The Emperor's Favoritism
“Well done, Illid. This is an excellent proposal. We could reorganize the capital’s guard forces exactly like this immediately and it would be flawless.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
At the emperor’s praise, Illid bowed deeply in gratitude.
Today was the regular reporting session between the emperor and the archdukes. Across from Illid, Hellion’s eyes sparkled as he looked at the emperor, clearly eager to receive praise of his own.
“Hmm……”
The emperor, flipping through Hellion’s documents, let out a heavy sigh. With an unreadable expression, he read all the way to the final page before pushing the papers aside on the table.
“I heard from Ishtel. You suggested imposing taxes differentially based on the nobles’ wealth in the capital?”
“That is correct, Your Majesty.”
Hellion waited for the emperor’s next words with an expectant face. But the emperor’s reaction was colder than anticipated.
“It is a good approach, yet there will be strong opposition. The nobles here in the capital have far less loyalty toward the imperial family than those in the north. It would have been better if you had brought a more feasible plan.”
The emperor clicked his tongue softly. A flustered Hellion answered quickly.
“It seems I was lacking. If you could provide more detailed feedback on areas that need improvement, I will prepare a revised version.”
“Hmm……”
The emperor tapped the edge of the table with his wrinkled fingers. The longer the silence stretched, the more visibly Hellion’s expression darkened. At last, the emperor broke the long quiet.
“Once we finish reviewing Illid’s proposal, I will examine yours again then.”
The somewhat evasive answer made Hellion bite his lip. His hesitation, unsure what to do, was plain to see.
The one standing beside him felt just as bewildered.
The tax collection method Hellion had presented was an extremely realistic approach. There would be initial opposition, but there was no legitimate grounds to block it. Moreover, with successful precedents from the Northern Archduchy, it should have been easy to obtain approval.
Yet for some reason the emperor had postponed approval without offering any clear explanation.
Why is he acting this way…?
While I pondered the question, His Majesty turned to Illid with a gentle smile.
“I will consult with the chancellor and refine your proposal to better suit the capital’s circumstances. I will arrange a meeting with the ministers soon, so be sure to attend.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
“Good. Then we will conclude today’s reports here. You may all withdraw.”
Illid offered the emperor a polite bow, a small smile on his lips. Hellion merely dipped his head with a troubled expression.
Illid and Hellion left the emperor’s audience chamber first. I was about to follow the archdukes out when His Majesty called me back.
“You stay here a moment, Ishtel.”
When I approached, the emperor spoke in a warm tone.
“Illid seems far wiser than I expected. If we proceed according to the report he submitted, we can halve the costs for capital security while improving public order even further.”
“Yes, I also believe it is an impeccable plan.”
“Doesn’t it? Hehe. I wonder when that young boy grew up to become so clever. The more I see him, the more I covet such talent.”
The emperor smiled with satisfaction. I returned a gentle smile of my own.
As His Majesty said, Illid was an intelligent and wise individual, more than worthy of the emperor’s praise. Yet the memory of Hellion’s darkened face kept my mood from being entirely pleasant.
“Indeed. By the way, how have you been getting along with Illid lately? I hear you two spend quite a lot of time together.”
“Yes. We run into each other often in the palace, and the archduke is so sociable that we frequently visit places like the aviary together.”
“Hehe. That is a good thing. Even though it is a political marriage, it is better when both parties come to know each other naturally.”
The emperor burst into hearty laughter once more. I offered an awkward smile and sipped the tea a maid had poured for me.
“You must help him a great deal. He has been away from the capital for a long time. He will be staying here from now on, so it will still take quite a while for him to feel completely at home.”
“Your Majesty.”
After taking a brief breath, I spoke the words that had been lingering on my tongue.
“Why do you never ask about Hellion?”
“Hm?”
“You have been asking only about Archduke Illid since earlier. Are you not curious about Archduke Hellion?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected question, the emperor looked flustered.
“Ah, no. You and Hellion have known each other since childhood, have you not? That is why I did not mention him separately.”
He spoke as if it were nothing, but a lingering discomfort remained in my chest.
“Your Majesty, I think it would be good if you paid a little more attention to Hellion. Earlier, when you praised only Archduke Illid, Hellion looked quite disappointed.”
“Did he?”
“In the past he would have pouted and cried, but now that he is grown he holds it in. Still, he seemed deeply upset.”
“You read that boy’s heart so well, Ishtel.”
“Not at all. I simply……”
Unsure how to continue, I let my words trail off with a faint smile.
Could it be that the emperor had already chosen Illid as the next crown prince? His subtly preferential attitude seemed to reveal his true intentions.
“I know it too—that Hellion is clever and a fine young man.”
The emperor placed his hand on the report Hellion had pushed aside. Then, with a touch that seemed almost regretful, he stroked the paper.
