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“Uh-hmm. ......” “You woke up huh” The woman got up quickly and looked around her. She had a look of confusion on her face, as if she didn’t know what had happened to her. Most of the onlookers had already dispersed. I rented the nearby teahouse’s eaves, laid her down, and let Gigi take care of her, which she did surprisingly quickly. “You, what?” “You’d better thank this person, he’s the one who saved your life.” The owner of the teahouse, a good-looking woman, said to the woman and went to serve the customers in the busy store. “How much do you remember?” “I was fighting ...... and there was an attack from somewhere I wasn’t paying attention to.” “The guy you were fighting had his guys sneak in and attack you.” “Cowardly!” The woman became angry and spat at the person. “I don’t deny that it was cowardly, but you were too careless.” “Ugh. ......” “Why were you doing that in the first place? You never intended to lose no matter who your opponent was, did you?” “You understand, ......?” I chuckled. Beyond what she didn’t say, I thought I heard her say, “A kid like you?” . “I can tell that by looking at you.” This time she gave a wary look, a look that said, “This guy’s not ordinary.” “If I was going to do something, I would have done it while you were unconscious.” “...... That’s true.” “So, why were you doing that anyways?” “...... I had no money for travel.” “Travel money?” She nodded and spoke with a bitter look on her face. “I came to Royal Capital for this year’s knight selection, but I couldn’t make it. Thinking it was some kind of mistake, I stayed in the capital and waited for them to look into it, but I ran out of my expenses. I couldn’t even go back to my hometown at this rate, so I did what I did .......” “Well, that’s strange.” She was depressed and turned her head down when she mentioned that she was not selected for the knighthood, but when I replied, she looked up and glared at me with an angry face. “What’s so funny?” “Don’t get mad, that’s not the point. I just saw your skills. If you were to come with that skill set, there was no way you could fail the selection process.” Even if you take into account the fact that she was just some person from the city, her skills were quite impressive. She is no less skilled than Shirley, the only knight I’ve taken. I can’t imagine her falling for that. “I thought so too. That’s why I asked my contacts to check it out. Then, I was able to meet the Tenth Prince, the examiner. And for His Highness, a woman had .......” The woman stammered, and her face turned bright red. Her expression could not be taken as either shame or outrage. “Okay, that’s enough. I understand what you’re talking about.” The tenth prince, my brother, I know his character well. I think he was very direct in saying that if you are a woman, you should offer your body. That’s the kind of guy he is. I thought about it for a while and asked the woman. “Do you still want to be a knight?” “Of course I do. I will come back next year. No matter how many years it takes, I’ll make it.” “If so, there is no hurry to return home.” “Eh?” I took out a small bag from my pocket and handed it to the woman. “Is this ...... money? “It’s reens. Enough to last you a year in the capital.” “Eh ......?” “Gigi, weren’t there some empty houses on Tyler Street?” “Yes, Master.” Gigi, who had been quietly waiting behind me for a while now, answered. “Tell Dylan to arrange for her to use one of them.” “Understood.” “W-What do you mean?” The woman was puzzled. She still didn’t seem to understand what was happening. “Stay in the capital. It’s easier to get information about the selection of knights and take measures if you stay here.” “It’s not that. I mean, why are you giving me this ......” “I’m a patron of many people. And I like you, so I gave you money.” “Me, you say?” “I want you to be recognized for your abilities, not for your easy use as a woman. That’s the kind of person I like.” “......” “Who are you? You’re not an ordinary person.” The woman stares at me with admiring eyes. Then, an intruder, who did not read the air, arrived. “There she is!” After the voice, I heard many footsteps approaching. I looked around and saw that there were roughly twenty people surrounding us in the entire teahouse. At the center of it all was the man from earlier, Chad. He had a first aid bandage on his shoulder and had changed into proper pants. “You little bastard. Finish him off, all of you! Brother too, please!” At Chad’s command, the men attacked in unison. They never learn, do they? I took a step forward. While I was thinking about Leviathan, Luthiya made a direct appeal in my head. Not only Leviathan, but also me. Such feelings flowed straight to me, and I decided to respond to them. I linked the two rings together. Linking Luthiya and the armor ring, I transformed them into hand armor to cover both arms. In an instant, I had two burning fists. I intercepted the men with them. Punching them in their unprotected bodies and through their gaping jaws. Throwing flames that crawled on the ground, I grabbed their throat rings and blasted them at zero distance. I replicated Luthiya’s technique, just as I had done with Leviathan. Each time the attack hit, the men’s bodies would burst into flames. Another characteristic of Luthiys’ technique is that it flares up for a moment and then quickly disappears. “Amazing ...... speed and strength for a boy who looks ...... just like he does, but he’s so strong!” The woman who was late to the game was marveling. In the meantime, all the newly arrived men had been defeated, including Chad, who I could hardly be bothered to question anymore – I thought. There was only one man, dressed like a knight, who had not fallen. He was at the end of the line and didn’t attack, so I didn’t fight back and attack him. The man looked as if he had bitten into a bitter bug. If you do not want to fight, there is no need to bother, I told the knight. “I’ll take these guys and go somewhere else...” “You are! The Tenth Prince’s knight!” “Hm?” When the woman said that, the knight was startled. When I looked at the knight, his face instantly turned pale. “Ooh, I see. That’s how it is, huh.” “—!” I said so, and the Knight was surprised again. It seems that the Knight is a knight of the Tenth Prince Dustin Ararat. While I don’t know anything about the other side, of course they know about me. Oh, by the way, Chad also said, “Brother, please.” It’s okay that Chad had dragged him here, but knowing that it was me, and thinking that I didn’t know him, he didn’t attack me and kept quiet to see if he could get away with it. But then, the woman who had probably seen him before, when she asked for backstage entertainment, told me. It would have been fine if I hadn’t known about it, but now that it’s out there. “Please forgive me! Your Highness the th.” The knight instantly kneeled down to me on the spot. The onlookers, who had once dispersed, gathered again and started buzzing. “eh ......?” The woman, too, looked at the knight and me in turn, as if she had been pinched by a fox. “3th......? His Highness? Isn’t that the Wise Prince of the Minister of Justice?” The woman was greatly astonished. “Yeah. Noah Ararat.” ‘T-the real one ......? No, that knight is on his knees with such vigor. It can’t be fake. ......” It seems that this knight also have something to say about it. “You’re a prince and a minister, but you don’t flaunt your status and position. ......?” The woman’s eyes were half in amazement and half in respect. She could be left alone for a while, but the problem was the knight. Unlike the time at Cobalt Street, this one is well behaved. “Are these your people?” “Yes,......, that....right... my friend.” “If so, then just leave.” “Didn’t you hear me?” “N-no. I did. I ......?” “Did you try to attack me?” The knight man shook his head with such force that it seems like he would rip his neck off. “I’ll let you off. Take them and get the hell out of here.” “Oh, thank you for your greatness!” The knight slammed his head into the ground with such force that you could hear it thump, thump, thump, and then he woke up his friends and left with them all. Now, all that’s left is the woman– Clap, Clap Clap. I heard a resounding clapping sound while the onlookers were still buzzing around. Looking towards the sound, I saw an old man clapping at a stall serving sake across from the teahouse. “Well, you are quite a boy. Your face, as well as your skills, are first-rate. I’ve never seen such an amazing boy in recent years.” The old man praised me, he seemed to have a certain air about him. Just as I was wondering who the hell he was, I saw the golden gourd he had placed on the table. My heart thumped! And I felt my heart beat loudly. Dokun! In this world, there are times when the most eccentric belongings are more famous than the person himself. For example, a knight’s alias is the pattern of his favorite weapon. The golden gourd is another example. Recently, I came to know its owner. I looked it up and found out. I approached the old man and knelt down in front of him.

After the mess of the black slave trade was over, I invited my brother to the mansion and we had dinner together. In the large dining room, my brother and I were seated facing each other at a long table, with a considerable distance between us. There was no need to be so particular with my brother Henry, but it was part of the etiquette. The maids served the meal, and just as the main course was about to be served, Dylan, the butler, came into the dining room. Dylan first bowed to brother and then spoke to me. “...... Okay, you can step back.” “What’s up, Noah, is there a problem?” “It’s about First Prince – Brother Gilbert’s man.” “Oh, what did he say?” Brother stopped his hand and asked, his eyes flashing. “Well, he got me. After questioning the scoundrel, I found out that he was doing business under brothers name. I would have taken him to court tomorrow, but he killed himself when we took our eyes off him.” Brother and I both sighed. A person is a treasure, but ....... After exchanging glances with brother, both of us nodded our heads with a slight tug of the chin. Brother and I both know that the same words must have crossed our minds. The lizard’s tail. Dead men tell no tales, it’s the same in every age. And to go to such lengths to silence them? “The black market slave trader did what brother ordered him to do.” Brother Henry nodded. “Gilbert had always been like that. Business – owning a store, buying a manor. He’s always been into that sort of thing.” “It can’t be helped, brother.” Brother stared at me in surprise, raising his eyebrows. “He was the first prince, but also was the son of a concubine, and because of that he could not become crown prince. Maybe he’s trying to vent his frustration, or maybe he’s looking for a suitable replacement because he can’t take over the empire itself. Business and the manor are in the territory of substitutes.” “......” After I said it all at once, Brother Henry continued to stare at me in silence for some reason. “What’s the matter, brother?” “No, ...... didn’t think you know that as well. You’re really amazing, you know that?” “Is that so? I’m sure anyone can figure it out with a little thought.” “No, not really.” He smiled and took a bite of the main dish that the maids had brought over. The food was not very tasty because of the disgusting things I had heard. In the living room of the mansion, after Brother Henry had left. Me, my guard Shirley, and a few other kids were in the same room. In the room, lit by lanterns, the boys and girls who were about to be sold were kneeling in front of me as I sat down. There were five of them, three boys and two girls. They are about the same age as I am now, and with just a slight shift in their birthdays, maybe they would have been playing hide-and-seek together. I asked these boys and girls. “I have already taken care of it. You’re free to go. You will not be sold because now.” “””......””” The five of them didn’t seem too happy despite being declared free from slavery, but rather just stared at each other in confusion. Is it ...... because of that? “You can go anywhere you want. Do you have somewhere to go?” “No. ......” One of the girls, who was in the middle, the one who stopped my carriage first, answered in a muffled voice. “There isn’t any?” “Yes...... I was sold in exchange for this years paddy.” “I was sold to pay for my mother’s funeral.” “To reduce the number of mouths to feed......” The boys and girls told me about their circumstances. All of them have no place to go back to, or if they do, they will be sold again sooner or later. By the way, it is more profitable for the parents to sell them to black market slavers. It’s not that there’s some kind of trick to it, it’s just that the black market slavers don’t have to pay taxes, so they can turn that money around and buy them at a higher price. Parents who sell their children to black market slavers are bound to sell them again, even if they come back. “All right then. Dylan.” I clapped my hands and called Dylan, the butler. Almost immediately, Dylan came into the room. “I’m taking all of these people in. Give them a place to sleep and assign them to appropriate jobs.” “And if any of them are smart, make sure they study.” “Yes. As usual.” “A-Ah are you buying us?” The girl asked, half surprised, half happy. ” I am not buying you, so if you want to leave, you can always go to .......” I cut her off and looked at the boys and girls one by one. They must have sensed something in my gaze, because they all shrank back and gulped. “I will never take in anyone who has already left. It means I will not tolerate traitors.” “””......”” Mmm? Was that too difficult? As if he sensed this, Dylan came from the side. “You just have to be sincere without betrayal. Hurry up and thank His Highness.” He urged the children. The children knelt down and thanked me, then Dylan took them away. Alone in the room, I remembered something. “Call Evelyn.” I clapped my hands and said this, and a moment later Evelyn, the maid, appeared. Evelyn, the maid, had been serving the guests at the house for a long time. “You wanted to see me, master?” “Yes, I brought you this.” I took out a large envelope and handed it to her. When Evelyn received it, she puzzled. “What’s this?” “A letter of appointment. You are now appointed governor of a small estate in Almeria.” Evelyn mumbles in a flat accent, perhaps because the language is unfamiliar to her.(TN: instead of kanji she pronounced just hiragana) “Also it’s valid immediately. You are now an official.” “B-But why me?” Evelyn asked back, she looked both surprised and happy. The land granted to the Prince is quite large, and of course the Prince cannot do everything by himself. Therefore, the land is divided into small areas and a governor is sent to rule on his behalf. The acting governor of the Prince is also called a deputy governor by the common people. From a maid to a deputy – that’s quite a rise. “I’ve been watching you for many years, and you’re the smartest maid we have. That cleverness would be wasted if you were just a maid in charge of serving guests at the mansion. That’s what I thought.” “W-Well but! You see, I’m .......” She wandered her gaze. It was obvious that she was choosing her words. “I’d much rather serve my master than go out and get ahead!” Evelyn begged. The words were sincere, and I could tell she meant it. “I know, but you will grow. And if you do, and you do well, then I will have been a good judge of character in appointing you.” “Ah.......” “And so you should go out and work for me.” “Y-Yes! I understand!” Holding the letter of appointment as if it were a lifelong treasure, Evelyn walked out of the living room with a look of equal parts happiness and determination on her face. “Amazing .......” “Hmm?” I turned around and looked at Shirley. She has been escorting me since a while ago. It’s not just for personal safety that she is a guard in these cases. Depending on the case, the aristocracy, because of their status, can lose just by “directly involving”. This time it was the same, and even if the children were to get upset and attack me, I, as the prince, should not fight back directly. It would ruin the nobleman’s status, and the other side would be guilty of causing trouble for the Prince. That’s why I put Shirley in charge. Shirley is a knight, not a nobleman. If the children should do something, Shirley would take care of it and there would be no problem. Shirley was staring at me with her mouth agape, looking impressed. “What is it?” “His First Highness and his use of people is totally–“ “Shirley.” I cut off Shirley’s words. “That’s enough, you can’t say that out loud even if you think it.” “Y-yes! I’m very sorry.” Shirley hurriedly apologized. She apologized, but did not say anymore. After that, she continued to stare at me with a look of respect. The next morning. I was summoned to the morning meeting of His Majesty and the ministers in the audience hall. I was called in after I had gone through the government business, and I left the line of ministers and bowed to His Majesty on one knee. After receiving the bow, His Majesty said. “I heard about it, Noah. I heard that you defended Gilbert’s honor.” “It was a coincidence, Your Majesty.” He meant the black market slavers. That means Brother Gilbert reported it himself. You’re good. Rather than hiding it, it’s better to offer it properly so that it looks like you have nothing to hide. “However, there were some wicked people, using Gilbert’s name as a black slave trader. I wonder what the crime was in the black slave trade.” “By imperial law, trafficking in unreported slaves is punishable by amputation of the dominant arm for the principal offender, and by military servitude for the second offender and below.” “Is that so? First Vizier.” “His Highness is correct, Your Majesty.” The First Vizier, who was at the front of the column, answered with a slight bow. “FumuFumu. By the way, was Noah injured? I heard that some of them got angry and attacked you.” “Fortunately, I was able to turn it back.” “I see. Well, it was Noah, so there was no way he could have been hurt. If it was me, I would have been beaten to a pulp while I was trying to decide whether or not to identify myself.” “Then it would have been a crime of great blasphemy, punishable by death.”(TN: was confused whether to use Blasphemy or Disrespect) The First Vizier replied to His Majesty as the conversation went on. “I don’t think so.” I countered. “Under imperial law, the crime of disrespect does not apply to those who do not know His Majesty’s true identity, that is to say, if His Majesty was going incognito. In this case, it would be mere assault.” At the moment I said this, the audience hall, which was already quiet, became even quieter. The ministers were all staring at me. I may have said too much, but “blasphemy” – in other words, whether or not to do something blasphemous to the emperor – is an inherently delicate subject. In a metaphor like this, it might be better to say the word “disrespectful” as a cover, but it’s better to talk about it properly. However, it’s also true that I said too much. I was just thinking that I should apologize. But then His Majesty suddenly started laughing. “How about it, First Vizier, do I win this bet?” “Umm, ......, what do you mean?” His Majesty suddenly said “bet” and “win” and laughed with the First Vizier, and I was troubled to understand his intentions. “I had a little bet with him. I was testing Noah to see if he could speak straightforwardly and only with the law.” “Ha-haah ......” Tested? For what? “That’s great, Noah. No, I’ve known for six years that Noah is very strict when it comes to the law. I was just checking to make sure.” “......?” “Noah.” “Yes.” “In the name of the Emperor of the Empire, I hereby appoint Noah Ararat as Minister of Justice.” ....... “‘”Oh, oh, oh!’?””” After a breath of silence, a cheer went up from the ministers. I was somewhat tested, and I was answering as usual. And now I am appointed as the Minister of Justice.

The next day, I woke up in the morning and found myself in the garden, in an Azumaya.[TN: Azumaya is a traditional arbor or summer pavilion found in formal Japanese gardens. “ The ‘Azumaya’, as it is also called, is a structure with no walls, just four pillars, and a ceiling on top of them. [Like this one] A cool breeze blew through the Azumaya, and with Zoe, the maid, by my side, I let Leviathan and Luthiya do mock battle. I linked the Armor Rings to create altered bodies, and let them fight. The Water Demon Sword and the fire ring were both very powerful, so we did it in a garden vestibule instead of inside the mansion so as not to break anything. They fought ten times, and Leviathan won all ten times. Both of them were highly skilled, but Leviathan was more dominant. “It went up.” I mumbled, my eyes shifting from the two figures after the battle to the status in the corner. Name: Noah Ararat Minister of Justice Gender: Male Level: / ∞ HPE+FMPF+FStrengthE+EStaminaF+FIntelligenceF+ESpiritF+FSpeedF+FDexterityF+FLuckF+F FireF+CWaterE+SWindFEarthFLight FDarknessF My level went up by again. Just like yesterday, I let Leviathan and Luthiya do mock battle. This time, my strength has gone up one level, to E. “Zoe.” “Understood, Master.” Zoe nodded, closed her eyes, and cast a status check spell on me. It has been more than six years since she entered my residence. She’s learned a lot of things because she’s been indebted to me and wants to return the favor. One of the things she learned was the status check spell. The magic she cast on me brings up my status instantly. Gender: Male HPEMPFStrengthDStaminaFIntelligenceESpiritFSpeedFDexterityFLuckF FireCWaterSSWindFEarthFLight FDarknessF As usual, it’s completely different from what I can see, there’s no “+” after it, so it looks sum? Well it is displayed like this. “Wow, ...... your level really went up without you fighting. ...... I’ve never heard of anything like this.” “This is the result of these figures fighting.” “T-Then. If they fight all the time, will your level go up endlessly?” “It’s not that simple. The experience required to raise a level decreases the more you fight the same person. It took one fight to get to level , but it took ten to get from 2 to 3.” “Ahh ......” “If I let Leviathan and Luthiya continue to fight like this, I’ll get to level 4 over 100 times. If you’re patient, that’s fine.” “I see. ...... it’s a shame.” “Well, now I understand something else.” “Understand what?” “I’ve learned that it’s better to collect more like Leviathan and Luthiya because even if it takes 100 times, with 200 of them it’ll only take a second. “Indeed!” When Zoe convinced, I let Luthiya and Leviathan fight again. It’s not nearly as effective anymore, but I still let them try. It’s quite helpful. Watching Leviathan and Luthier fight. I know what they are capable of, and it’s great to see what happens when they use it, and from a third person’s perspective. So I let Zoe serve me while I watched them fight endlessly. So far, Leviathan was winning all the battles. Luthiya is not weak as far as I can tell, but in comparison to Leviathan, a notch or two lower. That’s why it was overwhelmed. At the same time, I was able to understand Luthiya’s personality. Unlike Leviathan, who is a loyal dog, Luthiya is a competitive one. Even though it’s under my control, as soon as it loses, it immediately appeals to me with the emotion of “next”.[I am keeping it gender neutral] And I let her do it endlessly. “Ah!” It found an opening in Leviathan’s movements after deflecting an attack. It was stunned after the attack was deflected. I can also use Leviathan’s techniques, so I could clearly see the gap. At the same time, I knew that Lutiya would not be able to exploit it since I could also use its ability. Unfortunately, Leviathan would win yet again by overcoming this gap. Just as I thought this, Luthiya’s movements changed. Though it lost its balance completely, it was able to regain it by blowing out flames to kill its momentum. And then used the hand wrapped in flames to deliver a full swing hammer punch to Leviathan. Leviathan’s body was severed in two and then burst into flames. Luthiya had won. Luthiya, who hates to lose, directly conveys the emotion, “I did it! I’ve done it!”. “Nice work, Luthiya. You’ve really overcome yourself with that.” A feeling of joy flowed from Luthiya. At the same time, I saw a status move in the corner of my eye. Level: 3 / ∞ HPE+FMPF+FStrengthE+EStaminaF+FIntelligenceF+ESpiritF+FSpeedF+FDexterityF+FLuckF+F FireF+BWaterE+SWindFEarthFLight FDarknessF My level and ability remained the same, but the “+” in fire went up. “You’ve grown more than I thought.” Clap, clap, clap. From behind me, I suddenly heard the sound of applause. I turned around to see Brother Henry being led towards me by the new serving-maid (Evelyn’s Successor). “Brother.” ‘As expected of you, Noah. Even though the ring has a will of its own, it still manages to grow.” “Where were you watching from, brother?” I chuckled. “For a while now. It’s because you’ve been doing something interesting.” “Is that so.” As I laughed again, he walked into the room and sat down across from me. “More than that, anything I can do for you, brother” “Yeah, actually, the nest of monsters managed by the Ministry of Military Affairs has matured.” The nest has matured. It was a phrase that I learned after I was born into the imperial family as a prince, something I didn’t remember from my previous life. A man of the imperial family, a prince, cannot go into battle without the emperor’s permission, to prevent his untimely death. That’s why I was still at level 1 until yesterday. And in order to prevent accidents in the actual battle – the first battle – there is a “reasonably safe” hunting ground, a monster’s nest that has been prepared in advance. That is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Military Affairs. Well, it seems that it’s ready. “His Majesty has granted me permission. So I shall divine your first battle.” “Divination?” “Here.” He then took out a seamless box and handed it to me. “What’s this?” “It’s a box from a famous fortune-teller. When you open it, it will tell you what you need to know. This time, it’s designed to tell you the strength you need for your first battle.” “We have to be very careful in this area.” My brother’s face became serious. “If we have too many men accompanying us on the first battle, it will be a disgrace. And if there are too few, the danger will be too great. That is why we divine the appropriate number.” “By the way...” Brother’s expression changed dramatically, and he smiled mischievously. “That’s 10,000 leen a piece.” “That’s expensive.” My sense of money has become more sophisticated since I became a Prince, but I was still surprised by this. If I were a con man, I would have laughed it off, but the person who brought it to me was Brother Henry, the Fourth Prince, Minister of Military Affairs. It would be an item worthy of the high price of ten thousand leens. “What should I do with this?” “Anything. Open it and you’ll find the answer inside.” “Okay.” With that, I applied force to the box, pushing and twisting it. Then the seamless box came unraveled like a thread. The thread disappeared further and further, and a piece of paper remained. I grabbed the paper and read the words on it – mmm. ” what is...... mmm.” My brother, who stood up and looked at the paper, was also surprised. The only thing on the paper was the number “1”. “Does this mean that ......just 1 person is enough?” “That’s what it means. ...... you’re amazing, Noah.” Perhaps because he had brought the box with him, my brother was convinced that the result of the fortune-telling was my ability.

“You guys over there.” Ignoring the two stunned men, I called out to a group of soldiers kneeling at a distance. “Y-Yes!” A man who appeared to be the Captain of the soldiers responded to my call, moving his feet dexterously as he knelt and stepped forward. The soldiers gave me the awe-struck respect they would give to a superior being as I revealed my identity as the Emperor. “Put these two in prison for now. And some of you, come with me.” “Yes. W-Where to, sire? “The residence of Governor Olcott.” With soldiers in tow, we arrived at the residence of Dussel Governor, Olcott. Even though it was nighttime, the house was so majestic that it was clearly visible. With such a mansion, it was only natural that there would be a gatekeeper to guard it. “Stop! Who are you?” And, they asked me who I was, as a matter of course. I did not respond. The soldier who had brought me here, who I had revealed my identity as the Emperor, acted as a matter of course. They seized the gatekeeper without saying anything and completely neutralized him. “Please.” “Umu.” The main gate was opened and I entered the compound. The commotion in the front quickly spread inside. I saw a large number of servants and the man I had seen on the river a few days before in the lobby immediately after entering the mansion. That man was the one who had scattered the gold. It was Dusell’s Governor, Olcott himself. “Who are you? Do you know where you are?” “You insolent! You’re in the presence of His Majesty!” “His Majesty?” Olcott looked at me with a suspicious look. It’s no wonder because he doesn’t know me. Olcott is not the Governor I appointed, and never met in person. Even if he is the Governor, it would not be surprising if he has never met me when I was Prince even though he has been in the region for a long time. So I– “Is this satisfactory?” Saying this, I released the pressure to reveal my identity. And Olcott with all the servants around him. All of their expressions changed and they all knelt. “I beg your pardon, I didn’t know it was His Majesty’s direct advent...” “I don’t care about that. More than that–Olcott, you know your own sin, don’t you?” “–!” Olcott kneeled down, trembling as he kept his head lowered. But such agitation was only for a moment, and Olcott quickly regained his composure, which had almost been shaken by the agitation. “Not admitting, huh. It’s too late for that now, though.” “I don’t know what His Majesty is referring to. I admit that I did not greet you, but there is no official record of your departure from the capital, and as long as you were on a personal visit, there is no crime–“ “You still refuse to admit it, huh. How much is a Governor’s salary? Is it enough to scatter gold around?” “Well, what are you referring to?” Olcott shrugged his shoulders. He was agitated at first, but he seemed to have calmed down. Now, which evidence should I start with? A young voice suddenly interrupted me. When I turned around, I saw a young man watching me from among the servants. Looking at his clothes, I guess he was a low-ranked servant, probably a slave or something. He had a look in his eyes that said he wanted to say something. “Mind your manners, you are in the presence of His Majesty” Olcott reprimanded him as a master should. That is the way it is with status differences. It is outrageous for a servant more so for a slave to interrupt the conversation between the Emperor and the Governor. One can’t complain even if one were to be disrespected here and there. However, “It doesn’t matter. You have something to tell me, don’t you? Tell me.” With I–The Emperor’s permission, it doesn’t matter. “......” As proof, Olcott frowned, but could not say anything. The man gulped as he saw Olcott like that. After taking a breath and being surprised, he stared at me. “A-are you really the Emperor?” “Well, that’s not what I meant. I just can’t believe that the Emperor would be here.” “Is that so?” “Really ...... the thing is ......” The young slave and I had a not very meaningful exchange. Olcott got grumpy when he saw it – but couldn’t interject. I, the Emperor, gave him permission to speak and say what he wanted to say. It was the equivalent of giving the young slave the right of direct appeal, albeit summarily. The Emperor himself had granted the right of direct appeal. To interrupt him would be an act of disrespect. Therefore, Olcott could not say anything. On the other hand, does the young slave understand this or not? The young man was finally convinced that I was the Emperor and that I had appeared here. “T-there’s something I want the Emperor to see.” “What is it?” “This!” The young man removed the front of his garment. I was wondering what he was suddenly doing when I saw something sewn into the lining of the garment. The man ripped open the stitching. He took out an envelope from inside his clothes and held it out to me. ‘What’s this?’ “My Lord–it’s the evidence of Olcott’s bribe.” “Waa!” Olcott exclaimed. He then immediately jumped on the man and tried to reach out to grab what the young man was offering but, “Gwaa!” Leviathan’s mild intimidation caused him to slump down and not be able to move at all. After stopping Olcott, I asked the man again. “Why do you have proof?” “M-My parents and my sister were killed because of Olcott.” “So you went undercover to get revenge.” “Yes! I got the evidence, but I couldn’t find anyone I could trust. Besides...” “I had to keep it under wraps and wait for the right moment to use it because if I didn’t, it would be buried under the rug.” “......” I was impressed. “What’s your name?” “Eh? P-Phil Mohm.” “Phil, huh.” I looked at him admiringly so much so that even others could tell. It’s not uncommon for people to turn themselves into slaves to avenge their families. It is not that difficult to infiltrate and get evidence. The most difficult thing is to hold on to the trump card in your hand for as long as you can and to snap it when you think it is effective. I now understand what he meant earlier when he wasted no time in carefully checking that I was the Emperor. He made sure that I am the Emperor, the supreme power of the Empire, and used his trump card. Phil Mohm. This fellow... “Show it to me.” I took the documented evidence and looked at it. “Phil Mohm.” “Well done. From now on, you are the Governor.”[TN: LOL] “””.........................””” As soon as I said that, everyone in the room froze. Of course they did. But. “What’s wrong, you don’t want to be?” “N-not that. Umm ......thank you very much!” Phil bowed his head in a panic. Either because he was too flustered or because he didn’t understand the situation. Phil’s response lacked any manners. But that’s not it. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Empire Emperor Gender: Male Level: + / ∞ HPC+BMPD+CStrengthC+SStaminaD+CIntelligenceD+BSpiritE+CSpeedE+CDexterityE+CLuckD+C FireE+S+SWaterC+SSWindE+CEarthE+CLight E+BDarknessE+B HP’s stat that I can see out of the corner of my eye, it had it’s ‘+’ went up. I thought that Phil was a rough gem, a talent that has yet to be polished. The next afternoon, the ‘Former’ Olcott residence. After Olcott was dismissed from office, I decided to use this place as my temporary residence. In the study there, I met Zoe, whom I had called back. “Your Majesty, how wonderful!” Zoe’s eyes lit up when she heard what had happened last night. “You selected him as soon as you discovered the right person for the job. As expected of His Majesty.” “That good perception? It’s a natural thing, hard to get. I hope we can nurture him well.” “It’s His Majesty, so it’ll be alright!” “More importantly, how is the confiscation of their property coming along?” “Ah, yes.” Zoe hurriedly looked at the documents in her hand. Olcott and the others who will be imprisoned for the salt tax will have their property confiscated. I’m having that done as soon as possible, and I’m putting Zoe in charge. “Ashley–well, the cheeky one’s residence, there’s a bit of a problem.” “What is it” “Well, actually, some human remains were unearthed in the yard, and they think he might be suspected of murder.” “.......Fu” I laughed. “Fu........., Your Majesty?” “That’s a common occurrence.” “Eh?” “When you’re confiscating property, the soldiers go there to monitor it, tally it up, right?” “Y-Yes.” “And, most of the time, they’ll sneak the subject’s assets back into their pockets. Well, it’s a little bit of a scam. And it’s pretty annoying.” “Annoying, sir?” “Yeah, the subject’s wives, concubines, etc. Those sorts of people, even in a situation like this, will cry and scream with their emotions bare. They will say, why is it only us” “Ah, ......” “So, when it gets out of control and interferes with the soldiers’ ‘pocket earnings,’ they are harassed. In this case, they bury human remains and falsely accuse them of murder.” Isn’t ‘As expected’ too soon? I looked at Zoe, wondering. “I already know it’s a false accusation. The ribs and pelvis of the human bones that came out looks like a mixture of male and female, and when soaked with water, I found out that the place where they were dug up was recent.” So, it was quickly discovered at the site. “Your Majesty is amazing. I can’t believe that you could figure it out right away before I even reported it to you.” I smiled again. I used to be the Minister of Justice. Because of my experience in confiscating the property of many criminals, I know exactly how they do it. That’s it. “Now, ......, give me a rough estimate of how much will it be?” Zoe looked at the paperwork and gulped. “What is it?” “Well ...... no less than million reens.” “That’s quite an accumulation.” While thinking that I admire them in a way. “0 million ......” The current national treasury is less than 5 million. That’s an increase of 20 million all at once. And on top of that, we can expect the normalization of the salt tax. With this much money, we can do a lot of things, I thought.

The next morning I awoke in the morning sun. I woke up, got out of bed, and at about the same time, there was a knock at my bedroom door. “Master, may I come in?” I responded with my eyelids still not fully open from sleep. Then the door opened and I noticed several people entering the room. The first one was probably Mary, who knocked on the door and asked for permission. The rest of them are probably her servants. I felt Livyathan’s presence shake slightly. It must be that girl who is showing hostility toward me, I thought. I couldn’t help but smile at Livyathan’s usual loyalty. “Excuse me. Please be on your feet.” I got off the bed and stood up on my feet. With my eyelids closed, I relaxed my entire body. Then with a familiar hand, Mary helped me out of my nightgown. I was undressed in my natural state and completely naked. Mary, who had been a servant in the Imperial Residence for many years, naturally did not react to her Master’s nudity and helped me to get ready in the morning. But the other servants were different. When I stripped naked, I could see that they were all shaken up at the same time. “I apologize, Master–my hands are full here.: “Excuse me!” After apologizing to me, Mary reprimanded the servants. And with that, the servants began to move. It was mostly Mary though. She took off my clothes and put on new clothes. After that, she brushed my hair and washed my face. Especially, she cleaned my ears by carefully blotting them with a steaming towel. This is something Audrey taught her about when she first met her. Audrey believed that it is the parts of the body that are usually unnoticed should be cleaned. This was also connected to politics, and I took it in stride. Since then, the servants at the Imperial Residence cleaned my ears every morning. Mary did that in the same sense as when she was at the Imperial Residence. By the time the area around my ears was clean, I was completely sleepy. “Excuse me, Master. Now then...” “Oh, wait a minute. Mary and that girl stay behind.” I picked out the girl, whom I sensed by her presence. The girl was surprised, and I could see she was warier towards me. “Very well. Then you guys go back ahead of me.” “”Yes.”” At Mary’s command, the other servants left the room without question. Only Mary and the girl remained before me. “What is your name?” “Eh?” The girl was puzzled. “It is an honor to be asked directly by Master. You must answer the question honestly.” “Y-Yes. My name is Ivy.” The girl– Ivy, answered nervously. Although she was cautious of me and was hostile toward me, she actually seemed nervous about talking directly to her ‘Master’s Master’. I chuckled. “No need to be so nervous. Mary, you picked up a nice girl.” “Yes. She is the smartest of all the girls we have.” “I’m sure she is. Even though she’s not used to taking care of me, she’s been very good at supporting you. It’s not easy to be able to anticipate and anticipate quickly like that, and do it in a good way.” “I am very impressed with your wise words, Master. I became able to do that about a year after the master picked me up.” “You were able to remember things better than most.” “I’m not trying to flatter you. I let John out because I thought you could act as his brakes and support when the time came.” “......” Mary was startled and speechless. “John’s a seven, and you’re an eight. I figured you two together would make .–one and a half times what I’d expect from a regular retainer–so I let you out.”[TN: It’s like rating someone out of , and combined they got 5.... bla bla bla ...acting as one entity would be 1.5 times the single] “–! Thank you very much! I can’t thank you enough ...... for giving me that much praise from you, Master” Mary was moved to tears and burst into ragged tears as she said. “Don’t cry so. It’s a compliment.” “Y-yes. Thank you very much!” “Don’t tell him about what happened, but you will get him through it. With you in his life, he will be more successful. Then, when the time is right, bring him back to the center and have him work even harder than he is now.” “Yes! I’ll be sure to follow up with him.” “hmm” I looked at Ivy again. “It’s a shame, though. If only I had found her first.” I meant if I had, I would have taken Ivy with me. Then Mary knelt down in front of me. “Master, please take her with you.” “Mary-sama!?” At Mary’s sudden remark, Ivy almost screamed and stared at Mary in disbelief. “Hmm? Are you sure? Don’t you want to keep her close?” “Of course I do. Instead of smoldering in a place like this, it would definitely be better for her to learn under Master.” “That’s not entirely true, though.” I chuckled. Well, I don’t intend to make it worse. “Mary-sama! I haven’t repaid my debt to Mary-sama yet. So–“ “Silly girl! There’s no better way for you to repay back.” “Eh?” Ivy was puzzled. Why was it something different than before? she looked at Mary with those questioning eyes. “His Majesty always says, ‘People are treasures’.” Mary cut off her words there and looked at me. I nodded my head in silent affirmation. Then Mary turned to Ivy again and continued. “To be able to present a human being who can satisfy His Majesty’s eyes is more wonderful than presenting any gold, silver, or treasure.” “That’s right. It’s the equivalent to 1 million reens.” “T-That much......?” Since I gave her a specific number. Ivy was even more surprised. “......, R-really. I can return Mary-sama’s favor with a ......?” Ivy looked at me and at Mary and asked me as if she were trying to figure out what I was going to say. “Umu.” “I-I understand. I’ll follow you .......” Ivy said timidly. She still felt like she was returning the favor to Mary, but even if she was, it didn’t change the fact that she was a very promising recruit. I felt a sense of satisfaction this morning, and I vaguely thought that today was going to be a good day. After breakfast, I set out with John’s escort. John provided a carriage and said he would escort me to the border of his jurisdiction. While accepting this, I let John ride with me in the carriage and we sat facing each other. “Children like Ivy.” “How many do you take in a year?” “Let’s see, ten, maybe a few more. ......” John answered, “Why do you ask that?” He looked at me strangely. “That’s putting a strain on you and your wife’s lives. Your stipend is not enough to protect and support you unless you take a bribe or something.” “T-That’s ...... of course! I didn’t take a bribe, I swear.” “I know. People’s everyday lives are reflected in the air. I don’t sense any elegance or richness in you. I don’t doubt that.” “Thank you very much!” “It’s rather the opposite. If you’re not receiving anything, then you’re putting a squeeze on your life together.” “Y-yes. ......, it’s all right, sire. And Mary understands that.” John looked me straight in the eye and assured me emphatically It’s understandable because Mary is also from the same background. “Let me tell you what my purpose is.” “Y-yes, .......” He was obviously puzzled by this completely out-of-context conversation. “John, what do you think my purpose is as the Emperor? “Every retainer understands your ambition, Master Noah!” In turn, John strongly insisted. “It is to create a peaceful world where people like us can live in peace.” I said with a smile. John widened his eyes in surprise. He had not expected such a low score for his answer. “That’s not wrong, but it’s not the goal. In the grand context, it’s more like a ‘means’ to an end.” “ends...... means......” “The true purpose in the grand context is to make me, and the Former Emperor, who found me and gave me the Imperial Throne, into a great sovereign.” “H-His Majesty is firmly a great lord...” “For the present, perhaps. If there is any misbehavior on my part, the history books will add a note saying that the successor lacked discernment. Therefore, there must be no great upheaval in my reign. No matter what.” “Is ...... Oscar-sama plotting something?” John suddenly said something like that. This time I was surprised. I was surprised at John’s way of thinking. That’s right. Oscar’s ambition has not disappeared. If Oscar should start a rebellion for the throne, the history books would add it as a mistake of the previous Emperor. Oscar is the Eighth Prince, and I am the former Thirteenth Prince. If I had been the First Prince, his rebellion after receiving the throne would not be seen as father’s mistake, but because I was the Thirteenth, it would be a “dare” on his part no matter how it happened. He dared to choose me, and as a result, a rebellion broke out due to discord between the brothers. So, from my point of view, Oscar is someone I am always on the lookout for and wary of. John sensed that. I smiled and replied. “No, I don’t think so. It can’t be. It shouldn’t be.” John’s face grew increasingly grim at my triple-entendre phrasing.[TN: triple-entendre means three different phrasings giving similar meaning] I was saying No, No, No three times in a row, effectively telling him it was possible. “Master. I’m always ready. No, if something happens, I can go berserk on my own.” John says with a straight face. That means he’s talking about assassinating Oscar himself, as a bullet. “Hold it down. If my retainers do that, the former Emperor will be called a man who gave the throne to a man who couldn’t even control his own retainers.” “I-I’m sorry!” John was shocked and lowered his head in a panic. “That’s why as far as I’m concerned, I won’t touch Oscar. And Neither do you.” “Yes, sir! As expected of Master. We were wondering why Master was so soft on Oscar-sama. “Well, it’s just because that’s what he wants, that’s all.” I turned my head to the side. And stared into the distance through the wall of the carriage with a very distant look. Well, it doesn’t matter now. I turned to John. “You’re very perceptive and quick with your words. Do you understand that means change according to the purpose?” “Then what is your purpose?” “My .......” “For what purpose do you take in these children?” “......!” After thinking for a while, John gasped. He stared at me with that look on his face for a long time. Then he said... “Master, I want to build a relief shelter on this land, will you allow me to do so?” I praised John. “Well done. If you want to save the poor, you can do it publicly, or you can appeal directly to me. I’m trying to be a great ruler, so I won’t reject that kind of thing outright.” “Yes!” “Well done. You’re clever.” “It’s thanks to Master’s education! It is the master who is amazing!” John looked at me with increasingly impressed, enthralled eyes. “Okay, come up with a plan.” “Yes!” John nodded broadly, then switched his expression and asked timidly, “Master ......, where did the ten points go wrong?” “You just appealed directly to me, prepared to be punished–prepared to die.” “It’s the same with me and for others. People are treasures. Don’t risk death for nothing.” “—! Understood! As expected of Master. ......” John seems to have grasped a lot of things. Because I want to bring him back to the heart of the Empire eventually, I will teach him what I can when we meet. I was satisfied that I could do something about it.

Even after Henry left, Shirley and Jessica’s mock battle continued. I intently watched the battle between the two of them. Shirley is a serious and earnest person. When she concentrates, she will use her blade to achieve her goal, regardless of whether it’s a Prince or not, just as she did during the knight selection process. Jessica is a similar woman. From the moment I ordered her to ‘fight seriously,’ the atmosphere around her changed completely, and she released a fighting spirit that was sharper and more refined than the warriors of the past. It was beautiful to watch these two clash and fight with sparks flying both physically and mentally. It was so beautiful that I wanted to watch it forever. And, that was my mistake. Serious fights, even if they are mock battles, can easily cross the line. Shirley flicked Jessica’s sword, and with a stagnant movement, a lightning-fast thrust went straight for Jessica’s chest– “Not good!” I instinctively snagged my middle finger on my thumb and flicked it back with a recoil. A chunk of air flew straight up and hit Shirley’s longsword. Shirley stared in dismay as the longsword was flicked from her hand, whirled around, and stuck into the ground far away. And Jessica, who was closed in, had fallen on her backside. “That’s enough.” As I said that, they both came to their senses at once. I should apologize to them for putting them in danger because of my indulgence in fun. “Sorr–.” “That’s amazing! As expected of Your Majesty!” “Just now that was a...... chunk of air. Did you just flicker a chunk of pure ...... air?” Shirley was overjoyed and praised me innocently. Jessica was surprised, and then gazed at me with fascinated eyes and a blush on her cheeks. “Mu” It was very difficult when those two gave me such looks. “......That’s enough for now. Jessica, go get changed. Let’s go to father’s place.” “Understood.” Jessica’s atmosphere instantly switched. She was a warrior before, but in an instant, she changed her air into that of a noble lady. I watched Jessica’s back as she read my intention and returned to the mansion to change into her dress, and I reflected on what I had just done. And ....... I took Jessica, who had changed into her dress, and requested an audience with my father. It was the meeting between the Emperor and the retired Emperor which, in some cases, is accompanied by a rather solemn ceremony, but Father let us through into the garden and himself appeared in plain clothes. “Father.” “Umu, welcome, Noah. So that’s the new concubine, huh.” Even after he gave up his position as emperor to me, his information network is still strong. It seems that he is fully informed of Jessica becoming my concubine. That’s good, saves me the trouble of explaining. “Jessica, your greetings.” Jessica stepped forward and bowed to her father. It was an impeccable bow, perfectly executed in the manner of a noblewoman, a common concubine. It’s natural, but the etiquette of Empress, direct concubines, side concubines, and common concubines differs greatly depending on their ranks. And today, Jessica showed off her perfect manners as a common concubine. “Well, she’s quite a woman, isn’t she?” “I also think so.” “Also, I heard she’s an expert swordswoman, let’s see what she can do.” “I do beg your pardon, father.” After what had happened with Shirley, I thought it would be best to leave that for another time. Father glanced at me for a moment but said ‘I see’ and withdrew without complaint. “So you intend to have the girl accompany the subjugation army.” I nodded quietly, knowing that my father was quick with words. “Yes, I intend to.” “Shouldn’t the flowers remain in the vase?” “People are treasures, Father.” “Fumu?” “And there’s still half a treasure left untouched. Jessica is only the beginning.” “I see. Fufu, that’s just like Noah.” Father laughed happily. This shows that at least he likes my idea. “So I would like to ask father for assistance.” “What do you want me to do?” “Anyone who opposes this should attempt to appeal directly to father.” “...... Umu, I have ten times as many concubines as Noah. And one would think that I would be the most affected because of Noah.” Actually, nothing will be affected – I didn’t dare to say the words because I communicated that through eye contact with my father. Even if I break the tradition by publicly announcing that I will make the consort my subordinate, it will have no real effect on my father. However, the format may change. There’s no doubt that those who oppose it will run to my father to get to the bottom of it. “All right, I’ll take care of it.” “Thank you very much, Father.” I bowed lightly, and Jessica did the same, silently, at my side. A concubine is someone who treats her husband with respect. Jessica, who is a common concubine, played the role perfectly. “But,...... it’s been so long since your accession to the throne and yet there are only two ...., Noah, why don’t you add more at once?” “All at ...... once?” Father’s air changed drastically. He seemed to be serious, but in fact, he was teasing. It’s almost the same as when an old relative asks, ‘Aren’t you married yet?'[TN: I know that feeling] “A man should always have a woman’s scent on him.” “Haah.” “The blood of the battlefield and a woman in his bed chamber are two essential smells for a man, Noah. And having or so concubines will push Noah to the next level.” “That would be more than you, father.” “That’s fine, that should be minimum for a man of Noah’s caliber.” It was a tremendous recognition. But even without such recognition- people are treasures. “If I can find one, I will, father. I want quality, not quantity.” “Fumu, that’s all right.” Our conversation ended there, and I took Jessica and dismissed ourselves from the palace. After we left the palace, Jessica spoke softly to me. “Your Majesty.” “Hmm, what is it?” “I am heading for subjugation, but should I look over the women among the enemies, prisoners of war, and locals?” “It’s because of Father’s words, huh.” Jessica looked at me with a straight face. She’s not joking and doesn’t look like she’s trying something. She is only asking if she should do it, as she intended. And as soon as I give the order, she’ll do it seriously. “That’s not–aah no.” I swallowed the words I was about to say and replaced them with something else. “You heard what I said to my father, didn’t you? Quality is better than quantity. Bring me only those women you think are worthy from your viewpoint.” “—-Yes!” Jessica nodded greatly, taking my words as a sign of confidence. I was alone in the study of the detached palace, and I brought out Apophis. I took a deep breath and commanded Apophis, “Do it.” I could feel a slight hesitation from Apophis, but it still obeyed fearfully because it was my order. “—–Gghh!” The next moment, poison rushed through my body. It was Apophis’s poison. It was so poisonous that it spread over my body in an instant—. “Erase it” –With that command, it was gone. “...... haaaa!” I spat out what was rising from the bottom of my stomach. It was purplish blood. Poisonous blood, the proof of having been poisoned. After spitting out most of it, I said, “Apophis, one more time.” This time, its hesitation was shortened, and it obeyed my order again, letting the poison circulate through my body. And then erased it again. “...... I–see.” I experienced the poison and its disappearance twice in my own body. The sensation is almost precisely what I expected. When Apophis erases its poison, it does not make it disappear into anything at all but neutralizes it with the exact opposite force. That opposite power was what I wanted now. I knew it was there – three times. To better feel what I know is there. “Apophis, do it–erase it.” I took the poison into my body again. I spit out the poisoned blood again. Purple blood spread all over the floor. Thanks to that, I found what I wanted. I reached out and concentrated all my attention on my outstretched index finger. Before long, a glistening, transparent drop oozes from the tip of my finger. The Ministry of War, the Minister Prince’s office. I entered the room without knocking, and Henry said, ‘Who is it!’ but when he saw my face, he hurriedly got up from his chair. “I apologize for not knowing that Your Majesty was here.” He said as he knelt down on the spot. “Good, more than that, what about the reports? And Jessica you can make yourself comfortable.” Jessica, who had been talking with Henry, knelt the same way, so I helped them both to their feet. “So ...... what brings His Majesty here?” “Ahh, I had something to talk to Jessica about. And I thought if Henry could have a look at it, it would make it easier for me to assign it for the subjugation.” I said so and took a small bottle out of my pocket. A pale blue liquid was shimmering in the bottle. “I thought I’d give this to Jessica to take with her. It’s just a prototype, but I’ll have a few of them for you by the due date.” “What is it?” “Look.” First I slit my wrist with my knife-hand. It was a pretty deep cut, and the blood was pouring out. Henry and Jessica, who had prepared themselves for what I was about to do, were surprised. “Your Majesty!” “It’s all right, just watch.” I stopped them, and I sprayed the liquid from the vial onto the wound on my wrist. The wound, which should have been a deep cut, instantly closed. “What!” “I made this. Jessica, take this with you.” “Y-You don’t mean to tell me that’s the Legendary potion?” Henry asked, astonished. “Potion? What is it?” “You know that ancient civilizations that once flourished in the past had ‘recovery magic,’.” It’s ancient magic that has been completely lost. “Even if there is recovery magic, magic cannot be used by everyone. That’s why magic potions were made, which have the same effect as recovery magic.” “I see, that makes sense.” “Can it really heal injuries?” “If it is only a cut. If the injury is so severe that the body parts are missing, it can only close the wound in an instant.” “It is the legendary potion itself...... Did His Majesty make this?” “Yeah, I made it.” “As expected ...... sasuga, Your Majesty.” But, the one who was most surprised was Henry. Leaving Henry as he was, I turned to Jessica. I handed her the potion. I made this potion when I saw that she and Shirley were almost injured in the mock battle, and I tried to do something about it. “Jessica.” “You are also my concubine. Keep your body safe and use it as soon as you are injured.” Jessica was moved and knelt down on the spot. On the other hand, Henry, when he saw the potion. “Amazing,...... if there were more of this,...... it would change the flow of the war,.......” He had a serious look.

With the loss of the ringleader, the Almeria rebellion was quickly put down by Brother Henry. The cheers of the ministers echoed in the audience room of the royal palace where the news was delivered. The messenger who brought back the news knelt before His Majesty and continued. “Most of those who plotted the rebellion have been captured. We wish to seek Your Majesty’s approval.” His Majesty nodded quietly. The expression on his face is calm – it’s not that he’s unconcerned. Rather, he was furious, as if he was about to blow fire from his eyes. “Tell Henry to bring every single one of them to the capital.” “Yes!” “How do you intend to do this?” After the messenger had left, the First Vizier stepped out of the ministerial line and asked His Majesty about his intentions. “It’ s clear, I will not allow any rebellion in Noah’ s territory. Prepare the oxen and horses, they will dismember the whole clan.” Understanding from His Majesty’s tone that his anger was genuine, the ministers agreed with him verbatim. “Your Majesty,” I left the queue and got down on one knee next to the First Vizier. “Wait for me, Noah. I’ll get them —-“ “With all due respect, Your Majesty. This is not allowed.” “– ripped to pieces at ...... what?” His Majesty was surprised, and the other ministers were buzzing at the same time. An act of outright disagreement with the enraged emperor. Several ministers, famous for their weaknesses, were already pale in the face. “What do you mean, Noah?” The tone of His Majesty’s voice lowered as well. Though the words were directed at me, several ministers shuddered in a jolt. Their reactions were like indirect proof of the emperor’s authority. I raised my face without hesitation and looked at His Majesty. “Punishment should only be in accordance with the law.” After confronting the basic premise first. “Under Imperial Law, the ringleader of the rebellion is punished by beheading, the third degree and any co-conspirators are punished up to and including hanging, and the rest of them, based on the degree of their involvement. Although beheading is a conventional way to punish, no such punishment exists under Imperial law.” “But they have smeared dirt on Noah’s face.” His Majesty raised his eyebrows and insisted on that, but I passed it off. “If the emperor takes the initiative to break the law, it will cause disorder in the land. Please reconsider.” “......” His Majesty was silent. The ministers watched the course of events holding their breaths. A heavy silence passed between audiences. “...... Fuu. Noah’s reasoning is correct.” After a moment, His Majesty murmured. I could clearly hear someone – or several people – exhale in obvious relief. “Well done, Noah. For admonishing me for my mistakes.” “But that would not satisfy me. The punishment should be the heaviest within the limits of the law and should not be reduced in any way. So be it.” “No problem at all, sir.” I bowed my head once and then continued further. “In past rebellions, there were many cases where even the third degree of the ringleader was overlooked because of the pity of the children or babies. If His Majesty is of that opinion, I think that is something we should pay special attention to.” A child of a nobleman is not just a child. There are countless examples of fallen or ruined houses being revived or avenged by surviving children. Especially in the case of rebellion. In the aristocracy, the conspirators can be overlooked, but the ringleader’s children must be eradicated. So I advised him to do so, and His Majesty nodded, “You have made me well aware of this.” “Third Vizier,” “Yes!” The Third Vizier, Jean-Brad Reydouk, called by His Majesty, bowed quietly from the line. “You’ve heard the story. I leave this matter to you.” That almost decided the treatment of those who had planned the rebellion. At the same time, as if to dispel the heavy atmosphere that had been created earlier, a different kind of voice was raised. “As expected of His Imperial Highness the Thirteenth. I didn’t expect him to be so direct.” “And yet he never looked back, never blinked, just spoke his mind to His Majesty.” “A genius gifted by the gods, a child prodigy.” The ministers said this to each other. Hearing that, His Majesty’s anger from earlier was nowhere to be found, and his mood became better. “Noah!” “If I make a mistake, you have to correct it.” ” Today it’ s ...... hmmm, the only reason I didn’t leave a bad name in history is because of Noah. There should be some kind of reward for that.” His Majesty put a hand to his chin and thought about it. Unlike the silence of earlier, this time everyone is at ease with the idea of what the reward for me will be. “Umu, it’s been decided. Let’s give you a title.” A moment later, there was a stir. In the past, only a select few princes could be the imperial prince. Nowadays, under imperial law, a prince had the status of imperial prince from birth. In terms of rank, above the imperial prince was the Emperor, which meant that the imperial prince would never rise to the top, so to speak. The idea was to give the title to the prince because there was no other reward for his achievements. “Noah’s admonition was well done. My son can only remonstrate against me, but what makes it right is its irreplaceable quality. To make his wisdom known throughout the world, I will give him the title of ‘wise’.” After His Majesty said that, there was another stir. “Long live Master Noah, long live the Wise Prince!” A cheer arose. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Wise Prince Gender: Male Level: / ∞ HPFMPFStrengthF+FStaminaF+FIntelligenceF+FSpiritF+FSpeedFDexterityF+FLuckF+F FireFWaterE+SWindFEarthFLight FDarknessF And then my status changed, and I got a new title. “I am grateful and happy.” I kept my head down. His Majesty got up from his throne, got off the red carpet, and came over to me. I was on one knee and he came in front of me. “If only you’d been born a little sooner.” Three times, the stirring turned to a different quality. It had been a few weeks since I became the wise prince. On this day, I was in the Imperial City’s Horse Street Plaza – the largest plaza in the city. A stage is set up in the middle of the plaza, with tables and chairs on it. I was sitting in the chair, and there is a tea set on the table. Knight selection. We were holding that preliminary round. It went exactly the way I proposed to His Majesty before, and I just relaxed and let the people I was selecting attack me as they pleased. I didn’t do anything myself, instead the ring-linked Leviathan was blocking every attack. One by one, they came up to the stage and attacked me – completely blocked and left the stage in disappointment. “Damn, that’s impressive, considering it prevents all that magic.” “For such a small guy, he’s extraordinary.” “You’re being impolite. That man is the th Prince, no, the Wise Prince.” Since it was being held in the biggest plaza in the city, the crowd of onlookers came in torrents. I didn’t specify the criteria for passing, but it’s clear to everyone that all the challengers so far have failed. They’ve all attacked me, and they’ve all been perfectly defended by the Leviathan. In front of a large number of people, if you can’t even penetrate the defense of a relaxed child, the person doing it has to back down honestly. It’s already been half a day since I’ve been doing that. I was looking up at the western sky to see if the sun was about to set. “Heyaaaaaaaaaaah!” An attack was lobbed at me along with the energy of a cleaver. It was a girl in white armor. The girl thrust her sword out horizontally and rushed forward with a front hinge, as if to put her weight on it. Leviathan reacted to it, transforming the linked ring and using it as a shield to prevent it. So far, it’s just like that. Exactly the same as what we have selected hundreds of people for today alone. “This ...... thing, then!” The sound of the girl’s teeth clenching was heard with a grind. Right after that, the girl rushed even more forward, and at the same time, the shield cracked. This girl rushed further through a shield that no one was able to break through for a whole day. The cutting edge pierced my right shoulder. The person who did it was most surprised. She unconsciously pulled her hand away from her sword and backed away. “You!” “What the hell do you do!” A group of soldiers who had been guarding the stage came over and seized the girl on the spot. The people are buzzing below the stage. I looked at the shoulder that had been pierced. “Hmm.” I nodded. “Let her go.” “Eh? No, b-but. She’s guilty of hurting your highness–“ “I said, Let her go.” “—-!” The soldier who had seized the girl freaked out and moved away from her. The girl, stunned, raised her upper body only from the seized position and looked at me with eyes that said she didn’t know what had happened. I pulled out the sword, blood spurted out. “Master!” The maid who had been serving me all day – Zoe – rushed over to me, ripped off her own maid’s clothes and tended to my shoulder. “I-I’m really sorry!” The girl came to herself and got down on her knees to me. “Hmm? And also why are you on your knees?” “F ...... for hurting His Highness.” “Well, I never mentioned about a passing grade, but judging by what you just did, by all appearances, that was a passing grade, don’t you agree?” The girl paused. ” So that was enough to pass” “And she’ s been accepted.” “To someone who has pierced his shoulder, ...... such a big caliber of a person ......” As the onlookers buzzed around, the girl was still in a state of shock and didn’t come back.

