Ch.89Spring (1)

“Hnngh…! So, how is the university project progressing?”

“Barring any unexpected developments, we estimate the university will be ready to open next spring. Law and theology, which had their own curricula before specialization, and administration, which is adopting the educational system of Luca Vines, didn’t require extensive modifications. Magic alchemy, celestial physics, and mechanical architecture are nearly complete with their curricula, thanks to the abundance of relevant literature and the apprenticeship education that has long been established by master craftsmen. Medicine is taking a bit more time, but everyone is keeping up well with Your Majesty’s pace, so there shouldn’t be any major issues with completing the curricula by the spring deadline.”

After stretching once, I asked Leclerc about the university’s progress, and he calmly reported on it as if he had been prepared from the start.

Seeing how he speaks so fluently without even a moment’s hesitation, he must have been working incredibly hard. He’s truly reliable, as always.

“We’re assembling the university’s teaching assistants from candidates who fell slightly short of the professor recruitment standards, and for other workers, we’re planning to assign trustworthy servants and attendants.”

“Well done. It must have been difficult.”

“Not at all, Your Majesty. It wasn’t much different from my duties at court, so I didn’t face any significant challenges.”

It’s true that evaluating personnel qualifications has been Leclerc’s primary job… but still, this time he had to recruit all the staff for the entire university, so the workload must have been enormous.

Is he pretending it was nothing to spare me from feeling awkward? Oh my…

“Well… it’s a bit embarrassing to say this, but thank you. Your dedication has made things much easier.”

“I merely did what was expected of me. As a sovereign, you should refrain from thanking your subjects too readily unless in exceptional circumstances.”

Looking at everything that’s happened since my coronation, this does seem like an exceptional case.

Civil war, warfare, currency reform—considering how Leclerc has been working tirelessly in both domestic and foreign affairs, I wouldn’t have any right to complain even if he had run away long ago due to the excessive workload. This is definitely a situation that warrants expressing gratitude.

“…Very well, I understand.”

Of course, I couldn’t say such thoughts aloud. When a subject offers sincere advice out of concern for their ruler, it would be disrespectful to openly contradict them, regardless of their position.

As I nodded slightly while maintaining my dignity as Leclerc wished, he finally seemed satisfied, a gentle smile appearing on his face.

It’s the expression of an elderly person looking at a close friend’s grandchild. I wonder if I remind him of his father or grandfather.

……….

“Haaah…”

“I see you still have enough energy to sigh?”

“Be quiet.”

In the past, even such a simple exchange would have sparked a battle of nerves, but that’s no longer the case.

No matter how poor our relationship was, we’ve lived together for a whole year now, including six months in the same room, so we no longer overreact to minor provocations.

Of course, being in the late stages of pregnancy and lacking the energy to get angry is also a major factor. Such trivial irritations aren’t enough to invigorate my exhausted body.

“You know, you’ve been pathetic like a sick cat ever since Lord Leclerc came. Give it a rest. Not all your people were expelled, so you’re not completely cut off from information.”

“…How can I trust them?”

“What?”

Cloe tries to provoke Ines, who has been listless for months since being threatened by Leclerc, but Ines gives an unexpected response to Cloe’s blatant provocation.

‘What is she talking about now?’

The flow of conversation seems slightly off.

She tells Ines to stop whining since not all her minions were expelled, but why suddenly question whether they can be trusted?

“Don’t you feel the same way? The more subjects you have, the less likely you are to be misled by false information.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“I mean, if you have only one person gathering information, the damage would be enormous if that one person betrays you.”

Ah…

The logic is absurd, but I understand what she’s trying to say. So she doesn’t even trust her own subordinates.

No wonder Ines’s subordinates often stayed together—it wasn’t just about forming factions but to monitor each other.

“This might seem a bit out of nowhere, but how did you grow up? Were you happy as a child?”

“Why are you suddenly asking such unpleasant questions? Hmm… if I have to answer, I think I was quite happy with my grandfather and brother. Being the youngest daughter, everyone treasured me greatly.”

