Report posted a few weeks later.

    The story is that the enemy has entered the Grand Duchy, surrendered three fortresses, and is quickly occupying them and entering the Grand Duchy.

    The good news is that they are advancing towards Wynn as quickly as possible without looting, and that they are surrounding them with metallurgy.

    Other than the major casualties in the first battle, not many people were injured that badly.

    “Is it fortunate?”

    I smile bitterly at the self-deprecating words I said.

    Since when did it start? Why was I so arrogant?

    Was it the moment he became the Grand Duke?

    The result of my momentary choice.

    I knew it in my head. Every single one of my actions will have an impact on countless people.

    If I make the empire rich and powerful, its citizens will become rich.

    But I know that if I make wrong choices or commit tyranny, the people of the empire will grow thinner and thinner.

    Bitterness.

    I still think this is the best choice.

    The longer the war drags on, the more difficult it will be for everyone.

    But unlike that, I can’t help but feel uncomfortable.

    Because I am also human.

    The sense of responsibility that someone is harmed by my choice weighs heavily on my heart.

    “Phew…”

    So, I check the report from Carol.

    “I sold a lot.”

    Read the transaction report posted by Pieta Trading Company.

    “Grand Duchy bonds are more expensive than you think?”

    Is it because they sell a lot of options? An unbelievable amount of money was collected.

    It gives me a little strength to think that I don’t have to pay all this money back.

    Even after investing in fertilizers, I still have a lot left over.

    If the war is over and all profits are put into the national treasury, you will have enough gold to worry about finances for the time being.

    It’s still too early to like it.

    I’m a bit displeased with the fact that the Grand Duchy’s bonds are trading more expensively than expected, but if the fortress were to fall soon, wouldn’t it drop a little more?

    At that time, he used all the money he had saved to buy a call option for the Grand Duchy.

    So, I write a letter to Carol.

    -Sruk… Sruk…

    -smart! His Majesty the Grand Duke.

    I answer Lucius’ voice from outside.

    “Come in.”

    Lucius, whose face is not visible, walks towards me as if he is familiar with me, holding a bag full of documents.

    “This is an agenda item that requires the approval of the report and the borrower you mentioned.”

    and…

    -thud!

    Lucius was roughly placed on my desk, as if it was quite heavy.

    “Good job. Try going in early today.”

    His eyes widen at my words and he asks with suspicion as if it were true.

    “Yes? Today?”

    -Nod.

    “Ugh! Thank you.”

    I feel envious of Lucius as I watch him run away without even saying hello, perhaps because he thought I would go back on his words.

    i envy you. I’m really jealous.

    Responsibilities and obligations.

    This can be said to be the reason why nobility and the royal family exist.

    The responsibility of leading others and the duty to protect them.

    Only by faithfully carrying out this can one be called a true noble.

    With great power comes great responsibility.

    Even if you become a baron, the smallest title among nobles, you can be said to be in charge of hundreds of households.

    Even more so when it comes to running an empire.

    It can be said that it is a position that takes responsibility for all citizens of the empire.

    Now I have an empire on my back.

    It’s also a chaotic empire.

    On the outside, it looks like a glorious empire, but in reality, great nobles are preparing to run amok.

    The worshipers who will resurrect the Demon King are hiding in this empire and preparing a sinister plan.

    So I can’t rest to my heart’s content.

    No, it’s not easy to even relax.

    so…

    I really like Lucius.

    “I’m really… jealous.”

    ***

    “Ugh! How do you memorize all this?”

    I speak firmly to Joy, who is crying and ruffling her lovely hair.

    “If you are an emperor or a princess, you must know these things.”

    At my words, Joey pretends to cry and covers his eyes with his hands and makes a groaning sound.

    “Ha… But I don’t want to be the emperor? Sister, because I was wrong…”

    – Perfect!

    I hit Joy’s forehead while she was pretending to cry.

    “Stop crying. I already did everything.”

    At my words, Joy gives up and lies down on the desk.

    “Huh… you’re too much. It wasn’t like that before. It has changed…”

    I smile softly at those words.

    “Hehe… You can’t stay like a child forever, right? He is the emperor’s younger brother. If something happens to me, you might have to become the next emperor, right?”

    As I see Joey flinching on the desk, I kiss my lovely little sister on the head.

    -side!

    “Joy, my lovely little sister. You have no idea how hard this sister went through when she ascended to the throne without any preparation. If something happens to me… you must lead our family and bear a sacred duty.”

    Hearing my words, he gently raises his head and makes eye contact with me.

    I say this while looking into your red eyes that are clear, pure and lovely, unlike mine.

