The Emperor Is Truly Happy
The Chamberlain, who had fulfilled the Emperor's orders, stood quietly beside his lord.
Hmm.
Friedrich County's young master, Karl Adelheit.
Has there ever been a noble who visited the imperial palace this often? Even dukes didn't come this much. And this isn't even a titled noble, just a young master.
"Received a miracle from the Holy See? Young Master Karl Adelheit?"
The Emperor's face, which had been laughing at the news from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Holy See, saying it was unbelievable, is still vivid in my memory.
I understood it well enough. Actually, even the Chamberlain himself was too stunned to convey the news.
A miracle? It wasn't the saint who was revered being shown to the side of light just before returning, but rather appearing as if to answer prayers to the gods.
Suddenly, Karl who was receiving an audience with the Emperor a while ago came to mind. He had said there that he was just lucky. He hadn't had any sublime sacrifice or firm will.
I thought it was humble. It didn't make sense. Without any spirit of sacrifice or will, how had he done all those things? Then what explanation should others give?
And the manifestation of the miracle in the Holy See gave confidence to such predictions. No matter how lucky he said he was, that luck couldn't create a divine miracle.
It was love. It was affection. It was like the gods' praise for the most brilliant soul. Even the Chamberlain, who believed in the gods no more than others, came to think so.
"Sit."
"Your Majesty."
Well, he had granted such enormous authority. A noble daring to sit in front of the Emperor instead of kneeling.
The Imperial Counts would have fainted if they saw this. Yet, they would have eventually accepted it. Just being a Medal of Honor recipient was enough, and now a divine miracle. How would they explain this.
"Have a seat. If you want to make me more uncomfortable?"
"It is absolutely not the case!"
The Emperor pretended to frown and teased lightly, causing Karl to panic and sit down.
Karl also knew that this was the Emperor's affectionate joke to a loyal subject who continued to raise the Empire's prestige. So he would react exaggeratedly like that.
"I've heard everything. There were truly many things during the vacation."
"Yes, Your Majesty. It somehow turned out that way."
"You've worked hard. After all, a vacation for an Academy student is a time to rest a bit. Since you spent it so busily, I must offer you my sincere condolences."
"It's all my honor."
Suddenly, the Chamberlain almost burst into laughter. So, right now, the Emperor was lightly teasing Karl, saying 'You couldn't play during vacation, how are you going to handle it?'
To that, Karl responded very politely, 'Hic hic. So it's really tough.'
Of course, he didn't actually laugh. How could he make such a mistake after a few years of court life.
"Young Master Karl Adelheit."
"Speak your wish, Your Majesty."
"No. You first."
"...Your Majesty?"
"It seems you have something you want to say, so I'll give you the right to speak first."
The moment he heard that, the Chamberlain and the chamberlain all immediately prostrated themselves and shouted.
"Your Majesty!"
Where is this place? The capital, the imperial city, the imperial palace, and the central hall, the audience chamber.
Nothing except the gods could come before the Emperor. The Emperor starts the conversation, brings up the topic, and finishes everything.
Yet, he was indicating 'You may speak your mind. I will listen.'
This was a privilege even the founding heroes who contributed greatly to the founding of the empire received only briefly in the very early days of the empire. A line that even dukes couldn't cross for the sake of imperial authority!
"Your Majesty. This is too much. Please withdraw it."
Karl also thought this was too much and tried to get down from the chair and kneel.
"The Emperor's will. I will not accept refusal."
Of course, he returned to his seat obediently to the Emperor's somewhat strict answer.
"...Then."
Karl hesitated for a moment and decided in his heart 'Well, whatever.' Honestly, since the Emperor asked him to speak first, this was appropriate.
"I don't need anything else from you regarding the Holy See matter. This is just, just really. It's just a coincidence that happened. I can run around more for the Empire. So, I hope you don't give me anything more just because the Empire thinks highly of me."
"Is that your wish?"
The Emperor looked quietly at Karl. With a thought that he was a strange friend.
Strange. Very strange. It couldn't be anything but strange. Why was he acting like that?
No matter who in the empire, they all wanted to make their names widely known. No, anyone would naturally do that. Where could someone without ambition exist?
It was self-satisfaction from self-praise. No human could escape that.
