"Well then, Revan. I'm leaving Diora to Marquis Strateg, so do your best."
"Is that really the reaction you give to a princess's letter when she's this worried about you?"
Revan, who had brought Diora's letter, deliberately complained about my refusal to reply.
The nearby countries already under the Empire's umbrella know I'm dispatching troops, and I've written to Diora that we won't be able to correspond for a while because of it.
The reply I received was a letter pleading with me to reconsider the military campaign.
There were what appeared to be tear stains along the edges, and apparently a letter had also arrived from the Queen of Rukiusaria to Marquis Strateg requesting a detailed explanation, along with Diora's letter.
Since telling her my real intentions wouldn't provide any comfort, I decided to leave Diora to him as well.
"Honestly, I don't know how much of the inside story I should reveal, so please use your adult judgment. When I return safely, I'll send a proper letter myself."
"With such confidence... wait, inside story? His Majesty the Emperor yielded under pressure from the Dukes, didn't he?"
I pretended not to hear and turned my back.
In the meantime, Revan seemed to have realized something and began counting on his fingers all the favorable conditions that had been extracted for my father.
Since I had another matter to attend to, I decided to take advantage of Revan's confusion.
I took what I needed and pressed it into Revan's hand.
"Here, the master key for this section. And this is an inventory of what's in the room."
"Huh? Wh-what are you plotting?"
"You used to want it so badly that you pestered my wet nurse. You should accept it with a smile."
"I'm sorry. I'll apologize for what happened then, so please stop involving me in something troublesome."
He refused rapidly, but it was too late.
The key and inventory were already in Revan's hands.
"If something problematic is found in this room or it becomes a scandal, please deal with it. Ah, if you want to check the inventory contents, do it later."
"Ah! You've got to be kidding!?"
"You're being noisy in front of Prince Asha."
Ikut silenced him, but Revan tried to resist even to the point of falling to his knees.
"If something like evidence of assassination or forbidden items comes out while we're gone, you and your superior will bear supervisory responsibility."
"The only one remaining is the finance officer, but I've instructed that if any problems arise, they should report to Marquis Strateg."
However, without allowing him to speak, Hercof and Werarel thrust the troublesome position upon him.
Unable to force the master key back on me, Revan stood up unsteadily.
"I-I can't decide this on my own... I must consult with the Marquis first."
It seemed I had successfully pushed the supervision of this place onto him as he left without allies.
"Well, next then."
I had another visitor scheduled for today.
"Excuse me."
The one who arrived was my father's close associate, Bowl-cut, clutching the documents I had requested.
The general who had been involved in resolving the seven-year affair sixty years ago had left behind various investigations and detailed topography of the surrounding areas.
These were being kept by his bereaved family, and since the military had obtained them, I had asked that they be forwarded to me here.
"So, what did you need?"
"Huh, you get to the point quickly."
"If you went to the trouble of summoning me specifically, you must have business, but please restrain yourself."
"Lately my reputation has been so low that I've realized most things can be resolved by saying my close associates are excellent."
"Certainly that excuse worked when having the military forward the documents. But to those with eyes to see... I spoke out of turn."
Bowl-cut stopped his complaint.
This man was probably not as taciturn as I thought.
It was only around this year that I realized he deliberately kept his words few when meeting with me.
He was one of the close associates Duke Lucaios had prepared for my father, strict with me and obstructing my meetings.
But now, though he stayed like a monitor and caused interference, I could tell he was trusted since he was allowed to remain at my father's side.
Just as his view of me had changed, so had mine of him.
With that in mind, I had something I wanted to ask.
"Who do you serve?"
"His Majesty the Emperor who rules this Empire."
"I see, then never mind."
I reached for the documents, but Bowl-cut refused to let the conversation end.
"What do you mean? Did you summon me just for that?"
"Huh? Yeah. I just wanted to hear your answer where no one else was around."
"Since I am being asked by you, who are a prince, I would answer regardless of witnesses..."
"But you don't treat me like a prince? You don't need to be considerate of me at this point."
I hadn't called for him to hear opinions unreserved about me.
I simply wanted this not-so-taciturn Bowl-cut to not have to choose his words worrying about others' eyes.
And from Hercof and Werarel, who rarely accompanied my meetings with my father, cold stares were directed at him.
As if escaping their gaze, Bowl-cut looked at me with an unconvinced expression.
"Well, if there's anything else to ask, it's just personal curiosity... Why did you have a change of heart and decide to tacitly approve of what I'm doing?"
Though I had squeezed out a question because he appealed with his eyes that he wasn't convinced, he made a disgusted face again.
But since he had drawn out the question himself, he seemed to answer reluctantly.
"A child was born. Five years ago."
At that time, I was six years old, going to meet my father in just a shirt.
I had thought his attitude changed after that, but it seemed it wasn't my imagination.
"...Only when I put myself in your position did I realize how pathetic His Majesty must be as a father to have to use someone like me."
He was saying something outrageous to the Emperor, but Hercof was nodding.
"At the same time, watching my son grow year by year, I couldn't help but compare him to you. I realized how foolish I must look, playing such petty tricks."
"Ah, your harassment was pretty petty. Compared to the Dukes'."
Bowl-cut pressed his lips together, took a breath, and glared at me.
"I have one question for you as well."
"Go ahead."
"In your earliest memories, how did I appear to you?"
That would be when I was around three or four, I suppose?
When you ask how I saw you, do you mean my impressions or what I thought?
"As someone who did unnecessary things."
"...Ghk."
He turned his face away, looking down as if enduring something.
There, Hercof asked.
"Your Highness, by the way, what gave you that impression?"
"Things like, even if you glared at child-me, you couldn't stop His Majesty, or that it was petty harassment."
"How childish. Anything else?"
Ikut spat venomously while asking further.
"Setting the clock ahead to pull us apart early. In the end, Father just came rushing over anyway."
"Ah, he was quite distressed that he couldn't make time for you."
Werarel had arranged for my father to hand over salaries directly, reporting on me.
In reality, since I had sworn him to secrecy about what I said, it became time for my father to complain to Hercof and Werarel, apparently.
While we were having such a conversation, Bowl-cut finally recovered.
"You would manage even in the remote regions of the Empire. Why not take this opportunity to become independent?"
"Does that mean leading an army somewhere, surrounding them under the pretext of necessary governance, collecting taxes from the locals, and essentially creating a small nation?"
"I... didn't go that far."
"Ah, really? Well, I have no intention of doing so. I'll return properly."
"Please don't say things that would make us more worried about letting you out of the palace."
Since that would be troublesome later, I nodded with feigned seriousness.
He gave me a very suspicious look, but since I understood that Bowl-cut was devoted to my father, I didn't mind.
Since he seemed to prioritize my father over Duke Lucaios, he probably wouldn't act against my father's will while I was away if something happened.
"Ah, if you feel bad about it, I have one request."
"Wh-what is it?"
"You don't need to be so on guard. I know Their Majesties are worried about me, so I was thinking of sending a letter saying I'm well. If it doesn't arrive, you don't need to identify who specifically, but please find out which faction is obstructing it and whisper it to His Majesty."
The moment I asked, Bowl-cut started to say something, then closed his mouth.
"...In the end, you only say things that benefit His Majesty."
"Is there anything else I would ask of you?"
Though he looked dissatisfied, Bowl-cut's nod could be taken as agreement.
Thus, I left the capital, going along with the adults' schemes.
Regular Update
Next: The March and the General 1