since there are still a lot of low-ranking aristocrats from the Chancellor and Regent Factions and merchants under their control in the capital.
By the way, I appointed Balthazar as the Captain of the Imperial Guards and entrusted him with the leadership of the Imperial Guard. I actually wanted to appoint him as the Commander of the Imperial Guards, but in order to avoid the potential bacsh from the other Imperial Guards, I decided to create a new position that was under the Commander of the Imperial Guards and above a Squadron Leader. He was practically in charge of the Imperial Guards right now since the Commander of the Imperial Guards was currently in prison.
That said, I wouldnt leave a good impression on the citizens if I have a lot of guards with me and create chaos, so the inspections will have to wait until after the civil war.
Tax and internal reformations cannot be implemented until after the civil war is over. I must win the civil war first. Everything wille after that.
Im going to make a speech to enlist people in order to win this war.
The speech was extremely simple and was over quickly, and unlike the one that I gave right after the coronation, it was purely an exnatory speech.
I went back into the cathedral while waving my hand a little in response to the cheers of the people. But still I wonder why the people are allowed to look the Emperor directly in the eye and cheer while he gives his speech, but not when passing him. I can see the faces of the people in the front row clearly.
But anyway, I talked about two main things during my speech.
The first was that the Chancellors son has rebelled against the Emperor under the name of Duke Raul and that a fort will be built on the border of the Raul fief to prepare for his army. The citizens of the capital already know that Duke Raul had raised his arm; it wasnt strange to them that a fort would be built to prepare for when he attacks.
The second was about recruiting workers for the construction of this fort. It was a public work project of sorts. I exined that they would be paid and well fed, and that there would be soldiers stationed at the construction site to guard them. I also promised that they would be paid even on days when that were non-construction days, like during the time they needed to travel there, though I wouldnt be paying them the full amount for those days.
I believe their reaction was somewhat alright. The pay was the same as what they would be paid if they worked in construction elsewhere, but their meals are guaranteed and it wasnt often that one is paid for the days when youre on the move, even if it was just a small amount. They probably believe they are getting a good deal for a job away from home.
Well, I dont expect them to trust me unconditionally. It would be enough to get a few hundred people at first. I expect more people to apply after that by word of mouth about whether the job pays properly or not.
What about the draft, you ask? That was the draft.
It just so happens that the enemy wille while they are building this based on the frontline and they will have no choice but to take up arms.
So, this wasnt recruiting, it was enlisting.
Well, in other words, I was deceiving them.
Of course, they will be building something. I would rather have them build a strong defensive position on the hillside than a fort. Then, when a certain number of people has gathered and the camp is somewhatplete especially to the point where the people inside cannot easily get out, I will invite the Raul army over.
In a situation where escape is impossible, they will also choose to fight if they have a crossbow or a rtively easy-to-use weapon in their hands. It was also advantageous to be on a fortified slope. I hope that the thrill of fighting in an advantageous position outweighs their fear though I wont know if it will or not until it happens.
I didnt dare mention this, but battling will also be included in non-construction days. I intend to pay them more than their full sry when they are inbat, so that I will have more people who say they got a good ie instead of saying they were tricked. The citizens opinion of me shouldnt worsen much.
Of course, thats if we win.
And Im going to hold another recruitment at ater day, but I dont think I can expect much from it.
No one wants to die, and everyone wants to fight with an army that can win, but the Empires recent feats have been disappointing, so very few people would want to join the army.
And it was currently summer if this was a leisure season for farmers then they would do other work, but unfortunately, the farmers are busy this season.
That was one of the reasons why the public work (enlistment) was being dered in the capital. Farmers are unlikely to ept work even if it pays well, but city dwellers might.
The other opinion I have in this era was to draft them, but a lot of people will run away before they reach the destination.
I also dont know who would be drafted. There wasnt a profession for this, and mercenaries cannot be trusted, so I would need to have soldiers who can fight, such as those from Duke Warungs army to join. But it would be difficult to draft valuable soldiers since they needed to defend the capital, capture Count Bunras fief and secure a line ofmunication with Count Chamneauxs fief in the uing days. It was possible to draft a small number of people, but getting them to the destination would be a problem
After much consideration, I concluded that the most efficient way to recruit people was under the pretense of building a fort.
