The Eve of the Storm
At this point, the female protagonist was no longer capable of playing the role of a female protagonist.
Until now, I had left her alone, thinking she should go off and seduce men like a proper heroine.
However, now that I realized she couldn't even do that, there was no reason to leave her be.
Especially for the Imperial Palace, which was still short on slaves to do the work following the purges.
“Waaaah.”
Serena, who had suddenly become a slave-in-waiting, was wailing, but that was none of my concern.
Returning to the Imperial Palace, I could feel the silence left by the sudden exodus of people.
The aftermath of the purge had yet to fade.
“Ah, Your Majesty.”
As I opened the door to the office, Elizabeth, looking a bit weary, welcomed me.
“Would you mind taking a look at this?”
I wondered what it was, and it turned out to be the public notice for the upcoming recruitment of new officials.
Perhaps because they were planning to hold the exam on such a massive scale, the preparations alone were quite demanding.
In particular, Elizabeth, who was triple-hatting as Grand Chancellor, Court Countess, and Minister of Justice, was being ground down day by day.
Her hollowed-out face even added a sense of decadence to her appearance.
“Are you alright?”
“I am a little tired. But I can manage. More importantly, what do you think?”
Since she said she was fine, I let it slide. I re-examined the documents she handed over.
It was a plan filled to the brim with details.
“Hmm.”
Honestly, I didn't know much even after looking at it. Throughout my time playing the Emperor, I had avoided touching these practical, administrative areas as much as possible.
Why? Because I obviously didn't know how.
I handed the documents back to Elizabeth.
“How is it?”
“I didn't look at it in detail, but...”
“What do you mean? Please look at it in detail.”
“Since it’s you, you must have done well. You don’t need to have it reviewed by me.”
“...Well, since it’s me, of course I did well. Ahem.”
She cleared her throat.
“However.”
“However?”
I pointed my finger at the preliminary exam questions Elizabeth was holding.
“Divide the exam subjects. I’m not saying you have to remove the etiquette questions entirely, but didn't we decide to select capable individuals regardless of their social status this time?”
“Ah.”
Struck by the blind spot, Elizabeth’s eyes widened.
Even though she was the type to think it didn't matter if they were commoners as long as they were capable, it seemed she had incorporated somewhat habitual evaluation criteria when creating the exam questions.
“I’m not saying you shouldn't test etiquette at all, but shouldn't you make it possible to distinguish their practical abilities?”
“O-oh, that’s true. My thinking was short-sighted.”
With a flustered voice, Elizabeth quickly scanned the exam papers.
“...As Your Majesty said, it would be better to divide the subjects.”
If I’d said this much, she’d handle the rest well enough. It would be a hundred times more efficient for her to rack her own brain over it than for me to interfere.
“Take it easy while you work. Clear your head a bit.”
I pulled a small ice crystal from my pocket. It was beautifully processed and adorned with flashy decorations.
As I placed it on Elizabeth’s desk, a pleasant coolness began to spread through the surroundings.
“This is...?”
“I received it from Siegfried a while ago. It will be hot when summer comes, so carry one around.”
Elizabeth stared blankly at the ice crystal ornament, then chuckled.
“Hehe. Really... Thank you. I’ll use it well.”
Her purple eyes crinkled softly.
That was when it happened.
-Tap tap
As I lowered my head at the tapping sensation, a tiny spirit was staring straight at me.
“Oh my.”
Come to think of it, Elizabeth was also a spirit summoner.
It seemed to be the spirit she had contracted with, but what was the matter?
“Why is Undine there?”
Is the name Undine? It’s a common name, if common. That meant it wasn't a particularly high-ranking spirit.
For some reason, a flustered Elizabeth called out to Undine, but the tiny spirit didn't return and instead circled around me.
“What is it?”
As I bent my waist and reached out my hand, Undine climbed onto it.
It was cool.
...Aha.
“You, you’re sulking because I gave her an ice crystal as a gift, aren't you? Is that it?”
Nod nod.
Undine nodded its head. It seemed to feel like its job had been stolen.
“I’m sorry.”
-!
As I apologized readily, the little spirit looked surprised.
I stroked its head gently.
-!!
Does it like that? I’m not sure.
“If you stay with your contractor, you’ll soon become an even more magnificent spirit. So, don't be jealous of things like ice crystals and keep striving.”
-!
Nod nod.
After I left behind some seemingly good words of encouragement, Undine shook its head vigorously. It was nice to see such a tiny thing react so big. It was cute.
“Undine, return now.”
“Your contractor is getting angry. Go back quickly.”
Undine scurried back to Elizabeth. She whispered a scolding to Undine.
“I told you not to wander around as you please.”
Bonk.
Undine, having been hit on the head, made a tearful face. Watching that scene, I left one remark.
“You look just like a strict mother.”
“W-w-what? It’s not like that.”
Not like that, my foot. It was exactly that.
***
Thanks to grinding the high-ranking officials into dust, led by Elizabeth, the exam preparations proceeded smoothly. The problem lay elsewhere.
“How many applicants did you say there were...?”
