Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Chapter 14: Wolves Are Needed for Resurrection
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Oof, my poor body.
The aftereffects of yesterday's training kept me tossing and turning all night. Ugh. Even after guzzling down all sorts of elixirs and dumping every holy spell I had on myself, this pathetic frame of mine refuses to recover cleanly.
Anyway, word came from the imperial palace first thing in the morning, so I hopped into a carriage and set off. Ever since Jess went missing, the empire has been under a state of emergency, and it seems the Minister of Internal Affairs—the highest in the pecking order—is currently taking the lead on state affairs.
But in this country, only the Emperor can give final approval on important matters.
If the Emperor is away, the Crown Prince acts as regent. And if something happens to the Crown Prince too, a prominent royal gets the nod as regent with the ministers' consent.
But right now, the empire has no Emperor, no Crown Prince, and no regent.
The ministers can't just let this mess drag on forever, right? So it's not hard to guess why they've summoned me.
They want me to step up as regent.
Of course, I'm not about to bow and accept just because they ask. I've got mountains of routes left to tackle ahead—no time to squeeze in regent duties too.
"Prince Claude Highness! The Payud Empire faces an unprecedented crisis!"
"Indeed, Your Highness. The empire always needs someone to make decisions and take responsibility for everything. Yet His Imperial Majesty lies bedridden, and the Crown Prince stubbornly refuses all outsiders while secluded in his detached palace."
I hadn't even entered the imperial palace yet, but Minister of Internal Affairs Balbeni and Minister of Military Affairs Hops came rushing out barefoot, dropping to their knees before me.
"After Regent Highness went missing—no, passed away—we asked the other princes if they'd take the role, but they all refused. We had no choice but to summon Your Highness here."
"So, you're asking me to be regent?"
I asked outright in a cheeky tone, since I planned to refuse anyway. The two ministers flinched for a moment before nodding.
"Yes. Will you please do it?"
"No."
"Wh-what do you mean, no? Even so, that's too blunt a refusal... We're not spoiled children throwing a tantrum."
"Anyway, no means no. Have you all forgotten what kind of person I am? You think Marquis Rantel would allow that?"
The Marquis Rantel I mentioned here is the Minister of Finance Rantel, whom I nearly killed last year by poisoning his liquor and sending him into convulsions.
"Of course, Marquis Rantel is deeply hostile toward Your Highness... but he's already retired. No need to worry much about him."
"But his influence is still huge, isn't it? Even after retiring, it feels like he's been badmouthing me nonstop."
"That's true, but... in any case, haven't you become a completely new person lately, Your Highness? You've racked up achievements that will go down in imperial history. We believe you'd handle the regency splendidly..."
Balbeni let out a long sigh as he glanced at my listless face.
Yeah, give up quick since you've got nothing better to do. You all suffer until I finish my next route.
But their prepared pitch wasn't over yet. This time, Hops lifted his head with a gravely serious expression.
"If I may be so bold, I predicted Your Highness would refuse the regency."
"Oh?"
"Yes. Of course, you're serving the empire's interests by running around everywhere and playing a major role, but at your core, Your Highness has a free spirit."
In other words, a wild troublemaker who does whatever he wants. I grinned broadly and nodded.
"Spot on. So why bother?"
"We had to check your intentions first. Now, as a servant of the empire, allow me to request something truly vital to the empire's survival from Your Highness."
"A request?"
"Prince Claude Highness. Please step forward and cure His Imperial Majesty's grave illness!"
Huh?
What did he just say?
"Of course, His Majesty's illness is a mysterious poison that has stumped elixirs and every priest who tried. But aren't you a saint blessed by the five gods? We believe if Your Highness intervenes, there will surely be some improvement in His Majesty's condition."
Ah, I see.
So this was the real reason they dragged me all the way here—to heal the Emperor!
Talk about perfect timing. That was exactly the next route I planned to tackle.