I left the Great Hall and returned to the Study with His Majesty. I was the only one who was called to come with him. His Majesty returned to his desk and sat down in his chair as usual, and I faced him across the desk. “Well, Noah.” “Yes” “It’s about the hostages. What do you think about the idea of assigning one of the princesses as your concubine in order to give them a favor?” ” It would be better to have her as the wife of my son than as a mere hostage.” It would be a political marriage. This is a standard procedure. I thought about it for a while. His Majesty said, “Give them a favor.” That is the general policy that His Majesty thinks. With that as the starting point – or rather, the unmoving endpoint. He thought of something that would further benefit the empire, along with that. After a number of things raced through my mind like lightning, I bowed to His Majesty and replied. “I think it would be better not to take any hostages.” “Hou? Do you have any interesting ideas?” His Majesty looked at me with curious eyes. “Yes. First of all, we don’t need hostages. Mother and sister. Not many people can hold those as hostages and completely split, no matter how much they know they need them.” “Of course not.” “So, let’s send them back. Instead, we will supply them with the food that we have discussed earlier. I’ll send it in weekly shipments.” “Every week?” “Yes, just enough to feed the people of the Rushi Tsar, every week.” “And what will happen—–haa” His Majesty was about to ask when he realized it. He looked at me, first with surprise, then with a smirk on the corner of his mouth. “That’s intense, Noah.” With that one word, I was sure that he understood my intentions. I nodded and continued. “Yes, it’s all about baiting, sir. If we feed them, they will gradually become unable to stay away from this ration of food. Taking into account the fact that the supply will be cut off in case of emergency, this will become a de facto hostage.” “Umu, that’s right.” “Furthermore, if they become so dependent on this bait that they start to seek other sources of supply...” “Double-dealing- the first sign of betrayal. Is that what you mean?” I nodded quietly. “We’ll send food, we don’t need hostages. It could be a way to kill two birds with one stone, to ingratiate ourselves and at the same time hold their lifeline.” “Umu. That’s great, Noah. Okay, I’ll let you go ahead with that idea.” His Majesty seemed to be satisfied with my proposal. The next morning, I was at the residence of the Thirteenth Prince next to the Royal Palace. When I entered the fief, I left Dylan in charge of this place. Dylan, who had served me – the Thirteenth Prince – for many years, had maintained the mansion in the capital without a hitch. I had some business to attend to in the capital for a while longer, so I decided to stay here for the time being. Waking up in the morning in the room I had been familiar with for more than ten years, I had the maids I had left here get ready. Now, where to start today ....... “Call Shirley and the rest.” I ordered the maids and they immediately went to call them. As I headed to the living room, I waited while I sipped the tea the maid had made for me. After a while, two women came into the living room. Shirley Glans and Sheryl Hyde. Shirley was the only knight I took when I was a judge for the first time. Sheryl was an aspiring knight I had met before I met Indra, and after that, she was ambitious and promising, so I went in as a guest judge at the knight selection and brought her up. As soon as the two of them entered the room, they knelt down and bowed to me as I sat on the sofa. “You wanted to see us, Your Highness?” “Yes. I wanted to check out the results of your training. Checking your homework, I mean.” “I understand.” The two exchanged glances, and Shirley drew her sword first. “Aah, you can both come at me at the same time.” “Ehh? But...” “That is ......” “It’s fine, come now.” I said and stood up. Stepping forward, I faced the two head-on. They exchange another glance. Nodding at each other, they shake off their doubts. Sheryl, too, drew her sword and unleashed it. “Haaaah!” Shirley and Sheryl attacked from both sides as if they were pinning me down. I stood there and didn’t move. Shirley’s slash went into my neck, and Cheryl’s went into my waist. Ding! A high-pitched metallic sound rang out, and sparks flew. The two slashes were blocked. “Come again” “”Yes!!”” Both of them are knights that I selected myself as a selector. There was no hesitation in their attacks because they used the same methods as when I selected them. I didn’t even move to receive the attacks. The Armor Ring and the “absolute defense” of Leviathan and the other five bodies. There was only Leviathan who did this first. The Water Demon Sword and the Armor Ring were linked together to create an automatic defense shield away from the body. That method was something that I, and Leviathan and the others, were slowly getting used to. Now, they could put up a protective membrane that was almost like a thin layer of skin attached to the body. In addition, not only Leviathan, but also Bahamut, Fuwawa, Behemoth, and Apophis. They all have different specialties, and now they are able to better repel the attacks they are good at. Leviathan can accurately block water and slashes, while Bahamut can almost completely nullify fire and combat. Because of the skin-like covering on my body, from the side, it looks like I’m being slashed by both of them one way or the other without me doing anything, but the truth is that I have quite a bit of leeway. This can be seen from the fact that I’m standing there with a calm face, while the two who are attacking me are already drenched in sweat. The ferocious assault by the two continued for five minutes. It was like holding your breath for five minutes in a mad dash. The two of them were completely out of breath and fell to their knees on the spot. “Umu. Well done, both of you. Shirley has become more and more proficient with the weight of her blows, and Sheryl has become more and more proficient with her moves.” “T-thank you, .......” “Your Highness is becoming more and more ...... amazing.” “The distance between us just keeps getting further and further.” “You guys still seem to have a lot of room to grow. You should work harder.” The two responded in unison, putting their swords away and catching their breath. I didn’t say that to comfort them, but both Shirley and Cheryl have improved since the last time I checked on their training. There’s still room for them to get stronger if they continue to work hard, I really thought. Clap Clap Clap. Suddenly, I heard the sound of applause in the living room. I looked and saw that my brother Henry had arrived before I knew it. “Brother, when did you get here?” “Just arrived. Oh, don’t blame the servants. I told them they need not report it.” “I see. Please.” I told Shirley and Sheryl to leave and sat down on the sofa with my brother. As before, I let my brother sit on the top seat and I sat on the lower seat. “It’s impressive, Noah. You said those two have gotten stronger, but I think Noah has grown even more.” “That’s right, it may be s”o. ‘Fumu. That’s good, but isn’t that way of doing things really dangerous? You know, just in case.” My brother asked the obvious question. “The two of them are worth it.” “Hou?” “I want to be able to trust them when the time comes, so I want to know what they’re capable of ....... I believe the more you experience it, the more you understand.” “You’re still amazing. I understand the logic, but if you were to ask me to do the same thing, I wouldn’t be able to.” “I’m just putting up with it.” “The privileges of the nobility, huh.” ”Fufu”, saying that Brother Henry laughed.

Child Compensation “‘Why is the chief’s daughter in this state? Answer me.” “Uuh. ......” Peiyu tried to remain silent, but, since the magic of absolute obedience had already been cast, she could not disobey my orders. She bit her lips and answered my question in a choppy voice. “My father made me flee.” “The chief? But if you are the daughter of the chief, you must be a high priority as a target for the loot. It’s not that easy to get away, and even if you could, you wouldn’t be sold like this.” “My father killed a different child along with my mother, and then committed suicide.” Then I understand the story. I looked at His Majesty, who had reigned at the pinnacle of the Empire for many years and had even made the occasional procession, and nodded quietly. The chief probably realized that he was losing and staged a family suicide. It is a common occurrence. The end of a defeated warrior is usually tragic. They would prefer not to live to experience it, nor for their children to experience it. It is very common for a defeated leader to personally kill his family. Perhaps after the chief did this, the headcount was right when the crime scene was examined, so it was cleared out. “So you escaped, but you couldn’t manage to get away, so you were caught and sold to the slavers.” “......” Peiyu nodded quietly. “I was told to throw away my name and go live a quiet life somewhere .......” Well, now we know the story. “Noah, what will you do with the girl?” Peiyu shuddered when His Majesty asked. As Minister of Justice, I pulled out the imperial laws that I’ve had all through my head. “The Saeis were not originally part of the empire, so this was not a rebellion. Therefore, for the bloodline of the Chief, men are to be beheaded and women are to be given as slaves to those with merit.” “Are you saying that there is no need to do anything special?” “It is exactly as you say, sir.” Peiyu is already a slave. She can’t disobey my orders no matter what, because of the magic of absolute obedience. If I order her to die here, she will scream and cry, but her body will move on its own according to the order. I looked at her, and our eyes met. Her frightened look quickly made her avert her eyes and look away. She looked frightened, and I looked at her expression. It was a face that correctly understood that the man in front of her had the right to kill her and was therefore frightened. “Then, I’ll leave the girl to Noah.” I dropped to my knees and bowed my head. It seemed like a gift from His Majesty once again. Standing up, I looked at Peiyu. “So it is. From now on, you are my slave. You will be a maid in my house.” “Maid?” “Yes, that’s right.” “You’re not going to kill me?” “That won’t be necessary.” People are treasures. Because I had heard about Jerry’s success just before, and because Peiyu was already under the spell of absolute obedience. I have no intention of killing her. “...... Ah, um...” After a slight hesitation, she summoned up the courage to speak up. “Can everyone come ...... together?” “Everyone?” “Yes.” Peiyu nodded nervously and looked around. There were still many jute bags around her. ” Everyone is a friend who grew up in the same village. ......” After nodding, I turned to the slaver who had been silent for a while. “Everything you have here has been purchased.” “Thank you for your patronage!” “And did you catch our conversation?” Then I took out the money and handed it to the slaver. I gave him reens, the money I carry around in a bag. “If there are any survivors of the Saei tribe, send them to the th Prince’s residence instead of selling them.” “M-My Lord?!” The slaver was exaggeratedly surprised. “Understood. Please leave everything to me.” “Is that all?” “—-! Yes, sir! Thank you very much!” Peiyu looked very impressed and smiled a big smile. Her smile, although small, it was beautiful, but... More than that... Name: Noah Ararat Minister of Justice Gender: Male Level: 15 / ∞ HPC+DMPE+D StrengthC+AStaminaD+DIntelligenceE+DSpiritE+DSpeedE+EDexterityE+DLuckE+D FireE+AWaterC+SWindE+FEarthE+DLight E+CDarknessE+C It was more noticeable with the “+” in physical strength had gone up one step. A few days later, in the capital of Almeria, Nisir’s mansion. I arrived in the early afternoon and called Zoe in the living room. Zoe, the head maid. Her loyalty to me is proven, and I’ve entrusted her with the management of all my maids. I called her up. “I entrust you with all the slaves I brought back from the capital.” ” Understood. So they are all maids, is that correct?” “Yes. They’re under a spell of absolute obedience, and I’ve told them to obey your commands unless I override them. They are all yours.” “I respectfully obey.” “And...” As I was about to say a few more words just in case, the door opened and Audrey came into the room. “Welcome back, Noah-sama.” “I’m home. Have you experienced any changes in the house while we were away?” “Nothing changed at the residence. Everything is as usual.” “I have something to tell you, Noah-sama.” “What it may be?” I was a little surprised. Standing up, I approached Audrey. I knelt in front of her, though I couldn’t see it, stared at her belly, touching it gently. “Are you sure?” “Yes.” “I see. Well done. I’m glad.” It’s strange. After Audrey told me, this feeling came up from deep in my chest. This feeling of being filled with all kinds of things. It was interesting to see the change that had developed in my feelings. “Thank you very much.” ” We need to decide on a name.” “Yes please.” I stood up and thought for a moment. Several names came to mind, and I narrowed them down to two. “Sem if we have a boy.” “I think that’s a great name. “And if we have a girl then, Evis.” Right when I said that. It was the same moment. The scene I was familiar with for quite some time changed for the first time. Level: 15 + 1 / ∞ HPC+DMPE+DStrengthC+AStaminaD+DIntelligenceD+DSpiritE+DSpeedE+EDexterityE+DLuckE+D FireE+AWaterC+SWindE+FEarthE+DLight E+CDarknessE+C Not just abilities so far. A ” + ” has been added to the level value as well. “Did something happen?” “Zoe, my status.” I didn’t answer Audrey directly, but I ordered Zoe, who was standing at a slight distance from me in the middle of the conversation. Zoe cast a spell on me in a familiar way, without bothering to ask me back. Level: 16 / ∞ HPAMPCStrengthSSSStaminaBIntelligenceBSpiritCSpeedDDexterityCLuckC FireSWaterSSSWindEEarthCLight BDarknessB My outward status was displayed. Audrey glanced at it and said. “Your level has gone up. When did it go up?” “Now.” “Eh?” “I just named the baby in your belly and it went up.” “—!” Audrey and Zoe both had a look of surprise on their faces. These two know that my abilities increase every time I have more subordinates or fiefs. “Your level also increases ......? Amazing .......” The two of them were immensely surprised by this first-time phenomenon.

In the living room of the inner garden of the mansion. I was standing in front of my maid, Zoe. I was seated with my back leaning deeply against the sofa, and Zoe was standing directly in front of me. ” As per Master’s orders, I have secured four wet nurses. All of them are full-term mothers, and their milk production is guaranteed.: “Hmm” “I’ve also secured four babysitters as ordered, and sixteen educators. Two of the educators were recommended by Evelyn-san and one by Shirley-sama.” ” Okay.” Four wet nurses, four babysitters, and sixteen educators. These are the people I have lined up for my child who is about to be born. The royal family does not allow mothers to raise their children on their own breast milk unless they are very lucky. There are several reasons for this. One is that it is considered unsafe and should not be done. The other reason is that to put it bluntly, a noblewoman must continue to give birth until she gives birth to an heir, a male. Therefore, rather than raising children, they need to recover to the point where they can give birth to another child as soon as possible. In fact, I was reincarnated and have memories from the moment I was born, and I remember well that I was raised on the milk of a wet nurse instead of my mother. Furthermore, if you are the Crown Prince, your siblings basically do not exist. This is because they assign stillborn women as wet nurses. Because siblings are special in some way, they eliminate the possibility from the beginning. Before the Empire took over, the emperor’s brothers and sisters interfered in politics and tilted the country, so the Empire does not allow the Crown Prince to have milk siblings. “But ...... this is amazing .......” “Hmm? What do you mean, Zoe?” “The child hasn’t even been born yet, and you’ve already provided almost twenty humans. I’ve never heard of so many wet nurses and babysitters.” “Because it’s for the family.” “For the household, you mean” I nodded quietly. “A good child will make the next generation of the family better. That’s why you have to put so much effort into it.” “I see! As expected of Master!” Once Zoe was convinced, I folded my fingers and counted the days until the birth. Audrey’s belly was swelling steadily, and the doctor’s regular checkups indicated that she was doing well. Can’t wait for the due date. While I was thinking about this, there was a knock on the door, and Zoe head for it. The door opened and one of the maids whispered to Zoey. Zoe nodded and returned, closing the door behind her. “Master.” “What happened?” “They say a good omen has appeared.” “Again?” I chuckled, looking half-amused. Recently, I’ve been hearing a lot of good omens. The first one was a meteorite that was said to have naturally formed the word “wise. This was a total fabrication. Next, a child was born clutching a jewel. And now, they say, another good omen has appeared. “What is it this time? Has it arrived as a gift yet?” “No, it’s not a gift.” “Not an object, then?” “Yes, please look out the window.” “......?” I nodded my head getting up from the couch and going to the window. I was surprised, so much so that I gasped. To my surprise, there was an Aurora in the sky outside the window. A curtain of polar lights high in the sky. Definitely, something you don’t normally see. “Aurora here in this place?” “There hasn’t been anything like this in Almeria for at least a few hundred years.” “Maybe.” Auroras are usually seen in the far north or the far south. They don’t usually appear in places like here in Almeria, where the climate is warm enough for farming. “Bahamut.” “Is that some kind of man-made thing?” {I can’t feel any such will.} It appears to be naturally occurring. I thought that makes sense. It’s no wonder it’s a good omen. “After all, it is amazing that Master’s presence can make such a thing appear .......” Zoe’s reaction was normal. Good Omens= something good that exists for rulers, so I was being looked at with admiration. As it turned out, it’s was a good omen. A few months later, Audrey was safely in her last month of pregnancy and gave birth to a gem of a boy. The delivery was quite easy, and both mother and child are healthy. “You did great, Audrey.” I said to Audrey as she lay on the bed. “Thank you very much.” “Since we have a boy, we’ll name him Shem, as we decided.” “Yes, .......” Audrey nodded, her eyes closing softly with a faint smile as she finished her big task. “Now, ...... Zoe.” “I understand.” Zoe approached the baby – Sem – who was being held by the caretaker and cast a spell. It’s the same thing that was performed right after I was born – when I reincarnated. A spell was cast to check his abilities. Immediately after, the child’s status came up. Name: Sem Ararat Gender: Male Level: /HPFMPFStrengthFStaminaFIntelligenceFSpiritFSpeedF DexterityFLuckF FireFWaterFWindFEarthFLight FDarknessE “””Ohhhh!?””” The moment the status was displayed, the maids, wet nurses, and babysitters in the room all shouted in surprise at the same time. “Upper limit of level 0?” “As expected of Master, this is incredible. Master’s blood has been passed on to the young master.” “That’s right.” The upper limit of 100 levels is quite something. Even level 15 is in the top 5% of the human population. With the upper limit being level 100, it is a talent that is only found in one in tens of millions of people. “I believe the good omen was a prediction of this. “That may be so. ...... yeah. I have to grant this boy his domain.” Although not as much as the Prince, the Prince’s children are generally given some territory as well. It’s common, but of course, it’s not the only reason. If the upper limit of the level is as high as 100 after inheriting my blood, then what about this unique power of mine that increases my abilities by adding territories and people? “Let’s grant Dosso. Sounds good, Zoe.” “Thank you very much!” Zoe bowed her head happily. Dosso is her homeland. Giving it to my firstborn son, Sem, who is the most likely heir, would be a kind of gift. After that, I ordered Zoe to call up the status again. Name: Sem Ararat Gender: Male Level: 1/100 HPFMPFStrengthFStaminaFIntelligenceFSpiritFSpeedFDexterityFLuckF FireFWaterFWindF EarthFLight FDarknessE I see the “+” is still unique to me, and I guess I didn’t pass it on to my children. Still. “Level 100 is it” “When was the last time there was three digits?” “Wasn’t it about fifty years ago, General Grant-sama?” The people around me naturally expected more from Sem, and at the same time, they looked at me with increasing respect. With the birth of Sem, I flew to the capital. When a child is born, especially if it’s a boy, it’s the prince’s duty to report it to the emperor. To fulfill this duty, I returned to the capital, entered the royal palace, and sought an audience with His Majesty. I was soon granted an audience, and I came to His Majesty’s study. “Ohh, you’ve arrived well, Noah.” His Majesty, who was in his study, raised his hands and came towards me with a big smile on his face. I got down on one knee and bowed to him in the proper manner. ” No need to be so formal, raise your head.” “I heard about your kid. Sem, was it?” “Yes.” “And the level limit is 100. It’s Noah’s boy alright.” “It’s my pleasure. I will return to the fief and return to the capital with Sem soon, so I hope Your Majesty will hold him once.” “Umu, I will. Noah, I have something to tell you.” “Something to tell me?” When I looked up, I was a little surprised. His Majesty’s face was more serious than ever. His face, which had been smiling so much earlier, suddenly became serious. “That’s right.” His Majesty nodded and dropped a bombshell. “I am going to abdicate and become the Ex-Emperor.” I was indeed surprised. In the sixteen years since I was reincarnated, this is the most surprising moment. ” ...... What do you mean?” “I’ve given it a lot of thought. Noah had also advised me, but I was still uncertain about that.” My advice – implanting a will in your body, something that says who the next emperor will be. “There is no difference between that and having the next emperor decided without me. So I thought it would be best to decide on the next emperor while I’m still able to make good decisions.” “...... yes” There is a point to what His Majesty said. No, rather, I should say that it is as good as it gets. “So – Noah, be the next emperor.” “...... Sem, right?” Instantly, a bolt of white lightning went through my brain. A month or so ago, I wouldn’t have known. But now I know. Now that Sem was born, I knew what His Majesty was thinking. “You’re really something, Noah.” He complimented me. “Umu. With a level limit of 100, Sem is a talent like no other in tens of millions. If Noah takes the throne, the empire is guaranteed to prosper for three generations.” “That’s the idea. Perform well, Noah.” “......” I thought about it for a moment and then knelt silently. “I understand. For the prosperity of three generations to come, I will do my best to live up to your expectations.” His Majesty nodded and patted me on the shoulder. “The ceremonies and such are yet to come, but as of this moment, I hand over the throne.” At that moment, the status in the corner of my vision changed. Name: Noah Ararat Emperor of the Empire Level: 15 + 1 / ∞ HPC+CMPE+CStrengthC+SStaminaD+CIntelligenceD+CSpiritE+CSpeedE+CDexterityE+CLuckE+C FireE+SWaterC+SSWindE+EEarthE+CLight E+BDarknessE+B My title changed to Emperor, and all the “+”s have been raised one level. ...... I see. When I became the Prime Minister, all of my “+”s went up to SSS. But now, all of them have just gone up one level. That means that even after becoming the Emperor – His Majesty – he still doesn’t intend to give up all his power. So I said, “I will continue to work hard and become an Emperor worthy of being entrusted with the entire Empire.” “That’s the great thing about you. The second generation is in safe hands.” His Majesty smiled happily. Thus, I went from being the Prince to being the Emperor.

It was nighttime, and this time I was in the living room of the mansion watching the mock battle between Leviathan and Luthiya, which I had ordered to be “restrained” when a maid knocked and entered the room. It was a maid named Cecily, who took Evelyn’s place, and whose face was not usually seen at this time of the day. “Master, you have a visitor.” “Who is it?” “An envoy of His Majesty’s, with an imperial order.” I stood up quickly. It was late at night, but I had no choice but to meet him. “Let him through.” Cecily left the room, and a moment later a man entered. I was a little surprised. It was a familiar face. Rice Cake.[THIS NAAAME] He’s one of my brother Henry’s men, the one who was out suppressing the rebellion a while back. “Yes.” I got down on one knee in front of Rice. The messenger who came with the imperial order is the emperor’s representative, so to speak. The courtesy must be done to the emperor in all respects, and in cases like this where the imperial order is being conveyed, it is a crime of disrespect for a third party to interfere in any way. So I got down on one knee, lowered my head, and listened quietly. “The first battle of the Wise Prince Noah Ararat shall be postponed. Stand by until further notice.” I bowed and stood up smoothly. The next moment, as if by turns, Rice knelt down and bowed to me. “Long time no see, Your Highness.” “Hmm? Oh, so you’re Brother Henry’s Retainer’.” Rice bowed his head further in response. The royal family sometimes sends their servants and employees out as officials and commanders. A person with that kind of origin is called a “Retainer” in the sense of “a person brought forth from a noble family”. I also sent Evelyn to be a representative of a small land in Armeria a while ago. It’s the same thing, but Rice has risen much higher than Evelyn. And there’s one important thing. Rice has the status of a public official, but he is also a “servant” of the royal family. At the same time, while he is Brother Henry’s servant, he is also my servant. That’s why, as soon as the imperial order was given, Rice got down on one knee and bowed to me. “Well, you can make yourself comfortable.” And with that, I sat back down on the couch. Rice, of course, stood and faced me. “Zoe!” Zoe walked in. “Give the messenger his traveling expenses, reens.” Zoe left the room and I faced Rice again. “I understand His Majesty’s decree, but how did it come to this?” “It’s all because of Your Highness.” “What do you mean?” “Henry-sama, when the Ministry of Military Affairs reported the results of the fortune-telling to His Majesty, he was very pleased.” “In that case, he said, we must do something big. The Ministry of Military Affairs and the Ministry of Finance are going to work together to carry out a large-scale project.” I nodded quietly. That’s important, too. The common people love a heroic tale. If it’s the royal family that’s in charge, they need to spread the word. “It’s unheard of for one person to be chosen for the first battle. His Majesty is working with Henry-sama and His Eighth Highness to find a way to spread his greatness throughout the Empire.” I nodded further. If that’s the case, then I guess I won’t be around for a while in relation to the first campaign. The next day, I took Shirley with me to Cobalt Street. Luthiya’s growth and the mock battle had raised my level. Because of these two new powers, I came to Cobalt Street, where antiques and treasures are gathered, to find more items like Leviathan and Luthiya. I walked around with Shirley in tow, but couldn’t find anything that looked like it at all. Well, it’s not so easy to find something like Leviathan or Luthiya. Both of them are real treasures, not something that comes along very often. Deciding that it couldn’t be helped if I couldn’t find anything, I went around and came to the store, and I found Alan, a familiar face. With a big smile on his face, he ushered Shirley and me into the back of the store. In the guest room, I sat down and Shirley, the knight, stood guard behind me. “What can I do for you today, sir?” Alan asked, wringing his hands like a businessman. “I’m looking for an item ......, yes, a magic tool that has a will of its own.” “I see. ......” “Do you have anything like that? Anything, like a cursed doll.” “I’m thinking maybe one of those... oh, no, that’s, uh...” “Hmm?” Why are you stammering all of a sudden? I looked at Alan with such a look. “The one I was talking about is a fake. It’s just an item to be forced on an amateur.” I chuckled. This is a store that deals in antiques and treasures, so of course, it happens. “So there is no such thing, now?” “Yes. ...... I’m very sorry. ......” “Okay, then.” I took out a leather bag from my pocket. It’s the money in case I find a treasure. “Keep it, I’ve got ,00 reens. Call me when you find a bargain like that.” “Yes!” “If you find it properly, I’ll give you a separate reward. See you.” With that, I left the store with Shirley. Alan walked us out of the store, bowing his head for all time as he saw us off. Now, what to do – hmm? “What’s the matter Shirley, you look so strange.” After we left the store, I noticed that Shirley had been pouting the whole time. “N-no. I was just wondering what was that now.” “Now?” “Umm...the money you handed?” Shirley said in an unsure tone. “What else it would be, shopping?” “...... That was shopping?” “I’ve never seen shopping like that. You paid 10,000 reens for something you didn’t even have.” “Aah.” “That was ...... amazing ....... And it’s not even close to the price.” I know how she felt, in my previous life I would have reacted the same way Shirley does now. But that’s what aristocratic shopping is all about. With Shirley’s tongue rolling, we left Cobalt Street, taking one last look at the stalls. “Aaaah!?” Suddenly, I heard a loud man’s voice in the crowded street. It seemed to be well heard by those around him, and the bustle of the antique market instantly quieted down. “Say that again, what did you just say?” In the silence, I heard the voice from before again. I looked towards the voice and saw a man with a bald head, clearly visible from a distance, shouting at the owner of the stall. “S-sir. This item was pre-ordered by another customer.” “I’m the one who’s buying it!” The owner of the stall cowered at the man’s renewed threat. And I approached them. “Stop.” I said to the man. “Hmm? Well, well, Noah-sama, isn’t it?” “Do you know me?” The man suddenly changed his attitude and became rather courteous. No, that’s not it. It was more like a superficial courtesy. “I am sorry for the late introduction, but my name is Darren, a Retainer of His Highness Gilbert.” “Daren.” ” I believe we’ve met at the Ministry of the Imperial Household?” “Mmm.” The Ministry of the Imperial Household is the ministry that oversees the royal family’s ‘internal affairs’. While the Ministry of Finance manages the imperial treasury, the Ministry of the Interior manages the emperor and the royal family’s wallet. Because of its close contact with the royal family, the Ministry of the Imperial Household tends to look down on other ministries with a strange sense of elite. “That’s fine. What are you doing more than that? I heard you talking, but that was a threat.” “Well, well, Noah-sama is the Minister of Justice, and you don’t know it?” Daren looked at me with scornful eyes. “People in the Ministry of the Imperial Household cannot be charged with any crime other than the crime of internal disturbance, so to speak, an extralegal privilege. This is in order to maintain the stability of the imperial family, and is firmly enshrined in imperial law.” “......” Indeed, it is. I had forgotten about it because I don’t get involved with the Ministry of the Imperial Household very often, but it’s true. Yes, but. “So? I hope you don’t need to interfere.” “N-Noah-sama......” Shirley called out my name cautiously. I’m sure I’m making a very scary face right now. The royal family, especially the servants of the king, have a very high status in their own right. Even a gatekeeper is considered to have the status of a low-ranking knight who is not involved with the royal family. If you are a servant of His Majesty’s first child, the First Prince Gilbert, and you are a member of the Ministry of the Imperial Household with privileges, this attitude is not surprising. “All right, that’s fine. But...” “But?” Daren looked at me with a “Is there anything more?” as if looking down on me. “You’re my Brother’s Retainer, aren’t you? Then why are you just standing there looking at me?” “Mmm.” For the first time, Daren’s color changed. That’s what Rice did to me yesterday. It’s the same thing as when I knelt before Rice because he came to pronounce an imperial decree, but when he was done, he knelt before me as a ‘Royal Family’s Retainer’. It’s the same thing. Daren should have been more reverent to me. “I-I didn’t notice...” “It’s too late. Shirley.” “Get this guy. Tie him to the ground and whip him.” “Hey!” Darren’s eyes widen in shock. “You’re insane! I’m Gilbert-sama’s...” “Don’t you understand that you’ve smeared dirt on Brother Gilbert’s face? Shirley, do it!” When Shirley understood what he was saying, she stepped forward and grabbed Darren. Daren resisted, but Shirley had the power to break through even the Leviathan’s protection. She caught Darren without difficulty and twisted his hand behind his back. “Um,......, the rope is .......” “H-Here, please use this.” A man stepped forward from the crowd and held out the rope. “Thank you.” Shirley took it, borrowed a post from a nearby store, and tied Darren up. This time someone held out a whip, which Shirley took. “Noah-sama, how many lashes do you want?” I broke my sentence there, glanced at Daren, and then said to Shirley. “If you or any of my maids, or any of my retainers, or any of my men, ever mistreat my people, I will execute you without mercy.” “I understand.” Shirley nodded, and without hesitation, whipped Daren out. A cheer went up at that moment. “Shameful.” “He got what he deserved for being so arrogant.” “Thank you, Your Highness.” The people around were surprisingly overjoyed and laughed as they watched Darren being whipped. Shirley continued to whip Daren until he passed out.

“Hmm, this is fine” When I came back to the mansion, I had my upper body stripped in the living room and treated myself. I removed the cloth that the maids had treated me with and created an armor to adhere around the wound with a ring linked to the Leviathan. The material, which feels like metal, but not metal, is a strange material, and I pressed it snugly around the wound to stop the bleeding. Then I turned my attention to the girl who had been brought back. The girl shrank back a little. She looks like a child who is scared of her parents’ anger – or something more. “Anyway, let me hear your name.” “Oh ...... Ah excuse me.” The girl panicked, poof, got down on her knees and just said her name. “My name is Shi-Shirley Glans,” “Shirley. Your armor is pretty well made, did you make it yourself?” “No, It’s been passed down for generations....... um.” “Hmm, what?” “My matter earlier......what will happen to that....” “That, for the crime of accidentally hurting His Imperial Highness... ......” Shirley gets down on her hands and knees and simply looks up. She looks extremely scared. I thought I told everyone not to worry about it earlier. “That crime doesn’t exist.” “Huh? But in imperial law ......” “That’s not true. I mean, if you’re guilty of accidentally hurting someone, it doesn’t exist.” “What kind of ...... is that?” Shirley tilted her head. “Stand up Shirley.” “Try that thrust again on me.” “Huh? But ......” “If you are a knight, you need to follow orders.” “–Ha! Excuse me.” Shirley stood up, drew her long sword and held it ready. Her expression changed drastically, her scared look was almost blown away, and she had an imposing face. As it was, she released a thrust with the spirit of a splendid shout of enthusiasm. It is a thrust that is no less than the time of the knight selection. I stopped it. Or rather a shield put out by Leviathan stopped it. “This much is...... eh?” Shirley immediately noticed the “difference”. She was surprised to find that the shield that she could penetrate during the selection process wouldn’t budge at all. “It doesn’t budge at all, does it?” “Yes, even if I press–pull back!? This is ...... amazing.” It was as if the tip of the sword had been sucked into the shield, neither pushing nor pulling, and Shirley was taken aback by this. “If I really wanted to prevent it, those attacks wouldn’t go through. So there’s no such thing as you did it ‘accidentally’. I made it happen.” “W-Why?” Shirley was even more confused. “A knight is supposed to follow orders. You’re a slave at best if you can’t follow orders to the letter. I’ve got a lot of plans, but I don’t want anyone in there trying to get in my face and not really bothering me in the first place.” “Ye-yes!” “If I want slaves I would have collected them through the method one collect a slave. This time, I was selecting a knight. That’s what I mean.” “So, ...... you have no regard for your own danger?” “I wanted to know how people would react after hurting me. And even for the second time, you came for real on my orders. You passed.” “......, yes.” Shirley nodded with a chuckle. She rolled her eyes and opened her mouth with a pout. Then she looked at me with impressed eyes. “So, you’ve passed. Just to confirm, you intended to be my knight, correct?” Shirley hurriedly corrected her position, got down on one knee and bowed her head. This etiquette was rather – no, that’s the one in the plays. The formal etiquette of the aristocracy is not understood by the common people, it’s more passed down to the common people as something that looks good for a play or performance or something. Shirley gave that kind of knightly bow, the kind you do in plays. “I, Shirley Grans. I pledge my lifelong loyalty to His Royal Highness the Prince.” Again, this wasn’t an official sentence, but the feeling came through. Above all. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Wise Prince Gender: Male Level: / ∞ HPF+FMPFStrengthF+EStaminaF+FIntelligenceF+FSpiritF+FSpeedF+FDexterityF+FLuckF+F FireFWaterE+SWindFEarthFLight FDarknessF My ability increases as I take in more subordinates. This increase in ability for me was much more important and easy to understand than proper or improper etiquette. Come to think of it, Shirley may have been the single individual who rose my abilities the most. “I’m counting on you, Shirley” “——Yes!” After the talk with Shirley was over, as if waiting for it, the serving maid brought in a doctor. A middle-aged man, fat and round, with a ratty mustache on his face. He’s a familiar face. He’s the court physician, His Imperial Physician. His name is Goode Croy, as I recall. Although his real name was Bade, he was a doctor, and His Majesty gave him the name Goode because it was too sinister.(TN: Well his name was literally Bad and now got changed to Good, I just added ‘e’ at the end to sound it better than just Good and Bad) That’s how much he is trusted by His Majesty for his medical skills. “Even if you came, it’s an overreaction.” “Ha. Let’s see the wound.” “Ah.” Since he came, I shouldn’t refuse him. All I did was stop the bleeding as a first aid measure anyway. I ordered Leviathan to release the armor that clings to my skin like an underclothing. An instant later, blood spurts out in a pushy spray. “–!” “...... please be patient.” Shirley gulped, but Goode, as expected of a doctor, looked at the mere non-life-threatening injuries at first glance, without moving an eyebrow. “I will say. Luckily, the bones and tendons have been dislodged, so I hope you can keep the stitches.” “I see. Do it.” “Now, the anesthesia–“ “No, we’re in the middle of a conversation, so just do it quickly.” “H-huh...Okay” Goode nodded to me as I sat in a relaxed manner and took out a suture needle and thread. Wiping the blood clean, he stitched together the skin’s surface. When he finished sewing the front, Goode looked up and stared at me. “What’s the matter, do I have something on my face?” “Well, No, I’ve never heard of anyone who didn’t change their expression with these sutures, let alone their voice.” “Really?” “I’m impressed,” With that, Goode went behind me and started stitching there, too. Because Goode was gone from my sight, I saw Shirley, who had been hidden by the guy’s body, actually watching the stitching with great interest. “What’s up Shirley?” “Oh, uh, ...... I thought doctors were great.” “Hmm?” “I’ve never seen a treatment for a cut like this before. It’s the first time I’ve seen it.” “Have you never seen a doctor?” “There is no doctor in the village.” “What?” I raised an eyebrow. “There’s no doctor in the village?” “Yes. That ...... is something wrong with it?” “So what if people get hurt or sick?” Asking Obaba-sama to pray for you, and paying her off for your sickness. “ ” It s a common practice in poor villages.” Goode interrupted me from behind. The fact that he was sighing probably meant that he felt bitter as a doctor. “Hey Goode.” “How can one be a doctor,” “Well, it is more common to be apprenticed to a doctor who is already in business or is already in practice.” “Are you also taking disciples?” “Yes, some of them.” “Shirley” “Your first order. Bring a clever, hard-working boy from your village.” “Uh, ......?” “Goode, I’ll provide you some apprentices.” After a pause for a breath, Goode nodded quietly behind me. “Uh ...... your highness? What on earth is ......” Shirley still can’t seem to grasp the situation and asks me fearfully “I’ll pay for tuition and living expenses. Bring me the one who is going to be a doctor and treat everyone in the village.” “......, thank you!” Shirley hurriedly dropped to her knees and bowed to me as if she were on the ground. Knights don’t do it this way, so hey, I’ll have to teach her something. Shirley, who only looked up, stared at me with an increasingly respectful gaze.

When I returned home, I called Don in the living room. He was still recovering from his injuries, and as soon as he entered the room, he got down on his knees with a mysterious look on his face. It’s been twelve years since I was born as a Prince, and I’ve gotten accustomed to being flattered, but this was a little out of the ordinary for Don. “I’m ready for it.” “Ready?” “Yes. I believe I will be accused of betraying the Lord and tipping him off. I will make no excuses. At the very least, I will be beheaded.” “Don’t get ahead of yourself.” A shaky voice interrupted Don’s rapid speech. “Eh?” “Who said anything about punishing you?” “B-But ......” “People are treasures, not to be killed for nothing. In the first place, imperial law demands that anyone accused of treason be acquitted. If you were to inform on something else, you would be guilty of a certain crime, but not treason.: “......” Don’s mouth gapes open in exasperation. You didn’t know, huh. “So. I called you here for a few reasons. First, Gilbert was executed. He’s been found guilty of treason and his forces will be destroyed without a trace. So you don’t need to change your name and leave the capital anymore. That’s one.” “Y-Yes ......” “And the reward for accusations of treason is set at a maximum of one thousand reens. That’s not enough, so I’ll put one zero on the end. This is my money. Feel free to take it.” “Why such a large sum?” Don shuddered. He still couldn’t believe that he was going to be saved. It was a misunderstanding that he would be executed in the first place. “You saved my father’s life. What more reason do you need?” “Ah......” “Third. At that time, I said I would send you to serve as a deputy, but now I can send you back to the Ministry of the Imperial Household as my retainer. Tell me what you want to do.”[I guess the nd one is the money] “......” “What, you don’t like that either?” Don looked up quickly, jerked his head to the side, and then rubbed his forehead on the floor again, still on both knees. “You are the one who deserves to be my Lord for life. I will follow you wherever you go.” After saying this, Don raised his head again and looked at me. His eyes were the eyes of a sincere vassal and admirer. The next day, I took Gigi, my maid, to the city to relax. Whether to go to Alice’s place or to Cobalt Street for a treasure hunt. Or perhaps I should explore something new. I decided to have fun all day long, so I didn’t take the carriage and walked with the maid. “Master, there’s something interesting going on.” There was a hint of excitement in Gigi’s eyes as she said this. She has only been a maid for a short time and is still very young, so unlike Zoe and Evelyn, who is now a governor, she has not lost her childlike spirit. That’s why, while thinking that it’s a good idea once in a while, I looked towards the “interesting things” that Gigi had mentioned. There was a crowd of people, and in the middle was a woman. She was swinging a sword, and the word “sword dance” came to my mind. Is she some kind of street performer? I thought it sounded interesting, so I headed toward the crowd with Gigi in tow. As we approached and peered through the crowd, the woman who had stopped dancing said to the onlookers in a challenging tone. “The condition is that you fight me and win, and the fee is three reens.” “What will you give me if I win?” One of the spectators asked in a tense voice. From the way he raised his voice, he sounded like a man who was accustomed to being an onlooker. “Myself. Wife, concubine, or servant, I will do whatever the victor commands.” Instantly, the crowd of onlookers began to buzz. So if you pay the entry fee, fight her and win, you get her. “What does that mean?” Gigi, standing next to me, nodded her head curiously. “It’s a kind of auction.” “That’s the one with bidders. In a normal auction, there is only money, but in this kind of auction, other conditions are attached. It started as a black market auction.” “Wow, ......, you really know your stuff, Master! Gigi looked at me with great admiration. I, on the other hand, observed the woman at the auction. She was objectively beautiful, although she had a tendency to be too stern. The fact that I might be able to get her for three reens was quite tempting. The price of slaves in the capital remains high, partly because only certain merchants are authorized by imperial law. If you were to buy them normally, they would cost no less than reens each. But for three reens. Moreover, she is not caught by black slavery or anything like that. The basic definition of a black slave trader in Imperial law is “buying or selling another person”. Selling yourself is not against the law. Immediately, one of the men was motivated and jumped out of the circle of people and in front of the woman. “So, I should just defeat you?” “Yes. But, One on one.” “Huh, you don’t have to tell me – I’m not going to waste it sharing it with someone else!” The man said, and with a disgusted look on his face, stuck out his hand and tried to grab the woman. “”Ohhhh!?”” Instantly, a cheer went up. The man with his hand out spun around and plunged back into the ground. The man looked up at the sky, puzzled, not knowing what had happened to him. The woman held out her hand to the man. “Three reens.” “......eh?” “The entry fee. You didn’t pay it because you thought you’d win anyway, did you?” “He went in there full of confidence and got himself thrashed.” There were shouts of derision here and there from the surrounding onlookers. The man turned red, took a silver coin out of his pocket, slammed it on the ground, and ran away. The woman picked it up and carefully stored it away. “Who’s the next challenger?” She said. Everyone saw that she had beaten the man in an instant, but it was quite tempting to get beauty as beautiful as her for three reens. One after another, challengers came up to pay three reens, but they were all repelled by her. “Heh, I guess it’s my turn now.” “Let’s get the entry fee.” “Don’t panic, if you beat me, I’ll give it to you.” When the man said that, the crowd of onlookers around him started to hoot and cry. By now everyone could see that the woman was no ordinary person. Most of the onlookers were hoping that the new challenger would turn out to be as ugly as the first man. Such is the atmosphere. “Well, here we go!” The man shot his clenched fist at the woman as if to gouge her from below. It was a punch that was expected to have some power, but everyone who had seen the fight so far expected the woman to win. “—Gah!” As the woman tried to dodge and counterattack, she seemed to be caught by something and stopped moving. The next moment, the man’s fist gouged the woman’s stomach. With a clean shot, the woman’s eyes widened, she let out a gasp, and she fell back to lean on the man. “Heh, you promised, you’re mine now.” The man then turned to leave, pushing aside the onlookers who were buzzing at the unexpected turn of events. “Wait.” I did the opposite and pushed past the on lookers and entered the circle of people. “Yeah. You are breaking the rules.” “What are you talking about?” I walked up to him and turned up the hem of the woman’s ankle that he was carrying. There’s a needle stuck in there. “It’s two against one if you let your buddies do this to you, isn’t it?” “What the hell are you talking about, this is–“ Thud. A few feet away, a man collapsed. I intimidated him with my Leviathan and took him down. “He’s your companion, isn’t he?” “Bullshit, Chad, that’s your henchman Rob.” “You two had a drink together at my bar yesterday.” “Let her go, that’s not fair.” It seemed that everyone around them knew that they knew each other. The man, Chad, turned red as the onlookers yelled at him. “Shut up! You little bastard, you’ve done more than you should have!” And then he got upset. He left the woman and attacked me. I guess I’ll have to hurt him a little. So, I pulled Leviathan out of my bracelet. First, I slashed Chad’s shoulders. Chad’s arms were hanging down, his hands were useless. With my reversed grip, I cut Chad’s waistband. The belt was cut, and Chad’s pants fell to the ground with a snap. “What the ......?” “You still want to do this?” I pushed Leviathan to Chad’s throat. Chad’s face grew redder and he shivered. The onlookers around him saw this. “Holy shit, what was that? Where’d that sword come from?” “I didn’t see anything, the technique was impressive.” “That was so much cooler. Chad’s attitude is always so annoying.” Chand was trembling and shaking as everyone around him was saying to each other. “R-Remember that!” And then he spat the words and ran away. The crowd laughed at the sight of him running away with his hands useless, his pants cut off, and nude.

On this day, I was in the center of Nisir. Nisir, the capital of Almeria, is known as the “City of Water” because of the abundance of water that is constantly supplied to the city from a total of eleven water systems. In the square in the center of the city, there is a large fountain made from a branch of one of the water systems. The residents of Nisir gather around the fountain in the distance. Protected by soldiers, I made my way to the fountain, which I had decorated for the ceremony. Above the fountain, a banner read, “Special Water Service Opening Ceremony.” When I reached the fountain, I drank a cup of the gushing water, and then another. Instantly, a huge cheer went up. “Wow, he really drank it, what a great guy!” “Even the first-grade water needed to be boiled before it could be drunk, but to be able to drink it straight from the tap is amazing.” “It seems that the Prince is the one who started the Special-Grade Water.” “Wow, ......” I took one last drink and then slowly left the place as everyone around me buzzed. As I entered a tent set up away from the fountain plaza, I was greeted by one of my men, Don. “Thank you for your hard work, Master Noah.” “Oh, so this is the end of the ceremony.” “Yes, sire. Now that the ceremony is over, we are officially upgrading the Appia Water System to Special Water System.” I nodded silently. This was the most significant work I had done since I entered the fief. “I was surprised when I arrived in Almeria. There’s water, water, water everywhere.” Don said admiringly. His eyes were fixed on the flush toilet at the back of the tent. “I’ve never seen anything like it, even in the capital.” “This?” The tent was erected in such a way as to enclose a public restroom for my use as the Prince, but public restrooms themselves are common in the city. Nisir, the capital of Armeria, has a total of eleven water lines drawn from the abundant water sources around it, so that clean water can be used day and night. The amount of water that can be used by the people is overwhelmingly three times that of the Imperial Capital on a per capita basis. “But isn’t it a waste to leave so much running?” “If we don’t let it run, we’ll be in big trouble.” “Eh?” “Third-grade water is used in public toilets. The first-grade water is for eating and drinking, the second-grade water is for bathing, cleaning, etc., which is not good if you put it in your mouth but is safe if it touches your skin, and the third-grade water is used to keep this toilet and the sewage from clogging up.” “Using ...... for sewage?” “The water gets dirty after use. If you leave it alone, it will clog. That’s why it has to constantly flow.” “Well, both first-grade and second-grade water are kept flowing when they are not in use, and they are diverted so as not to clog the sewage.” “I see! I’ve always thought that it would be less wasteful to install some kind of device at the end of the water supply so that it only flows when it’s used, not left running. It was for the sake of sewage, wasn’t it?” “That’s what I meant. ...... for now, we have one, but I’m planning to turn the remaining ten into special water.” “Why?” “Same as a river, river water with sand and dirt in it will gradually accumulate and clog up. The same goes for the water supply. Maintaining third-grade water is more expensive than you think.” “Isn’t the special-grade water more expensive?” “At first, it is. But in the long run, it’s more economical. Besides, sometimes people die trying to clean up water lines.” People are treasures. So it’s better to eliminate such problems as much as possible. “I’m glad you thought of that ......, Noah-sama.” I smiled back at Don and listened to what was going on outside. The residents of Nisir were very happy to see the opening of the special-grade water that can be drunk as it is. “...... che.” A few days passed, and I was in the study of the mansion’s outer garden. When I read the letter that came back from Brother Oscar, I couldn’t help but click my tongue. Don, who was in the corner of the room taking care of some political matters, noticed my clicking and came over to me. “It’s a letter from Brother Oscar.” “Is it an official document from the Ministry of Finance?” “No, it’s just a private letter. For now, that is.” I sighed and handed the letter to Don. Don read it and I thought over the contents in silence. It was a response to my request for a budget from the Ministry of Finance. One of the eleven water systems, called the Yuria Water System, was in need of major maintenance due to the accumulation of impurities and damage to the water system along the way. We applied for a budget for this to the Empire – to the Ministry of Finance. Oscar turned it down softly in the form of a private letter. “Next year ......huh” Don looked at me and I gave him a small nod. “This year’s budget is too tight, even for the Ministry of Finance, and they can’t afford it because of the war expenses in the north. They want to wait until next year.” “......I’ve heard about the war in the north.” Don made a difficult face. “It is true that the treasury money is running out at an alarming rate. It’s no wonder His Highness the Eighth has said it.” “I understand. That’s why my brother notified me through a private letter. If he returned it in official documents, the predicament of the empire would be recorded.” In other words, the Ministry of Finance is in a situation where ‘you can’t give what you don’t have’. “If we continue to use the water supply at this rate, it will cause serious damage to the water itself if we don’t stop it by the end of next week. And if we do, we won’t be able to afford the maintenance.: “If it’s ...... Yuria water supply, wouldn’t it be okay to leave it alone for a year or so? It’s third-grade water, and it won’t affect people’s lives right away.” “The Yuria water supply has third-grade water, but it’s the largest water supply. If we shut it down, it will affect public toilets and sewage. We don’t know what kind of negative impact it will have. The sewage must not be clogged. The toilets, too. Worst-case scenario, we could have an epidemic.”[This hits hard] “But we don’t have any leeway” “......, I’ll handle it myself.” “Eh?” Don was greatly surprised. “Your Highness, are you going to do it? With your own money?” “Yeah.” “But the restoration and maintenance of the Yuria water system will require a considerable amount of money. It might even interfere with the sustainability of His Highness’ life. Please reconsider.” “I should have said this before.” “Patience is a privilege of the nobility. You see.” Don’s mouth opened wide and he rolled his eyes in surprise. Leaving Don alone, I calculated in my head the amount I needed and my current assets. It would be enough if I gave away some antiques and treasures. Thinking about this, I stood up and looked out the window. I’ll have to keep this water city clean. A few days later, while I was doing the same political work in my study. Don reported to me that the maintenance of Yuria Water Systems had started since I had spent most of my cash. “The damaged parts have been repaired. So there’s no need to shut it down.” “Well, good.” I stood up and looked out the window at the city of Nisir, just like the other day. The city is as beautiful as ever. The weather was fine today, and the water fountains for the common people here and there were sparkling and beautiful. Suddenly, I noticed something. There was a fire just a few steps away from my residence. “It’s bad.” “What’s wrong?” “Look.” I moved in front of the window. And Don followed me. “A fire. There are too many ...... buildings in that area.” Don immediately understood why I had mumbled, “Bad”. Yes, the fire is in a dense downtown area. Most of the buildings were huddled together, making it easy for the fire to spread. In fact, many buildings have already been destroyed by the fire. “What should we do?” “You arrange for the evacuation of the residents. I’ll go put it out.” “Eh? Ah, Noah-sama!” I left Don in a daze and jumped out the window. Due to my all abilities SSS, I’m currently invincible. Jumping out of the mansion, I jumped up on the roof of a nearby house and rushed to the scene of the fire along the roof. I head to the scene as quickly as possible and try to put out the fire using Leviathan. If I went all out with the leviathan, it would probably blow up a few buildings, but in a fire, it’s more of a good thing. By blowing up the surrounding area, I can also destroy and extinguish the fire so that it cannot spread. I took Leviathan out of my bracelets, returned it to its original size, and rushed to the scene. “......Hoo” At the scene, it seemed that I wasn’t needed. The fire had broken out in the downtown area, where the buildings were densely packed. There are markets and restaurants there. And – there is a third-grade water supply. For example, it is used for cleaning after meat dismemberment, and there are more public toilets than others because there are more people there. It was a place with a third-class water supply running through it. Most of the residents used that water supply to run bucket relays. Due to the abundance of water, the fire seemed to spread at first, but once the relay started, the fire was completely controlled and eventually put out. As I didn’t have a turn to play, I came back to the study of the mansion. Almost immediately after that, Don came back. “How’d it go?” Don bowed and began his report. “One burned down, four half-burned. In addition, six people fell ill from smoke inhalation. ...... Considering the origin of the fire, I’d say the damage is almost non-existent.” ” Right.” It was lucky that there was only that much damage in that dense area. “...... And...” “Yeah? What’s wrong, was it something difficult for you to say?” “No. It was the Yuria Water System that was used to extinguish the fire.” “Oh.” “If the water supply had been shut down, the fire would have been like....Coronasia, no even bigger than that.” “...... You’re amazing, Noah-sama. If I had stopped you at that time,.......” Don had a look of respect on his face for me.

After that, I listened to Alice’s song for a while, then left the shop and came back to the mansion. For some reason, a number of men were getting down on their knees in front of the mansion at dusk. Not only are they getting down on their knees, they’re getting down on their knees towards my mansion, the Thirteenth Parent House. I enter the mansion, wondering what it is. ”Welcome home, Master.” I was greeted by a young maid who specialized in hospitality. She’s the first person I see when guests come in and when I come back. In a way, she’s like a head maid of the th Prince’s residence. “Evelyn, I saw some people getting down on their knees out front, do you know anything about that?” “Yes, these are the people who have come forward with an apology to the Master.” “Apology?” “For some reason, they came to apologize to you with some men who displeased you, Master.” “....Oh,” So, the guy who owes the money and his boss. I send him away, he comes back, and then he finds out it was me(Prince), and then the boss brings him here to apologize. “...send them away. Can you meet the prince just because you want to? Tell them.” ” I understand, sir.” My maid, Evelyn, took my orders and went out of the mansion. “That’s a good measure.” ” Big brother!?” As though they were swapping places, my brother – Henry the Fourth Prince – appeared from the back of the mansion. “You’re here, brother.” “Yeah. That was a good decision. Taking such people lightly would be a disgrace to the royalty and the King’s reputation. Well done.” Brother Henry complimented me with a happy expression. “There’s that too, but there’s another thing.” “Huh?” The first thing I told him was how things started. I went to listen to Alice singing and they came to collect on her father’s debts, and I intervened to get rid of them. After explaining the premise to that point. ” If I let them think I was still mad at them, they won’t be able to mess with Alice. Doing that would add fuel to the fire.” “Hou”. Brother Henry’s eyes lit up. “It’s amazing that you think that much at your age.” “Well after sometime, when they think I forgot about the matter they’ll mess with her again.” “Well, some of them will be back when the heat dies down. Good call. However.” “However?” I wondered if I had done something wrong, but it didn’t seem to be that kind of thing. Brother Henry grinned, the corners of his mouth dexterously lifted to one side. “So that’s how good her singing was, huh?” “Don’t take it off me, brother. I’m going to enjoy taking my time growing up.” “You must have liked it.” “Alice is growing. She’s the kind of person who just wants to keep singing.” “Okay. So take me with you one of these days.” We walked into the back of the mansion, chatting and laughing. We entered the living room I usually use. Naturally, I offer my brother Henry the upper seat, and I sit in the lower seat myself. Even though it’s my house, he’s still my brother. So I told him to take the top seat. It’s a difficult balance to strike between the two. First of all, the crown prince is the superior of the throne. He’s the crown prince, the next emperor, which makes him almost half lord to us. Then there are the older brothers, like Henry, with whom my age gap is as old as parents and children, who are guests, but who are also invited to sit at the top. From the th oldest brother, who is about the same age as me, they also sit at the top position than me. If I make a mistake like this, I’m in trouble, but fortunately, I’ve never done it before. “You’re always so polite.” ” It is only natural.” “Not when you’re your age, Frank th to Garry th. They’ re all still kids. Especially Garry....” “Little brother is a kid, big brother” This is also difficult for the commoners, and not too much for the nobility. We’re all children of Father, the Emperor, but we have different mothers. However, with the same mother, brother Henry and Garry have a different kind of connection or bond with each other than the other brothers. ” No matter how many times I teach him, he never learns his manners. I don’t want to say it”s up to your level, but it’s not quite there yet.” “Garry will understand in a little later.” “I hope so.” “More importantly, brother. What did you want to see me about coming alone? For someone as busy as you, brother, I don’t think it’s all about small talk.” “....” Brother Henry looks at me with a complicated expression, like he’ s smiling, or like he’ s biting down on a bitter bug. “You’re really smart. There aren’t many people who can see that, even as an adult.” “So that means you’re really onto something.” “Yeah, the demonic sword.” The Demon Sword, Leviathan. It was a gift from my brother Henry and the Crown Prince. In this case, it would be more correct for a nobleman to say that it was a gift from the crown prince. ”What is wrong with the demonic sword?” ” Well, it’s just a story, but I thought you’d want to hear it first.” ” It has a will, it doesn’t speak, but it has a definite will.” “Really?” “And the tricky part is, they seem to be entrenched in an awareness of hierarchy. ” Awareness of hierarchy.” I murmured in return and brother Henry nodded clearly. “Just think of it as a dog.” “You can do that a little later, but you should get the hierarchy straightened out before you wield it. It’s better for both of you if you let him give in.” “Give in...” I rolled the words of brother Henry on my tongue. ’What if?’ was the word that crossed my mind. “Wait a minute, brother. Someone.” “Ha!” As soon as I called out, the door opened and a male servant entered. ”Bring me that demonic sword of mine.” “Ye-, Yes!.” The male servant’s face obviously grew stronger when he heard of the magic sword. He was frightened. “Actually, when I tried wielding the demon sword to test it out, he told me he didn’t feel good being near it.” ” Oh, if the Water rank is not above a C, it’s going to make you sick just being near it.” “That’s why he’s afraid to go get it.” About the same time Brother Henry was convinced, the servant from earlier came back with the box. His face is visibly pale already. “All right, all right, you can put it on the table and step back. If you need to put it away, let someone else come along.” “Thank you very much!” The man ran out of the room with great joy, as if he had gained forgiveness. I open the box and pick up the Demon Sword Leviathan. I tighten my grip on the hilt and recollect. Through the hilt, a reaction came back to me. The power of the demonic sword, the power of the water, is trying to invade my consciousness. I have held it twice now, but never like this. So I made a mental note to make it mine. And sure enough, the demon sword repelled. But that repulsion did not work on me. The reactions of the servants who have held it so far, the things that didn’t happen when I held it, and furthermore, the fact that my water is E+S which is an SS. I put those three things together and determined that it was okay. And it was fine, just as I judged. The Demon Swords try to invade me in succession, but it’s being blocked by the water rank SS. I let it have its way with me for a while, and then TANG! And I thrust the magic sword to the floor. Looking down, I pushed the hilt in as if it were a head. After a while, a difference appeared. I can feel it because I’m holding it directly, and the demon sword is giving up and telling me that it’s going to be under me. At the same time. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat. The 13th Prince of the Ararat Empire Gender : Male Level: 1/∞ HPFMPFStrengthF+FStaminaF+FIntelligenceF+FSpiritFSpeedFDexterityF+FLuckF+F FireFWaterE+SSWindFEarthFLight FDarknessF ―――――――――――― The always visible status has gone up. Water went from S to SS. I was right on target. Succumbing to the Demon Sword. What brother Henry taught me was probably just to master the demon sword. However, my constitution somehow adds some of the abilities of those who follow me. So why don’t I just subdue the demonic sword? I thought. And it worked. “That’s a face that says I did it.” “Yes.” I nodded and called a servant to cast a status check spell. Of course, I couldn’t bother brother Henry with chores like this, so I called the servant. Then, unlike the one I’m looking at, I got an apparent status without a “+”. Level: 1/∞ HPFMPFStrengthEStaminaEIntelligenceFSpiritFSpeedFDexterityELuckE FireFWaterSSSWindFEarthFLight FDarknessF Brother saw that and said. ”Mmmm....... so it’s true.... amazing....” He was seriously impressed that the water had become SSS.