Elizabeth’s hands trembled. The report she received from the Ministry of the Interior was that shocking.
“W-well, they say it’s approximately tens of thousands...”
Tens of thousands. No matter how well prepared they were, they were helpless in the face of the violence of numbers.
Elizabeth, who was scheduled to be in charge of grading the applicants, was particularly horrified.
“...Your Majesty, is there no way to reduce the number of applicants?”
“Would there be? Instead, take the officials from the Ministry of the Interior and use them. If necessary, you may also receive help from the Ministry of Finance.”
“Hehe.”
The Minister of Finance, who had been listening, chuckled.
“As for me, since Your Majesty originally ordered the proxy and myself to handle the grading, it doesn't matter.”
In the absence of the Ministry of Finance officials, their overtime work was confirmed. It was a tragic affair.
“Then let’s divide the personnel.”
Elizabeth accepted reality.
“I and the officials of the Ministry of the Interior will be the general supervisors, and the Minister and the officials of the Ministry of Finance will be in charge of grading the practical subjects.”
She turned her head sharply to look at me.
“Your Majesty? May I also take the officials from the Imperial Household Department and the Ministry of Justice?”
The Imperial Household Department was also a department under Elizabeth, who doubled as the Court Countess. The Ministry of Justice went without saying.
There was no reason to say no. Besides, if I said no, it felt like she wouldn't leave me alone.
I nodded.
“Do as you wish.”
“Thank you. Then, the officials of the Imperial Household Department will be in charge of grading the etiquette subjects. I will ensure inter-departmental cooperation so that the Ministry of Justice officials can work with the Ministry of Finance. I will send out the official documents within today.”
“Hahaha.”
The Minister of Finance just laughed.
Yes, well. You all will figure it out. I trust you.
Eventually, after all the officials were dismissed, and even Elizabeth had disappeared, swept away by a tsunami of paperwork.
“Your Majesty.”
The Minister of Finance, who had only been laughing like a folding screen, approached me quietly.
Until recently, he was an old man who was relieved that his head was still attached to his shoulders and was always reading my mood. It seemed he was living a bit better now, as his sly laughter had increased.
“What is it?”
“Since this exam is so large, isn't it? There is so much manpower needed, enough for Your Majesty to permit it... I suppose we will have to pull several all-nighters.”
“So?”
“Hehe, that is, wouldn't we need some special budget?”
The old man said with a smile that wasn't entirely hateful.
“Among the items confiscated during the last purge, there is a quite large secret safe. If Your Majesty approves, I will take a little from there to provide generous late-night snacks for the friends who are suffering.”
My, my.
So, he found a secret safe while confiscating items, but he was hiding it because he thought he’d be in big trouble if he got caught eating it up, right?
“You, you’re offering it now because you think this is your chance.”
“Hahaha.”
I understand the intent. He was saying he’d hand over the entire secret safe if he could just skim off the ‘special budget.’
It was despicable, but...
Just as I was contemplating it, the Minister of Finance added quietly.
“Even now, the merchants of the Imperial Capital are keeping their eyes peeled to make a profit from this opportunity. I think we could make a large profit if we make good use of the spies we’ve attached to them, what do you think?”
Hmm.
“The merchants of the Imperial Capital, you say?”
“There are many, but if we are talking about targets to manipulate, there are a few trading companies famous for being unscrupulous. They are the ones who manipulate market prices to absurdly high levels, even considering the special circumstances.”
Exquisite.
If he were playing tricks on ordinary merchants, the Minister of Finance would have been the one to step in and stop such nonsense.
“Seven to three. I take seven, you take three.”
“Hehe. Of course. I would be fine even if I gave Your Majesty 99 percent.”
“I suppose there’s that much to skim off from the secret safe, then?”
“Hahahaha.”
Well, it doesn't matter. I actually liked that he was being open about his greed.
And looking at it, it seemed he wasn't just trying to gobble it up for himself, but genuinely intended to share it with his subordinates.
‘The Minister of Finance is famous within the department for taking good care of his people, Your Majesty.’
I recalled the fact that Lily had investigated previously. That was the reason he had escaped the purge.
He hadn't crossed the line, he was capable, and above all, he was a figure with the popularity to take care of those around him. That was the Minister of Finance.
He was not a loyal subject for all ages, but he was a bureaucrat who didn't cross the line and acted appropriately, making him easy to use.
The fact that he acted only after grasping the line I could forgive was proof of that.
However.
“Is it not a life saved by Your Majesty’s mercy? This old man will never, ever betray Your Majesty’s expectations.”
Sensing that my mood was slightly displeased, the Minister of Finance prostrated himself first. His ability to read the room was truly incredible.
Fine. Continue to skim off a reasonable amount and remain my Hwang Hui-seung (Prime Minister). No, wait.
I’m going to retire, so be Theo’s Hwang Hui-seung instead.
I nodded indifferently and waved my hand for him to leave.
“However, Your Majesty.”
“What is it?”
“Do you still have no thoughts on marriage...?”
The Minister of Finance whispered to me secretly.
With those words, an intense aura erupted from Lily, who had been hiding in the shadows.