"And if I may be so bold again, if even Your Highness's power can't cure His Majesty's condition, then at least please treat the Crown Prince's illness as a fallback while he recuperates."
"Please!"
The Minister of Internal Affairs timed it perfectly and bowed his head alongside him.
"You're the only one we can trust now. For the empire's sake, please rise to the occasion!"
"Rise to the occasion? It's not like we're heading to war..."
I scowled, glaring at the backs of the two ministers' heads for a good while.
But inwardly, I was about to burst out laughing.
The next route I planned was the "Resurrection Route"—saving either the Emperor or the Crown Prince, who were both turned into vegetables by Jess's poison.
Now I can take credit with the ministers and rack up a huge favor. Two birds with one stone.
I groaned and grimaced as miserably as possible, then crouched down to meet their eye level.
"Sigh, anyway, there are eyes around. Stand up already, huh?"
"Your Highness, please cherish the empire and..."
"Yeah, yeah. I get it. I'll give it a shot. Of course, it won't be easy at all..."
"Really?! Your Highness! The empire's fate rests on this tiny frame of yours!"
"Thank you, Your Highness! The empire's safety hangs on these small shoulders of yours!"
The two ministers shot to their feet, shouting. I scowled and rubbed my suddenly aching "small" shoulders.
Damn these guys. Excitement makes their true thoughts slip out.
But since they're small, I can't even argue back. That just makes it sadder. With a sigh, I started demanding an advance as payment for the request.
"Anyway, I'll do what I can. But in return, I need a few things from you guys..."
* * *
Resurrection Route.
The goal is to revive the Emperor and Crown Prince, who were rendered useless by Jess's poison. Originally, this was slated for 2-3 years from now, after Jess would have been naturally ousted.
But now it's become my top priority route. I took the request from the ministers, claimed credit, and pocketed an advance.
"First off, you two put your heads together and get Berit running properly."
"Berit... you mean?"
"How long are you going to leave it like that? And don't even dream of dragging Count Talisman back home."
Count Talisman had been released from the underground prison after just nine days due to mental breakdown symptoms and sent back to his estate. The Minister of Internal Affairs furrowed his brow, pondered briefly, then spoke.
"Protests from the Talisman Count's family are flooding the imperial government even now... but I understand Your Highness's will."
"Ignore that and focus on Berit."
"Hmm..."
"I'm not asking for special treatment for Berit. Just make it so they can farm normally, eat, and live. Don't let people starve to death right away. You can spare that much budget, right?"
"Of course. Understood. Though I'm not the Minister of Finance, I'll take responsibility for improving Berit's situation. I'll dispatch fair and carefully selected officials, at least until His Imperial Majesty returns."
He added "until His Majesty returns" because the Emperor himself appointed Count Talisman as Berit's lord.
Of course, doesn't matter. We can sort that out later. I nodded and presented another condition.
"And execute the budget for the new knight order right away. Any way to speed it up?"
"You mean the knight order Your Highness received as a silver medal from Regent Highness?"
"Yeah. Members are starting to gather, so at least pay them salaries."
"Well..."
The Minister of Internal Affairs paused, exchanged glances with the Minister of Military Affairs, then asked.
"I heard it's a small order of about 30 knights. Is that right?"
"Yeah. Not sure if it'll grow later. Anyway, we've got at least ten."
Actually only five, but bluffing here should snag more budget.
But the Minister of Internal Affairs gave me an even bigger gift than expected.
"Understood. We'll approve salaries for 30 members first."
"30? For real?"
"Any extras, Your Highness can manage appropriately. Members will fill up quick anyway, right?"
"You bet. I'm great at appropriate management."
"We'll trust you with it. Come to think of it, even a small knight order needs a headquarters building. We'll include standard construction and maintenance costs too."
"For real? I'd be grateful."
Was Minister of Internal Affairs Balbeni always this reasonable? I smiled and nodded. Guess I've managed my reputation masterfully this time.
I almost said to assign knight master-level pay extra since the captain is that "Dabi," but held back.