By the way, if the public works was announced after the enlistment then people might find out that we couldnt gather soldiers, so we are gathering them under a different pretense. I was careful about which order to announce these things this time.
I will even lie to the citizens to protect the Empire. I dont know if having a monarch who does this is good or bad, but am I considered a good ruler as long as they cheer for me?
I got back into the carriage with those thoughts in mind and headed back to the pce.
There were three heads disyed along the way. They were the heads of the chief doctor, Augusto udiano and three others. The heads of the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies which were disyed here as well had already been recovered and ced into the same coffin as their body.
Their heads were gruesome, but these heads were even worse. Their heads had been stoned so many times that they no longer retained their original shape. The citizens may have held back since the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies were nobles or perhaps, they were surprisingly well liked by some people.
These are the results of my decision. Im not going to turn away.
The executions were carried out rtively quickly after the trial. The chief medical officer, Augusto udiano and three others were executed for their role in the assassination of the previous emperor and their heads were put on disy. Another two who were involved were also executed.
The former Marquis Freed Aquicurl-Nove was also executed on the same day. His body wasid to rest at the same ce where the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies was. At the time of his execution, he uttered various curses at me, but I didnt get any magical response from his words, so I ignored them.
His son, Philippe de Aqiucurl and Count Nummecht were imprisoned for life.
Alexia, who was also serving a life sentence, was imprisoned in the tower instead of in jail; it was the same tower where Vera-Sylvie was imprisoned. Count Chamneuax had requested that she be imprisoned there.
I didnt need to fulfill his desire for revenge but it wasnt a big issue to imprison her in the tower, so I decided to grant his request this time.
Marquis Theodore Arndal and Count Theophane Vadpo have already been released since they received an innocent verdict. They were in the Regent Faction with fiefs in the north that was nked on the east and west by the Chancellor Faction. They would be good diversions whether they choose to follow Duke Aquicurl or break away from the Regent Faction and follow Duke Raul. Of course, I dont mind if they join the Emperor Faction either. I dont mind what they do since I intend to leave the north alone for a while. So, I released them unconditionally.
Incidentally, none of the other innocent verdicts were announced except for these two.
The other three who were fined, Count Bernardin Pescar, Count Marius Kalkus and Alexias lover, Count Jean Copardwall, were charged an exorbitant amount of money.
Well, this was all legal since there wasnt a maximum amount one could be fined.
These three will never be able to pay it, so I told the merchants who were under the influence of the Chancellor and Regent factions that I would allow them to pay the mens fines for them. The merchants left after telling me that they would check how much funds theirpany has.
There was no way the merchants werent aware of how much funds they have, so they were stalling for time. It seemed that they all contacted Duke Aquicurl or Duke Raul depending on what faction they were under.
I believe the fine will probably be paid. The factions have dissolved and both Duke Aquicurl and Duke Raul were starting from scratch. It seemed that some of the aristocrats have resorted to opportunism. So, it would be desirable for both Duke Aquicurl and Duke Raul to have at least one aristocrat who was willing to be their ally.
The merchants will pay their fines under themand of the Dukes and demand that the released aristocrats side with them. Naturally, they will side with the Duke as requested.
It may sound like Im just making more enemies, but theres no guarantee that they would side with the Emperor no matter how grateful they feel since they originally belonged to the Chancellor or Regent Factions. So, it was better to at least use them to raise funds for the army.
Well, their fine would be paid in Raul gold or Aquicurl silver anyway. They arent worth much even if their face value is outrageous because of intion.
But there was one thing that didnt work out the way I wanted it to.
It was to do with Count Jean Copardwall. Only the Empress would know why she picked a man who has the same name as my father to be her lover. But apparently, they were childhood friends. So, he benefited considerably as that old hags lover when her father was alive. That was the reason why he inherited the title of Count Copardwall at such a young age.
He benefited not from the former Aquicurl but from Alexia and was the number two in the Alexia sub faction within the Regent Faction. Once freed, he could have brought together the Alexia sub faction and created a fourth power.
But to my surprise, he wanted to be imprisoned in the same ce as Alexia after demanding to be castrated because he wanted to be with the one he loves.
Normally, one wouldnt try to change their sentence when theyre being fined. This kind of selfishness normally wouldnt be epted or so I thought but it might be epted.
