episode_0092

Late at night.

The time when all office workers left work.

I am signing documents.

“Really… When you get sick, things come back many times over.”

Reports, approvals, proposals, rulings…

When you are about to sigh while looking at the endless pile of documents.

-smart!

“Who?”

[His Majesty the Emperor has visited.]

When I heard that Theodora visited late at night, I started thinking a lot.

I’ve never come to my office late at night…

Is that really the case?

It gives me goosebumps that he personally came to assassinate a pregnant woman.

[majesty?]

When I got no answer, the guard asked back and I answered.

“Ah… I’m sorry. Please tell me to come inside.”

As soon as I finish speaking, Theodora opens the door roughly and comes in.

“What are you… doing?”

I tell her to calm down as she glares at me with her eyebrows twisted as if she’s very angry.

“Wow… Calm down. Of course, I have a backlog of work. But what’s wrong with you?”

At my words, Theodora crosses her arms and glares at me.

“That’s because I was worried because you didn’t come home until late because you were sick! But do you really have an idea? Don’t you have any?”

“That… that…”

-Tap-tap-tap!

She came next to me with an angry expression and grabbed the hand holding the fountain pen.

“You didn’t think I would be worried if you worked this late?!”

After saying that, he immediately pulls with force.

“Stop it and get up quickly.”

She whines and pulls my hand… but there’s no way I, a man, can lose to her.

“Sigh… I have a lot of work behind me, so please take a look.”

Honestly, I don’t have time to wrestle with Theodora right now.

I managed to finish all the urgent matters. There is literally a mountain of work to do.

“Still, you have to do it in moderation for your health! Won’t you wake up?!”

It seems like I’m applying enough force that my face turns red, but…

I just sit in the chair and don’t move.

It’s a nuisance, so let’s get rid of it quickly(?).

With that in mind, I actually pulled her…

“Uh…?”

-Wow!

It belongs and comes into my arms.

The faint scent of rosemary irritates my nose.

I straighten the posture of the girl who was holding me in my arms like that and make her sit on my lap and say.

“I’ll just finish this and go to sleep. Calm down.”

Saying that…

-Squeak!

I pull up a chair and review the documents again.

“Ugh…”

I can feel him squirming in my arms, but I have a lot to look at right now, so I focus on the documents.

Most business proposals seem absurd.

Perhaps because so many people have applied after hearing rumors that the empire is making a huge investment, it is not easy to distinguish between the good and the bad.

At least this is something I have high expectations for now.

It is about technology that maximizes the efficiency of magic stones and increases capacity, preservation, and storage by putting mana in crystals rather than magic stones.

If we have this, the distribution of magic stones will become easier.

-Sreuk…

Well, okay, in theory there doesn’t seem to be a problem.

If this is commercialized, there is a problem that mana disappears after a long time after mining magic stones.

Therefore, I expect that once this technology is developed, many of the shelf life and quality issues of Maseok can be resolved.

“That… that…”

Hehe… It may take quite a bit of initial capital, but if you think about it in the long term, when you do business using Mana in the future.

I think it will definitely be of great help.

“Over there…”

I’ll have to hand it over to Maximilian, who needs a little more confirmation on the theoretical part.

-Sleep!

Let me take the fountain pen and sign…

“Hey?”

I say this to Theodora, who is in my arms, her red eyes brightly open.

“Huh? Why?”

“You really only know about work?”

“Can’t that be?”

I don’t know what he was thinking when he said that.

Is there anyone who only thinks about work?

“But… why are you hugging me alone like this, but why aren’t you paying attention to me?”

As he says that, he pokes my chest with his index finger and continues with a mischievous expression.

“Is it true that you really love me? Do you like me? Or do you like working?”

Why are you making me into a pervert who likes to work?

Theodora’s absurd words.

Actually, I don’t particularly like her either.

Should I say it looks like a colorful spider that harbors dangerous poison?

Rather, he is someone I want to avoid.

“Of course I love you. There’s no way I like working more than you do, right? I don’t want to do this, but I’m forced to do it.”

responsibility.

I do it all because of that one responsibility.

Of course, I don’t love Theodora either.

She says with a light blush on her face at my words.

“Ugh… Just like this morning, how can you say such embarrassing things so well?”

is it?

Maybe it’s because I don’t love her.

Literally, a good relationship with her will be beneficial to me externally.

“I don’t know? Isn’t that because you’re so lovely that those words come out naturally?”