I was swinging my sword in the yard and was covered in sweat and dirt. So after that I took a bath to get rid of the dirt. After taking off my clothes, I went into the bathroom to be washed by the full-time maids. It felt good, in the normal sense of the word. The parts of a person’s body that can’t be washed with one’s own hands inevitably come out, and when you’re tired, the way you wash yourself becomes careless. The maids do it for me, so the dirt, grease, and even fatigue are washed away. It’s no joke, it’s a bathing experience that will help recover your strength. After that, I was dressed by another maid in the changing room, when the receptionist’s maid came in. “Master, a visitor is here to see you.” I looked at the business card as the maid held it out to me instead of accepting it. Murray, Viceroy of Hojoi. I have heard that name somewhere. I leave the maid to get dressed and explore through my memory about the visitor. “... oh, he’s an upstart from my domain.” Somehow I managed to remember him. The empire has a large genus-oriented aspect to it, partly because the empire has given the princes a fiefdom. Unless there’s something very special, it’s common for them to look up to the royal family, the lords of their native lands, as their sovereign. That man Marley, who is currently the governor of a different place than my fiefdom, should have a strong sense of being my people. But what’s this Marley doing here no, I suppose I’ll find out when I see him. “Send him to the parlor. I’ll be right there.” “Understood” The maid left the changing room with my orders. I didn’t do anything special. I let the maids make sure I was well dressed and groomed. Finally, I hung the Leviathan around my waist and then leisurely walked out of the changing room and headed for the parlor. A maid was waiting in front of the parlor, and when I arrived, she bowed and opened the door. Inside the parlor, a middle-aged man sitting on the lower seat of the sofa stood up and knelt down to me in a fluid motion. “Ded Murray. Your Highness, I am honored to meet you, sir.” “Don’t be so formal. Sit down.” “As you wish.” Murray got up and waited for me to still get to the top seat before he sat down on the couch himself. “Ded Murray. This is the second time we’ve met, as I recall?” From memory, yes, but I checked it out just in case. “Yes, I had the pleasure of greeting you about a year and a half ago when His Majesty assigned me to be the Viceroy.” ” Yeah.” That means it’s an assignment greeting. That’s also an essential courtesy for the lord of your home town. “Well, it’s good to see you. How’s the assignment?” “You look like you’ve bitten down on a bitter bug.” ” I have been ordered to do so largely because I am from Almeria.” “Because you”re from Almeria...? Well, that reminds me, His Majesty ordered me to go to flood control.” This time I remembered it perfectly. Hojoi is a land that is situated at the corner of a great river. Therefore, it has fertile land as a granary, but every once in a while a great flood occurs and it becomes a great disaster. His Majesty’s idea was to completely eliminate this and make it a stable granary, and the Governor appointed to do so was Murray from Almeria, the land where the Water Clan lives. “Doesn’t that look mean it’s not working?” Marley gave me a small nod. ” The budget wasn’t coming down, and we couldn’t afford to wear a sleeve.” “Budget? Why wouldn’t it be? It’s an edict from His Majesty.” “Yes, but the Ministry of Finance gave a reason why,” ...Oh, okay. So I guess that’s why you came to me, to see what I can do about the Ministry of Finance. “Okay, follow me.” “Eh? Oh, Your Highness!” I left the mansion with a puzzled Murray. I had my carriage ready, and Murray and I came to the Finance Ministry together. It was a repurposed former detached building to the west of the Royal Palace, a building with a high level of prestige and pomp. In the most prestigious room in the building, I was confronted by the Minister of Finance, Maybrick. Maybrick is an old man in his sixties, his face wrinkled but with greasy eyes. I sensed a certain emotion that was clear. Disrespect. On the surface, he appears to be respecting me, the prince, but deep down he’s looking down on me, saying, “You little bastard.” I meet people like this all the time. I knew right away that this guy was one of them. I sit down across from Maybrick, while Murray, whose “stature” is diminished, stands behind me. “How is it that you came so unexpectedly, Your Highness Noah?” “Murray told me about it. It sounds like you’re reluctant to give the budget.” “I don’t think so.” “So why don’t you release it?” “I have a very good reason for this.” If you’re going to tell me that I don’t understand anything just because I am a kid, then shut your mouth right now.” Maybrick’s complexion changed. The previous gaze of contempt retracted. “Of course I won’t do that kind of disrespect.” “Then explain.” “Yes. Hojoi was flooded again last year.” ” Really?” I turned around and asked Murray, he nodded. “At that time, His Majesty had issued a royal decree exempting the Hojoi from taxes for a whole year.” “So?” “So, in other words, there’s a tax slush fund that’s up for grabs and we can spend it, in the view of the Ministry of Finance.” “...Are you kidding me?” “Nope.” “Due to the flood, his Majesty waived the tax, you know why? Because there’s no tax to be extracted. That’s a favor, of course, but the fundamental problem is still there. You’re saying this as it is natural, do you take me for a fool, you dumb-ass?” “Ah....” I heard Marley let out an exclamation from behind my back. I ignored it, glaring at Maybrick even more. “Well, that’s not what I meant, sir.” “So what?” “Well ... actually, I can’t tell you right now, sir.” “Why?” “You’re aware of all the talk about building a new summer resort for His Majesty, aren’t you?” “Yes. His Majesty is quite old, so you’re talking about building a summer home north of the capital, where it gets very hot every year, right? What about it?” “Even though it’s a villa, it’s used by His Majesty. It’s the same with the detached palace. It will be a city for about five thousand people, in the name of a villa, at a very early stage. That will cost an enormous amount of money.” “That’s why the treasury was cut off.” “Shut up.” “Eh” Maybrick freaked out. He was getting on a roll as he spoke, spitting forcefully, but he freaked out when he heard my low, stifled voice. “You!, that’s a huge disrespect!” ” You are trying to make my father a fool of himself.” “I’m...” He tried to argue with me, but I wouldn’t let him say it. “We need flood control in a flooded area, but can”t get the money out of the treasury now because we’re building a vacation home? You’re suggesting that you’d make His Majesty that kind of a fool.” “You’re mistaken!” Maybrick jumped up and got down on his knees in front of me. “Then give us the money. Or would you prefer that I go straight to His Majesty?” “Pl,Please don’t. Immediately, immediately get the budget for Hojoi!” I glared at Maybrick, who was still on his knees, and then that guy screamed and jumped up. He ran out of the room as it was, ranting something loudly. Since the content was that he was going to send the money to Hojoi as soon as he was done blustering to his men, I let him do what he wanted. I waited for him to come back to report once, so I waited it out. In the meantime, Murray looked impressed. “Excellent work, sir. This Ded Murray, admires you, sir.” “Hmm?” “A great negotiating push, skillful words that took advantage of the other party’s weaknesses and missteps, not his own position. I’m ashamed of my own shallowness in asking His Highness for this ”position”.” So he thought that me, the Prince, was planning to forcibly have my own way on this matter. “Actually.......Good gracious! Being lost for words against those verbal attacks. I truly am considering to prostate against you to show my respect” Murray was so impressed that he kept praising me, lifting me up, until Maybrick came back. I parted with Murray outside the Ministry of Finance. He had to get back as soon as possible and push for flood control, so I didn’t keep him back, and we parted ways. After completing my work, I climbed into the carriage and was about to return to the residence. At that moment, a young eunuch came running from across the street. He was a little older than me, about years old, and was wearing the eunuch’s uniform. He came up to me and knelt down, gasping for breath. “His Majesty wishes to see you. Please report to him on your way.” ” His Majesty? All right. Where to?” “I’ll take you there.” I followed in a carriage, led by the young eunuch. Upon entering the Royal Palace, we were on foot. As a rule, horses and carriages are not allowed within the walls of the palace, as it is forbidden to be standing higher than His Majesty. So I dismounted and walked, following the young eunuch to the gardens, which are His Majesty’s favorite. I found His Majesty feeding the birds in front of the fountain, and I gave the child eunuch a little money as pocket money, and then I went straight to His Majesty and knelt down on one knee. “I have come in response to your summons, Your Majesty.” “Come on, make yourself comfortable.” “Thank you.” “Let me start by saying good job.” I tilted my head and wondered what he was talking about. “It’s about Hojoi, I heard you smashed Maybrick.” “-Oh!” I was pleasantly surprised. It just happened just a few minutes ago, I mean, I just got out of that Finance Ministry. So how do you know about this already? Sire. “Information is a weapon, and you should get in the habit of constantly polishing it.” I bowed my head. What can I say....... amazing. I mean, that’s all I can muster up. ” I say again, good job.” “No, I’m just doing the obvious”. ” The obvious is hard to take for granted.” His Majesty fed the bait he was holding to the birds that had flocked to him. One by one, tossing it to them. “Many of them have good mouths, and some use their sycophants. But there are few that can take it for granted.” His Majesty turned towards me. He approached me and gently patted me on the head. “You’re only six years old, but you’ re really something...” He had a strange expression on his face, a father and an emperor, two happy expressions mixed together.

After sending Byron back, I was holding Leviathan in my room.(TN: I swear it sounds weird) Leviathan, a demon sword and also my loyal dog. I wasn’t worried about betrayal or anything like that because of its fierce ‘personality’, but I did want to figure out what it could do for me. So I was asking Leviathan and asked what other things it could do and to try those things on a smaller scale. Just then, there was a knock on the door of the room. “Enter” I gave my permission and Zoe, the maid, came in. I was touching Leviathan while waiting to see what she wanted, but Zoe didn’t say anything for any length of time. So I looked at her again, wondering. “What’s wrong, you don’t look well?” Zoe looked like a dead person with a bloody look on her face. She freaked out when I asked, then slumped into a cowering position and got down on her knees to me. As expected, this wasn’t just a normal thing, I got up from my seat and stood in front of Zoe. “Th- this ...” Zoe held out a small leather bag with her quivering hands I received and opened the bag. There was money inside. “What’s this? It’s a lot of money ... hmm, reens or so?” Immediately after I mentioned it, I noticed something. Zoe is just a maid at the residence of th Prince, and is paid more than someone who works outside. That said, she shouldn’t have received enough to save 00 reens. In the first place, she was about to be sold to a brothel a while ago because she had no money. She couldn’t have such an amount by any means. “ST-, a stranger gave it to me. That person said if I give this to Master, this money will be my reward.” Her voice was shaky and her content was to the point. I accepted the small bottle Zoe offered me, then took the lid off and sniffed it. “What’s this?” “He said something about sleeping pills.” “...... Heh?” “I’m sorry!” As the tone of her voice lowered, Zoe made more and more of a flat-out apology as she rubbed her forehead against the floor. “They want you mix this into my drink or something and hand it over if I pass out, right?” “Y-Yes!” “I see.” I looked at Zoe, who was completely frightened, and thought. It’s probably the Almerians again. They tried to attack me and failed, so now they’re trying to bribe my maids to kidnap me. They want me that badly, it seems. But we’ll leave it at that. I turned to Zoey. “Get your head up.” I said. “Ha, yes ......” “You’ve made your point. But why did you bring this to me?” “I cannot betray my master! You even helped me and the village I live in.” “Hmm.” “But he threatened to kill me if I didn’t do it, and he forced me to take these pills and money. But I couldn’t betray my master. Um, um, .......” Perhaps she was still panicking, but there were so many “buts” in Zoe’s words that she couldn’t seem to say what she wanted to say very well. Still, I got the general idea of the story. “They threatened you and made you grab a lot of money, but you still couldn’t betray me, so you came to confess. So that’s it.” “Yes!” I turned myself around and went back to the chair I had been sitting in earlier and quickly ran a pen over the paper on the table. I come back to Zoe again and hand it to her. “Is this ......?” “This is your reward. They tried to buy your betrayal with 500 reens. And since you didn’t betray me, I’ll add one zero to that.” “one more 0 ...... 5000 reens!?” “Yeah, I put my signature on it. You can get it from the accountant tomorrow.” “Oh, no! I can’t take it!” “You should have it for not ratting me out.” An invitation to betrayal, a big money reward. Zoe couldn’t get her head around the whole thing, and she was left to her own devices. “Thank you ...... thank you ....... Master is a really big caliber ......” “But you need to do one more thing for me.” “–Hey! I’ll do it! I’ll do anything!” “Hm, I’ll take these pills. If I pass out, just do what they tell you to do and hand me over to them.” “...... eh.” “Once you hand me over, you run and hide immediately, and no doubt they will try to shut your mouth.” “............” Zoe was still in a state of confusion and didn’t come back. As I watched her, I simulated in my mind what I needed to do. I woke up and found myself in total darkness. I was tied up hand and foot, lying on what looked like hay. It’s a hut somewhere, and from the smell it looks like a stable or something. “Hey, the fire’s going out. Go get some wood.” “All right. You just keep an eye on the kid.” “Hey, why don’t we take that dagger and kick it to the curb? That’s all you have to do.” “They told me that was a last resort, you idiot. Are you going to admit to yourself, ‘I couldn’t catch a single child’?” I heard a coarse-talking voice from outside the hut. They got me. I shook my head on the hay. My ears chattered behind my ears, and after a few shakes, something popped out. The one that came out was something the size of a pea grain, and when it came out of my ear, it returned to its original size. Demon sword, Leviathan. I touched it, and it transformed the linked ring and cut the rope binding my limbs. I ask Leviathan about the situation. A moment later, an image ran through my mind. I told Zoe in the mansion. I could never take it with me when I got caught, so I made the Leviathan, which can change size, into a pea-sized piece and hid it in my ear. Unlike weapon, the ring can’t be removed, so I left it in place. Then I took the pills Zoe had brought me, my consciousness was cut off here. This is where Leviathan’s memories came from. Zoe left the room, and a short time later, several men dressed in black entered the room. The men tied my hands and feet, Zoe quietly disappeared at this point. The men carried me away from the mansion and pushed me into the back of a carriage waiting outside and drove the carriage. We left the capital and took a short break for the night at a great distance. What I thought was a stable, it seemed, was simply the back of the wagon, covered with a cloth. I untied the rope and grabbed the leviathan and told him to work hard. The Loyal Sword Leviathan was so delighted by that alone that a dog’s tail would have been torn off, and the joy flowed directly into my heart. I stood up and slashed the cloth that was covered with it with a slash. “What!” “The kid is on the move!” “Who’s the one! The one who didn’t tie the rope properly!” I stand on the back of the cart and look around. An empty grassy field, a little off the road. Ten men in black were sitting around a bonfire. I moved, but there was no tension whatsoever. The kid made a move – they are carefree cause they think that I am just a kid. I leapt at the guys from the back of the truck. The nearest man who saw me like that and laughed at me. In a flash, the man’s throat was slashed and blood spurted out in a terrific gush. “What!” “You little shit!” The expression on the men’s faces finally changed after one of them was killed, and they all drew their swords and pointed their cutting edges at me. “Too slow.” The hostile spirit finally came out, but the feeling of crisis was still fatally lacking. However, I’m not going to point it out to them, though, I kept wielding my Leviathan and cut them all down with the Leviathan’s sword technique. There were ten of them in total. It didn’t even take a minute. “That was a waste of time.” I chuckled. I took Zoe’s sleeping pills, knowing that Leviathan would tell me later what it saw and heard from me. I was captured, and while I was asleep, I ordered Leviathan to listen to the secrets told by the men who held me captive. But I didn’t get much information. They are part of the Almerian Rebellion, and since they failed in their previous raids, they have bribed their servants to kidnap me and take me back to Almeria. I didn’t have any more information than that, so I took care of him. “Well, let’s go home–hmm?” Which way to the Imperial City? And as I looked at the front and back of the street, I saw countless lights coming towards me in the distance. After waiting for a while, a squad of soldiers approached us holding a torch. Along with that soldier, I saw Zoe. They’re coming for me. “My lord!” Zoey looked at me like she was terribly worried about me. “What’s this?” “Yes! I’m worried about master, so, I mean, I asked the soldiers to help me.” “So, You came here to help me.” Zoe nodded vigorously. “Well, good job then,” “But ...... this is ......” Zoe looks at me, then at the men in black who are falling around me, then at the leviathan I have again. “Is this done by master alone ......?’ “Yeah.” “Awesome ......” Zoe murmured, and the group of soldiers buzzed. Well, I didn’t need any help, but it helps to have a manpower. “You guys, who’s the captain?” “Ha!” A young man stepped forward and knelt down on one knee and bowed to me. “It’s a pleasure to meet you for the first time, Your Highness the Thirteenth Prince.” “I’ll have you bring these guys in. They attacked me a few days ago, have them look for anything in common.” “I understand!” The captain had his men carry the body of the kidnapper away under my orders. Then I heard a cracking sound. I looked down and saw that a dagger had fallen from one of the bodies onto the ground and was resting on a rock. “—-!” The moment I saw it, my whole body shuddered. Murderous intent. A tremendous killing intent could be felt from that dagger. “Don’t touch that.” I stopped the soldier who was trying to pick it up and stood in front of the dagger and stared at it. This is the dagger that the men were talking about when I woke up ....... Through the Leviathan, I can feel a “curse” along with a killing intent. It’s not just a dagger, it’s also a spell and the human thoughts that went into it – a great deal of resentment. ...... Maybe... I drew my leviathan and set it up. “Can you do it?” When I asked it, the reply was yes. “Then, do it!” The moment the order is given, Leviathan is overjoyed. Immediately after that, a column of water gushed into the heavens from the blade I raised. It’s much thinner than the one I shot before, only about as thick as a six-year-old’s arm. It did however ascend to the sky and then turned and went flying on the way. Far, far away. Even farther away than over the horizon, the water column flew away. Zoe, and the soldiers. They all looked unsure of what had happened. The next day, in the royal palace’s flower garden. As soon as His Majesty saw me when I was summoned, he smiled happily. “Great, Noah, well done!” He came toward me faster than I could kneel down and bow, grabbing my shoulder and revealing his joy. “A man named Baker, the rebel leader, was apparently shot between the eyes by a water column that appeared out of nowhere last night. It was Noah, wasn’t it?” “...... Yes.” I’m half surprised and half relieved. The surprising thing is that His Majesty’s ears are still very quick. Of course I was relieved that Leviathan’s ultra-long range snipe was successful. That dagger, a dagger with a tremendous curse and grudge, was used as a marker to snipe the Lord of the grudge with the Leviathan. Leviathan said it could be done, but I was a little concerned about its ability to reach Almeria, which is almost in the middle of nowhere. “The loss of the leader has decimated the rebel chain of command. Henry has told me that they will be catapulted in a few days. Well done, Noah!” His Majesty praised my accomplishments with the most excited feeling ever.

Demonic Sword Resistance The Thirteenth Prince’s Palace. It was one of the residences of the imperial princes that surrounded the perimeter of the Emperor’s Palace. That was where I woke up in the morning. It’s been six years since I moved here, and in those six years of my life, I’ve gotten used to my new life. After I woke up, I got off the bed and stood still in my pajamas. Then, the maids waiting outside the room soon entered and washed my face, did my hair, and changed my clothes. I don’t know who hired them, but the maids were pretty much all around ten years old except for the head maid. Having my buck naked body being seen my young girls every day made me feel excited — only for the first week or so. I quickly got used to it. “Master, I have finished dressing you.” “I am very handsome as always.” With a gentle nod, she left the bedroom. From here, I head to the dining room. “Noah is a handful, ain’t he.” “Really?” “Yep, yep. Normally, you’d be embarrassed at that stuff, but he teases you young ‘uns like nothing. And he stays calm. Quite like the Emperor.” Turning my back to the gossiping of the maids, I headed to the grand dining room. Name: Noah AralightGender: MaleAralight Empire’s Thirteenth Imperial PrinceLevel: /∞ HP: FMP: FSTR: FVIT: F+FINT: FMND: FAGI: FDEX: F+FLUK: F+F Fire: FWater: E+SWind: FEarth: FLight: FDark: F While walking, I brought out my status page in a corner of my vision. I have a few questions about my status page, but in the six years since I reincarnated, I was able to answer one of them. The plusses change whenever my — no, the The Thirteenth Imperial Prince Noah Aralight’s subordinates change. I don’t know all the numbers, but the plusses change every time I gain or lose a subordinate. And the plus is invisible to everyone but me. With the few dozen maids I had now, a few of my stats had a small buff. I get stronger with more subordinates, but as a prince, I have various ties of obligation. I couldn’t do anything as a six-year-old; I had to wait a few more years. In the spare time walking through the halls, I thought about a few things. I soon reached the dining room and was served breakfast by a different maid. “Master.” Just a bit after I finished eating, a maid came in. She wasn’t one of the maids that served my daily needs. She was trained as a reception maid for visitors. “The Crown Prince as well as the Fourth Imperial Prince have come to see you.” “Huh? Right now?” “They are waiting in the living room. The Crown Prince wishes for Master to come after Master eats.” “Lead me to them.” It would be rude to keep the Crown Prince waiting, regardless of what he said. I stood up from my chair, and the maid guided me to the living room. When I entered the living room, I saw the two men there. The Second Prince and Crown Prince, Albert Aralight. The Fourth Prince, Henry Aralight. The two of them were Noah’s elder brothers, but as one might tell from me being the Thirteenth Prince, they were both middle-aged. The Crown Prince even had tufts of grey hair above his ears. I performed the customary bow to my brothers, who were old enough to be my father. “Good morning, elder brothers.” “Oh, you finally came.” “Dispense with the formality, sit down.” “Thank you very much.” I sat down in a lower seat. The highest seat was, of course, being sat on by the Crown Prince, Albert. Although he was my sibling, he was also the Crown Prince. He was a major part of ruling the country, a sort of half-Emperor. “Hmm, you’re very polite and smart for your age.” Albert complimented me. “The four other kids around your age are much more childish compared to you.” “Thank you very much, elder brother.” “Wise beyond his age, I see promise in you. We might have our future Prime Minister.” “I will work hard to achieve that goal.” “I bet you will. Hey, Henry.” “Yeah.” The Fourth Prince, Henry, gave a silent nod then looked at me. He was younger than Albert, but based off the calmness in his eyes, one could easily believe that he was the older one. “Noah understands.......his intelligence is bounds above his siblings.” I felt that there was some deeper meaning to this, but I also felt that I shouldn’t overthink it. “Excuse me for changing the topic. What might you have come here for, today?” “Yeah, I almost forgot. I have a present for you.” Albert clapped his hands twice. Right after, a servant came from outside the room, holding a box. For some reason, the servant had a pale face and was shaking. “Open it.” With a commandeering tone of voice, Albert gave the servant a single order. The servant, with a face as white as paper, opened the box. Inside the box was a sword. “This is?” “Didn’t I say? It’s your present.” “Haahhh...” “Try holding it.” I looked over at Henry, and he gave a silent nod. With the two of them giving approval, I took the adult-size sword to my hand. It was slightly heavy, and the tip of the scabbard fell and bumped into the floor. Even so, it wasn’t something that I couldn’t carry. For a six-year-old to carry it, it must be fairly light. However, I noticed something. When I took the sword out of the box, the servant’s face began to regain color. I had no idea what to make out of that fact. “Oh, amazing.” “What is?” “That sword’s name is Leviathan.” “Levia...than.” “It’s also called the Blade of the Sea Demon. It ranks up pretty high amongst other demonic swords, and around a hundred and twenty people died before it was first tamed.” “What!?” I was so surprised that I almost instinctively dropped the sword. “Don’t worry.” Probably as he saw how uneasy I looked, Henry consoled me. “Those who can’t hold it instantly die the moment they wield it.” “Exactly. You have SS in water, don’t you? S-ranked users of demonic swords are basically incarnations of death, but what about SS-ranked users?” What kind of reason was that, sh*tty Crown Prince — oh, wait. If I continued to say insults like those in my head, it might accidentally be said aloud someday. “Hey, Noah, do you really feel fine?” “Yes. Well, it is a bit heavy.” “Huh, amazing. Well, I got to see something good.” My SS-rank was praised with the demonic sword, but I still felt that there was something missing.

“Zoe.” “Yes.” “Take the beggar to safety. He’s just exhausted over there, so let him rest and get some good food.” “I understand.” Zoe nodded, helped the fallen beggar up, propped him up, and walked out of the alleyway. And there was only me, Kate, and the remaining assassin guy. Immediately after, a throwing knife stabbed the slumped man in the back with a thud. “Aaah!” Kate screamed. “M-Master! The knife!” “...... Eh?” Kate, on the contrary, became calm since I was calm. “You’re ...... not surprised?” “I expected the other party to keep an insurance policy. That’s how you shut their mouths. That one would probably be closer to the ringleaders, so I let it happen.” “Really!?” I nod and start walking. It took me less than a minute to reach the direction from which the throwing knife had come. I find a man lying further down the alleyway. He was dressed in black, with only his eyes showing. He was shaking and struggling to getaway. “See” “Was this Master’s doing?” “Yeah, the moment the knife flew in, I figured out its firing point and took the guy down.” “Amazing, Master! How did you do it? It looked like you didn’t do anything.” “I’ll tell you later.” I said this and approached the man in black. The man tried to turn around, but his body was so paralyzed that he could not even turn his head. I kicked him lightly and turned him from face down to face up. “Talk now, who ordered you to do this?” “K-Kill me.......” “Speak now and I won’t make it worse.” The man did not answer, instead, his larynx moved. He seemed to swallow something. The man closed his eyes. I didn’t do anything and waited for a while. Nothing happened. Since nothing happened, the man opened his eyes again and looked at me with astonishment.[TN: Apophis can control poison so it didn’t work, for those who forgot or didn’t know.] “W-Why ......?” “I let you go this far, there’s no way I wouldn’t have expected you to commit suicide if you failed. I dealt with it.” “Master is amazing......” “You won’t get to harm yourself. Now, talk.” “What’s wrong, you don’t want to talk?” “Kill me. ...... kill me, please.” I creased my eyebrows and tilted my head. I didn’t expect this reaction. Kill me! I did expect it would pop up but, kill me, please! It wasn’t something I had anticipated at all. When I looked at the person’s face, there was a pleading look there, just as said. “What do you mean? pleading to kill you?” “If I fail, I must die swiftly or my family ...... my daughter!” I get the story. It was a story that was so easy to figure out that it made me nauseous. They took this person’s daughter hostage, and there was nothing he could do to stop them. Moreover, if they fail, they have to commit suicide, with no choice for them. Sighing, I waved my hand. A purple liquid oozed out of my bracelet and shot out like an arrow. The poison arrow struck the man’s body in a straight line. With white eyes and foaming from his mouth, he said this before he collapsed with his last ounce of strength. Kate, on the other hand, saw this and looked somewhere between surprised and frightened. ‘”I-Is he dead?” “If you check, you’ll understand.” Kate nodded and fearfully went over to the lying man, putting her hands on his neck and the tip of his nose. “He’s dead. ......” She muttered. “Um, hmm ......” The man woke up on his bed, in a room with the windows closed, moaning. “You’re conscious huh” “Eh ...... th-this place!” The man jumped up and looked around the room. “Rest assured, it’s not the afterlife.” “You–I’m ...... alive!” “I thought you killed me!?” He shouted at me as if he was about to grab me. “Don’t worry about that either, you’re properly pronounced dead.” “Eh?” I held out my hand and extended my index finger. A drop of purple liquid dripped from my fingertip onto the floor. It was the poison I had injected into the man’s body earlier. “It’s a poison that puts people in a state of temporary death. Someone has confirmed that you are dead.” “Put into a state of temporary death ...... t-there’s no way it’s possible......” “You want to try it again? I wouldn’t recommend it because it’s toxic to your body in its own way.” The guy still looked incredulous when I told him. “Rather, look around yourself.” “What’s ...... around my body ......? It’s like burnt skin.” The man picked up something on the bed that looked literally like charred skin. The skin had a human shape around the body as if the man had shed his skin. “You were cremated once. I managed to get my hands in it, and it only burned one layer of skin.” The numbing and temporary death poisons used on the man were from Apophis, and the one used at the cremation was controlled by Bahamut. The Bahamut possession made the fire ineffective, and the skin burned by the Armor Ring on top of it cheated the subsequent confirmation. There are grades of cremation. In a cremation like that of an unrelated person, they are appropriately burned and disposed of properly. Only when there is someone who will take care of the body is it burned to ashes. “A-amazing .......” The man looked at me as if his eyelids were about to split open as he said this. “I didn’t know you could do that. ......” “Who the hell ...... are you?” “More importantly, here.” I tossed the leather bag to the guy. It was a bag containing reens worth of silver coins. “Just for the time being, you’ll have to go away until this matter is settled. Otherwise, your family will be in trouble, right?” “......, but...” The man hesitated, still holding the bag of silver coins in his hand. He hesitated for a moment, then looked up as if he had made up his mind and opened his mouth. “I was made to do—“ “No.” “—-eh?” “Don’t say anything.” “But...” “If I get information from you, there’s a chance they’ll find out you’re the source. And if that happens, your family will be in danger.” “It’s not just about your life. You tried to tell me something. That fact alone is enough.” The man looked at me with gritted teeth but impressed eyes. “T-Then... Just one thing.” “It’s about their next move. They always try to bribe someone close to the person they are dealing with.” “I see. That’s enough information for you to share.” “I’m sorry I can’t help you.” “I told him not to worry about it.” The man bit his lower lip more and more and looked frustrated. He must be a righteous man by nature.[TN: .......] If it weren’t for encounters like this, I would have taken him in and made him my subordinate. Knock-knock, there was a knock at the door. The man was startled. “Come in.” By the presence, I already know it’s Zoe. Zoe entered, having done her job. “Master.” “Hmm, what is it?” Zoe turned to me and held out a leather bag. “What is it?” “Looks like gold about ,0 reens.” “3000 huh.” “With this, I am to tell them about Master’s identity and any future updates I may have.” “That was quick.” I giggled. Meanwhile, the guy who saw the exchange between me and Zoe was astonished. “Eh ...... you weren’t bought ......? Even with 3000 reens ......?” I chuckled and smiled. It was nostalgic, I thought. It was nearly ten years ago. The people who tried to assassinate me tried to bribe Zoe, but instead, she let me know about it and offered me the money as she got it. It was the exact same scene as now, and I felt nostalgic. “When I get back, you can have 30,000. Keep the 3,000.”[TN: Dang Zoe, you are already richer than most of the population] “Thank you very much.” This exchange is exactly the same as last time. “3-30,000 ......! Wh-What do you ......?” The man was still astonished and did not come back.

Morning, I woke up, got out of bed as usual, left the maids to change my clothes, and moved to the main dining hall for breakfast. There were already several maids waiting for me in the dining room, and they all bowed their heads at the same time as I showed up. One of the maids pulled out a chair for me to sit on, and they began serving me. A young maid brought in food from the kitchen, which Zoe, the maid, took and placed in front of me. Some brought Drinks. Zoe takes those as well from them and fills my glass. There is a hierarchy among the maids. Zoe has been in my service for many years, so she has a certain status among the maids. I’m the Wise Prince. And if one want to serve me directly, they have to rise to a certain level among the maids–that’s somewhat the rule of the nobility. As I brought the accustomed breakfast to my mouth, I suddenly noticed that the young – or rather, still young – maid was fidgeting. The maid, who was a little younger than the twelve-year-old me that I am now, was constantly looking out the window. “You there, what’s your name?” “Her name is Gigi.” My question was answered by Zoe instead. “I see. Gigi, what’s wrong with the window?” “That.....there’s a huge line outside .......” “Line?” I turned my gaze to Zoe and asked what she meant. “Master will soon be celebrating his th birthday, so people from all over the land are lining up to bring you gifts.” “I see. You’ve never seen anything like that before?” This time I asked Gigi. “Y-yes, that’s true. It’s been three days now and the line is still going strong.” “That’s the way it is. Just because you receive it doesn’t mean it’s over. You have to receive, check, and record them. That’s why the line doesn’t end. Last year, I think it was .......” I turned my attention to Zoe again. I asked my servant about such “residential” matters. “It lasted about a week.” “Wow, ...... that’s amazing ....... A week of birthday presents? I can’t imagine that many birthday ...... gifts.” Gigi, who was probably from some rural area, rolled her eyes more and more, but Zoe scolded her a little and hurried back to work. After breakfast, I walked out of the mansion. The line for the gifts was sent to the back gate, and they had people line up there, but the line was so long that it went on for a week, and there were so many people that they kept coming until it was completely over, so even when I went out the front gate I could see the crowd. We passed through such a scene that symbolized the status of Wise Prince, and took a carriage to the destination. The Ministry of Military Affairs in the east of the capital, this is where I’m working now. I entered the grounds of the Military Affairs, got off the carriage, and entered the building. “Where’s brother?” I asked a middle-aged official who greeted me. “He’s In the minister’s office. Currently having a conversation with a knight. His Highness has asked you to come as soon as you arrive.” I strode forward and headed straight for the minister’s office. I stood in front of the most prestigious door in the building and knocked. “Noah here.” “Yes, come in.” I waited for the gatekeepers on either side to open the doors before entering. There were two men in the room, which itself was as formal as the door. One was the Lord of this room – or rather, this Ministry of Military Affairs. Minister of Military Affairs Henry Ararat. Brother Henry, who has been in charge of the Military Affairs Ministry since the incident in Almeria. And the second person is a familiar face too. My brother’s knight, Rice Cake, who is a very military man with a big face. ” You’ re late, Noah.” “Sorry, brother.” “Good morning, Your Royal Highness.” I looked at Rice. He was a knight that my brother had selected in a knight selection process about ten years ago, and he was my brother’s direct subordinate, so to speak. He’s like Shirley to me. In addition to his personal bravery, he has a great talent for leading an army, and is the most prominent among the several knights under his brother’s command. He is now in charge of the second army out of the several regular armies in the empire. “So brother, is it already decided to dispatch the second army?” “Yes, it was ordered by His Majesty. The barbarians in the south will take advantage of us if we show them a friendly face, so we have to send a regular second army to show them the difference in power.” “I see.” I thought. And both brother and Rice looked at me. I’m currently working with my brother at the Ministry of Military Affairs. My older brother was appointed to the Ministry of Military Affairs because of his success in subduing Almeria, and I was appointed because of my complete mastery of the Demon Sword Leviathan. I’m only twelve years old, but since the appointment came directly from His Majesty, my brother listens to my opinions very carefully. I thought for a moment and then asked Rice. “Tell me one thing. What is the actual number of the second army?” “Eh, .......” “What do you mean, Noah, the actual number? And Rice, what are you hiding?” My brother furrowed his brow and glared slightly at Rice. Rice got down on his knees, and his face became even more grim. “Wait, brother, it’s no big deal. The regular army of the empire receives its budget and other things from the Ministry of Finance according to the number of registered soldiers.” “Ah.” “Therefore, we often register miscellaneous people who are not soldiers, as well as merchants and collaborators from the nearby villages where we are stationed, and pocket the budget for them.” “What did you say?” “I’m sorry, sir.” Rice continued to rub his forehead on the ground. There is no proof, but because whether it was me who confronted him, or because it was in front of the Lord, Rice practically confessed. “You ......” “Hold on, brother. Don’t be intimidated, Rice. It’s within the general’s authority to count miscellaneous people as a headcount. I don’t blame you for that.” Rice raises his head while on his knees. Then why did you ask that? That’s the face he’s making. “Usually, that’s fine. Even nominal numbers can be a deterrent.” “...... Fumu, that’s true. For example, even if the actual number is not that great, it may be better to say a large army of ,00.” “That’s what I mean, brother.” “You know your stuff, Noah.” I smiled back and spoke to Rice again. “But not this time. His Majesty’s decree, so to speak, is to win overwhelmingly. We can’t send out an army of fake numbers. That’s why I asked how much deception there would be. Answer honestly.” “Y-Yes. About two thousand.” “Okay, make sure you replenish that number.” “Understood! I’ll do it right after.” “Oh. Brother, may I borrow a pen and paper?” “Okay.” My brother nodded and handed me a piece of paper and a pen on his desk. I took it, ran my pen over the paper, and then handed it to Rice. “What’s this?” “Go to the Ministry of Finance, they’ll give you a budget to manage another two thousand people as miscellaneous expenses. I’ll give it to you.” “S-Such thing!” “Just take it. In exchange.” I cut my words and stared at Rice with a straight face for the first time since I came into the room. “You have to get the numbers right. And don’t lose, okay?” “Y-Yes,.” Rice took my note, bowed to brother for the last time, and left the minister’s office. My brother and I remained in the room. “That’s great, Noah. Your use of the whip and the candy is exquisite.” My brother looked at me with an impressed expression.

After dealing with my military duties, I left the Ministry of Military Affairs with Brother Henry. It was a little after noon, the peak of the heat had passed, but the sun was still high and I didn’t want to stay outside forever. “Do you want to make a stop somewhere?” Brother asked me from the carriage. “How about Keith’s place?” “Oh your favorite songstress place. Okay then.” He agreed. He ordered the coachman to head for Keith’s establishment, and the two carriages started to go side by side. The servants followed on both sides. The main street of the city was wide enough for the carriages to be used by the nobles. Even with two carriages going side by side, it didn’t feel narrow, but rather wide enough to allow another carriage to pass from the other side. “By the way. Noah, you’ve never been in a real battle before, have you?” As I answered, I kept looking at the status out of the corner of my eye. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Wise Prince Gender: Male Level: / ∞ HPF+FMPFStrengthF+EStaminaF+FIntelligenceF+FSpiritF+FSpeedF+FDexterityF+FLuckF+F FireFWaterE+S WindFEarthFLight FDarknessF At the age of twelve, my level still remains at one. This is because of the imperial family’s regulations. Imperial children often die prematurely, that is, when they are babies. On the surface, it is believed that they often die of smallpox and other plagues. Anyone who knows anything about princes will point out that they are separated from their mothers as soon as they are born and are raised by nannies and other servants, so they do not receive their own mother’s milk and have low immunity. Some of the “Gossipers” and “those who know the truth” advocate poisoning as a result of power struggle. In any case, it is a fact that many children of the imperial family die prematurely, and in order to secure an heir, princes are not allowed to go into battle without the emperor’s order until they are fully grown. Because of this, I’m still at level . By the way, Brother Henry’s children also died prematurely, he had more than ten children, but now there are only three. “You’re twelve years old now, it’s about time. It’s probably better for you to have experienced a bit of actual warfare before entering the territory.” “Well, if His Majesty allows me to I am always ready to go.” “Hmm,.... you do have that demon sword, so it shouldn’t be too difficult.” “Speaking of which, brother, when was your first battle?” “My –“ As he was about to answer, the horse neighed and the carriage came to a sudden stop. He slumped forward in the carriage, grabbed the edge and managed to keep his posture. And suddenly – I didn’t have time to ask about the situation. “P-Please, help me!” A girl about my age was on her knees in front of the carriage, and she looked at me as if she was asking for help. The girl was dressed in tatters and her hair was shaggy. She was not wearing any shoes, and looked like she had just escaped from somewhere. A few seconds after the girl, several more boys and girls came running out of the alley. They were all dressed the same. A little later, the adults came out in pursuit. There were about a dozen of them, and their faces showed the arrogance typical of people immersed in the underground business. “You made us go through all this trouble!” “Now, Get over here!” “Nooooooo!” “G-Get off me!” The men grabbed the boys and girls and tried to drag them into the alley they had escaped from. There were a few witnesses on the main street, but they all looked distant and indifferent. “Noah.” “I understand.” I nodded to my brother, then jumped out of the carriage and interrupted the altercation. “Halt your steps.” “Don’t stick your nose in our business, boy.” “Registration?” “What?” “Registration? Certificate? What’s the name of your store?” I asked three questions in a row. The men gulped for a moment, unable to answer. I glanced back at my brother and made eye contact with him. That’s what I thought. These guys are black market slavers. “It’s not registered? You do know that under imperial law, deals without registration is a felony, right?” “Shut up! He’s just a kid, get him!” When one of the men shouted, another guy let go the escaped slave and tried to grab me. I extend my right arm out to the side, and Leviathan appears on my right arm, where before there was nothing. Inside my wrist, there is a bracelet that holds Leviathan. It was custom-made, and I made Leviathan as small as a needle so that it would fit perfectly. Previously, I had hidden it in my ears, but now it was even more concealed and transportable. I wielded the leviathan. It cut the man’s shoulders, trailing a light blue afterglow. Blood spurted out like arrows, and the man’s arms hung limp. “Well done.” Brother cheered behind me. “I just cut through the the muscles. Don’t do it again, it’s going to get ugly.” “Gaaah.......” “Hey. What do you want .....?” “No need to worry! It’s only one kid, he can’t do shit if he’s attacked all at once!” The men followed the desperate order and came at once. Even though I was still level and my abilities were not yet up to par, but I would not fall behind a roughneck like him. I used the swordsmanship I remembered from Leviathan to cut off the limbs of all of them and rendered them powerless. “””Ohhhh!!?””” Almost simultaneously with the fall of the last one, the onlookers around us shouted in admiration. “What kind of move is that?” “That’s so cool. ...... It looked like that of a master.......” “Where did this young man come from?” While listening to the onlookers, I called out to the boys and girls who were sitting or crawling on the ground here and there, puzzled. “Are you okay?” “Y-yes......” The girl who had stopped our carriage and had been the first to escape answered. “I see. These guys are black slavers?” “Yes, we’re all...” The girl nodded and was about to tell me the reason why she had run away Yet another man appeared from the back of the alley. He was short, and unlike the roughnecks before him, this one didn’t seem to be eating off the strength of his arm. However, the murkiness in his eyes and the insidiousness in his voice were several times greater than the roughnecks. He walked right up to me, looked me straight in the eye, and gave me a short bow. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness the Wise Prince.” “Who are you?” “I am a person who makes a living from children like these. I’d prefer not to give my name to .......” “Why ......?” “Because I am the property of His Highness the First.” The man then smiled wickedly. “...You said the First Prince?” “That would be so.” The man nodded again. I see, he’s not a ruffian. He knows me, and he’s threatening me to stay out of it because the First Prince – my brother – is his backbone. (TN: backer in this case but backbone sounds cool to me) A few options crossed my mind. I looked around, there were many onlookers. I turned to Brother Henry. “Brother, do you know this man?” While asking, I gave him a wink. He was puzzled for a moment, but he responded to my question, “No, I don’t know him.” “My brother doesn’t seem to know you. And neither do I.” “Of course not, my lord, someone like me...” I didn’t let him say any more. I intimidated the man with Leviathan, which was still drawn. The man who was exposed directly to the killing intent of the Demon Sword blew bubbles and fainted. I let him say those first words intentionally so that the onlookers around us could hear it properly. “How dare you deceive me, pretending to be my brother’s servant!? You may be able to fool others, but you can’t fool me and my brother.” “Was he a fake?” “I mean, who are these two men?” “I know them. That’s the Wise Prince, the patron of Alice.” “So what they said was true? Those guys are fake?” Apparently, some of them knew me, and the rumor quickly spread in the direction I was leading. I turned to my servant, who had been standing beside the carriage the whole time. “Capture these men and take them to the First Prince’s residence. Inform them that they are ‘insolent for duping my brother’s name in public.'” “Yes!” “Take the children to my residence for now, we’ll listen to them later.” The servants put ropes on the fallen men and took them along with the runaway boys and girls. After a short break, I jumped on the carriage and my brother said to me in a whisper that only I could hear. “Well done, Noah, you’ve handled it well.” “It can’t be helped.” I sighed. “I can’t cut him off if he’s under my brother’s command. If I did, brother would resent me, and it would be true that he was a black market slave trader. The best thing to do is to assume it’s a fake and let brother deal with it.” “Fufu.” “What’s the matter, brother? You’re laughing all of a sudden.” “I was just thinking that your methods are always unexpected and amazing.” Brother laughed with great joy.

“I’m surprised too.” “But when you think about it, it might be obvious.” “Obvious?” I looked at Zoe, who was content by herself. She nodded quietly and replied. “─ Master always says that people are treasures.” “And speaking of treasures, children are even more treasured.”[TN: Now that’s some random bulls**t] I chuckled. It may not be that way, but I have a feeling that Zoe is right. People are treasures and potential. Both of which applied to my own children. ” Good point. Here.” I took out a reens from my pocket and tossed it to Zoe. I turned towards Audrey, leaving Zoe, who received it hurriedly and left while bowing. “Audrey. From now until you recover from childbirth, you don’t have to do any of the serving or anything like that.” “I understand, thank you. And .......” “Hmm?” “Anya has informed me that she will be arriving soon.” I chuckled. A little ahead of schedule. I knew right away that Audrey’s pregnancy was the reason for the early arrival. This is a peculiar story when it comes to the nobility, especially the royal family. When you’re dealing with a member of the royal family, you can’t help but think about the possibility that the man might be sterile. However, Audrey is safely pregnant, so I have the seed. And now Audrey’s sister can be sent to me without worry. “I’ll have to give her some treasure, too.” “Thank you so much!” Audrey nodded her head with a very happy look on her face. The next day, I gathered all the servants and subordinates of the mansion in the garden. Maids, eunuchs, and subordinates such as Don. Anyway, I gathered everyone I could. The garden was buzzing with anxious looks on the faces of about half of them as if they were unsure of the purpose of the sudden gathering. That is until I showed up. When I stepped in front of the assembled people and assumed the position to give them their instructions, they all quieted down and looked at me. “As you know, my wife, Audrey, is pregnant with our first child. It is a celebration.” “”......”” “So I thought it would be a good time to give you guys a little bonus for your hard work.” When I raised my hand, the servants came from inside the mansion carrying boxes one after another. This was the box that Byron had given me a while ago, containing ,000 reens. When the boxes were opened, most of the servants started to buzz. “I’m handing this out to you. Zoe has examined them and divided them into three ranks, A, B, and C, according to the work you’ve done so far: 300 reens each for A-rank, 200 reens for B rank, and 100 reens for C rank per person.” “””Ooohhhh!””” At this point, the servants’ fears were collectively blown away. There was a huge cheer that could be heard hundreds of meters away. That’s just as well. The monthly earnings of an adult male are about 10 reens. C, the lowest rank, got a bonus of about a year’s salary, and the highest rank, A, got a bonus of two and a half years. When the servant understood this, I decided to further expand it. “I’ve added two people to the A rank. One of them is Evelyn. You know her as the maid in my mansion, and I recommended her to be the Governor because she seemed to be a valuable person. And she has done well at her post.” After a pause for breath, I continued. “The land Evelyn controls has become so safe that the doors do not need to be locked at night. As a result, she’s been coined the term “Wise Official’, which means that the officials I appoint are good. Evelyn will receive 10,000 reens.” “””Oh .......””” There is a hint of envy in most people’s eyes, but some look as if they are watching events in a distant world. 10,000 reen is an amount of money that you may or may not earn in a lifetime. I guess they feel that it will never happen to them. Being a governor must also seem far away. As expected. “And one more person – Gran, step forward.” “Eh? Y-yes! The boy eunuch was surprised when his name was suddenly called, but he stepped forward. “After that, I heard you were paying attention to the land prices around the mansion and remembered everything. “‘Y-Yes! Just in case His Highness needs it someday.” “Well done. Remembering what your Lord wants to do, and taking care of it. You acted on your own, not because you were ordered to. Here’s a 1000 reens for you.” “””Oooohhhh!””” The biggest cheer till now went up. Even if they couldn’t get any emotional response to the story of 10,000 reens for doing well as the Governor, they probably could imagine that they would be able to go for 1,000 reens for what they remembered I was planning to do. As a result, most of them cheered loudly and got that glazed look that is characteristic of those who are after something. “Listen carefully. If you serve me and work for me properly, nothing wrong will happen to you.” “””Long live His Imperial Highness the Thirteenth! Long live Noah-sama!””” The cheers echoed on and on forever. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Minister of Justice Gender: Male Level: 15 + 1 / ∞ HPC+DMPE+DStrengthC+AStaminaD+DIntelligence D+DSpiritE+DSpeedE+DDexterityE+DLuckE+D FireE+AWaterC+SWindE+FEarthE+DLight E+CDarknessE+C The “+” in speed had gone up by one step. After the meeting, I went back to my study in the outer garden. When Don, who I had brought along with me to talk, entered the room, he looked impressed. “As expected, Your Highness.” ” Everyone’s eyes changed. Their eyes were envious, especially towards Gran.” “You noticed that in their eyes, huh” “It was exactly what you wanted, then, I suppose. Very good, sir.” “I’m going to do this regularly.” “Do you have any plans for punishment?” I chuckled. “Ideally, it would have been best if we were able to deal with the rat who was laid down under the internal law, shortly after that. And if the timing was right, I could have made the transition, but there was no rat.” “You’ve already thought of that, I’m impressed.” “But there’s something I want you to do.” It may be because he was given an A-rank and 300 reens as rewards, Don was more excited than usual. “I’ve decided to send Almeria’s surplus food to the north.” “Food, sir?” I nodded and told Don about Rushi Tsar. At first, he was surprised, but as he listened, he began to look more and more convinced. “I understand the details. But if we give it out, and a natural disaster occurs in Almeria causing a famine, ......?” “That’s why I summoned you. Do you know the place called Dosso?” “I remember it was ...... once flooded, and His Highness bought up the whole place.” “Yeah. It’s been abandoned ever since, but a flood also brings fertile soil with it.” “...... I see!” “Yes, we’re going to cultivate that area. That’s a lot of untouched, fertile soil. If we develop it on a large scale, Almeria’s harvest will increase by ten percent.” “I see! That’s all right then.” “I want you to do it. It is a big task. Are you up for it?” “Are you okay with me?” “I hadn’t made up my mind until just now, but now I have.” “......?” What do you mean? Don looked at me. “We’re going to use my pocket-money to cultivate the land. If you have learned from ‘the example’ earlier, I’m sure you won’t embezzle the money.” “But there’s always the possibility of failure.” “I don’t care if it fails.” “Eh?” Don was surprised. “People make mistakes. I don’t blame them if they fail when they’re loyal to me, no matter what.” “............” “What’s up with your strange expression?” “No, I’m just basking in the good fortune of serving an incredible Lord.” Don, had a look of admiration on his face as he said that.

“Kaka, the emperor must like you. Even I couldn’t defeat Behemoth in a fraction of a second.” “Did you not brought it down?” “No. I got it a long time ago, but Behemoth only told me its name didn’t listen to anything I had to say. The appearance I saw was so fantastic that I’ve always wanted to see it again someday.” “It’s appearance.....you say?” I linked Behemoth with the Armor Ring. Behemoth embodies the same way as Leviathan and Luthiya did when they fought. A golden bull appeared on the stage. Even though we were outdoors, the golden glow was so bright that everyone in the room had to turn their eyes away. Indra saw it. “This is it! So you can really do this! That’s amazing, Boi.” “Behemoth.: I then ordered the linked Behemoth. The golden bull slowly moved forward on the table and dexterously poured Indra a cup of sake in the form of a bull. The sake poured into Indra’s cup also shone with a clear but golden color. “””Ooohhhh!””” The onlookers were in awe. “So you can order it like this huh” Indra was even more amazed. Behemoth’s behavior is that of a subordinate who is completely devoted to me. “Let them fight with it, and learn their strength and skill.” “Fight? With what?” “Leviathan, for example.” With that said, Leviathan turned itself into a Water Swordsman as well. “Ho.” “Luthiya.” And there’s a flame fighter. “Oh!” And finally, the beautiful painting. “Whoa.” The weapons and tools that have wills that I’m carrying. I materialized all of them and the next moment. My eyes went blank. No, that’s not it. My entire soul was transported to a faraway place, or something like that. I heard a voice. It’s a fantastic voice with an overwhelming presence that I’ve never heard before. [This is the first time in a thousand years that the four of us have come together.] [It’s been since the Silver Age.] [The child at that time also was exceptional. With a level of , that person was able to bring four of us together and restore our strength.] [Soon the day will come when we will all be together. We will be able to regain our full strength. And it shall be the greatest celebration since the creation of heaven and earth.] [Ara Ara, you must really like this child. Leviathan the Mad Dog.] It was a voice I had never heard before, but somehow I knew it. Just after the last name, which I may or may not have heard before, my senses were quickly jolted back to reality. I look around. I’m on the main street of the city, at a stall. The four puppet-like figures on the table look no different from before. Luthiya, Fuwawa, Behemoth, and Leviathan. They all look exactly the same as before. Was that a ...... hallucination? “Heaven’s voice, the heavens have high expectations for you, Prince.” “Eh?” I was startled and turned towards the voice I had just heard. There were onlookers there, and to my surprise, they all looked at me in disbelief. “So that was, God ......, you say” “I don’t know anything about that, but I thought that was God.” “What, I’m not the only one?” “God have expectation from the Wise Prince ......?” The onlookers looked at me expectantly and respectfully as they said it. Although I’ve had people look at me like that just a few minutes ago because I’m a Prince, now it’s more than that. It wasn’t a kind of reluctant respect for just my position(status). It was a look of sincere respect. “Did everyone here at ...... hear that?” “Yeah, that’s right. I heard it too.” “Indra.” “That’s great, Boy. Congratulations.” Indra’s face was not that of reverence, but that of intense joy and anticipation. And that’s usually the case. “Gigi.” “Eh? Ah, yes!” Gigi, my maid, was waiting at a distance and was also stunned to hear my voice. She hurriedly rushed over when I called her. “To everyone here. Distribute , no, reens to everyone who witnessed what just happened.” I then took out a leather bag from my pocket and handed it to Gigi. This is one of the duties of a nobleman. The celebrations of the aristocracy are almost always larger in scale than those of the common people.[TN: I didn’t use commoner term on purpose] It is considered a virtue for a nobleman to be able to share something of such a large scale with the common people without keeping it to himself. And it is the nobleman’s duty to share the money with the common people who witnessed the celebration. Some aristocrats think it is just for the sake of taste, but the more high-ranking the aristocrat is, the more they see it as a strong “duty”. Someone has said this. It is the third-rate nobles who do not like to share. A second-rate noble is the one who does his duty with patience. A first-rate noble is one who does his duty as a matter of course, without thinking of it as holding back. According to that, I ordered Gigi to distribute the average monthly income of the city to the common people here.[TN: still can’t wrap my head around 10 reens being monthly income. Maybe they have some sorting like gold coins, silver coins and a certain amount of them can be termed as a reen, but there’s still nothing for smaller value ] “Thank you very much!” “Long live His Highness the Wise!” “As expected of a man approved by the gods, AMAZING” As I fulfilled my duty as a nobleman and the people were in a state of excitement, an aspiring knight, who was just as stunned as Gigi, approached me, got down on one knee, and bowed. “I have something to address to His Highness the Wise Prince.” “What’s the matter, you look so serious?” “I would like to decline Your Highness’s assistance.” The woman was on one knee, looking at me raising her head. Her face was very serious. “Why do you want to decline?” “I want to be your knight.” “Hmm? What does that have to do with you declining my help?” “If I continue to rely on His Highness’ support, I will never be able to become a worthy knight. I would like to devote myself to becoming a worthy knight of Your Highness.” So that’s why she’s declining my assistance. I looked at the woman’s face. She had a very serious expression on her face. She was a proud woman to begin with but what happened just now has inspired her to show more and more of her competitive spirit. Not bad, I like this kind of person. I can smell the similarity between her and Alice, whom I have been helping. “I understand what you’re saying, but I can’t accept it.” “W-Why not?” It’s the same story with the first and second-class nobility. “It’s out of the question to get help and slack off. I agree with that. But evading it yourself is second-rate.” “Second-rate?” “If you want to be a top-notch knight, don’t slack off when you receive help. Regardless of the external environment, you must have a sense of urgency and ambition within yourself.” “———!” “If you want to be a knight worthy of me, do it that way.” “Yes!” The woman bowed her head. She was more than impressed and admired than before. And her eyes were serious as she looked up again. Her path is straight, her goal is ahead of her, and that’s all she sees in her eyes. I could sense a little bit of patience in her eyes. This is second-rate, but I’m sure this woman will eventually act as if it’s a matter of course, without thinking of it as endurance. A first-rate knight is about to be born, and I’m happy about that. “That’s great, Boy, you’ve grown some interesting sprouts in just a moment.” “Well, isn’t it? That’s why I decided to give him your granddaughter.” In a moment, Indra and I were both looking in the same direction, as if we had been pulled together. Did he appear there before we knew it—-. “Your Majesty!” Both Indra and I stood up at the same time and knelt down on one knee. The onlookers and Gigi were startled by this, and they all gasped and bowed down on both knees.

“You don’t know the details yet, Your Majesty?” “Noah.” “How would you estimate the scale of the rebellion?” He returned my question for a question. But whatever the emperor’s question was, it was a vassal’s duty to answer it. I thought about it for a moment. The “+” in status went from SS to S. The water portion was increased almost entirely when I was selected as the lord. So the reason behind me getting SS is all due to Almeria. And it got dropped to S this time, that means. “I think it’s a minor one at this point.” “You’re correct.” I didn’t think it was the “correct” answer. His Majesty didn’t ask for an opinion, but he was aware of the situation and quizzed me. “The military report says it’s , so far. What do you think, Noah?” I wondered for a moment what the ‘how’ was, but it was quickly explained to me what it meant. “It’s a small scale, as you can see, and it’s your fiefdom. Are you willing to manage it by yourself?” I was surprised, and so I thought for a minute. “I don’t think I can handle this by myself.” “Hoo?” “I’m too young, and I don’t know anything about the battlefield yet. I don’t know if the soldiers will listen to me when we go to defeat them. If it is necessary for the prince to leave, I think it is better to go with another, one of my brother’s.” “Fuumu ...... I didn’t expect that answer. I never anticipated that you would refuse to be so objective.” His Majesty laughed happily as he said this. “Very well, I’ll take your wisdom and choose one of the others besides you. Who do you think is better?” “...... A Prince, I think Brother Henry would be a better choice.” “Why?” “On the scale of things, I think it’s best to go at them head-on and subdue them. There’s no need for a surprise attack, so I think it would be best for Brother Henry, the most cautious of the princes.” “That’s an excellent choice, I approve of it.” His Majesty made an immediate decision. He called Cruz and ordered that the Fourth Prince be summoned to the royal palace at once. Even though it was late in the night, my brother immediately appeared at the royal palace and was ordered by His Majesty to subdue Almeria. After receiving my orders, I headed home with big brother Henry. My brother’s carriage and my own, side by side, we steered through the torch-lit Imperial City at night. “I’m glad you took the opportunity to do this?” “You mean by me leading an army?” “Yeah.” Brother nodded clearly. “The empire is a nation of warriors, if you make your military achievements, you’ll be better off later.” “I won’t do it this time, I haven’t studied that kind of thing since it happened out of the blue.” “But you have the magic sword.” “You can’t lead your troops without knowledge. I won’t die, but there’s a good chance my soldiers will die in vain in the face of that incentive.” “...... You’re really amazing, you’ve thought that far ahead.” Brother marveled with his eyes wide open. “That’s what I’m asking, please, brother.” “All right. Well, I’m good against the cavalry, I’ll go clean up your fiefdom.” Huh, so the rebels have a lot of cavalry? I’ve heard that Almeria is in the middle of nowhere, and that agriculture and cattle farming are weak. ” That’ s true.” “The cavalry over there are strong, but it was a foriegn thing for them before. It just fell into place when they were introduced with the horse trader on good terms, it was not on their own from the start.” I chuckled a bit. Apparently what I was thinking about was on my face. It’s not too obvious, so let’s brace ourselves for a moment. “e–!” “What is it, Noah?” “Hey, stop the carriage.” At my command, He pulled the reins and the two horses moved to a halt. “What do you mean?” “......” I jumped out of the carriage. The one who reacted was the loyal dog Leviathan, which means I was the one being targeted. So I jumped out of the carriage first so as not to get my brother involved. Immediately afterwards, a magic circle surrounded me in all directions. The magicians have created a net of water and are closing in on me like a fishing net. It was the assailants. I jumped out of the carriage, feeling the killing intent, and a net of water was closing in on me to capture me. The net, made of intangible water, was shrinking faster than a solid rope could ever do. Gasheen! There was a metallic clatter. The ring armor of the Leviathan Link prevented the approaching web of water from coming at me. A total of six shields, which formed on my front, back, and sides, blocked the web of water. The push of the shields and netting continued for a few dozen seconds before the netting collapsed and fell to the ground with a crunch. This is a characteristic of this kind of magic. As it was a captive magic, if it failed to capture, it would not be able to be maintained as magic. As proof that the magic had completely lost its effectiveness, Leviathan retracted the shields. A web made of water——-water. The assailants from Almeria, one from the rebels, I guess. I am only six years old and haven’t entered the fiefdom, I am still the nominal lord. At this point in time, I am naturally a target. The question is whether to kill or capture them — right after I started thinking about it, six people dressed in black emerged from the shadows from the front, back, and left sides. “Do it ......” After one of them gave the command, they all jumped on me in unison. “Noah!” I heard my brother’s voice from the top of the carriage. He’s worried about me – but it’s not a problem. I used the sword skills memory from Leviathan to cut the assailants, all of whom jumped on me at once. “Such a child ...... gwaa!!” The cut assailants peeled their eyes away in disbelief, then lost consciousness in agony. The battle was over in an instant, and my brother jumped down from the carriage. “Awesome, within a few days of not seeing you, you got even stronger. What was that shield you had earlier?” “It’s a magic tool I found on Cobalt Street, and I use it in combination with Leviathan because it works so well together.” “...... I got an even more amazing response than I expected.” He was puzzled for a moment, then immediately afterwards, brother started laughing happily. “Not to mention making them spit it out, you killed them all, but I would have liked to hear about the ringleader, just in case.” “I didn’t kill any of them.” Broter sure was surprised. He walks over to the fallen attacker, squats down and reaches a finger under his nose. “True, they’re all breathing.” “After I cut them down, I stunned them with the killing intent from Leviathan. Because people like this could harm themselves.” “Ha, that’s impressive.” “Brother, do you mind if I put these men under your observation?” Brother nodded deeply and ordered his men to capture him. The rest of the thing, brother knows the best. The next day, before noon, I summoned Byron to my room in the mansion. Byron came to my room, in the mansion, feeling completely at home in his position as a vassal, and got down on one knee in front of me. “What can I do for you, Your Highness?” “Let me ask you, do you do business in or near Almeria?” “I am allowed to do so. That’s also why I was able to attend the Prime Minister’s party.” He came to get to me at that party, most likely doing business near my fiefdom, Almeria. So I called him up and made sure of that first. “Can I help you with something?” “The Fodder” “Fodder ......what about it, my lord?” “Hmm, the fodder for the horses. Buy it all up now. I’ve got ,000 reens for you to spend on that.” I said in a commanding tone of voice, rather than asking. I had Byron underneath me with my crest on a sign, and “this” was a matter of urgency. So I ordered in a strong tone of voice. “If it leaks outside you’re on your own– there’s a revolt in Almeria.” “The rebels are apparently very strong on horseback.” “You mean the cavalry ......, so it means Cafun-sama is? “I want to cut their supplies on fodder to neutralize that cavalry.” “As you wish. I’ll buy them all up in no time. You sure you don’t want to buy up all the human food? If you’ll just let me handle it...” “Human ones are fine.” “Ha. ......” Byron made a face obviously asking “why?”. “The striking power of a cavalryman is tremendous, but a horse costs more to maintain than a man.” “Yes.” “Almeria is weak in that area, and the fodder has to be sourced from outside. And a horse’s fodder is that. There’s a limit to how much they can forcibly take from the locals, from the people, just because it’s gone.” “Ah, ...... for the rations of soldiers they can loot for that ......, but fodder for their horses is whole other thing.” “That’s what I’m talking about.” “Outstanding thinking my lord! I’ll get right to it.” Byron bowed to me as I saw him leave. This should make it a little easier for brother to fight.