Firstly, castration was said to be the most shameful punishment equal to death to the Bungdalto people. The Bungdalto people valued procreation and for them, not being able to procreate was a fate worse than death. For this reason, the Bungdalto tribe has an outrageousw that says that all charges and debts will be cancelled upon castration. But in those days, the men couldnt bear this and chose to die with pride rather than be castrated.
And there was aw passed during the Lothar Kingdom before the Lothar Empire epted the Holy One Church that allowed a person to choose a heavier punishment than the one they were receiving. Since the Holy One Church who denied suicide was not epted yet, thisw was often used as a right tomit suicide when sentenced to other punishments.
However, due to the rapid spread of the Holy One Church for the convenience of the state, bothws stopped being used and werepletely forgotten. They were probably forgotten to the point where even the idea of abolishing them was also forgotten.
Count Copardwall was requesting his punishment bybining those two forgottenws.
Documents proved that these twows did exist, and they would be legal if no records of them being abolished can be found and Timona, who has been searching through the documents, has not found any records saying that thesews have been abolished and he believes he probably wont find any.
Were going to suffer from weirdws repeatedly if we dont do something about this I need to find some legal experts and sort this out.
But it seemed that he had note up with this idea on his own. Apparently, he was making this request with the help of someone else. There were loopholes in his demand. Castration was considered as worse as death, but it wasnt ssified within the ranks of punishments in the imperialw. And even if we were to castrate him, there would be no reason to imprison him, so he wouldnt be imprisoned in the same tower as Alexia.
But I was already willing to ept it. Frankly, I dont have time to bother with someone like that And if it makes him happy then why not?
I dont remember her acting like a mother nor me behaving like a son. It wouldnt be bad for me to do my first and final filial duty towards her.
Honestly, Count Copardwalls fief was a fief I would like to keep if I could.
His fief was to the east of Count Chamneauxs fief, and his title hasnt been passed on yet. There will be opportunities for me to intervene if he is imprisoned and his fief falls into chaos. If I take this opportunity to upy his fief, then it would be easier to coordinate with Count Chamneaux. I want to keep his fief under my control.
Well, Ill think about his punishmentter. The problem was the person who had put him up to this Apparently, the rooms where they were held were right next to each other. I guess I need to review the security system.
Anyway, that guy. The man who had memorised an ancient forgottenw that no one knew about. The man with rming intellect Charles de Aquicurl; the third son of the former Duke Aquicurl.
Chapter 74: End Him or Make Use of Him? (1)
Chapter 74: End Him or Make Use of Him? (1)
The third son of the purged Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, Charles de Aquicurl was in fact, not at the coronation ceremony.
On the day of the coronation ceremony, he was in one of the mansions in the capital owned by Duke Aquicurl (which has now been confiscated). It was believed that this man may have been aware of what was going to happen at the coronation ceremony quite early on.
He could have hidden or fled, but he didnt do that; instead, he appeared at the pce and allowed himself to be caught.
He did this all before the Imperial Guard had taken control of the pce.
He allowed himself to be constrained and was left alone since he wasnt trying to break free After all that, he brought up ancientws and advised Count Copardwall to use them? It was a half-hearted attempt to help Count Copardwall, and we can assume that he made that move with something in mind.
Honestly, I wasnt sure how to deal with him since he surrendered voluntarily.
It would be easier for me if Duke Aquicurls bloodline was thoroughly wiped out. It would also serve as an example to the other aristocrats, but we didnt have any crimes to charge against Charles de Aquicurl, so he couldnt go to trial. He hadnt resisted and he wasnt involved in any of the crimes that the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies hadmitted.
Assassination may be the only way to eliminate him if he cannot go to trial.
I could ask a spy to do it but that would mean showing a new weakness to that spy and in turn, their chief, Count Ptine Vedett. Im already relying on him quite a bit, but I dont want to rely on him more than I have to I think that will be dangerous. If Count Ptine Vedett gains too much influence, then its possible that we may end up with an Emperor who is under his control.
There is no guarantee that that Emperor will be me.
I dont want the spies to have that much influence. It would be impossible to diminish it once they have it.
I have seeded in eliminating the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies who both held enormous influence and control over the Empire, but I only seeded because those who had let down their guard.
