Ch.53I Don’t Want to Work (2)

“I behold the sun of the Empire.”

The tactless Amelia knelt on one knee.

“What are you saying, Amelia? I am Inglencia, Ruide’s cousin…”

“I await your command.”

But it wasn’t simply because she lacked tact. As a knight, she couldn’t accommodate the Emperor’s intentions.

“Your Majesty?”

“Move aside. I’ve seen his face before. Gasp… It’s true! It’s the Emperor!”

“…..”

He hadn’t seriously intended to hide.

He had come partly to offer encouragement.

But he hadn’t wanted to be discovered until after speaking with Ruide.

‘Why are knights so inflexible?’

Lucius clicked his tongue.

**

“I haven’t even properly congratulated you about the Black Mage incident, and now there’s one more reason to reward you. My magic knights just waste their salaries. You accomplish more than all of them combined, Ruide. If there’s anything you want, just name it.”

‘This is burdensome.’

Ruide hid behind Amelia.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t compensated you for ruining the presentation. When will you ever visit the treasury?”

“I was planning to go in winter.”

“How disappointing that you don’t even visit.”

“…Your Majesty is busy.”

“If you were to come, I could certainly clear my schedule for that day. When my beautiful niece who only helps the Empire comes to visit, what does some trivial work matter?”

“Ruide. Mind your manners before His Majesty.”

Amelia took Ruide’s hand and sat him down beside her.

“Don’t be so rigid, Amelia.”

Lucius chided her with a slight smile.

“We’re not that kind of relationship, are we?”

The Emperor was on such good terms with the Windsor family that he would occasionally joke with them.

This had generally been true of past emperors, but Lucius was even more so inclined.

“This is an institution, Your Majesty. I must maintain your dignity.”

The Emperor shouldn’t be too friendly with any noble. A minimum distance must be maintained. However, if there was one place where he didn’t need to be mindful, it was Windsor Castle.

Even the formal Amelia would treat the Emperor more comfortably if she encountered him at Windsor Castle.

“But what brings you here, Your Majesty? It’s troublesome to come so suddenly without any schedule.”

“I came to familiarize myself with the faces of children who might become my knights someday. And to offer encouragement.”

Ruide could bet yesterday’s leftover baguette piece that the Emperor’s words were a lie.

Lucius met Ruide’s suspicious gaze with a gentle smile.

“What have you been up to these days?”

Ruide felt a slight pinch on his thigh.

Looking to the side, he saw Amelia staring at him with spinning eyes.

Though she was smiling on the outside, he could tell as her brother.

-Don’t tell, don’t tell, don’t tell, don’t tell.

…Seeing her desperation, Ruide decided to let it slide this time.

“I sleep.”

“So you don’t have anything particular to do?”

Ruide, who was about to habitually answer “yes,” quickly thought again.

‘What’s this ominous feeling?’

“No. I’m busy.”

“…Busy sleeping?”

“I’m researching.”

Ruide put strength into his eyes, trying to appear more credible.

The Emperor looked at Ruide as if he found him adorable.

“Research by a genius magician. That must be quite valuable. What kind of research are you doing? It’s pure curiosity, so speak freely.”

Ruide blurted out whatever came to mind.

“Research on moving freely while being aware that I’m dreaming within a dream.”

“Oh, an interesting topic. Is such magic possible?”

“You can do it without even using magic.”

Lucius’s eyes widened.

“Is that possible?”

“Yes, anyone can do it.”

Ruide was an expert on sleep.

Lucid dreaming was his specialty.

“That’s quite fascinating. What’s the name of your research?”

“Lucid dreaming.”

“Haha, the research idea is good, but your naming sense is terrible. How about ‘Ruide Dream’?”

“…..”

Ruide maintained silence at the Emperor’s hopeless naming sense, then said:

“Anyway, I’m busy.”

“If you’re doing such amazing research, you must be busy. I was going to ask you for something, but I guess it can’t be helped.”

“Yes. I’m really busy.”

‘So it was a landmine after all.’

He must have been planning to assign him something. Ruide felt relieved.

“Um, may I ask what you wanted to request of Ruide?”

At that moment, Amelia asked seriously.

The reason Windsor could live peacefully in the Empire without any checks was due to the Imperial court’s consideration.

Even though Windsor’s blade was always pointed at the monsters in the North, it didn’t change the fact that they possessed a private army too powerful for a single family.

This would be impossible without the Emperor’s permission. And that permission was based on unlimited trust in the Windsor Duchy. It was only possible with the certainty that Windsor was a family of loyal subjects.

Naturally, Windsor was in a position to respect the Emperor. They should never cause even the slightest disappointment to the Emperor.

“Hmm, Ruide seems to dislike it, so how could I ask?”

Lucius smiled slyly.

“That can’t be. Ruide would never dislike Your Majesty’s orders.”

Amelia stroked Ruide’s head while maintaining proper posture.

Ruide glared at Amelia.

‘You told me not to say anything. Just wait.’

“Then, may I make the request?”

Amelia looked at Ruide and smiled brightly.

Feeling pressured, Ruide reluctantly answered.

“…Yes.”

“It’s nothing much.”

Lucius said casually.

“I’d like you to serve as the Academy’s headmaster for a few years.”

“Yes… nothing much.”

Ruide paused briefly and thought carefully.

