I'm So Happy the Imperial Grandchild Has Arrived! - 3
I swallowed hard without meaning to and flicked my eyes this way and that. I would have preferred the Crown Prince to be joking, but that bastard specialized far more in screwing me over than in cracking jokes at my expense. The very fact that I hoped those words were a joke only made it more likely they were dead serious. What a ridiculous situation.
Besides, he would never casually bring up godfathering his own daughter while the Crown Princess was present. I might not trust the Crown Prince’s character, but I trusted the Crown Princess.
No—there was no need to look that far. The Emperor himself had already said it was the will of the Imperial Family. It absolutely could not be a joke.
"Your Highness. That you hold this subject’s loyalty in such high regard is a joy beyond measure, yet the role of godfather is an honor far too excessive for me."
And so I bowed my head at once, refusing with my entire body. Yes—far too excessive. An honor far too heavy for a mere count and department chief like me to bear.
I had not even married yet, let alone laid eyes on a child of my own. A goddaughter before a bride? There was nothing strictly wrong with it, but the feeling was far too strange.
"I beg you, therefore, to retract your words. A deficient godfather such as myself is unsuited to the noble Imperial Grandchild."
This time I bent so low my head nearly scraped the floor. The treasure of the Imperial Family that the Emperor longed for and the Crown Prince rejoiced over—the living symbol of legitimacy, already ninety-nine percent certain to become the Empire’s ruler after next.
To become godfather to such a being required at least a sitting duke or a minister-level official. It was not a name a green noble still in his early twenties ought to covet or even take interest in.
"Truly humble."
You son of a bitch.
The Crown Prince’s calm voice nearly dragged a curse out of me. You beast wouldn’t understand, but this isn’t humility—it’s called self-objectivity.
"Raise your head, Audit Department Chief. The Imperial Family trusts you even more than you yourself believe."
Before I knew it the Crown Prince had stepped right in front of me; he patted the shoulder of the man who was still bent double.
I briefly wondered whether planting a fist in his jaw right now might let me dodge the godfather role, but the title of traitor would probably replace it, so I held back.
"The loyalty you have shown the Imperial Family has allowed the Empire to reign as an Empire. The three centuries of service rendered by the Crassius family are more than enough to call them a pillar of the Imperial Family."
"I am overwhelmed with gra—"
"Therefore it is you. The path you and the Crassius family have walked, the pillar you have raised all this time—that is the very proof that you must be the Imperial Grandchild’s godfather."
At those words I bit my lip. Anyone who has ever sparred even a little with a superior instinctively knows: in this world there are orders you can still reverse if you refuse hard enough, and orders no words can escape.
Unfortunately, this was the latter. Anyone listening would know it was the latter.
Damn it.
If I refused after the Crown Prince had gone that far, it would amount to sniping back, “Looks like you misjudged me and my house.” It could even be taken as a denial of all the loyalty I had shown until now.
Honestly, if it had been only my personal problem I would have thrashed about until the bitter end, but once he dragged the family into it I could thrash no longer.
"…This subject fears he may prove unequal to the Imperial Family’s excessive trust."
In the end I declared surrender. The words were not a direct acceptance, yet neither did I ask him again to take them back. The Crown Prince would certainly recognize the difference.
"Have no fear. So long as your loyalty does not change, the Imperial Family will never be the first to withdraw its trust."
"I am overwhelmed with gratitude."
Seeing the Crown Prince wear the brightest smile I had witnessed in recent days, I knew he had understood perfectly.
Fuck…
Watching the Audit Department Chief’s face turn haggard in that brief span, I almost burst out laughing.
New every single time I see him.
Whenever I looked at the Audit Department Chief it felt as though I were looking at a man who had lived in another world. How could a high noble and high official be so free of greed and so determined to flee from power?
Of course human dispositions are truly diverse; now and then one does spot a noble without ambition who remains clean. Yet the Audit Department Chief was a bizarre existence that lay outside even that range.
Those who truly possess no greed never enter officialdom in the first place.
Men who hunger for wealth, honor, power—or for pride or a sense of duty—rise to office; those without greed live peaceful lives.
Yet the Audit Department Chief had risen to office. True, the present Count of Tailglehen’s influence had played a part in his entering service, and he had later seemed to regret it, submitting resignation letters at every opportunity—still, that meant he had begun his bureaucratic career with some form of desire, did it not?
And yet, when handed power and favor—the swiftest means of satisfying that desire—he flinched and busied himself dodging them. From the observer’s seat it was simply delightful.
And that is precisely why he can be trusted.
As the Audit Department Chief himself had said, becoming godfather to the Imperial Grandchild—and the successor who would one day ascend the throne after me—was a noble and honorable matter. A weight no ordinary count or department chief could bear.
But the Audit Department Chief was no ordinary count or chief. He was the heir of an Imperial Count house the Imperial Family could trust, a talent certain to become a minister, and a heavyweight already bound by blood to several ducal houses. If such a man became the Imperial Grandchild’s godfather, both her authority and her future would rest on peaceful ground.
In return he would also be able to invoke the authority of the Grandchild’s guardian, yet if he were the sort to raise a ruckus with that authority he would have done so long ago. There was no chance he would suddenly pursue private greed now.
A man born to be a godfather.