I have already be the Emperor who Purged Aristocrats to the aristocrats instead of the Young Ipetent Emperor they knew me as. They will always be wary of me. Even Lord Warung, to whom I had sent a letter stating my intent in advance, brought his aristocrats with him because he was wary of having an audience with me.
It was unlikely for an Emperor who was already being guarded against to employ simr hardline tactics, especially when dealing with a spy, but I also find it difficult to believe that I can outwit a man who had remained neutral during his dealings with the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies by just scheming.
So, I didnt want to use assassination against the Empire aristocrats. The risk was too great no matter how much I gained from it.
It seemed realistic to continue detaining Charles de Aquicurl for some reason.
I would need a reason to detain him. He was currently being detained because he may be connected to Augusto de Aquicurl, who had raised an army, but that reason will cease to be valid once the Aquicurl army is defeated.
Him inciting Count Copardwall was a good opportunity to decide how to deal with him. I decided to meet with Charles.
I made my way to the prison where Charles de Aquicurl was held with Timona and Balthazar in tow.
This prison was the so-called Aristocrat Prison. Unlike the dungeons, which are designed to inflict pain and suffering, the rooms in this prison were decorated like any normal room. The cells would just be slightly smaller rooms if it werent for the bars.
Most of the aristocrats who were detained at the coronation ceremony are held in this prison. This prison, which had been empty for the past few years, was now full with aristocrats.
There werent enough rooms for those who had a title lower than baron, so they were ced under house arrest or in vacant rooms in the pce which meant they werent being monitored very closely.
Some of them escaped but thats alright. There are only so many Imperial Guards and spies.
By the way, even those who havent been convicted of a crime can be put into jail in this world and this didnt just apply to the Empire.
I believe this has something to do with the existence of magic. If you put someone under house arrest, then they will escape with magic. In fact, most of the barons who escaped were those who could use magic. There are magic tools which can create Sealing Barriers but theres a limit to their numbers.
That was why prisons that look like normal rooms were deliberately built. If you think about it, it is more efficient to confine a person in a room that can also be used for other purposes. It was normal in this world for aristocrats to be thrown in jail based on a single suspicion.
Well, all such suspicions were being swept under the rug as evident from the fact that this prison hasnt been utilised for the past few years.
Though, iron bars would be meaningless against a powerful mage. The previously mentioned magic tool is also used when detaining powerful mages. They are also used to prevent the detainee from escaping Vera-Sylvie was also imprisoned within iron bars and a barrier.
Unfortunately, we were currentlycking Sealing Barrier magic tools in the pce. Charles was the third son of the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, and we didnt have spare magic tools to use on a man without a title or government position.
I arrived in front of Charles de Aquicurls cell, said a few words of thanks to the Imperial Guard and told him to step back, then spoke to the man who was kneeling behind the bars.
Are you Charles de Aquicurl? I will allow you to answer from now on. Speak.
With all due respect, Your Majesty. I confirm that I am indeed Charles de Aquicurl.
Then raise your head.
I sent a signal to Timona as soon as I said that.
Seeing my signal, Timona manipted his mana and pretended to use magic. I deployed a soundproof barrier when he did this.
Timona wasnt incapable of using magic, but he wasnt very good at it. As for me, I trust my own magic more than other peoples magic, but I dont like showing people that I can use magic or what kind of magic I can use. So, I used this trick to hide my magic.
I should refrain from discarding cards that dont need to be discarded but I wouldnt hesitate to use magic if I need to.
I looked Charles de Aquicurl in the eyes. He looked like the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies whom I had killed. Honestly, I dont feel good.
Why did you teach Count Copardwall about the ancientws? Did you believe it would work in the first ce?
Imend you for pulling out oldws from the Bungdalto tribe and Lothar Empire but Count Copardwall doesnt need to be imprisoned.
His proposal was obviously wed. If he was that smart, then he could have found aw to make up for the w.
No, but there was no reason to help him either.
Then why did you do that when youve remained silent until now?
It is simple, Your Majesty. I foolishly believed that his fief would be an important strategic position that you must seize.
As I thought, that was a present for me.
Fortunately, he has no children, and under the Imperialw, if no heir to the title has been confirmed and the head of the family is unable to fulfil his or her duty as an aristocrat, then the monarch is responsible for that title until a sessor is determined. It would be better to let him keep his peerage, so that you can temporarily take control of his title after he is castrated and imprisoned by stating that he is unable to fulfil his duties as an aristocrat.
