I have posted chapter 118
Chapter 117: Something that cannot be compromised
The conversation ended.
Even though it ended, without the Emperor’s permission, a subject is not allowed to leave their positions.
So, even if the conversation seems to have ended, Henry cannot move unless I say something.
So, Henry waited.
I also remained silent, causing silence to flow between us.
After a while, I spoke up.
“Henry.”
“Yes.”
“Do you think I am being too roundabout?”
“Your Majesty’s deep thought and consideration are beyond our reach—”
“Brother.”
“—!”
Henry gasped.
It was probably the first time since my ascension that I called him brother.
In this secluded gazebo where no one else could hear, I did so.
“Do you think I am being too roundabout?”
“…Somewhat.”
Henry answered quietly, still slightly bewildered.
“I never wanted the throne, Brother. At least not until Albert acted.”
“Of course.”
“Even after that, I vaguely thought it would either be you, Brother Henry, or Brother Oscar who would take the throne.”
“…Yes, that’s true.”
“But Father gave the throne to me. Brother, didn’t Father tell you this: 90% of the wise rulers tarnish their legacy?”
“90% of the wise rulers…? Ah, yes, he did indirectly mention something similar.”
“He told me directly, in those exact words. Father was very concerned about it.”
“Yes.”
Henry nodded clearly.
“Father was not only an incredible military commander but also had a literary temperament.”
“A literary temperament?”
Surprised by this new description, I turned to Henry in curiosity.
“Brilliant literary works must be properly finished to be truly great.”
“Ah… music is the same.”
I said, and Henry nodded.
The image of Alice came to my mind.
I don’t know much about literary works, but Alice’s songs always leave a lasting impression, lingering beautifully.
Henry continued.
“Father is undoubtedly a once-in-a-millennium wise ruler. If you consider his reign as one story, stumbling at the end would be worse than an anticlimax.”
“Exactly. That’s why I can’t pass the throne to Brother Oscar or allow a rebellion. Any of those would tarnish Father’s legacy.”
“If it comes to it…”
“Hmm?”
“Assassination is an option.”
I shook my head.
“There is no such thing as a plot that remains undiscovered. No, even a rumor would be fatal.”
“People can fall sick sometimes.”
I was momentarily taken aback.
Henry was suggesting using a slow-acting poison to make it look like a natural death.
Something similar to what Gilbert had tried to prepare for Father, using Voinix wine and dragon claws.
Such things exist, with effects that manifest even more slowly.
But.
“That won’t do. If it becomes known that his days are numbered, he might act recklessly.”
“…You’re amazing, considering that as well.”
Henry looked genuinely astonished.
“Do you know any good methods, Brother?”
“We’ll have to keep walking a tightrope… for now.”
I smiled faintly.
I turned around and faced forward again.
As Henry said, for now, we have to keep walking the tightrope.
We must keep threading the needle.
I’ve prepared the “real” and let loose the “illusion.”
Next is…
I continued to think.
I’ve set both the “real” and the “illusion” into motion.
There’s not much more that can be done.
So, it’s better not to do anything unnecessary.
Everything I’ve done so far is to check Oscar.
The balance is delicate.
As the Emperor leaves the capital, it’s natural to do some things, but overdoing it can be counterproductive.
What to do?
Maybe just one more thing—
“Y-Your Majesty.”
“Hmm? Oh, you’re… Luke, huh?”
“Y-Yes! I am Luke!”
Hearing a voice, I was pulled back to reality from my deep thoughts and saw the young eunuch Luke kneeling on the bridge just outside the gazebo.
“What is it?”
“The wind has picked up. You’re sti — Are you still planning to stay here?”
Luke, the novice eunuch, changed his wording midway through.
His correction was still lacking, but I just smiled slightly without pointing it out.
He’s still new.
He will naturally learn such things over time, not something to be reprimanded strongly for.
“It’s fine. I’ll stay a bit longer.”
“I-I understand. Then, would you like a warm drink—I mean, shall I bring one?”
“It’s fine. Drinking too much will make me need to urinate.”
“I-I understand.”
“…”
I stared at Luke for a moment.
Luke looked up at me, puzzled.
It was a little amusing.
If it were an experienced eunuch or lady-in-waiting, they might worry, “Did I perhaps displease him?” But inexperienced Luke did not.
“By the way, you volunteered to become a eunuch for your family’s sake, didn’t you?”
“Y-Yes!”
“Didn’t you think of running away? I remember reading somewhere that about 70% of volunteers flee just before castration.”
“Uh… well, we really needed the money.”
“It’s for your sister’s medicine if I recall correctly.”
“Yes.”
Still kneeling, Luke looked up at me and nodded firmly.
“Even so, you didn’t think of running away?”
I pressed him further.
To become a eunuch, one must be castrated.
Castration essentially means taking away a man’s reproductive ability, but recently, the empire has been performing total castration.
Especially since I ascended the throne.
This isn’t my doing, per se.
