Ch.54An Offer One Can’t Refuse

“Jeperd.”

Victoria Windsor, the Duchess, stroked the eagle. She carefully took the letter attached to its beak.

-I don’t want to work.

“……”

Victoria Windsor paused for a moment, as if in thought.

This handwriting was Ruide’s.

The hastily curved tail of the letters seemed to represent her son’s feelings.

Ruide is currently at the Academy.

He ran away from the Academy because it was bothersome.

Academy Chancellor Clifford said he was resigning.

Right after that, news came that the Emperor had visited the Academy.

Ruide wouldn’t send a letter for trivial matters.

He sent this letter requesting help because it exceeded his authority. Since he said he didn’t want to work, she could tell the Emperor had ordered him to do something.

“…So that’s what happened.”

Victoria figured out what had happened to Ruide from just these few incidents.

“Lucius. I thought you were my friend.”

Victoria carefully took the letter and headed to her room.

First, she would use various magical treatments to permanently preserve this “first letter” that Ruide had sent her.

**

“Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened! Remarkable magical energy flows have been detected from Windsor Castle!”

The court magician, Merlin, reported with great agitation.

The Emperor asked nonchalantly.

“What kind of flow are you talking about?”

“W-well… It appears someone is sending sword energy into the sky, and considering its immense power, we believe it’s the Duchess of Windsor’s doing. At Windsor Castle right now… it’s snowing.”

Hearing this, Lucius laughed as if in disbelief.

“Windsor has a unique way of protesting.”

“This is no laughing matter! Windsor directing magical energy toward the sky can be interpreted as a challenge to imperial authority. This has never happened in history!”

“It will be recorded as a historic blunder? Why torment the innocent sky?”

“Your Majesty! We must summon the Duchess of Windsor to the imperial court immediately and hold her accountable!”

“And ruin my relationship with Windsor over a trivial prank? Get out.”

“Yes, sir.”

Merlin scurried away.

Alone in the great hall, Lucius took out a bracelet.

Using the Emperor’s power, the bracelet glowed brightly, and a square shape appeared in midair.

It was a communication network that served as a substitute for a crystal ball.

The image of Victoria in uniform appeared.

“Good to see you, Victoria.”

[Lucius.]

Victoria paused briefly, then added.

[Your Majesty.]

“Just speak casually. This isn’t exactly an official matter, is it?”

[I heard the news. It seems you ordered my son to do something.]

“Are you staging a protest just because of that?”

[I merely gathered the clouds and split them apart.]

Clouds symbolize peace. Splitting them apart wasn’t exactly a positive message.

Lucius sighed heavily.

“That’s your problem. You never speak up. If something displeases you, you should just say so, why bother the innocent clouds?”

[What exactly did you ask Ruide to do?]

“I suggested he take on the role of Academy Chancellor. It seems Ruide still relies on you quite a bit, judging by how quickly he contacted you.”

Victoria smiled.

Speaking in a somewhat softer tone, she said:

[Don’t expect too much from a 12-year-old. I sent him to the Academy so he could socialize with peers his age.]

“Haha, but he’s too exceptional for that. Do you know what achievements your son has made?”

Victoria hadn’t been receiving reports about Ruide.

The more reports she received, the more she wanted to see him.

She had suppressed the urge to go to the island countless times.

Knowing this, Lucius leisurely recounted Ruide’s achievements.

“He discovered a new magic and held a presentation, defeated Black Mages single-handedly, and recently even repaired the Academy’s dilapidated facilities for free.”

Victoria maintained a blank expression.

“So how could I possibly resist…”

Victoria spoke in a voice as small as a mosquito’s.

[…Tell me more details.]

Her face was slightly flushed.

Lucius chuckled and recounted everything that had happened.

He didn’t forget to praise Ruide throughout his account.

After praising him perhaps a bit excessively:

[I see, I understand. Lucius, you are an excellent Emperor.]

…Victoria smiled with satisfaction.

[But unfortunately, my son doesn’t want this. I’d like you to withdraw the order.]

However, Victoria wasn’t so easily persuaded.

But unlike before, her tone was extremely gentle.

‘Check.’

Like in chess, it was a check situation. He had moved one square to the side to escape the check, but a rook was blocking his retreat. All that remained was to move the rook one square to the side.

“By the way, Victoria, you’ve had your eye on the ‘Larden Territory’ for quite some time, haven’t you?”

Larden Territory is imperial property.

Long ago, after Marquis Larden’s act of treason, the territory was confiscated and has remained under imperial ownership ever since.

Coincidentally, it was located very close to the Windsor Duchy.

Unlike the harsh environment of the Windsor Duchy, Larden Territory was an extremely resource-rich and valuable land.

The Windsor Duchy is not good for growing food. As a result, they import massive amounts of food from Larden Territory and distribute it to the people for free, but the recent explosive population growth has been giving them headaches about food distribution.