Better to reveal Dabi as my knight order captain later.
It'll inevitably spark conflict with his old White Knight Order. No time to deal with that now.
"What's the knight order's name, by the way?"
"Haven't decided yet. I'll submit the paperwork once I do."
"Understood. Then we'll convene with the Minister of Finance right away and..."
"No, there's something else to do first."
I shook my head, cutting Balbeni off.
"First, I need to check on Father. Gotta see for myself to figure out treatment."
"Ah..."
"Indeed. Of course."
The two ministers sighed and nodded, then led me not to the main imperial palace, but to the detached palace where the Emperor lay sleeping.
* * *
White Dragon Palace.
The detached palace reserved solely for the Empress in the empire, but after my mother, Empress Railin, passed away, the Emperor forcibly made it his residence.
Proof of how much he cherished her? I walked the corridors of White Dragon Palace slowly, recalling old memories lingering in my body.
"I used to run around wild here back in the day..."
"You remember, Your Highness. I heard you spent your childhood here too."
I nodded quietly to Minister of Military Affairs Hops's words. Of course, they were the previous Claude's memories, not mine.
We reached the Emperor's bedchamber, and two knights in golden armor guarding the door raised their swords with a loud clank.
Clang!
"Good work. The Prince has come to check on His Majesty's condition. Step aside."
"......"
The knights, seemingly pre-informed, moved to the sides without delay. I spoke to the ministers as the door slowly opened.
"I'll go in alone and come out. You two wait here."
"As you command."
A thick incense scent wafted from the open door. I held my breath instinctively and stepped into the Emperor's bedchamber.
"We greet Prince Highness. Forgive us, but please wash your hands."
As I entered, a maid on 24-hour rotating shifts quietly offered a wet cloth. I wiped my hands with it and headed to the massive bed on the opposite side.
Thud...
The door closed behind me. The dim bedroom grew even darker, and I tossed a casual question over my shoulder at the following maid.
"Don't you open the windows here?"
"All windows are sealed for security reasons."
"Ventilation's bad for health, though..."
In fact, left as is without intervention, the Emperor would breathe his last in about three years.
Of course, variables abound. I sketched a few timelines in my head and handed the wet cloth back to the maid.
"Any changes in His Majesty's condition lately?"
"Not that I know of."
"Meals?"
"Twice a day, through a tube into his mouth—porridge and elixirs."
"Last treatment?"
"Two days ago, a priest examined him and left. No improvement in the illness, just treated a bedsore forming on his back."
"Priests come every three days?"
The maid nodded silently. I stopped at the bed and lifted the thick veil draped over it with my hand.
Ugh, the smell.
The stench of a dying man assaulted my nose.
But it's a familiar smell, so bearable. I gently gripped the Emperor's wrinkled hand and murmured.
"Father..."
Compared to my still-tiny hand at 16, the Emperor's—once a famed knight in his youth—was astonishingly large and firm.
But the sunken eyes and sallow skin evoked a death mask. I examined his face and body closely.
Of course, I have zero reason to check his condition now. I already know everything—this is just a show for the ministers.
That said, the Resurrection Route still has variables.
In the end, I can only save one person. So I need criteria for the choice.
The Emperor.
Or the Crown Prince.
Nothing's set yet. Each has pros and cons depending on who I save.
Anyway, the Emperor looked much the same as in my previous regression memories. As I gazed at his face, on a whim, I dumped every ounce of holy magic essence I could muster.
"Anti Poison! Healing! Mental Recovery! Anti Evil! Turn Undead!"
A brilliant glow enveloped the Emperor's body, lighting up the entire dim room.
"Eek!"
The maid behind me screamed and fell on her butt. I clicked my tongue at the unmoving Emperor and shook my head.
"No dice with holy magic, as expected."
"F-forgive us, Your Highness. Even with your power..."
"Still gotta find a way."
I turned to the fallen maid and shrugged one shoulder.
"Anyway, it'll take time. Need to gather data first."