Chapter 15
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Shadow of Aquitaine #1
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Why the hell did a gold mine suddenly pop up?
I returned to the imperial palace.
"Is everyone here?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The high-ranking officials had gathered in the audience chamber.
The Finance Minister and the Agriculture and Forestry Minister.
And even Elisabeth.
They had all come rushing at the news of the gold mine discovery.
"Is it true? A new gold mine has been found?"
The Finance Minister's eyes widened.
He was a fairly competent man who had survived the last purge that had torn through the high officials, including the Prime Minister.
His hands were a bit sticky, though...
But how many high officials in this empire didn't have sticky fingers?
His greed wasn't excessive compared to his position, so I planned to keep him around for the long haul.
Become the empire's emperor's aide and serve me faithfully for years to come.
"Ahem, why this sudden chill?"
The Finance Minister shivered.
"Finance Minister, is it your age? You seem low on energy. I'll send some rare medicinal herbs to your estate, so make sure to take them."
"Haha, this old man is deeply grateful, Your Majesty..."
"Good. You need to stay healthy to work for a long time, right?"
"Ha, haha."
Sensing something ominous, the Finance Minister laughed awkwardly.
After some light well-wishes were exchanged,
Elisabeth summarized the situation.
"Shall we get started? As the Finance Minister asked, a gold mine has been discovered. It's expected to be quite large."
"Whoa."
The Finance Minister let out a long sigh of admiration.
A gold mine suddenly appearing in a border region that had been devouring budgets without mercy, yet couldn't be neglected.
He must have been wondering what kind of miracle this was.
"That area was always rather barren. It was a headache always needing food aid... but a gold mine changes everything. The possibilities are endless."
The Agriculture and Forestry Minister, who had been listening, chimed in.
He was someone Elisabeth had handpicked and newly appointed.
"Oh dear, Agriculture and Forestry Minister. How dare you speak of revenues from His Majesty's direct territory without seeking His permission first?"
"...! I-I'm sorry, Your Majesty."
He was competent in his field, but still lacked political savvy.
The Finance Minister quickly stepped in to smooth things over.
The Agriculture and Forestry Minister's face turned pale.
The old tyrant Khalid von Aquitaine would have punished him for insolence, but I just waved it off indifferently.
"It's fine. I'll take it as loyalty to the empire."
"I-I'm honored."
"Haha. What does the plenipotentiary think?"
The Finance Minister asked for Elisabeth's opinion.
Elisabeth turned to look at me.
"Your Majesty, what do you think?"
"About what?"
"Might there be more resources in our border territories that we don't yet know about?"
Why ask me that?
I don't know either.
In the original story, no gold mine was ever discovered there.
It wasn't even a direct territory originally, and it wasn't a particularly important location.
"I have no idea."
I admitted honestly.
"Indeed, you're leaving it to us to figure out."
"It's nerve-wracking to undergo Your Majesty's test."
The Finance Minister and Agriculture and Forestry Minister muttered to each other.
What nonsense.
I really don't know.
"I understand."
Understand what?
"You can't say more than that."
That's not it.
I couldn't hold back any longer and opened my mouth.
"...You seem to be misunderstanding something."
"Pardon?"
"I'm not testing you. I already trust you. Why would I need to test you further?"
"..."
"Y-Your Majesty."
Elisabeth fell silent.
The Finance Minister stammered.
What's with him?
Then he burst into tears.
"To trust us so much...! We will surely live up to Your Majesty's faith!"
Don't cry while saying that, you old geezer.
It felt weird.
"Yes, yes. I trust only you all. Bring good results."
Yeah, even without the gold mine, other things might turn up, right?
If I say this, they'll bring decent outcomes.
Nothing else turned up.
Nothing else, but...
"Your Majesty, the gold reserves are at least twice what we estimated?"
There's way more gold than expected.
Why...?
"Even looking at the entire empire, this would rank in the top tier."
Elisabeth said with a smug face.
She looked like a career woman who had successfully completed her project.
Not wrong, either.
"You finished faster than expected. How?"
"Well, we worked as hard as we could. Hehe, I'm confident in mercenary tactics."
From her vague response, it didn't seem like humane methods were used.
Mercenary tactics, indeed.
She probably blackmailed officials with their corruption and worked them to death.
I don't care about that.
She only ground down those who deserved it anyway.
Elisabeth was reliable in such matters.
"Good work."
"Hehe, it was nothing."
