episode_0093

“That’s right. Clearly, what I couldn’t find was the Empire. So do you know why outsiders are accepted into the Imperial Academy?”

Ea rolls her eyes at my words.

The reason the Academy was founded hundreds of years ago was to build and provide knowledge for all mankind.

In keeping with the purpose, people who are not from the empire can attend as long as they are qualified.

“You probably know because you can’t speak. Even though she is the princess of the Kingdom of Sardinia, the Empire understands the great significance of the Academy and has never had an issue with her participation in development. But I didn’t know that the princess would actually betray the academy.”

Actually, what I just said is a lie.

I never dreamed that Princess Ea was involved in fertilizer development.

If they had known, they probably would have put pressure on them not to participate.

Because it is natural that the empire should have a monopoly on selling fertilizers developed by the empire.

I’m not doing charity work, I’m doing all this for the empire’s finances.

But is there an industrial spy involved here? Absolutely not.

How many nights did I stay up to earn money for fertilizer development?

But you acquire technology with it and invest it with the empire’s money?

Even if the Empire understands, I do not.

EA says.

“I have never betrayed the Academy. And…”

I say this while looking at Ea, who is rolling her eyes and thinking about how to avoid this situation somehow.

“Well, that’s good. No matter what Princess Ea says, if she monopolizes the development results, the academy will not allow non-empires to enroll in the future. And…”

Emerald eyes stare at me.

“We will formally protest and request compensation from the Kingdom of Sardinia for the intentional omission of the Empire’s research results.”

I have no intention of starting a diplomatic war over an insignificant issue, but I think it will instill an appropriate amount of fear in her.

And as I saw Ea chewing her lip with an exasperated expression, as if my thoughts were correct, I made a point.

“Oh, don’t think that the United Kingdom will help you. I believe you know where my maternal family is.”

Ea lowers her head and trembles.

You’ll be angry. Because a powerful empire is threatening her weak country.

Honestly, EA’s claim is not wrong.

If I ask you to present the results of your research, it is natural for you to refuse.

But getting angry doesn’t change anything.

I will rob her of her research.

Well… if there’s a problem, you can just throw Benian’s staff or robe.

As the tremors gradually subside, Ea raises her head and speaks.

“Can I disclose my research results?”

The sorrow of a weak nation.

There are few countries that can fight against a powerful empire.

For example, a united kingdom with a huge colony.

The Babylonian Empire, which has a vast territory?

As if aware of his situation, Ea smiles and continues.

“Then you won’t protest and demand compensation from our kingdom?”

I nod my head at those words.

“Yes. I will do that. First, if you bring us the results of your research, we will review them and meet again.”

“Okay.”

As he leaves, Theodora says as she looks at Ea with pity.

“Your Majesty, please come out quickly.”

Theodora, who hesitates at what I say and follows me, speaks as if she is worried.

“Isn’t that too harsh?”

“What?”

He speaks as if he doesn’t understand what I’m saying.

“What Ea said wasn’t wrong… There’s no need to mention her kingdom, right?”

I shrug my shoulders and say that.

“No? Rather, you should be discouraged in the pasture.”

Theodora shakes her head as if she is tired of my firm words.

“You really have no blood or tears. Come to think of it, you were mean to me even before we got married, right? Was that also an attempt to break my spirit?”

“Huh? Me?”

As I pondered over her words, Theodora opened her palm and spoke one by one.

“He threatened me with his family, lied and said he killed Ifa…and forced me to marry him even though I said I didn’t want to…”

Hearing her words, he thinks for a moment that she is keeping her grudges for revenge and says as he cuts her off.

“At that time… Because it worked the fastest.”

Theodora’s personality. If he dies, he’s dead, and he’s not the type of person to be dragged around.

So, she brought up her weakness, her family.

“Do you know how crazy I thought you were back then?”

As she speaks with a gentle smile, I also smile and speak.

“I’m sorry about that time. One o’clock was urgent.”

In fact, I somehow managed to prevent a war with the Emperor faction, but the situation was too unfavorable for me at the time.

In fact, to be honest, the anti-emperor faction is weaker than the imperial faction.

If you were to pick the single largest force in the empire…

I would pick Ioanes first.

Maybe… when this spring comes. It will move, right?

“Hehe… Now I know that you are not a bad person. I think it was because of another reason that I don’t know.”

Looking at Theodora smiling a little more maturely than usual…

I remember last night’s dream.

Um… crazy, why am I suddenly thinking of that?

I shake my head and shake off my thoughts.