Aw created to prevent a power vacuum I know it as well.
If Count Copardwall were to die, then his title would be passed on to his heir by his rtives or vassals, but if he were still alive, then the title would remain with him.
But if he is unable to fulfil his duties as an aristocrat then his fief would effectively be without a lord. Fiefs without lords are easily targeted by other nations and thieves. This was aw to prevent that.
Therefore, when an aristocrat dies, a sessor is chosen to seed them, and when they return, the fief is returned to them. This was only a temporary measure.
Right now, I want to keep Count Copardwalls fief until this civil war is over, so it wont pose a problem for me to secure it temporarily.
Thew was originally applied to cases where an aristocrat was taken prisoner by another nation
But thatw shouldnt apply if one is being held by their own Emperor, right?
If such a thing was allowed, then I could send troops into the fiefs of all the aristocrats who were currently being held.
I cant do that, so I used my head and used guises like trials and negotiations.
Charles de Aquicurl smiled at my words.
This is not imprisonment, Your Majesty. There isnt any other punishment waiting for him after he is castrated. After that, he will enter the tower from which he will nevere out out of his own free will. Your Majesty will not intervene with that
I see. Count Copardwall will freely enter the tower from which he will nevere out of
That was a very convenient interpretation.
Still, this could still be seen as a misuse of thew. It would give people a negative impression.
Let him take an oath. If he puts it all down into writing, then the lords will have no choice but to ept it. Besides, the strategic position of his fief is worth it is it not?
He has a point, but this was a dangerous strategy that could make me a lot of unnecessary enemies.
Am I being too cautious? Well, it could be a n depending on the situation. Ill think more about thister. Theres no need to take this man at his word.
Now, Charles de Aquicurl insisted Count Copardwall use the ancientws to create this situation.
He wanted to reveal the existence of an unneeded ancientw to create a sense of urgency and at the same time, show that he was familiar with ancientw. He also proposed a n that would be beneficial to the Emperor. So far, the conversation was progressing ording to his n.
I would be happy to end the conversation here, but I am interested in this man.
What do you want?
His response will determine what I do with him.
Chapter 75: End Him or Make Use of Him? (2)
Chapter 75: End Him or Make Use of Him? (2)
It is a little different from a goal but there is something I would like to ask from you, Your Majesty.
Charles de Aquicurl bowed his head reverently in response to my question.
I would like to ask you to spare the lives of a steward and maid, who are still in custody at one of my residences, and an assurance that they will not be regarded as a member of Duke Aquicurls House since they serve me and keep their distance from Duke Aquicurls House.
His words came as a bit of a surprise. I had expected him to ask me to spare his life or the life of his wife.
You have a wife, do you not? You dont care about what happens to her?
I would never let someone with the blood of the Aquicurl House live if I were in your position. You would not let my wife live since you do not know if she is carrying my child or not.
I felt somewhat ufortable. It was as if he had concluded that I would kill her.
Charles de Aquicurl continued, perhaps sensing this.
Of course, I do not know what you are going to do, Your Majesty. But that Lord Vedett is by your side.
Those words bothered me a little. It was as if Count Ptine Vedett would act even if I didntmand him to. Or did Count Ptine Vedett do something simr in the past?
This bothered me a little But I wasnt going to take this man at his word, so I decided not to ask about this now.
I will consider sparing their life and stating that they are not a member of Duke Aquicurls House. My decision will be based on your attitude from now on.
I said and he bowed again.
Well, this was my n all along.
That steward may seek revenge if I kill this man. I dont know how much he adores this man, but its a possibility.
But if I want to get rid of this possibility then I would have to kill everyone involved.
That was out of the question since it would just be a massacre so I intend to let them live. This wasnt limited tomoners but also aristocrats below the rank of viscount as well.
Speaking of which
Charles de Aquicurl looked up suddenly and started speaking as if he was trying to make small talk.
I heard a rumour that hes being kept alive. I believe hes going to be made into Augustos rival. This is a very effective and clever move to divide Aquicurl. Very impressive.