"Then, Your Majesty."
The listening Finance Minister stepped forward.
"How do you plan to use the revenues from the gold mine? Since it's from a direct territory, use it entirely as you see fit."
Honestly, I don't need it much.
Money?
The imperial family already has more than enough.
Of course, the gold mine would make it significantly more.
Besides, I'm planning to quit being emperor soon anyway?
Money from the gold mine going to the imperial coffers didn't thrill me.
I could siphon off some as slush funds for after I step down, though.
"How much revenue will the gold mine produce?"
"Including not just gold but the value of byproducts from the mine, it's short-term, but we can estimate it at about 20% of this year's imperial budget."
20% of the budget short-term.
As expected, from initial development... but still,
Even so, 20% of a massive empire's budget was an enormous figure.
Then.
I can pocket plenty as slush funds and still have leftovers.
"Then, Finance Minister, take it and distribute it well. Leave about 10% as imperial slush funds."
"............Your Majesty?"
The Finance Minister blinked in surprise.
His budget suddenly increasing by 20% warranted that.
"Can't handle it? If not, I'll give it to another department."
"H-How could you say that!"
"Joking. The Finance Ministry should judge and allocate it properly where needed."
"Of course."
Entrusting such a fortune to a corrupt noble might seem like giving fish to a cat,
but it's fine.
Since it's a gift from me, he'll bend over backward not to touch it.
He has that much political sense.
"Th-Then, for our department first."
The Agriculture and Forestry Minister urgently grabbed the Finance Minister amid the sudden windfall.
Before that.
"Look at this first."
I placed a thick stack of documents before them.
Elisabeth's eyes gleamed as she recognized what it was.
"This is..."
"...Your Majesty?"
The Finance Minister read the documents.
Then he looked at me with trembling eyes.
"Don't you understand the contents?"
"No, it's just..."
"...Are you truly planning to restart the empire?"
The Agriculture and Forestry Minister swallowed hard.
"Yes."
The documents they were reading listed detailed personal information on countless people.
Not just palace officials.
It was a thorough investigation of those across the empire who had crossed the line.
Very detailed.
Including what crimes they had committed.
In simple terms.
It was a purge list.
"..."
The Finance Minister broke into a cold sweat.
As someone with his own corruption, he was probably grateful his name wasn't on it.
"Your Majesty, this... when did you...?"
"Quite a while ago. Why do you think I appointed a plenipotentiary?"
"Whoa."
The Agriculture and Forestry Minister let out a long sigh.
His gaze toward Elisabeth was filled with many thoughts.
"Did the plenipotentiary know as well?"
"I did. Though not in this much detail."
Elisabeth flipped through the documents.
"This much, and the empire's half would grind to a halt, exaggerating a bit."
"Ahem."
The Agriculture and Forestry Minister coughed awkwardly.
It was the empire's desperate, bone-deep reality.
Of course, it wouldn't literally purge half of those treated as nobles.
But considering the impact of this purge and the unrest during recovery.
The empire's half stopping wouldn't be an exaggeration.
What?
Won't the country collapse?
Haha.
"Finance Minister."
At my call, his shoulders trembled.
"Yes, yes, Your Majesty!"
I patted his shoulder.
"I trust you."
"I will surely live up to Your Majesty's faith...!"
Good.
I gave you the budget.
Now earn it.
"I trust the Agriculture and Forestry Minister will handle his part well."
"Leave it to me."
As for the Agriculture and Forestry Minister.
Elisabeth brought him.
He'll manage.
"Then, when does this plan...?"
"Hm."
The Finance Minister asked cautiously.
I crossed my arms.
"3..."
"Pardon? In 3 days? That's too rushed, Your Majesty! Please give us just a bit more time—"
"2..."
"...?"
The mood turned icy.
"Oh my."
Only Elisabeth seemed to grasp it, covering her mouth in surprise.
1.
The moment I named the final number.
A familiar figure emerged from the shadows.
It was Lily.
"Your Majesty. As you commanded, I have brought consent letters for the new empire's reforms from four dukes, Grand Duke Reinhardt, and seven great lords not on the purge list."
She handed me the letters signed by the great nobles with coldly gleaming eyes.
The Finance Minister and Agriculture and Forestry Minister's eyes bulged at the named heavyweights.
And.
"These are the heads of two great lords on the purge list."
Two heads of great lords, who ruled their domains like kings and wielded influence anywhere, thudded to the floor.
The purge had begun.