For a moment even that thought crossed my mind. A high official who would never abuse the power of godfather for private ends, and three ducal houses bound by blood—so three ducal houses ready to support the Grandchild in an emergency.
This was a person the Great Emperor himself had bestowed upon the Imperial Family. Would failing to put him to good use not be disrespectful to the Great Emperor?
"How is she, Audit Department Chief? A very pretty child, is she not?"
"Yes, Your Highness the Princess Consort. Truly befitting one born between His Highness the Crown Prince and Your Highness."
Meanwhile the Audit Department Chief, led by the Consort’s hand to the Grandchild’s cradle, answered in a small voice.
As expected, it was not only my eyes that found her lovely. Even to the non-blood-related Audit Department Chief she was clearly an angelic child.
Blood relation.
Gazing at the Audit Department Chief’s back, I could not help a quiet snicker. At present the Grandchild and the Audit Department Chief were strangers, yet one day they would become as close as blood. Soft-hearted as he was, he would care for his goddaughter the Grandchild with all his devotion, and she in turn would trust such a godfather.
Then, to every watching eye, the Grandchild and the Audit Department Chief would appear a most intimate pair. The two would become inseparable lord and subject.
To the point that every person in this world would believe, “The Audit Department Chief will never abandon the Imperial Grandchild.”
There can be no goddaughter who casts aside her godfather.
Naturally the reverse was also true.
Therefore even if we the couple were to die young in some unforeseen accident, even if someone harbored wicked designs, the Audit Department Chief would forever remain the shield protecting the Grandchild. No one would appear to egg him on into causing a disturbance either.
This was the greatest gift a father could give his precious daughter.
The day after I had suddenly become the prospective godfather of the Imperial Grandchild, the Emperor proclaimed that the Crown Grandchild investiture ceremony would take place this weekend.
Appointing a newborn infant as Crown Grandchild might seem excessive, yet given that the Emperor’s abdication was imminent it was only natural. With the preparations for abdication already complete, delaying the matter by years would only create headaches.
Thus the investiture of the Crown Grandchild, the announcement of the Grandchild’s name, the baptism, and the revelation of the godfather were all scheduled to occur at once. A truly packed event if ever there was one.
…Godfather.
It still left a bitter taste. An unmarried bachelor was about to acquire a goddaughter first.
I quietly turned my gaze to the communication orb in my hand. The message the Crown Prince had sent only moments earlier sat there in plain view.
The content of the message was short but weighty. A godfather, he said, could not remain ignorant of his goddaughter’s name, so he was sending it ahead of time.
Except I am not yet the official godfather. Official and prospective are two different things.
Damn it.
I let out a small sigh and lay back on the bed. Since there was no turning back now, I might as well hole up in my quarters until the Crown Grandchild investiture. Wandering outside would only burn a hole in my stomach—
"Ah."
A sigh escaped me of its own accord. The moment I stretched out, the communication orb flashed.
The small mercy was that the light was not the violet that symbolized the Imperial Family. If the call proved trivial I would hang up at once.
"This is the Audit Department Chi—"
"Karl, my boy. It’s me."
The instant I confirmed the caller I sat up straight. A call from the Duke of Victory left no room for choice.
"It has been some time since I last paid my respects, Your Excellency. Have you been well?"
"Of course. I have been enjoying the finest of days."
I nodded at the answer that brimmed with sincerity.
Certainly, from the Duke of Victory’s standpoint these must have been the finest of days. The honor of the commander who had conquered the North, the granddaughter born to his only daughter—any man, even one without emotion, would smile after experiencing such events one after another.
"Congratulations. It seems Enen Himself has been so moved by Your Excellency’s labors that He continues to bestow successive blessings."
"What great labors has this old man performed that you should speak so? Rather, it must be that the prayers of His Highness the Crown Prince and Her Highness the Princess Consort have reached Enen."
I kept nodding and offering agreeable replies while the Duke of Victory laughed. Is it not said that joy shared is joy doubled?
After speaking at length the Duke of Victory seemed to realize belatedly that he had been talking one-sidedly; he cleared his throat lightly.
"Dear me, I have been saying only what I wished to say."
"Not at all, Your Excellency. Your Excellency’s joy is as good as my own, is it not?"
"Haha, kind of you to say so, even if only in words."
He laughed as though further embarrassed by my reply, then quickly composed his expression and continued.
"In truth I contacted you because I wished to thank you, Karl."
"Thank me, sir?"
I briefly combed through my memory. Had there been anything for which the Duke of Victory should thank me?
"I heard that you are to become the godfather. Is that correct?"
Ah.
I understood. The formal announcement of the godfather was scheduled for the Crown Grandchild investiture, yet as the Grandchild’s maternal grandfather the Duke of Victory had naturally been informed in advance.
"When I heard the news I was overjoyed. Not only has the Imperial Grandchild gained a sturdy guardian, but you and I have become family of a sort, have we not?"
"…Yes, that is true as well."
At the Duke of Victory’s words a smile rose unbidden. Hearing the Duke of Victory himself call me family stirred a peculiar emotion.
"As godfather to my granddaughter, you are as good as a son to me."
I did not point out that, as grandfather to the maternal line, “son-in-law” might be closer than “son.”
I had no wish to shatter the Duke of Victory’s joy with needless words.
Crown Prince, you bastard.
You really ought to know how lucky you are with your father-in-law.