“Outside the palace, there’s no need for unnecessary formalities. Uncle, you may sit beside me.” “All right.” Because of His Majesty’s order, Indra returned to his previous dynamic behavior and sat by His Majesty’s side. Meanwhile, I glanced around and linked Luthiya with my Armor ring to take human form. However, it was not as small as the figure I had made before. Instead, I made it : size – the same size as a human. A warrior clad in flames stood behind His Majesty as if to protect him. “Looks exaggerated.” “This is not a royal palace.” I said firmly. “We must take every precaution. Besides, His Majesty, the Emperor’s misfortune is everyone’s misfortune. A great sovereign like you must not have any other contingency than his natural life.” “Well, then, Noah, I leave everything to you.” “Yes.” I thanked His Majesty, looked around some more, and then let Luthiya blow flames. Flames rose from the entire body of the creature. It’s just the appearance of a fire demon. And at the same time, the Leviathan weakly held the surrounding area.(He used intimidation) It’s not enough to knock them out, just enough to instill awe and respect in the people here. It’s just a weak threat. Then, I check my surroundings. In my vision is Luthiya, and the one I feel in my heart is Leviathan. I could feel the pure respect from the people, and not a hint of animosity. “As expected of you, Noah.” “I’m surprised you’re so calm at your age. Isn’t he the best of the emperor’s children?” “Yes, I’m very proud of him. That’s why I gave him the title of “Wise”. Same as Uncle’s “Thunder”, I think it’s an appropriate one.” “Kakaka, mine may have been thunder, but by now it’s just old man thunder.” His Majesty and Indra laughed at each other. “Noah’s ‘Wisdom’ is yet to come. After all, it has been decided that Noah’s first battle will be by himself.”[TN: it says Wise but Wisdom here is appropriate] For a moment, everything around them fell silent. Then, as if recoiling, the biggest cheer of the day went up. “Is that what all the members of the royal family do in their first battle?” “Are you going to do that all by yourself? Normally you have to be protected by soldiers.” “But it makes sense. ...... since it is this Prince. ......: In the midst of the buzz, I heard one voice after another praising me. Although I thought about it for a moment, the people’s gaze and attention naturally focused on me. It’s convenient to protect His Majesty, so let’s go on like this. No ...... what if ......? I glanced at His Majesty, and our eyes met. When I saw that, I was convinced. This is a follow-up from His Majesty. He followed up on my action of glaring around and trying to protect him by announcing my first battle alone. Otherwise, there would be no need to announce here that the decision had been made long ago, and that a certain amount of rumors had already circulated in the city. If that’s the case, then let’s just go along with it. “That’s the great thing about Noah.” Mmm. “What do you mean, Emperor?” Indra wondered. In the midst of the murmur of the people, His Majesty answered in a whisper that only Indra beside him could hear. “The reason I announced what I just did was to help Noah. Noah understood that when he caught a glimpse of me, and he went along with it.” “Hoo, I’m impressed. Even I didn’t understand that.” “Uncle is a bold man, but not very sensitive. It can’t be helped.” “That’s why you and your mistress have so many minor quarrels.” “Yes, indeed. Kakaka, I can leave my grandchildren in greater peace of mind.” His Majesty and Indra laughed again. “Well, Uncle. I would like to have a word with you. Please join me in the carriage.” –The main point. I understood that this was the reason why His Majesty had come all the way out here. I beckoned to his carriage, which was waiting some distance away. The people gave way neatly, and the carriage approached slowly. When the carriage arrived, the eunuch accompanying him got on all fours on the spot, and His Majesty and Indra, one after the other, used his back as a springboard to get on the carriage. Once they were properly mounted, the Imperial Guard waved their whips and the carriage began to move slowly. I stepped to the side and put Luthier in the lead. “So, what’s the story, Emperor?” “Umu.” His Majesty’s expression faded slightly, and his mouth opened. I felt ‘Dokin’ and ordered Luthiya to breathe more fire. The people cheered as the flames rose from within its body like an aura. “I am going to abolish the Crown Prince.” His Majesty’s words were drowned out in the cheers of the people. Indra stared blankly at him. By the look on his face, it seemed he had heard correctly. His Majesty looked at me, gave me a “had to” look, and then continued. “I thought it would work out, but I can’t help but think that it would no longer be appropriate.” “Why?” “Due to Gilbert’s case.” “...... Is that so” Indra nodded gravely. Gilbert’s case. It may sound like a case of Gilbert plotting to poison His Majesty and the Crown Prince, but it is definitely not. I stitched and weaved my way through the holes in the imperial law, and somehow managed to keep Gilbert in prison alive – I tried to prevent His Majesty from killing his child, but Crown Prince Albert forced the execution immediately. That’s definitely the case. “That’s not a mistake, but it could have been done better.” “That chilled my nerves, too. If he becomes the emperor, there will be a purge, that’s for sure. I’ve been so disrespectful to the emperor, he could pick me off if he wanted to.” “Yeah. That narrow-mindedness, if he ascends to the throne, it will be Henry, Oscar, and Noah. Those three will be the first to be purged.” Probably. Brother Henry, Brother Oscar, and me. These are the people who are currently serving as Ministers being the Prince. Probably, from Albert’s point of view, we are quite an obstacle. “I can’t entrust my legacy to such a narrow-minded man.” “...... That’s all well and good, but what now?” “I haven’t decided.” “That’s no good.” Indra said immediately. His Majesty’s consulting with Indra was probably due to the fact that he was able to speak frankly with him. “The Emperor is old enough, at his age, it would not be surprising if he were to pass away tomorrow morning. If you abolish him and leave before the decision is made, the empire will be divided.” “......” His Majesty fell silent. That’s right, that’s what being a Crown Prince is all about. Even in a normal family, when a parent dies, there is always a dispute over the inheritance. In the royal family, the equivalent of that inheritance is the position of Emperor. The crown prince is meant to prevent disputes even if the emperor dies suddenly. It’s the same as announcing a will in advance. “I can’t say anything about it if it’s been decided, but if it hasn’t been decided, no.” “It’s not that I haven’t decided .......” The tone of His Majesty’s voice became very flat. His tone was void of any emotion and was unreadable. “But if we announce it now, it will only cause more trouble.” “Still, it’s better than not having a crown prince.” “Yes, it is. ......” I thought about it for a while and came up with an idea. The idea was put together with a number of realistic situations to formulate a feasible method. Then, after it was somewhat solidified. “With all due respect, Your Majesty.” “Hmm? What is it? Tell me, Noah.” “How about we just announce that you have a will? Announce that your successor – the de facto crown prince – is written therein.” Indra immediately denied it. “I’m sure the content of it will be made public after the emperor’s death. Then you can falsify it in any way you like.” “Yes, that’s why the will is to be hidden ‘inside your body’.” “My body?” His Majesty was surprised. “You can do so in some form. It can be as simple as an operation – like a tooth with a letter carved into it. Or some kind of magic. And if you make it known...” “Good!” Indra, who had rejected the idea earlier, turned and cheered. “That’s a good idea. If the emperor always has it in his possession, there is no danger of it being replaced.” “How ......” His Majesty’s eyes lit up. “That’s a great suggestion, Noah, I like it!” He seemed to like my suggestion a lot.

From the looks of it, I don’t think I can get into the store. Even if I force my way in, I’m afraid I’ll cause an unnecessary commotion. I turned around and walked away, taking Zoe with me. Now that my guess is off, what should I do? I don’t think I can visit Alice’s place for the time being, so I should explore a new place. While thinking so, I walked through the crowded streets. “Well, I never thought I’d see you here.” “Hmm?” I heard a somewhat playful tone of voice, what is it? I turned my head toward the voice. Byron was there. Byron came right in front of me and bowed deeply. He didn’t kneel because he knew I was going incognito and didn’t want anyone to know who I was. “What are you doing in a place like this.” “I was just in the neighborhood for a business meeting. I didn’t ask him what kind of business he was discussing. If he wanted to tell me, he would, and I’m sure he has things he’d rather I didn’t hear. “Looks like you have some spare time on your hands. Would you like me to show you around?” “Well, do you know where ...... the refugees were gathered?” “Take me there.” “Understood.” Why? Byron didn’t ask for a reason. It’s been ten years since we’ve known each other, and it’s not something that would surprise me now. With Byron leading the way, I walked south with Zoe in tow. As we passed through a number of main streets, the scenery changed drastically, becoming more and more desolate. If what we had just seen was the front, the light part of the city, then this was the darkness at last. The air was stagnant and the atmosphere was filled with such a feeling. I could see refugees sitting on the ground, slumped in various places along the street. Seeing this, I raised my eyebrows slightly. Then Byron started speaking, even though I hadn’t asked him. “It seems that the kitchen serves mainly liquid food twice a day.” “Yeah, the refugees – especially the starving people – have weakened stomachs. That’s what I ordered them to do.” “I see, excellent, sir.” “...... There are a good number of children here.” What do you mean? Byron looked at me with such expression. I didn’t answer him but walked further while observing. Some of the refugees stared at me suspiciously, but most of them were so weak that they didn’t have the energy to do so. Then... “Hey, hey, this is your last chance, okay?” I heard a cheerful voice that didn’t belong to the refugees. The voice was cheerful, but the emotions and nuances I could hear were nerve-wracking and unpleasant. I walked toward the voice. There was a man and his daughter who looked like a refugee family, and a middle-aged man who was flicking cash at them. What the man was flashing at them were a few silver coins. “Uu. ......” “Think about it, it’s reens, right? Why don’t you sell your daughter to me for reens and have your weight off?: “Isn’t it going to be a drag to have a kid in the future? You’d be wiser to take this reens and fill your belly with something better.” The father nodded his head in resignation. The man grinned and gave the father the reens he was holding and tried to pull the frightened girl away from him. “Noo! Stop it! Father! Father!” “–! N-No, you can’t!” The father’s expression distorts as he clings desperately to his daughter. He tried to return the reens he had just received to the man – the buyer. In fact, it was painful for him, and once he pushed her away, but when he saw her crying and begging for help, he reconsidered. It’s not hard to understand either way, but... “Oi, Oi, the deal was made once, you know? Don’t tell me it’s not.” “But ......” “If you insist, you’ll have to buy her back.” “O-okay, I’ll buy back.” “I’ll sell it back for 0 reens.” “—, ehhh..?” The father’s voice sounded like a scream. “T-Ten reens, just like that!?” “I bought it, and it’s now my product. How much I want to sell it for is up to me, isn’t it?” “But!” “You’re so persistent. Don’t make me tell you to give up.” The father looked like he was about to start crying – the daughter had already started crying. She desperately tried to reach out to her father and cling to him, sobbing, while being grabbed by the people. As I expected, this didn’t feel good. I take a step forward. “Here are 10 reens, I will buy her.”[TN: They are using terms for objects rather than humans] “Haaah?” The buyer gave me a disturbed look. “What are you doing? Don’t interrupt me, I’m doing my job.: “You mean business, right? I’ll give you 10 reens. Return the girl.” ” ...... I told you, it’s my choice how much I sell her for. For you, it’s 100reens.” Twitch. I found that my temples were twitching. However, I suppressed my anger. “I understand, here’s 100.” After putting my hands in my pockets, I remembered. I had no money. The emperor has no money. Even if they are going incognito, the emperor is not supposed to carry cash. It is etiquette and a kind of duty. But that doesn’t mean ‘I don’t have any money’. In this case... “Please, use this.” I was expecting Zoe, who was carrying the wallet, to take it out, but it was Byron who moved first. Byron held out a leather bag full of silver coins to me. “Sorry.” “What are you saying? I couldn’t be more honored. I thank God that I was lucky enough to be here.” I took the leather bag and threw it at the buyer. I didn’t count, but I’m pretty sure there were over 100 in that leather bag. The man- that buyer was puzzled for a moment, but then caught the leather bag firmly. He stared at it for a moment and then threw it back to me. “I’ve changed my mind. I’m not selling it to you.” “......” Again, my temples twitched. “What kind of slavers are you?” “What’s it to you?” “Answer me.” “—-Uu!” I glared at him and asked him a question, which made him take a step backward. “Hey, how’s it going over there?” “What? You only bought just one person yet?” A group of men who looked like fellow buyers began to gather around him. All of them had a few children with them. The children were all reluctant, but they were already collared and chained. “This guy’s in the way.” The first buyer explained the situation to his friends. “You look like some young master, but if you stick your nose in too far you’ll get burned.” One of them threw out the usual threats. “Where are you guys from? Do you have a license?” I asked, and they exchanged eye contact. “Hey, we’re gonna hurt you a little, okay.” “That’s right. Oi! Gather around!” One of them shouted, and more and more people, those who looked like buyers started to gather around, like, “What is it?”. In the end, there were fifteen of them. They quickly explained the situation to their friends, and all of them prepared themselves to set a trap for me. “......” I silently pulled Leviathan out of my bracelet. Wielding my demon sword, which was trailing a light blue light, I swung it at the men- the buyers who were coming at me at once. The men were familiar with these situations, but it was only a level of familiarity with thug fights. One by one, I cut down the attackers and beat them back. It only took two minutes to deal with the fifteen men. “Fuuh.: “M-M-Murderer!!!” One of the refugees who had gathered around screamed when he saw those people who had been cut down and were bleeding. I didn’t kill any of them – but I guess you can’t see that. “It’s a murderer! Somebody call the guards!” “Don’t let the murderer escape!” This time, the refugees surrounded me. They were afraid of me because I had the leviathan in my hand, but they didn’t want to let me go. After a while, a group of guards arrived, breaking through the crowd of refugees. “Move, move! What’s going on?” “Sir, that’s him, that’s the murderer.” One of the refugees told the young man who seemed to be the leader of the guards what had happened. And then the leader of the guards who heard it headed over to us with glaring eyes. “What! Y-Your Majesty!” He looked so surprised, as if he had just found a ghost, that he immediately dropped to one knee and bowed to me. “My apologies, I didn’t know that His Majesty the Emperor was here!” Immediately after the guard said this, there was a few seconds of silence. “You are in the presence of His Majesty the Emperor!” Zoe said in a voice that was clear – and increasingly dignified. The refugees present looked at the guard and all knelt down at the same time. Then, I asked the guard leader. “Did you recognize my face?” It was unusual for a guard. “Yes! I – well, I was one of Rice-sama’s subordinates, and for a while, I was an errand boy for the Ministry of Military Affairs.” I was there when Henry was in the Ministry of War, so I guess I’d seen his face before. “It’s really the Emperor.” “The Emperor has defeated the bad guys?” “How powerful he is ......” Normally, people would refrain from talking in front of the emperor, but the refugees from the countryside didn’t understand that and were whispering their opinions. I ignored them and ordered the guard leader. “Catch these people. They are suspected of being illegal slavers.” “By your will!” Once the order was given, the rest was quick. The guards were very good at what they were doing, and they took the people I had cut down – those who had not been killed – and took them somewhere. I looked around. Children ...... drags you down, was it? I remembered the words of the buyer earlier. The father tried to sell the child, even for a moment – no, in fact, considering that there are other people who sold the child, as long as you are a refugee, the child can become a drag. If that’s the case with a child then for example a baby would be a complete liability. However, people are treasures. Especially the babies who still have nothing but hope. “Baby ...... infant ...... education......” I don’t like the way it sounds. In this case... “Zoe.” “Yes.” “Go to Don and have him set up a ‘nursery’. If the refugees can’t handle them, let the kids stay there for a year- no, three years.”[TN: Although I used nursery, it’s more of a school boarding home, I guess] “I understand.” Zoe, who is loyal to me, accepted the order without saying anything else. On the other hand, Byron, who was watching the whole thing closely, said. He said with a smile.

On our way to Almeria, we passed through the frontier of the Gavel region. To handle the potion matter as quickly as possible, and to avoid getting involved in anything unnecessary, we decided to stay the night at a roadside inn – a private establishment. But... “Oh, it’s been a while, Your Majesty.” When I got off the carriage and was about to enter the roadside inn, a man who was waiting for me kneeled down and bowed to me. “You are ...... Phil Mohm. Why are you here?” The young man who raised his head – Phil Mohm, was the young governor who had taken up a case of the salt tax. He is the governor of the Gabel Province, and as a former slave, he is still new to the city and busy with his work. “I heard that His Majesty is coming, so I decided to be his escort.” “Escort?” I furrowed my brow and looked around me carefully. I see, there are many people here and there who look like they are not travelers, although they are certainly concealed. “I heard that in such a case, the escort would come to greet.” “......... I see. Lead somewhere we can talk, I have something to talk to you about.” Phil Mohm was still unfamiliar with the language of the vassals. He stood up and personally led me to, One of the inns – you could easily tell it had been rented out if you knew what was going on and I was shown into one of the most luxurious rooms in the inn. At my prompting, Phim Mohm dismissed all his men and servants and left me alone with him in the room. Then he got down on one knee again and took the courtesy of a retainer. “Good, there’s something you need to know.” “Y-yes! What is it?” “First of all, I’ve read your report. That’s fine, and if you have anything you want to tell me, send it to me anytime.” Phim Mohm reports in picture form to me, because he can’t read or write. The way I see it now, one of these days I might be overwhelmed by the ‘well-meaning advice’ of my subordinates. “If anyone says anything, it’s fine because it’s an Imperial decree.” When I emphasized that it was an Imperial order, Phim Mohm nodded with an unnecessarily forceful pause. “And from now on, it’s okay not to do this.” “I-Is that all right?” “Yeah. I’m going to give you another Imperial order, a secret one. You are to act for the good of the people and disregard the etiquette.” “But... But then...” I interrupted Phil Mohm, who was about to say something and looked him straight in the eye. This time, I said clearly, in a slightly slower tone, and with great gravity. “There are plenty of people who are good at etiquette. If that were necessary, I wouldn’t have taken you in.” “—!” “Yes! Understood!” “Umu.” It would be all right if I said this much. And because I had said all this, Phim Mohm looked somewhat nervous. To loosen him up, I asked him a random question. “Speaking of which, have you gotten married yet?” “N-Not yet.” “What? You didn’t find a good partner? I can introduce you.” “No, that’s not it. Some girls have been with me for a long time, and I’m not sure which one I should choose. ......” “Oh, that’s what this is about?” I chuckled. Phil Mohm was ‘misunderstanding’, which tends to happen to ex-slaves. “Listen to me, Phil Mohm. Polygamy is an obligation of the nobility.” “O-Obligation?” “In your eyes, as a slave, it seems a right, a privilege, doesn’t it? But it is not, it is a duty.” “What does that mean?” “It is the duty of those who can support themselves to support and nurture as many people as possible. The common people often cannot support themselves even if they can give birth, right? Ultimately, if you were to get a disease, you would have to ask God for help, but now you can get a doctor to take care of you.” That is why the Empire had banned the black market slave trade and was trying to do something about it. “Y-yes! I can see a doctor!” “Nobles can feed and nurture. People are treasures and potential. It is the duty of those who have the power to nurture them to give birth to more of them.” Phil Mohm sounded as though he understood, but he didn’t that much. In this regard, there is a strong difference in the way of thinking between the nobility and the commoners. The average person often thinks that polygamy is for pleasure only, not for meaning. “To begin with,” “Eh?” “You know that the Empire is a nation of warriors.” “The Empire is always at war with the outside world, and men are always dying on the front lines. Women are not on the front lines, so they do not decrease.” Not at the moment, I thought, as the image of Jessica flashed through my mind. “If everyone was monogamous, there would be a surplus of women.” “Ah, .......” Phil Mohm huffed. “Well, if you really don’t want to do it, that’s okay. But make sure that the people below you can do so. The surplus of women will never change as long as the Empire remains itself. So enrich the land you rule and make it rich enough that a man can usually take more than one wife.” “I-I see. As expected of His Majesty! After all, you were thinking of the people.” If anything, I was looking for a logic to convince you, I thought. I didn’t say that because it would have complicated the conversation. “So, for the time being, take either of the old acquaintances you’re not sure about and marry them.” “I understand!” After the incident with Phil Mohm, I picked up the pace, while further missing from the scene. I arrived at Nisir, the capital of the province of Almeria, at the fastest speed possible, passing through all the troubles (possibilities) on the way. We parked the carriage at the entrance of Nisir and jumped off. It was just as it had been since I had entered the enclave, a thriving water city with a water system that stretched all over the city. It is a nice city, I thought again at the same time. “We have been waiting for you, Master.” I heard a familiar call from nearby. I turned around to see Evelyn standing alone, dressed in a maid’s outfit. “Yeah, it’s been a long time, Evelyn.” “Allow me to show you around, this way, please.” Evelyn said and started to lead me away. I glanced at the coachman and followed Evelyn. After walking for a while, Evelyn led me into a modest house. After entering the house and closing the door behind us, Evelyn kneeled down once again. “Please excuse my rudeness.” “No, this is fine. No need to call me His Majesty if I’m with no one else. Call me master.” “Understood.” Evelyn then quickly stood up. It’s been a long time since she left the th Prince’s mansion, and seeing her in her maid’s outfit makes me feel nostalgic. “You haven’t told anyone I’m coming, have you?” “Yes.” “Yes. So, about the dragon’s vein...” I sent a brief explanation to Evelyn in a letter beforehand. As a follow-up, I thought I would give him a more detailed explanation. But, “For that matter, I’ve issued a three-day water withdrawal restriction and a water storage order.” “Hoo?” “Since it’s the water source. So we have restricted not only water storage but also water withdrawal. Was that a good idea?” “Fumu, well done.” I praised Evelyn. And Evelyn looked happy as she blushed slightly. It was urgent, and partly because of the way things were. The letters to Evelyn gave only the barest of explanations. Even so, Evelyn made the most of the measures she had taken with the people in mind. “You did a really good job. You’re the first retainer to leave the th Prince’s residence. And I’m proud of you for doing so.” “T-That,...... excuse me.” Evelyn turned away and looked away, looking even shyer. Then, as if to cover it up, she pulled a piece of paper out from under her sleeve and handed it to me. “And this is?” “It’s a blueprint of all the waterways in Nisir. I thought you might need this as well.” I took the map, unfolded it, and looked at it. After taking a quick look at it, I took a folded piece of paper out of my pocket, opened it up, and looked at it in turn, as to compare them. “Is there something, Master?” “Yeah, it’s Nisir’s earliest waterway map.” “Eh!?” Evelyn jolted up. For some reason, she trembled as if she had received a great shock. Then she looked at the old map I had shown her, and her face grew more and more surprised. “What’s wrong?” “Actually, it’s .......” Evelyn took out another sheet of paper. I take it and look it over. It was almost identical to the ‘earliest waterway map’ I had taken out. “What is this?” “As the master said, it is the older waterway map. I had it checked because I thought it was necessary, but it happened so long ago that it had already become history, and I couldn’t confirm that it was true.” “I see. The fact that the two coincide means that this is correct.” “How did you come up with ......?” “I had Livyathan write it.” “Livya ...... Leviathan, was it? The Demon Sword.” “Yeah. And Livyathan is the same being as the former Livyathan of the Four Sages.” “What!? And bringing such an entity to its knees,......, as expected of Master.” Evelyn looked at me with the most respectful gaze that day. “I see, so this is the power of the earth.” A little out of the city of Nisir, I stood on the two waterway maps and the dragon vein that I had derived from Livyathan’s memory. Then ....... I felt it. The “invisible vein” that flows beneath the earth. I clearly sensed the dragon vein’s presence, where the earth’s power and magic flowed. “It is a tremendous power.” “Is there such a thing?” “Don’t you feel it?” “I am ashamed .......” Evelyn apologetically slumped slightly. “But it is such power. As if the rivers were gathering and flowing into the sea, as Livyathan said – if so, there should have been an anomaly in the earth long ago. Wasn’t there something?” “No, sir. The time you mentioned was before master added a new waterway, so I checked into that, but there was nothing to indicate that anything, in particular, had changed in the ‘natural world’.” I wonder what that means. I started walking along the dragon’s vein. It’s flowing, that’s for sure, so let’s take a look at the final point where it’s gathering. So I started walking along the stream, and about twenty minutes out of town, I noticed it. “Here it is.” “Stagnation, huh? It’s blocked.” “Stagnant?” When I said that, even though Evelyn couldn’t understand me, she did as she was told. “Livyathan.” I pulled out the Demon Sword from my bracelet and summoned her. A youthful-looking elderly woman, a being beyond human, appeared in front of me. “What should I do?” “It’s no different from a river. Just let it burst.” I nodded and thought for a while. Then determined, I thrust Livyasan (the sword) into the ground. Then, channeled the power. Toward the dragon vein, for an instant, but in that instant, I flowed the power with all my might. Gogogogogo ...... the earth rumbled. Immediately afterward, something came flying out of the earth. A black, dazzling body split the earth and flew up into the sky. It was a dragon type that emitted an aura of glamour. Seeing the strongest of the monsters, Evelyn shouted. “Master please escape! Gather the troops now—“ Bisect. I jumped up, flung myself at it, and swung Livyathan, cutting the dragon in half. With a single slash, the dragon lost its strength and crashed to the ground. Thud! and the earth shook even more. The Dragon was strong, but Livyathan was even stronger. And was motivated. Livyathan was furious at the Dragon, which had turned its murderous intent on me as soon as it appeared. Livyathan’s killing intent, which had been kept on the brakes until now, was made to do as it pleased for the first time. As a result, the dragon, which probably took about ,00 soldiers to attempt to defeat, was slashed down with a single sword strike. Evelyn, who was watching it closely, was at a loss for words with her mouth wide open.

” That’s it,...... what do you mean?” Henry looked at me quizzically, tilting his head. “Bandits – people who work in the underworld – are very territorial. We use that to our advantage.” ” ...... So you’re trying to get these people to fight each other?” “Yes.” I nodded my head. “Using poison to control a poison. As I found out from Jerry, such people are more interested in honor than knighthood. It’s natural to think about it, as long as you are in the underworld business, you have to give it up, but it’s only because you think you can’t help it. You should hang the bait of appropriate honor on it.” “What exactly do you intend to do?” “We’ll find the right people and give them honorary knighthoods.” Honorary knight is a system I came up with a few years ago. It is literally just an honor, with no real power, given only to those who have donated to the treasury. Since they are “knights,” I’m currently only granting them to “decent people”. Those who are thieves and other underhanded people have absolutely nothing to do with it. But that doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s not a traditional system, and since it was invented by me as a Prince, it’s up to me as an Emperor to tweak it however I see fit. “Then those who did not get the honorary knighthood will be jealous of those who got it. And then...” “They will naturally start to disagree with each other. Control poison with poison — as expected.” Henry said with a look of admiration. “Yeah. I can think of a few lines for those who didn’t get it. They’ve become the dogs of the empire, I suppose.” “I think it will definitely happen.” Henry agreed with him. Jealousy is an emotion that most people have that they can’t escape. If we poke at it well, we can ....... “Henry.” “Yes “ ” Look up a few candidates. Those with armed forces – bandits who only rob and do not violate women.” “Why do you want that type?” “There are two types of bandits.” I said “two types” but held up one finger. “Those who are forced to do it because they can’t afford to eat, and those who don’t. The ones who have no choice but to eat don’t do anything wrong unless they have to. Women are one way to measure that.” “Find out about them. It’s easy to make an excuse to make them honorary knights, and there’s a good chance they’ll ‘convert’ as Jerry did.” “By your will — as expected, Your Majesty, that’s an excellent idea.” Half a month later, Shirley and I were on a public road in the suburbs. It’s not the usual carriage that we are riding in, but a cart. In the back of the cart was a pile of goods that resembled a peddler’s, and Shirley and I were sitting shoulder to shoulder on the peddler’s stand. “Even now, it would be better to leave ......, wouldn’t it? Your Majesty.” It’s been almost a day since we left the capital, but Shirley still seems to have not given up on persuading me. “It’s dangerous, no matter what, for Your Majesty to take the bait yourself.” “You cannot just do nothing because it’s dangerous.” “I understand that, but ...... I don’t think that this is something that His Majesty would go out of his way to do. ......” “That’s why I have to go.” “That’s why ......?” Shirley tilted her head. “Look, if something goes wrong, that is when the people involved are dealing with it. I am the Emperor now, and if I leave at such a time, I will not see the truth of anything.” “That’s ...... right, .......” Even though she hesitated, Shirley nodded quietly. “You can’t rule a country if you don’t know the truth. Therefore, you have to go out and see with your own eyes and feel with your own body, even when nothing is happening.” “But it’s dangerous.” “Danger?” I chuckled. “There is no such thing as danger.” “Eh? “I mean, you are one of the escorts, aren’t you?” “–!” Shirley’s eyes widened in astonishment, as she realized what I meant. After a while, she regained her composure. “Yes, sir. With , units under Sheryl’s command, we have them waiting for a few kilometers to the rear. We also have cavalry that can be on the scene in a matter of minutes.” I stood up easily. Using Ziz’s power on the platform, I sprouted wings on my back and flew up vertically. Thanks to my daily training for almost a month since I acquired Ziz, I can now fly up to ten meters vertically. From that height, I looked behind me. Although I couldn’t see it when I was on the ground, I could see it from this height. Shirley was right, there were about 00 soldiers slowly following behind us. After confirming this, I slowly climbed down onto the wagon. “That’s overprotective. Well, if it makes you feel better, go ahead and do what you want.” Shirley and Sheryl are both my knights, it is their duty to look out for me and take measures to protect me. “......” Shirley was staring at me blankly for some reason after I descended. “What’s wrong?” “......” “Hey, what’s the matter?” “......Cool.” “Hmm?” “—Yes! N-Nothing at all, sire! Excuse me!” Shirley blushed profusely when she came to her senses and turned her face away. After doing so for a while, Shirley’s complexion returned and she turned to me. “But it’s amazing, Your Majesty. What was that?” “It’s my new power. All it does is fly.” “Just ‘just’ is amazing. It was like an angel or God. After all, His Majesty is an amazing man. ......” “That’s all well and good, but you’re gonna have to fix that.” “Fix it?” “The way you call me. This time, I will be hiding my identity, and if you keep calling me “Your Majesty,” it won’t work, will it?” “U-Understood! I’ll call you Master from now on!” Shirley, who has a serious temperament, straightened her back on the platform and responded as if she was saluting. After I had her correct the way she addressed me, we continued on our way in the wagon. We kept going, taking a path that Henry had suggested would be targeted by a potential bandit group. The day was uneventful and we reached an inn along the way. I stopped the wagon and entered the inn with Shirley. “Welcome, are you two here?” “Yes, we are. One room is fine, just make sure you get the best one.” Shirley, now my servant, negotiated with the innkeeper. “Yes, thank you for the patronage. We will prepare hot water right away, and I will show you around first.” With that, the innkeeper led us to our room. It was an isolated room further inside the inn, in a house of its own. The furnishings inside were reasonably good, about the size of a village chief’s house. It would be quite a feat to have a room like this in a suburban inn. The innkeeper asked me curiously, and Shirley looked at me. “All right, let’s spend the night here.” I took out a leather bag from my pocket and threw it to the innkeeper. “There are 200 reens. Keep the change.” “Thank you very much, thank you very much!” The innkeeper was overjoyed and went out of the room, saying he would bring him some hot water and towels for us to wash our faces and feet. Once we were alone, Shirley asked. “Master ......, isn’t that a bit much to give?” “That was bait.” “Bait?” “It’s to spread the word about the generous merchant. If we just walk around aimlessly, we never know when we might be targeted. We have to spread some bait to get them to bite.” “I see! That’s great!” Shirley said with a look of admiration on her face. That night, I gave the innkeeper double the amount of 400 reens saying that his service was good. Needless to say, the owner’s eyes narrowed like a thread and a big smile appeared on his face. I had Shirley confirm that this had been overheard by the other guests staying at the inn and had become a rumor. That did the trick. The next day, less than an hour after we left the inn. We were surrounded by a group of bandits.

The next day, I took my maid, Gigi, and went out to the city. We wandered around at random and took a look at the city. Almeria’s capital, Nisir. It’s called the state capital, and it’s several times larger than a normal city. The fact that it is divided into four sections and requires four governors for east, west, north, and south, gives you an idea of the size of the city. Honestly, it’s been a long time since I entered the enclave, but I haven’t been able to visit the whole of Nisir yet. I’ve been wandering around the city like this to get to know the daily life of the people. “Master, it looks like it’s getting crowded over there.” “Umu. Is there some kind of a show going on?” I noticed it and looked at where she was pointing. It’s a typical atmosphere where something is happening and onlookers are gathering. I approached the onlookers and asked a man nearby. “What’s this all about?” “It’s execution. Today they’re going to behead a rapist and murderer, so everyone’s here to see it.” The man answered excitedly. I understood. The death penalty is often carried out in public. It’s often done to make an example of the perpetrators or to reduce the public’s anger at the crime. This time it was the latter. If it was a rapist and murderer, I can understand why he would be publicly executed like this. Now that I know the story, I guess I don’t need to look any further. I’m the Minister of Justice, the one who has the final say on the yearly summary executions. I’ve been in that position for a few years now, and I have no standing or taste for watching the death penalty now. At the moment I was about to take Gigi with me and leave the place. The square was filled with onlookers, and the execution platform was surrounded by them. On top of it, the governor, the executioner, the criminal, and the people seizing him went up one after another. The governor was dressed in formal attire. It was clearly stipulated in the law that they should do so when carrying out executions. The executioner was a muscular man with a bare upper body. He is carrying a well-sharpened sword that looks extremely sharp even from a distance. The murderer’s hands were tied behind his back, and he was made to kneel on the platform in a limp state. There were shouts of abuse from everywhere. Everyone already knew that he was a convicted rapist and murderer, and he was shouted at from all around as he became an enemy of society. The governor stepped forward and raised his hands. The shouting ceased considerably. When it had quieted down, the governor faced the criminal and said in a clear voice, “Craig Hall... Any last words?” “–!” The murderer, who had been kneeling and drooping, looked up and wanted to say something, but no words came out except for a grunt that escaped his throat. “‘I guess not. Then.” The governor then glanced at the executioner. Those seizing the criminal shoved him from both sides, forcing him to lower his head. Then the executioner raised his sword. “—-!!!” The criminal let out another groan and seemed to be trying to say something. “...... Bahamut.” “Can you translate?” {No problem} After Bahamut answered, the criminal’s grunts were translated into a language that was understandable through Bahamut. {I’m innocent! I’ve been framed!} The executioner raised his sword and swung it down! “Wait!” I shouted, and at the same time kicked the ground, jumped up, and headed in a straight line for the execution table. But the executioner’s sword didn’t stop. I pulled out Leviathan from my bracelet and unleashed a slash. Kinnn! There was a clear sound, and the executioner’s sword snapped in half. The criminal’s head – the one who claimed innocence – was still connected and unharmed. “Who are you!” The governor asked about my identity. Like Pascal, he didn’t seem to know my face yet. “It doesn’t matter who I am. That man is innocent.” “You’re helping him escape! Get him! Get himm!” Technically, it wasn’t a prison break either, but the governor shouted with some agitation. Then ten soldiers came up to the platform and attacked me. “Fuu.” I swung Leviathan and slashed every single one of the soldiers’ weapons. In addition, I slashed the thighs and shoulders of all of them in return, taking away their strength to fight for the time being. “Wha—!” “””Ohhhh!””” The governor was astonished and the crowd cheered. “What was that, so amazing, right?” “It’s ten against one, and he beat them all in an instant.” “I didn’t see how he did it at all.” Amidst the cheers, I turned to the governor. ” Hold that execution.” “Y-You don’t know what you’re getting into, do you?” “That man is not a murderer.” “What do you mean! We’ve already established...” “I have proof.” ” – eh?” I said, raising my voice. My voice echoed around me, and the onlookers quieted down at the sudden development. Just as well, it saved me the trouble of silencing them. I looked around. At the front of the crowd was a middle-aged woman who looked like an “auntie”. “That lady over there, do me a favor. Get up on the platform.” The woman looked at me strangely but seemed to think it would be interesting. “What is it you want me to do?” “I want you to investigate the murderer. Examine his body.” “Haah ......?” Although she didn’t understand what was happening, she headed towards the criminal. The governor tried to stop her, but I put Leviathan to his throat and stopped him. The woman approached the criminal and “examined” him for a while at close range. “‘Oh my God! She’s a woman! A woman dressed as a man!” The woman said, and the onlookers started to make more noise. “............” The governor’s face turned pale. ” You were able to tell she was a woman, huh. That’s impressive.” After confirming her identity, the woman said in her full “auntie” way. I ignored her and asked her while glaring at the governor. “It’s not possible that the woman is the one who committed the rape and murder, is it?” “T-That’s not– that’s not–“ “The killer’s name was Craig Hall, wasn’t it? That’s a man’s name for crying out loud.” “That’s .......” “Well, it’s common practice to switch identities. Not unusual at all.” When you’ve been the Minister of Justice for a long time, you learn all kinds of little tricks in the field. If the criminal who was sentenced to death is someone with deep pockets, they can bribe the people involved to switch places with them. Of course, this is not possible for traitors or famous criminals, but if they are not, it is not unusual. Naturally, some of the people involved are the governors who are present at the execution. I glared at him even more fiercely. “You got bribed for this?” The officer turned even paler, “Uuuh”. The hostility and anger that had originally been directed at the rapist and murderer, the enemy of society, gradually turned to the governor who might have let the real criminal escape. Feeling it firsthand, the governor was at a loss for an answer. But in any case, he couldn’t answer, “Yes.” “N-No... I have no idea.” “Are you sure?” “No! I don’t know anything!” “Then what is this?” I wielded the Leviathan and cut the deputy’s clothes. When I sliced through the clothes without damaging them, something fell out of the cut and onto the table. It was a glass bottle with a liquid inside. I found out via Apophis. “It’s poison, the same poison that made her unable to speak.” “Well, I don’t know anything about that – no. That is my regular medicine!” “Oh? Then drink it. If you take it yourself and nothing happens, I’ll believe you.” “Ugh...” The man was at a loss for an answer. The onlookers started screaming. “Come on, drink it!” “It’s your own medicine, isn’t it?” “Prove your innocence in front of everyone!” The governor was perplexed. “Fuuh.” I snorted and approached the deputy while seizing him I poured the medicine into his mouth. Apophis is familiar with poison. I knew from that that it was a poison that would make him unable to speak for a few days. So I forced him to drink it. And then... ” Gehou...... Gehou...... Ugh...... Aaah......” The governor immediately stopped talking. “That’s an evil official!” “Catch him!” “Where’s the real killer!” The crowd’s anger, when they realized that the governor was fully involved, was all directed at him.

“So what did you reply to the other side?” Leaving the astonished man alone for the moment, I ask Zoe. “I accepted the offer. I thought the master might take advantage of it.” “Umu.” As expected from someone who has followed me for so long, Zoe knows me so well. This time, combined with the fact that the whole store disappeared, it will be most troublesome for them to go underground and not come out. I can only be thankful that they tried to bribe Zoe, meaning that they emerged as close to the surface as possible. It was a fine play by Zoe. “What did you say about our identities?” “I replied that we were sent under the secret orders of the Emperor to investigate.” “Eh?” The man was even more surprised. “Well, good job, Zoe. That’s almost a perfect reply.” “W-What do you mean ......?” The man was half-lost for words, and Zoe was wondering as well, though slightly more so. If it had been just the man, I would have let it pass, but I decided to explain to Zoe. “Those who tell a bunch of lies to fool people are third-rate.'” The man said, “I see,” and Zoe gave a ‘yeah, right’ kind of look. “Second-rate people tell the truth and lie only when the time comes.” “Yes. And First-rate?” “They only tell the truth.” “They only tell the truth.......” The man examines my words carefully and rolls them in his tongue. Zoe, on the other hand, was a little quicker to understand than the man. She said. “Your reply is also moderate. So far, no lies. The other side will be convinced that this is a natural development.” “What should I do now?” “Tell them every move I make. Now that they’ve come out into the open, I’m going to let them swim for the time being.” “Understood.” Zoe nodded. She would have no problem handling something like this. I thought. It’s another reason why I brought Zoe with me on this trip. To nurture her and train her further. I turned my head to think about what I should do to make this happen, and how I could make the most of this opportunity. Zoe didn’t interrupt my thoughts and stood still while waiting for my next words. In the meantime, I formulated a plan and asked Zoe first. “Can you get in touch with these guys?” “Yes, I’ve been given instructions on how to contact them in case of an emergency.” “Good, then go meet with those guys. Yeah, and give Kate those , reens. Once we get back to the capital, I’ll make it up to you.” “For master’s sake 00 reens is....... ...... but why do that?” “Go over there and ask for more money. The reason, as I just said, is that the 3,000 reens were used to bribe Kate.” “......” “W-why would you do that?” Zoe’s face was drawn into a thoughtful expression, whereas the man asked me the same question he had. “What do you think? Zoe.” ” ...... to take more from that side, right?” “You’re half right.” I smiled and reached over to pat Zoe on the head. If she could figure that out, that was enough for now. “That’s right, demanding more at a time like this has the effect of reassuring the other person and making them trust you. However, if you just ask for more out of greed, the other side will think you are cheap.” “I bribed Kate to not look cheap ......?” Zoe’s thoughts seem to have connected well, but they don’t seem to reach beyond that point. I didn’t want to be mean, so I told her the stuff. “And also gauge their ability to handle it. If they are somewhat competent, they’ll evaluate you in a certain way when they see that you’ve spent a lot of money to accomplish a task.” “Evaluation.” “Money is, after all, only a tool. Only those who can use it more effectively can acquire more wealth.” “..... yes.” Zoe with a straight face nodded quietly. “It’s a way of gauging how good they are by whether or not they’ll give you additional money.” “I see. ...... As expected of Master!” “To put it bluntly, the same story as before?” “You reported to me that you were bought out for 3,000 reens, and I gave you 30,000.” “Ah, ......” “It’s essentially the same thing. Only the details and the way the money flows are slightly different.” “I see!” Zoe looked fully convinced. Well, this is the second time she’s notified the acquisition to me, so I guess it was easy for her to understand. She was motivated to contact the other party and try to get more money for the bribe. Frankly, it was quite risky. What Zoe was going to have to do was to be a double agent. It’s different from what she’s done in the past, and it comes with a high risk for her. But I let her do it. I brought Zoe here to further nurture her. I sincerely hoped that by letting her take some risks, she would grow even more through this one experience. The next day, I left the inn with Zoe and wandered around town. Of course, I fed information to the other party in advance via Zoe and Kate. The time and route to go out to investigate. I let them know about these things. “No, ......, the economy is in a slump these days.” “We’re just trying to make ends meet, you know.” “If only the economy would come back. ......” Everywhere I went, people in the city were bemoaning the recession. The clothes worn by residents became more frugal, and the merchandise in the stores was less well-stocked. Overnight, the city was transformed drastically. It looks completely different from the town I sent Fuwawa to see last night. “Fu, ......, this is overkill.” “Overkill, sir?” Zoe tilted her head and asked. “You remember when we came into this town, don’t you? And suddenly it’s this. Even if you’re trying to hide something, it’s overkill.” I turned to Zoe and made eye contact with her so that no third party could see. This exchange was also an eye contact to tell the other side. Zoe didn’t shake her head either way, she just looked at me and responded, ‘Roger that’. Gabel Salt Guild, main building. In the parlor, Zoe was facing two men. Both men were dressed in lavish outfits. In Zoe’s eyes, their clothes were as fine as those of the emperor. Both men were quite young for their titles as merchants, one in his mid-thirties and the other just shy of thirty. Zoe told them both exactly what Noa had said. “The master said it was overkill.” “Overkill?” “Yes, sir. I remember the first night we came to Dussel, it was prosperous and crowded even at night. And to see it suddenly go into recession like that ......, it’s no wonder the master found it overkill.” ” ...... I bet. It was overkill, you idiot.” “Who’s an idiot?” The younger man protested. Zoe understood that this was the man who had done it. “Did you not hear what she just said? I’ve seen it in person, it’s such a sudden change that anyone would notice the change if they were to look at the city on a regular basis for once. What else could it be but overkill?” “Gu......” “Cut it a little slack. And ...... yeah, I know. And let’s do a little smuggling.” “What!?” “The other side doesn’t believe that there is zero smuggling at this point. Prepare a scapegoat and have that person take the blame.” Zoe watches as the two men devise a plan. She is secretly impressed. (As expected of the master ...... I just told them the obvious response and they let their guard down.) Zoe was convinced. That Noa had targeted this matter and made her do it. Because Noa told her to tell them everything. And Noa said himself that it was first-rate “not tell lies”. Noa never said what she couldn’t do. In other words, Noah wants Zoe to ‘try to do without being told’ as well. That must be this, or a lot more. (Master ...... Sugoi......) Zoe felt sure of this.

“Angus Bull. It is my honor to receive your countenance.” In the audience chamber, a formal place where the Prince and ministers are in attendance and even more so, guarded by many soldiers. There, a young general was kneeling on one knee and bowing to me on the throne in a formal manner. “Raise your face.” “Yes” “Someone give Lord Bull a seat.” I said, and one of the attending eunuchs came over with a chair. Angus stood up and, seeing this, hurriedly knelt down once more. “Good. You and I are related. In a normal family, I would call you brother. And since you have made merit for us, you may sit down without reservation.” “Yes, I am gratified.” Angus expressed his gratitude, bowed again, stood up, and sat down on the edge of the chair. Angus Bull. He is the husband of the fourteenth princess, Arlene. Although he comes from a commoner’s family, he has accumulated many war merits and succeeded in marrying off Princess Arlene during the reign of the previous Emperor. He is an honest type of warrior who has continued to fight on the frontier without being flattered by his position as the husband of a princess, a quasi-Royalty. I had always had a rather favorable impression of him. “I received a report from the Fourth Prince. It seems that you have been fighting well with Turbaif for the past few years.” “I am grateful for your superior assessment. The debt of gratitude I owe to the Imperial family for the stipend and for having Her Highness the Princess as my wife cannot be repaid even if I spent three lifetimes. All I can do is spend my days and nights with all my heart and soul.” “Earlier, I heard that you defeated a truant messenger in a one-on-one combat when he tried to make it look like Turbaif had revolted.” “Yes, we were blessed by the circumstances and managed to get through with minimal casualties.” With this brief exchange, I was able to get a general idea of who he was. Probably, no matter how much we talked here, only superficial exchanges would come out. He is a man who has a good sense of what is “public”. That is a good thing, but it is a little boring. “Winning one-on-one combat means that you have a good skill. Let’s see how good you are.” “Yes, if you order me to...eh” Angus, who was about to nod, opened his eyes in astonishment. The other Prince and Ministers also began to stir. The reason is that I stood up quickly from the throne and pulled out the demon sword Livyathan. “Y-Your Majesty. It is dangerous.” The Sixth Prince, Sirius Ararat, stepped out of the line and cautioned me. Of the dozen or so Princes, he was the most honest. At best, he is honest; at worst, he is damn serious, and he tried to stop me with a straight face. “Don’t worry, no one’s going to get hurt.” “B-but...” Sirius gulped as he was about to say something. Most of the Ministers scrambled, some of them fuming and fainted. “Don’t lose your temper, Livyathan, it’s only a courtesy.” (Okay.) Livyathan backed away reluctantly—-rather, somewhat sulkily. When Sirius tried to argue with me, that was all it took for it to snap. So the killing intent leaked out and overpowered all the Prince Ministers. Livyathan is still a mad dog even though it awakened – or rather, it is getting worse. “That’s the Demon Sword Leviathan .......”[TN: he’s pronouncing the old way] “I-I thought I was going to die. ......” “As expected of His Majesty, he is in complete control of that thing.” I feel like it’s losing its temper more often, but my word is absolute and it will follow it, so there’s no problem. That being said. “Draw, Angus. I’ll be your opponent.” Stepping out of the throne, I approached Angus. Angus bowed, then accepted the eunuch’s sword (it is customary for generals to be disarmed during an audience) and drew it. “Here we go.” He took the initiative and attacked. It wasn’t intended for a kill, so naturally, he didn’t take it seriously. I began to use my sword techniques to test Angus’s skill. “Hou .......” (Cheeky—) “Wait.” (...... understood) Livyathan seemed to be sulking again, but this time completely backed down, stating that my orders are absolute. What Livyathan reacted to was Angus’ behavior. It was the way he moved, clearly indicating that he was trying to hide his true power and make me feel flowery. Leviathan interpreted it as ‘being played for a fool,’ But I saw it a little differently. After exchanging a few sword techniques, I put Livyathan down. Angus, who was not in earnest, stopped there, of course, and put his sword down as well. “I see, I have a general idea.” “You were trying to lead me to victory, weren’t you?” “I-I’m sorry, sir!” Angus dropped his sword and knelt on the ground. “Good, I don’t blame you. In fact, I’m flattered.” “I see what you did just now. It was you who made it so that the other side had no choice but to accept the one-on-one fight, wasn’t it?” “......” Angus expressed his dismay just like that. And the ministers around him were in an uproar. “Fufu, if I were only the Prince, it would have been interesting to follow as a soldier with you as General.” “What was that all about?” “I don’t know, but I think that Sir Bull was up to something, and His Majesty easily detected it.” “I like it, so let’s reward you. Is there anything you want?” I put Livyathan away and returned to the throne. From this point on, I had to behave like the Emperor. Angus hesitated for a moment. ” ...... It’s impolite of me to say so.” “It’s all right, I’m offering you a reward. What do you want?” “I want to see Lady Arlene more often.” Angus looked at me with straight–challenging eyes. Arlene – to see your wife more? For a moment I wondered what he was talking about. The reason I didn’t understand immediately was that it was a situation peculiar to the Princess. It took me a few seconds to understand it, because I, as the Prince, had no connection to it. “No, no. It’s a matter of course...” Angus became impatient. I interrupted him. “Fuu, there is no need to be in a hurry. I considered it a stupid custom, too. It’s not something that would shake the foundation of the nation, so I will just put it off.” “T-then...” A glimmer of hope flashed in Angus’s eyes. “Don’t worry, I won’t make it any worse. You’ll be notified when it’s done .” “—-! Thank you very much!” “What was that all about, Your Majesty?” Don asked me as I returned to the study after dismissing the audience. “You mean about Angus?” “Well, without knowing the real situation, I suppose the Princess’s marriage would seem to be viewed as a reverse of the royal wedding.” “Yes, it’s a story that is treated with some envy and admiration even in the private talks.” I suppose so. After all, it is a marriage between a commoner and an Imperial Princess. It’s one of the top paths to success, and it’s a dream come true. And it would be a beautiful story — if it were not a political marriage, but a marriage out of love for each other. “All right, I’ll show you the reality. Follow me.” We had just entered the study but I took Don outside with me. We got into the carriage and headed for the destination. A short time later, we came to a mansion in an upscale residential area of the capital. The gatekeeper of the mansion, upon learning of the Emperor’s visit, hurriedly opened the main gate and let the carriage in. “Is this ......?” “This is the residence of the Fourteenth Princess, Arlene.” “Yes. It’s a very interesting residence, though” “Hou?” “There is a ...... small house by the mansion. Come to think of it, I’ve seen this kind of style before. ......” “That’s Angus’ place.” Don looks at me his expression clearly says, “I can’t believe I just heard that”. “W-What do you mean?” “Exactly what I say. The big one is Arlene’s place, the little one is Angus’.” “W-Why?” “When a Princess and a commoner are married, they are both married couples, but also Lord and subject. It is a perverse custom that the husband’s residence should not be larger than the Princess’s.” “N-No way. Then just to meet .......” Don asked timidly. The man I had brought in as the Vizier was a wise man. In an instant, he understood what I was talking about. “That’s how it is.” I laughed. The carriage stopped and I jumped off. Hearing about the Emperor’s visit, a panicked-looking, elderly woman came out from inside the mansion. She came in front of me and knelt. “I am very sorry, I did not know that His Majesty had come...” “I came on a whim. You are not to blame.” “T-thank you very much.” I gestured for the woman to stand up. “So you’re the head chambermaid.” “Yes. My name is Cassandra.” “How are Arlene and Angus?” “Thank you for your concern. Their relationship is very good. They have not tainted each other’s identities.” “Identity ......?” Don, who was standing beside me, mumbled in disbelief. He doesn’t know, but I know what’s going on. I entered the house with Cassandra and Don in tow, presumably to the parlor where Arlene was waiting. “What about visitation?” “Once a week, sir.” “And night?” “Once every two months.” “That’s not much.” Not even to my knowledge. “Yes, Her Imperial Highness says once a month for the sake of the heir, but considering Lord Bull’s status, we thought once every two months would be best.” I glanced at Don. I could see he was becoming more and more exasperated. Don had been with the royal family before he got to me, and there too with a Prince. I guess he had no idea of the ‘darkness’ surrounding the Princess. While talking so that Don could hear me, I was led into the reception room. Inside were the Imperial Princess and her maids. Fourteenth Princess Arlene. She was four years older than me, and we had played together in the royal garden when we were children. “It’s a pleasure for your descent....” “No, there is no need for such a thing between you and me.” For the sake of the future, I behaved as a brother, not as an Emperor. This is one of the differences between a prince and a princess. When dealing with the Prince, a single mistake can lead to the usurpation of the throne, so I have to maintain my Emperor-like behavior, but when dealing with the Princess, who does not have to worry about that, I can break it down considerably. Arlene was a little surprised but immediately smiled. “Yeah. I will do so. It is a privilege of a princess, isn’t it?” “It is the privilege of a princess, but I have come to talk to you, sister.” “What is it?” “Frankly tell me, do you like Angus? I mean as a married couple.” “Angus has asked to see you more as a reward for his service.” “That man ...... so disrespectful.” Cassandra muttered, while Arlene sadly lowered her eyes. “Who are you?” I asked, glancing over my shoulder at Cassandra. “I am talking to the Princess. Who the hell do you think you are to interrupt ...... me?” “I-I’m sorry!” Cassandra’s face paled, she fell to her knees and slammed her head down again and again like grasshoppers on rice. Ignoring Cassandra, I turned to Arlene again. “How about you, sister, do you like Angus? I ask this not as your Emperor, but as your brother.” “...... yes, very much. He is kind and strong. He loves me and ...... can you believe it?” Arlene giggled. “He doesn’t have a single concubine in that mansion over there.” “Oh, come on, is that true?” “It’s impossible, isn’t it?” If a Princess and a commoner were married, they would be considered squires with separate mansions and not be able to see each other properly. However, even though a former commoner, if he marries an imperial Princess, he is a quasi-royalty. It is a natural behavior to take a concubine. And for the princess to be jealous of that is considered the most disgusting behavior. The reason is that it doesn’t make sense for the Lord to be jealous of a subject. “Are you sure there aren’t any?” “That’s right, ...... such an idiot.” Despite saying so, Arlene seemed happy. “Okay, I know how you feel, sister. Well, what to do, it would be easy to give Angus a knighthood, but–“ “No, you can’t. That would hurt a man’s pride.” “Yeah. It would be just as bad to strip you of your royalty.” I was been thinking about it a lot. “This stupid custom is wrong in the first place. The law forbids it. For legislation, Fourth Vizier...” “It takes about two weeks for the formalities to be completed. By His Majesty’s authority, as a test case before legislation, it can take effect immediately.” Don speaks without hesitation. From the moment I glanced at Cassandra, he must have fully understood and thought about what I wanted to do. “Okay, then I’ll do that. Cassandra.” “Y-yes!” “From this day forward, you are not to talk to my sister and her husband about their status. If you break it, you will be hanged immediately.” “Y-Yess!” Cassandra’s voice trailed off. That’s enough of a threat, I thought. “You are a fine judge of character, sir.” “Thank you, ...... Noah.” Arlene’s case was now closed, or so we thought. That night, a rare visitor arrives. It is the First Princess, Rain Ararat.

