Chapter 55 — The Me Even I Didn't Know (1)
Chapter 55 — The Me Even I Didn't Know (1)
Roan became extremely busy.
No matter how thoroughly subordinates handled the practical work, once the number of decisions increased, the superior grew busy too.
From which supplies to produce first to which results to select. Roan felt scattered even though he mostly just received reports.
The Small Council nobles caught in the middle were probably coughing blood.
On the day the people's tribute arrived through the GDI Trading Company, Roan bestowed modest monetary gifts on the Small Council members.
Considering their wealth it was nothing remarkable, but the Small Council's eyes went round.
It was the first time the emperor had ever granted something to nobles as compensation for work.
The chancellor's eight limbs trembled with emotion. Her bristling spines clicked this way and that as if battered by a storm, stirring a faint sense of horror.
"Y-Your Majesty, heavens. Your Majesty."
After repeating "Your Majesty" like a broken machine several times, the chancellor pressed her body flat against the floor.
"I am unworthily honored. I shall shatter my body and grind my bones to realize Your Majesty's will."
Liron hung a single gold coin he had received in his laboratory as decoration. Minoreus brought up the story every time he drank thereafter.
Shwikviena grew tearful.
"Financial therapy really is the best."
Roan was satisfied with the Small Council's reaction.
Financial therapy proved effective on demons as well, and everyone involved in the practical work—the Small Council included—received a bonus infusion and threw themselves back into their duties with renewed energy.
The Ministry of Justice officials were also buoyant.
This was not merely taking on tasks from the Small Council as before. Gloriously, the emperor himself had visited and they were carrying out his direct command!
"I intend to establish military law."
It was unprecedented in history for the Demon King to visit a working-level department, clarify the policy direction, and offer direct encouragement.
Aged officials wiped their eyes with their dried-up hands. His Majesty, who in the past had shown not the slightest interest in law, now came seeking us in person!
It was an emotion born of the pride of being the first.
Through several imperial councils they already knew that the emperor, unlike in the past, had grown more generous.
And had he not even given out bonuses?
The Ministry of Justice's loyalty now pierced the heavens.
Riding that momentum, the meetings proceeded swiftly.
The fact that they had to deliberate alongside a human was slightly uncomfortable for the officials, but many humans already roamed the palace. It was not unbearable.
"Why is this article necessary?"
"It is a provision to prepare for the unlikely event that knights commit insubordination."
"Ah. Understood. Then let us place this after Article 5."
"Then next, let us examine Article 6."
Even though she was a converted prisoner, Helen could not attend the Small Council. It was a decision Roan had made based on her still-insufficient affection level.
Instead, Helen attended the working-level meetings of the Ministry of Justice officials drafting the military law.
Sometimes Grünent or Roan personally observed the meetings for oversight, and at other times watchers from the chancellor's clan participated.
For the Ministry of Justice officials, their superiors or those watchers were far more uncomfortable than Helen. Relatively speaking, meetings with the human began to feel easier.
So passed a week.
Just before the first month of winter arrived.
On a day that had grown markedly chill.
Evirgio's first military law took effect.
Still a concise code containing only the basic articles, its gist was as follows:
— Spare allies and kill the enemy.
Allies are comrades and are to be protected absolutely.
However, those who fail to obey the commands of their superiors shall be punished. This is for the systematic operation and maintenance of an organization that prosecutes war.
— Ha ha, this is. I never imagined it.
A voice so cold it sent a chill just to hear it recited the law's main thrust.
What followed was a cheerful voice.
"The Lord of the East Yellow Territory and the Lord of the North White Territory."
It was Chancellor Aranya who indicated whose voices were coming through the magic tool.
The Lord of the East Yellow Territory, known by the epithet "Blade of the Desert," delivered his assessment of the military law in a sharp voice.
— It seems the Small Council has decided to tighten the noose around our necks.
Following that came the laughter of the Lord of the North White Territory.
It was a sound that did not suit the atmosphere, but none of the great lords rebuked him or stopped him.
They were all too busy with their own thoughts.
The voice from the magic tool had sounded around the time Aranya began to feel anxious.
— But this time, did it not bear His Majesty's seal? This is an imperial decree.
The low, resonant voice gave an impression similar to Minoreus's at first hearing.
"It is the Lord of the West Blood Territory."
