From Now On, It's the Real Deal
The meeting, which had taken the trade issues with the Romasia Duchy as its agenda, wrapped up successfully despite a brief commotion.
Marquis Marlboro, who had openly launched an attack in my direction, wore a face heavy with dissatisfaction, but he could no longer flap his lips.
It was clear proof that the threat delivered through the Imperial Order had struck home.
Still, on the other hand, I felt relieved.
I had been terrified of what I would do if he suddenly started swinging a sword right there.
The reason I was even having such worries was simple: I was a reader of the original novel.
The first to leave the conference room was Cecilia. Count Millord and I trailed after her like a chain of sweet potatoes.
“I must head to the office.”
She spoke while striding forward with brisk steps.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Count Millord, devote yourself fully to the new employee’s training.”
“Will you be all right?”
Even in the face of Count Millord’s worried question, Cecilia’s answer remained unchanged.
“It is fine. The maids are working alongside me.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
A short while later, we arrived before a certain door.
Empress’s Office
For the place where the highest existence in the Eckhart Empire worked, the sign felt excessively plain…
“You two may return now.”
Count Millord and I bowed deeply toward her as she entered. Naturally, the Empress never once looked back at us.
Once we straightened our backs, we headed toward the chief secretary’s office.
“Hey, newbie.”
Even though I had introduced myself, this man kept calling me newbie at every opportunity.
Honestly, these nobles all seem to look down on anyone of lower status.
“It’s Luke. Luke.”
“You had better be grateful to Her Majesty.”
Count Millord suddenly uttered something unexpected.
“Pardon?”
When I asked back because I didn’t immediately understand, he let out a sigh as if he found me frustrating. Then he spun his body sharply toward me.
“You really don’t know what I mean?”
Count Millord’s sharp gaze stabbed into my face. I pondered for a brief moment and finally realized what he was trying to say.
“It means Her Majesty shielded me.”
“You only realize it now. Tsk, tsk.”
His openly dismissive attitude was irritating, but since he was pointing out a fact, I had nothing to say even if I had ten mouths.
Yet at the same time, a lingering doubt remained—whether that interpretation was truly accurate.
Marquis Marlboro had attacked me while also subtly mocking Cecilia’s judgment. And because of that, Cecilia had grown angry.
In short, she had struck back against an insult directed at herself.
Could that really be interpreted as her protecting me?
Well, depending on how you look at it, I suppose it could feel that way.
“Hey, newbie. Let’s hurry. There’s already a mountain of things you need to learn today.”
The count, who had turned forward again, began walking with long strides. I quickly matched his pace.
“Next week you will enter Her Majesty’s office as well. Make sure to thank her then. Understood?”
“Yes.”
“Answer firmly and briefly.”
“Yes.”
Thank her or whatever—I just wished I could escape the imperial palace quickly.
Still, one regulation I had discovered while thoroughly reading the imperial rulebook recently left me with a sliver of hope.
After one full year from the date of entering the palace, I could submit my resignation!
Until then there was no way to leave on my own, so I had to survive here for at least a year, but…
Even so, I had somehow endured eighteen months in the military.
One year would be easier than that.
I decided to think as positively as possible.
Of course it was still going to suck, though…
That evening.
Marquis Marlboro headed to a tavern tucked away in a remote corner of Deleson. The establishment was far too shabby for nobles to frequent, and it lacked proper lighting. Thanks to that, it was difficult to make out the faces of those sitting at the tables.
Yet that very fact became the reason nobles sought it out.
Especially for those who wished to have secret conversations, this tavern was well-known by word of mouth.
Once inside, the marquis scanned the interior. Quite a few seats were empty today.
But he had a particular spot in mind. He walked toward the most secluded corner.
“Duke Montersen. I have arrived.”
“Mm. Take a seat.”
The marquis carefully sat down across from Duke Montersen. The duke raised a hand to call the bartender.
After ordering simple drinks and snacks, the duke opened his mouth toward the marquis.
“Isn’t it quite arrogant?”
“Yes. I think so as well.”
“A mere green youth who has only just turned nineteen dares to speak of the Imperial Order.”
Duke Montersen clicked his tongue.
When Marquis Marlboro recalled the humiliation he had suffered during the noble meeting that morning, fresh rage surged up again.
“To think he would dare try to lay a hand on my daughter… I should have cut that wench’s throat right there—!”
“Enough.”
The duke’s heavy voice issued a warning, and the marquis immediately closed his mouth.
The nobles of the Eckhart Empire were divided into two factions.
One was the Imperial Faction, which sought to protect the imperial family’s legitimacy.
The other was the Aristocratic Faction, which placed noble rights above all else.
Duke Montersen was the current leader of that Aristocratic Faction, and Marquis Marlboro was his right-hand man.
Soon, snacks and drinks appeared on their table.
“First, let us share a drink.”
The duke and marquis quietly clinked their glasses.
As the cold beer slid down his throat, the marquis felt his anger subside just a little.
“Duke. These days I have so many worries that I’m on the verge of insomnia. Just what will become of our empire’s future…”
“You are not the only one.”
It had been half a year since Cecilia ascended the throne as emperor of the Eckhart Empire.
Both the Aristocratic Faction and even the Imperial Faction had expressed concern over whether a woman who was only nineteen could possibly lead the empire well.