At my words, his white face turns completely red and he shakes his head from side to side.

“Foul!, don’t say that! It’s a foul.”

I don’t know what the foul is.

I was worried that she might fall as she struggled in my arms, so I said that while hugging her waist.

“Ugh!”

I say this to Theodora, who is stiffening and making a sound like a death.

“And then it falls? Stay still.”

As soon as I see him lower his head and become quiet, I open another proposal.

-Sreuk…

-Sleep!

When I feel grateful that there is quite a bit of silence between us and we can work comfortably.

“But… do you understand everything?”

What I’m looking at right now is a proposal to use magic to quickly harden cement.

“Yes. But it’s so absurd that I don’t want to invest in it.”

Complex magic formulas are engraved on a copper plate, an iron plate is placed on top of it, and the cement wall is rubbed.

Then, it is a proposal to create equipment that quickly hardens cement by making the magic formula engraved on the copper plate hot and the copper plate and iron plate hot.

This is impossible.

There are a lot of complicated magic formulas, but in the end, too much money is lost.

Also, there was no word on whether quickly dried cement would be as stable in construction, and secondly, it seemed like a lot of expensive stone would be broken in order to quickly harden the entire large building, so I decided to reject it.

“Do you know the magic formula?”

I shake my head at those words.

“No, I don’t know much about weaving, but I can interpret it a little.”

“Awesome…”

I respond lightly to Theodora’s words.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

With that said, he goes on to review the documents.

How much did you review?

Theodora, she laid her head on my chest…

-Saegeun… Saegeun…

Did you fall asleep?

I look at the clock and see that it’s already 4 a.m., so I think I should go to sleep too.

I gently hug Theodora, who was sleeping on my lap, and hug her like a princess from an old drama before heading to the newlyweds’ room.

The guard who saw Theodora sleeping in my arms spoke quietly.

“Huh? Your Majesty… Are you leaving now?”

“Okay, I guess I’ll just go.”

After saying hello to the guard, he picked up Theodora and gently placed her in the newlywed bedroom.

Wouldn’t it be uncomfortable to sleep wearing a dress? I thought, but why am I changing my clothes? I just cover my neck with a blanket.

“Ugh~ I guess I should get some sleep too.”

So I lie down on the sofa.

***

It’s already late in the morning.

“Whoa… Today is finally over.”

Tomorrow is Sunday.

It is a holiday that occurs once a week.

Later, when you reach a high position, you will have to legislate two days off per week.

With that in mind, I get on the carriage after work.

I look coldly at the magnificent carriage that His Majesty the Grand Duke lent me in consideration for my commute.

I’m not sure if this means working until you have enough strength to go home.

At that time, Müller and Maximilian call me.

“Hey!, Lucius. what’s this! It’s so different from what you used to hear, isn’t it?”

“That’s right! What about entertainment? What about noble ladies? I just change this every day! Where can I find something like this?”

I feel a little sorry for them, so I say this while scratching the back of my head.

“Haha… sorry. But if we hadn’t increased the number of people like this, I would have died?”

Brother Müller frowns at my words.

“Oh my! I’m going to kill that bastard today!”

At those words, I give up and speak to Müller with tired eyes.

“Haha… Will I die from being hit, or will I die from overwork?”

“Hyung! Hold on!”

I sigh as I see Maximilian blocking Brother Müller.

“Phew… I’m dying. Because the Archduke woke up. It’ll get better, right?”

“Oh, I don’t know!”

I shake my head as I look at Müller looking irritated.

“No, it would be nice if there was less work. Isn’t that right?”

Brother Müller folds his arms and says what I said.

“No, really, when I think about the fact that I’m working here because of you, haha…”

I say this while looking at Müller, who is sighing as if the earth is falling.

“No, but is your salary good? A lot of authority? Other people look up to you and you try to become closer to your brother, right? Isn’t that right?”

At my words, Müller shouts with his face turning red.

“Oh! Well said! What do you do if your salary is high? I’m so busy that I can’t even write! Lots of authority! That way you can get rid of all that work! what?! What happened to entertainment in the past? You’re talking bullshit. Who has time to entertain people? You crazy guy!”

I laugh at what Müller said.

“Tsk! I crossed the line with that. Sorry!”

I apologize, but Müller just snorts and doesn’t say anything, so there is silence.

“But… Is His Highness, the Archduke, interested in Princess Ea?”

Brother Müller speaks in an annoyed voice at Maximilian’s words.