I received a request for the audience by merchant Byron Allan. It was not a formal meeting, but a private one, so I decided to meet him in the parlor of the palace. I sat and waited in the room, where the sun shone brightly and the furnishings shined even more brilliantly. Then Byron came in, escorted by a maid. Byron entered the room and knelt before proceeding. “Byron Alan. It is an honor to have an audience with you, sir.” “That’s fine. It’s just you and me. Make yourself comfortable.” “Thank you very much, sir.” “What is it today, —fmmm?” As Byron stood up and entered the room, a well-dressed woman entered, perhaps having been waiting outside the room a step before. My voice trailed off. She was not the most beautiful woman in the world. But she had grace and elegance in her behavior. Moreover, it is – something she acquired. What I mean by acquired and inherent refers to ‘birth’ matter. There is a slight difference between those who are born into an aristocratic family and are disciplined from the moment they are born and those who learn and acquire this discipline after they grow up. It is not good or bad, just different. Of course, some are simply born with a certain ‘inborn’ grace, but that is a different story. The woman who came in after Byron was someone who acquired grace. Although it is not good or bad, those who acquired it inevitably have fewer years – and less experience compared to those who were inherent. It is this length of time that makes those who acquired look inferior. However, despite being young and acquired, the woman in front of me had near-perfect behavior. That’s – interesting. “I have brought Jessica here today to gift her to Your Majesty.” “Gift?” “I mean that I wish her to be added to Your Majesty’s inner court.” “Ahh, ......, I see,” I remembered one of my father’s wives, the concubine Ada. I teamed up with Byron and sent Ada to my father’s palace, and after that, she became his concubine after she was successfully noticed. A merchant like Byron’s business practices changed drastically depending on whether or not there was someone in the inner palace who was interested in his business. Ada’s influence has diminished since Father abdicated. To make up for it, he sent someone to me as well. “I didn’t expect you to bring her directly to me.” “I apologize. Even if I were to conceal it from you, it cannot be hidden from His Majesty’s discerning eye.” “Well, I guess it’s between you and me.” It’s not because of wisdom, it’s because we’ve worked together before and done the same thing. “All right. I’ll receive –“ There was no need to refuse Bryon’s gift, so the moment I accepted. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Emperor of the Empire Gender: Male Level: + / ∞ The “+” on my status, which is always in the corner of my eye, has gone up. And – two at once.[TN: His Intelligence went from ‘D+B’ to ‘D+A’ and Speed went from ‘E+C’ to ‘E+B’] I was surprised and looked at the woman – Jessica. A woman who became mine and also boosted my stats by two at once. This is a ...... gem. “You’re — not just an ordinary woman.” “As expected of you, Your Majesty, I admire your keen eye. I never thought you would notice it in this instant.” “What manner of person is she?” “I can only tell you that she is the kind of woman His Majesty likes.” “Hoo.” Byron and I talked a lot about preferences when we selected Ada. That preference was – an ambitious woman, you say. Well, unlike my father, she was being presented directly to me. It’s only natural that I should choose her based on my own preferences. “And...” “And?” “Among them, she was the one with the best qualities.” So she was the hardest-working of them all. Then I can understand what I felt from her behavior. “With this, I’ll take my leave .......” Byron said and left quickly. It is second-rate to say, “Best regards,” here. I understand without saying it, and I do not like it when people say it. Of course, the downside is minutes, but the first-rate person is the one who can get rid of that minute. After Byron and the maid were gone, it was just me and Jessica in the room. I gazed at Jessica, observing her. There was nervousness, then excitement. In the midst of the excitement, I felt a slight tug. “Did you volunteer to be my concubine? Or did Byron beg you?” “I would like to answer. I went to Master Byron myself and asked him to train me.” “Fumu...... Fumu? You willingly offered to become a concubine?” “Yes.” “And you personally knocked on Byron’s door?” Heh. Finding that route, I guess she was a brilliant woman even before she was trained? I’m getting more and more interested. Jessica gently reached out her hand. She held out her hand, palm up. And there was something on her palm. “Money?” “It’s ten reens.” “What is it?” As expected, I could not read her intention. Even including my time as the Prince, no one would give me, the Emperor, money as little as ten reens. In fact, it’s not the case here. That is why I could not read her intention. “I received this when I met Your Majesty for the first time.” “Fumu. Tell me more about it.” “It is the ten reens that Your Majesty distributed to those who were present during his first meeting with His Highness the Thunder Prince.” To be honest, my memory was a little hazy. The first time I met the Thunder Prince Indra – Audrey’s grandfather, we were outdoors. And it was attention grabbing. I also remember being recognized by Indra. I remember this much. And when that happened, I definitely handed out money to the people who were there. That’s the money from that time, huh. “When I caught a glimpse of Your Majesty, it was like lightning went through my whole body.” Jessica’s air changed completely. A fierceness was added to her grace and elegance.. “I yearned for you! I admired Your Majesty more than anyone else in the world! That’s why, I don’t care if I will be just a servant, please let me be by your side!”[TN: Shitt, a Yandere!?] I understood her feelings – I understood them strongly. Of course, I have no intention of letting her go. “Anyone” I called, and a maid entered. ” Ask the Empress to come in here.” The maid bowed reverently and left, and almost immediately Empress Audrey entered. “You wished to see me, Your Majesty?” “Did you catch our conversation this early?” “Yes, as the master of the inner court I would be since a merchant has brought a woman with him.” Audrey smiled. Well, it is a natural reaction. “Then it’s a quick matter. She is Jessica, and she will be a concubine.” “—-! T-T-T....thank you very much!” Jessica burst into tears. “Ara Ara, are you so happy?” It was natural for Audrey to be surprised at such joy. I told Audrey about Jessica. When I first met Indra, she simply encountered me, then found Byron, and worked herself up to this point. “Oh my.” Audrey’s eyes lit up when she heard that. Then she turned to Jessica and (as Empress) took Jessica’s hand herself. “You are something to behold.” “Eh ......?” “You must have come all this way because you see the splendor of His Majesty and because you are fascinated by it.” “—- Yes!” “Fufu, then you are more than welcome. Nice to meet you, Jessica.” “Yes, my best regards.” “Now, let’s have the maid show you to your room.” “Yeah, just a minute.” I stopped Audrey, who as the master of the inner court was about to move. “What is it?” “She will be treated a little differently. I will take her in as a concubine, but I want to use her as a subordinate as well.” “Eh?” Audrey and Jessica were both surprised. “She’s got a lot of skill, you know? Since she’s trained herself to that level, it would be a shame to just have her as a concubine.” “Ah, .......” Jessica was delighted, but then she looked down slightly. She’s happy that she’s appreciated, and that it was me who appreciated her. “But, Your Majesty, it is customary for the concubine to be in the inner court.” “I will remove that. From now on, there will be more like Jessica. To begin with, half of the people in the world are women, and there must be a lot of talent among them. It would be a waste not to utilize them. “I understand Your Majesty’s thirst for talent, but–hm” With a ‘hm’ Audrey’s eyes widened. “The princesses’ case–is this what ...... is for?” “.......” I chuckled. “As expected of you, Your Majesty. I didn’t realize you had thought that far ahead.” “I’ve been thinking about it since Cindy. That’s when Arlene’s case came along. I thought this would be a great way to kill three birds with one stone.” “It’s amazing, Your Majesty.” “Eh? What is that ......?” Audrey explained the situation to Jessica, who did not understand what was going on. I broke the tradition of the royal family with Arlene’s case. It’s a clear statement that I am an Emperor who mercilessly deals with the traditions of the royal family, even those related to women. Even if I use my concubine as my subordinate, there should be no big resistance now. “Ahh, ......, after all, ...... His Majesty is.......” Jessica, who had received the explanation, gazed at me with eyes that became increasingly entranced and fascinated. Audrey, who said that a woman fascinated by me is her friend, looked at Jessica with a satisfied expression on her face. The next day, I summoned Henry to the garden of the detached palace. Henry and I were relaxing in the pavilion, while Shirley and Jessica were fighting at the end of the pavilion. They were engaged in a mock battle with weapons that had both had their tips flattened. The two were fighting evenly. Shirley’s swordsmanship was earnest and strong. In contrast, Jessica’s swordsmanship was elegant and graceful, as if she were dancing. The battle between two contrasting styles was beautiful, coupled with the fact that they were evenly matched. “Those jabbering people will make a fuss one way or the other.” When I mentioned to Henry that I would be using Jessica as a subordinate, he replied flatly. Thankfully there was no opposition, and there was no need to persuade him. “Let those people chirp.” “So, why did you invite me here? It’s more Oscar’s jurisdiction, isn’t it?” “I want to add Jessica to the suppression team. That’s why I called you here.” “Suppression ......you mean to the front lines this fast?” “Yeah.” “Why?” “To let her get some experience.” I looked at Jessica. The woman who became concubine Jessica last night in my arms was showing graceful and fierce swordsmanship that I could not have imagined from her loveliness in the bed chamber. “She is the best talent I have seen so far. I want her to gain many experiences.” “For that purpose, you want her to go to the front lines, to the harsh battlefields, ...... and on the contrary you want her to be treated favorably, huh.” “That’s what I mean.” ” ......Your Majesty, if you go that far, the noises will die down.” “I didn’t care about the noise from the start,......, I leave it to you. Make sure that she doesn’t die. Anyway, let’s put her in a position where she can gain experience.” “By your will,” Henry said and bowed slightly. I looked at Jessica and imagined the fun things that were ahead of her.

“......?” The girl was standing dumbfounded beside us, looking slightly frightened as well. I’m sure she’s scared that she might have offended me, on top of not understanding what Shirley and I are saying. “Don’t worry. I’m complimenting you.” “More importantly, what’s your name?” “My name is Kate.” “Kate. What’s your last name?” “I don’t have one.” It is not uncommon for commoners to not have a last name. If you go to remote areas, there is no such thing as a last name, and you are more likely to be referred to as someone from a certain house. This “house” is usually the name of the patriarch of the family. For example, in my case, my eldest son would be referred to as Sem-san from Noah’s house. Whenever there is no other way to call me, and I need to use my family name, I use my father’s name as my family name. However, there is also a custom that there is no concept of surnames from the beginning, and the names of the father, grandfather, and great-grandfather are listed in a row behind. Most people who have a first name that also resembles a name have one of these two patterns. It’s such a common story that I didn’t bother to go into it. For now, I’m more interested in Kate herself. “You...” Slam! The door was roughly thrown open, revealing the village chief and several villagers. All of them had sour looks on their faces. “What are you doing here?” “Get out of this village right now!” Was it anger, or was it because they had always been like that? The chief said while trembling “Rude! You guys don’t know what you’re doing–“ I held up my hand in front of Shirley, who was getting upset and stopped her. “All right, let’s get out of here. Come on, Shirley, Kate.” “Wait, leave that girl behind.” “...... What?” “She may have incurred the wrath of the gods. Kate will stay, in case of emergency.” “What are you saying! You saw how that monster was defeated!” Shirley, who had finally become angry, turned red and yelled at the village chief. “The gods will not die for something like that.” “What if the resurrected God gets angry?” “Leave the girl!” “...... Shirley.” As I called her name and gave a look, Shirley understood what I meant and walked out of the house. The chief and the villagers, who had come here to detain Kate, did not deter Shirley from going out on her own. Shirley went outside and gave a signal shot. We parted ways, but I, the emperor, have not returned to the royal palace. Sheryl and the others, of course, were waiting nearby. A few minutes later, dodododo—-the sound of thudding footsteps approached us. “W-What’s going on?” The village head was startled. Then another villager came running in. “Oh my God, Chief! Soldiers, lots of real soldiers, they’re here.” “What!? The village chief was even more astonished and could not swallow the situation. In the midst of all this, Sheryl came in. Sheryl, dressed in her knightly attire, rushed into the house and knelt in front of me. “You wanted to see me, Your Majesty the Emperor?” “ror......?” The chief and all the villagers were speechless. “You are in presence of His Majesty, and your heads are high!” Shirley, who came back late, shouted angrily. The villagers looked at me and the soldiers who had surrounded the house – or rather, the village itself – in turn, and then knelt down to me. The village chief fell to his knees, shaking from fear. “It’s a journey hiding my status, no crime is committed by challenging me.” I’ve been the Minister of Justice, which is the law of the Empire, and I have no intention of breaking it. “Y-Yess–thank you very much.” I changed my tone. At the same time, I made slight intimidation with Leviathan. The temperature in the room dropped nearly ten degrees in an instant, causing the villagers to shudder as they knelt in unison. “I will not tolerate private punishment outside the law.” “We had no choice!” “D-Disobeying the God Kala will result in the destruction of the village.” “God Kala, huh? A monster like that, it is understandable that they would be frightened and follow him. Then I will give you one chance.” The villagers, who had all fallen to their knees at once, looked up quickly. They looked as if they had found hope. I looked at them with cold eyes and pointed my hand at Kate, who was kneeling beside me but looking stunned. “Kate?” “......eh? Ah, yes!!” “Do you forgive this village?” “Eh?” “You are the victim of all this, so to speak. If you say you forgive them, I will allow it.” “......” Kate looked at the villagers. The villagers also looked at Kate with clinging eyes, but... “I cannot forgive them.” She gritted her teeth and squeezed out a single word. “Why?: “Because no one helped me when I needed it.” “That’s ...” “Even when I was about to leave—.” “—-!” The villagers trying to speak up were pressured. This has nothing to do with the “Kala God” directly. I have already said that if Kate accuses them of that, they can’t say anything back. “It’s decided. Shirley.” “Yes!” “This village will never be exempt from taxes. Tell that to the local governor.” She gave me an incomprehensible look, but Shirley still faithfully carried out my orders. It was the same for the villagers. It seems like a punishment, but at the same time it doesn’t, and everyone has a puzzled look on their face when they hear it. I commanded Sheryl that there was nothing more to say, and sent them away. The three of us left in the house were me sitting, with Shirley and Kate standing. “Your Majesty, ...... are you sure that was a good idea, with that?” “Don’t you understand?” “Eh? Yeah.” “There are two main reasons why taxes are exempted in our empire. One is when a natural disaster strikes.” “Yes.” “The other is the Empire’s main per capita tax, which you are exempted from if you are over years old.” “—Ah.” When she heard that much, Shirley finally had an idea. The majority of the taxes the empire takes from its people are per capita taxes. And the poll tax, which you are legally required to pay for the rest of your life, can be waived if you apply for it after you reach . “And we can even do this – not recognize deaths due to illness or accident.” “As long as the family register remains, the per capita tax remains even if the person is actually dead.” “I used to be the Minister of Justice. And I know a lot of ways to make people suffer, even when it’s legal.” “That’s brilliant, sir!” After smiling at Shirley, I turned to Kate, who was still puzzled. “That’s how it is. The village will suffer slowly from now on. That should do it for now.” “Uuuuh, thank you very much. ...... Thank you very much. ......” Kate cried. I don’t know if it’s relief or tears of joy, but it’s the kind of tears that make you feel like you’ve got an overflow of something you’ve been holding in. “...... Okay, let’s go back to the capital.” “Are you sure it’s time?” “Yeah, we got the treasure. It was a good harvest.” And so I returned to the capital, taking Kate with me. A few days later, I was in my room at night in the royal palace. While I was reading a book, there was a knock at the door. When I answered it, Empress Audrey and her sister, the consort Anya, came in with her. They came in front of me and bowed in the manner of noble ladies. “Is something up, you two?” “It’s late, sire so I thought you might want to get some sleep.” “You have an early day tomorrow, don’t you?” Audrey, who has become more mature since giving birth to Sem, and Anya, who, in contrast, has not lost her youthfulness. I like the contrast between the two of them when they are standing side by side, it seems to bring out the charm of each other. “I’ll read some more and then go to bed.” “You’ve been reading late every day, haven’t you?” “Yes, I do. Most of the knowledge is in books. If you read a lot, you can see the essence of things. The basis of knowledge is reading.” “You already know so much, but you still read? That’s amazing, Your Majesty.” “Fu. By the way, you didn’t come here to talk about that, did you?” I said so as I looked at Audrey. In the evening, Empress and Consorts do not usually visit the Emperor. The Emperor picks them and the eunuchs deliver them. This is the chain of connection between the Emperor and his ladies. Because they neglected to do so, it means that there is something to it. “As expected, Your Majesty — Your Majesty has no plans to increase the number of consorts?” A little surprised, I put down my book and gazed straight at Audrey. “I’ve thought about it a lot since becoming Empress, and my views have changed. I can’t imagine being an Emperor with only one consort.” You can say that it’s just an appearance, but if the aristocrat – the Emperor, who is the apex of the aristocracy – can’t appear elegant, it’s no use. “Even Dustin has more than ten consorts.”[TN: If you are wondering why I am not using the word concubine because concubines are not considered wives and are in the lower social hierarchy while consorts are the wives and also in higher social hierarchy] The Tenth Prince, Dustin. He has the most blood from his father, and at the young age of , he already has a double-digit number of consorts. “And it’s not just for the sake of appearances. His Majesty should have more consorts and give hope to the women of the world. I think that is the duty of the Emperor.” “That’s true.” Women have a very narrow career path. To ” climb up the ladder”, women usually aim to become the wife or consort of a nobleman. The aristocracy is also a discipline of the Emperor. If the Emperor does not have many consorts, the aristocrats cannot afford to have more. Certainly, only having one, Anya, is still too few, but I can’t argue with that.” I thought about it for a while. “Okay, then have the consort – no, the consort selection.” “Select?” “Yes. Once a year, I want you to select a woman of beauty and talent from all over the Empire. The woman who excels will become the consort.” Audrey stared at me for a while. Eventually, she thought of something and realized it. “Just like the selection of knights?” “That’s exactly what I mean.” “I see. ...... You were aiming for that level. ...... I’m impressed.” I chuckled. Rather, Audrey, as expected, you noticed my objective in an instant. “Eh? Sister, what are you talking about?”

The fantastic scene did not last long. Despite the grandeur of what I witnessed, the ending was very simple. Bahamut’s power drained from Kate as if the air had been knocked out of her, and she slumped back to her original form. “You okay?” “I’m fine. I’m just a little tired. ......” “Fumu.” I looked at Kate. Her complexion is as white as paper, but it’s what people show when they’re extremely tired. I’m sure it’s nothing serious, except for the fact that she’s tired, as she’s self-reported. “But although it’s good that it can possess you, it can’t do anything with such a short length.” “Your Majesty, let me try it.” “Alright. Bahamut, let Zoe have that one.” [I understand.] The same scene was repeated. Bahamut responded. The power leaps out of the bracelet. And got transferred to Zoe. She turns into a demonic goddess of divine fire. Then, she quickly runs out of breath. As Bahamut’s power drained away, Zoe also slumped to the ground from sheer exhaustion. “Y-Yes,......, it’s just that I’m as tired as I’ve been in days without sleep.” “Fumu. Bahamut, I’m next.” ‘I don’t mind, go ahead.” [Understood] Bahamut responds to my command, and the power is transferred to me. Staring at my hands, my appearance changes. And my status. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Empire’s Emperor Gender: Male Level: + / ∞ HPC+CMPD+CStrengthC+SStaminaD+CIntelligenceD+BSpiritE+CSpeedE+CDexterityE+CLuckD+C FireE+S+SWaterC+SSWindE+CEarthE+CLight E+BDarknessE+B Fire stat has changed. The “+” has been increased by one more. I see, this certainly makes it stronger. I also found out the reason for the ...... fatigue. While possessed, HP and MP are decreasing by the second. My HP is C+C, which is actually S, and my MP is C+D, which is A. Even though they are decreasing, I can keep them for the time being. “Your Majesty ...... Amazing ......” “This length ......” As they had quickly ran out of breath previously, they looked up at me with respect. I broke up the Bahamut possession with my own consciousness. I felt a little weak from the exhaustion of the possession, but this was no big deal. In battle, I was convinced that it would be my trump card for short-term decisive battle. In the study, I faced Oscar across the desk. I was seated while Oscar was standing and reporting. The report is on the finances of the empire. I asked Oscar, who is the Finance Minister, about the finances, so Oscar reported on the current situation. “The selection of the consorts...... is going to be difficult this year right away.” “Fumu ......” The reason I asked about finances was to make Empress Audrey’s proposal a reality. However, there is not enough money to do so. I spread out the documents that Oscar had sent me on my desk and stared at the numbers. “Taxes are down a bit again, aren’t they?” “Yes, I think it’s because the salt tax from Gabel is on a gradual decline.” “Salt tax. ......” Salt is a very important ingredient. Without it, a dish would be tasteless – and I’m not talking about low-level stuff like that. Doctors and other researchers have already found this out. It’s life threatening if we don’t take in salt. If we don’t take enough salt, we will get tired easily in the short term, and our internal organs will weaken in the long term.[[TN: Your body uses salt to balance fluids in the blood and maintain healthy blood pressure, and it is also essential for nerve and muscle function. (I should stop at it cause typing everything is tiresome so I will leave a –>link<– if you want to learn more)] Salt is essential for humans. That’s why the empire controlled salt. Sales were permitted, and taxes were collected to provide a valuable source of revenue. I was looking at the report. “How much is it reduced?” “About % of what it was in its heyday, I’d say.” “Where’s the biggest decline?” There are several salt-producing regions. “The Gabel region. It’s the largest producer of salt in the empire.” “Gabel, huh.” I believe that’s where I sent Lawrence to become viceroy after I became emperor. And from Lawrence, there is ...... no report. And no secret message through Fuwawa’s box. It means that nothing has happened to diminish it at all. Lawrence — can be trusted. I thought for a moment and looked at Oscar. “Oscar.” “Yes?” “What do you actually think?” Silence descends. After a full minute of silence. “...... As you can tell, Your Majesty, it’s quite clear.” Oscar bowed his head once with a slight chuckle. “Perhaps there is trafficking going on.” “Trafficking?” “By officials.” “Officials .......” I thought for a moment. The empire has a permit system for sales. By permitting the sale of the product, they can collect a minimum amount of salt tax on it. Combine that with the word “trafficking” and you get ....... “......, which means that 0% of it is trafficking – it’s black salt, huh.” “I think you’re right. Nominally, salt consumption has decreased since the recession, and it has been decreasing a little bit every year. Since it has been decreasing by a few percent every year, it was considered unavoidable each time, and before we knew it, ...... was the current situation.” “I see. If the amount reduced over time is used as black salt for trafficking, the taxpayer will make a profit on that amount. It’s a lot of money, and there’s plenty of money available to keep the officials quiet.” “Yes ......, as expected of Your Majesty. You understand almost everything in this one moment.” Oscar says so, it means that my guess is not wrong. Then, let’s do something about this. Not just for the selection of the queen, I’m also thinking about going to war in the future, and I’ll need money for that too. The salt tax is the part that needs to be dealt with. “I’ll go there myself.” “Your Majesty will?” “Yeah, the 80% salt tax. It’s not something that can be overlooked.” “...... Yes, it’s a bit too much.” “Fuh.” I stood up, walked over to Oscar and tapped him on the shoulder. The empress’s words, “Clean water is hard to live in,” have been stuck in my head lately. Oscar’s words, ” It’s too much indeed,” is exactly what he said. If they were to cheat on a few percent of the actual amount, I could turn a blind eye, but in the heyday – or even 80 percent of the current amount – I would say it was too much. Oscar, as expected, is also a Prince as well as the Finance Minister, so he understands such things very well. “Your Majesty?” “It’s wonderful that you can say that. Please continue to lend your support to my reign.” “Yes!” He took three steps back, just far enough so that he didn’t step on my shadow, then dropped to one knee and bowed his head. Royal Capital, the Eighth Prince’s residence. In his windowless study, Oscar summoned his confidant, a man named Arl. “It’s Gabel. Is there any connection between there and me?” Arl was puzzled for a moment, but quickly returned to a straight face. “There is some. Not directly, but a few ‘nice to meet you’ gifts.” “Send it back and cut it as neatly as you can.” “Yes. ...... But why?” “His Majesty has taken notice.” “–!” Earl gulped. “His Majesty is a man of great talent. He may be even better at exposing and resolving injustice than the Previous Emperor. His Majesty has personally proposed to go to Gabel. It will be solved for sure.” “Surely...... sir?” Arl was afraid to ask him back, but Oscar assured him firmly. “For sure. I’ve been watching His Majesty since I was a child. There’s no mistake in that.” Oscar stood up, folded his hands behind his back, and walked around the study. “Gabel’s matter is not something that can be covered up quickly, structurally. It can only be put back over the years, or the whole thing will come to light and hundreds of people will be punished, one way or the other.” “B-But... His Majesty has always stated that ‘People are Treasures’.” “Don’t forget, His Majesty was also the Minister of Justice, who respected the law.” “—!” Arl gasped and gazed at him again. “Even the Crown Prince can be disinherited according to the law, so there is no way that a Prince can be reduced to a commoner.” “I’ll go clean it up right away!” Oscar saw off the pale Arl as he ran out of the study. And then, in the room where he was left alone, he murmured to himself. “The Thirteenth’s resourcefulness will no doubt solve this. Then I will .......”

Top % strength Today, I spent the morning leveling up at the pavilion in the garden. The pavilion is located in an open area of the garden, away from the villa. There, with Zoe as my attendant, we were having a mock battle. With the new addition of Apophis, I had him fight four other figures. They were all linked to the Armor Ring and materialized to fight. Of the five, Apophis was the fourth-strongest. Since awakening, Bahamut has taken the top spot. The power relationship with Leviathan, who was originally in the first place and fell, has been completely reversed, with Bahamut winning nine times out of ten. The third is Behemoth, the fourth is Apophis, and the last is Fuwawa. However, the top two are outstanding, and the bottom three are not so different. The more of them there are, the more combinations there will be. As the number of combinations increases, the content and outcome of the fights will also increase exponentially. It was interesting, and I had been doing mock battles all morning. In the evening, the level increase was visibly slower than in the morning. Name: Noah Ararat Minister of Justice Gender: Male HPC+EMPE+EStrengthC+AStaminaD+EIntelligenceE+DSpiritE+DSpeedE+EDexterityE+DLuckE+D FireE+AWaterC+SWindE+FEarthE+DLight E+CDarknessE+C I look at my status, which is always in the corner of my vision. My level has gone up from to 5, and my HP, strength, and water attributes are now C. But that’s only with my power. “Zoe, check my status.” I ordered Zoe, who had been standing by my side the whole time, to cast a spell on me. Name: Noah Ararat Minister of Justice Level: 15 / ∞ HPBMPDStrengthSSSStaminaCIntelligenceCSpiritCSpeedDDexterityCLuckC FireSWaterSSSWindEEarthCLight BDarknessB The magic that Zoe had cast gave her an outwardly visible status, with a “+” correction on top. “A-As expected of you, Master. You’re getting so strong ......” “Yes, it is.” This is the result of the addition of Ararat to the fief. Ararat caused my strength to increase to SSS, with an additional A. Other statuses are also going up steadily. My own ability and the “+” from the addition of my subordinates. The combination of the two has made me stronger in a good way. If my strength is SSS, I might be able to fight as well as I did in the strongest mode if I’m careful. While I was looking at the ability and thinking about it, Zoe was still marveling and didn’t come back. “What’s the matter, you look so surprised?” “Oh, I’m surprised. Because level 15 is the top 5% of all Imperial subjects.”[TN: SERIOUSLY!] “...... Oh, that’s right.” Actually, yes. Raising the level is really difficult. In the ancient civilizations that once flourished, there was something called “recovery magic”. Incredibly, this magic could heal human injuries in less than a day. Thanks to this recovery magic, people were able to fight and improve their skills to the fullest. Nowadays, it is very difficult to level up, as evidenced by the fact that the royal family’s first battle is to carefully “raise” a nest of monsters. More to the point, nearly half of the human race has a maximum level of less than 10. I, too, had a maximum level of 8 in my previous life. “You’re so young, but you’re already level 15. ...... Master is really amazing. ......” Zoe continued to marvel at my level 15 endlessly. Later that day, I was doing some research in the study when Don knocked and came in. “Thank goodness you’re still here, Your Highness.” “I was just about to head back to the Inner Garden. ...... What’s the matter?” “I am glad that I came now. Because if you go back to the inner garden, I won’t be able to get in.” Don was relieved and placed the box on my desk. “This has been sent for you.” “Fuwawa’s box?” “Yes.” Don nodded, looking straight at the box. ” From what I’ve heard from His Highness, this is a proper report if it’s sent properly.” “Yes, it is.” Fuwawa’s box. The box was made using the power of Fuwawa, and once locked, no one but me could open it. It was given out to a number of governors and officials so that they could report it directly to me or tip me off. Incidentally, if you show it off to others as an honor, it will destroy itself immediately. I received the box with a lock on it. Carefully touching the box, I tried to open the lock. “Mu.” “What’s wrong?” “Strange.” “Eh?” “There is ...... something wrong.” When I said something was wrong, I didn’t mean something like a guess or a hunch. HPC+EMPE+EStrengthC+AStaminaD+EIntelligenceE+DSpiritE+DSpeedE+EDexterityE+DLuckE+D FireEWaterCWindEEarthELight EDarknessE The moment I touched the box, all of the “+” attributes in my status disappeared. I’ve often gotten “+” when I’ve gotten things, but this is the first time I’ve lost it. Carefully, I opened the box. Inside was a fist-sized stone and a letter. I read the letter and furrowed my brow. “What does it say?” “The stone is a meteorite, but it seems that the impact of its fall left the word ‘naturally’ and ‘wise’ on the surface.” “Ah, .......” Don furrowed his brow and smiled wryly. I picked up the stone and looked at it. On its surface was clearly engraved the character for “wise” of the Wise Prince. “It’s a common practice. Because something like this is found in nature, some people offer it as a good omen. It’s not possible for something like this to be produced from scratch.” “......” “But since it’s Your Highness. You knew the moment you picked up the box, right.” I listened to Don’s words and stared at the meteorite. The moment I picked up the box, I knew – status reduction. It was just a gimmick, or maybe I’d have to add a new feature to the Fuwawa box in the future. All those thoughts were blown away. I thought about it for a moment and then pulled out my Leviathan. I wielded my Water Demon Sword and cut the meteorite in half – at that moment. Something jumped out of the meteorite. “Whoa!” The thing that flew out swelled and Don was flung away by it and slammed into the wall. It gradually took shape into a wriggling, mottled tentacle. A tentacle that is both unnamable, ugly, and sinister. The tentacles begin to rampage. They pierce the floor and tear down the walls. In the blink of an eye, they had destroyed half of the office study. I can see the starry sky beyond the cloud of dust created by the collapse. “Your Highness!” “Stay back!” I ordered Don, who was trying to come towards me, to stand back and held up the Leviathan. The first thing I did was intimidate the tentacles, which grew in volume as I destroyed them. ” It doesn’t work?” The tentacles didn’t seem to slow down at all, they just spooked slightly and continued to destroy more. In the blink of an eye, the study was almost completely destroyed. And then, as if there was nothing left to destroy, the tentacles wriggled and came towards me. “Fuu!” Using Leviathan, I intercepted the rushing tip with a slash. “It’s hard–but!” It’s not so hard that the blade can’t penetrate. I slashed it with a one-handed slash, and then I took a two-handed stance and put all my strength into it. From the center of the tentacle, I tore it in a straight line vertically. One of the tentacles, which looked like entangled lint, was severed, fell to the floor, convulsed, and then stopped moving. Slashing works! I held Leviathan at the ready and closed in on the tentacle. As soon as I dove into its bosom-shaped area, as humans call it, I slashed it wildly with Leviathan. It was hard, but not as hard as Apophis. The light blue magic sword cut off the tentacles without mercy. In about three minutes, I was able to half-destroy the study and slice the giant tentacles into small pieces. “...... Is it over?” While holding Leviathan, I was a little wary of the remains. Although I tried to intimidate it, it didn’t seem to react, so I put Leviathan away. “Are you okay?” “......” “Don?” “Eh? Oh, yeah. I’m fine. His Highness’s swordsmanship is amazing. You could take on a monster like that in an instant.” “Rather, get the man who sent this box and hear what he has to say.” “Yes, sir!” Don, who had been stunned by the fierce battle, rushed out.

At night, in the living room of the mansion’s inner garden. It is a room made for relaxation, and during the day, a half-moon raised high in the sky can be seen through the large, well-lit window. In the living room, with Audrey and Zoe standing by my side. I was engaged in a mock battle. Leviathan, the Demon Sword of Water. The famous painting Fuwawa. Behemoth, the golden giant bull. And–the awakened flame dragon Bahamut. I linked all four of them one after the other to the Armor Ring and had them fight one on one. Since that day when I first put Leviathan against Bahamut, who was still a Luthiya at the time, my level went up. I’ve been putting them against each other little by little. At first, Leviathan was the dominant force, but after it awakened, Bahamut won almost all the battles. And it was still the case now, with Bahamut’s flames consuming Leviathan’s water swordsman, and the game was decided. “Fumu.” “Is there anything, Noah-sama” “My level has increased.” “Well, congratulations.” “Congratulations!” Audrey and Zoe congratulated me one after the other. Name: Noah Ararat Minister of Justice Gender: Male HPD+EMPE+EStrengthD+EStaminaE+EIntelligenceE+ESpiritE+ESpeedF+EDexterityE+ELuckE+E FireE+AWaterD+SWindE+FEarthE+FLight E+CDarknessE+F My status in the corner of my eye has gone up one more level, to . What I’ve learned over the past three years of doing a little bit of everything is that even if I run with the same opponents–that is, just these four–the pace only slows down, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t go up at all. I realized that I didn’t need to scramble to level up in the usual way, I just needed to let Bahamut and the others fight. “But Noah-sama is amazing.” “Hmm?” What about? I looked at Audrey who was standing there with such a look. “I’ve never even heard of such a method.” “How much do you know about how to level up?” “─ Probably in one way or another. As the wife of a nobleman, I learned a lot to support my husband in battle.” “I see.” If so, then Audrey is right, she knows everything there is to know, or rather, all the usual methods. After all, she is the granddaughter of the Thunder Prince, an unquestionably respectable bloodline. The more genuine the nobleman, the more they are ashamed of their ignorance, and Audrey must have received a considerable education and have considerable knowledge. And yet, Audrey says ‘I never heard of this.’ Being born as a noble—a Prince, I have learned a lot of knowledge, but on top of that, I checked with her as well. “What kind of ability has a ‘+’ in it?” “I’ve never heard of it at all. I think it’s just Noah-sama. It may be the sign that you are the only one in the world who has been chosen.” “That’s amazing, Noah-sama!” Audrey’s words were echoed by Zoe. Both of them had a look of utter infatuation in their eyes, and it was not a bad thing to be looked at that way. Now that it’s getting late, I think I’ll just have another battle and go to bed soon. Knock, knock. There was a knock on the door, and when I answered it, Cecily, the guest service maid, came in. “I’m sorry it’s so late at night. Master has a visitor.” “At this hour? It’s late, it can wait until tomor-.” “No, wait.” I interrupted Audrey as she was about to say. “Let’s meet.” I got up and left the living room. I was led out of the inner garden and into the outer garden, not to the parlor but to the entrance hall. There was a man there, dressed in a worn-out outfit. His hair was shaggy and his eyes were sunken in. As I approached him, I could smell his sweat. “Who are you?” “I’ve been asked by Cindy-sama to deliver this.” The man said, holding out a box. A box to deliver something top secret to me. Cindy Allan. She’s Byron Allan’s adopted daughter, and now, nearly a decade after we met at the party, she’s nearly twenty years old and helping him with his business. She is capable and loyal, so I entrusted her with the box. I inquired, looking at the man’s outfit. “I’ve ridden three horses in a row.” “That so. Zoe, bring him his reward. Get him 0 reens.” The head maid, Zoe, who was following behind me, bowed her head and complied. She took the man and walked away. I stood there and opened the box. “——!” The contents of the box were a simple note. His Majesty has fallen ill. That was all it said. The next morning, after having breakfast in the grand dining hall with Audrey serving, as usual, Cecily came in again. “Master, the eunuch from the royal palace is here.” “Finally here......” I furrowed my brow slightly and stood up. “Is this about yesterday?” Audrey asked. “Maybe.” “Is that so ...... It’s amazing though, that you got the news so much sooner than it was official.” “That’s why I left the box with Cindy.” Besides, this is something I learned from His Majesty. I have learned the importance of freshness of information from the many times it has been done to me. Even at this level, I’m still not as good as His Majesty, but I’ll get to ...... sooner or later. With that in mind, I headed for the parlor in the outer garden of the mansion. There, I found a surprising person. “Curuz!? You?” “Yes. I have an Imperial Decree.” In a case like this, I, as the Prince, and Curuz, as the eunuch, should have kneeled and bowed to me when we first met, but Cruz said, ‘Imperial Decree’. In other words, he’s His Majesty’s representative, and as long as he’s delivering the Imperial Decree, he’s His Majesty himself. So I did the opposite, and got down on one knee and bowed to him. “I hereby order Noah to be the Prime Minister for one month until my return. Everything but military affairs will be entrusted to him.” “I comply.” I complied and stood up. Cruz took his place and bowed to me on both knees. “It’s been a long time, Your Highness the Wise Prince.” “Stand up. Why did His Majesty ask me to do this?” Yesterday, Cindy gave me some news, but it was unofficial, so I just brushed it off. “His Majesty’s condition is not good.” “What? “It’s the so-called Summer Heat.” “Summer Heat.” “However, since he fell ill once and because of his old age, at the advice of the palace physician, Goud, we have decided to take a one-month summer retreat.” “I see. ......” I was a little relieved. This is why the summer resort is probably for important reasons. It can be seen from the fact that he has thrown away most of his political affairs, yet he has not let go of his military affairs. “His Majesty also said. ‘You have been watching me closely, and I can trust you with this.’.” “......” The space between the lines pricked me like a thorn. You’ve been watching me closely–that’s not literal. Maybe, Cindy’s box has been discovered too. “As expected of His Highness the Wise. His Majesty has only one person he trusts so much.” “Don’t flatter me too much. Anyway, I understand. What about affairs of state?” “He wants you to stay in Almeria, and he’ll have the documents forwarded to you.” “Okay then. Zoe. Give Curuz 5,000 reens. After sending Cruz off, I sighed. I then calmed down and noticed. His Majesty had fallen ill a while ago, and the order of Prime Minister had distracted, so I hadn’t noticed. Name: Noah Ararat Prime Minister Gender: Male Level: 10 / ∞ HPD+SSSMPE+SSSStrengthD+SSSStaminaE+SSSIntelligenceE+SSSSpiritE+SSSSpeedF+SSSDexterityE+SSSLuckE+SSS FireE+SSSWaterD+SSS WindE+SSSEarthE+SSSLight E+SSSDarknessE+SSS How, my status was something like never before. The “+” part behind your ability. The “+” that went up as the person followed was all “SSS”. I was surprised and asked Zoe who came back to cast a spell on it so that it could be seen by others. Level: 10 / ∞ HPSSSMPSSSStrengthSSSStaminaSSSIntelligenceSSSSpiritSSSSpeedSSSDexteritySSSLuckSSS FireSSSWaterSSSWindSSSEarthSSSLight SSSDarknessSSS “M-Master ...... wow.......” Zoe was taken by surprise and dumbfounded almost to death. Suddenly, the “+” increased significantly. In the same way that I once received the fief when I was born and water became S. It’s clear as daylight that this happened because His Majesty entrusted his Empire to me for a month only. “A whole nation, a treasure, .......” I was excited about the not-so-impossible future.

After the incident, I spoke to Fuwawa. I could hear voices, but they were not human words. Apart from the voices I hear, something else flows directly into my head. It’s as if I’m remembering an exchange in a dream, a strange sensation that I can’t quite grasp, but can certainly understand. ” I see, then try it.” As I said this, Fuwawa stepped down onto the floor and her figure began to blur. After the blurred figure became like a fog, and it repeatedly dispersed and gathered. “ehhh!?” Alan was so surprised that he shouted. “I-Is this ...... me?” “Yes, it is. Have someone get a mirror and line the two of you up.” Alan called one of his own men – who was also awestruck – and told him to bring the mirror. In the meantime, the transformed Fuwawa lined up beside Alan. When his subordinate brought the mirror, Alan was even more surprised when he looked into it. “Just like .......” Alan, who was Fuwawa transformed into, looked just like his twin brother. “It was possible to do something like this .......” “There’s more. Maybe ...... like this.” I reached out my hand to Fuwawa. The moment she touched my hand,—- she disappeared. Alan was astonished that a being that looked like him disappeared in an instant. Immediately after, Fuwawa reappeared. Just as she did right before she disappeared, she reappeared in Alan’s form. “W-What did you do?” “Fuwawa, show me your hands. Alan, touch them in turn.” They both did as I asked. Fuwawa held out both hands, and Alan touched the right hand, then tried to touch the left – it slipped through. “Ehhhh?” “She only materialized the right half of the body. She could have done both, but it was just a test.” “The former wasn’t like touching a ghost, so only the right half materialized. ......?” “Yeah.” Alan rolled his eyes even more. It was the link to the Armor Ring that made Fuwawa materialize. Leviathan and Luthiya had both done it, and this time Fuwawa did it too. A ghostly shapeshifting ability, materialized by the ring of armor. It’s almost a complete shapeshifting ability. “How far can it go? Can your stomach growl?” –GyururuRuru. As soon as I asked, Fuwawa aka Alan’s stomach began to growl. “What about disappearing!?” “Whoa!” This time, the left half, the part not materialized by the armor ring, became transparent. Alan let out a scream when he saw exactly half of himself. “I see, you can do it all at once.” “...... As expected of His Highness, even though you met it for the first time, you are able to use it like this.” Alan finally recovered from his surprise. After I had completely restored the Fuwawa, I turned to Alan. “You’ve done well. Contact me if anything else happens.” “Yes!” When I returned to the th Prince’s residence, I was greeted by Cecily, the new maid who greeted me at the entrance. “Master, Martha-san has something to tell you.” “Martha? Who is it?”[WHY DID YOU SAY THAT NAME!!!] “She’s Zoe-san’s mother.” “...... Ahh.” I thought about it for a few seconds and finally remembered. It was six years ago. Zoe’s hometown of Dosso had been flooded, and I had given her mother a quiet job here at the estate. I believe it’s ....... Well, I only remember it was a job that wasn’t exactly there as a job. “All right, bring her into the study.” Martha, who I hadn’t spoken to in probably six years, said she wanted to talk to me. Considering the fact that she didn’t want to be heard, I chose the study. My study, being the study of the Prince’s residence, has been enchanted with sound insulation. The sound of human speech would not leak out, nor could it be heard from outside. As I entered the study and waited for a while, the special bell on the door rang because knocking was not allowed in this room. Shortly after, an old lady walks in. The old woman, Martha, entered the room, closed the door, and knelt down in front of me. “What is it? Talk” “Yes, I am assigned by the Prince to open and close the back entrance every day.” Martha reminded me of her job. It was to open and close the back gate in the morning and at night as it was not used very often. At reens a month. To be honest, it was a meaningless job, something I only did for charity. “For the past few days, some people have been meeting at the back gate in the middle of the night.” “Someone? Who?” “Um, a recent visitor to the mansion, ...... uh, .......” Martha rubbed her brow and tried to remember. She’s as old as she looks, and her memory is getting weaker. “Recently?” “Don Oates?” “That’s him!” I felt my eyebrows shoot up. “Don’s seeing someone in the middle of the night?” “Yes. Well, I don’t know who the other person is, but the people in this mansion don’t sneak out at night like that to meet with outsiders.” I nodded. As I had asked, Dylan did his research, and now we have circumstantial evidence that Don is a spy. “I understand. Here.” I took the dozens of remaining reens out of my pocket and handed them to Martha. “Good to know. Here’s your reward. Keep it. “Thank you, sir.” “Don’t tell anyone about it. Not even your daughter.” Martha walks out of the study, holding the money I gave her in both hands. ...... I need to move. In the darkness of the moonless night, the back entrance of the th Prince’s residence. As usual, Martha came out of the mansion to fulfill the work that she does every day without fail. She approached the back gate, step by step, with slowly paced steps befitting her age. She closed the gate, which she had left open until then. “—-MUGU!” Someone clutched her from behind and covered her mouth. Martha tried to resist, but she couldn’t shake it off. That person did something to Martha. She jerked for a moment, cramped up, and then collapsed like a stringless puppet. As Martha fell to the ground, that someone checked her breath through her nose and placed an ear to her heart. Satisfied with that, it quickly left the scene. –I watched the whole thing from the shadows. “Saved from that.” “......” There were two women behind me who were speechless. Zoe and Martha, mother and daughter pair. “M-Mother was targeted, you mean?” Zoe asked cautiously. “That’s right. And they probably did it to make it look like a natural death. There’s no sign of trauma.” Just as I said this, the figure of Martha, who had been killed at a distance, flickered and came back to the ring on my finger. Then Fuwawa slowly flew in. Martha witnessed Don communicating with an outsider. I predicted that the Don would find out and try to silence her, so instead of Martha, I sent a materialized Fuwawa to take her place. It was Fuwawa who was murdered, and since she was materialized by the Armor Ring, she was able to replicate human bio-reactivity, making it look like she was killed. “Wow, ...... the person who was my mother just now, ......” Zoe marveled. “Zoe.” “Y-Yes.” “For now, take your mother’s body with you back to your hometown, Dosso. It would be better to lay down in a familiar place.” “Uhm, ......?” “After all. At this rate, you’ll be a target.” “Ah, .......” Unlike the merchants and aristocrats who always deceive others with evil spirits of rivers and mountains, I spoke straight to Zoe, who is a maid.[TN: 魑魅魍魎 (chimimoryo) evil spirits of rivers and mountains are a**holes, although I don’t exactly know what that means, it should be something like deception, looking like human but is a monster, kind of, anyway here’s the Wiki link, do help me if you know] “I understand.” “Martha, I’ll call you back when it’s over, rest for a while.” “Thank you very much! Thank you so much!” Martha worshipped me over and over again for saving her life and for being so kind to her. “Um, Master? I don’t mean to be rude, but are you sure you shouldn’t be keeping an eye on that man?” “I’ve already thought of that.” “Eh?” “Don’t you realize that there’s something missing?” “Eh? Well, ......, Master’s new subordinate is missing.” Zoe noticed that Fuwawa had disappeared for some time. “Actually, she’s right there with you. Fuwawa, touch her shoulder.” “Eh? –Uwaahh” Despite my warning, Zoe was surprised. She couldn’t see anything, but she was surprised when she felt a touch. “Th-This is” “Just show her your face.” She was surprised to see a head floating in the air. “She can disappear like this. Fuwawa, make yourself invisible and keep an eye on that guy.” She nodded her head and disappeared completely. That finally made sense to Zoe. “I see! That’s great, Master.” And she gave delayed applause.

“...... here is?” Don woke up on the bed and tried to jump up in surprise, but he felt pain and fell back down on the bed. It was not a mansion, but a room in a private house on the outskirts of the city, and it was just the two of us. “Don’t push yourself, you could have died.” “D-ie?” Enduring the pain, he stares at me with a furrowed brow. “Don’t you remember? you were under surveillance the whole time. I’ll tell you if you don’t remember.” He seemed to remember. “Yes, after you reported that you had eliminated the witness, you were cut off by your contact. Well, I guess they cut you off for screwing up, too.” Don was lying on the bed, but he was clearly disappointed. “I thought it might be the case that you had me followed, but I didn’t think you’d be the one to be silenced.” I sighed. My older brother is really ....... “People are treasures.” Don turned his face sideways on the bed and stared at me. “You mean to tell me you’ve been expecting me to be cut down?” “You’re as good as they say, Wise Prince. ......” Don laughed and looked impressed as if he had given up on everything. “If I was on your side from the start,......” Don mumbled, a hint of self-mockery in his words. “You can start now.” “Eh?” “You mean, if things had gone differently, you’d be my subordinate, right? Start from now. Then it’s not too late.” “Are you serious about ......?” “In return, I’m very strict about betrayal. Once you’re under my command, you’re not allowed to leave until you die.” “Thank you very much .......” Perhaps his wounds hurt, but he propped himself up on his elbows on the bed and bowed his head to me on the bed. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Minister of Justice Gender: Male Level: / ∞ HPE+FMPF+FStrengthE+EStaminaF+FIntelligenceF+ESpiritF+FSpeedF+FDexterityF+FLuckF+F FireF+BWaterE+SWindF+FEarthF+FLight FDarknessF Unlike when he came to me as a spy, this time, my status has increased.[His wind went from F to F+F] It’s a sign that deep down, he has decided to be my subordinate.[TN: Now, that’s some bul**hit] “Good. Then concentrate on healing your wounds. Tomorrow, I will find a fallen nobleman and adopt you. A new identity and name. You’ll have to change your appearance a bit.” “Y-yes, .......” “I suggest you stay away from the Ministry of the Imperial Household, or rather the capital, for a while. I will find you an alternative position in Almeria and you can cool off there.” “T-thank you very much, .......” “That will do for now. After that, we’ll decide what to do when the time comes.” “What is it?” “I don’t know if it would even be considered as a repayment of Your Highness’s kindness, but ...... the Poinics liquor that Gilbert presented to His Majesty should be discontinued immediately.”[TN: ‘ポイニクス’ (Poinikusu) Rather than Phoenix I thought Poinics would sound better] “...... What do you mean?” When I asked back, Don told me the secret in a stifled voice, so that only I could hear. I left the house on the outskirts of the city where I had laid Don to rest, and once I returned to the Ministry of Justice, I ran to the Royal Palace. Once inside the palace, I applied for a meeting with His Majesty and waited. After waiting for about an hour, I was ushered into a library-like study. “Oh, what’s the matter, Noah?” “Your Majesty, I have a secret to tell you. Please send everyone away.” “Fumu......?” His Majesty looked at me as if he were observing me. “You can talk like this. Everyone except Curuz is deaf.” I looked at the young eunuch beside him, who was doing some chores. He acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing while I was talking to him. I see, so it is the deaf people who have always been placed in the study to maintain secrecy. “I understand. Your Majesty, please stop drinking Poinics right now.” “Poinics ...... produced in Gilbert’s estate and presented to the Royal Court this year, correct?” “Combination(with other foods).” I told him what Don had told me. “Poinics liquor is a good tonic on its own, but when eaten with certain foods, it turns into a deadly poison.” “What is it? What is that particular thing?” “It’s called dragon’s claw.” “Dragon’s claw. ...... Fumu, that’s what the Crown Prince and I consume once a year when we worship our ancestors.” I took a deep breath and continued. And continued with what Don had told me, fleshing out my speculations. “The scary thing about this combination is that the effects of the Poinics liquor stay in your body for a week, not just the day you drink it. And since it’s been less than a year since it was presented to you, and you drink it on a regular basis, you yourself have proven that it is not poisonous. So, no one will suspect that when it comes time to eat the dragon’s claws, no one will suspect that Poinics wine is poisonous.” “So you are saying that the alibi will be confirmed.: “But that’s assuming the combination is real.” “I have conducted tests. I let the death row inmate try both on the condition that he would be released if he was safe. And the result was there.” “Oh, so you’re saying it worked.” One prisoner on death row drank only Poinics. Another one who took the dragon’s claw. And the one who took both. Of the three, the two who ate only one were still alive and well, but the one who ate both died almost instantly. “I see. In other words, if this continues, both I and the Crown Prince will die during the ceremony. The Poinics liquor was also presented to the crown prince, and the dragon’s claw is only for me and the crown prince to eat.” “Yes” “Well done, Noah. I am glad you were able to uncover it. Curuz.” “Get Henry. Send out the troops and have them surround the First Prince’s residence. He’ll tell us what we need to know.” The confidant eunuch, Curuz, moved after receiving His Majesty’s order. That’s it. I’m sorry Brother Gilbert, but I can’t let something like this go unnoticed. “Noah, you can go now. The reward will follow later.” I gave a final bow and turned to leave the study. I may be asked for my opinion as Minister of Justice later, but for now, this is it. Just as I was about to turn myself around and walk out of the room. Something crossed my mind. My feet stopped. I felt a great sense of discomfort. I desperately wondered what that strange feeling was. Eventually, I remembered. I’ve been reminded of it many times. The incident in Dosso’s village, and the things that happened after that. His Majesty’s attention is so intrusive that he knows almost everything I’m doing. His Majesty told me something that only Don knew. It feels strange that he acted as if he had just found out about it. ...... No way? I turned around and looked at his Majesty hesitantly. My eyes met his, and he chuckled. “You’re very clever, Noah.” With that one word, I knew that His Majesty had noticed what I had noticed. “Y-You had realized that already?” “Yes. More importantly, I haven’t been drinking Poinics.” “I’ve been emperor for too long, and it seems some cannot wait any longer.” “You ...... don’t seem to have any of that.” “Not at all.” I answered immediately. To be honest, I was reincarnated and was born into the royal family. His Majesty never really felt like a ‘father’ to me. Even so, I don’t think I’ll kill him to take the throne. “I see. Noah Ararat.” “I hereby appoint you Vice Minister of Military Affairs, to serve concurrently with the current Minister of Justice.” “Ye ......?” “And you will also be the Commander of the First Army, also known as the Imperial Guard.” “As you wish.” Well, I agreed, but I couldn’t quite grasp His Majesty’s intentions. “I have no intention of going down without a fight. I will be laughing stock for generations if my son kills me. However, if the worst should happen, you will take control of the Imperial Capital with Emperor’s Guard and appoint a suitable person as emperor.” “—-!” I gulped. This was the utmost trust that His Majesty had placed in me.

After Noah left, the emperor summoned his long-time confidant, the First Vizier. The emperor has always been quick to implement or consult with him after asking Noah for his opinion. Therefore, the First Vizier, who had been on standby, came to the emperor’s study in less than five minutes. “Congratulations!” After bowing properly, the First Vizier said these words out of nowhere. And as expected, the Emperor was curious. “I noticed that your countenance is better than ever. I assume that you are very happy.” “Fuu, it showed on my face, huh.” The Emperor smiled even more happily. “Noah is becoming more and more of a great man.” “Well, I’d love to hear about that.” When the First Vizier showed interest, the Emperor had the look of a father who is extremely proud of his child, and told him about the exchange he had just had with Noah. The First Vizier listened to the conversation until the end. “I’m impressed. He is the only one of His Majesty’s sons who can act solely on the principles of nobility.” “Umu.” “He’s the perfect son of the Royal Family.” “That is correct. We will have Rice Cake for suppression. I feel bad for Henry, but I don’t want to give him military authority right now.” “Yes, sir. I’ll do it that way.” “...... And...” Emperor then stopped mid-sentence, plucked his chin, and thought. The First Vizier secretly thought that this kind of pondering face was very similar to Noah’s and that they were indeed father and son. The emperor thought for a moment, then looked up. ” Gather all the young men who look promising and let them join the Rice Cake Subjugation Army.” “I understand, sir. But on what basis?” The First Vizier asked again. He thought it was important to understand that the people he would choose would depend on their purpose. “Somebody with potential. Also, they must not be a member of anyone’s household.” “Fuh, you have that look on your face that says, ‘Why would you do that?” “......?” The First Vizier looked embarrassed, slightly blushing. “In the meantime, I want to raise a young man who doesn’t belong to anyone, but knows about troops and knows about actual warfare. No matter who the next emperor will be, I want them to be independent and useful.” The Prince who becomes the Emperor can rarely make use of the household members of other Princes. Whether for ease of use or pure patronage. For whatever reason, he will always use his own household members. The Emperor holds the right to Military Power and will not let it go. As a result, there are few opportunities for the Royal family members to learn about actual warfare. For the next emperor, the Emperor would like to have someone in a neutral position that he can use. This idea is very similar to Noah’s. And what would Noah have done? The First Vizier wondered. “And one more matter. There’s one more important thing.” “Yes” “I will be A Retired Emperor.” “—!” It was a bolt out of the blue. The First Vizier was astonished to the point that it would be obvious to anyone who would see him. “No need to panic. It’s just a continuation of the previous conversation. Good grandchildren will ensure the prosperity of the three generations. Nothing has changed.” “Yes, .......” The First Vizier was a little relieved. “But I am only human. I can still do it now, but my judgment will probably deteriorate as I age. It is better for the Empire if I hand over the throne while my judgment is still strong.” The emperor chuckled. “I realized something the other day. It might not be a bad idea to retire and watch my son succeed as emperor.” “Is that so.” The First Vizier bowed his head in acknowledgment. As he looked down, his face showed a look of surprise that even he could recognize. (As expected of you, Noah-sama, you changed His Majesty’s life as well. ......) The First Vizier is not blunt at all. In fact, the main job of the Vizier is to stand between the Emperor and his subordinate ministers and make adjustments. Because of this, many of them are skilled in the subtleties of human emotions. The First Prime Minister knew immediately. At this moment, it was Noah who made the emperor think so. The emperor is very fond of Noah. Rather than wielding power as Emperor himself, he wanted to see what kind of reign Noah would have if he became Emperor. Noah made the emperor decide to abdicate himself. His talent is growing more and more. The First Vizier secretly thought so. At night, the Third Vizier, Jean-Brad Reydouk’s residence. Returning to the mansion from the royal palace, I received an invitation from Jean. He said that he would be hosting a party this evening and that I should come. It’s not uncommon for Jean to throw a party, but the invitation was a bit more aggressive this time. I was curious about it, so I came over just as the sun was setting. When the carriage arrived at the front of the house, Jean himself came to greet me. “Welcome, Your Highness.” “What is the occasion of this gathering?” “Please, come in.” Jean didn’t answer. And I didn’t force myself to ask. Jean and his servants led the way into the house. They led me to the hall of the mansion. {Ohh! It’s good to see you again, Your Highness the Thirteenth.} I saw a familiar but unexpected face in the hall. It was the messenger of the Rushi Tsar, the man I had met in the audience hall. It was a bit unexpected, but I understood immediately. Jean was good at making connections, and he was always working on them. He must have found out that the empire’s policy of “using” the Rushi Tsar was about to be decided, and he was trying to entertain and win him over. I smiled at Jean and spoke to the man via Leviathan and the others. “I still haven’t heard your name, have I” “Apologies for that. My name is Ivan. Honored to make your acquaintance.” “Ivan, huh. Nice to meet you.” “Well, as expected of His Highness. It surprises me to learn that you are also fluent in Rushian. Now, please come this way, both of you.” Jean entered the conversation at the right moment. There was a large table in the hall, and he invited us to join him. I sat at the upper seat, Ivan was next, and Jean sat at the lower seat. Once we were seated, the food started to arrive. Unlike the previous party, the amount of food was small because it was just Ivan and me. Instead, the food was extremely elegant, and a lot of money and effort had gone into it. I was not surprised by this, but Ivan exaggerated his delight every time he took a bite of the food. I could tell that he was happy from the bottom of his heart. As a bonus, I could read his emotions because I was linked to Leviathan and the others and was translating through them. But it’s not that I can read his thoughts, just the general dynamics of his emotions. Ivan was as delighted as his words and expressions indicated, and Jean was relieved that the reception was going well, though he was still smiling. Suddenly, Ivan looked at one of the maids serving him. The feeling that came through was pink – sexual desire. If that’s the case, I thought, giving Jean a look. Jean, who was used to hospitality, understood everything with that. “I will send them to the Emissary’s sleeping quarters later. Could you inform him that?” {The Third Vizier says...} {Ehh? No, Haha, this is embarrassing.” Ivan laughs, scratching his head with his hand. His words and emotions match again, and he looks very happy. And for Jean, he was happy too, although he didn’t show it on his face. From the side of the host, there was nothing easier than being able to entertain a man who was happy to have a woman in his bed. Feed, drink and embrace. It’s the golden pattern of entertainment, and it’s always been the same, and I have a feeling that it will never change in the future. Suddenly, one of the maids caught my attention. On the surface, she looked normal, but she was extremely frightened and nervous for some reason. The maid brought a bottle of sake and poured it into Ivan’s glass. Her nervousness and fright became stronger and stronger. {Wait, don’t drink!} The words came out of my mouth reflexively, and Ivan freaked out. I got up, said, “Excuse me,” and took the glass from Ivan. And then sniffed it. “It’s ...... poison.” “Eh?” Jean was astonished. I stared at the glass some more. A feeling that still lingered even though it was inorganic, not a person. The strong murderous intent was in the drink. It had the same essence as the dagger that the assassins who had tried to kill me had once carried. Both Jean and Ivan were puzzled, unable to understand the situation. Jean came to me, who was waiting for me in a different room from the hall. He had a complicated and apologetic look on his face. “How did it go?” “The maid confessed to everything. She was paid to mix it with the Emissary’s wine.” “Quite a daring thing to do.” “She said it was a slow-acting poison, that it would take effect after one night.” “I see. So she thought she’d never be suspected.” “That’s what she said. ...... Well, I can only understand now, Your Highness, how amazing you are.” “What do you mean?” “I’ve heard about the Almeria rebellion. The maids couldn’t betray you and made accusations against you.” Ahh, he’s talking about Zoe. The rebels tried to bribe Zoe, but she couldn’t betray me, so she just let me know. “I had some confidence in the loyalty of my subordinates, but they were no match for ...... Your Highness.” “Rather than that, let’s get the person who plotted the assassination.” “Haah, the maid said, ‘I don’t really know what kind of person he is with the hood and robe on.’ ......” “That’s not a problem.” I picked up the glass I had left at a distance. After that, I kept the poisoned glass in my hand. Holding it, I linked up with Leviathan. A ”String of Water” extended from the bracelet and traveled through the air. “It’s a guide. If you have heard the whole story, then you must have known that I remotely bombarded the mastermind, right?” “That was technically a mistake. This time, I’m going to apply it so that this string of water will move slowly and shoot the ringleader in the leg. If we follow it, we can catch him.” “W-Wow! I didn’t know you were thinking that far ahead.” “I’ll leave you to it. Gather your people and follow this.” “Yes!” Jean lowered his head and ran to call others. With my and Leviathan’s follow-up, Jean successfully captured the mastermind of Ivan’s assassination alive.

