I’ll Handle the Rest
Chloe declared that she could not possibly entrust financial authority to someone who had not received a proper education.
“I, too, went through the same process before I sat at the late emperor’s side. However little we may care about one’s birth, we cannot hand over financial authority to someone who has not yet been properly vetted.”
The nobles nodded at Chloe’s well-reasoned words. Rumors about Regina’s abilities had circulated freely, but none of them had seen anything with their own eyes.
They had heard that she was an exceptional mage, that she knew court etiquette far better than one would expect from someone of such humble origin, but that was all.
“That is true enough.”
“Those are things she can learn bit by bit.”
Count Ulysses stepped forward.
“What matters more is preserving the laws and order of the imperial household. Now that Her Majesty the Empress is here, Her Majesty the Grand Empress cannot continue managing the palace treasury.”
His firm words shocked many of those in the chamber. It was no different from openly declaring that he intended to turn against Chloe.
The struggle between the emperor and the Grand Empress was an open secret, but it had never been laid bare. Now that what had been happening beneath the surface had risen into the light, the nobles were thrown into confusion.
Watching the scene unfold, Conrad remembered Regina’s words.
“It would be best if the Grand Empress handed over the financial authority right away this time, but that’s clearly not going to be easy. If that happens, leave the rest to me.”
She had smiled, saying that she knew social politics better than anyone, and he had even pressed his lips to her cheek in passing to satisfy his own selfish desire.
Hmm.
He had expected this much, but that did not make it pleasant. How long was he supposed to keep indulging Chloe’s tantrums?
Just then, as though he had read Conrad’s mind, Count Ulysses continued, “The Grand Empress’s corruption has already been exposed. How can we simply pretend not to know and brush this aside?”
“How dare you utter such nonsense!”
“Have I said something wrong?”
Count Ulysses barely swallowed the anger boiling in his chest.
His own daughter was serving as a knight in the imperial palace. Not in some distant post, either, but guarding the Grand Empress’s Palace.
Whenever she came home to the count’s estate after work, she always looked pale and exhausted, and he had assumed it was nothing more than fatigue. He had never imagined she was being looked down on by the lowliest attendants and maids.
“If the Grand Empress had shown even the slightest concern, the knights would never have ended up in such a position. Will you stand by idly while the sons and daughters who took up swords for the sake of honor are treated this way?”
At that sharp cry, the nobles aligned with the Grand Empress fell silent. The eyes of those whose children served as knights in the palace slowly began to harden.
Sensing the change in the room, Chloe almost bit her lip before forcing herself back into calm.
After all, financial authority would have to be surrendered once a new empress entered the palace. She had already prepared herself for this day.
But not right now.
The ledger manipulation still wasn’t finished, and there was no way to replenish the money she had already siphoned off immediately.
If Conrad learned where the money had gone, there was a good chance the matter would become much worse.
That was why Chloe had tried to postpone the transfer of financial authority for as long as possible.
“…If that is the will of the nobles, then there is nothing to be done.”
Unable to withstand their pressure any longer, Chloe finally spoke.
“I shall return the financial authority once the empress has completed all necessary instruction.”
Of course, that was not a complete surrender.
It would take at least half a year to finish the education required to prepare an empress for her duties.
Even the fastest empress in history had needed four months, so Regina would be no different.
Chloe’s lips curved into a fresh smile as she stated, “This will also preserve imperial law and custom, so I doubt Count Ulysses will have any complaints. What does Your Majesty think?”
At Chloe’s words, Conrad almost laughed out loud.
If it were Regina, she would no doubt pass the empress’s education with ease. But reaching the point of actually gaining financial authority would take more time.
The ploy Chloe was using to drag things out was obvious, yet there was nothing Conrad could do when she invoked imperial law and custom.
If I say I’ll skip the process as emperor, they’ll surely find fault with that too.
They would accuse him of being wrapped around the empress’s little finger, of losing his judgment because of a woman, of changing after bringing someone new into the palace.
And then Regina wouldn’t be able to hold power properly.
He could solve the problem easily enough by stepping in himself, but then Regina would never win recognition from the nobles.
Realizing that this was the most important time in her life, Conrad had no choice but to show more patience as emperor.
“Tell the empress the Grand Empress’s wishes,” he said.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Conrad gave the order to the chief attendant of the emperor’s palace, and the man, having received his instruction, immediately left the chamber.
“Grand Empress. Do not forget your promise. Once the empress has completed all her education, the financial authority will be hers.”
“Of course.”
A faint smile touched Chloe’s lips.
***
After hearing the message brought by the chief attendant from the emperor’s palace, Regina let out a snort of laughter.
“That’s exactly what I expected.”
Limutan, who had been reviewing the contents while handing her the documents beside her, spoke with a worried expression.
“This education will not be over in an hour or two, Your Majesty.”
“I know that.”
When she had first examined the laws and customs of the Fredericks imperial family, the very first thing she had checked was the requirements imposed on a future empress.
She had to come from a noble family. She had to have no fiancé. And so on.
To bring up a law that has long since become meaningless.
It was truly absurd, but she had to accept it.
If she were to push back against Chloe now and demand the financial authority be handed over, Chloe’s reply would be obvious.
She’d say I’ve forgotten my place now that I’m sitting on the empress’s throne. Or that I’ve become blinded by money.
And yet who was the one truly obsessed with money? Regina could not stand being insulted like that. What interested her was not only the amount Chloe had embezzled, but where the money had gone.
It was too much to believe she had spent everything on her own bloodline.
That amount had been sizable—around fifteen percent of the palace’s annual budget.
“Go and tell them I will undergo the education.”
“Yes, then…”
“But tell them that I cannot suddenly repeat, right this instant, the instruction that should have been received before taking the empress’s seat. I’ll take the exam and then fill in only the parts I’m lacking.”
“Understood.”
The chief attendant’s face brightened at Regina’s answer, and he left the bedroom at once.
Regina, who had not left the emperor’s palace in some time, thought it was about time she moved her residence back to the Empress’s Palace.
I should go check the condition of the palace and gather the noble ladies too.
The Empress’s Palace had to become the center of high society.
For now, the Grand Empress’s Palace still served that role, but now that she held the empress’s authority, it was only proper that the other side relinquish its place.
“Limutan.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Go to the Empress’s Palace and check whether it’s fit for me to stay there.”
“Understood.”
“And what condition are the things the Grand Empress gave me in?”
“W-Well…”
At Limutan’s hesitation, Regina was certain of it.
I thought she would have sent decent things after pruning the maids as a warning example, but I suppose it’s still no good.
It was almost tedious, the way they kept testing her as though they thought so little of her.
Regina smiled faintly and added, “Find out how much the things she sent are worth.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“The Grand Empress promised to gift me furniture and curtains suited to the dignity of the imperial family, so this time we need to check the price first and make sure there are no problems.”
At Regina’s suggestion that they simply confirm the market price, Limutan swallowed dryly and asked, “Then what kind of price should we be looking at…”
“Obviously, the highest.”
Regina’s clear voice rang through the bedroom.
“If it’s something the Empress of Fredericks uses, shouldn’t it be the most precious thing in the empire?”
“That is certainly correct.”
They were buying within the allotted budget, yes, but if part of that budget was bleeding into Chloe’s hands, then there was no reason to show mercy.
Why fill her pockets when I can take it for myself instead?
If they requested it that way, Chloe might well send something expensive but tasteless and vulgar.
In that case, Regina could simply show those pieces to the nobles who came to visit the Empress’s Palace and mock Chloe’s taste to her face.
Either way, Chloe would end up having to send proper replacements in the end.