“What am I interested in when I see it? That person married an empire or a document. What’s worse, is there a rumor in the imperial palace that His Majesty Emperor Theodora is a virgin?”

The fact that I married Empire is so funny that I laugh without even realizing it.

“Tsk! What kind of person marries a country?”

“Hahaha who said not!”

As Maximilian and I laugh together, Müller says bluntly:

“Other than that, I wonder why he doesn’t sleep with his pretty wife and comes to the Grand Duke’s office to work as soon as he wakes up… If anyone sees him, he’s the emperor.”

I answer by nodding.

“ Well… it seems like you’re working a bit too much.”

Maximilian speaks hesitantly at my words.

“But, it looks like His Majesty has feelings for the Archduke. Is that correct?”

“That’s of course, can’t you tell by what you say or the look in your eyes? Honey was dripping from His Majesty’s eyes.”

“But… why doesn’t His Highness sleep with His Majesty the Emperor? Isn’t the successor issue very important?”

Of course it’s important.

If there is no successor, the next emperor will succeed according to the inheritance law…

The next priority successor will be Princess Joy or Princess Joy’s child, and if he ascends to the throne with such unstable legitimacy, the influence of the nobles will inevitably be affected, so if he is unlucky, it will lead to a civil war.

“I don’t know, I guess I like men.”

Mr. Müller speaks harshly.

“No way…”

“Or maybe you’re not confident in going to bed.”

I say this while looking at Maximilian who is surprised by those words.

“Hmm… Rather than that feeling, I heard you have a stronger feeling of avoiding His Majesty, right? You seem uncomfortable.”

“Why? I don’t know if His Majesty is ugly. Honestly, you’re so beautiful that you can’t even compare to Princess Ea?”

As if he didn’t like what he said, Müller came forward and answered.

“Oh, what do you say? EA Princess is much prettier, right?”

Müller got kicked out for confessing to Princess EA at the academy.

I guess I still haven’t let go of my attachment to Princess Ea.

When I think of that, Müller grins and says,

“Aha, now I understand why an unlucky nobleman avoids His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Why are you doing this?”

I’m curious too. Let’s wait for Müller’s next words…

“That’s it, why? They say that horses don’t go to very beautiful mares, so the breeders deliberately put mud on them, right?”

I think I’ve heard it before.

When breeding racehorses. There is a rumor that stallions are discouraged from approaching a mare that is so beautiful.

“Is that real?”

“I don’t know? But isn’t that what it is? Secretly, that guy is timid and even though his wife is pretty, he doesn’t touch his subject.”

Brother Müller’s tone is strangely aggressive, so I speak cautiously.

“Well… I don’t mind saying that when we’re alone… You know in the imperial palace, right?”

If you talk about the Grand Duke so casually in the imperial palace, you can see that your hair will fall off.

“Am I a kid? And after work, you can curse at your boss who treats you mercilessly. What can you say about that?”

Maximilian and I nod at those words.

“Still, if you get caught, you’ll probably be executed…?”

Müller shrugs his shoulders and answers Maximilian’s words.

“You don’t have to get caught. Why are you so scared?”

Before I knew it, the carriage had arrived in front of my house and I was getting off.

“I’m leaving now, everyone rest well and see you the day after tomorrow.”

So get off the carriage.

***

A letter from Roman.

Ioanes thinks as he reads the letter that came early in the morning.

“Hmm… Did something happen?”

I remembered that Ioanes, who had recently heard the news that Devian had been seriously injured despite failing to assassinate the emperor, had ordered Alexander to explain that they had nothing to do with this incident.

‘But you insisted that you could publicly announce the engagement between Princess Joy and my son, right?’

Although Alexander did not bring much benefit against Devian, Ioanes has a lot of trust in him.

In fact, it can be said that the fact that he became the head of the imperial faction and that the Kingdom of Nicaea rose to the position of vice-chairman of the imperial council was all thanks to his diplomatic skills.

-Ik!

That’s why I open the letter without thinking much.

As we get past the initial question of how things are and get into the main topic, Ioanes’s frown frowns.

and…

-bang!

“You damn bastard! Are there soldiers outside?!”

When an angry Ioanes looks for a soldier outside, he soon hears an answer.

-Squeak!

“Yes! Did you call your highness?!”

Ioanes speaks quickly to the soldier who answers Ioanes in a loud voice.

“Right now! Bring in the officials in charge of Epirus and Sabinelli! Come on!”

“Yes! I obey orders.”