    “So. Let’s both try to cheer up a little more.”

    “Hmm… Sister…”

    Joy soon brightens, raises her head and smiles brightly.

    “Ah! Actually, I thought she was doing this to get me into the grand study because she was upset because I was always hanging out at the imperial palace. Sister… I misunderstood.”

    -I flinch.

    When I flinch slightly at Joy’s words, her eyes shine sharply.

    “Look at this! You’re making me study just to pamper you, right?! Sister, you’re too much!”

    I sigh as I look at Joy, who puts her head down on the desk again and pretends to cry.

    “Ha…”

    As I sigh, Joey asks curiously.

    “Sister, but is something bad going on with your brother-in-law these days?”

    I hesitate and say those words.

    “I’m not sure…”

    Debian has been under low pressure lately.

    These days, there are times when I feel blank while working.

    “Hmm… I guess it’s because I’m at a disadvantage in the war?”

    I shake my head at those words.

    “That’s probably not true. That battle was originally…”

    I almost accidentally spilled information to my soft-spoken younger brother, so I hurriedly shut my mouth.

    “Originally what? I’m so curious!”

    I sigh as I look at Joy, whose eyes are shining brightly.

    “Oh, there is something like that. Anyway, memorize this. I know that if I don’t get over 80 points, I’ll tell my mother.”

    Joey trembles as if he is afraid at my words.

    “Uh… sister?, that’s not enough. These days, I recreated my mother’s love hawk.”

    Hawk of love.

    A whip filled with memories.

    I remember when I was young, if I was caught playing a practical joke in the imperial palace, my mother would hit me on the calf.

    Although he stopped hitting me as I got older. When you really did something wrong, you were whipped.

    Even when I think about it now, when I was young. He was quite the troublemaker.

    In the past, I wanted to be pretty like my mother and was scolded for randomly applying her cosmetics.

    I heard that it was a cosmetic product more expensive than the same weight of gold, so my mother said she only applied it on special occasions.

    -Pisik.

    “What a nostalgic word! The Hawk of Love.”

    Joey shakes his head and says what I said.

    “No, my sister, the emperor, must be a nostalgic word!, because I’m still scared when I say ‘hawk of love,’ right? How much is my mom struggling these days?”

    I smile as I see Joy shaking her head, as if she doesn’t want to even imagine it.

    “Okay, okay, just get over 80 and I’ll tell my mother that I did well.”

    Hearing my words, he looks sullenly at the paper on his desk.

    Come to think of it… It’s soon time for Debian to go into hiding.

    He leaves the imperial palace every time the night market opens.

    Should I ask you to go with me this time?

    ***

    When the afternoon work is somewhat over.

    -smart!

    “Come in.”

    At my words, the door opens softly and Theodora comes in and speaks.

    “Are you going to practice secretly today?”

    I nod my head at those words.

    “Yeah, ah… Come to think of it, we decided to go out together, right?”

    I wanted to be alone for today.

    When I thought that and didn’t show it, Theodora smiled and nodded.

    “Yes. Then I will tell the escort team in advance.”

    I call out to Theodora, who is about to leave the room.

    “Theodora. Stop for a moment.”

    She was about to leave as if there was something wrong with what I said, but she turned her head and looked at me.

    “If you bring a bodyguard, you won’t be able to do it properly, right?”

    Theodora speaks to me with a questioning look on her face.

    “You follow me in plain clothes, right?”

    I shake my head at those words.

    “When I go secretly. I have never had an escort.”

    In fact, no matter how many plainclothes guards are attached, you will inevitably feel a sense of discomfort if so many people follow you.

    Theodora, who seemed shocked by my words, spoke hastily.

    “Well… Then, what about safety?”

    At her words, I take out a ring from the drawer.

    “You’ll be fine if you wear this.”

    It doesn’t matter because there aren’t many people in the empire who have seen me up close and personal.

    Since Roman has been a popular person since he was young, I prepared this ring because I thought he would definitely recognize him.

    “If you wear this, it will change your hair color. Then no one will recognize me?”

    When I handed him the ring, he put it on with a curious face…

    With the bright light, her beautiful gray hair turns into black hair.

    The feeling changed from a beauty with a flashy, cold impression to a beauty with a calm and slightly sharp impression.

    “So it looks good.”

    She looked at her hair and smiled softly at my words.

    “Really?”

    Is it because I have black hair that is different from usual?

    The sight of the calm feeling makes my heart flutter for a moment.

    “Kuhm… Then, we have to get ready to go out, so let’s go to our room.”

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