The Grand Duke's First Day in the Imperial Palace
The softly glowing lights cast a gentle glow over the plush anti-gravity bed. It was cozy.
Today I planned to enjoy this luxurious lifestyle too. I was about to spend the whole day rolling around in the room, wasting my precious time in sheer luxury. But the maid who had been guarding me handed me a communication terminal with an extremely polite demeanor.
“What is this?” I asked lazily.
“It is a document that your Highness must see with your own eyes. It would be a great honor for me to speak of it myself.” The maid responded in a flawless tone.
I took the terminal and activated the holographic document. Beneath the intricate imperial crests, my name and title were engraved clearly in bright light.
Grand Duke.
The word I had only seen in history books of my previous life. The absolute power second only to the Emperor himself.
“Grand Duke, huh?” I murmured lazily. The maid waiting beside me flinched slightly and bowed her head even deeper.
It was far beyond what someone with a depleted nutrient cube or a distant bloodline from the back alleys could hope for. I thought back to the black corporate office worker slaving away in overtime in my previous life. Even more so.
Of course I had thought about power. This world was a universe that might end in destruction one day. Although I had accidentally become an Emperor capable of ruling as a tyrant by channeling knowledge from the tank, that alone wouldn’t make the universe’s lifespan infinite.
So I needed to do something, even a little. If I wanted to keep enjoying my comfortable and powerful life, that was the case. But when I woke up, I hadn’t expected a sudden drop of this terrifying title.
“And a personal assistant is waiting to explain the detailed affairs in detail. Shall I have them enter?” the maid asked.
“Yeah, sure.” I replied.
The heavy door slid open without a sound. A man in a neat gray uniform walked in. His silver hair was combed back cleanly, and his sharp, emotionless eyes were impressive.
He stopped exactly three steps from my bed and knelt on one knee with perfect precision.
“Your Highness. From today onward, I am Roen, appointed as your exclusive personal assistant. Is there any discomfort in my presence?” he asked formally.
“Personal assistant?” I repeated.
“Yes. I was sent to carry out His Majesty’s decree to handle all matters of the Grand Duke and to manage the administration and finances related to Your Highness.” His voice was low and steady. He looked like a typical elite imperial bureaucrat in his uniform.
But I couldn’t trust him immediately. I would observe and test him over time.
“So I’m a Grand Duke? I don’t feel like I have a clear idea of what I can do in this position.” I asked casually. Roen’s eyes twitched ever so slightly. It was as if he was thinking something, but he quickly recovered.
“As long as you don’t defy His Majesty’s orders, there are no restrictions on Your Highness’s authority. Whatever you desire will be possible.” He said.
He paused briefly and then struck a clear number.
“Immediately, your personal account has been allocated a liquidity of five hundred billion credits. It is equivalent to the annual estate budget of an upper-count family in the Empire.”
Five hundred billion credits. For someone who had never spent money before, it was an unimaginable amount. But comparing it to an upper-count family’s annual budget was excellent. Roen had a good briefing style.
Anyway, it was an enormous sum that I would never touch in my lifetime. The taste of power was complete when from capital. I suppressed the rising emotion and answered dryly.
“I can do anything? Then what should I handle right away?” I asked.
Roen swallowed his breath briefly at my casual acceptance of the vast wealth, but soon continued with a polite report.
“Since the news of Your Highness’s appointment as Grand Duke has been announced across the Empire, nobles and merchants from various places are competing to request audience with gifts in hand.”
Now that I thought about it, the outside had been strangely noisy since earlier. Through the palace’s perfect soundproofing system, the murmurs were audible.
“The people making that noise outside now, are they the ones who came?” I asked.
“Yes. The Imperial Guard is driving them away, but with so many people, a slight commotion has occurred.” The maid answered.
I wasn’t even ready yet, and they were already demanding meetings. Meeting one by one to receive greetings would be tiring, and leaving them would be an interruption.
I picked up the direct communication terminal on the desk. Before I even pressed the button for a full second, the call connected.
“Sister. The outside of my palace is too noisy, and I can’t rest. Do I have to meet all of them?” I asked into the terminal.
There was a short silence on the other end, then a gentle voice replied.
“Wait ten minutes.” She said.
Exactly ten minutes later, the alloy door that had been tightly closed opened.
It was Valeria in a deep black and blood-red uniform. The outside noise had disappeared as if it was a lie even before she entered. I didn’t feel like asking what she had done.
Roen and the maid had already flattened themselves on the floor before Valeria entered.
Valeria approached and gently stroked my cheek.
“The front of the palace was noisy. I roughly dealt with the dogs blocking the way. But what brings you here?” she asked.
“I have a lot of questions. First...” I said. My gaze moved to the Roen lying on the floor.
“This assistant, did you send him, sister?” I asked.
“That’s right. I picked a usable one from among the commoners.” Valeria answered coldly, looking at the prostrated Roen.
“Those who lose nothing due to their lowly birth do not bite the master’s hand. His work is quite neat, so do as you like, but if he gets in your way, feel free to dispose of him at any time.” She said.
The collar of Roen’s uniform trembled slightly. But he couldn’t lift his head.
A commoner. No need to watch the nobles’ eyes, and he would be perfect if he paid the salary. I had good information.
“Then the nobles loitering outside, shall I just select the usable ones and answer?” I asked.
“Do as you please. Those who crawl into the palace and prostrate themselves at your feet are nothing but broken dogs. If you like them, pet them; if you don’t, cut their throats. There is not a single person in this palace whose attention you need to watch.” Valeria said.
“It’s not like there’s no one I have to be careful around.” I replied. Valeria’s red eyes cooled.
“To be precise, there are still the dogs barking outside.” She said.
“Who are they?” I asked.