Watching the retreating soldier, Ioanes sits down and thinks quickly.

‘Damn… I can’t believe we found out that our side was involved in the civil war…’

Ioanes gets irritated at the thought that he will definitely demand something strong in this regard.

Ioanes believes that appropriate punishment is needed for those who were negligent in managing Epirus’ accounts to the extent that they were exposed.

‘There’s no way that bastard is letting go easily… I guess I’ll have to think of a way to make up for this situation.’

Ioanes called Savinelli early in the morning to resolve this situation.

“Did you find your highness?”

In response to Savinelli’s words, Ioanes hands over a letter and says:

“We found out that we were involved in the anti-emperor faction’s civil war.”

Savinelli, looking at the letter closely, speaks while trying to hide his embarrassment.

“If I got caught with this… I would try to retaliate.”

“I guess so…”

Savinelli closes his eyes and is lost in thought.

Ioanes waits silently for that.

Soon, Savinelli opens his eyes and speaks as if things have been sorted out.

“First of all, the Archduke has no intention of fighting us over this right now.”

Ioanes said, feeling a little reassured by those words.

“I agree with that statement. But I’m anxious because I don’t know what I’ll be asked for later.”

Savinelli nods at those words.

“I’m thinking about what it would be like to trade tax reform for a rather large amount of money.”

Ioanes says, as if he is interested in those words.

“Tax reform?”

Savinelli explains a little more.

“Yes. From long ago, the Grand Duke did not like the way nobles set taxes indiscriminately. Recently, the Ministry of Finance is preparing a tax reform plan, and although most nobles will oppose it, it will probably be passed in parliament.”

At those words, Ioanes slowly gets lost in thought and then speaks.

“Hmm… Do you think the anti-emperor faction will be restored and it will be passed?”

Savinelli nods at those words.

“It is impossible to pass by anti-imperialist forces alone, but since this reform is an agenda that has no choice but to be supported by neutral forces and city council members, it has no choice but to pass if only they pay attention and include them.”

At those words, Ioanes sighs.

“That should be so… Wouldn’t it be better to use this as a justification to maintain unity among nobles?”

Savinelli shakes his head at those words.

“No. If this agenda is passed, the funds of small and medium-sized nobles will dry up, and in the meantime, they can be subdued and add strength to the civil war between the imperialists.”

“Hmm…”

After listening to Ioanes, I think it’s a pretty good method.

I remember that the last time I went to war, Ioanes was granted permission to go to war without needing permission from Congress.

Ioanes, who was contemplating the complicated situation, nodded and answered.

“It’s definitely not a bad method.”

***

“His Majesty the Archduke. Princess Ea has arrived.”

Theodora, who was next to Lucius’ horse, pricked up her ears.

“Who are you meeting?”

I nod my head at those words.

“Yes. Princess EA came with an investment proposal this time and called me for a meeting.”

At my words, she puts down the verdict she was looking at and speaks.

“I want to go too.”

“Huh? Why you?”

Theodora rolls her eyes at my words and says.

“That’s it… I have to learn a job too, right?”

I nod my head as she raises her voice at the end and speaks in a question.

“Well, it doesn’t matter.”

Saying that, he walks to the living room with her.

“But you… are you really meeting me for work?”

I ask that question as if I were dumbfounded.

“Then, let’s meet for work. Will it even be windy?”

She shakes her head at my words.

“No. I didn’t mean to think like that… Hmm… They say Princess Ea is very beautiful.”

Last time I saw you briefly in a dream.

Hmm… it was definitely pretty.

But it has nothing to do with me.

“I heard the rumor too.”

Theodora, who opens her eyes hesitantly at my words, asks in a voice full of doubt.

“So you called to check?”

“No. It’s really because of work.”

Theodora doesn’t seem to be easily aroused by suspicion.

For some reason, I feel like if I don’t clear up my suspicions now, I’ll hurt Princess Ea, so I say this as if I’m making excuses.

“The most beautiful woman in the empire is my wife. How could I look elsewhere?”

“Ugh… Really… I told you not to say that…”

I think about this as I see Theodora blushing at something insignificant.

Seeing how good he is at acting, I think he must be good at diplomacy.

Should I try it with Alexander later?

While thinking about that, if it later becomes known that she handed over her territory and made a contract to engage Joey…

It won’t work until Ioanes is dealt with.

As soon as I arrived at the living room, I saw a blonde woman sitting comfortably on the sofa.