The former Duke Aquicurl had three sons. The third son, Charles de Aquicurl, was in front of me. The second son, Augusto, Marquis Aquicurl-Diederich, who had proimed his session to Duke Aquicurl and had raised an army, and the eldest son, Freed, Marquis Aquicurl-Nove who I had recently executed. And as for Freeds eldest son, Phillippe de Aquicurl (who, toplicate matters, has the same name as the former Duke Aquicurl) has been imprisoned for life. Publicly, there was nothing wrong with this.
I was going to use him to divide the Aquicurl army. During his transfer, a spy is supposed to appear and escape with him while iming that this was thest will and testament of the former Duke Aquicurl. The spy is also supposed to retrieve the body of the former Duke Aquicurl and have Phillipe raise an army in Marquis Aquicurl-Noves fief as the rightful heir to Duke Aquicurl.
Of course, I would never allow that.
But at the very least, the vassals of Marquis Aquicurl-Nove were likely to support Phillipe. That alone would buy me enough time, and while the two Duke Aquicurls are fighting, I would focus on the Raul army and crush each one of them. That was the strategy I am currently drawing up.
I need to make sure that Phillipe would not realise that I am involved in his escape to get this n to work. I am the man who had killed his father and grandfather. I have to make him believe that the Emperor has been outsmarted by a surviving vassal.
A spy pretending to be the former Duke Aquicurls vassal must have contacted him several times and convinced him that he was looking for an opportunity to escape.
This was actually a top-secret n which hadnt been told to Lord Warung and the other lords. The only people who knew about this n is Lord Ptine Vedett, several spies who were executing the n, Timona, Balthazar and a small group of Imperial Guards who would be helping them.
Charles de Aquicurl had been put into jail fairly early on, so he should not have been told about who was sentenced and what kind of sentence they received.
The only people who have ess to the aristocrat prison apart from me are the surveince spies and the Imperial Guards.
It was hard to believe that a spy would leak this information even if we were short-handed and had to mobilise everyone. Count Ptine Vedett would have killed them if they had. Which means an Imperial Guard had told him all this information.
I looked at Balthazar.
It seems we have a very talkative Imperial Guard.
Balthazar looked pale. He hadnt put two and two together. He wasnt originally themander of the Imperial Guards, so he might have a lot on his shoulders right now.
But that doesnt mean I should give that position to someone else Balthazar had helped the Emperor even before the coronation ceremony, so the factional strife within the Imperial Guard had not been publicised yet.
It might be better To dismantle the Imperial Guards and create a new group from scratch.
I thought about this as I looked back at the prisoner And saw that he was bowing his head as if he was apologising for something.
Apologise? For what? For what he had just said?
Wait a minute, what information does this guy know that is funny? First of all, he knew that the former Duke Aquicurl had died when he was detained, and it would make sense that he knew that Marquis Freed Aquicurl-Nove and his son, Phillipe, were arrested since it happened at the same time. He also knew that Augusto wasnt present at the coronation ceremony, and he had expected him to raise his army because of the purge.
I thought about why I am still alive I wondered why they didnt have me assassinated and make it look like I had died by ident. It was possible that I was being kept alive as Freeds rival.
Was I the first choice for being his rival or was someone else in the Aquicurl House being kept alive to be his rival and I was the spare? I will never know the answer to that What he just said
So, there is someone else who is an Aquicurl pawn.
He was leading me on!!
My reaction wasnt one caused by someone finding out who I was going to use. I had assumed he was talking about Phillipe de Aquicurl.
Why did I think that he has a lot on his shoulders? It was my mistake. I was too careless.
Now I may have a reason to kill you.
This guy is dangerous. Its better to kill him now than to deal with something troublesome in the future.
No, calm down.
Can I really conclude that someone from the Aquicurl House was being kept alive to be Augustos rival just from the little information I had? I could see why this could be a possibility, but this man was speaking as if he was sure of it.
Or perhaps someone in the Imperial Guard was really leaking information to this man and he was just trying to trick me. Think about it, maybe an Imperial Guard had helped him Or turned a blind eye when he gave Count Copardwall, who was in the cell next to him, that advice.
Damn. I get more confused the more I think about it. I should kill him.
I must inform you of one thing. The rtionship between Freed and Augusto was extremely strained, and their rtionship not only affected their children, but also their vassals as well.
Well, even if he was trying to trick me, by process of elimination, I know the person he mentioned is Marquis Freed Aquicurl-Nove or his child.