The weighty voice of the Lord of the West Blood Territory raised the suspicion that the military law might truly have come from the emperor. That this time was different.
And the three great lords fell silent again.
They were awaiting the opinion of the Lord of the South Black Territory, the Dark Archduke, who had said nothing.
The strongest of the four great lords and the one who had held the post longest. The Dark Archduke was recalling the recent intelligence reports from the capital together with words he had heard from Erenier some time ago.
'His Majesty has been continuously attending council meetings of late. They are said to pertain to law.'
'Father. Before I departed for this place, His Majesty's manner was slightly odd. He spared the humans and suddenly inquired about the state of the war.'
— The Grand Duke of the Red Rampart may be right.
"That is the Lord of the South Black Territory. To His Majesty..."
"The man who is to become your father-in-law."
As before, the owner of that irritable voice was indeed the Dark Archduke. Unlike his tone when dealing with Erenier, he spoke courteously.
— They say His Majesty has changed noticeably. The same report is heard in common from many quarters. Have you not heard it?
— Rather than 'that' His Majesty altering, would it not be swifter to conclude that the Small Council has finally begun to use His Majesty's seal in secret?
— Ha hat, a fair point, Duke!
The Count of the North White Territory, the lowest in status present, voiced his agreement in a bright tone.
— ...That conjecture also has merit.
The somber voice was the Lord of the West Blood Territory.
His dark voice continued.
— But if, if that were the case. If that imperial decree truly were a pronouncement issued by His Majesty... why would His Majesty suddenly seek to reorganize the military forces?
— I believe His Majesty has no reason to reorganize the military. He is the one who has left this war, now exceeding three years, simply alone. Rather.
The Lord of the East Yellow Territory, whose sharp voice cut high like a blade, resumed speaking.
— Is it not far more likely that the Small Council seeks to reorganize the forces?
— The Small Council? For what reason?
The Lord of the West Blood Territory appeared unable to grasp the situation readily.
Neither the other great lords' suspicion despite the imperial seal, nor the sudden imperial decree's intent.
But even at the question from the Lord of the West Blood Territory, the Lord of the East Yellow Territory answered calmly, without any hint of irritation.
— Because the more the law binds us, the stronger the Small Council's power becomes.
— Power....
The Lord of the South Black Territory, Erenier's father, and the Count of the North White Territory stayed silent, simply listening to this exchange.
In a blunt voice, the Lord of the West Blood Territory muttered.
— For such pointless reasons, you mean the Small Council seeks to slip a noose around us?
— That is my view, Grand Duke of the Red Rampart.
The title of Grand Duke referred to the two lords who had been companions since the late king's reign: the Lord of the South Black Territory and the Lord of the West Blood Territory.
Yet the Lord of the West Blood Territory seemed unable to comprehend the desire for power.
If one's ability is great, there are positions one must shoulder even unwillingly. It appeared he performed the office of great lord out of necessity.
The Count of the North White Territory and the Lord of the South Black Territory, the Dark Archduke, picked up the conversation next.
— The spoils of the battlefield, you see, fatten us. Ha ha ha.
— Too blatant, Count.
— Ha hat, Grand Duke. Is it not true?
It was a predictable fact. No setting is better suited to skimming harvests than the battlefield. Yet the words that followed diverged from what Roan had foreseen.
— And besides, how diligently Your Grace has been gathering the energy of those humans, we are aware of that as we—
— Guard your tongue! Count.
The language was formal, but the voice that emerged was irritable. It was the same atmosphere he had heard during the communication with Erenier.
Only after the Dark Archduke's rebuke did the Count of the North White Territory, the Count of the Dark Pit, finally close his mouth.
"The recording ends here."
Aranya stowed away the magic orb, which now emitted no further sound.
"It seems they reinforced the barrier once the conversation turned sensitive."
This magic orb was what Aranya's Surveillance Unit had used to covertly record the great lords' gathering.
In other words, it was a wiretap record.
The chancellor appeared to have decided to no longer conceal the fact that the lords found him inconvenient.
Aranya had visited his office in person to play this conversation for him.
"It has been so long since I last heard the lords' voices that they felt unfamiliar to me as well. Your Majesty."
That was a relief. That I was not the only one who found them unfamiliar.