“Ah… Your Majesty the Archduke. nice to see you. It is called Ea de Savoia of the Kingdom of Sardinia.”

A beauty with a beautiful combination of intelligent emerald eyes and long blonde hair.

I’m sure it’s the girl I saw in my dream.

So… was it reality and not a dream?

When those thoughts become confusing in my head, Theodora takes the initiative and speaks.

“Hmm… Jim’s name is Theodora Augusta.”

“Meet His Majesty the Emperor.”

I say this to Ea, who must have not known Theodora was coming and hastily stands up from her seat and lifts her academy uniform skirt to bow.

“This is Devian Ryan, Archduke Francesco.”

I feel Theodora glance at me as I speak politely to her.

True… If you strictly look at the ranking of kingdoms or grand duchies, the kingdom ranking is higher.

Although she is weaker than our Grand Duchy in terms of pure national power, she is still a princess, and according to imperial law, she is on the same level as me, so it is polite to give her an honorific title, but I do not understand why people are giving her this kind of attention.

“Nice to meet you.”

Then, after sitting for a moment, Theodora opens her mouth to EA.

“Yes. How is King Carlo?”

Theodora speaks as if she were a servant to the King of Sardinia, who is much older than her.

Even though Theodora is higher in the hierarchy, it doesn’t look good to call a man who is as old as her father’s name in a condescending manner.

“Haha… Abama is doing well.”

Theodora nodded at those words.

“About ten years ago? At that time, King Carlo came to this imperial palace.”

Now… wait? Isn’t it crossing a line to talk about that?

In the past, the Kingdom of Sardinia waged war against the Empire with the support of the United Kingdom.

The Kingdom of Sardinia declared war, claiming the county on the border between the Empire and Sardinia as its own territory.

At that time, it was during the time of the late emperor, and the Kingdom of Sardinia was broken up so cruelly that Theodora revealed that the land was taken away and even signed a humiliating document of surrender.

Are you crazy?

I sigh and say this as I see Ea acting hostilely when I first see him.

“Your Majesty.”

“What is it?”

I speak firmly to her who speaks with a solemn voice and expression.

“Get out.”

I stiffen like a stone statue, as if I didn’t know I would say this in front of Ea.

“Da… How could you say that to me…?”

I sigh and say to her who looks like the world is falling apart.

“Why would you say something like that to someone you just met for the first time?”

I continue to speak to Theodora, who pouts at my words.

“I’m not going to tell you to leave right away. Please don’t interfere for no reason. Please…”

I say this to Theodora, who nods slightly at my words.

“Is this a promise?”

-Nod.

Ea says after seeing him promise to remain quiet.

“You two get along well.”

I answer in an embarrassed voice.

“My wife was very rude.”

At my words, Ea looks at me and Theodora once and says.

“No, I was actually surprised that the relationship between you two seemed better than I heard.”

what the.

Ea also seems to have a secret agenda and brings up the fact that I forced him to marry Theodora.

Or maybe I’m reacting for nothing.

In any case, she is in the position of Eul, who came to receive investment for technology development and to develop technology and benefit the Kingdom of Sardinia.

I say with a bitter smile, thinking that he may not have meant it in a bad way.

“Thank you for seeing it that way. I asked to see Princess Ea today because I had doubts after reading the proposal.”

Ea says, nodding at my words.

“Yes. Are you asking to see me because you find it annoying that I am the princess of Sardinia and am trying to receive investment money from the empire?”

I nod my head at those words.

“Half is right and half is wrong. First of all, when I looked at the proposal, the theories that could be demonstrated were completely missing.”

Ea nods her head at my words.

“Yes. First of all, this is the result of my experiment and research, so I think it’s natural.”

“It is a reasonable argument, but from an investment perspective, it is difficult to make an investment without a thesis or theory that can be verified. also. Didn’t Princess Ea obtain the materials she has been experimenting and researching easily by participating in the development invested by the empire?”

Ea frowns at my words.

“That sounds like you are saying that I achieved research results thanks to the Empire.”

I nod my head at those words.

“The development in which the princess is currently participating is a project in which an unprecedented amount of funds has been invested in the long history of the empire. If you studied it with reference to it, I think you should share it with the empire.”

Ea responds to my words by biting her lip.

“I will admit that I have partially achieved results through the development of the empire. But isn’t it the empire that didn’t achieve that result?”

-Pisik.

When I smiled coldly, Theodora looked expectant.

Why are you making that expression?