A Misunderstanding of Mythic Proportions
My office door burst open, and a grey-haired woman marched in, her tone demanding.
"You! Where were you last night?"
A pale-faced Theodora glared at me, leaving me utterly bewildered.
"Huh? I was in here, working all night."
Seeing the deep dark circles under her eyes, looking as though she hadn't slept a wink, I couldn't help but feel worried.
"Did you stay up all night? Your dark circles are terrible. Your eyes are bloodshot, too..."
At my words, she quickly averted her gaze.
"Ahem... No, I didn't!"
If she didn't, she didn't... Why was she shouting? Still, my condition was exceptionally good today, so I didn't let it bother me.
"Anyway... this is the investment fund proposal I drew up using the anti-Grand Duchy faction's bonds. Take a look."
I handed her a thick stack of documents. She took them, asking with a look of sheer disbelief, "I thought you told me not to interfere in the Grand Duchy's affairs?"
I replied in a teasing tone.
"It's a joint venture between the Grand Duchy and the Empire, so you might want to review it. Your Majesty?"
"Sigh... What on earth are you plotting now?"
She muttered, taking the papers and quickly skimming through them.
"This is incredibly detailed... Did you actually stay up all night for this?"
I smiled and stretched my arms.
"Ugh! Yeah, my condition was strangely amazing today. I got so absorbed in my work that morning came before I knew it."
At my response, Theodora's eyes went blank for a moment, before instantly turning ice-cold.
"Hmph! Go ahead and work yourself to death then!"
Slam!
She spat out those incomprehensible words, snatched up the documents, and stormed out.
"But I wonder if I can have some more of that today? The Unicorn's Horn?"
I didn't know about its effects on stamina of that kind, but its energy-boosting properties were absolutely phenomenal. It was just like an energy drink. The taste was a bit off, but I really wanted to drink some more.
The first breakfast after Thera had arranged for her daughter and son-in-law to share a bed.
Theodora, looking thoroughly displeased, scowled and glared at Deviang.
Unlike her daughter, who had deep dark circles and bloodshot eyes from a sleepless night, Deviang looked so bursting with vitality that his face practically glowed. Seeing the two of them made Thera's mood soar.
It seemed Deviang hadn't let her sleep a wink all night.
I wore that exact same expression back when my late husband consumed Dragon Heart and Unicorn's Horn.
Looking at them brought back memories of her youth, and a smile naturally formed on Thera's lips.
Fufu... Finally! Finally! I'm so glad I prepared the Unicorn's Horn.
Surely, things must have been incredibly passionate between them last night.
Just to be sure, she carefully broached the subject.
"Ahem... Did you both sleep well?"
When she asked, Theodora let out a heavy sigh.
"Sigh... It was just so-so."
"I felt absolutely spectacular!"
What exactly was spectacular? My, our son-in-law is quite something... Realizing he was so delighted because of the passionate night he had shared with Theodora, Thera felt a strange, complicated emotion as a mother.
She knew she should be happy that her grown daughter had spent a wonderful night with her beloved husband... but having always thought of her as a child, seeing her daughter so mature made Thera feel her own age.
"Ahem... Well, I'm glad to hear that. Come, eat up."
As she spoke, her son-in-law stared at the oysters laid out in front of him before carefully opening his mouth.
"Um... Mother-in-law... about that Dragon Heart... and Unicorn's Horn..."
Oh my... Did he really like it that much?
"You! After what you did yesterday, how can you even say that?!"
Seeing Theodora snap at her husband only made Thera happier, confirming her suspicions.
Images of her future grandchildren, giggling as they hugged her in her dream last night, flashed through her mind.
Ah, Ian and Rene... She felt certain her late husband had answered her prayers. At the same time, she wondered if drinking it two days in a row might be too taxing on Theodora's health.
Won't it be too hard on Theodora? Yesterday was her first time, after all...
For a brief second, she hesitated out of concern for her daughter. But her burning desire to meet Ian and Rene as soon as possible won out, along with the reassuring thought that people didn't die that easily.
I felt like I was going to die back then too... but look at me, I'm still perfectly fine and healthy, aren't I?
With her mind made up, she turned to the Head Chamberlain.
"Head Chamberlain, bring out what we had yesterday..."
Looking at Theodora's grimacing face and Deviang's bright, beaming smile, Thera felt a deep pang of guilt toward her daughter.
Theodora... I'm sorry. Please forgive your foolish mother. But I simply cannot wait to meet our lovely, beautiful Rene and adorable little Ian.
At her command, the Head Chamberlain smoothly presented the same alcohol from yesterday to Deviang and shaved the Unicorn's Horn over it... Watching him down it in a single gulp sent a shiver down Thera's spine.
"Ahhh!"
This is for the best, right? But she wasn't the only one harboring doubts. Joy leaned in and whispered in her ear.
"Mom... is Sister going to die at this rate?"
Looking at Joy talking nonsense, Thera smiled and whispered back.
"Don't worry... Your sister won't die until she gives birth to Ian and Rene."
Joy gave her a puzzled look.
"Who are Ian and Rene?"
It was the dream her late husband had shown her last night. When she couldn't sleep out of worry for Theodora and Deviang, her husband had surely sent her a prophetic dream to ease her mind.
"What are you two whispering about over there?"
Clearly displeased with the entire situation, Theodora redirected her sparks of anger toward them.
"Oh, it's nothing, dear."
"Hehe... It's nothing, Sister."