Salaria State, the capital city of Leararat. This was once an oasis in the desert, but it became the most prosperous city in Salaria State after being established as the state capital. However, “... Hmmm.” From my perspective as someone who came from the Imperial Capital, it was just a rural town, and even with my memories from my past life, I couldn’t deny the feeling of being run down. However, the appearance of the buildings was completely different from the towns I had visited before, perhaps due to a style suitable for the desert. Although it was a state of the empire, it felt like I had arrived in a foreign country, giving me a strange sensation. Furthermore, the facial features of the residents were different. Most people had cheerful personalities that seemed to be proportional to the strong sunlight that poured down, but at the same time, most were too thin and their faces were full of wrinkles. I found it interesting that this is what happens when living in such a harsh environment like the desert. “Well, let’s first look for a place to stay.” “Yes! Leave it to me, Master!” Peiyu responded and ran ahead. I followed behind with Ivy. Peiyu stopped in front of each building and looked around before finally entering the third one. When I caught up, Peiyu had just come out. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Master. There are two rooms available.” I nodded and entered the building. I couldn’t tell from the outside, but it seemed to be an inn. “Welcome.” When we entered further, a middle-aged man greeted us. He was thin and his face was full of wrinkles. This was a standard facial feature for this town, so he might be younger than I guessed. “Customer, will you be sleeping in your room right away, or would you like me to prepare something to eat?” I looked inside the building. Once I was released from the sun’s rays, the room was pleasantly cool. However, the fatigue from walking in the scorching sun hit me all at once, and my body was craving water. The place where I was standing had a lobby-like structure, with tables placed to create a bar-like atmosphere. I thought that the layout of the inn was not much different from other towns. “After something to eat and drink, bring our luggage with you, Peiyu and Ivy. If you’re tired, feel free to rest.” “Understood, sir.” “Y-yes, understood.” After I gave the order, another man appeared from the back. He was a young man, probably in his early twenties. The young man guided Peiyu and Ivy up the stairs, while I sat down in one of the empty seats. An old man who had momentarily retreated to the back in exchange for the young man returned with a tray of several snacks and a ceramic bottle. He placed it on my table. The snacks consisted mainly of dried food, and there was nothing particularly noteworthy. A plump aroma wafted from the ceramic bottle. “Customer, you’re from out of town, right?” “You see, sake is cheaper than water here.” I had already realized that water was precious on this journey, but I was surprised that sake was cheaper than water. “Water can be used for anything, but sake can only be used for drinking.” “I see, that makes sense.” I picked up one of the snacks and put it in my mouth. As expected, the taste was nothing special. “In that case, how do you wash these dishes, for example?” “People in this area who don’t serve travelers don’t use the word ‘wash.’ They sprinkle sand on them and use that to clean them.” “That’s interesting.” I laughed and took out reens from my pocket, which was the official currency of the Empire. I knew it could be used in Saralaria before I arrived. When I handed it to the old man, he smiled broadly. “Is it okay to take this much?” “Yes. It’s a tip.” “Thank you very much. Is there anything else you need?” The old man asked me with a smile that made his eyes narrow and his face scrunch up as well. He seemed to recognize that I was a high-class customer, and he became more friendly at once. “Well, has anything changed around here lately?” “Recently... the biggest change was probably the replacement of the various governors around here.” “governors?” “Yes, when the lord changed, all of his governors were withdrawn.” It was true. That was to happen. But for just a governor who wasn’t at the level of a retainer, their matter won’t be reaching me, the emperor. By the way, even for retainers, there is no legal requirement to report to the Emperor, but those who left the prince’s residence are expected to somehow inform the Emperor. I listened to various stories from the old man at the inn and then waved him off as Peiyu and Ivy returned. Ivy tried to sit next to me, but Peiyu didn’t. Ivy froze as she was about to sit down, looking at Peiyu. Both were wrong, but in hindsight, Peiyu was more so. “There are people around, sit down Peiyu.” “Y-Yes! I’m sorry, master!” Peiyu hurriedly sat down next to me. I also told Ivy to sit down. “It’s okay to sit now.” “Y-Yes. For now, right...” I nodded. Ivy muttered something under her breath and seemed to be reminding herself of something. As the Emperor, I and my servants were not supposed to sit in the same seat. Even prime ministers or princes are not allowed to sit together without permission. Therefore, it was natural that Ivy, who had tried to sit next to me, was wrong. On the other hand, Peiyu, who had come out incognito together, was also wrong not to sit with me. Although it is not uncommon for wealthy merchants or lords not to let their servants sit together, they didn’t want to stand out that much. “Hmm...” I thought I still had a long way to go in this area. As an emperor with little experience in incognito, I had room for improvement. “Peiyu, get me some paper and a pen.” While commanding Peiyu, I made a Fuwawa box. I let the pen run on the paper I received from Peiyu. Ivy stared at me as I wrote. “By the way, can you read and write?” “I’m in the process of learning from Lady Mary.” “I can read the characters, but I don’t understand the content at all.” I stopped my hand and pondered. “Did I say something wrong?” Ivy asked hesitantly, interrupting my thoughts. I found it a little interesting that this was an area that she wasn’t yet experienced. “Well, you made me realize something important.” “Huh?” “I tend to use unnecessarily complicated language in official documents. For example,” I said, drawing a line through the first three lines of the sentence I was writing to indicate the deletion. “The modifiers here have nothing to do with the text, they’re unnecessary. Depending on the situation, plain language–spoken language–is sufficient.” “In that sense, you helped me realize something important. Thank you.” “Eh? I just didn’t understand.” Ivy was perplexed, not understanding why she was being thanked. “Master is always like this.” “Eh?” “He listens to the stories of people like us with lower status and sometimes adopts them.” “Ah...that’s amazing...” Ivy was surprised and impressed, apparently understanding Peiyu’s explanation. “People in high positions never listen to others’ stories at all...” I wasn’t sure if that perception was entirely accurate, but it wasn’t entirely wrong either. As an experiment, I continued writing the document in plain language without modifiers. It was for my trusted confidant Don. And the contents were about strengthening intelligence activities and keeping a closer eye on the personnel of the governor. It is not unnecessary, but I had seen my father. He built an overwhelming information network. Information is a weapon. And regardless of whether or not it is used, it is always useful to gather information. Realizing that I had not fully grasped the personnel of the governor, I issued an order to Don to also keep an eye on that–that was the content of the document. Intelligence-related matters are not official documents as the Emperor, so I don’t use the official seal. Instead, I put it in the Fuwawa box that only Dong can open. After that, my focused mind returned to normal. Suddenly, I noticed the noisy commotion outside. It seemed to be a noise mixed with anger, and both Peiyu and Ivy were looking toward the entrance with curiosity. “Ivy, find out what’s going on.” “Yes!” Ivy stood up and went outside the inn. A few minutes later, she returned with a severe expression. “What happened?” “The exchange tax rate has gone up.” “Hmm?” “A new governor came and announced a thirty percent increase in exchange tax compared to before. Everyone got angry and went to protest at the governor’s office.” Exchange tax is one of the local taxes, especially for rural areas. Commoners–, particularly farmers, pay small amounts of taxes every year. These payments accumulate in the hands of the local governor. Then the taxes are collected and distributed once they reach the central government. Naturally, it’s impossible to transport a large number of small coins from the local areas to the capital. It’s common to exchange them for gold coins or promissory notes through merchants. Fees and losses occur during the exchange process. Exchange tax refers to the fee added to the normal tax, considering these losses. By the way, it’s up to each local governor, but it’s usually accepted at face value. In reality, the further away from the capital, or depending on weather conditions, the necessary exchange fees can vary, so they allow some leeway. The governors take advantage of this to line their pockets as much as they want. “That’s a terrible governor! Not everyone can survive if the tax suddenly goes up thirty percent!” Ivy was angry. She probably empathized with those suffering from the tax increase, being protected by John. I took a sip of my drink, wetting my lips. Ivy glanced at me. “Um, Master...” “What is it?” “Can’t something be done about this?” “That’s legal, and even if I reveal my identity here, they can argue that it’s within legal limits, and I won’t be able to say anything.” “That’s just...” Ivy was disappointed. Of course, there’s no such governor. No governor can push through with “this is legal” when the Emperor says to stop. So in reality, if I show up, this situation will be resolved. This situation, that is. Ivy’s expression changed from disappointment to disillusionment. It was clear that she was thinking that in the end, nothing would be done for the people. “Don’t worry, Master must have a plan,” Ivy’s disappointment was so obvious that even Peiyu could read it and remind her. “A plan?” “But legally, it’s correct...” “Then we should just change the law.” “There’s no rule that says you can’t change the law. In fact, it changes daily based on the situation and the state of society.” “Let’s go back to the room. Peiyu, prepare the seal.” “Um...what for?” “I’ll write a letter to Oscar, the Minister of Finance. It’s too late for this year, but we’ll make the exchange tax a national tax starting next year.” Make it a national tax and then distribute it. As I climbed the stairs with the two of them, I was devising a plan in my head. “National tax...” “I can’t say for sure, but I think the governor’s injustice will come to a stop, for sure.” “Is that possible...?” “It’s easy for you if you’re Master.” “Am-Amazing...” Ivy was amazed by Peiyu’s boasting as if it were her own achievement. It is not as easy as it sounds, since we are talking about cutting the interests. But if it was left alone, it could eventually lead to a big wave of rebellion among the people. I thought I needed to do something about it as soon as possible.

“Let’s go back to the capital. Get ready, Zoe.” Zoe nods. I leave the room with Zoe. With this million, we can move what we stopped. The main goal, the salt tax, has already been resolved, so there is no need to stay in Dusselany longer. As I left the building, I saw Zoe, who had left a step ahead of me, coming toward me with a carriage in tow. Zoe acted as usual and tried to come back to me. Then, right beside her. Something suddenly appeared from the shadows and jumped on her. It was an arc of dull light. It gouged Zoe’s throat. Zoe then fell to her knees. “Who are you?” Kicking the ground and stepping forward in an instant, I pulled out Leviathan and held it to the man’s throat. It was a middle-aged man, with a gaunt appearance and bloodshot eyes. He had a dagger in his hand. Is that the weapon that just slashed Zoe’s throat? The man stared at me with furious eyes, refusing to answer. “I’ve seen that man before.” “...... Eh?” But when he saw Zoe speaking – mixed with surprise, but normally – the man’s expression changed to astonishment. “Do you know this guy, Zoe?” “Yes. I saw his face when I went there as a spy.” “He’s one of theirs. ............ I see... they’re just pissed off at Zoe for screwing you over, huh.” I knew by his reaction that my guess was correct. If that’s the case, I stunned him with Leviathan’s intimidation. The man crumples to the ground, with his eyes white. On the other hand, Zoe puts her hand on her neck and is surprised to see that there is no blood on her neck, even though she should have been cut. “Why is there no scar ......?” “Look at your bosom.” “Bosom ......? There’s something there. Is this ...... a jewel?” Zoe was surprised to see a shattered red gemstone, a ruby. “It’s a replacement ruby. You’ve been carrying it casually for a while now.” “Ehhh?” “When sending out a spy, I can’t just send you out without any insurance, now can I?” “Your Majesty, .......” Zoe’s eyes moistened as she looked at me with admiration. “Your Majesty is amazing ...... you thought that much about it.” “You’re a very important maid, you know.” “Your Majesty,.......” Zoe looked even more impressed. The day after I returned to the capital, in the study of the detached palace. I summoned Dustin, the Tenth Prince. The man, who is also my elder brother, knelt down on one knee and gave me the proper courtesy. “What might be the reason for your calling, Your Majesty?” Dustin asked me in a frank tone, unlike other Princes. “You’ve heard about Dussel, haven’t you?” “Yeah, kind of.” “They say they sent you a woman, too, but do you have anything to say about that?” “Did you find out? They were pretty good girls, so I took them and I enjoy them every day.” Dustin answered casually, ‘So what?’. “So you’re saying you took a bribe?” I stared at Dustin. “If you took a bribe and offered favors, even as your brother I can’t protect you.” “What? Why would I do favors for those guys?” “Hmm?” “I’m the Prince, right? Why should I work for them just to get a few girls from some low-life?” I couldn’t help but laugh at Dustin’s tone. “They gave me a woman, and I took her because she was good enough for me. That’s all.” “You don’t know they were cheating on the salt tax, do you?” “What are you saying, Your Majesty, I’m not an emperor, I’m just a prince without a title. I don’t care about that kind of thing.” “Or, Your Majesty, the way you put it, seems they won’t be sending any more women, huh? Come on, the quality of the women they send is good, so it being cut off–.” “All right, all right. That’s enough.” I laughed even more. This guy is just. “I know you didn’t have anything to do with it. But it doesn’t change the fact that you took a bribe. You need to be punished lightly.” I thought about it for a moment, and then I told him. “A year’s pay and a month’s house arrest.” “Yes, yes. Oh, and while under house arrest, I can bring in prostitutes and the like to the house, right?” “Do as you please.” With a bitter smile on his face, Dustin left the study with a light-hearted, “Okay”. “Good grief.” “Your Majesty, is this okay?” Zoe, who was waiting in the corner of the study, asked. She had a rare expression that revealed her unhappiness, glanced at the door Dustin had left and asked me. “About His Highness Dustin. Wasn’t that too much disrespect?” ’Heh’ I laughed. “It was Dustin’s way of showing it.” “You mean ......?” “It’s about hiding his talent and his true intentions. Saying that, ‘I’m just for the girls, nothing more’.” ” ...... and about the one with the ambition?” Surprised. I looked at Zoe. She instantly understood that in the exchange we just had. Her intelligence was such that it would be a crime to keep her as a maid any longer. “I understand.” “I’ll tell you what, Zoe. There is somewhere I need you to go.” “Yes, whatever you want. What can I do for you?” Zoe straightened up and bowed lightly. I told Zoe straight-face. “You’re going to be a Governor for a while.” “–!.” Zoe was astonished, expecting it to be a simple errand. “I-I am going to be a Governor?” “What are you surprised about? You’ve done this before.” “T-that’s right. But not” “It’s easier for me to have you go there.” “............ Is it Dussel?” Zoe guessed exactly what I was trying to say, although she was still slightly surprised. “Yes, that’s right. Dussel’s Governor is Phil Mohm, but for an inexperienced young man, such a big job must be too much for him. I want you to go to Dussel, keep a close watch on him, and report to me immediately if anything should happen.” “I understand. If that’s the case, leave it to me.” Unlike before, Zoe made up her mind. I made a Fuwawa Box on the spot and handed it to her along with the Imperial rescript. Zoe received it and left the room with an enthusiastic look on her face. A few moments later, Gig, the maid, came running into the room. “M-Master–not that, Your Majesty. It’s serious.” “What’s the matter? Report slowly and accurately.” In contrast to Zoe, I lightly reprimanded Gig for not being “ready yet” and urged her to make a report. “F-Former Emperor is here.” “What!? I was surprised at this. “Lead him in immediately.” “Ha-ha-ha, I’m already here.” With a hearty laugh, the Former Εmperor – my father – entered the study. He was dressed in light clothing, not at all like the Emperor, but rather like a local landowner. He seemed very friendly when he came in as if he had been invited for dinner. However, he’s my Father and the Emperor. I stood up and bowed to him in a hurry. “Is there anything Father, please just have someone send an errand to me if you need anything.” “Hoho, I just came to visit because I had some free time. But anyway...” Father laughed with a happy look on his face. And it’s, Although I asked, I had a good guess that it was probably the salt tax. “That girl. A simple farmer’s daughter, how could you have trained her to be so clever?” “...... As usual you got some hell of an ear, Father.” I chuckled at the unexpected. My father already knew about Zoe, even though I had only just made up my mind about her. I’ve always known that my father has a great ear, but I’ve learned that I’m still a bit naive. “People are treasures.” “That’s right.” “But more importantly, why is father here?” “Oh, about that. You did a great job on the Gabel case.” “Thank you very much.” I was not surprised, because I knew it. “I’ve heard the whole story, and I think it’s safe to give it to Noah now.” “What is it?” “Leviathan’s seal.” “You noticed, huh.” I nodded deeply. “I knew there was more to it. It kept going up against Bahamut so much, and it kept seeming like it was going to break the seal, but it didn’t. There were a number of times when it could have awakened, from the feel I actually had, but it didn’t. It’s natural to think there’s something more to it.” Father laughed happily and held up his hand. Then the door to the study opened, and the eunuch Curuz, my father’s confidant, entered with his hands holding a long, thin box. He came in front of me with it in his arms and opened the box. “This is .......” I look at my father in surprise at what is inside the box. There was Leviathan. I took out the Leviathan, which I had stored in my bracelet. My Leviathan is here, and that is another Leviathan. “You know that the Water Demon Sword Leviathan has a soul, don’t you?” “Yes.” “It is not complete. When Leviathan was sealed in the past, its soul was split in two and sealed.”[TN: Kurama?] “I see ......, if the soul is not complete in the first place, there is no way to solve the problem.” Father’s expression became serious. “The legend says that the true seal of Leviathan must not be broken, but....... Noah will be fine.” “...... thank you.” Father’s expression changed from serious to a joyful smile again. “I don’t even know how to break the seal. It wasn’t there, to begin with.” “A poisoner who can’t make an antidote is the worst, isn’t he?”[TN: The correct term might be Toxicologists or Poison maker, but hey Poisoner sounds cool, so why not?] “Ha-ha-ha, you are right.” Father looked up and laughed out loud. I picked up another Leviathan from the box Curuz was holding. Compared the two Leviathans. I thought. Both of them contain the soul of Leviathan. They were originally one soul, but it was split in two. How can I put them back together ......? I thought and kept thinking for a while. After pondering for a while, I slammed the two Leviathans against each other. Pakin! There was a beautiful sound and both shattered into pieces. “What are you doing?” “Look here.” I pulled out a ruby. The replacement ruby that saved Zoe’s life when she was almost assassinated in Dussel. “These have a soul, and I made a vessel as for its when it shattered. What I am going to do will be similar.” “Whoa.” “Fuwawa.” I summoned Fuwawa and borrowed its power. Fuwawa is skilled at creating things and shaping them. With its power, it brought together the fragments that had been scattered in the air and formed them into the shape of a single sword. And the soul. Two leviathan souls are pressed into it. Pushing in the image of the two souls as if they were fused into one. Eventually, the sword returned to its original form. {It’s been a long time.} What had been only an emotion until then, echoed in my brain in a clear voice. Leviathan — or rather. The Leviathan’s voice echoed in my brain. [TN: It’s a bit complicated here. Till now it’s ‘レヴィアタン’ (Revu~iatan) now it’s ‘リヴァイアサン’ (Rivu~aiasan), Don’t know what to change.] ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Emperor of Empire Gender: Male Level: + / ∞ And in the status that was always visible out of the corner of my eye, the “+” in Water went up even more. I saw it, and my father sensed what I saw in my gaze. “Umu, as expected, Noah,” He said with a proud smile. The Demon Sword, Leviathan. It was the moment of awakening.

After getting dressed, I left the inn with Zoe and Kate. Dussel was as prosperous in the daytime as it was at night. I didn’t notice it last night because it was nighttime but compared to the capital, the buildings, the people’s clothes, etc. Everything’s “flashy”. The whole city seemed to scream rich man’s style. “It’s an easy town to understand, isn’t it?” Zoe mutters, apparently feeling the same way. Kate looked up at Zoe curiously. She still doesn’t understand that kind of thing. After walking for a while, Zoe, who had been following behind me, picked up the pace and moved in front of me. “Master, this place.” She pointed to a luxurious storefront. Zoe had investigated and found it to be the place where Olcott’s poems were kept. The store is in the center of Dussel, in the middle of a busy downtown area with many people passing by, a prime location. The surrounding stores and passersby dressed appropriately. As soon as a beggar came out of the alleyway, a clerk from one of the stores came out and chased him away. “Quite a nice place to set up the store, eh.” “To have a store in a place like this...... the deficit is going to be huge......” Kate muttered with a troubled face. “It’s all right to be in red.” “The more you can create the illusion that you are such a popular poet that you can set up store in a very prestigious location, the better. The loss of a store or two is nothing compared to the bribe that was sent to Olcott for the gold he was throwing around yesterday, isn’t it?” “T-That’s true. ......” Kate was convinced, though she was surprised. “No civilians are supposed to go there, am I right?” I turned my attention to Zoe. And she nodded quietly. “As expected from Master. I asked around, and that’s pretty much how it went.” Presumably. In the evening we returned to the store we had just left. We went around the town and looked at the people’s lives. It wasn’t a deliberate stunt to say that the whole town was full of a rich man vibe, there was money and stuff everywhere. It’s a complete lie that people don’t eat salt because of the recession, or that taxes are down because sales are down. Once that was confirmed, I went back to the store to actually go in and beat around the bush. “Eh!!” Kate was the first to raise her voice. Startled, she ran toward the store in a flurry. “Master!?” Kate peeked into the store through the closed door and called me with a startled look on her face. I furrowed my brow and approached the store. It looked completely different from when I had come in the morning. The sign was gone and the door was closed. I went to Kate’s side and peeked in through the same gap in the door, but the store was empty. Stepping back a step or two, I moved to get a better view of the entire building from a distance. “Zoe.” “Yes.” “You’re sure this is the location.” “No doubt about it.” “And inside? You’re inside the store, right?” “Yes. There were framed poems by Olcott throughout the store, tables and couches for serving guests, and various furnishings.” “Fumu. ...... if you’re there.” I stopped a passerby as I walked by. “What is it?” “It’s about the store here, don’t you know what happened?” “What?” The man who was stopped looked at the closed store. “What do you mean, what happened? This place has been vacant for over a year now?” Kate and Zoe, who had been listening behind me, shouted together. “I see. Sorry to hold you up.” After the man walked away. “Master! This is weird.” “A year ago he says, when I came in this morning, it was there.” “...... you two, go ask around, ask the shopkeepers.” “Yes!” “I understand!” Zoe and Kate complied and ran out to neighborhood stores to ask around as they were told. They asked not only people in the stores but also customers and passersby. After a while, they returned with ghosted expressions on their faces. “How was it?” “It’s the same everywhere, there’s no store there.” “They said it’s been so long since the last store was vacated that they don’t even remember what the last store was.” “What is the meaning of this, Master? Something is obviously wrong.” “Maybe something is haunting us.” I thought. It’s never a misunderstanding or anything like that. I trust Zoe’s abilities, and to begin with, all three of us, I, Zoe, and Kate, saw “the store here” in the morning. Realistically speaking, it’s ...... evidence destruction and backtracking. Quickly and on a large scale. To expose it, ....... “Zoe.” “Yes.” “Get something to eat. Something filling. And some booze would be nice.” “...... I understand.” She looked like she wanted to ask me something, but Zoe, seeing that I had an idea, put off asking and went shopping first. After a while, she returned with more food and liquor than I could hold in both hands. “Follow me.” I walked into the alleyway with Zoe and Kate in tow. As soon as we entered the alleyway, which was dominated by a foul smell and stagnant air, we saw a beggar sitting on the ground. The beggar was looking at us with lazy eyes. “Zoe, pass me that me that.” “Yes– here you go.” ” — Whoa! Bread, meat, and even booze! You giving this to me?” I nodded then asked the beggar. “You got kicked out of that place in the morning.” “Yeah, it’s always been that way.” “So if you’re back, does that mean you’re here all the time?” “Mostly.” “I have one question, do you know anything about that closed store just off this alleyway?” “You mean that place that sells poems?” “”–!”” Zoe and Kate gulped and looked at each other. They finally felt relief from meeting someone they could talk to, in a situation where it was as if they were being haunted by something. “Yeah, what’s up with that place?” “Around noon or so, a bunch of people suddenly came in, moved stuff out, and shut it down. After that, they were threatening to tell the people around the store that there was nothing here.” Kate’s expression was laced with excitement. “Do you have any idea who sent them to do it?” “I don’t know that much.” “I see. Well, thank you. Here’s my gratitude. Keep it.” With that, I handed the beggar about reens in cash. Then I left the alleyway, taking Zoe and Kate with me. “Master.” “Why do you think the beggar would know?” “That’s because he’s ‘the strongest person’ there is.” “The strongest person?” Threats and coaxing work on people who have something to protect, but they don’t work on people who have nothing to lose and have fallen as far as being a beggar. That’s why they speak honestly. “I see! That’s great, Master.” “Aaagh!” A scream was heard in the area. Zoe and Kate turned around quickly. A man’s scream came from the alleyway where we had just been. “They’re early.” “Fuu ......” I turned back with a faint smile on my face. Zoe and Kate followed. When I came back to where I had been, I found the beggar lying unconscious. Next to him was a group of men I didn’t recognize, lying motionless, their bodies smoking from the fire. “Shutting his mouth.” Zoe was astonished. “They destroyed evidence in the store like that, it was quite conceivable that they would try to silence this beggar we came in contact with. That’s why I ordered Bahamut to stay and possess him in case of emergency.” “Ohh ......” “Amazing ........Master” “I didn’t think they’d try to take care of it so quickly, but I did figure one thing out.” “We’re being watched, or they wouldn’t be here so fast, would they?” “—! Certainly!”

As we were moving along the road, a group of roughnecks suddenly intercepted us from both sides. There were fifty of them in front of us and fifty behind us, making a total of about a hundred. All of them were armed and had the look of someone who was accustomed to the rough stuff. “Master, .......” “Don’t worry.” I put my hand on Shirley’s head and implied that she should remain where she was. I jumped down from the carriage and said out loud. “My name is Millace Truth. As you can see, I’m a merchant. What can I do for you?” At this, a young man stepped forward from the fifty people in front. He looked the same as the rest who were accustomed to rough trade, but his eyes had a certain calmness to them. “I know you’re a merchant. Thought I’d take a little toll from you.” “A toll, huh?” “That’s right. You’re a merchant, you know how things work, don’t you?” The man said with a smile. “What if I don’t pay?” “It’s not like you can’t pay, right?” The man continued to smile. I was sure that he had heard about my behavior at the inn yesterday. “You’d better pay up. That way you won’t have to deal with any rough stuff.” “I’m afraid I’m not going to pay.” The man’s smile disappeared quickly. His subordinates began to rustle. They thought it was unimaginable that a simple merchant would reject their demands like this. “Well then, I guess we’re going to have to hurt you a little. Oi.” The man jerked his chin, and three of his men came out from behind him, cracking their hands and necks. “Look at him, he’s got a pretty face.” “I hate this kind of young man.” “If you’re going to cry, you’d better do it early.” The men were saying these things amongst themselves as they attacked me. All three of them drew their raggedy long swords at their waists and slashed at me. I wrapped Bahamut’s flames in my fist and slashed them away without a second thought. Their long swords were swept away, and the blades melted off more than half of them at once. Juu ...... and the bright red molten iron that scorches the ground. The men could not understand the situation at all. I quickly punched the three of them in the face. The men were blown away as they appeared to be just a big fireball of flames. “Master, amazing!” “...... Looks like, you really want us to hurt you.” The bandits attacked in unison as the group leader, the young man, said. I wrapped Bahamut’s flames around my hands and intercepted them. Melting their weapons and blowing them away in a huge fireball. One by one, the enemies are knocked down, and they fall to the ground in agony. All of them were coming at me. And I was wondering why they weren’t going in that direction. “Don’t move! E-Else this woman is done for!” Suddenly, the threat stopped me and the bandits from moving. Slowly turning around, I found one of the bandits jumped on top of the carriage, took Shirley as a hostage, shackled her from behind, and put the blade of the sword to her throat. “......” I didn’t answer. “H-Head. Do it while you’re at it!” Seeing that I had stopped moving, the man said to the young leader. The young man silently drew his sword and walked away – slipping past me. “EH–Guwa!” And without any hesitation at all, he cut down his subordinate. “W-Why ......?” The man who had been cut down and rolled off the wagon looked at his boss with a look of disbelief. “Shame on you for taking a woman hostage!” “Ugh. ......” The young man said as he spat, then turned to Shirley. “It’s all right now. ...... Eh?” And now he was in for a surprise. To his surprise, the sword was stuck to Shirley’s neck. The sword that was pressed against her by the man who had taken her hostage was stuck to her neck. “As expected of Master. No matter what happens, I don’t expect to get hurt at all.” Shirley gave me a look of respect. The applause I had just given Shirley was something I had told her in advance and made her do. It would be good if the eyes went to Shirley from the start, but even if they didn’t, Shirley would raise her voice to get their attention. I wanted to see what would happen. Of course, I linked the Armor Ring with Leviathan, my most loyal and fiercest dog, so that Shirley would not be injured, and I made him focus on protecting her. The result of this was the sight of the sword pressed against her throat and sticking. The young man who saw this was very surprised and looked at me fearfully. “Who the hell are you, ......?” I could tell from his eyes that he was starting to figure things out. At least he doesn’t think I’m just a merchant anymore. “Raymond Gryph Daley.” “!!!” The young man was greatly surprised. ”Griff?” Among the subordinates, a series of questioning voices began to buzz. “For the past twenty years you’ve only been known as Raymond Daley, so you wonder how I know your full name? You stopped using that name after your father died in prison, didn’t you?” “How did you ...... know that?” It was a different voice from before, a croaky voice that seemed to be squeezing out of the back of his throat. “After your father died, you became a beggar and then a bandit. You lived peacefully, but one day, the leader of the bandits tried to forcibly rape the wife of one of his men, you lost your temper and killed the leader, and then you were promoted to the position of leader.” “...... You’ve done your research. Who the hell are you?” His achievements since joining the bandits in the latter part of his life are probably an open secret that he is not hiding and that all of his current subordinates know about, and after I mentioned it to him, Raymond became much calmer. “At this rate, you’ll never get a decent death.” “I’ve been prepared for this since I started this line of work. It’s the life I was born with.” “What if I told you there was another way?” “I had your father investigated. He was imprisoned for distributing food to refugees during a famine. Discretion is still discretion, but it’s treated differently under different Emperors.” “What difference does it make?” Raymond asks back as if he were spitting. “To the extent that I’m going to give you a Rank of Baron.” “...... Who are you really?” Raymond’s eyes become even more quizzical. “Shirley.” “Yes?” Shirley nodded and launched a signal bomb into the sky. It was like a hand-held firework, and it shot up in a straight line, emitting a blast of light that was clearly visible even in daylight. Less than a minute later, we heard footsteps that sounded like the rumbling of the earth. After another minute or so, the soldiers appeared. Two thousand soldiers suddenly appeared, surrounding me with another hundred bandits. After that, Sheryl came in front of me. “Sheryl Hyde, I’ve just arrived, Your Majesty.” Sheryl knelt as she said so. At the same time, two thousand soldiers also knelt before me. Two thousand regular troops, properly attired. Seeing them all kneel to me at once, the bandits, including Raymond, turned pale. “Y-Your Majesty, ...... you, no you, .......”[TN: He first says ‘Omae’ then changes to polite ‘anata’] “Noah Ararat. Emperor of the Empire” “—!” Raymond took a step back as if he had been struck by lightning. He froze for about ten seconds. Then he knelt and gave a neat bow per etiquette. Then, the bandits kneeled one after another. Shirley also jumped down from the carriage and knelt down. Out of the total of , people, everyone was kneeling, and I was the only one standing. It was a scene that could only happen to an Emperor. In the midst of all this, I looked at Raymond, magnanimously. “I had them check you out, and I saw what you did earlier.” “Yes. ......” “A man too good to be left to die. Would you be willing to work for me?” Raymond huffed and looked up. “T-That my father’s...” “It doesn’t matter. That honor is already restored.” Raymond was more and more surprised and at the same time, his eyes were filled with gratitude. “Amazing.......” Raymond bowed his head as one of the women murmured. “As you wish, sire. Use this life in any way you see fit.” ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Empire Emperor Gender: Male Level: + 1 / ∞ HPC+CMPE+CStrengthC+SStaminaD+CIntelligenceD+BSpiritE+CSpeedE+CDexterityE+CLuckE+C FireE+SWaterC+SSWindE+CEarthE+CLight E+BDarknessE+B [TN: His intelligence increased from ‘D+C’ to ‘D+B’] His Mind and Body, both bowed before me.

I woke up and Audrey and the maids were helping me change out of my nightgown. Audrey takes off my nightgown first. The morning sun poured in through the window on my muscular body. My body was wiped down, and fragrance was rubbed in. As usual, I barely moved, leaving Audrey and the maids to get ready for the day. “Noah-sama?” “Hmm? What’s wrong? “Is there anything troubling you?” “...... How do you know?” “Your expression isn’t quite what it should be.” “You’re quite observant.” “It’s Noah-sama’s face that’s why.” Audrey replied with a smile, but with a slight blush on her cheeks. I am used to hearing these kinds of words, but I don’t feel bad when they come from my wife. “You’re right. I was wondering about the Apophis, a gift from His Majesty.” “The serpent’s staff?” “Yeah.” I nodded clearly. Audrey knew about Leviathan and the others, so I skipped the premise and told her what I was curious about. “He hasn’t submitted to me yet. I am thinking of doing that today.” “Oh, really? Well, is that something I can watch?” “You want to watch?” “Yes.” Audrey nodded. The expression on her face showed a strong yearning and pleading. “I’ve heard stories about Noah-sama’s weapons, but I’ve never seen when they submit to you.” “Oh, sure then.” I remember now that she mentioned it. Leviathan. Bahamut-Luthiya. Fuwawa. Behemoth. All of these were before I had actually met Audrey. When I was still in the capital. “I see. ...... good.” “Thank you very much!” Audrey looked very happy. In the meantime, I got dressed and went to the dining room to have breakfast with Audrey, who was in a good mood. Afterwards, I took Audrey and the maids out to the garden. In front of the pavilion in the garden, I had a box of Apophis brought out in advance. I approached it and opened the box. Then, picking up a staff in the shape of a snake, I held it in front of him. “Respond.” Then a message came back to me. It was an inexpressible message. “Are you all right, Noah-sama?” “No problem. I’m just a little underestimated.” “Underestimated?” “He told me if I wanted him to obey me, I had to defeat him. It wouldn’t be possible for a power-hungry child like you, he said.” “How rude!” Audrey raised an eyebrow, angry as if it were her own. I looked at the cane – Apophis. It’s very easy to understand, but what Apohpis conveyed to me was that I was “Just a kid who got swayed around having SSS abilities”. I was dismissed from the role of Prime Minister, and my abilities returned to normal. That’s why, I was being looked down upon. On the other hand, it was fast. “Should I just take you down?” I spoke to Apophis again. And the response was, once again, a mocking but determined “Yes.” “Good. Then I’ll lend you this.” I put the Apophis back in the box, took off the Armor Ring, and put it in the box with the Apophis. The next moment, Apophis changed. The Apophis linked with the ring of armor and transformed into a giant snake. The giant snake swallowed the staff whole, opening a mouth that could have easily swallowed a human. “Come, greenhorn, boy.” Speaking in sloppy manner, it opened its mouth menacingly, and its tongue quivered. I pulled out my Leviathan and slashed at it. The Demon Sword’s slash, which trails a light blue light, is repelled by Apophis’ scales. “Hard!” Apophis made a smug face for a moment and then tried to bit me. I kicked the ground and stepped back. Apophis attacked me again. The long body of the snake undulated as it rushed forward, circling around me – tightening its grip. I held Leviathan in a sideways position. And the tightening clutches at the Leviathan. Letting go of the leviathan, I jumped up on the spot and escaped the snake’s grip. “Shrink.” After escaping, I shrunk Leviathan. When it stretched, it was a contest of strength, but when it shrank, there was no problem. After shrinking to the size of a needle, Leviathan fell to the ground. The constriction cut through the air, and the snake spun around for a moment, but it quickly extended and came at me. Dodging it, I retrieved Leviathan and returned him to his original size. “You, weak. You, cannot cut me.” The snake chuckled, tongue lolling out. “Will, finish. Swallow you, whole.” The snake lunged at me, opening its mouth and trying to bite me. I held up my leviathan and parried the snake. The snake quickly turned and lunged again, but I was able to fend it off without difficulty. “””Ooooooooooh!””” Audrey and the maids cheered. I see, they understood. I set aside my strength and fought with only my technique. It had become part of my morning routine to “not slash” the banyan tree with my sword. In most martial arts, there are two styles: soft and hard. What I was practicing was a technique that could be called the ultimate in softness. I used it to fend off the snake’s attack over and over again. “You, petty. Boy, There’s more.” “Fu.” I didn’t respond to the obvious provocation. As I kept fending it off, I suddenly realized that there was a part of the snake’s body that would get latched onto if I passed it off at a certain angle. I tried a few more times. The tug became more obvious. I tried to cut there. The snake quickly turned and lunged at me after I parried its lunge. I timed my lunge to coincide with its timing. “—!” The snake, which had constantly taunted me until now, looked surprised to see me. The other side’s momentum and my own strength. Then, I angled the blade properly and plunged it into the latch. Then the blade, which had been too stiff and slippery to pass through, went through as easily as if it were cutting tofu. I continued to charge forward, pushing forward with the leviathan. After completely passing each other, the snake’s body snapped open like a fish opening. “The game is over, isn’t it?” The snake was stunned by the slash and stopped moving completely, though it was probably not painful since it was embodied in the ring of armor. After waiting for a while. “You, strong. Be your, servant.” The snake’s demeanor changed drastically and it became very calm. Is it some kind of trap? As I thought. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Minister of Justice Gender: Male Level: / ∞ HPD+EMPE+EStrengthD+AStaminaE+EIntelligenceE+DSpiritF+D SpeedF+EDexterityE+DLuckE+D FireE+AWaterD+SWindE+FEarthE+DLight E+CDarknessE+C The status “+” in the corner of my eye, Darkness, went all the way up to C, so I knew it truly became my subordinate. “Looking forward to working with you.” The snake nodded its head up and down nicely, and then released its embodiment. Where the serpent had been, the ring of armor and the serpent’s staff – Apophis – had fallen. I picked them up. “As expected, Noah-sama!” Audrey, who had been keeping her distance until then, approached me with an impressed expression, having sensed correctly that it was over. A few days later, in Gaien’s study. Although I had already been dismissed as the Prime Minister, I kept the study that I had remodeled to make it easier to use in the course of my political duties. In that study, I was receiving a report from Don. “What’s this?” I asked Don as I looked at the list after receiving the report. “These are gifts sent in the joint names of the governor of Ararat. All of them are local products of Ararat region.” “Ararat, huh” “Yes, a gift for their new lord, Your Highness.” “Oh, that’s common then.” Although this was the case, it was actually my first experience. I got Almeria as my fief when I was just a baby, and the adults around me handled all of these things. So, this is the first time they’ve actually sent one to me. “No, no, it’s not common.” “This list is twice as big as usual. I’ve never seen a list this big before.” “Really?” “Some of the items on the list appear to be from the general public. The political affairs during His Highness as the Prime Minister, the flood control of Almeria Nisir. They must have heard rumors about Your Highness and sent them voluntarily.” “With Gilbert, it was about a third of this.” Don, who had once worked for the First Prince, said with a wry smile. “That’s why, it’s really amazing.” “But I can’t help it if I get this much. Anyone there?” A boy opened the door and walked in. Unlike the inner garden, the ban on men was not as strong around this study, which was located in the outer garden, and there were male servants. The boy looked new to me, so he must have joined the estate recently. “Distribute this among my subordinates. Evelyn likes to drink, so I’ll give her one tart of brewed wine and one tart of distilled wine. Shirley, who is in the Imperial City, will take two of these cold iron swords, and Foster and Howard will take one each. Dylan, who has a daughter, send him a whole lot of silk. Byron gets a bottle of brew, and Cindy gets a jar of all four honeys.” Distribute the gifts according to the taste and status of the household members. Especially those who were out of the house, not in it. When I had finished, I wondered if I had omitted anyone. “I understand. Evelyn-san got one tart each of brewed and distilled liquor. Shirley-san will take two swords of cold iron, and Foster-san and Howard-san will take one each. Dylan-san will take silk. Byron-san will have a bottle of brew, and Cindy-san will have a bottle each of four kinds of honey. That’s it.” “......” I looked at the boy, a little surprised. The boy flinched a little when I looked at him. “I-Is there a mistake?” “No, it’s the other way around. Well, I don’t know how you could have remembered everything in that one moment, just from hearing it once.” The boy was relieved to know that he hadn’t been scolded or anything. “What’s your name?” “My name is Gran, sir.” “How long have you been in the mansion?” “About a month, sir.” “Why did you come here?” Immediately after I spoke to the boy, Don wanted to say something, but when he saw that I was asking for personal information about Gran one after another, he closed his mouth. On the other hand, when asked, Gran answered my question with some confusion. “My parents are sick and my brother doesn’t make much money, so I was looking for a way to make some money, and there was a recruitment for eunuchs. Eunuchs receive a certain amount of money at the beginning of each month, in addition to their monthly salary. Because of the castration, or the cutting off of the male genitalia, the eunuch would receive a large sum of money as compensation or a favor. “So, your parents are ill” “Though they’re a little better, they’re still ......” Gran turned a little down, his face darkening. ‘Fumu. How much do you get paid now?” “ reens a month.” “Let’s raise it to .” “........................ eh?” Gran looked at me like he had no idea what was going on. “So you will be under Don from now on. You understand?” The last word went to Don. Don nodded quietly. He understood that I was counting on Gran’s memory and was going to use it. “T-thank you so much! Thank you very much! Thank you very much!” Gran bowed again and again, before leaving the study to distribute the goods. Don who remained turned to me. “As expected, sir. From now on, I’m sure he’ll be so grateful to you that he’ll risk his life for you.” “No need to risk your life.” “Huh?” “People are treasure. Serving someone is good, but you have to live to serve them.” “Very good, sir.” Don bowed to me with a look of complete and utter admiration.

Leaving the suffering deputy holding his throat, I turned to the woman. She was supported by the middle-aged woman, and looked sad, as if she wanted to say something, but could only moan. “Wait a minute.” I said to the woman and called Apophis. “You were the first to detect the poison. Can you remove this poison?” Apophis is probably trying to say that it’s as simple as breathing. After responding in such incomprehensible words, a purple, poisonous smoke gushed out of my bracelet and headed towards the woman. Apophis’ Serpent Staff, like Leviathan’s Demon Sword, can change its apparent volume at will and is stored in my bracelet in a miniature form. It’s like it just spat out “something” without returning to its original size. ” –!” “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.” It’s a poisonous, purple smoke. When she saw it, she freaked out and tried to run away, which is a natural reaction. I stopped her. The woman was lost, but before she could make another decision, the smoke possessed her. The smoke entered the woman’s mouth and nose. It seemed as if the woman was inhaling with all her might, and in the blink of an eye, the smoke was all over her body. She coughed hysterically. And then. “...... Ah, I can talk.” “””Oooohhhh!””” When the woman’s voice returned, the crowd, those in the front row who could hear her, cheered in unison. “My throat was burning like that. ...... How” “I only neutralized the poison. If it was a disease, I can’t say, but if it was a poison, I can do something about it.” {Me, Poison God.} Apophis said proudly in one sentence. If it is a poison, there is no one better than itself, and no matter what kind of poison it is, it can be controlled, and Apopis’ confidence was transmitted directly to me as an emotion. I found it reassuring. “It’s really amazing. Hey, hey, how did you do that?” The “auntie” on the platform was surprised and impressed. I ignored her and spoke only to the woman, as I was afraid that if I kept up with her, I might derail the conversation in a big way. “Now you can talk. Tell me why this happened. You’re falsely accused, aren’t you? I’ll take care of it.” “...... Ugh.” The woman stared at me for a long time and then burst into tears in silence. I thought she was going to be able to speak and plead her innocence, but she did something completely different. I was a little puzzled. But soon, I realized the meaning of her reaction. “Lena ...... is my daughter ....... I’m Lena’s mother.” Incoherent words came out of the woman’s mouth. As I picked up the fragmented keywords an imagination surfaced in my mind. I furrowed my brow and listened to it. “Are you, by any chance, the victim’s mother?” “......” The woman was silent, but she nodded her head. In the next moment, the crowd’s anger reached its peak. “What the hell is that!” “The victim’s mother is being sentenced to death!” “How rotten can you get!” Curses came from everywhere. I snorted “Haa ” and laughed. In a way, I was impressed. The victim’s family had been sentenced to death. It’s like killing two birds with one stone – it’s disgusting. All the more unforgivable — and as I was thinking about it. Someone threw a glass of drink at the deputy who was holding his throat, and then all sorts of things were thrown at him. As if in a rainstorm, all sorts of things were thrown onto the platform and poured down. “Fu!” I pulled out my leviathan and cut them all down. And burned them all up with Bahamut’s flames. There were hundreds of them, and I was able to get rid of every last one of them. “You are pretty good!” The lady who murmured those words of admiration was still in “Auntie” mode and seemed to be somewhat relaxed even in this situation. Ignoring her, I turned to the crowd. “I will not tolerate personal punishment.” “You’re defending him! “You are one of them after all, huh” The anger was now directed at me. I wondered how I could get out of this, maybe I could weaken Leviathan’s intimidation and shut them all up. I look around. At a rough count, there were about a thousand onlookers gathered in the square. It’s a large number, but it’s not impossible. Okay then– as I was thinking. “Move, move, open up the path!” “Open up or you’ll be arrested!” I heard a loud voice coming from the crowd. A group of patrol guards in full uniform appeared, breaking through the crowd. They came straight at us and climbed up on the platform one by one. More changes happened, what would the regular patrol guards do? And. The crowd went into a wait-and-see mode, their anticipation slightly outweighing their anger. Then, a man appeared from among the guards. The man who led the guards was Don. Don Oates, who is now my confidant. As soon as he stood in front of me, he apologized. “I apologize for the delay in escorting you, Your Highness the th.” He said in a high-pitched voice, and bowed his head down on one knee. At about the same time, all the guards he had brought with him also bowed. Don said, in a rather deliberate manner, ” Your Highness, the th.” He made sure that the people could hear him – so that they know. The silence spread like a waterfall. About ten seconds later, someone knelt down as if remembering, and the nearly one thousand onlookers who had gathered around the square knelt down one after another. As people kneeled one after another in waves, there was only me and one other person standing. ” amazing ......” The only person standing was the woman who was almost falsely accused. Eventually, she too was pulled down by the “auntie” and hurriedly knelt down as well. As I stood alone in the midst of nearly a thousand people kneeling, I ordered Don to do it again. “Arrest Craig Hall immediately. Keep his family under the surveillance. If he can replace himself, he must be a man of some means. Once he’s sentenced, we’ll confiscate his property once again.” Recalling the imperial law in my mind, I handed down the heaviest judgment of the lawful ones. In the silence, my voice came through loud and clear. It took more than ten seconds for the meaning of the judgment to sink in. The crowd erupted. A cheer enveloped the square. On the other hand, Don, who was just receiving orders, did not move. He just knelt in front of me and didn’t move. “What’s wrong?” “With all due respect, sir. I’m afraid to say this, but the previous generation of Halls have retired, but they once rose to the rank of Vizier. Craig Hall is his only grandson.” That’s what Don said. But the face that looked up at me at close range had a mischievous smile on it. It wasn’t a look or a tone that told me to stop. Rather, it was an assist to me. That’s clever, I thought. “So what?” I stifled my voice and glared at Don deliberately. “If you are retired then you are just a commoner. Now go.” Don bowed his head once more and ordered the guards he had brought with him. Some of them went straight to detain the stunned governor, and some of them went straight back the way they came and ran to catch the real criminal, Craig Hall. “””Ooohhhh!””” The loudest cheers till now erupted. “Great judgment.” “It’s not often you can say that about a former Vizier.” “His Imperial Highness the Thirteenth is our lord, right?” “He raised the Waterworks in Appia to the special grade, and he’s always there for us when we need him.” “He’s a great person.” Amidst the voices praising me. The case of the death row prisoner switching that I happened to encounter has been settled.

I escorted the carriage back to the Royal Palace. His Majesty, Indra, and I came to a library-style study. His Majesty addressed his confidant, Curuz. “Go outside, and do not let anyone pass until I call you.” “Yes, Your Majesty.” Curuz bowed reverently and exited the study. The three of us and a young eunuch remained in the study. “Is this guy good?” Indra asked, pointing at the young eunuch. “Hmm, this one’s a bit special. He’s deaf, he can’t speak, and he can’t read.” “Well, that’s a good way to talk about confidential matters.” Indra looked at the eunuch with a satisfied and amused expression. His Majesty, on the other hand, looked straight at me. “Well, you’ve given me a good idea. I think I’ll go with it.” I stepped forward and said with a slight bow. “I think you should regain full command of the army.” “Command of the army?” “Yes, sir. Including brother Henry’s Ministry of War and my position as Governor of the First Order of Knights.” His Majesty thought for a moment and then understood, and Indra smiled, the corners of her mouth twisting. “Sure, if a member of the royal family who disagrees with the Emperor’s will has command of the army, it will complicate things. It is possible that they will forcefully eliminate the other Princes and take over as Emperor.” “Yes, it’s practically a coup d’état, but if they control the army while His Majesty is gone, they can push their way through.” “That’s right. But I didn’t expect you, boy to suggest it.” “He is suitable to be your grandson-in-law.” “Yes.” His Majesty ran his pen over the paper. In no time at all, he had created two sets of rescripts. He handed me one of them. I read it and saw that it was an imperial decree to dismiss the Governor as well as to thank me. So, the other one must be for Brother Henry. His Majesty made some kind of jerky gesture to the eunuch in attendance. The eunuch nodded, walked out of the study with the rescript, and came right back. The gesture was large and simple. Perhaps this eunuch has been trained to carry out only a few fixed orders, I thought. “What about the Crown Prince’s disinheritance?” This is where it all begins. I felt as if the temperature in the room had dropped two degrees at once. I answered. “Hmm?” “The nomination and disinheritance of the Crown Prince is a matter of state for the empire, but it is also an internal matter for the royal family. It is up to the emperor to appoint or disinherit an heir.” I expressed my view as the Minister of Justice. “Just.” “Just?” “Unlike Gilbert, Brother Albert has not done anything wrong. Therefore, I think it would be better to keep him as the Prince even after his disinheritance.” ” Hmm. Then how about this? Although Albert has no double-mindedness towards me or the nation, he is not strong enough to be in charge of the nation. Therefore, abolish the Crown Prince and return him to the position of Prince.” “I think that’s a good idea.” “Oh. And, Emperor, do you intend to make Albert the heir again?” “No.” His Majesty said firmly. He has given up on him...... very much. “If that’s the case, you’d better make it known.” “Hmm. ...... make it obvious, huh.” “Just a single character. Like ‘End’ to signify that Crown Prince’s role ends here.” It is an honor to be given a character, but it also means that the character’s nature will be known throughout the empire. That’s why I suggested it. “Umu. That’s good. Noah, you’ve made a good suggestion.” His Majesty praised me and then ran his pen over a new piece of paper set up by the returning eunuch. However, while the previous time he could write quickly and easily, this time he was stumbling around for some reason, and when he looked up after finishing, he had a complicated expression on his face. “What’s wrong?” “What the heck. I can’t understand the meaning of the text unless I read it carefully, and the handwriting is terrible. It’s a horrible sentence.” “I’m actually sentencing my own child to a crime, even if it’s only a disinheritance, I can’t stand it.” “I see. Well, you can rewrite it.” “What is it, Noah?” “I think we should just issue it as an Imperial Decree. A formal Imperial Decree will be recorded. His Majesty’s feelings will also remain with the Imperial Decree. Of course, it will also be conveyed to elder brother. ...... So, if he can feel His Majesty’s heart and be able to serve the empire as a prince in the future...” “Fumu......” His Majesty stared at the Imperial Decree that he had written, full of mistakes and leaking his feelings. After a while, he raised his head and looked at me. “You better get on with it. ...... No.” He started to say something, then shook his head and canceled. “You have given me good advice, Noah.” I bowed my head. His Majesty wrote the decree on another piece of paper. The letters reverted to his usual style, otherwise, the authenticity of the decree might be questioned. However, he preserved the text. He adopted my suggestion that the text is left as it was since it would be recorded. After making a clean copy, His Majesty called the eunuch over again with a gesture and handed him the Imperial Decree. The eunuch took it, looked puzzled for a moment, then turned himself around and walked out of the study. “–! Wait.” I caught up with the eunuch, grabbed his shoulder from behind, and held him back. “What’s the matter, boy” “The eunuch reacted to the Imperial Decree.” “What?” “His Majesty’s handwriting was as usual. Yet he was confused because he could read that the text was wrong.” “”— !”” His Majesty and Indra’s complexion changed at the same time. The eunuch complexion changed, and he shook off my hand that grabbed his shoulder and ran away. “Don’t let him get away!” I used Leviathan to intimidate and stop the eunuch’s movement. The eunuch ran with all his might for a moment, and then immediately collapsed, weakening like a puppet with broken strings and plunging face-first into the floor. “Oi, Oi, Emperor, isn’t this guy a spy?” “...... That’s what I’m thinking. Curuz!!” His Majesty called out loudly for Curuz. It was so loud and filled with anger that it could be heard from several rooms away. A few moments later, Curuz walked in. “You wanted to see me, Your Majesty?” “There, he can read the words.” “Eh ......” Seeing the eunuch on the floor, Curuz’s face grew pale. “I’m sorry, I was careless! Please, please, please forgive me!” Curuz got down on his knees and slammed his forehead on the floor. I’ve never seen him like this before. “How do you want to handle this, Noah?” The prostrated Curuz freaked out. “The eunuch is to be executed, and I’m thinking it should be done now.” “And why is that?” “He pretended to be unable to read when he could, and took on the duties of this study. It is essentially the same as pretending to be a eunuch when you are not. I think the death penalty is appropriate for the crime of defiling His Majesty’s forbidden grounds.” “That’s all well and good, but wouldn’t it be better if you made him throw up first?” Indra said, and I shook my head. “If that happens, we’ll have to get rid of the ringleader. Depending on that, ......” I trailed off there. There is a saying that silence is golden. Your Majesty will understand if I say this much. Yes, on the off chance that this eunuch was sent by my brother Albert? Or one of the Princes? Indra seemed to understand. “Noah, you’re right. You will continue to serve me as Minister of Justice.” “By your will.” “What about Curuz?” Curuz freaked out. He raised his head fearfully, his face still pale. Giving a light laugh I said. “I think he should get a six-month pay cut for poor supervision.” “I guess so. Then he’ll get a six-month pay cut and you can handle the rest.” He literally slammed his forehead on the floor with a pardoned expression, then dragged the eunuch out of the study as if to escape. At night, this time, all the eunuchs themselves were kept away, in the Emperor’s study. There, the Emperor and the First Vizier were having a secret meeting alone. The emperor told the First Vizier about what had happened today. As soon as he heard Noah’s suggestion, the First Vizier nodded his head in admiration. “Noah-sama is amazing. Even I hadn’t thought of that idea.” “And, coincidentally, it’s also in line with His Majesty’s decision to consider ...... the grandchildren. That only works if you drag out the decision as much as possible.” “As expected of the Wise Prince, an idea worthy of his name.” Perhaps because he had just put down another son with his own hands during the day, the emperor was in a good mood to be praised for his son. It was only for a moment, and soon his expression returned to normal. “So, did the eunuch spit it out?” In the end, the emperor heeded Noah’s advice and had the eunuch tortured in secret. By First Vizier, his most trusted confidant, who he was sure would not reveal the truth even if he were to interrogate him. “Yes, I did it in person, all by myself.” “How did it go?” “...... Noah-sam was incredible. It’s almost as if he can read people’s minds.” The First Vizier, as expected, kept all the eunuchs away, but still avoided saying anything. Still, the Emperor could understand well enough. It was Albert who had sent the spies. If it hadn’t been for Noah’s suggestion, he would have had to take further action against Albert. “I do not know.” “......” “Just because he can’t be trusted with the kingdom doesn’t mean he’s not my son.” “......” The First Vizier did not say anything but instead bowed his head in a begrudging manner. There are many Viziers in the Emperor’s reign, but the first Vizier has lasted the longest and has not been dismissed at any time. His strength lies in his ability to keep quiet at times like this. On the other hand, the Emperor, perhaps disliking the heaviness in the air, tried to change the subject. “Well, do you know the name Leviathan?” “That’s ...... I believe he was one of the four Sages who helped the emperor during the Silver Age.” The emperor nodded. And then he told the First Vizier about what happened in the city before he spoke to Noah and Indra. Because he had been there, the emperor had heard the voices of Noah’s servants. “So you’re saying that ...... one of them, Leviathan, is helping Noah-sama?” “Oh my! That’s amazing! And if what you say is true, won’t there be even more of the Four Sages?” “I guess so.” “It’s amazing. ...... Noah-sama may be able to surpass the Silver Age.” “There is a possibility.” The Emperor and the First Vizier both nodded excitedly. However, these two do not get ahead of themselves. The Emperor of the Empire, the highest power on the land, and the person who has been his right-hand man for many years. They are two people who can act calmly. “So, let’s hope for Noah-sama’s potential.” “Umu, we’ll have to wait and see how he develops.” They said this with restraint. Noah’s likeability among the two of them had undoubtedly increased significantly after the series of events.