But at this point, the Imperial Faction had grown rather quiet.
The main reason was that Cecilia was managing state affairs more stably than anyone had expected. In a way, that was only natural.
Though young, she had lived as a princess from the moment she was born, receiving thorough education as the heir. She had also frequently assisted Empress Olivia—her mother—during the period when the empress acted as regent.
However, from the Aristocratic Faction’s perspective, that was not nearly enough.
“The biggest problem is that she inherited her parents’ habits intact.”
What Duke Montersen pointed out was precisely this: Cecilia showed none of the magnanimity that would embrace both the Imperial and Aristocratic Factions.
“Yes. Not only you, Duke, but every member of the Aristocratic Faction shares the same thought.”
At Marquis Marlboro’s words, Duke Montersen gave a single nod.
“In any case, there is one thing we must remember.”
“That we continue the noble will of Duke Hundrey, who was sacrificed by the previous emperor?”
“Correct.”
The two men quietly clinked glasses once more.
Today was finally the day I would enter the Empress’s office.
It had been a full fifteen days since I began receiving new-employee training from Count Millord.
Everyone keeps praising me, saying it’s unusual to be thrown into actual duties this quickly…
The count, who had only looked down on me before, now seemed to acknowledge my abilities. Honestly, anyone would have had to admit it.
Making me memorize thick books was the basics. He had me memorize every department head and all the staff under them in the imperial palace. And that wasn’t the end—he even ordered me to master the entire inventory list of the palace supply room.
For reference, this was not the small supply closet most people imagine.
It was on the scale of the archive in a respectable mansion!
But after I completed all of it, even this count fellow changed his attitude toward me somewhat.
“Hey, Luke. Check your clothes again before we go in.”
Before knocking on the door to the Empress’s office, Count Millord gave me the order.
I first straightened my cravat. Fortunately, nothing was out of place.
Next, the cuff buttons on my sleeves. Those were properly fastened too.
Collar, pant hems, and finally my shoes.
The inspection revealed nothing to criticize. It was perfect.
“Keep your head on straight.”
“Yes.”
When Count Millord knocked, a voice immediately flowed from inside. After he introduced himself and stated that he had brought me, permission to enter was granted.
“I greet Her Majesty Cecilia, Mother of the Empire.”
“Indeed.”
Only after the Empress acknowledged our greeting could Millord and I straighten our backs.
The Empress’s office had desks arranged in a U-shape. Every piece of furniture here was antique.
From the Empress’s own desk and throne to the desks that appeared to belong to the maids and the chief personal secretary.
The center naturally belonged to the Empress, and on either side sat two women who looked around her age.
I recognized them instantly.
They were Flora and Mulia.
In the original work, the two friends who had spent their childhood with Cecilia. Thanks to that connection, they had risen to the position of the Empress’s ladies-in-waiting.
“Before we begin work, I should introduce the maids.”
Having said that, the Empress rose from her throne.
I was quite surprised by the unexpected initiative, but I tried not to show it.
“Oh my, Your Majesty. We can handle it ourselves, so please remain seated.”
Flora spoke with a smile, but Cecilia nevertheless walked all the way over to where Millord and I stood. The two women followed her.
“Luke. The first one I will introduce is Flora Delise Simonian. She is the second daughter of the Marquis Simonian household and my longtime friend. She is currently fulfilling her role as my maid admirably.”
Flora possessed pink hair styled in twin tails. Her translucent emerald-green eyes were like looking at actual emeralds.
“Hehe. Nice to meet you.”
Flora greeted me with a slight lift of her skirt, her eyes curved in a smile.
Thanks to her gentle, friendly gaze, the gesture looked utterly adorable.
“This is Mulia Fordward. She is the eldest daughter of the Count Fordward household. She too is my longtime friend and an excellent maid.”
Mulia was the owner of short navy-blue hair that reached only to her neck. Her violet eyes—reminiscent of amethysts—stared straight at me with a rather indifferent look.
“……”
Instead of speaking, she replaced her greeting with a light bow.
All of the maids were exactly as their personalities had been depicted in the original work.
That actually made me feel relieved. The more things matched the original, the more I could utilize the information I already knew.
That aside, with the three women standing side by side, the comparison was clear.
If I had to put it into words… I suppose it would be about volume.
While Flora and Mulia were clearly blessed in that department, our Empress seemed somewhat… flat.
While I was entertaining such slightly perverted thoughts, the Empress introduced me.
Mulia still looked uninterested, but Flora was different.
“Wow! I’ve been hearing so many stories about Mr. Luke already.”
“M-Mr. Luke?”
She really had zero sense of distance…
It felt nice to be called by name by a beauty, but it was also bewildering.
“Yes! They say even though you come from a baron family, you were chosen as chief personal secretary. Since Her Majesty selected you after seeing your ability…”
“Flora. That is enough.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Even while answering, Flora’s face still wore a smile. She was like a ray of sunshine scattering positive energy everywhere she went.
“Everyone, let us begin our duties.”
Having given the order, Cecilia returned to her throne, and the maids moved to their respective seats.
“Our spot is over here. Follow me.”
Count Millord led me to the seat that had remained empty the whole time.
When I sat down in the chair, the reality finally hit me.
I would have to come here and work every single day for the next year.