Chapter 165: A New Treasure
“It’s just the two of us, no need for extra politeness.”
“Yes.”
Oscar stood up.
His eyes were slightly different from before.
Because I could see his status, I understood that the change in the color of his eyes was due to a difference in loyalty.
Understanding this, I continued to speak without hesitation.
“For the time being, I will treat you as someone special, just as before, as if handling something delicate.”
“That’s to be expected. Then I will continue as I have been—”
“No, Oscar, you will need to change a little.”
I interrupted Oscar’s words, and he had a slightly puzzled expression.
“What do you mean by ‘change’?”
“Be even more polite than before.”
“…I see.”
After thinking for a moment, Oscar nodded.
“What you’re saying is that you are pouring your heart into this ‘eliminating the scent’ because you want to create some reaction towards His Majesty, correct?”
“That’s right. Discontent towards me is gradually rising, but they are desperately hiding it. That should provoke some interest.”
“That’s impressive, Your Majesty. However, I doubt there is anyone in the current circles who is worth going to such lengths for.”
“I just want to be thorough. This kind of political maneuvering can only be done once effectively.”
“That is true.”
“That’s the general policy for now. The rest is all up to you.”
“Yes, understood.”
“It’s a blank check; do as you like.”
“Is that really alright? It would be better if Your Majesty directs me.”
“You have many abilities where you surpass me in practical matters.”
“…”
Oscar’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Considering you, it’s better to leave the main points to you and then improvise afterwards.”
“…This is amazing, Your Majesty. I understand now why the retired Emperor passed the throne to you instead of me. I have a tendency to want to meddle in everything.”
“I feel the same way, I often want to poke my nose in.”
“In Your Majesty’s case, you allow me to handle the paving after setting the direction. I wouldn’t be satisfied unless I was involved in everything.”
“It’s a downside of competence, isn’t it? Do you fundamentally not trust your subordinates?”
“That might be true. Up to the level of a single state, it’s fine, but for one person to grasp the entirety of a country—”
Oscar laughed self-deprecatingly.
I thought that his self-mocking smile was proof that he no longer had any reservations.
“Anyway, I leave everything to you.”
“Yes.”
☆
After parting with Oscar and leaving the mansion, I returned to the detached palace—the former residence of the Thirteenth Prince.
In the twilight, I cleverly dodged the gatekeeper’s gaze and entered.
Once back at home, I didn’t head to my own room.
Instead, I made my way to the library.
Upon entering the library, I lit a lantern that was kept near the entrance and used it to look around.
I was searching for a book.
As I wandered through the library, I recalled the conversation I had with my father.
I had discussed resources with my father.
The discussions with my father and Oscar revolved around methods to extract what the current beneficiaries hold from the existing resources.
Meanwhile, my father was focusing on ways to increase the resources from the outset.
There isn’t a strict rule that states one is correct and the other isn’t, nor is there a requirement to pursue only one or the other.
As long as they do not conflict, I believe it is acceptable to do both and that one should do both.
Thinking this, I remembered that I recently read about an emperor who specialized in “increasing” resources in one of the history books. I came back to reference it and planned to read more closely.
“Hmm…”
I pulled several books that seemed relevant from the bookshelf and opened them to glance at their contents.
However, none of them matched what I was looking for.
Lately, I had so many books to read that I couldn’t even find the one I was targeting. I was pondering what to do when suddenly—
“W-Who’s there!?”
“Hmm? …Oh, it’s you, Gigi.”
I heard a voice from the entrance, so I raised my lantern and looked toward the speaker.
There stood the maid, Gigi.
When she had first come to the mansion, she was still a young girl, but now she had transformed into a mature woman.
“It’s me.”
I only said that.
“Y-Your Majesty!?”
“Yes.”
“Y-You’re back?”
“Yes. It’s a secret, so keep it confidential.”
“Y-Yes! I won’t tell anyone!”
Though she had grown beautifully, Gigi remained just as she was before, overly tense and responding to my orders with such gestures.
I chuckled softly and picked up the next book and opened it.
Flipping through its pages and then returning it to the shelf.
“This isn’t it either…”
“Are you looking for something?”
“Yes, I’m looking for a specific book… Do you think you can help?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t read.”
“I see.”
I nodded slightly.