Amelia also blinked her eyes.

“???”

They looked at each other, extremely bewildered.

**

Knock knock.

Amelia knocked on the door with a dejected face.

“Ruide…?”

Ruide, who would be behind the door, said nothing.

Amelia anxiously knocked again.

“I’m sorry… your sister was thoughtless.”

“…..”

“Um, can I come in…?”

Amelia turned the doorknob.

Click.

But the door was locked.

‘He must be really upset.’

Amelia broke out in a cold sweat.

After the Emperor left.

She still couldn’t forget Ruide’s resentful gaze.

“If, if you don’t like it, His Majesty said it’s okay. If you refuse.”

-Liar.

A small voice was heard. Amelia couldn’t miss it.

In truth, it was unreasonable to refuse now after having agreed to the Emperor’s request.

Moreover, being the Academy headmaster was a tremendous honor. …Though somewhat absurd.

In other words, from the Emperor’s perspective, this was nothing short of a reward. The problem was that it wasn’t a reward for Ruide.

She habitually bit her fingernails.

‘What should I do? Of all things, it had to be what he hates most.’

What Ruide hated most was troublesome work.

The Academy headmaster position was the absolute worst in that regard.

“Really, Ruide. If you hate it that much, I’ll figure something out. Could you please open this door?”

Amelia pleaded desperately.

Click. Creeeeak…

The door opened. Amelia entered with a sigh of relief. Ruide had pulled the blanket over his head.

“…What are you going to do?”

A voice came from under the blanket.

“I’ll stop the headmaster from resigning. That’s the root of all this.”

Ruide poked his head out.

“Can you do it?”

“I’ll try my best.”

Honestly, Ruide didn’t trust her.

“You’re stupid, sister.”

“…I’m not stupid.”

“Yes, you are.”

Ruide went back under the blanket.

“R-really. I’ll try to stop the headmaster from resigning somehow.”

Amelia said hurriedly.

Ruide poked his head out of the blanket again.

“Are you confident? If not, I’ll do it myself. I absolutely refuse to be headmaster.”

Ruide didn’t want to move himself.

Amelia clenched her fist and made a pledge.

“I will definitely stop him.”

“Then I forgive you.”

Ruide went back under the blanket. In short, it was a strong protest saying not to even speak to him until the problem was solved.

**

“I lack the qualities of a headmaster. Don’t you think so too, Amelia Windsor?”

Having immediately visited the headmaster’s office, Amelia was slightly taken aback by the unexpectedly stubborn response.

“Why are you suddenly doing this?”

“For the same reason I just mentioned.”

“…Is it because of Ruide?”

Amelia tried to comfort the headmaster in her own way.

“If you were going to regret it, you shouldn’t have started in the first place.”

“Did you come to rub salt in my wounds?”

“…..”

Amelia pressed her lips tightly. As expected, nothing good came out.

But her promise to Ruide was more important than anything else.

“No matter who was headmaster, Ruide wouldn’t have stayed at the Academy anyway. There were too many students who bothered him. It’s not entirely your fault.”

“It’s not just about that slacker. Although it did play a significant role—”

Clifford said bitterly.

“It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time. I wanted to pass the headmaster position to Fenicia as soon as possible.”

“Wait a minute…!”

Amelia was indignant upon hearing this.

“Then why was the headmaster position offered to Ruide?”

“What?”

Clifford was dumbfounded by this news.

“What are you talking about? I will pass the headmaster position to Fenicia.”

“No. His Majesty offered the headmaster position to Ruide.”

“…!”

Clifford’s pupils dilated.

But they soon returned to normal.

He smiled with a snicker.

“That’s the best outcome for the Academy. Since he won’t do it for long anyway, Fenicia can gain more practical experience as vice-headmaster. This is excellent. His Majesty has truly made a divine move.”

“No, that’s not it.”

Clifford spoke seriously. The corner of his mouth twitched, clearly trying to hold back laughter.

“Could there be a better opportunity than this? Amelia, your words just now have strengthened my resolve.”

‘This old man…!’

Amelia was thoroughly heated.

“You’ll regret it.”

“Regret?”

Clifford shrugged.

“Who do you think will regret it, child?”

“Excuse me?”

“That slacker made me regret by quitting the Academy. Now it’s your turn to regret. Hahaha!”

“…..”

“Go back. I must resign as headmaster even if it kills me.”

Amelia felt like crying.

**

“…..”

Ruide quietly recalled what had happened earlier.

Coming in after drinking heavily.

-Hic, I’m sorry Ruide. Please forgive me.

She had been drunk and emotional. She must have failed.

He hadn’t trusted Amelia from the beginning.

In Ruide’s eyes, Amelia was good at nothing except using physical strength.

Ruide decided to use his ultimate move.

He immediately sat at his desk, unfolded a paper, and wrote a letter.

-I don’t want to work.

After finishing the letter, he folded it four times and opened the window.

-Whistle.

He whistled.

Not long after, a large eagle appeared, cutting through the wind.

He stroked the eagle’s head.

“Long time no see, Jepherd.”

Jepherd was a familiar that delivered messages. More precisely, it was Irene’s familiar.

Ruide placed the letter in its beak and said to the eagle:

“Take this to Mom. As quickly as possible.”

The majestic eagle looked at Ruide and slowly nodded. Then, putting strength into its talons, it flew far away.