It was a kind of instinct, a survival instinct engraved in long history, and also just a natural principle. There was no reason to refuse it so pathologically.
"I have already received far too much. Your Majesty. I am receiving love that exceeds my station."
"Receiving far too much."
I know. Receiving far too much is one thing. But still. Wouldn't a person want to receive even more even if it's overflowing?
"On the battlefield, many people willingly gave their lives for me. All the things I did on the battlefield were already enough reward. After that, I also gained comrades, regained the starting point I lost with foolish thoughts, and everyone around me is already happy. So, I think I've received everything."
The Chamberlain, who had been bowing his head, secretly glanced at Karl.
Now, I really don't know. At first, I thought he was just a noble youth who spoke well and tried to impress the Emperor's eyes.
Now, seeing him do such great things and have the gods manifest miracles, and get involved in everything, I can vaguely understand.
A pure heart that thinks of nothing, a resolution that desires nothing, just going with the flow and finding his own light.
A passage from the Bright Light Church that I heard sometime ago comes to mind. For some reason, it seemed to ring clearly in my ears.
"...I had already expected it, but as expected, you have this reaction again. If you keep doing that, I want to give you even more. Is this what you're aiming for? If that's the case, it would be more comfortable even for me."
The Emperor shook his head and looked at Karl for a moment before speaking.
"I had already expected it, but I can't not give you anything. How could a divine miracle be ordinary? How could this situation where the world is talking not be anything? You are a noble of this empire, my subject. Yet, the Emperor who receives the loyalty of such a noble and subject cannot do nothing."
If you were still in the army, I would have just given you another Medal of Honor to make it easy for you.
Your Majesty, receiving three times is really not the case. I know. Since I couldn't receive it anyway, what's the worry? So, I was going to create a medal with your name on it.
The Chamberlain and the chamberlain were feeling their heads spinning in real time.
The Emperor was having such a light conversation with an individual noble youth. If other nobles saw this, they would rub their eyes and doubt 'Am I seeing things now?' at most.
"So. How about this."
The Emperor smiled and offered a proposal to the long-standing loyal subject who had made the empire's prestige even more solid recently.
"I want to reward not you, but everything you hold dear. No. Calling it a reward would be an insult. I want to convey the gratitude that was only right. I gave to those who were injured, gave to those who died. But instead of that, I want to make everyone who willingly took on duties and served as heroes for others who weren't me."
"... ."
"It will take a long time. It will be a lot of hard work. There may be opposing opinions. Still, I will do it. For this glory. The current brilliance is not ending in my reign. It will be for the current crown prince. The prince who will grow up in the princess's womb. The child of that prince, another child of that child. And thus, the driving force for this empire to shine forever. For that power. I want to do it."
How about it. The Emperor's last words. Karl immediately stood up from his seat as if asking what more he would do with that.
And kneeling before the Emperor, bowing his head, and shouting with all his heart.
"If you do that. Even if forgotten, willingly in front of duties. Even if no one recognizes, to be proud to themselves. If such glory is given to everyone who received nothing and just gave themselves. Wouldn't that be the source of loyalty that shines forever?"
The Emperor laughed at Karl's answer. Yeah. With this kind of reaction, it would be worth trying. Both those who were originally heroes and those who didn't see themselves as heroes.
Everyone would become heroes of this empire and be respected. Revered. There would be no mocking of nameless, reasonless sacrifices.
"Then, this is settled. Next, I'll speak first."
"As you wish."
"Actually, Karl. I want to ease your hardships a bit."
"Your Majesty?"
Karl lifted his head as if not understanding what it meant, and the Emperor pointed to Karl's chest area.
"Even with all your medals, it's too many. Coming out with all of them on official occasions would be no small hardship."
"...Yes. That's right."
"So. Instead of those medals, what should I call it. Ah, Ribbon Bar. I want to propose that. What do you think?"
Making Ribbon Bars also gives a few more medals. Honestly, I can't not give them. The reward for others is a reward, and Karl, you have to take care of it naturally.
But since Ribbon Bars are made, there won't be heavy metal, so your burden won't be reduced?
The Emperor looked at the delighted Karl with 'If you do that, the burden will be much lighter!' and smiled a little wickedly.