In the royal palace, the emperor’s study room. It’s called a study room, but it’s practically a library-like place where more than , books and most of the documents from his accession to the throne are kept. When I was called into that study, I was kneeling in front of my father – that is, His Majesty the Emperor. “You wanted to see me, father?” Father nodded at me in a dignified voice. While I was greeting him, he was looking over some papers, signing them and handing them to the serving confidant. Once the political work had been completed, father raised his head and looked at me. “How are you?” “Yes, I’m doing great every day.” “Hmm.” Father gave a small nod and scoffed his chin at the confidant who had handled the last minute paperwork so deftly. The confidant, who could be described as a confidant, gave further instructions to a junior confidant, who then came to my side. The confidant uses magic on me. The magic to see status, the magic that was cast right after I was born and surprised everyone as a result. After a while, my status appears for all to see. ―――――――――――― Gender: male Level: 1/∞ HP F Fire F MP F Water SS Strength E Wind F Stamina E Earth F Intelligence F Light F Spirit F Darkness F Speed ​​F Dexterity E Luck E ―――――――――――― “Well, the power has gone up again. Your strength is on E, as opposed to last time.” Father looked impressed as he walked off his office desk and came in front of me, peering at the status. “And you’re still at level 1, huh. Great news. I’ve never heard of anyone’s ability increasing while their level remains unchanged. You are a very unique child.” “Thank you very much.” This peculiar constitution that surprised everyone that day, and which my father just described as “mysterious”. Six years after my reincarnation, I was beginning to understand the cause of this. It’s linked to my “subordinates”. The part behind the “+” that is visible only to me and not to normal humans, the additional part increases or decreases according to the status of my subordinates, servants, and other such people. If I recall, at that time too, it rose right after the territory was decided, and this time, too, because I added the entire flood-damaged village under my umbrella, the power appeared as F+F, which is E. By the way, this is how I see it now. Name: Noah Ararat 13th prince of Ararat Empire Level: 1/∞ MP F Water E+S Strength F+F Wind F Stamina F+F Earth F Speed ​​F Dexterity F+F Luck F+F After realizing this, I did a lot of research and talked to a lot of people, but I didn’t find anyone else who had a “+”. I’m the only one, apparently. And I still don’t know the meaning of “∞” either, but it seems that this is also something that no one else knows about, and it’s only me. That’s why I’m keeping quiet about this for now, even though it’s my father, the emperor. ”Is this why you called me here, father?” “Hmm? Oh yes, there was another subject. Noah, I see you’ve bought an entire village.” “....” I gulped. ’I’m surprised, it was a few days ago and I haven’t even reported it yet, so how did Father know about it? “Don’t be so surprised, I didn’t call you here to reprimand you. Rather, it’s the opposite.” ” Huh?” Father crossed his hands behind his back and walked out of the study as if he were thinking. “I’m sure it’s a natural disaster, but there are always people who try to take advantage of it to make a profit. It’s usually after they’ve finished sucking the sweet juice out of it by the time they come up to me. And then I – the government throws in people and money to clean up afterwards. It’s a natural disaster and a man-made disaster, a double-layered disaster and a cleanup.” “How did you know?” He stopped and turned his head only to look at me with his hands crossed behind his back. I answered honestly. “A girl from that village worked as a maid in the residence of the 13th Prince. I heard that she was about to be sold to a brothel.” “Yes, it’s a coincidence.” ” Coincidence. A lucky coincidence. In Albert’s place, I’d be doing a triple cleanup.” The emperor blurted out. Somehow it sounded like a complaint to the crown prince, so I didn’t even phase through it, and I passed it off in silence. A few seconds of silence, and then my father spoke to me again. “At any rate, you have done well. I’m going to reward you. Curuz.” One of the gutted emissaries, who had been far away all that time, responded and stepped forward. “How much is Noah’s allowance now? “His Royal Highness the Thirteenth’s current allowance is 8,000 reen per annum.” “That’s not much.” It’s a lot. The average monthly income of a thirty-year-old working in the city is ten reens – 120 reens a year. That is about seventy people, not a small amount. “Let’s raise by a 1000 then. That starts this year, retroactively.” “As you wish.” The confidant Cruz complied and left to communicate it. “Noah,” “You’ve done well. Keep up the good work, as far as I can see, and help out as much as you can.” “I understand.” I left the emperor’s study and turned back down the gorgeous hallway. Then I saw a familiar face from across the hallway. That one could see me, too, and he came over with a smiling face, as if this was the best he could do. “Noah-sama” A young eunuch who calls my name and gets down on one knee right then and there. His name is Siz. He’s a low-level servant with no job title, doing menial tasks. When he joined the palace, he was assigned to my mother’s place, so I know his face. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Noah-sama. Just looking at Noah-sama’s face is enough to make you feel energized for the day.” “You’re still a goofball with an open mouth. Here.” I reached into my pocket and took out the leather bag I had prepared for this kind of... and tossed it to Siz. It’s a silver coin sack, containing roughly 100 reens. This is also something I’ve learned since my reincarnation, but nobles make a virtue out of ‘charity’. In addition to the fact that it’s a good idea to give to people who are clearly underprivileged, the purpose of which is to show off that you are powerful enough to do so. The wages of servants are very low, five reens a month. Even so, it is higher than in the rural areas, and since their duties make them “permanently employed,” there are many who seek stability in their careers. But that doesn’t change the fact that the wages are still very low, so it is normal to give them this kind of treatment. Siz caught the slippery leather bag and became more and more smiley-faced. “Thank you!” “Don’t keep it to yourself. Split it up between the people you’re close to.” “Oh, you’re very good. Everyone says that the 13th Prince is not only kind to us, he is also like a god who cares about those who are not here.” “You’re getting better and better at sucking up. Now you’re snacking on honey from your dinner plate.” “No, sir, I don’t. I mean all of it, yes, sir.” ” Let’s put it that way.” I began to walk away, and Siz followed beside me, pointing this and that. “Speaking of which, Noah-sama. You know that songstress who’s on the market lately?” “The songstress?” ” Yeah. She runs a shop called Keith’s on Lade Street, though. Her name’s Alice. She’s still a bit green, but she has a reputation for growth. I know a guy who goes there.” ” Oh,” I left the royal palace while listening to the random chatter. After leaving the Royal Palace, I wandered around the Capital randomly. The capital of a thriving empire, the most prosperous city on land, you could say. People, goods – and money. All kinds of things gather here. Naturally, the things that satisfy human desires are also available, but my body is only six years old and there’s nothing I can do. It’s nice to be in town, but in the end I can only wander around. Suddenly, I remember a story I heard from Siz. A songstress on the market. If this was a story I heard from the minister or some other elder sibling of mine, that’s where the color – or sexuality – comes into play. But Siz said, ” I went there too.” A eunuch is a human being who has had his male genitals chopped off, just in case a mistake is made. That eliminates their sex drive (though they become obsessed with money instead), so if they say they’re going through it, it’s probably just a song. Then even six-year-old me can enjoy it. With that in mind, I turned to Lade Street, where I’d heard about it. I found a place called Keith’s right away. It’s a teahouse where you can enjoy plays and performances. I walked in and paid for my seat and was shown to a good seat. The waiter looks at me for a moment, and then treats me appropriately when he recognizes me as a noble by the material of my clothes and decorations. I sit down and ask the waiter. “Is this woman Alice here today?” “You’re in luck, that’s Alice, the girl who is singing.” “Well just get it right, order as you see fit. I don’t want any vegetables or leafy greens.” ” Yes!” After the clerk walked away, I looked again at the front of the store. There’s a stage and a structure with seating arranged in a radial pattern. The further back you go, the harder it is to see, but since I had paid extra for my seat, I was ushered into a seat on a platform, so I could watch the stage regardless of the heads of the customers in front of me. On stage, Alice was singing while playing a harp. I listened for a while. Okay, not bad. Her technique is still in its infancy, but she seems to be singing seriously and earnestly. Music shows a person’s character well. It’s the same with characters. I’ve only known it for about six years, but I could still clearly sense that Alice is a serious character. If this is the case, I’ll go for a while, and in a few occasions, I’ll be a patron– Palin! The song was interrupted by the sound of breaking glass. Not one or two, but continuously until the singing stopped altogether. Alice’s hands stopped and the customers turned to look at her. Then a few men who had just entered the store approached the stage, grabbing glasses and plates of customers on the way in and smashing them. “Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing here singing like a little bitch, huh?” “Sir, this is– Phehee!” A clerk who was about to enter to intercede was punched and blown up, involving a table. The store starts to buzz. “That’ s money–“ The man in the lead, who seemed to be the boss of the group, kicked a nearby table away with a dusky voice. It was a cheap threat. “You can’t pay off the debt your dad created with this.” “But, sir, in addition to this...” “What? Come on, don’t make me say it to everyone. What’s a woman to do with a woman’s earnings?” “.....” Alice chewed her lower lip and slumped in frustration. ......... I stood up and went to the stage. “Hey,” “What? The kid? Kid, go suck on your mommy’s tits!” “Article 67-2 of the Imperial Code. No child shall be required to shoulder the debts of a parent.” “What?” “I don’t mean to question the merits of money lending, but it’s a very real sin to ask a daughter to pay back her father’s debt by selling her body, too.” The man turned the tables and grabbed my shoulder. I knew this was going to happen, so I activated what I had prepared. A magic tool, the splash. It’s a magic tool that can be used up, a substitute that activates magic regardless of whether or not you have magic power. The effect depends on the user’s attribute. The water magic that was activated produced a fierce water flow as many as the number of people and pierced the shoulders of the men. ” Gwah!” “Heeeee!” “What the fuck is this?” The men who had been so vigorous just before, all of them held their bloodied shoulders and backed away with their asses in their hands. ” Still want to try?” With that, he held up his hand, and the men screamed and rolled away. The inside of the store was silent – immediately after. There was an explosive cheer. ” What the hell!” ” Stop it, Boz!” ” You should watch your mouth, idiot. That’s a nobleman.” Amidst the cheers, I went towards the one clerk who was punched and was holding his nose bleeding. “Ye-,Yes, what is it, sir...” “If they come to you about the debt again, you tell them to come to me.” Then I took a bill from my pocket and handed it to him. The clerk looked at it and freaked out. “The, The Prince!” The store buzzed even louder. Ignoring it, I turned to Alice, who was half-indulging. “That was a good performance earlier.” “Oh, thank you...” “How much do you earn in a month?” “What? Well I mean my mother’s medical bills too....” “25 reen.” I interrupted Alice mid-sentence. “I’ll give you that every month, so don’t worry about it and sing along. I’ll give you more as you improve.” “Thank you!” Alice bowed her head in admiration. Being a Prince: Growing as a nobleman and helping needy people In this way, whenever I found someone who needed a little bit of help, I became their patron.

The guy who ranted at me naturally lost his place and before I knew it, he was gone from the venue. All the while, I was being introduced to guest after guest by Raydoke. Most of them were just, well, insignificant, upper-class people, but there was one pair of men and women who caught my attention. The man was in his forties and dressed in a very merchant-like manner. In a place like this, it was important to know their status and occupation at a glance. The woman is about ten years old. She is dressed in a slightly tall, neat and clean dress. Such a pair of men and women. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. I am Byron Allan. This is my daughter, Cindy. Please allow us to get acquainted.” ” Yes. Is she your adopted daughter maybe?” I pointed out, and the merchant who called himself Byron’s face stiffened for a moment. “Gosh, you were aware of this before?” “No,” However, I just “get it” because of my experience from my previous life. A man in his forties and a girl about ten years old. They don’t look like a father and daughter. “I can tell by looking at her.” “Your highness. For the sake of future reference, perhaps you could explain to me why.” Byron was puzzled, but Reydouk was as calm as could be. He interjected well and connected the conversation. ” Allan, you’re either the second or third generation, right?” “Yes, indeed. As you stated, your honor.” “I suppose. The way you behave makes me feel like you were born into the upper class. And she doesn’t have that in her.” My reincarnation was that of the th Prince, an upper-class nobleman amongst the nobility, and at the same time, I have memories of my previous life. I understand how the upper class, who were born into it, and those who were not, carry themselves. I felt it and pointed it out. Then the Third Vizier Reydouk smiled pleasantly. “I see! That’s my highness. I’m impressed by your wisdom.” “And besides,” “I wonder if there are any more.” ” The girl’s a slave, isn’t she?” ” Ye-Yes.” “Wow! You understand that much?” “Yeah.” Those eyes. A person who has once fallen into slavery has a peculiar questioning look in their eyes. When I was pointed out perfectly about his daughter, Byron, who was blown away by it, speaks out with a much calmer face than before. “This girl, I bought her from a slave-trader, but she was different from the other kids and was smart, so I adopted her and taught her a lot of things.” ” I see. Good, I like that.” As soon as I say that, there’s a groan. I continue on regardless. ” Next time I will invite you to the house. I want to hear more about the girl.” ” — oh! HAHA, with pleasure!” Byron bowed his head with great joy, and he drew envious glances all around him. It was because she was the best little Cinderella at this party, which suited the thirteenth prince’s taste, who was brought by him. And Byron was clever. Any more and he would get jealousy, and if he wasn’t good enough, he would displease me. He whisked away from the center of the circle, taking his daughter with him. “Prime Minister Reydouk. There’s another reason why I found out that the girl wasn’t his own daughter.” ” I wonder what that is.” ” Look,” I scoffed my chin, and at the same time his daughter, Cindy, turned around with a flash. “She turned this way.” ‘I gave a little intimidation just over there, and that’s how she reacted. Ever since the first threat, she’s been protecting Byron with her own body.” ” Ho-ho.” “A girl that young,” “Yes, I see. A girl of that age would not normally take a stand for her parents. She’s the one to be protected.” “That’s what I’m talking about.” “From the very beginning, you have been observing it, haven’t you? I’m impressed by the breadth of your perspective, Your Highness.” I grinned at Raydoke, who rattled off compliments, and I let him resume the rest of his introductions to the other guests. The next day, the th Prince’s residence. After breakfast, I was stretching out in the garden when one of the maids arrived. A familiar face, a maid by the name of Zoe. “My lord,” “Hmm, what?” “The Third Vizier has sent a token of gratitude. What will you do?” Zoe said and held out a sealed envelope to me. The party was a success because I was there yesterday and as thanks for that, please deliver the ten thousand reeks. This is what it says. This is another standard of noblemen’s relations. If you are not explicitly hostile to them, it is normal to receive it. By the way, not everyone is able to give it to me. Giving a gift to me, the prince, also requires status and events. The ones I had yesterday were only Reydouk and Byron. But Byron doesn’t seem to have a proud disposition. He won’t be giving me a gift so soon. I put the letter in an envelope and hand it to Zoe. “Get it like usual.” “Understood!” Zoe turns around and nods. There was another servant right in the corner of her eyes, and he moved at Zoe’s gesture. She must have gone to process the gratuity. Now, there’s one thing I need to think about. The magic sword. Yesterday, I brought the Leviathan to its knees and took control of it. So I even practically threatened him twice. That’s fine, but I can’t rely on it forever. If I’m going to hold the demon sword, I need to be able to wield the sword itself, otherwise it won’t look good. Now what to do, I was wondering what to do – and then the emotion to communicate something from Leviathan flowed in. It’s not words, it’s a simple emotion. The feeling of an excited child. “...hmmm.” “What is it, master?” Zoe asked from the side. I swallowed the words, “You’re still here?” “I came up with something kind of funny,” ” Is it funny?” I walked off at a stalwart, and Zoe followed me. We walked for a while, through the gardens that the gardener tends to every day. Then we stood in front of one large tree. It’s a pretty big tree, and even though I’m at least six years old now, I can’t get my hands on it to hold it. Standing in front of that large tree, I pull out my Leviathan and unleash it. Holding it upright – I swing it down. “Waaah!” She cheered. There is no power, no speed. Those abilities are still at E or F or something like that. I cut both sides of a large tree diagonally with that level of power. “Wow! How did you do that, Master? It looked so effortless.” “On the contrary, it wasn’t enough for me.” With that, I cut the rest of the large tree once more and showed it to her. A slash with all the force and weight I could muster. The blade this time got caught in the middle of the large tree. ” Ugh.” “You seemed to be putting more effort into it now, but this time seems different, why is that?” ” This is an amateur’s way of cutting. This is the master’s–“ Leviathan remembered the movement of its former owner. I traced the movement and swung down, and it was another blow with no power or speed, but it slashed the large tree further, cutting it into a circle. “Wow! Wow! You look like an expert.” That’s the kind of move I’m talking about. Yes, I wanted to be able to use it, and Leviathan told me about the movements of that guy’s former owner. It’s probably because it’s a demon sword that chooses its owner, but most of its former owners are also capable of doing so. Leviathan remembered those moves and techniques, and recreated them as it remembered them. Even if my strength and speed were E or F, I could still be able to do expert-level slashes. This would make him look good for a while. And more. “Heh.” ” What’s happening this time?” “You know this.” With that, I took out my magic splash and showed it to Zoe. ‘”Yes!’ It’s master’s trump card, isn’t it?” “Yeah. I heard that Leviathan can do the same thing. Instead of consuming my magic and not draining myself, apparently it can only be used once an hour.” “Let’s do some shooting.” Like an excited little rascal, Leviathan’s emotions took hold of me, and I gave it a shot too. I raised the Leviathan’s blade and tried to shoot at the remaining remains of a large tree. Just before I did, an instinct kicked in. I hurriedly pointed the sword barrel downward. There was a roar, the ground shook as hard as it could and Zoe fell on her butt. “Owww......eh!” Zoe, who had fallen on her butt, was surprised enough to scream when she saw what had happened. I was a little surprised, as well. A column of water more than five meters thick was released from Leviathan, which was pointed downward in a hurry. It shot toward the ground and gouged out a large hole five meters in diameter with no visible bottom. ” Amazing.........” Unlike before, Zoe mumbled to herself mid-sentence.

Foresight In the morning, at the garden of the mansion. I lifted a huge rock that was part of the landscape. The rock was twice the size of a person in both length and width, and I lifted it lightly and shook it up and down as if I were doing a strength training exercise. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Prime Minister Gender: Male Level: / ∞ HPSSSMPSSSStrengthSSSStaminaSSSIntelligenceSSSSpiritSSSSpeedSSSDexteritySSSLuckSSS FireSSSWaterSSSWindSSSEarthSSSLight SSSDarknessSSS I glanced at my status on the surface, which was generated by magic, and put the rock in its original place, pulled out my longsword, which I had also prepared, and threw it slightly upwards. The longsword swooped up in the air and fell, tip down. The tip of the longsword did not pierce the top of my head, but instead flicked like rubber and rolled to the ground. My abilities were outstanding. I think I’m the strongest person in the world right now, to put it mildly. “Wow ......, you’re getting stronger again, Noah-sama.” “Hmm?” I turned my head and saw a familiar face exclaiming at the sight. Cindy Allan. She was a ten-year-old girl when I met her, and now she is twenty years old and completely beautiful. “You came, huh.” “Yes. I received a letter from Ada-sama personally, and I wanted Noah-sama to see it and ask about the details of the future.” “A letter? What kind of letter?” “This one.” Cindy took out the letter and held it out to me. Ada is the consort, whom I recommended and who has since joined the palace. She has yet to bear a child, but His Majesty has taken a liking to her and she is now the most favored of all the consorts, and that is no exaggeration. I opened Ada’s letter and read through it. There wasn’t much in it. The only thing it said was that His Majesty was leaving the palace for a summer resort, and all the consorts would accompany him. That’s all it said. “I don’t know how His Majesty’s condition is in real. I will ask Ada-sama for more details, but I needed to consult with Noah-sama about this matter. “No, it’s not necessary.” “Eh?” “This letter already told me everything I need to know. I chuckled. “What do you mean?” The thing is. I tried to sound sarcastic. “The proof is that he took all the consorts. And what is a consort for? For His Majesty’s pleasure, they are to be embraced.” “Ah ......” “If he’s really ill and needs to rest, there’s no need to take all the consorts with him. I’m sure he’s in rather good health.” “On the other hand, it would have been a disaster if he were to take the Empress with him.” “Why is that?” “If his illness is serious and his successor is to be ...... chosen, the Empress, who is the master of the inner palace, cannot be ignored at all. Whichever way you look at it.”[TN: Queen had control over concubines, and the inner palace is made up of concubines group] “I see,......, that’s an amazing point of view. All the consorts ...... I had no idea at all.” Cindy gave me a look of respect. She’s showing a lot more emotions than she did when we first met. Well, anyhow. I know that His Majesty is relatively safe. If that’s the case, there’s only one thing I can do, no matter what his true intentions are. All I have to do is put the people first. As the Prime Minister, I had a large study hastily built in the garden because the original study in the mansion was not enough to handle the enormous amount of administrative work. In it, I had Olivia Coyle, dressed as a maid, attend to my affairs. “This next one is the impeachment of Ames, the Governor of Coronsia.” “What was the deed?” “He’s accused of misappropriating this year’s taxes, which were once collected and in transit to the capital.” “Fumu. ...... Fumu?” Olivia tilted her head. “Let me take a closer look at that.” I held out my hand and took the document from Olivia’s hand. Opening it, I looked inside. In addition to the body of the document, there is an outline. The empire is large, a little too large for the emperor to rule over it. For this reason, even matters that require the emperor’s approval are usually written in outline form on top of the actual document. This is done by the first four Viziers. The advantage of doing this is that the Viziers can look over the document first and consult with the Emperor if he is in doubt. The one that was forwarded from the capital had already been written out in outline by the Viziers. So Olivia read the outline, and I opened it and stared at the text, which stuck with me. “It was strange from the start. The outline is written as if it were corruption, but the fact that they used it when it was in transit is odd.” “...... That’s right! If you’re going to line your own pockets, you should do it in advance.” “Correct. Taxes in transit are after the tally, and it’s money that’s already out there. No one would be stupid enough to mess with it. So I looked at the details.” “What did it say?” “There was a big fire just before Coronsia. The air was dry, the wind was strong, and the fire was so big that it destroyed the th of the city.” “–!” Olivia gulped. A fire so large that it burned through % of a city, was a major disaster. “So naturally, everything burned. So Ames took all the tax transports he sent out and used their contents to buy food from nearby cities and distribute it to the people affected.” “That’s a ...... difficult one.” I glanced at Olivia. It’s not hard to see why, as she was born into a noble family, albeit a servant of Gilbert. The fact that the transport has begun means that it is the treasury – or rather the Emperor’s money. It would be a crime of disrespect to use the emperor’s money without permission. However, since the purpose of the money was disaster relief, it could not be helped. If you were a commoner, you would 00% applaud Ames for a job well done, but Olivia, who is a commoner but being born inside the royal family, said it was difficult to know which way to go. ” A request for the death penalty, that’s ridiculous.” “But...” “I said it was ridiculous. People are treasures, and citizens are the greatest treasure.” “Uhh.” “This impeachment document reveals a personal grudge. It was probably written by someone who has a history of disagreement with Ames.” I took a pen and paper and wrote down the process. “Ames is innocent, in fact, he will get a year’s pay increase for his disaster relief efforts.” “Yes.” “The Impeachment is ‘Rebuked’.” The Emperor’s “Rebuke” is more than just a scolding. It’s a proper punishment, the equivalent of a pay cut. “As expected, Noah-sama. But is that all right?” “What?” “If this kind of judgment is handed down, it will become a precedent, and when a major disaster occurs, there will be a decrease in deliveries to the national treasury, which will be passed on to the ...... Royal Family.” Olivia swallowed the two words, “His Majesty.” I think she was hesitant to say it. I pretended not to notice if she had swallowed it. “Just be patient. It’s a privilege of the Nobility to be patient with the weak.” “...... is amazing. I’ve never seen a Noble who can go that far. ......” She says this because she was a member of Gilbert’s household. After that, food aid from Hojoy in the granary, “accommodations” for imperial-approved slave traders, and priority for building materials and people to rebuild ....... Throughout the series of orders, Olivia kept giving me a look of respect. At night, in the outer garden of the mansion. I called my maid, Zoe, into my study. “There’s a place I want you to go, Coronsia.” “Coronsia is that ......?” “Yes. That’s the area where the big fire happened.” I told Zoey all about what had happened in Coronsia. Zoe’s face was becoming quite serious. “So, you’re going to be the inspector general. It’s a full authority appointment. I want you to go and watch for anyone who ignores my orders.” ” Understood! I’ll do my best!” Zoe was extremely enthusiastic. Once, Zoe’s hometown of Dosso had been flooded. She asked for help with that and I responded in the past. As someone who actually knew about the flooding, she should not be able to overlook the injustice in the rebuilding that followed. “Please leave it to me!” Zoe walked away from the study with enthusiasm. A few moments later, with a knock, two men entered the room. They were Foster and Howard. They were both Albert’s men, but after losing their master in the incident, I took them in as my own. “You wanted to see us, Your Highness?” “Yes, I have a task for you.” I told them that I was sending Zoe to be the inspector. “Sorry about this, but you’ll have to dress as soldiers and follow Zoe.” “Are we supposed to be guarding Zoe?” “No, just make sure she’s safe, and most importantly, keep an eye on things around Zoe.” “”......?”” Foster and Howard stared at each other. They were making faces like they didn’t understand the meaning of the order. “I sent Zoe, but she is a maid in my house, unlike Evelyn. I’m sure there will be people who will try to cheat, or even deceive her, into believing that she is an amateur maid.” Howard flinched. ” You understood, huh. Yeah, that’s why I will have you disguised.” “I see, we were once under the Crown Prince, and as soldiers, we can catch them off guard.” “And we’ll be able to see through their tricks.” “That’s it.” “As expected, Your Highness.” “Yeah, it’s amazing how well you can anticipate failure.” “Good luck, you two.” “Leave it to me.” “I’m finally going to repay you for the life you’ve given me.” The two of them complied by kneeling down and bowing their heads, looking no less enthusiastic than Zoe.

A few nights later, I was outside the city of Leararat. One step out of the city and you are in the vast desert of Salaria. Even now, I was standing in the middle of the desert. “Uuh. ......” I turned around at the sound of the girl’s groan. When I turned around, I saw Peiyu and Ivy with their hands wrapped around their shoulders hugging themselves. Looks like they are cold. That’s as it should be, the temperature in the desert at night drops so quickly that it is hard to imagine from the scorching heat during the day. For young girls, this cold seems to be too much for their bodies. “Bahamut, warm them up.” {Will.} Bahamut responds to my order. Immediately after, a faint flame appeared around Peiyu and Ivy. “Ahh, it’s warm ......” Seeing the flames produced by Bahamut, Peiyu’s expression became relieved. Although she had become smaller with her hugging gestures, her body seemed to relax and unwind. “T-This is.......’ Meanwhile, Ivy, witnessing Bahamut’s power for the first time, was surprised with her eyes wide open. “It’s Master’s power.” “Power .......” “Master can use all kinds of power. This is just the beginning.” When addressing Ivy, Peiyu naturally looks at her from a superior perspective. As a senior maid, she often speaks with a nuance of “Don’t you know such things?”. Peiyu bragged and Ivy marveled at her. I looked up at the sky with them in the background. In the cloudless night sky, a perfectly round moon was high in the sky. A full moon. The reason I was waiting at the inn for Oscar’s messenger to arrive was that I was waiting for this full moon day. “Bahamut.” “Is that enough?” I called Bahamut and asked while pointing at the full moon overhead. The reason it wasn’t Livyathan was that Bahamut was in the middle of warming Peiyu’s group, so it was just a coincidence. {Yes, I cannot complain about the full moon. This will maximize the power of the dragon’s veins.} “Umu.” I gave a small nod. The reason I came here to Salaria’s capital, Leararat, was to unearth a new dragon vein. But I couldn’t get my hands on the veins right away. The dragon vein in Salaria had been cut off so many years ago that it was even more withered than it had been in Almeria. Not only is it useless as it is, but it is also difficult to find a dragon vein in the first place. Then, Livyathan and others made a suggestion. Dragon veins are greatly influenced by the moon. They are most active on the night of a full moon and almost disappear at the time of a new moon. So we decided to wait for the night of the full moon and started by finding it. And now is the night of the full moon. “What do we do from here?” {Use us, Lord.} “Us, huh? I get it.” I nodded and closed my eyes. In my mind’s eye, I pictured “an image for everyone”. Livyathan. Bahamut. Behemoth. Fuwawa. Apophis. Jiz. I summoned them, recalling the images of those who followed me and were far beyond human beings. Using the ring as a medium, everyone was summoned. Livyathan and Bahamut were particularly majestic, but the other four were also giving off a tremendous vibe, some mystical, some intimidating. Now, let’s reach the dragon veins– just when I thought like that. I heard a thud from behind me. I turned my back and saw Ivy slumped down on the sand, perhaps having fallen off her back. “W-What’s this ......?” She was so surprised that the idea of using honorifics seemed to have completely blown over in her mind. Ivy was not only hunched over, she was trembling all over, and she looked frightened. “No need to be afraid. These are all my followers.” “Followers.” “And Bahamut was the one keeping you warm today. Come, Bahamut.” “Ha!” Bahamut responded, nodding its head slightly, but in a different way than a human would. Bahamut is in the form of a flame dragon. Even parts of its body look exactly like it is clothed in flames. “It’s so big ...... amazing .......” Bahamut’s main body and the flame it emits to keep warm. Ivy looked at these two alternately and marveled more and more. Turning around, I faced the six of them once again. “You see the dragon’s vein, don’t you?” {Yes, though it’s intermittent.} “Should it be connected? Livyathan.” “Can you do that?” {Probably.} When Leviathan responded, the other five responded in the affirmative, squirming and nodding their heads. “If so, do it. I’ll leave everything to you. In any case, connect the broken dragon vein.” After I gave the order, the six began to move in unison. Carrying out the order, they were trying to connect the broken dragon veins. I watched them. I let them do it for now, feeling that it would be better if I didn’t interfere, so I just watched happily. Suddenly, a little to the right in front of me, a geyser-like pillar of sand erupted upward from the ground. “W-What!” “Master?” “Umu, stay behind me...” Just after saying that, Similar pillars of sand erupted from all directions. From among these pillars of sand, a lizard-like silhouette of a monster could be seen. It was a reasonably large size, large enough to swallow a human or so whole. “M-Monster!? Why!?” Peiyu was surprised, while Ivy looked a little frightened with a furrowed brow, but not surprised. I was somewhat convinced that this was the reaction of local people. “The Empire has most of the monsters under control, but Saralaria is a frontier, and I hear that there are stray monsters that are not completely under control.” “Such a thing! M-Monsters are here.” “Let’s go back to the city, it will be fine.” Compared to Peiyu, Ivy is still somewhat calm. She suggested — to return to the city. “No worries. Bahamut, I entrust you with the dragon’s veins and the girls.” {Will.} Bahamut responds. Shortly after, I picked up the Livyathan – the demon sword Livyathan. I returned Leviathan to its original size, which I usually hide in my ear hole. Clutching the demon sword that felt comfortable in my hand, I gave Peiyu and Ivy a quick glance. “Stay still, Bahamut will protect you.” “Y-Yes.” “What are you going to do–“ Before I could answer Ivy, I leaped out with Livyathan ready. Appearing out of the sand pillar, it dexterously crawled on the sand and approached us. It looked deadly from its face and was ready to attack me. In that case, I approached it from my side. I swung Livyathan and slashed at the first lizard I saw. As might be expected of a monster, its scales were harder than those of an ordinary fierce beast. However, it was not a problem. As soon as I put more force into the slash, Livyathan’s blade sliced the lizard in half in a single strike. The lizard was cut down with a single stroke. Rolling on the ground, it made a surprised face, as if it did not know what had happened. That face – I thrust the Leviathan at its head. The lizard, pierced through the head, jerked and convulsed, and then it died and stopped moving. I waited for a moment, but it did not seem to revive. I heard that some types of monsters come back to life even after being killed, but the lizard did not seem to be of that type. If so, then. Without hesitation, I sprinted with Livyathan at ready. It was a little harder to run on sand than on level ground, but much better than on snow. Running on such sand, I cut down and disposed of the lizards one after another. I knew that they would not revive, but their vitality was still higher than that of ordinary ferocious beasts. Focusing mainly on the head, I cut down and pierced it, making sure to take it down and choke the life out of it. “Kyaaaah!?” I heard Peiyu scream. When I looked, I saw several lizards charging toward them. Upon closer inspection– “Mhmm, are they getting huge?” {It must be because those little flies were drawn by the dragon vein and hit by it.} Livyathan replied. I see, so it is the effect of the dragon vein. For me, knowing the effects of dragon veins – high concentration magic power, it is not surprising that the body is affected to the extent that it grows to a giant size. With this in mind, I sprinted even faster, jumped into the bosom of the lizard about to attack the two of them, and swung Livyathan. As I had expected from its giant size, its scales had become harder, but they were just as hard as I had anticipated. Since I strengthened my swing from the beginning, I sent the giant’s head flying as before. The flying head drew a parabolic line and fell in front of the girls with a thud. At a glance, they were frightened for a moment, but no harm came to them, so I left them alone and jumped on another lizard. It was only about five minutes in time. I wiped out the lizards that had been attracted to the dragon’s veins, whether they were gigantic or not. “Fumu.” Shaking Livyathan to remove the blood, I returned it to its size and hid it in my earhole once again. Then I returned to where I was before. When I returned, I saw Peiyu’s sparkling eyes and Ivy’s surprise. “It’s amazing! Master’s fighting figure is really cool!” “Really.” Peiyu, knowing that I am “strong,” was frankly impressed. Meanwhile, Ivy, who witnessed me fighting for almost the first time, was amazed. “You were such a ...... strong person?” “What are you talking about, weren’t you there during the bandit pursuit?” “Don’t say that, Peiyu. At that time, it was mostly Livyathan. This must be the first time she’s seen me take things into my own hands.” “Oh, I see. ...... that’s how it is, isn’t it?” Peiyu is convinced by my words. On the other hand, Ivy is still staring at me. “Could it be that you didn’t need ...... John-sama’s help or anything ...... like that?” “Hmm? Oh, you mean that night.” “Well, if you are asking if I really need it, I didn’t need it. I was only trying to help John with his feelings and his filial piety.” Ivy nodded in agreement. A little later to Peiyu, her face also expressed her emotion.

“Oh, you know who I am?” The old man gave a good, “Kakaka” Indra Ararat, the Thunder Prince.[TN: In Hindu Mythology, Indra is god of heavens, lightning, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. Also arrogant to the point of causing war and even leading to heaven’s downfall like a lot of times] He is the uncle of His Majesty, and was at the center of power for a time as the Prince Regent after His Majesty was crowned.[TN: A Prince Regent is a temporary ruler who is also in line of succession, rules instead of the Monarch who may be young or sick, till the said Monarch can properly rule(super short description)] Five years after His Majesty’s accession to the throne, he gave up his regency and returned to his enclave. Since then, His Majesty’s rule has begun, and the golden age of the Empire has begun. Immediately after His Majesty’s coronation, there was turmoil in the Empire because of his young age, and He{Thunder Prince} was able to suppress it with his extraordinary skills, and at the same time as His Majesty grew up (though he was only twelve years old, the same age as I am now), he retired as he realised that it was time His Majesty’s direct Imperial rule Implementation, and, His Majesty bestowed him with the title “Thunder” and he is now living quietly in a fiefdom as Thunder Prince. I was surprised because I didn’t think it would show up in the Imperial City. “You look like a very promising young man. Come on, don’t be so formal, come over here and sit down.” “Yes” I rose and sat down right next to Indra. Since it was a stall, there were a lot of onlookers buzzing around. The woman I had just saved and my maid, Gigi, both looked confused. Ignoring them all, Indra took a sip of sake from his golden gourd and looked me straight in the eye. “Since you know my name, I take it you’ve already heard of me?” “Yes, directly from His Majesty.” “Oh, I see. Then you understand why I’m here, don’t you?” “...... to judge, isn’t it?” I chose my words carefully and replied to Indra. “Uh-huh. And you, Boy? With the similar title as I, you’re the only ‘wise’ prince among the current Princes. I know the Emperor trusts and expects a lot from you. So normally I wouldn’t need to check.” Indra’s words were those that would make the officials of the Ministry of Inspection furious if they heard and would impeach him. It is the height of disrespect for a vassal, even if he is a Prince and an uncle, to call His Majesty simply “Emperor”. But, well. Somehow, I have a feeling that Indra won’t mind being impeached, and that His Majesty won’t blame him either. It’s only been a short time since we met, but I kind of thought that he was “that kind of character.” “It’s a matter about my lovely and precious granddaughter’s future, so I have to confirm it with my own eyes.” “I understand “That’s why I’m here, to measure your worth.” “By the way, what happens if I don’t meet your expectations?” Indra snorted and said. “I just won’t allow her to marry you.” “I don’t care. If it’s an order from the emperor, I’ll obey it, even if it’s a crazy order like running into the middle of an enemy army. But, you know, she’s my granddaughter. Granddaughter? She’s my little, cute granddaughter.” Indra repeated the same line three times. Ahh, a grandfather to his granddaughter. That can’t be helped. “It’s not politics, it’s internal affairs, and I’m dealing with a nephew who I’ve let play on my lap for as long as I can remember. I’ll make him stop even if I have to smack him on the head.” I thought he was interesting. Sometimes, among the royal family, there are people who have swung in such a direction that is hard to hate. Even though he is a member of the royal family, he is still a vassal in front of His Majesty, and ninety-nine percent of the time, he ends up being a polite person, like a candy cane poured into a mold. That’s what they make you do. Ordinary people usually shy away from it. But the remaining one would be a freak who can’t help it, and this is what happens. And in most cases, these people have no desire for power. So, although they may be “rude” or “disrespectful”, they are not blamed much, and in fact are often favored by the Emperor. If this Indra were to shout, “I’m not giving you my precious granddaughter!” it would be a normal thing to do. “So, was I the worth you were looking for?” “We’ll find out now.” “Eh?” The next moment, THUD!. Something struck my whole body. The scenery around me did not change, but something did. Something invisible covered my whole body and tried to crush me. A few thoughts crossed my mind, and I instantly came up with an answer. It’s the same thing I’ve always done. Intimidation using Leviathan. And now I am the one receiving it – from Indra in front of me. Then. “—–!” I took a deep breath, gritted my teeth and replied. Using Leviathan, I pushed back the pressure. “Huh?” It seems that it was Indra after all, and as soon as I started pushing back, he looked at me with a look that said, “This is fun.” It was tough because I was the first to receive, but once I pushed back, it was okay. I thought about pushing through, but decided against it. He’s my great uncle, and he could be my grandfather-in-law. It was not wise to overpower him in public. So I adjusted the power of Leviathan. I didn’t win, but I didn’t lose either. In a tug-of-war, I would accurately weigh my opponent’s strength and adjust the force of my pushback so that the mark would always be in the middle. I controlled Leviathan so as to maintain the draw. It was a stalemate, for about a minute. Indra laughed happily, looking up at the sky. The pressure was completely off. I retracted Leviathan’s power as well. “That’s great, Boy. I lost.” “Um, I thought it was a ...... tie.” “Bullshit. You completely read through my power and brought it to a tie, that’s a complete defeat of mine.” “...... Yes.” I laughed bitterly. Even though I said that because of concern, Indra then revealed the whole thing himself. Oh well, his character is hard to hate. ...... or maybe this kind of personality is what allows you to stay just as the Prince, huh. I somehow remembered Gilbert. In contrast to Indra, his desire for power was so strong that it caused him to die instead of staying as the Prince. “I like you, Boi! Take care of my granddaughter.” “Leave it to me.” “Yosh! Hey, there!” Indra beckoned to the owner of the stall. The owner, who, like the onlookers, had been watching the proceedings from a distance, came trotting over. “Yes, what can I do for you?” “Give me all the liquor you have in the store.”[TN: technically he says Sake] Indra threw a few gold coins at him. Far from the liquor in the store, it was more than enough to buy the entire store. “I’m in a good mood today. Hey, you guys, it’s my treat, drink as much as you can!” These were his words to the onlookers. Unlike the royalty I knew, this was a bit too bold. But. “””Oooooooooooooohhh””” A cheer went up from the onlookers. More than a dozen people jumped into the stall at once and gobbled up the drinks that the owner served one after another. In an instant, what had been surrounded by onlookers turned into a huge party involving them as well. After Indra had done this, he drank from his huge golden gourd. “I give you this, consider it a wedding gift.” He took something out of his pocket and threw it at me casually. I hurriedly caught it and found that the ring was also made of jade. “It’s –“ The moment Indra was about to explain. In my head, I heard a voice different from Indra’s. {{Show you the power.}} It was a clear voice. The next moment, the scenery around me changed completely. Before I knew it, I was standing alone in a vast meadow. Without having time to swallow what was going on, I heard the earth rumbling. When I looked towards the source of the noise, I saw a huge golden bull charging towards me. “Show me your ...... strength,” it said. I took Leviathan out of my bracelet and returned it to its original size. Then I prepared it. “Blow it up.” I unleash Leviathan’s special move, which requires a charge. A column of water thicker than the giant golden cow gushed out, and the golden cow was blown away easily. And – in the corner of my vision. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Minister of Justice Gender: Male Level: / ∞ HPE+FMPF+FStrengthE+EStaminaF+FIntelligenceF+ESpiritF+FSpeedF+FDexterityF+FLuckF+F FireF+BWaterE+SWindF+FEarthF+FLight F+CDarknessF My abilities had increased a bit again. There was ‘+C’ to light. That means the same as when I met Luthiya. As a result of blowing it up with Leviathan, I found that the golden cow – Behemoth, a name that had popped up in my head – had lost to me. And then the scenery returned. From the empty grasslands to the city where a great feast was being held. “— Behemoth, and my partner.” “You mean like this?” I grabbed the cup on the table and used the power of the Behemoth that had just become my servant. The cup glowed with a golden color. “Muuh, so it lost to you already, that’s amazing Boi.” Indra was amazed to see that the cup was as golden as his gourd, with his eyes open wide.

The next day, I was in my study, listening to Don’s report. It was about the selection of knights. I heard from Don about the large-scale selection of knights that always takes place when a new Emperor ascends to the throne, how it is done, and the criteria for the test. Although the scale was bigger, the selection of knights was something that was done every year. The idea that Don had put together was safe and there was nothing to complain about. “Umu, that’s the basic outline.” “Is there anything you’d like to add? Don read between the lines of my words and asked me back. I nodded quietly. “The final stage of the selection process is to be seen in person, right?” “Yes. It also means that His Majesty’s favor will be bestowed upon the knight candidates.” “Then, let me take a look at the top and the bottom .” “I get the top 100, but the bottom, ......, means the last 100, right?” I nodded my head clearly. “Why would that be?” “Talent is a sharp thing.” “Yeah.......” “If we just do what we do normally, we’ll only end up with people who are similar to each other. That’s why I want to see with my own eyes those who fail by normal standards.” “They say there’s a fine line between genius and a so-so person, but if you look at it from an ordinary person’s point of view, it’s not a fine line, it’s two extremes. Besides.” “Besides? Is there more? Don makes such an expression. “I’ve been involved in political affairs for nearly ten years under His Majesty the Former Emperor. So I know that bribery is quite rampant in the normal selection of knights.” “......” Don bowed and said nothing. He was in a position where he could not say whether there was or was not. So he replied with a kind of tacit approval. “The more confident you are that you can handle yourself and thoroughly dislike bribes, the more the recipient will dislike you and lower your grade. That accounts for the bottom 100.” “I see. ...... You’re right. I missed the point.” Don bowed again with a sincerely impressed expression. “I understand. As Your Majesty suggested, I will try to shortlist 100 people from the top and bottom.” “I am certain you are aware of this, but please do not tell anyone you are selecting a lower rank.” “By your will.” Immediately after I became emperor, I remodeled the study of the mansion. I still had my desk in the best place, but I also made a seat for Don near the entrance. There, he would make or revise the decree based on my orders, and then I would put my seal on it. As I watched Don make the decree, I thought about it more. People are treasure and potential. The reason I’m looking at the bottom 100 is to bet on that potential. Is there anything else I can do, I wondered. I thought about this as I sipped on a cup of tea made from melted snow water. Then I stared at Don. I wanted more men like him, and I wondered how I could find them. “......” “Please confirm this, Your Majesty ...... Your Majesty?” Don came back with a draft of the decree and looked at me curiously. “Do I have something on my face? “You’re not a knight, right?” “Yes” “I’ve been thinking about how to find more men like you who don’t come from a knightly background. Maybe it would be more convenient to include you in the selection of knights.” “You ...... want a civilian in the knight selection?” Don was surprised. My words sounded so shocking to him. “That’s ...... unheard of, sire. A knight, for starters...” “I know. The empire is a nation of warriors, and those who are skilled in martial arts are selected as knights every year, right?” “As you have said, sir. It’s a tradition that we do.” “The large-scale selection for the accession of the new Emperor is both a tradition and an exception.” In addition to this selection, another annual selection will be held within the year. Immediately after the new emperor ascends to the throne, there will be a whole new round. “If it’s a special case, there’s nothing wrong with a little bit of unprecedented, right? Something like – well, let’s do a test and scoop up the literati.”[TN: Literati means, the person of the educated class, or in simple terms for the novel it means the ‘literate civilians’,] “But then, can’t we continue to do what we’ve been doing at ......?” I chuckled. “If we continue with the current system, it will take a long time to select civilian officials. Isn’t that right?” Don nodded quietly. “Unlike the knights, young people rarely come up. Especially the bold and free-thinking ones. By the time we find and employ them, they’re all middle-aged and well-rounded. So I want them from the stage of possibility.” I thought for a moment. Don’s objections are understandable. But I’m the Emperor. The emperor is the one who can push through what he wants, even if it goes against tradition. I can push through the absurdity of tripling all taxes tomorrow, and recruiting literati is nothing compared to that. “I’ve made up my mind. Let’s pick up the literati. I want as many people as possible.” “By your will......, as expected of my lord.” To my determination, Don looked at me with an enthusiastic gaze, as if moved. The selection of literati is unheard of, so even if it is a draft, it will take time. I threw it to Don and left the study so as not to disturb his thoughts. Leaving the palace intact, I entered the Royal Palace accompanied by the eunuch Gran. As I passed, all of the soldiers, the lady in waiting, and eunuchs put down their work at hand and bowed their heads on their knees until I passed by. While receiving every ounce of emperor-like respect and awe, I came to the treasury of the royal palace. “Woaa ...... awesome .......” In front of the mountain of treasures, Gran could only marvel. “If you like it, why don’t you take one of them?” “Ehhhh!? N-no! I’m afraid I’ll lose my life span if I get one of these.” I smiled slightly and walked randomly through the treasure room. The last time I came here was when my father gave me Luthiya – now Bahamut. Remembering that time, I came here to see if there were any more treasures. Yes, treasures. I want treasures that increase my abilities, like Leviathan and Bahamut. I am the emperor. Now, I can take what I want and no one will complain. So, I went around the treasury, looking for the real treasure. I stared at the treasures, holding them in my hands, checking for any change in the status that was always in the corner of my vision. There was no change at all. Could it be that there are not so many things left like Luthiya ......? Then I hold up a small jewelry box in my hand. The lid had an indentation in it that could hold five jewels, but nothing was attached to it at the moment. It was an incomplete treasure, and I knew it wouldn’t improve my abilities, so I tried to put it back where it belonged. “Huh?” “What’s wrong Gran? “In the recesses of that box ......, there was a jewel of exactly the same shape as that earlier.” Gran clearly stated that it was “exactly the same”. I know his memory well. “Where? Go get it.” “Yes!” Gran turned back the way he came, and after a while, he came back running. He had a blue gem in his hand. I took it and looked at it, comparing it to the jewelry box, and saw that Gran was right, the jewel and the hollow matched exactly. When I tried it on, it went on surprisingly smoothly, as if it had been sucked into place. “Well done, Gran. You will be rewarded later.” “Thank you very much!” “Was there another one?” Gran said firmly. With his excellent memory, he was able to remember the land prices around Almeria’s mansion, and also about this gem. If Gran, who can take care of things for me, is like this, then he certainly hasn’t seen it yet. “If that’s the case, go look for it.” “Yes!” Gran did as I commanded and started searching. I looked around with him, trying to find something that would fit into the four remaining hollows. “Here it is. Your Majesty!” Gran quickly found a red gem and brought it to me. I received it, loaded it, and it fits into the box just like before. I became more and more convinced that it was all there. Gran and I searched for about an hour. “Now we have everything.” I put the last jewel into the treasure chest. The box had always had a luxurious feel to it, but when all the gems were placed in it, it became even more divine. The next moment—- my status changed. {Command me.} I could hear Bahamut’s voice in my head. I don’t know what I am supposed to command. “......... Fine, do it.” I decided to leave everything to Bahamut, who didn’t waste time arguing. The next moment, a light shot out from Bahamut’s body – the bracelet that contained the ring – and, though it was light, it curved in the middle and was sucked into the red gem that I had just put in the box. The red jewel began to shine so brightly that it lit up the inside of the treasury. Then I heard the same thing from Leviathan, Behemoth, Fuwawa, and Apophis, one after another, as Bahamut. I further commanded, “Do it.” One by one, light shot out of the bracelet, illuminating the jewels I had loaded into it one by one. Eventually, all five jewels glowed – the next moment. The lid of the box opened by itself, and inside was a feather ornament. {I’ve been waiting for you.} I heard a voice in my head. And that’s not all. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Empire Emperor Gender: Male Level: 15 + 1 / ∞ HPC+CMPE+CStrengthC+SStaminaD+CIntelligenceD+CSpiritE+CSpeedE+CDexterityE+CLuckE+C FireE+SWaterC+SSWindE+CEarthE+CLight E+BDarknessE+B The “+” in the wind had instantly increased by two steps.

After parting with John, I hurried ahead with Peiyu and Ivy. The two servants carried our luggage and proceeded along the way. Ivy, who I thought was slender as well as Peiyu, was surprisingly strong and did not look as if she was having a hard time walking with the luggage. I thought about slowing down the pace if their stamina didn’t catch up with them, but it seemed there was no need to worry about that. I was walking at a normal pace with them in tow. Ivy suddenly spoke up from behind me. “Umu? What is it?” I turned my head and asked Ivy. “E-Emperor ......-sama, .” “You shouldn’t call him that.” Peiyu pointed this out to Ivy, who was unfamiliar with the term while acting as a senior colleague. “There is no need to call him ‘Emperor,’. You should address him as Your Majesty.” “Y-Yes. Your Majesty, right?” “That’s right. And since we are traveling incognito, you must call him Master so that his true identity will not be revealed. When you return to the capital, you should address him as Your Majesty.” “Y-yes ...... eh ...... yes.” Ivy was confused. She’s confused, and she’s having a hard time understanding it all at once. “Don’t think too hard. For now, you should address him as Master. Once you get used to calling His Majesty, you’ll naturally understand.” “I-I understand.” “So, what are you talking about?” “Ah. Um, Master, about the water...is it okay?” “Water?” “If we continue along this road, we’ll end up in the desert. ......” I nodded slightly. Entering the desert – that was the original purpose. Ivy is carrying our luggage with Peiyu, and she’s from around here. She must be concerned about the lack of water in our luggage. “If that’s the case, it is going to be fine.” “But in the desert, if you don’t have water. That ...... will kill you.” Ivy said straight out, “You will die”. I’ve never been in the desert, I only know about it. However, the flip side of this is that I do know the desert. I know that a desert is a place where there is no water source anyway, and the availability of water is a matter of life and death, no joke. Ivy is concerned about that. For me, that knowledge is enough. “So me saying it’s fine isn’t enough to reassure you, huh.” “Uh, yes. ......” “Hey, that’s disrespectful to Master.” “S-sorry.” “Okay. You just started working for me, so it’s understandable. Let’s get rid of that anxiety now.” I said that and took out the Livyathan. Livyathan, which can change size at will, is usually smaller than a needle and hidden in the ear. I took it out and restored it to its original size. “F-from where ......” Ivy was surprised. I smiled at her. And said, “Don’t be surprised just yet.” As Ivy paused, I stood still, turned around, and held out the Livyathan. “Can you do it? Livyathan.” As Leviathan responded, a trickle of water dripped from the tip of its tip. Although it is just a small amount of water, like a spring from the area, it is still a strange sight for an uninformed person to see water flowing endlessly from an object called a “sword”. Sure enough, Ivy is astonished. Ivy’s mouth gapes open in astonishment. “Water evaporates and escapes into the air. Livyathan can transform that escaped water into the water at will.” Ivy was amazed and at a loss for words. If I didn’t show her an actual example, she would probably wonder wha I was talking about, but since she can see “the sword keeps producing water” right in front of her, Ivy has no choice but to believe it. “For this reason, we don’t need to carry water with us. I’ve only read about it in the literature, but even in the desert, there is water available, even if it is only a little. So there must be some way to produce water, even if it’s just a little, right?” Although this was also something I had read about in the literature, I assumed that the locals knew about it and asked Ivy to concur. Sure enough, Ivy knew, and the conversation went smoothly. “Livyathan can gather water better than any of those methods. And you can even bathe in the desert if you want.” “B-Bath!? But ...... this would work. ......” Ivy was surprised, but seeing Livyathan continually producing water was persuasive after all. Although she was surprised, Ivy had no choice but to be convinced. On the other hand, beside her, Peiyu looked proud. Once we entered the desert, Peiyu’s fatigue became more and more visible. Her walking pace slowed as she frequently got her feet caught in the sand. Ivy, perhaps because she is from this region, showed no noticeable signs of fatigue. “Let’s take a break.” Peiyu’s face was noticeably relieved when I suggested that we take a break. I looked around. The sky was clear and unobstructed. I held up my hand. I shaped the ring still on my thumb to create a large wall in the sun’s direction. It became a shield, creating a fairly wide area of shade. “Unpack and get some rest. Ivy, too.” “And drink some water.” The two girls nodded at my words. Peiyu put the luggage down and slumped to the ground, but Ivy seemed to have some room to breathe and came over to me. “Is there anything I can do for you, Master?” “No, not at the moment. Rest up.” “Are you sure?” “Master resembles ...... John-sama.” I was interested in the reason why she said I resembled John. Smiling, I asked Ivy back. She answered timidly, “Well ...... the part where you tell us we can take a break when we’re done with our work.” “Fumu?” I thought for a bit. After a moment’s pondering, I understood. “Oh, you’re talking about ‘Recovering it back’ huh” “Recovering it back?” Ivy nodded her head at my words, this time in the opposite direction. “Did you work for a cheapskate employer before John?” “Y-Yes. A little bit before he sold me.” Among employers, I understand that there are people like that. That’s how they think. They think that if the people they pay to work for them are not working, they will lose their wages. Therefore, they demand that the people they hire work without a break. This is a kind of stinginess. In other words, they think they have to recover their money. Needless to say, I do not have such a mindset. To a certain extent, it is an essential feeling for merchants, and I don’t deny it, but I don’t intend to do it that way at all. “John must have learned by watching the way I do things, I suppose.” “Well, then, you can keep on doing what you’re doing. I don’t ask you to work endlessly. Rest when it is available.” “I understand. ......” Ivy backed down after that, but she didn’t seem to be completely convinced. “Fumu, is there something on your mind?” “Eh?” “You’re not satisfied with my methods, are you?” “You can tell me what’s bothering you.” “......” Ivy stared at me. She was looking at me, wondering if it was really okay to talk about it. I glanced at Peiyu. She was still exhausted. She was resting in the shade I’d created with her eyes closed thinly. I decided that I would listen to her long until Peiyu recovered. So I waited patiently. Perhaps it was good that I didn’t rush her, but eventually, Ivy began to open her mouth. “M-Master is ...... really the Emperor–or is it His Majesty?” “Fumu.” I gave a small nod. “Not the image you have in your mind of the Emperor, huh?” I asked Ivy with a cheerful smile. “Yes. ......” “So what’s the image? The image of the Emperor in Ivy’s head.” “Well, ......” “You can speak frankly. I’m the one who’s asking you after all.” “Y-yes. You know, ...... wearing all these sparkly clothes, having a huge crowd of people with him, and eating very extravagant meals. “ “Extravagant. What’s it like?” “He’d have a hundred dishes on the table, and he’d take one bite of everything and throw the rest away.” I laughed out loud. It was just like the stereotypical image of the common man, and it was funny in a roundabout way. “I don’t do that. Not to begin with.” “You can eat a hundred bites of everything, but you don’t need that many unless you’re a glutton.” “T-that’s right.” “What else?” “Well, you can get ...... all beauties, and um .......” I laughed so hard at this stereotype. “That’s not so wrong. My father, the previous Emperor, had dozens of concubines and hundreds of female courtesans. The Emperor must have an heir, and the only way to ensure that he has an heir is to rely on numbers.” “And you, Your Majesty?” “Eh? That’s all?” Ivy is surprised. Apparently, it was far less than she had expected. Well, I guess there aren’t many. I understand that. I’m the dullest Emperor in the history of the Empire, I guess. Ivy stared at me with a blank expression on her face. I can tell what she’s surprised about. Even merchants around here have a few concubines of their own. “Fuu, it is true that I may not be the Emperor you think I am. You’ll find out if I’m really Emperor or not when you return to the capital. Until then, just trust John.” Ivy was a little flustered but nodded honestly. It seems that the “trust John” thing worked. When the conversation was over, I looked at Peiyu. I looked at Paille to check her recovery and see if she was ready to go. “Mm?” “Master?” Peiyu seemed to have recovered sufficiently. She seemed to have noticed the change in my expression. I was looking at her back – and beyond. Beyond the endless expanse of sand, the horizon shimmering with heat, there was a group of people approaching us, raising a cloud of dust. “Horses, huh” Peiyu was surprised and turned around. Ivy turned her head in the same direction as us. The horses with people on them were making a cloud of dust. It wasn’t one of the horses we normally see, neither a warhorse, nor a packhorse, nor a beautifully bred horse for dressage. “Are there horses that are unique to this part of the country?” I asked Ivy. “Yeah. ......The ones that are good at running in the desert, that sort of thing.” “Yes, there are, but ......” I nodded and turned my attention back to the dust. In the meantime, a group of people on horseback came this way and surrounded us before we could say anything. There were about men mounted on the horses in pairs. And all of them were dressed like ruffians. I looked around at them. There was only one man who seemed to have a decent atmosphere. He had one closed eye and a large scar across his face at an angle to the eye. The man looked at us and said something like that. “What are you?” “Oh, we just want some money for a few drinks, that’s all.” “It’s a robbery, I see.” They are exactly what they look like. “Don’t talk nonsense.” “What if I don’t stop talking?” “It’s a vast desert, and you’ll just be one more dried-up piece of meat.” “Is that so?” Ivy was trembling with fear in her eyes. “Don’t worry about it.” “You’ll see.” I chuckled and turned to the men, —-to the bandit leader. “Livyathan.” I call out Livyathan’s name without drawing the Demon Sword. “Don’t kill him.” Livyathan responded, and —immediately. Around my body — a column of water began to spout. It was only as thick as a child’s water pistol, but the force was incomparable. Just like water needles, — over a hundred of them shot out at once, instantly piercing through the limbs of all the bandits. “Aaaaah!” The men all fell from their horses, pierced by the water needles. As I had ordered, Livyathan took it easy on them and didn’t kill any of them. Some of them were wounded enough that they might as well be dead, but none of them were killed anyway. At that moment as she witnessed it, such words escaped Ivy’s mouth.