He had been agonizing over what to say, unable to bring himself to admit, 'That was my first time hearing the great lords' voices!'
Voices are quickly forgotten from memory.
Even when he groped through the Demon King's recollections, the faces of the great lords surfaced somehow, but their voices were unknowable.
That was why this recorded conversation carried even greater significance. Should he face them in the future, his response would become comparatively easier.
"Hmm. Still, the atmosphere is less hostile than I expected."
Truth be told, he had been slightly worried that they might immediately unite, bring their troops, and march on Basel.
As the bald general's faction had done decades ago in South Korea.
If he fought each great lord one-on-one he would win, but the story changed if they brought thousands or tens of thousands of soldiers.
Thankfully, however, it seemed the great lords' wills were not so perfectly aligned with one another.
"The Lord of the West Blood Territory seemed to be deliberating whether to follow if this truly was my command."
"The Lord of the West Blood Territory is a warrior to the marrow of his bones. He grew strong solely because he loves fighting, and he is someone who rose even to the rank of grand duke."
Aranya concurred with Roan's words.
"He has no interest in politics. Once he simply confirms that Your Majesty personally issued the order, the Lord of the West Blood Territory will likely follow Your Majesty's command regardless of the other great lords."
"Hm."
The Lord of the East Yellow Territory, with his sharp tone, also seemed less reluctant to heed him and more concerned about a scenario where 'the Small Council was using an imperial decree as a political pretense to check him.'
As for the Count of the North White Territory who did nothing but laugh, and the Lord of the South Black Territory who was Erenier's father... he still could not quite tell.
Especially since he had already overheard how the Dark Archduke, the Lord of the South Black Territory, treated Erenier, his thoughts about the man inevitably leaned negative.
[Hey, not focusing. Focus?]
Fiora scolded Roan.
"Ah."
No matter how busy things got, he never skipped swordsmanship training.
This was a country where, if he were not the strongest, someone might at any moment take his life and then become emperor.
But sure enough, hearing that kind of talk made it difficult to concentrate.
[Hmm, your mind seems troubled. Your body is heavy too. And your aura is a bit off. Are you ill somewhere?]
"That. Rude."
[Hmph, then cut off my head?]
"...."
After that playful remark, Fiora asked in a serious voice.
[No, truly, this is the first time Roan's body has felt this sluggish to me. Are you sleeping properly these days?]
"Uh, well...."
Fundamentally, the Demon King's body was sturdy.
Admittedly, the list of concerns before sleep had grown.
The fact that the future involving the Hero had changed was somewhat troubling, and as working-level reports about trading companies and law—subjects Roan knew little about—kept coming up, the need to focus his attention had increased.
But overall, he did not feel his condition was poor.
"I think I'm fine?"
And then Fiora asked something completely off the wall.
[When was the last time you had sex?]
"...What?"
Roan's face colored, unusual for him.
Of course, he had not been able to share a bed with anyone recently.
Work was busy, and after Helen arrived, he had to manage Helen's affection by frequently having Grünent sleep in Helen's room.
And thanks to that, Helen's affection was steadily, gradually rising, was it not.
"...That is none of your busi..."
[Roan?]
"It is Helen."
At that, both Roan and Fiora closed their mouths.
Just then, in the distance, the figures of Helen and a surveillance officer could be seen entering Roan's training ground.
"Your Majesty."
"What brings you here, Helen?"
"I felt my body growing stiff and came to train. I was told to seek Your Majesty's permission. Your Majesty."
"Hm. I see."
Helen smiled a private, wry smile to herself.
If the members—or the commander—knew she was having a private audience with His Majesty like this, they would truly be beside themselves.
Roan pointed to wooden swords nearby.
"Use those practice swords."
"Thank you. Your Majesty."
Helen, who had been walking toward the wooden sword rack, abruptly halted her steps.
"Your Majesty. I speak with temerity, however."
"Hm?"
Helen asked in a slightly elated voice.
"If it would be permissible, would you grant me an opportunity to appraise Your Majesty's swordsmanship?"
Roan's eyes narrowed.
This was the first time Helen had requested something of him.
She, too, was a swordswoman.
[Oho, this will be the first time you cross swords with someone, Roan! You can do it! Go, go!]
Listening to Fiora's nonsensical cheering, Roan nodded.
"Bring a wooden sword for me as well."