And the vassals of the former Duke Aquicurl are split about 50/50 between both sides. Aquicurl will be split into two.
He was taking control of the conversation I asked him something that had been bothering me.
Doesnt the older son have precedence when ites to inheritance?
There are two sessionws in this nation: the tribal sessionw and the imperial sessionw. But the older son has the higher priority in both cases. Of course, there are exceptions.
Its the name, Your Majesty.
I dont know what hes scheming, but Ill listen to him a little longer.
Duke Aquicurl, Phillipe du Garde-Aquicurl, passed on his titles to each of his children. He gave the Marquis Aquicurl-Nove title to Freed Hud Aquicurl and the Marquis Aquicurl-Diederich title to Augusto de Aquicurl, but that man did not allow them to have the van family name.
The Garde in a persons name indicated that they were a direct descendant of the main branch of the Garde tribe that is, the Bungdalto royal family. The former Duke Aquicurl was allowed to use that name because he was the child of the 5th Emperor. He didnt have to be given that name, but his children would be regarded as the second generation of a branch family, so they cannot take the name Garde and must take the name van to indicate that they are from a Garde branch family.
The man who is raising his army under the name of Duke Raul calls himself Sigmund du van Raul and the former Duke Raul was Karl du van Raul since he was from the second generation.
The oldest son inherits the title but there is an exception to this which is when the oldest son bes the head of another House. In other words, you relinquish your right to seed your own family if you be the adopted son of another family or the head of a branch family.
This was aw to prevent so-called take-overs.
So, he wanted them to be independent.
They were in a situation where they were both on equal footing, so their vassals perceived this as a delicate bnce. Both marquises were fiercely confronting each other over the future duke position.
Yes, they werent fully independent since they still introduced themselves as Aquicurl instead of Aquicurl-Nove or Aquicurl-Diederich but if he had intended to let either of them seed him then he would have given up one more title to that person. That man still has the Marquis Sagon, Count Vigne and Count Aquicurl-Sei titles.
Even a branch family can take the name van. Rosalia is a good example of this. Her van Chalonge Cruveilheir name indicated that she was a branch family of the Chalonge family which was already a branch of another family.
Despite this, it was unusual that they were separated from the Garde branch family and werent allowed to use the van name.
It sounds as if he intended to pass the duke title onto you. You havent received a title and legally speaking, you should be known as Charles de van Aquicurl.
Yes. Only this man hasnt received his title. He states that he cannot assume the name before his older brother and introduces himself as Charles de Aquicurl.
The man in front of me replied, That idea has never crossed that mans mind.
His tone was somewhat scornful, but I dont think it was directed at me.
He was strongly opposed to his daughter getting involved with politics and drove his sons away early because he did not want to hand his interests to other people. He was still clinging to power even though he should have retired. That man, who abandoned even the aristocratic duty of passing his titles onto the next generation, was a monster capable of nothing but selfishness.
Unfathomable hatred was oozing from Charles de Aquicurls words.
Well, it could be an act.
But the vassals did not realise that that man had a crucial w as an aristocrat.
Charles de Aquicurl paused and looked me straight in the eye.
Let me answer your question, Your Majesty that is correct. The people in the Aquicurl House believe that I will be the next Duke. In other words, I would be the one to bear the banner of rebellion next if I were to survive.
This man must have been talking with this in mind from the very beginning.
Your Majesty, there is a proverb that says, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down, but in Aquicurl, we say, the bent nail gets pulled out, and I am, so to speak, a nail that has been bent from the start. I will be pulled out eventually So, I thought it might be better to be hammered down instead. But I wanted to prolong the time it takes for me to get hammered down I will be a nail that can be hammered down at any time; this is the only way I can think of to survive.
I had asked him what he wanted, and this is his answer?
You will surely pacify Aquicurl, but ruling there will not be easy. The Aquicurl aristocrats may revolt again. If the Aquicurl House is wiped out, then their rebellion will be a tiny bud, but it will scatter countlessly. It would require a lot of effort to keep them under surveince and would put you a step behind. But if one person survives, then they will bear the banner of rebellion, so you will only need to keep them and their surroundings under surveince. So, I sincerely pray for your victory, Your Majesty.
This man hadnt given up on surviving; he had already found a way to survive.
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