Watching Theodora eye them with deep suspicion while her son-in-law happily slurped down raw oysters, Thera felt a profound sense of happiness.
That night, I was once again in my office until late, reviewing documents. I organized my thoughts as I looked over the recent reports on the war, the establishment of the Information Department, and the development of Chemical Fertilizer.
The anti-Grand Duchy faction had still not accepted my terms. But they wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.
My forces had already begun securing the surrenders of their major cities, and they had no strength left to block our advance.
"They must still be reluctant to surrender."
I fell into thought, staring at the map laid out before me.
The enemy was trying to scrape together every last soldier they could, but they barely exceeded ten thousand. On our side, however, we had already joined the Golden Knights with ten thousand of the Empress's troops, bringing our total to over fifty thousand. We held absolute superiority in both quantity and quality.
It wouldn't be easy for them to recruit mercenaries, either. Not many mercenaries would want to throw their lives away in a war that was already lost.
Even if they somehow managed to hire them, it would require an astronomical amount of money. By my estimates, they were already severely strapped for cash.
Their only remaining options to raise funds were to get them from Yohanes or to issue additional bonds.
But Yohanes was no fool; he wouldn't pour money into a war that was already decided.
He was likely preparing for his own eventual clash with the Emperor Faction, and he would see no reason to needlessly provoke me over a battle I had already won.
Issuing more bonds was equally impossible. Even if they wanted to, there was no one left willing to buy them.
They must know by now that their cause is hopeless... Well, time will take care of the rest.
With those thoughts, I picked up the report on the establishment of the Information Department.
We had decided to recruit former diplomats as instructors for our operatives.
Since diplomats were essentially high-ranking officials who conducted espionage under the guise of international relations, there was no one better suited for the role.
However, the biggest hurdle was finding instructors to train the field agents in physical operations.
"Hmm... For now, I've hired some assassins as a temporary stopgap, but..."
I was considering hiring a large number of professional assassins—those who took secret contracts like Rebecca—as instructors. But recruiting them was proving far more difficult than expected.
I had received a few introductions from Rebecca's acquaintances, but I was worried because they were practically rookies in that underworld.
"Sigh... It's frustrating when money can't solve the problem."
Even if I wanted to hire highly skilled assassins, it wasn't easy. There were two main reasons.
First, they couldn't trust the state due to their past crimes. Even if I offered them official pardons, most assassins simply wouldn't believe it.
Second, the truly talented ones had already amassed plenty of wealth and had no desire to be tied down to any organization.
"Let's take it slow and think through this one step at a time."
I moved on to the next agenda item.
"The chemical fertilizer factory..."
This was currently the project showing the slowest progress. Despite the astronomical sums of money poured into it...
"There are absolutely no results..."
From commissioning the necessary experimental equipment and developing new magic tailored for the experiments, to creating materials that could withstand high temperatures and pressures...
They hadn't produced a single shred of progress, yet I had a feeling they would soon be asking for even more research funds.
The only saving grace was that our finances were relatively abundant this time. Well, not completely abundant yet.
The war wasn't over, and even after it ended, siphoning funds from the Pieta Guild legally required complex procedures.
If I just withdrew money at will from a guild that legally had no connection to me, I would essentially be admitting to market manipulation.
"Well... that will resolve itself in due time."
Just then...
"A cup of coffee, Grand Duke."
I greeted Lucius warmly as he walked in carrying two cups of coffee.
"Ah, thank you! But why are you still here? Haven't you gone home yet?"
Lucius grumbled at my question.
"Because someone demanded that I have these materials ready by tomorrow morning..."
His words sparked an idea. Maybe I should ask my mother-in-law to share some of that Unicorn's Horn later?
I was deeply impressed by its undeniable efficacy. To pull an all-nighter like this and not feel a single shred of fatigue—what an incredible medicine.
I should definitely ask for some on Lucius's behalf later.
"Ahem... Well, whoever that 'someone' is, they sound very wise. Ah! Actually, I have something to discuss with you."
Once the war ended, we would have to govern the territories of the anti-Grand Duchy faction. To rule them efficiently, we would naturally need a vast pool of talented individuals.
"Lucius, you attended the Academy, right? Are there any capable people there we could use?"
At my question, a devilish grin spread across Lucius's face.
"Oh, absolutely! There are plenty! There's Müller, my senior from the Academy who's graduating this year. And there's Maximilian, who's my age and an outstanding magic engineer!"
Lucius passionately pitched the two of them to me.
"Müller is practically the treasure of the Academy, with grades that are second to none. And Maximilian comes from a long line of blacksmiths, but he's an absolute genius when it comes to magic formulas."
Watching him practically spit with excitement as he recommended them, I couldn't help but feel that God was on my side.
Yes... since I'm working myself to the bone like this, the least I deserve is some highly capable talent.
Besides, once we established the Technology Investment Fund, various guilds and factories would surely swarm us with investment proposals. I had been worrying about how to find a skilled engineer capable of filtering out the charlatans from the genuine innovators.
I would have to meet Maximilian in person to be sure, but things were falling into place much smoother than expected.
"If we secure those two, the Empire will enjoy a thousand years of peace... and the population will boom..."
I cut off Lucius as he began muttering absolute nonsense beside me.
"Alright, I get it. Just set up a meeting with them."
At my words, Lucius's face lit up with joy, and he nodded vigorously.
"Haha! Understood, Grand Duke!"
Watching him practically skip out of my office, a smile tugged at my lips.
Is he really that happy about getting more fellow slaves?