“Although Illid is the first child of the imperial family, Hellion has spent more time with me. That boy is so different from Primos that watching him grow up was quite entertaining.”
The emperor added in a voice steeped in memory.
“Comfort him well, Ishtel. Even to my eyes, that boy seems to like you very much. Just as he did when he was little.”
I wonder what Hellion is doing right now. He wouldn’t be taking his anger out on some innocent person, would he?
Concerned about Hellion, I headed to his residence instead of returning to my own rooms. A servant announced in a loud voice.
“Your Grace, the Duchess of Wintera has arrived.”
Let her in.
The maids opened the doors from both sides. I approached Hellion with a touch of nervousness.
But it seemed I had underestimated him. Contrary to my expectation that he would be stewing in anger, Hellion was sitting at his desk. Holding a quill, he was writing what looked like five or six letters.
“What are you doing, Hellion?”
“Writing letters to the Minister of Finance and his aides.”
“To the Minister of Finance? Why?”
“You saw earlier. His Majesty said my proposal didn’t fit the capital’s situation. After thinking it over, I realized he was right. So I want to ask the minister for more detailed information about the capital’s circumstances.”
Hellion dipped the nib of his pen into the ink, then continued writing in elegant script. I sat beside him and watched the pen scratch across the paper.
Soon Hellion handed the letters to a servant for delivery. Only then did he look at me with slightly tired eyes.
“But why did you come, Ishtel? His Majesty asked you to stay behind earlier.”
“Ah, yes. I stopped by on my way back.”
“What did you talk about with His Majesty? Was it about me?”
“Huh? Uh, yes.”
I gave a vague answer that His Majesty cherished him greatly, then offered an awkward smile.
“That’s a relief. I almost misunderstood, thinking he didn’t care.”
“Misunderstood?”
“Yeah. Which is why, Ishtel… I have something I want to ask you.”
“Go ahead. What is it?”
“You have nephews from your older brother, right? Two boys.”
“Yes. Roshien and Enrique.”
“Roshien is the older one?”
“That’s right. But why are you asking about our children?”
“Then, do you like Roshien more than Enrique?”
“What kind of question is that?”
The sudden topic about my nephews made me blink. When I looked puzzled, Hellion quickly added.
“No, it’s just… it feels like His Majesty likes my older cousin Illid more than me. People always say the first grandchild is the most precious, don’t they? My mother adored Illid too. When I was growing up in the Northern Archduchy, whenever I got scolded, she would always compare me to him.”
Hellion continued in a slightly bitter voice.
“I was really looking forward to today’s proposal. I thought His Majesty would praise it and be pleased… It might make me seem petty, but I couldn’t help wondering if he cares for Illid more.”
“That’s not true.”
I tried to sound cheerful, but I couldn’t say it with complete confidence. After all, I had wondered the same thing—whether the emperor had chosen Illid as his successor.
Hellion pulled his chair closer to me. He slowly leaned his head toward me and gently rubbed his red hair against my shoulder.
“It feels strange. I wasn’t even scolded, yet my chest feels hollow and empty. It would have been easier on my heart if he had just reprimanded me.”
Hellion murmured in a low voice.
“Ishtel. You’ll believe in me, won’t you?”
He lifted his head from my shoulder and brought his face so close our noses nearly touched. Looking down at me with half-lidded blue eyes, he asked.
“I know it too. That my personality is fierce and emotional. And that this imperial palace is a battlefield of political strife.”
“……”
“Illid and I care for each other as family, but when it comes to the position of crown prince, we have no choice but to stand against one another. His Majesty must have heard many stories about me from various people. Among them, there are surely those who side with Illid and try to undermine me.”
By now, deep sorrow had seeped into Hellion’s eyes. His low, subdued voice trembled faintly.
“Even so, Ishtel. Don’t let yourself be swayed by those people. Even though we were apart for a long time, among everyone in this palace, you are the one who has known me the longest. No matter what anyone says, you can see me as I truly am, can’t you?”
The look in his eyes and the tone of his voice seemed almost like a plea, and my own heart ached in response. I reached out and stroked his back.
“Yes, I will.”
I hadn’t realized he was carrying such deep worries. I felt sorry toward Hellion. Perhaps I had been treating him based only on the fragmentary memories from my childhood.
I pulled his head closer, letting it rest on my shoulder, then pressed my forehead gently against his hair.
I’m sorry, Hellion. I’ll try not to do that anymore.
I apologized to him in my heart while stroking his hair.
When I lifted my head again a moment later, his expression had brightened considerably.
“Ishtel, if you have time now, would you like to go to the Northern retainers’ mansion with me?”
“The mansion? Why there?”
“Labi Telia has arrived in the capital.”