It’s not an unusual story, many maids who come to serve can’t read.
Unlike other princes, I haven’t forbidden reading and writing, so some of them learn and acquire those skills later, but Gigi was not one of them.
Since it’s not a rare story, I didn’t mind much.
“U-um…”
“Yes?”
“Do you remember when you read it…?”
“When I read it?”
I tilted my head, pausing my hand that was reaching for the next book, and turned to Gigi once more.
“Yes, if we can figure that out, we might be able to find it.”
“What do you mean?”
“For example—this and this were the books you read the day before His Majesty went out, and from here to here is the day before that. The one before that wasn’t read here, and the day before was this, this, and this.”
“…That’s how you remember?”
“Yes!”
I was a bit surprised.
Then, I tried to recall.
When had I read that book…?
“I read it at night… after receiving the harvest report on a moonless new moon, so it was a little before winter.”
While playing a kind of associative game, I gradually narrowed it down until I could ultimately pinpoint the last two days.
When I conveyed those two days as dates to her,
“Please wait a moment—this, this, and this—these six books!”
Gigi flitted around the library, pulling out six books from various places as she had said.
I took them and started flipping through them. It was the moment I opened the third book.
“This is it.”
“Is it really?”
“Yes, reading the preface jogged my memory. It should be around this page—found it!”
“Thank goodness! You found it!”
“You…?”
Holding the desired book, I looked at Gigi.
She stared back at me with a puzzled expression.
“You really remembered well. I’ll give you praise.”
“—Thank you very much!”
“That’s enough for today. Since I’m only going to read this, you should go to bed. Keep my presence a secret.”
“Understood! Good night!”
Gigi bowed quickly and scampered out of the library.
After seeing her off, I murmured in a voice barely audible to myself.
“A treasure… was still so close to me.”
☆
The next morning, I visited Audrey.
The Empress’s mornings come early, and she is surrounded by various servants as she prepares her “Empress” appearance.
Calculating the time it took, I waited until she was alone before stepping out in front of her.
“I’ve been waiting for you, Your Majesty.”
Inside Audrey’s private room, she showed no sign of surprise, as if she was simply “welcoming” me.
“You anticipated my arrival?”
“No. I just keep myself ready for whenever you might appear.”
“That must be tiring.”
“That’s only natural as an Empress. It’s much more difficult for you, so I can’t say I’m tired over something like this.”
“I see. The reason I’m here today is to take a maid with me. That’s what I came to say.”
“A maid… you say?”
“Yes.”
“…”
Audrey looked visibly troubled.
“Even if you say you’ll take someone, they’re all your possessions, so you don’t need my consent.”
“Maid in the inner palace is formally considered the Empress’s possession. It’s a girl named Gigi, may I take her?”
“…His Majesty is really something.”
“Huh?”
“You’ve called me the head of the inner palace and the mother of the nation many times, but you truly believed that, didn’t you?”
“If not, I wouldn’t say it.”
“Please take her with you. Bestow upon that child the honor of being needed by you.”
“I thank you.”
Audrey behaved very much like an Empress.
I thought for a moment and said.
“What I’m about to say is just me talking to myself.”
“…?”
“Be careful of the Thunder Prince, as something may happen soon—”
Audrey didn’t let me finish.
She approached me and gently placed her index finger on my lips to silence me.
“Audrey?”
“I believe Your Majesty is being considerate, thinking it is okay to convey a message to your family.”
“Ah. Don’t worry, it’s just a ‘bed talks’ that won’t break any laws.”
“Your Majesty.”
“Yes?”
“Do you know my name?”
“It’s Audrey, right?”
“That’s correct.”
Audrey nodded and smiled gently.
“I am Audrey, just Audrey. After the ceremony of disownment, I am now Empress Audrey with no family to speak of.”
“…”
“I won’t interfere with state affairs. Please act as you see fit.”
“I apologize. It seems I underestimated you.”
“Not at all.”
“I will leave everything in the harem to you as before.”
“Yes.”
“I will take my grandfather with me.”
“Yes.”
“I will come again tonight.”
“…Yes.”
Audrey was a wise woman.
She understood the meaning behind every word, even when they intertwined between public and private matters.
I quietly felt a little pleased that this treasure was beyond what I had imagined. [TN: Damn Mrs. Audrey, you’re really something else]
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