“The Star System Dukes. Twelve families ruling the twelve outer star systems of the Empire.” Valeria answered.
“They haven’t prostrated themselves before the Imperial family?” I asked.
“The Terra planetary system and central universe are perfectly controlled under my authority. However, the Empire is so vast that the twelve border star systems are held by the Dukes with their own military and administrative power. They pay taxes in the form of the eleventh shares and outwardly submit to the Imperial family, but inwardly they see their estates as independent nations.” Valeria said.
A cold smile appeared on her lips.
“They don’t have the power or justification to cut their necks all at once yet. But soon I will make their star systems kneel perfectly at my feet. So for now, just clear away the troublesome ones inside the palace and rest comfortably.” She said.
Hah. The directors I sent to train them were secretly growing their own forces. I was a bit worried, so I lightly scanned the future knowledge scattered in my head. In this world, spaceships reached near-light speeds, but to cross star systems, special navigation using gravitational waves was essential.
The problem was that the absolute coordinate system information required for that navigation existed only in the central server of ‘Terra’. Only the Imperial family produced coordinate information devices and held the passwords.
Through this technological monopoly, they held the leash of the Star System Dukes. If they resisted, time would eventually be on my side.
“Even so, they are completely dependent on the center. It will be resolved in time.” I said.
“That’s right. So don’t worry.” Valeria replied confidently.
Even with her confident answer, there was a slight unease. I could control internal enemies, but the invasion of alien species from the outer space required countermeasures. Since space was vast, I would need many capable subordinates.
Moreover, if the defense line collapsed in civil war with the Star System Dukes, that would be another problem. They wouldn’t submit quietly, either.
In the end, to enjoy my comfortable life as a NEET fully, I would need to move within what I could do.
After Valeria returned to her office for official business, I got up from the sofa.
I had decided. I was now a ruler of power. So I had to use the power. To use the power, it would be better to meet the people outside. I made that decision.
“Roen.” I called.
Roen, who had been lying on the floor, silently got up.
“Yes, Your Highness.” He replied formally.
“Do you have a list of people who want to meet me? From tomorrow morning, schedule them to wait. Select ten people each day and bring them into the reception room.” I instructed.
“As Your Highness commands. Should I select mainly major bureaucrats and merchant leaders?” Roen asked.
“Yes, that’s fine. Since it’s for the first time, select mostly those without backers or connections. Commoner-born merchant leaders, for example.” I said.
For a moment, a question appeared on Roen’s emotionless face—‘What are you thinking?’—but he quickly gathered his expression.
I stared at him and added one more word.
“And before I meet them tomorrow, let’s have a briefing with me.” I said.
“What information would you like prepared?” Roen asked.
“The current administrative power of the Imperial family, and information about the people I will meet tomorrow. Summarize it in an easy-to-understand way.” I replied.
“What level of information do you desire?” Roen asked.
“Just enough preliminary information about what backs the people I’ll meet have, and what they will demand from me.” I said.
“Understood.” Roen replied.
“And one more thing. How is the Empire’s system running right now? Administration? Budget? Explain some basic things.” I asked.
Roen remained silent for a moment at the broad question, then spoke cautiously.
“First, shall I explain how the administrative network is running?” he asked.
“Do that.” I said.
“All administrative networks in the Empire are managed by hundreds of thousands of low-level bureaucrats one by one manually.” Roen explained.
“Computers?” I asked.
“AI is completely banned, so the only computations machines can do are very simple tasks. The actual comparison and verification of massive data must ultimately be processed by syncing with human brainwaves, so it consumes huge manpower.” Roen answered.
“And the budget?” I asked.
“Until Your Majesty ascended the throne, it was a chronic deficit, and the shortfall was owed to the great noble families. However, since we have now purged all those noble families, forgiven the debts, and seized their assets, there is no major problem.” Roen said.
“No problem? That can’t be. Tell me the facts that aren’t written on the documents.” I said coolly.
Roen looked visibly startled at my cold remark.
“If it is a problem, what point are you referring to...” he began.
It was the Empire collapsing from internal corruption and decay, yet the Empress had suddenly become the ruler through a coup and all economic structures had been normalized overnight. That was impossible.
“It’s only in surplus on paper, but there must be obvious leaking holes, and they’re trying to cover it up?” I asked.
“Ah, no, Your Highness! I did not intend to deceive in any way...” Roen knelt again to protest.
I waved my hand to interrupt him. I had probed roughly and seen a reaction, so my guess was correct.
Anyway, since I hadn’t fully grasped the specific corruption structure of this world, I would leave prying deeper for later.
“Enough. Tomorrow, when briefing the people I’ll meet, bring back the information well. I’m tired today, so go.” I said.
“As Your Highness commands.” Roen replied formally.
After Roen left and the heavy door closed, the room regained perfect silence.
I buried myself deep into the anti-gravity bed and stared at the ceiling. Before the meetings tomorrow, I needed to dig a little deeper into the future memories scattered deep in my mind.
How exactly had this vast and corrupt Empire originally collapsed?
Fragmented memories surfaced. Endless civil wars of nobles vying for monopoly of power and wealth. The vicious corruption and tyranny eating from the system’s bottom. And the merciless invasion of alien species from the border star systems, swallowing and pushing in through the gaps.
All those calamities overlapped and this universe had reached its end—doomsday.
“Hmm.” I said lazily and closed my eyes.
Anyway, it wasn’t going to end tomorrow, and the big dogs barking outside would be handled by sister. Alien worries were not my problem now.
So I would just peel away the corruption of the mice coming tomorrow one by one. That would be the surest way to keep my comfortable lifestyle a little longer. Since I already held the power, I had to use it properly.
With that thought, I fell asleep. Thinking about the bullying I would do tomorrow made me too excited to sleep well.