“Treasured… well, I suppose so.”

I’ve heard that noble families often spend little time together and have less familial affection, but as the youngest daughter, she probably had a good chance of being loved.

Then the reason she developed such a twisted personality must be either innate or—

“Of course. I was an important resource for marriage alliances with other noble families.”

“Huh?”

“There isn’t a single noble who wouldn’t cherish their daughter, right? Sons might be sent away as mercenary captains or ordained as monks after the firstborn to avoid succession complications, but daughters pose no such risk.”

…Oh.

I see, it’s a difference in perspective.

“Ines, what do you think would make a child happy?”

“Happiness… hmm, for a son, it would be gaining the dignity that everyone in Rotaring would look up to… and for a daughter, it would be marrying someone she loves, like how I met my husband. Of course, she’d be even happier if that marriage benefited House Burgon. I was so delighted when I learned my marriage to my husband would benefit House Lorel… I felt like I could fly, hehe.”

“…I see, I understand.”

Now I understand why Ines couldn’t trust her subordinates.

While her innate personality plays a part, she grew up in a strange household. If it’s common sense to her that benefit leads to happiness, then it’s not unreasonable for her to think subordinates will betray her if there’s no benefit.

Sigh…

‘I’m fortunate to have my brother.’

If I hadn’t been adopted into Mother’s family, would I have turned out like her?

My brother once told me it’s wrong to find happiness in others’ misfortune, but I can’t help feeling a sense of relief by comparison.

…Sigh. Alright, I’ll be generous.

“Ines.”

“…What is it? How unpleasant.”

“You may not realize it, but your subordinates are truly loyal to you.”

It’s the truth. Until a few months ago, Ines’s people seemed to follow her reluctantly rather than out of loyalty, but recently that’s completely changed.

And the reason lies in Ines’s attitude, which has softened since meeting Leclerc. Is it human psychology that we’re disappointed when good people do bad things, but moved when bad people do good things?

Anyway, Ines’s subordinates have begun to show genuine loyalty to her, evident even to an outsider like me. It’s frustrating that she herself doesn’t realize it.

“So try to have a little more trust in your subordinates. The relationship between ruler and subject isn’t based solely on benefit, right? And as for a child’s happiness… think about how you felt when you met my brother. There must be a reason you fell for him.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I can’t explain everything. You need to realize it yourself.”

“Your tone is a bit… Have you forgotten that I’ve been letting it slide—”

“Shut up, I’m sleepy and want to rest, so be quiet.”

“Y-you…!”

Oh, she’s finally getting angry. Now that’s the Ines I know.

I used to find that voice incredibly irritating, but hearing it after so long makes me nostalgic. Pregnancy has really changed me.

……….

With so many matters piled up, just dealing with them made time pass incredibly quickly.

The bare shrubs and trees that once let cold winds pass through now sprouted leaves again, refusing to allow the wind to penetrate their bodies, and new life in the form of sprouts emerged from the ground that had been frozen solid.

“Waaaaaah!!!”

And here too, new life is being born.

“Ugh?!”

“Your Majesty, you mustn’t enter. Even for Your Majesty, this is a women-only area…”

Right, that’s how it was.

We’ve thoroughly disinfected the mothers with distilled alcohol, forced them to wear freshly boiled clothes, and kept the delivery room as clean as possible to minimize the risk of infection, but it’s still natural to feel anxious.

I almost rushed into the delivery room the moment I heard the baby’s cry. I nearly broke my promise.

[You absolutely… must not come in… absolutely not…]

[Wait… until… it’s all over…]

[…Alright, I’ll wait.]

By some twist of fate, the two who became pregnant simultaneously are now giving birth at the same time.

And from the baby’s cry I just heard, it seems the babies are being born simultaneously too.

Haha… it’s amusing how their competitive personalities manifest even in this.

…Unlike their mothers, I hope these two will get along well. If they grow up together from childhood, they should become friends, right? Yes, that would be better.

Other nobles may strictly separate legitimate and illegitimate children, but that’s their business. What’s wrong with them being close to each other?