When a new Emperor ascends, particularly to maintain the purity of the bloodline, new eunuchs are subjected to total castration, removing everything from the penis to the testicles.[TN: I did not need the full description of castration]
For instance, in the latter years of my father’s reign, when the successor was more or less decided, only the testicles were removed.
Given the total castration, it’s natural to be even more hesitant. Still, this boy stayed the course.
That intrigued me a bit.
“My sister being alive and happy—that’s something I will not compromise.”
“Something that cannot be compromised, huh.”
I see.
“How is your sister now?”
“She’s a bit better. She still needs medication, but I can manage somehow with my salary.”
“I see… Bring a pen and paper.”
“Y-Yes!”
Luke hurried off.
After a while, he returned with a pen and paper.
I took them and started writing on the paper.
After writing down the necessary details, I used the Emperor’s seal I always carry and signed and stamped the document.
I handed it to Luke.
“Take this.”
“W-What is this?”
“Show it to the imperial physician. He’ll see to your sister.”
“E-Eh!?”
“The treatment will be better than that from a private doctor.”
“T-The imperial physician… You mean the one who treats Your Majesty…”
“Yes.”
“That’s!…um, I can’t afford that.”
“Haha, that’s a fresh response.”
“Eh?”
“As the Emperor—or even as a prince, I’ve never heard someone say they ‘can’t afford’ a gift. Don’t worry, there’s no charge. It’s a whim of mine.”
“…”
Luke looked dumbfounded, then prostrated himself on the ground.
“Thank you very much!”
――――――――――――
Name: Noah Ararat
Emperor of the Empire
Gender: Male
Level: 17+1/∞
| HP | C+B | MP | D+C |
| Strength | C+S | Stamina | D+C |
| Intelligence | D+A | Spirit | E+B |
| Speed | E+B | Dexterity | E+B |
| Luck | D+C | ||
| Fire | E+S+S | Water | C+SSS |
| Wind | E+C | Earth | E+C |
| Light | E+B | Darkness | E+B |
――――――――――――
A quick glance at the status showed a slight increase after the plus sign.
As always, I understood this as a sign of pledged loyalty.
Luke’s absolute, non-negotiable thing.
By addressing it, he had sworn his loyalty.
…
“Your Majesty?”
“Hm? Ah, it’s nothing. More importantly, summon Oscar.”
“U-Understood!”
Luke hurriedly ran off.
After seeing his back disappear, I stood under the pavilion, looking at the opposite shore.
“Something that can not ever be compromised, huh?”
I waited for a while.
Oscar arrived in almost the same amount of time as it had taken with Henry.
He walked straight across the bridge and knelt at the entrance of the pavilion.
“Oscar has arrived in response to your summons.”
“Good. Come here and sit.”
“Yes.”
Oscar obeyed and entered the pavilion.
Yet he did not sit down before me. He waited for me to turn around and sit, and only then did he bend slightly at the waist and sit respectfully.
After we were both seated, Luke brought tea.
He placed it before both me and Oscar and then humbly withdrew.
Oscar watched Luke’s retreating figure with a puzzled expression.
“What is it?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. That eunuch ….. I just thought that his demeanor seemed a bit different from the usual.”
“Oh? You noticed well.”
“I try to be mindful of eunuchs.”
“Indeed, that’s wise. I have been fortunate with the Empress, so I have no experience with this, but apparently, one can gauge the mood in the Inner Palace by observing the expressions of the eunuchs?”
“As expected of Your Majesty, exactly right.”
Oscar smiled faintly and made a slight bow while sitting.
“Eunuchs primarily serve the Inner Palace, so they are strongly influenced by the moods and whims there.”
“Yes, I’ve heard that in the past, a eunuch’s extreme fear led to the discovery of a consort’s misdeeds.”
“Precisely, Your Majesty.”
“Hmm.”
I nodded slightly.
Whether as an Emperor or a Prince, one spends less time at home.
Naturally, the Empress, consorts, and wives of princes end up spending more time interacting with lady-in-waiting and eunuchs.
That’s one reason why eunuchs are castrated, to prevent them from misbehaving. And if the women do commit wrongdoings, they themselves might be brave enough to act as if nothing happened, but the eunuchs can’t hide their fear or anxiety, and it shows in their behavior.
Thus, one can “sense” a lot from that.
Therefore, noticing changes in the eunuchs assigned to the Inner Palace is an important task.
“I heard that eunuch has a sick sister, so I assigned the imperial physician to her. That’s probably why.”
“…As expected of Your Majesty, you’re amazing. I must follow your example.”
Oscar said this with a solemn expression.
“Is that so?”
“If you do them such a favor, you’ll gain allies in the Inner Palace. Even just being able to detect when women are conspiring early on makes a big difference.”
“It sounds tough.”
“When women seriously conspire, men don’t stand a chance.”
“Haha, true enough.”
Oscar and I shared a laugh.
After laughing together for a while, I prefaced the conversation with “Now then,” and got to the main topic.
Do not Join me on –>discord<— to get update notifications and releases. I am lazy af these days.
I am surprised to see a chapter released. Thanks for the treat.