Because of this, Victoria had been eyeing Larden Territory quite eagerly. However, considering the dignity of the Windsor Duchy, she hadn’t shown it openly.

But it was undeniably something she desperately wanted.

[……]

“I’ll give it to you. Will you persuade Ruide?”

[You’ll really give that to us?]

Victoria looked incredulous.

‘I was planning to give it anyway, but now I can use it as leverage.’

In truth, from the Empire’s perspective, Larden Territory was just a piece of land they could take or leave.

There were plenty of territories that produced good food. Rather, they were always short on manpower to operate Larden Territory. Being at the northern edge, it was an unpopular posting. Imperial administrators considered being assigned to Larden Territory as a “demotion.”

In other words, from the Empire’s standpoint, it was land they needed to dispose of. And if they were going to dispose of it, it made sense to hand it over to a trusted noble family like the Windsor Duchy.

‘Bestowing favor on the Windsor Duchy is a valuable thing above all else.’

If he was going to give it away, it would be better to do so without asking for anything in return. Under the pretext of a “reward.”

But it would be more impressive to give it with a weak justification as a pretext. So he had been waiting for an appropriate excuse.

And now, he had found a justification that would be put to good use.

“Yes.”

This was an offer that was impossible to refuse. Nevertheless, Victoria hesitated. That showed how much she cared for Ruide.

‘She’s stubborn, incredibly stubborn.’

Lucius couldn’t believe she was even considering this.

But it wasn’t over yet. Lucius opened his mouth for the checkmate.

“Hmm, but the position of Chancellor does seem too burdensome for Ruide.”

[Yes. He’s far too young to be given such responsibility.]

“All I want is for Ruide to remain at the Academy as he is now. Helping out occasionally when he feels like it, showing kindness. I’m not asking him to run the Academy.”

Lucius grinned and drove the point home.

“So, let’s decide on giving him an honorary position with a suitable justification, allowing him to freely stay at the Academy. For example… something like an Honorary Professor. What do you think? Not a bad proposal, I believe.”

This was known as the door-in-the-face technique.

First, present a high-value request to induce rejection, then make the real request seem trivial by comparison, making it easier to accept.

Offering the position of Chancellor to Ruide, who is only 12 years old, is clearly several steps removed from common sense.

However, what Lucius really wanted—the “Honorary Professor” position—was also beyond common sense. After all, Ruide was already the youngest Academy student ever.

But compared to the initial offer of Chancellor, it seemed much less significant. And that was exactly what Lucius intended.

Lucius looked at Victoria with a confident expression. He didn’t think she would refuse this offer.

[…Indeed, Honorary Professor does seem acceptable.]

“Right? Then…”

[However, asking for my son’s opinion is more important.]

She’s not accepting it right away?

Lucius was perplexed.

‘She really is stubborn…’

He shook his head slowly.

Demanding more could appear coercive. Reluctantly, Lucius nodded.

“Fine. Then, let’s ask Ruide for his opinion.”

Victoria spoke extremely urgently.

[I’ll ask him directly.]

Lucius nodded with a disgruntled expression.

**

[…It’s nothing major… um…]

Ruide looked at the crystal ball with a sour expression.

“Just say it quickly, Mom.”

Victoria spoke with a very hurt expression.

[So you’ve grown up now…? Not even calling me ‘Mama’ anymore.]

Ruide wished she would just let go of that word.

‘What 12-year-old still calls their mother ‘Mama’?’

But faced with that extremely hurt expression, he couldn’t maintain his stubbornness.

“…Mama.”

Victoria’s expression brightened.

“Anyway, what happened?”

Actually, he had already guessed.

When Victoria stalls, it means the result isn’t good.

‘What the heck, I used the mom card and still failed?’

Ruide couldn’t understand.

[Well, um… how about becoming an Honorary Professor instead of Chancellor? Of course, you don’t have to if you don’t want to. Mama is on Ruide’s side. Although the conditions are a bit favorable, such things aren’t important compared to you.]

Victoria wasn’t usually talkative.

The same applied to him.

But now, she was being a bit wordy.

“…What are the conditions?”

Ruide immediately caught on and asked with suspicious eyes.

Victoria stalled again.

[The conditions aren’t important at all. What matters is my son’s opinion. If you don’t want to do it, even the tiniest bit, you don’t have to.]

“The conditions.”

[…Ahem.]

Victoria cleared her throat once, then carefully said:

[…We would be granted Larden Territory. In exchange for you becoming an Honorary Professor.]

“……”

Ruide blinked.

He wasn’t sure what he had just heard.

Isn’t Larden Territory an absolute goldmine?

[If you accept this offer, it would be something you’ve earned, so Larden Territory would become Ruide’s property…]

“I’ll do it.”

Ruide answered without a moment’s hesitation.