“Let’s go back quickly without being rude, we have a lot of work to do.”

***

A few days passed like that.

Although it was awkward to share a bed with Theodora at first…

Once you start sleeping in bed. My body refuses to sleep on the sofa.

My body got used to the soft spring bed.

When I slept on the sofa, I didn’t feel like I had slept and my body felt dizzy, so even after my body fully recovered, I started sleeping on the bed.

Well… Theodora doesn’t seem to have any objections either.

Perhaps because it is the bed used by the emperor, it is large enough for four people to lie down on it.

Maybe I don’t really care.

I look at her sleeping next to me.

You look really pretty when you’re sleeping.

Pure white skin.

Reddish lips.

And gray hair with a mysterious vibe.

There are many handsome and beautiful women here, but I have never seen anyone as beautiful as her.

It’s not for nothing that she’s called the most beautiful woman in the empire.

In fact, there are times when I get a strange feeling when I look at her with her ice-cold yet haughty aura.

What am I thinking now?

I get a strange feeling when I see a revenge ghost.

-match!

Slap me in the face to come to my senses…

Theodora rubs her eyes with a sleepy expression.

“Are you… awake?”

“Okay, I’m going to go out now. Sleep a little more.”

As he said that and tried to get out of bed, Theodora spread her arms with a sleepy look on her face.

“Before I go… whoaam… give me a hug.”

My head feels hot as I see her yawning and asking me to hug her.

uh…? Want a hug?

He tentatively opens his eyes and stares at me.

“Hug me.”

“Uh… huh?”

As I panicked, she crawled onto the bed on her knees…

-dump.

He lies in my arms and whispers in my ear.

“See you later.”

And when I see her gently falling out of my arms and smiling brightly, my heart starts pounding.

“Ugh… See you later.”

Saying that, he leaves in a hurry.

Theodora’s attacks are definitely formidable these days.

I feel like it’s only a matter of time before I get eaten and assassinated while pregnant.

After realizing that the Ea I saw in my last dream and the Ea in reality had a surprisingly similar face.

I felt confident.

Theodora, the embodiment of revenge and power, whom I saw in my dream, and my current wife, are the same person.

-Tap-tap-tap.

Theodora, who was crazy about revenge and power, saw it in her dream.

It gives me chills knowing she’s in my arms.

Let’s be careful… There’s no harm in being careful.

I can’t trust anyone except those I can trust fundamentally.

Perhaps that can be seen as the fate of politics.

In imperial politics…

There are no eternal enemies or friends.

Because everyone has their own interests, there are many times when Cheolcheon supporters join forces.

Since Theodora and I have mutually exclusive interests, she probably isn’t trying to get rid of me outright.

Because I ruled in her place and saved the empire in crisis.

It also filled the meager national treasury and resolved confusion.

If interests do not coincide at some point… it is dangerous.

The moment when I can endure the current humiliation and have my child.

Because if she eliminates me, she can regain her power and even take over the Grand Duchy.

I hope Mary and Agrippa get married soon.

When I get married… then.

Because I will declare that I will not hand over the Grand Duchy to my children.

Then it will be less, right?

With that in mind, I head to the office.

I sigh as I look at the documents scattered around.

“Whoa… I’m glad.”

Not long ago, I thought I was going to die trying to get all my backlogged work done.

Now I feel like I am completely back to normal.

I guess… I have too much to do on my own.

Is it true that something goes wrong just because one person falls?

Right now, I am using my body to handle the work, but I think we need to reorganize the organization in case something unexpected happens.

We also need tax reform…

I think about this while looking at the final draft submitted by the Ministry of Finance.

There are a few things that are urgent right now, so we can reorganize the organization later.

Let’s take a close look at the tax reform plan.

“Hmm… good.”

When I look at the content itself, the bill is written in the direction I want.

Thinking that I might not know, I read it carefully again to see if there is anything that could be problematic, but…

“ done. Now, should we focus on recruiting neutral factions and free cities?”

Neutral factions and free cities that are hostile to me.

When they see this bill, they will have no choice but to join hands with me.

Because this bill drastically limits the ridiculous taxes levied by nobles.

The imperial faction will gnash their teeth, but Ioanes will be happy with both arms in his heart.

I’ll talk to Victor about this…

“Oh, when will Alexander come?”

I have to negotiate with him soon.

First of all, I plan to bring Savinelli, Ioanes’ advisor, to Roman and pay a huge amount of compensation.

They probably won’t give up Savinelli easily, but… they should put him on the negotiating table first.

With that in mind, I organize my future plans.