The outskirts of Nisir. A water convoy, guarded by nearly a hundred soldiers, is heading towards His Majesty’s summer resort. Apart from the wagons carrying the water, the carriage in which Brother Henry is riding alongside. And I was riding on a horse next to it. I am to see my brother off halfway through the transport of water. “Fuumu.” “What’s the matter, brother?” “Noah looks good riding a horse.” “Is that so?” “Yeah, it’s quite impressive. Do you ride regularly?” “Yes, to a certain extent. The Empire is a nation of ‘warriors’. Even brother was trained from childhood to be able to ride a horse. “Still, those who cannot ride well, are not able to do well. Oscar and I are not good with horses.” “Brother Oscar too?” I was wondering if that was true ....... Oscar is, in a word, a “gentleman” kind of person. He’s not very good with horses, which might make sense. I was talking to my brother about various things when suddenly, the soldiers escorting the water began to rustle. “What’s going on?” My brother, who was in charge of the transportation, asked his subordinates. The soldier replied with a frown. “I’m sorry, sir. There’s sand and smoke coming from the south. It’s probably .......” My brother and I looked south at the same time. From beyond the horizon, a group of people were approaching us, creating a cloud of dust. It came in a straight line towards us and quickly surrounded our ranks. “Bandits?” Brother’s tone changed. His expression tightened, and his brow wrinkled to the point where he could hold a piece of paper between his eyes and not lose it. “Didn’t expect them to be here.” “Leave it to me, brother.” With that, I jumped off my horse. And walked up to the man who seemed to be the leader of the hundreds of bandits who surrounded the halted column. “What do you guys think you’re doing?” “Heh, such an ostentatious escort, you must be carrying something of great value.” I turned around. Certainly, to deliver the goods to his Majesty, the number of soldiers escorting him was greater than the usual convoy. It was a misunderstanding on their part. I turned around and locked eyes with my brother Henry. We smiled at each other. “If you give us the cargo, we’ll at least spare your life. Hmm?” The man tapped his longsword on his shoulder and said with a grimace. I ignored his “suggestion” and pulled Leviathan from my bracelet. The Demon Sword tugged at the light blue light. The moment I pulled it out, I could see that both friend and foe had taken notice of it. “What? You gonna do it?” “—Fuu!” I took a step forward and instantly cut down the three bandits behind the man. The three of them fell down, letting go of their weapons, looking as if they didn’t know what was happening. I looked around. Because it happened so quickly, neither friend nor foe could react. “Hey! Y-You guys! Do it now!” The first one to come to his senses was the leader of the bandits. And as soon as he gave the order, all the bandits attacked me at once. Forgetting about stealing the cargo, they attacked me. As expected, I was able to get their attention, so I wielded my Leviathan and cut down the bandits one by one. As I am still the Prime Minister, I am in invincible mode will all SSS abilities. With one slash per bandit, I cut them down one by one. It took me less than thirty minutes to cut down all three hundred bandits. After defeating them all, I ordered the soldiers to bind their arms with ropes and restrain them for the time being. Brother Henry got out of the carriage and came to my side. “Amazing, Noah. I didn’t think you’d be able to take them all down by yourself.” “If we cause any damage, it will delay our delivery to you, His Majesty.” “Umu. But still, you’re very good.” Brother then nodded and complimented me. I looked at the man who was tied up and had his knees forcefully held. The man was bleeding profusely from his shoulders and glaring at me. After looking at him for a while and thinking about it, I asked him. “What’s your name?” “Jerry Eisen-sama, the White Tiger. Remember that.” Jerry’s reply was vigorous. “Jerry. Do you know what you’ve done?” “Haaa, I know what I’m doing because I’m in this business. I am prepared. Ain’t too scared of that.” “Good resolve, but it’s pointless.” “What?” “By the way, how many people have you killed as a bandit?” “Ha! What’s the point of asking that? If you plan to add to my list of crimes, give up. I’m going to be executed anyway. If you want to kill me, kill me now!” Jerry said all at once. The expression on his face is a face that looks as if he really isn’t afraid of dying. ...... Fumu. I thought about it for a while and then changed the subject. “This convoy is carrying a gift for the Emperor. In other words, it’s an imperial gift. What do you think will happen to people who try to steal the emperor’s property, so to speak?” “You’ll get the maximum punishment of cutting your body into pieces.” “How ......isn’t it? Jerry was clearly confused, perhaps because the words were unfamiliar to him. “It’s a method of execution in which the torso is sliced up and down, not the neck. If you avoid the heart and cut the torso, you won’t die right away. It takes about thirty minutes for the victim to die in agony.” “The pain of being cut in two is three minutes. And then, slowly, you lose the ability to move or even struggle. But the pain stays with you.” Jerry went pale, his teeth didn’t meet, and he began to quiver. “How many people have you killed?” “I-I didn’t kill any.......” In an instant, his lips became pale and he answered in a trembling voice. “Why?” “We had a ...... famine a long time ago. Our Governor did nothing to help us. We found ourselves in a situation where we couldn’t make ends meet, so we turned to this kind of work. ......” “You mean you were unwilling to do this?” “That’s ...... true. No one likes to do this kind of work if they can work properly. ......” Jerry, who answered, gradually turned his head down. The words were full of emotion. I paused for a moment and then asked with a straight face, “Do you want to start over?” “—-!” Jerry looked up and stared at me with a look of disbelief on his face, not knowing what had just happened. I looked around Jerry. He and his subordinates were all staring at me with the same look. “If you’re just a bandit, I can have you sentenced to a term of service.” As Minister of Justice, I spoke while remembering the Imperial Law. Not just for bandits, but for young people who are considered to be barely worthy of death. “The punishment is to literally throw you into the army and make you fight in the frontier. Depending on the merits of your service, your crimes may be cleared up and you may even be promoted.” “Well, is there such a thing!” Jerry’s eyes light up again. He bit into my speech. “I have no reason to make this up—-so, if you do well in the war, I’ll remove your name. So what do you want, a do-over? Or death?” When confronted with the two options, Jerry and his men. Without hesitation, they bowed to me with such force that they slammed their foreheads into the ground. As it was, I split up some of the soldiers and sent Jerry and the rest of the bandits to Nisir. After seeing them off, my brother, who had been silently listening to me the whole time, said. “You’re quite a speaker, aren’t you?” He said to me. “The way you threatened him about cutting the body, frightened him, and then tore it all down at once was brilliant. But is it really worth the trouble?” “People are treasure and hope, brother.” “Even that one.” “Fuu, it’s great that you can say that much.: After parting ways with my brother, I returned to Nisir’s compound, arranged for additional soldiers to escort me, and took care of Jerry. Jerry and the others were pleased. What I offered them was a chance to turn their lives around, so to speak. Of course, they could die, because they were fighting as soldiers. But the Empire is a nation of warriors, and merit surpasses all achievements. If they could survive and make a mark in the war, it would not be a dream to become a nobleman. Jerry and the others all thanked me persistently for offering them a second chance to turn their lives around. After that was taken care of, Cecily, the reception maid, came into the study. “Master. There’s a man here to see you who calls himself Lawrence.” “Lawrence, huh. Send him in.” Cecily left and Lawrence came in a few moments later. As soon as Lawrence entered the room, he got down on one knee and bowed to me. I got up from my chair and pulled Lawrence’s arm to stand him up. “Are you feeling okay now?” “Thanks to His Highness the Thirteenth, I’m fine now. I don’t know how to thank you for coming to my rescue in person.” “Don’t worry about it. What are you going to do now? How would you like to be my subordinate?” “I’m sorry. But I am someone who is serving Pascal-sama.” I frowned. And I said exactly what I was feeling at the moment. “I am disappointed in you.” “Eh?” Why so suddenly? Lawrence had such a surprised look on his face. “You are a capable man. Don’t be modest. I’ve done a lot of research.” “Ha. ......” Lawrence bowed his head. “You are a capable person who can do a lot for the people. So why are you so obsessed with something you don’t need?” “Because betraying Pascal-sama is ......” “You don’t wish to be the traitor, you say. That’s self-interest, isn’t it? It’s called valuing one’s reputation.” “If Pascal is a man who does something for the people, that’s fine. But he’s a man who doesn’t give a damn about the people. You know that, don’t you?” “I’m saying I’m disappointed that you would go back to a man like that because you don’t want to be called a traitor. That’s why I said I was disappointed.” I sighed. “Forget it, you can go wherever you want.” Right after I said that and turned myself around, Lawrence quickly got down on his knees. He put his hands on his knees and slammed his head on the floor. “I was ...... I was wrong.” “Your Highness is right, I was ...... thinking about my own fame before I knew it. Before I knew it, I was ...... no, that would be an excuse.” “I was awakened by His Highness’ speech. His Highness is the one who should truly be served. Please allow me to join your direction, even though I am a man like this!” I beg you! He slammed his forehead on the floor with a thud. “You work for the people, do you not?” “Yes!” “All right, I forgive you.” “–! Thank you very much!” The status in the corner of my eye was still stuck at SSS, though. Well if it wasn’t, the status would have gone up for sure. Such a man has joined me.

After almost being assassinated, a weakened Lawrence entrusted his son, Linus, with the task. If it had been a little later, he would have died, but the way he did it was to make it look like a natural death so as not to cause any external injuries. The fact that it happened in time also meant that he was weak but not injured. As long as he survived, all he had to do was rest. I left Lawrence to his son and headed to Pascal to make him pay for what he had done. Pascal’s mansion was located in the city of Nisir, and it was a rather magnificent building. There was a gatekeeper at the front of the mansion, but I didn’t care and walked up to him. “Stop! Identify yourself” The gatekeeper was faithful to his duty, pointing his spear at me and asking me who I was. “Not showing respect to the Governor!? Who the hell do you think you are?” “Noah Ararat.” “You’re Noah – A-Ararat!?” The gatekeeper, who had been very energetic until just before, flushed and his face grew pale as quickly as it appeared. Even if he didn’t know my face, he seemed to know the surname of the royal family called Ararat. And apparently, he knows that I’ve entered the fief. “Could it be that ...... His Highness the Thirteenth ......” “Is Pascal there?” “Y-yes! He’s in the residence!” “Hmm” I nodded, slipped past the gatekeeper, and went inside. Leaving him puzzled, I walked closer and closer to the mansion. When I came to the front of the main gate, I encountered another person, this time a man who looked like a butler from the way he was dressed. As expected, the butler seemed to know my face, and before I could say my name, he hurriedly kneeled down. “I didn’t know Your Highness was coming, please excuse me...” “Where’s Pascal?” I interrupted him and asked as I continued. The butler hurriedly stood up and followed behind me. “I-In the back here, sir. Please wait in the parlor, I will call him now.” I went on my way and entered the house. Heading towards the “back” that the man had mentioned. I passed a number of servants and maids on the way, but none of them tried to stop me as the butler followed me with a bloody but noble attitude. I entered the back room where Pascal was flirting with a half-dressed prostitute. Drinking, feasting, and playing with women. He was enjoying himself in a very typical way. When I entered the room, Pascal looked unhappy. “I told you not to let anyone in until tomorrow morning. ...... and ............’ Pascal looked at me as he said this. As soon as he recognized me, he was speechless. “T-This is, this well Noah-sama. An unsightly place...” “I don’t care what you say. You tried to shut him up, didn’t you?” “No, I didn’t. Why would I want to shut Lawrence’s mouth?” “I didn’t mention Lawrence. Your current relationship with Lawrence is that of a Governor and a criminal. Not a relationship one would normally associate with silence.” “Ugh. ......” Pascal gulped. He began to tremble. “...... Bahamut.” {Yes} “Punish this one.” I said and linked my Armor Ring to make Bahamut materialize. The room of the spacious Governor’s mansion suddenly felt cramped with his appearance. That’s how big it is, that’s how much presence it has. “Just enough to keep him from becoming a cripple.” {His life?} I shook my head. “People are treasure ...... and hope. Even if they are like this, you can’t be sure they won’t turn into something else in the future.” {That’s my Lord. I apologize for not understanding the depths of the Lord’s meaning.} “I leave the rest to you.” Pascal, who was trembling until the end and couldn’t even lose his temper, was left in the hands of Bahamut, and I left the house. From the mansion, screams that seemed to condense all the pain in the world continued to be heard without interruption. Night, in the inner garden of the mansion. I came back and was quietly reading. Knowledge is necessary in order to do many things. In my spare time, I read a lot of books. Across from me sat Audrey. I had instructed her to sit there between serving. “Noah-sama” “Hmm?” Audrey then called out to me casually. I put my book down and looked up to see what was going on. “I have something I need to discuss with you.” “What is it? Tell me.” “My grandfather told me to ask you for a favor. My grandfather asked me to ask you to take my sister Anya to be Noah-sama’s concubine.” I put the book down. I looked at Audrey straight in the eyes. This is not an unusual thing for a nobleman to do. Rather, it is commonplace under some circumstances. Marriage between noble families has another important meaning, to unite the families and to pass on the blood. When the main family is unable to have children, they often take a sister who is related to the main family as a concubine to increase the probability of pregnancy, or in other words, the chance of having an heir. It is not an uncommon practice. “If you incest, then. I have no objection.”[TN: He says ‘わかった(wakatta)’ ] “Is that true!?” “Yeah. You’d be more comfortable with your sister as a concubine.” “Thank you very much, .......” Audrey giggled and turned over in delight. “So when is that going to happen?” “As soon as Noah-sama approves, Grandfather will be on his way.” “It looks like Thunder Prince really wants my firstborn to be related to him.” As of now, I have only one regular wife, Audrey, but since I am a member of the royal family, the number of concubines will steadily increase in the future. Unlike the Emperor, the successor of the Prince is not that important. They believe that as long as they are clearly blood-related, they are fine. Therefore, the eldest son is more likely to succeed compared to the successor of the Emperor. “I felt it when I saw my Grandfather’s letter.” “Grandfather thinks very highly of you, Noah-sama. He approves of you.” “He approves, huh” “Yes! I don’t know many ...... people that Grandfather approves of that much.” Audrey then looked at me with an upturned face and fascinated eyes. “Noah-sama ...... is amazing!” The Emperor’s summer resort is nominally a villa, but there are concubines, eunuchs to look after them, servants to cook and perform other miscellaneous tasks. And then there were the soldiers on guard. If you include all these people, the total number of people exceeds ,, which is practically the size of a small town. On the outskirts of the resort, returning to the fief. Indra, the Thunder King, was riding in a carriage, staring at the horizon with his posture straight. In his mind, he is thinking about the exchange he had with the emperor at the resort. “Three people, huh.......” It was a rather roundabout way of saying it, but Indra could tell from the Emperor’s tone that he had narrowed down the candidates for the next emperor to three. Henry, the fourth Prince. Oscar, the Eighth Prince. And Noah, the Thirteenth Wise Prince. He could understand that. From Indra’s point of view, these three were the most outstanding of the nearly twenty remaining sons of the Emperor. Indra is certain that the next emperor will be chosen from among these three. And among them. The th Wise Prince is one step ahead of the rest. Indra thought of him as a great leader. “You’re something else, Boy. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen the Emperor praise a Prince so much from the standpoint of the Emperor, not a Father’s.” The successor race, in Indra’s eyes, seemed to be in Noah’s favor. So he dashed off his fast horse and wrote to his granddaughter, Audrey. Anya, his other granddaughter, also moved to make Noah’s concubine. The old man, Indra, had a gambler’s temperament. When he thinks he is in a certain place, he will go all out to win. Indra was now convinced. He was sure that Noah would be the next emperor.

Even after Alice’s song was over, the customers didn’t want to leave the restaurant. Most of them seemed to be curious to see how things would go. This was because the governor was on his knees, trembling and shaking, right outside the store. The entrance to this store is always open, and it’s obvious from inside the store. And the governor was on his knees, scared to death. Such a rare scene, which you can only witness once a year, or maybe once in a lifetime, stimulated the onlookers’ guts. I remained seated, sipping my tea slowly. Because the entrance was left open, I could hear the exchange between the kneeling governor outside and the man who seemed to be his subordinate at his side. “N-No ...... Ohh, I’m screwed. Lawrence, please do something.” “I can’t, Will-sama. It would be disgraceful for you to run away after all this time.” “But, but. H-His Highness the Thirteenth Prince.” “Even so, if you leave, the worst thing that can happen to you will be the opposite. I’ll follow up with you, so get going.” The voice I heard was the terrified, but clearly audible, the voice of the Governor- probably a man named Will. And the voice of his subordinate, a low, subdued man named Lawrence. These are the two. The true value of a person is tested in a difficult situation. As I waited, vaguely thinking about this, Will and Lawrence walked into the store. Will was on his knees in front of me, banging his head on the floor, and Lawrence was three steps behind him, on both knees, looking at me with his face up. “Pa-pa-pa-Pascal Will, meet His Imperial Highness the Thirteenth, and extend my best wishes.” “Pascal Will. You are the representative of this area.” “Y-Yes!” “I didn’t remember appointing you, so who did?” “H-His Majesty appointed me directly, sir.” Governor Pascal Will was so frightened that it was pitiful to watch. He was cowering on the floor like a small animal and hadn’t looked up once since he entered. In the light of imperial law, Pascal was not guilty of much. It was common practice to invite someone like Alice to sing in a private place. It’s just that he forced her to do it. A crime is a crime, but at the most serious estimate, it’s only a month’s pay cut or so. So there is no need to be so frightened. “...... Pascal. Do you know what your mistake is?” “Y-Yes! Something that’s n-no-not allowed to do.” It’s not that far off. I sighed, and Pascal was still trembling as he cowered. I sighed again at his reaction. Suddenly, I saw Lawrence behind him. Unlike the frightened Pascal, Lawrence was calm and collected the whole time. “You are Lawrence, huh?” “Yes” When I asked, Lawrence bowed his head for the first time. And then immediately raised his head, looked me straight in the eye, and answered. “My name is Lawrence Barten. And I am Master Will’s secretary.” “Barten, are you from the West?” “My father was.” He was not self-conscious or rude. I liked Lawrence’s calm acceptance of the question. By the way, I remembered that he had given advice to Pascal a while ago. “...... Pascal.” I am called again! His voice rose as if to say such. “Go and prepare a document to impeach yourself.” “Yes! .................. Ehh?” Pascal reflexively replied, then puzzled over the meaning. While fearful and down, he raised his head for the first time and looked at me. “Impeach ...... yourself? Is it?” “Yes, what is wrong and how is it appropriate to punish you? You have until this time tomorrow to produce it and deliver it to me. Then we’ll talk.” “What’s the matter, or do you want me to judge you now?” “No, that’s .......” Lawrence bowed his head as if to interrupt Pascal, who still did not understand the meaning of the word, and, taking the form of having received the order, he walked away with Pascal. After the Governor was gone, the onlookers also left the store in a buzz. “Thank you very much.” After all the customers had left and the owner had closed the entrance gate, Alice-who had been standing at a distance-arrived. “Are you all right?” “Yes. Thanks to His Highness. Thank you for all your help.” There was a moment of silence. As if defeated by the silence, I asked Alice. “Why don’t you ask me why I did that?” “All I know is that I’m going to keep singing.” Alice answered without hesitation. “That’s the best way to repay Your Highness, and I don’t think I should say anything else.” “I like that about you.” “Since you say so, does it have any deeper meaning?” “It’s not that deep.” I explained this to Alice. “He was appointed by His Majesty in spite of all odds, and it wasn’t much of a crime. Impeach yourself – it’s a letter of remorse. If he finds out what he did wrong, that’s fine, if not, we’ll deal with it then. If there are only excuses and flattery, he’ll be replaced.” “I’m impressed that you thought that far ahead .......” “Now, will you sing one more song for me?” “With pleasure!” As I listened to Alice’s song, I was expecting the man’s response, wondering what would come of it. The next day, in the outer garden of the mansion. When I entered the estate, I had it remodeled so that it could be divided into two distinct areas, the inner garden, and the outer garden, following the tradition of the royal family. The inner garden was purely residential, and only I, my wife Audrey, the maids, and eunuchs were allowed in there. It was built like the emperor’s palace, and in order to protect the purity of the royal blood, no ordinary man was allowed to enter. The outer garden, on the other hand, has a study and a reception room, where political affairs and entertaining guests are conducted. So of course, regular men can enter. In the study of the outer garden, I was facing Don Oates. Don had been my subordinate since that incident three years ago. I was sitting deep in my chair, and Don was standing in front of me, looking over two documents. “It was as you expected, Your Highness.” What Don was reading was Pascal’s “Reflections Statement”. One was that he did not know that the other party was favored by the th Prince and he was rude. The punishment is whatever I want it to be. That was the content of the letter. The other was a letter of regret for forcing himself on a commoner, i.e., Alice, and a request for punishment and demotion. It was the latter that was officially sent to me, and the former that I had them obtain in secret. “I’ve seen the official documents from there many times. The one about disrespecting His Highness is in Pascal’s handwriting, and the one about forcing the common people is in Lawrence’s handwriting.” “That’s very good, Your Highness. As you predicted, this Lawrence guy is a sharp guy, isn’t he?” “Yeah.” It was as I expected. After seeing how Pascal and Lawrence had responded yesterday, I had expected that Pascal would either beg for his life or come up with something that would be off the mark. Sure enough, he did. I didn’t identify myself at that time. If I hadn’t told him my name, he wouldn’t be guilty of being rude to me. Perhaps Pascal had tried to give it out first, and Lawrence had stopped him, which had led to the text offering a punishment and demotion. That’s what I expected from their reactions yesterday. “So how do you want to handle it?” “Only the salary cut punishment, that’s about it.” “Are you sure?” “Yes, he is someone who is willing to listen to the advice of his subordinates, it is not a bad thing.” “That’s very generous of you, sir.” “And would you go to Lawrence for me?” “Yes, sir. And what should be the business.” “Go give him this.” I took a two-handed box from my desk and handed it to Don. “This is?” “It’s a box I made from a piece of Fuwawa and my Ring. Once locked up, only I will be able to open it.” “What’s ......?” Why would you want to do that? Don tilted his head. “There’s no doubt Lawrence can use it better. So I’ll leave it to him so he can inform me if something goes wrong.” “Ah, I see, for informing on things.” “That’s what it is.” “I’m impressed!” Don said, looking at the box enviously. “What’s up?” “No, I just thought it would be an honor to receive it.” “An honor, huh?” I laughed scornfully. “Is it different?” “Well, have a look at this.” I pulled out another box from my desk. It was the same box as the one I had given Don, but it was wrecked. “Did ...... someone try to steal the contents?” “No, this is because the guy I gave it to was showing it off.” “Showing off.” Don repeated the same words in a flat tone. “If you don’t use it for its intended purpose and go around bragging that I gave it to you and that I trust you, it will destroy itself on the spot.” “—-Oh, I see! That’s a great mechanism, no, that’s a great idea.” “I don’t want to employ people like that.” Don agreed with me and left the study to deliver the box. I put the box away. The person who had betrayed my trust, I could no longer remember his name or face. I wondered if Lawrence was a man I could trust. I had high hopes.

I stared at the magic sword. After listening to my brother Henry and bringing this thing to its knees, it started to feel more comfortable in my hand, if it was my imagination. Then another thought came to mind. “What are you thinking about?” “I’ve given in to it now, so I thought I’d carry it around with me.” “I see. But that’s hard to do. It’s great that you held that thing down as a demon sword, but it’s physically too big. It’s too long to carry it on your back, let alone lower it to your waist.” “Well, wait a few more years. His Majesty and all your other brothers are tall, and you’ll grow up soon.” But I’m not ready to give up. That’s how well the leviathan blends in after swinging it. It was then. A voice echoed in my brain. I could hear something, it wasn’t human language, but strangely enough, I could understand the “meaning” of it. “What’s the matter, you look so funny,” “Excuse me, brother.” I didn’t know what the outcome of the process would be, so I declined to say a word to Brother Henry. Then I tightened my grip on the leviathan and closed my eyes and concentrated on my thoughts. The form I desire, as well as the form it desires. “Mmm,” Brother Henry grunts. I open my eyes and look at the leviathan in my hand. The magic sword had shrunk. The Leviathan, which was the size of a large sword to my six year old me earlier, shrank in its form, shrinking into a child-sized but a good looking long sword. “Yeah.” I squeezed it again and again to check the feel. The fit is still the same – or even better than before. I brought it to my waist to try it out, it’s just the right length. After checking it all over, I looked up and said to brother Henry. “I’ll be able to take this with me.”‘ “....” “Brother?” For some reason, my brother was flabbergasted, I tilted my head and looked into his face from below. “Oh no, I wasn’t expecting that.” “You didn’t expect that?” “It was you, Noah, who changed the size of that magic sword, wasn’t it?” “This is unheard of. It’s been years since it was isolated as a national treasure, and there are records of it in existence, but nothing like this has ever happened before. It’s just amazing – I just want to take my hat off to you.” “It’s because this guy suggested it.” Brother Henry smiled. “So you’re saying you’ve tamed the mad dog that much.” My brother looked at me with increasingly impressed eyes. At any rate, I can now equip the Leviathan. From now on, I thought, I’ll carry it with me. The sun was setting and I left the room to see my brother off as he was leaving. The maid in the reception room came in and first bowed to brother Henry and then reported to me. “Master, I have an invitation from the rd Vizier. “Invitation?” “Yes, he’ s hosting a banquet at his home tonight, and would like you to come. “ The maid said and held out the rd Vizier’s card and invitation. I did not accept it, at a time like this nobles do not read the contents with their own hands. I ask the maid, as a nobleman would. “What time is it?” “He said you’re welcome to come by anytime.” I’ve been able to roughly read between the lines in these situations for six years since my reincarnation. That means I’m the guest of honor today, and the start time is the time I arrived. The invitation is that far, and the other party is the Third Vizier. As expected, I couldn’t say no to him. “How about you, brother?” “I refrain. I don’t like the noise.” “Is that so. I understand.” Then I’ll go alone. I simply ordered the maid to prepare and went out with her to see brother Henry off. I walked side by side with my brother as he climbed into the carriage and walked out of the house. “Hmm?” I followed my brother’s gaze as he looked out from inside the carriage. Just ahead of him, he saw several men on their knees. Ah, those debt collectors as an example. I nodded just so, and removed my gaze to look away from them, to see my brother off. My brother, who was not involved in the matter in the first place, also removed his gaze from them. Then. ”I can’t take it anymore dammit! Don’t be so cocky! One of the guys who was on his knees stood up suddenly. He stood up and glared at me. His shoulders were covered in bandages, a familiar face. He’s the guy who was collecting from Alice. ” You little–“ “....” The guy tried to grab at me, and tried to jump at me until he was overpowered by his friends, but he was suddenly weak and slumped down with a stunned look on his face. His companions grabbed him from behind, pushing his head to the ground and bringing him back to a kneeling position once again. “What did you do?” Brother Henry asked, guessing that I had done that last minute slump, too. “Well, Pardon me,” I didn’t say a word to him, but I did the same thing to my brother that I did to the man. An intimidation that only partly unleashed Leviathan’s power, and that’s how I managed to make that man go slump. Of course, the one I directed at my brother was far weaker than that. Brother seemed to understand that as well. “That’s...amazing how well you’re able to use it.” He was more impressed than when I had first succumbed down the demon sword. Riding in the carriage, we were swayed for a few minutes. Halfway across the imperial capital, we arrived at our destination mansion. The carriage bore the thirteenth prince’s crest, so there was no mistreatment by anyone, but rather, we were welcomed enough to be able to see it from inside the carriage. When the carriage stopped and I jumped down, the doors of the mansion were fully open and an old man was standing in front of it. He was a rather dandy first-timer, not my cup of tea, with a beard trimmed in the current fashion. The rd Vizier, Jean-Brad Reydouk. He comes from a distinguished and venerable family with two names. Reydouk waited to see if I’d landed well before he approached me with his big stride, kneeling in front of me and bowing. “Welcome, Your Highness Noah,” “Thanks for having me. Looks like it’s a pleasant evening, doesn’t it?” “I’ll do my best to entertain you, sir. Please, come in.” Reydouk stood up and, despite being the vizier, followed a step behind me like a servant. He walked out with me in the lead and entered the mansion. I continued down the path made up of a procession of servants and stood in front of the door of the party room, which was a part of every mansion like this one. Reydouk looked around, and the servants opened the heavy-looking doors to the left and right – and then. A whirlwind of applause erupted. Roughly hundreds of people, men and women in formal attire and dresses, were gathered in the party room. All of them are clapping at me. I was a little surprised, but I soon realized it was Raydouk’s cue. This is the way they formulate the idea of welcoming me, well, like a preemptive punch. Well, but I don’t feel bad about it. I follow Reydouk down the flowery path of applause. “That’s His Highness the Thirteenth.” ” Such an interesting person at such a young age.” “Not only is he not afraid of the occasion, he is at ease and undisturbed. That’s His Majesty’s son, indeed.” We made our way through the voices coming from all over the place. As we advanced to the center, they all swarmed in. Not in a disorderly fashion, though. The party was hosted by the Third Vizier, and the guest of honor was me, the Thirteenth Prince, and all of the guests were of the upper class. That’s why there seems to be a hierarchy and the order in which they address me has been decided in advance. Even though they look like a bunch of people, they speak to me in a very orderly manner. “By the way, Your Highness. As for your waistcoat....you didn’t have it on when we last met.” After the greetings from one of them, and before the next one could speak, Reydouk asked. “This, yes, this was given to me by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. It’s called Leviathan.” A moment later, they all gulp in unison and then start buzzing. Probably all of them are wondering, and hence the buzzing. As if to represent everyone’s doubts, the host, Reydouk, asks further. “When you say Leviathan, you mean?” “Yes, that.” I responded with only a hint of affirmation, since everyone here was surprised to hear that. “Oh, I didn’t think it was going to be that–the national treasure.” As I thought, Reydouk knew about the Demon Sword. “And it came straight from the Crown Prince.” “As I recall, His Highness the Thirteenth’s estate is in Almeria.” “Ooh, I see, it’s a connection!” The voices around me were of one color, so even the sudden mumbling of something different was noticeable. “Heh, such a toy. It’s a fake anyway.” He may have felt that he only mumbled a little, but in that instant, the place fell silent as if it had been struck by water. All of us at once turned our attention to the person who spoke. It was a young man in his early twenties, dressed in formal wear. The young man flinched for a moment, but as if he could no longer back down, he made an annoying smile while his face was drawn up. Hm, what should I do–. Instantly, the air in the place changed even more. All of them turned pale in unison. The women in dresses even slumped down. They all reacted as if they had seen something terrible. ” Wait.” I muttered softly. Maybe “sit” would have been more fitting, but I figured “wait” would be fine. Then the air relaxed. The Leviathan was pissed. The mad dog that had become a loyal dog, once again turned into a mad dog. Thus, he reacted violently to the insult to his Lord. The killing intent unleashed by the demon sword Leviathan, which overwhelmed those around it just by being present, overwhelmed everyone here. That was fine, but it could be called overkill. Many of them were relieved to be free of the killing intent, but many of them were still pale. That’s how much killing energy was released by Leviathan. Just as I was wondering what to do, Reydouk sent out a ship of help. “Oh my goodness, that’s quite a feat, Your Highness.” ” Huh?” “For a moment now, all of us here must have felt the same thing, ‘death’. That’s the power of a national treasure . And it was,” He turned to the others but held his hand out to me in an act of introduction. “It is the greatness of Your Highness the Thirteenth, that you are capable of using such overwhelming power.” A forceful summary, but it was effective. The response was heartfelt because of the death they faced. The applause was even louder than when I entered, and everyone praised me for taming the demon sword.

After my two brothers went back, I kept practice-swinging the sword in my room. The name of this thing was...yes, Leviathan. The Blade of the Sea Demon, Leviathan. Each time I swung it, the sword would leave a sea-colored afterglow in its wake. Since I was still six, it was a bit hard to handle. But, it looked flashy and cool swinging it, so I kept hold of it. And above all else, it was my brother’s — the Crown Prince’s present to me. I had to show them that I was treasuring the present if I wanted to suck up to them and live a happy life. Then again, it wasn’t enough just to carry it around in my home. “Someone come here.” Calling a servant over, I sheathed the demonic sword. “...Hm? Is anyone there?” I thought it was strange that nobody came at my call. I was the Thirteenth Prince as well as the master of this residence. A servant would always be at my beck-and-call. But nobody came. Wondering what happened, I looked at the door. A single male servant was standing there, his face the very picture of “terrified.” “N-Nothing, sir. Pardon my rudeness...” The man hurriedly entered the room. His face was pale, and his body was shivering. Clearly something was wrong. “What happened?” “T-That sword...” “This sword? Ah.” I remembered what happened when my brothers came over. Just like now, my brother’s servants had been afraid. Right after I made that realization, the man started talking about exactly the same subject. “Whenever I look at that thing, my whole body feels as if it’s encased in ice and a thousand needles are piercing through me.” “I see, so it really is the effect of the demonic sword. Uhhh...what did my brothers do...” I remembered what it was like when I received the sword and put it back in its case. “How about now?” “Ahh...It’s a bit better...” “So this is what they call a demonic sword. It’s amazing for you to be able to swing the thing around as if it’s nothing, Master.” “Which is why His Highness the Crown Prince gave it to me. More importantly, can you hold it when it’s in the case? Put it away if you can.” “Certainly!” His face was still somewhat pale, but it was leagues better than what he came here like. At my orders, he took the sword case and left the room. As his substitute, a maid stood outside the room and knocked. “Master.” “Hm? Oh, it’s Zoe. Come in.” If there was a single maid that made the most impression on me, she would be Zoe. She looked to be twenty. Her work as a maid couldn’t be described as extraordinary, but she helps me with my bath every day, so she’s made quite the impression. “What’s up? You came here without my beckoning. Did something happen?” “Yes...Um, I would like to take some time off.” “Huh?” As I was originally a commoner in my previous life, so there were some misunderstandings in my new life, this being one of them. To a servant, “take time off” means “quitting the job.” At first, there were some troubles with me not knowing why, Knowing what I knew now, that prompted a question on my part. “Why do you want to quit?” “Um, my parent’s land was flooded by the early spring floods.” “Is that so?” “Yes, everything we owned is gone, and my mother has nothing to eat. So I’ll go to the red-light district...and um, sell myself.” “That’s enough.” I thought for a little bit. In the past six years, I studied how to behave as a nobleman and as a prince. I looked for the optimal solution among my studies. “Your only relative is your mother, is that correct?” “Yes, and—” “That’s enough. Summon your mother to the capital.” “Your mother will be...oh yeah, the back gatekeeper. Ten leeng a month.” “Master!?” Zoe was shocked. I had just remembered that there was no gatekeeper for the back gate, so I gave her mother the job. Ten leeng a month was the average income of a man in the capital. “I have a few houses in the western side of the capital. Use one for your family.” “...Thank you very much!” She was so surprised that it took nearly a dozen seconds for her to return from the skies. And when she came back, she groveled at my feet and thanked me. “Don’t worry about it. Just get your mother here from the countryside.” “Yes! Thank you very much!” Zoe went flying out of the room in the greatest of spirits. I did this for her because of two reasons. If it got out that one of my maids sold herself into prostitution, my repuation would fall. I would almost certainly be reprimanded by my brothers or even my father the Emperor. Something like the honor of a prince. The other reason was — my possessiveness. A servant of mine is my servant for life. They can only leave in death or when I personally kick them out. “...Dylan.” “Yes, I am here.” At my command, a man in his late thirties came in. His beard was like pieces of thread hanging off his chin. He had the position of a butler-type person in my manor. “You sure came fast.” “I saw the whole thing. You are amazing, Master. That was an act worthy of my greatest praise.” “Since you overheard us, let’s cut to the chase. Do you know about the flood?” “The one in Dussol.” “Buy what land you can buy there. Merchants will come running to prey on the homeless victims. Before that happens, help them.” “...” “Why do you look so surprised.” “Because I am surprised.” Dylan spat my words right back at me. “Master, it was the first flood since you were born, yet you handled it splendidly. Moreover, our conversation right afterwards.” “...” “I was surprised at how well it was done.” Things like this never happened before I reincarnated. “No, that was foolish of me. His Highness the Thirteenth Prince is the son of His Highness the Emperor, wise beyond the realm of mortals. It is rudeness on my part to be surprised at such a meager feat.” “Around half a million leeng will be necessary.” “Granted. Now go.” “Yes—also, Master.” “What is it.” Dylan’s eyes were dead serious. “Thank you very much.” “Yeah.” With a nod, Dylan left the room. Ah, come to think of it, Dylan came from that area too. By the time I remembered that fact, Dylan was already long gone.

Ruby Tensei At night, I was riding a horse-drawn carriage along the main street of the capital. The capital of the most powerful empire on the land is so prosperous even at night that it is called the Nightless City. As I gazed at the prosperous streets at night, I suddenly noticed Shirley’s tense face. She was strolling with me alongside the carriage, and she had a very grim look on her face, almost like determination. “What’s the matter, Shirley? Are you nervous about something?” “Y-Yes. I will protect His Highness’s safety at all costs!” “What’s with the sudden determination? Brother Oscar has invited me and Brother Henry to a small banquet today. You don’t have to be so nervous.” “That’s why I’m here, sir.” Shirley became more and more enthusiastic. One of the guests at the night stall on the main street dropped a dish and broke it. Shirley turned around quickly and put her hand on the hilt of her sword and was about to jump out. I can see that her nerves are unnecessarily overstimulated. The reason is still unknown to me. “What do you mean, that’s why?” Shirley looked at me and answered in a stifled voice. “Everyone understands the current situation. The next emperor will be either Henry-sama, Oscar-sama, or Noah-sama. The next emperor will be one of these three.” “......” I didn’t answer. The reason why I didn’t even make a gesture is the same reason why Shirley suppressed her voice. On the other hand, her voice was a whisper at first, but as she spoke, her speech became more fluent, though her voice remained low. “There is no way that Oscar-sama, who is involved in this, would just invite Henry-sama and Noah-sama to a banquet ....... We must be vigilant.” “I see what you mean. But if that’s the case, it’s okay.” “Eh?” I made the statement in a very light tone, which startled Shirley, and she was caught off guard. “B-But why?” “After the incident with Albert and Gilbert, His Majesty is very sensitive about the usurpation of the imperial throne.” “Ah.” “Brother Henry, Brother Oscar, and me. It’s narrowed to us three, or so it would seem from the side. That’s why we can’t fight it out. Not outwardly, anyway. At least, there’s no way they’ll do anything to us tonight by calling us out like this. In fact, if anything were to happen, Brother Oscar would protect me and Brother Henry at the cost of his own life.” “I couldn’t think of anything like that. ...... You’re right.” I smiled at Shirley. “In fact, it is now.” I said. Shirley’s eyes widened in surprise, “Eh?” Shirley’s eyes widened in surprise. “Carefully look around you for signs.” At my suggestion, Shirley’s sharp eyes began to search for signs of her surroundings. ” This is ...... protecting from a distance, is it?” “That’s right.” I chuckled. Oscar’s men have been following us from a distance ever since we left the Thirteenth Prince’s residence. I myself am reasonably competent, with my most trusted knight, Shirley, by my side. Even so, it’s still a cautious, distant escort. “W-When did you notice it?” “Right after we left the mansion.” “T-That long ago!? It’s amazing ...... I didn’t notice it at all.” “Fu.” Shirley’s nervousness and over caution were moderately relieved. I looked straight ahead from the top of the carriage and thought. Although I hadn’t told Shirley, I could read Oscar’s intentions to some extent. I told Shirley that’ nothing was going to happen tonight’ for a reason. It was not the reason why Oscar had dared to suggest that the three of us get together. From His Majesty’s point of view, the best thing would be for the three of us to get along well, as we are so tightly knit that even the casual observer can tell. If the three of us are at odds with each other regularly, there will be worries about who should be left with the throne. Depending on the level of the quarrel, it would not be surprising if we concluded that it would be easier to leave the throne to someone other than the three of us. But if we were close, that wouldn’t happen. That’s what Oscar is trying to create. As proof of this, when I suggested Rice Cake for defeating Galwan, Oscar gave his full support and encouragement. His character is often compared to that of the fifth brother, Mile Ararat. Both of them are reputed to be mild-mannered and good-natured. Oscar, on the other hand, always seems to be up to something, even if he seems to be friendly. That’s why he’s doing tonight’s thing, too, knowing that His Majesty’s ears are going to be very attentive, and he’s even calculated that his secretly escorting me will be known by His Majesty. That’s why nothing is going to happen tonight. As expected, I and my two brothers. For the first time in a while, we gathered together and had a peaceful dinner, regardless of national affairs. The next day, Alan, the antique dealer, came to the mansion. I welcomed him in the living room, instead of the reception room, sitting down. “I’ve got what your highness wanted.” “The jewel?” “Yes.” “I see – but you don’t look too happy about it. Something wrong?” “Actually, it’s .......” Alan took out several boxes of jewels and laid them out in front of me with a bitter look on his face. When I opened the lid of the box, I found a number of jewels inside – almost identical in appearance. There were a total of six beautiful red rubies. “What’s going on?” “It was an error on my part, sir. When I sent a messenger to get them as soon as possible, saying that they were what His Highness wanted, the word got out and he was offered similar ones in competition.” “Fumu.” “At least five of them are fake. ......” “Ahaha. Things are just things, all six may be fake.” I said with a laugh, and Alan seemed a little relieved. The jewels were originally supposed to be “held in hand at birth,” which raised eyebrows. There’s a good possibility that it’s a fake. Alan, who had been embarrassed by his mistake, was a little relieved when I laughed it off as a joke. “I thought I’d wait until I could do something about it, but I didn’t have the ability to tell the difference. ......” “Fumu, .......ah” “There it is, the real thing. Here it is.” I picked up all of the rubies in turn and looked aside as I held one of the six. “Were you able to tell?” I was looking at the corner of my eye, not at the jewel. My status, always in the corner, had changed the moment I held the jewel. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Minister of Justice Gender: Male Level: / ∞ HPC+DMPE+EStrengthC+AStaminaD+EIntelligenceE+DSpiritE+DSpeedE+EDexterityE+DLuckE+D FireE+AWaterC+SWindE+FEarthE+DLight E+CDarknessE+C Although only slightly, the “+” in HP had increased by one level. “Ho, what is the difference between this and the other five?” “...... Watch this.” The emotions conveyed by the jewel appeared in my mind, not as words, but as a picturesque scene. To make it happen, I pulled out my leviathan. I flung the leviathan straight up, and it dropped to the ground in a circle. With a swoosh, I extended my arm and broke into the Leviathan’s falling point. “–!” Alan gulped. The Leviathan, spinning in circles, hit my arm – it bounced off and then stuck into the ground. “Look.” “The ruby ...... from earlier? It’s a little chipped.” “This is how it works. It’s supposed to protect the Lord from injury or illness.” “I’ve never heard of such a gem. Your Highness, you’ve seen right through it.” “Fuu.” “But ...... it’s a pity, then.” Alan looked into the ruby and murmured with a look of disappointment on his face. “It will be damaged when it substitutes the injury......, which is great, but this is just a one-time use.” That’s true. Besides, hearing the word ” damaged ” made him think that it would be a waste to let Ruby’s substitution take effect. Thanks to the ruby, the ” + ” in HP went up one level. Rather than being damaged during the substitution, I thought it would be better to keep it. “Hmm?” “This is .......” Another image poured into my head from Ruby. I read the image, then thought about it. After I had completed the simulation in my mind, I placed the Armor Ring on. With the ring, I created a mass with the same appearance as the ruby, and then pulled out the Leviathan stuck in the ground, crushing the ruby. “Aah! W-what the !?” Alan was astonished. However, I stared at the new one I had made with my Armor Ring and looked at the status. There was no change in my status, which meant that the Ruby – or whatever it was – was still intact. Then I slashed myself again, harder this time. Then, what I made with my Armor Ring shattered. Naturally, my body was unharmed. “M-My God! Were you able to mass-produce that Ruby?” I explained to a surprised Alan. “Not exactly, I just provided a new vessel for the Ruby to possess after it substituted for me.” As I said this, I made more with the armor ring. The same one as Ruby’s, again. “And that means you can use ...... as many times as you want. ......?” Alan was speechless with surprise.

I entered the store and tried to confirm that it was Alice, but the people of the city were flocking to the entrance like moths to a flame, probably because they were so fascinated by her singing voice. Even a glimpse of the store showed that it was packed. One would normally think, there’s no way I can get in there. “Please wait a moment, and I’ll have a seat made for you.'” Zoe seemed to think so too, and she reached into her pocket, grabbed the money, and started to move to reserve the seat. “Wait.” “Master?” “You don’t have to do that.” “But ......” I ignored Zoe and broke through the crowd and proceeded to the other side of it. Ducking through the entrance, I stepped over the threshold of the establishment. Inside, the place was completely packed, and not a single seat was available. An apologetic-looking waitress came in almost as soon as we entered. “As you can see, the establishment is full.......” I nodded and was about to turn around when one more waiter came rushing in from the back and gave the first waiter an earful. He nodded a few times and then gave me a business smile. “Sir customer, it seems that another customer just left. I can guide you there.” “I understand. Please.” Nodding, the clerks retreated into the store for a moment. Next to me, Zoe had a curious look on her face, so I turned around and explained in a whisper. “This coincidence is a set-up. If this was their idea, then they wouldn’t make it so that I couldn’t enter because they didn’t have a seat for me.” “I see. ...... indeed, Master. I hadn’t thought that far ahead.” Smiling at Zoe, I turned around once again and looked at the inside of the establishment, which was filled with singing voices. “Mmm.” “Is something wrong?” Zoe asked with a curious look on her face. I wondered what to say. I took a quick look around and spotted a few people. people, who were obviously not there for the songs as their eyes were on the stage, but their attention was on me. I could tell by the signs that three guys were already in the mix to keep an eye on me. But I can’t just tell Zoe that as it is. It is more effective to tell only the truth to deceive people. For me and Zoe as well. So, I chose my words carefully and said to Zoe. I said this, and turned my gaze to the seat that had just been “vacated”. I notice the people observing us. And thought for a moment. I won’t lie to fool. “A good seat was conveniently left.” And this time I spoke in a normal tone. Zoe’s eyes widened as if she had been momentarily struck dumb. I wondered what it was because her impression of my words was so opposite to what I had just said. But in an instant, she understood and gasped. She didn’t change her expression or say anything else, but her eyes widened and I could see that she was momentarily aware of her surroundings. She understood and could react in that way. Zoe also seems to have grown up a lot compared to when she first became my maid. “Because it’s Master.” “Right.” We waited with appropriate exchanges. After a while, a clerk showed me to my seat. It was a seat at the very back of the restaurant, slightly elevated, in the middle, with a direct view of the stage. It was undeniably the best seat in this place. I chuckled to myself. It was too deliberate to be a coincidence. I didn’t point that out and took my seat. Zoe stood next to me. I then listen to Alice singing. She’s gotten a little better at it again. To improve in art, a few things suffice. First of all, one must continuously do it. And then, have a clear goal. Finally, no worries about patronage. Alice had the first two things from the time we first met. Then I took away all her worries, including those about her mother. And so, Alice has – and still is – improving every time I see her. Almost everyone, both inside and outside the restaurant, was listening to Alice’s singing voice. The only ones who weren’t would be those who were keeping tabs on me. Songs and tunes have “waves” to them. All the people were swaying to the singing voice, carried by the wave that the singer intended. Snap! One harp string that represents Alice broke off. The customers were brought back to reality from the dreamy singing voice buzzing through the restaurant. And as the buzz became louder, Alice was in trouble on the stage. Her white clear fingers glide over the harp’s remaining strings. The broken string was the most important one, and even as her finger slides over it, it is clear that a note is missing. It would take a long time to repair it, and it would go into the water as it was. –It would be a waste. I called Fuwawa. Fuwawa, who was in my bracelet, materialized, taking in my consciousness. It became a long transverse flute. I held it up and gently put my mouth to it. The improvised flute produced the tone I intended. There was a stir in the store for a moment. Alice was puzzled – surprised when she noticed me. I blew the flute. Alice was “rushed” by the tune. She understood the melody and flicked her hand to the harp again. She improvised the tune and sang along, trying not to use the broken strings. My flute made up for the missing notes. “Woaa......” Zoe, who was standing next to me, let out an exclamation. The audience was puzzled for a moment but listened to the music as much as before. When the song ended, the audience burst into thunderous applause. Zoe was applauding as well. “Awesome work, Master!” It wasn’t me playing though, it was Bahamut. I let Bahamut possess me, and I let it move my fingers and mouth. Just as I reproduced sword, fist, and other fighting techniques, I simulated and reproduced the movements of the performance that Bahamut knew. It worked. As expected, there was no way they could continue the performance with just first aid, and it was announced that the performance was over for the time being. As the guests left the restaurant one by one. “There was no one else here, huh” “Eh? What is it?” I silently raised my hand and pointed to the three men who were still sitting there stunned. Then, in a whisper. “The ones that were spying on us.” “Eh?” “I put magic into the tune I just played. It makes those with hostile or harmful intent react more to it, and they’re shocked and stunned for some time.” “T-That can be done!?” “Yeah. By the way, it can even kill people.” “Ehh!? “On the contrary, if you push them to the limit, their blood pressure rises and they can induce a stroke.” “Ah, ......” Zoe is intelligent. She didn’t ask “You can do that !?” this time. She knows that there are always two sides to things and that if one can be done, the opposite is also possible. So she just use one phrase, “As expected, Master is awesome.” She only said that. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” Inside the guild, two young men were facing each other. The smaller man was furious at the report and angrily knocked a fine teacup to the floor and broke it. The taller man remained calm, sipping at his tea and pondering. They are the sons of the guild’s head and number two, respectively. Since these two men have been in charge of the scene, the number of traffickers and tax cheats has increased year by year, and they are the real ringleaders, so to speak. “Calm down. There is nothing you can do if you get upset here, is there?” “I can’t keep calm about this! ’I’m in town for a while because I was invited by a diva who didn’t accept anyone’s advances’! Don’t screw with me!”[TN: Diva here means songstress or singer/performer] The smaller man became even more enraged, kicking the table and overturning it in a heaping heap. The other, younger man remained only calm and looked thoughtful. “There’s nothing wrong with that. The bait was bit.” “Get your asses back home if you have taken the bait! With him here, I can’t d my trafficking. It would be a loss of ,0 reens if it stops for a day!” “......” The graceful looking man’s eyebrows slightly furrowed. His partner had a point. The smuggling of salt has been temporarily halted to prevent that man from coming to investigate under the emperor’s secret orders. And that smuggling is now a business that has grown to a profit of more than 100,000 reens in a day. The man’s presence is costing them 100,000 reens per day. “I can’t stand it any longer! I’m gonna kill him!” “......As someone who’s received the Emperor’s secret orders, isn’t it premature to say that?” “I don’t care! It doesn’t matter as long as you throw money around! What do you think I pay tribute to the 3rd and 10th princes regularly for?” “......, yeah, right.” The graceful looking man thought for a moment and quietly nodded his head.

The next day I came to the restaurant again with Zoe. Again, a seat was conveniently available for us. I laughed heartily at this, but I continued to listen to Alice’s song without showing any concern. As the show went on and most of the audience was paying attention to Alice, I “connected” with Zoe. [Can you hear me?] [Yes, Master ...... hmmm?] Zoe turned to me and replied as usual. But soon she notices something is wrong. [Is this voice ...... not yours?] [No, you are right. The human voice sounds different inside your ears than it does to others.] [Is that so? Ah, I hear it very clearly.] Zoe looks around muttering so. Inside the restaurant where Alice is singing, most of the voices have been drowned out by her singing, making it difficult to hear her. In fact, when the waiter comes and asks for orders, he speaks louder than usual near my ear, halfway to the point of yelling. Despite that, it seems strange that she can hear me clearly and normally. [Have you ever played with a string phone] [Yes, I have, but ......] [Think of it as a transparent string phone through Fuwawa.] Strictly speaking, it’s a bit more complicated than that, but I don’t need to explain that much. [I see. ...... Ah, Master’s mouth isn’t moving.] [Only those who are connected by strings can hear each other, and I can speak without moving my mouth myself.] [A secret conversation, right? As expected of Your Majesty.] Zoe quickly understood the advantages of this method. And she also changed the way she addressed me. That’s how it is. Sound and voices are usually transmitted through the air. They can also be transmitted on things, like a string telephone. And this is also why we can hear distant sounds with our ears on the ground. Using Fuwawa, the voice is transmitted only by invisible strings, eliminating the air, so it can only be heard between me and the people I connect to. It’s a higher level of eavesdropping protection than soundproofing magic. [Have you told them?] [Yes. They looked very unhappy when I told them that His Majesty liked Alicia and was going to stay for a while.] [Well, that’s good. Then it will be easier.] [Easier, sir?] Zoe usually nods her head, but she doesn’t do so because she is conscious that this is a secret conversation, and she conveys her wonder by just looking at you. [If we don’t move, they’ll get impatient. Zoe, who do you think is more rushed in this matter?] [Well, ...... Your Majesty, ...... you don’t have to rush, do you, ......?] I nodded. I had put up a question using the situation to nurture her, and she understood it beautifully. [That’s right. The salt tax phenomenon is a chronic imperial disease, so to speak. If we don’t solve it now, things won’t move too far.] [But the other side – as long as Your Majesty is here, they can’t do any trafficking.] [Yes, threatening an entire city and turning it into a big show of change is not only expensive, but at the same time, it means a stop in revenues. If you consider that the entire salt tax from the Empire’s decrease went into their pockets, they would have lost at least , reens just by stopping for a day.] [So much .......] Zoe was stunned. From a maid’s point of view, that’s a lot of money that would leave her speechless. [That’s the reason why. If I don’t make a move, they’ll get impatient and make a move. That’s why I should just take it easy.] Smiling at Zoe, I took a sip of sake and a piece of snack in my mouth. [But ...... one hundred thousand ....... That much money cannot be allowed to go unchecked. After it all comes to light, he must be executed.] [.......] I didn’t answer. I know what Zoe is saying, and I understand her feelings. But people are usually more useful alive than dead. And if the people who have created the system capable of snatching so much tax money from the Empire can be successfully subdued, they can be useful ....... People are treasure and potential. If only they could be persuaded. With this in mind, I listened to the songs, had the drinks and eat the snacks, and pretended to be enjoying myself. The waiter brings a new dish. The moment I picked it up again and put it in my mouth... I slowly, Plopped down on the table like a puppet whose strings had been cut. “Yo–Master!?” [TN: she was about to say, Your Majesty] I hear Zoe’s scream-like voice from above my head. [Master! Master!?] My body is shaken, the tip of my nose, and my chest are touched one after another. “Is he dead ......?” Inside the store where all the customers had disappeared. I was laid down on the floor. I’m listening with my eyes closed. “Is he dead?” “Y-Yes. As you can see, his heart stopped.” A man’s voice and a clerk’s voice I had never heard before. The man’s ear was against my chest. “You’re right, he’s dead. I should have done this as soon as possible.” “Ah, sir. Our store is .......” “Don’t worry, I won’t make it any worse. This store is going to close. I’ll give you a place on the other side of town that’s twice as big.” “T-Thank you very much.” I see, that’s the reward for poisoning me. “You know, .......” This time I heard Zoe’s voice. “What is it? You want money?” “No, I want you to let me take the master’s body.” “Ahh?” “I’ve been indebted to him for a long time. At least let me mourn him with my own hands.” “Do as you please.” The man snickered, and then I heard footsteps, which gradually moved away. It seemed to have gone out of the store. A little later, anxious footsteps followed, and then they too moved away. The clerk seemed to have gone into the back of the store. It seems that there are no more people around, then. [You understand well] [Because Your Majesty couldn’t possibly be poisoned.] When I opened my eyes, I saw Zoe standing by my side with her eyes closed and her hands folded in a pose as if she were praying. I see. This, combined with the fact that I can’t hear her voice, makes it look like she’s praying silently for me. [Your majesty has an Apophis with you. The poison that is available to ordinary people would not have killed you.] [Yeah, the poison was neutralized by Apophis.] [Yes, ......, but how did your heart stop beating?] [It’s also Fuwawa. She covered the work.] [Yes, ......, Ah, the heartbeat] [I made a temporary substitute for the heart there. My heart was stopped, but the blood is still flowing through it, so there’s nothing wrong with it.] [That’s ...... amazing, ...... Your Majesty.] Zoe looked really impressed. [Your Majesty. What to do now?] [You’ve done well, so let’s take advantage of that.] [I did?] [Yes. Take me to the crematorium and burn me.] [...... Bahamut, right?] [Yeah. Because of Bahamut, the flames of cremation will not harm me. I should be burned once to completely relax their vigilance.] [As expected of you, Your Majesty. I understand.] [After that you must leave the city.] Zoe was surprised. [Yeah, it’s just an act to deceive the other side. Leave normally, but no need to go back. You can travel normally back to the city until I contact you.] [I understand.] She nodded and left my side. In the distance, I could hear Zoe asking the shopkeeper how to transport the body and where the crematorium was. I continued to play dead. Playing dead using Fuwawa is not that difficult. It was more difficult to calm down Leviathan, who was about to lose his temper when he realized that my food had been poisoned. [—!.] Leviathan is still half-mad. A mad and loyal dog, this fellow will not tolerate anyone who harms me. If I had been even a little bit sloppy earlier, the head of the man who confirmed my death would have fallen off.

“‘Luthiya’ ......, holds have the power of fire.” “You’ve seen right through it.” “Yeah. And it seems it’s quite powerful.” “Uh. Would you like to try it? Then let’s go outside.” His Majesty said and walked ahead. He left the treasury and called out to his eunuch confidant, Curuz, ordering him to prepare a ‘target’. “That won’t be necessary, Your Majesty.” “Huh? It’s like you have some idea.” “Yes, sir.” “If so, let’s do it.” With his permission, I went out into the garden with him. I thanked him and stood at a distance. Luthiyua, who had brought a “+” to my status, had two things in common with Leviathan. One is having a will. That’s why it led to the “+”, I guessed. The other is to shoot an attack with the power of the ring alone, regardless of my ability. Luthiya has the same thing as Leviathan’s charge attack. I released it – at myself. Instantly, my body burst into flames. “Noah!?” His Majesty was surprised by that. He was so surprised that he reflexively took a step forward and reached out his hand to me. “I’m fine.” I told him, while still on fire. My voice was so calm that I could see that His Majesty was twice as surprised – and startled. I held up the Leviathan I had been casually holding out so that he could see it. “...... I see.” His Majesty paused for a few moments, then changed his expression to one of understanding. I cast Luthiya’s Flame on myself, and Leviathan reacted to it. Linked to the ring of armor, Leviathan immediately produced a shield with the power of water. Water and fire are each other’s weak points. If they are evenly matched, they will only drown each other out, but if one of them is clearly superior, the effect will swell. This is how it works numerically. If you attack with fire-power, the effect is usually . The same goes for water. But if you use 100 fire-power to attack an opponent with 99 water power, its effect will quickly double to almost 200. On the other hand, if you attack with 99 fire-power against 100 water power, the effect will drop to almost zero. That’s what is happening now. “Mu ......, the ground around you is melting, and you are completely unfazed. As expected of Noah.” As His Majesty was surprised, Luthiya’s flames were strong enough to melt the ground around me into mush, but they had no effect on me at all. That meant that Leviathan’s power was superior to Luthiya’s. “Mmm?” “What is it, Your Majesty?” “It’s hot enough to melt the ground, but I don’t feel any heat at all.” His Majesty said doubtfully, thrusting his palm out to me as if he were lighting a bonfire. “Please look at the ground again.” “Look at the ground ......? Hmm, is it within the circle that’s melting?” “Yes. And I’m trying to keep it from going out.” “Oh my! It’s incredible.” “Thank you for your praise.” At His Majesty’s words of praise, I bowed respectfully. I understood Luthiya’s power and was able to show it. And after that, I ordered Luthiya to retract the flame. What had been a flaming mass just before returned to normal as if nothing had happened. Not a single burn mark on my hair, skin, or clothes. The only thing that showed the strength of Luthier’s power was the ground that had been burned to a crisp and melted. “Noah, it’s impressive that you’ve been able to control its power so well.” “Umu, once again I give you Luthiya. Take it and work harder for the empire.” “Yes” His Majesty gave a satisfied look, said, “Follow me,” and started walking. He walked back into the palace from the gardens and returned to his study in a straight line. Then he went back behind his desk of the office, while I stopped at the position where his subjects stood. “There was one thing I wanted to ask Noah’s opinion on.” He pulled one out of his mountain of reports and held it out to me. I took it and looked it over. The report said that His Majesty’s brother, Graem Ararat, who is my uncle, had volunteered to pay a fine of 30,000 reens. “What has Graem-sama done?” “Graem’s son – that would be my nephew. He has been rampaging through Graem’s territory, and in a drunken rage murdered the man with whom he had a quarrel.” “What?” “I charged him with the appropriate crime, but Graem himself offered to impose a fine, claiming that he had failed to supervise his son.” “Under imperial law, Graem-san is innocent. Just as a child is not obligated to repay a parent’s debt, neither is a child’s crime imputed to the parent.” As the Minister of Justice, I gave the legal interpretation of this matter from the imperial law. “Umu. That’s what I said. Still, Graem is probably frightened. He’s probably trying to buy himself some peace of mind by offering to pay the fine.” I looked at what he handed me. And checked the number on it again. Thirty thousand reens. That’s a lot of money. On average, an adult male in the Imperial Capital can earn 10 reens per month.[TN: I still can’t wrap around my head on this currency value] 30,000 liens is 3,000 times that. It is the equivalent of roughly 250 years of earnings. “What do you think, Noah?” ” ...... I think we should reject it outright.” “What is your reason?” “We cannot levy a fine for an innocent man, even if he asks for it.” “Fumu. Then how about amending the law to make it clearer?” His Majesty stared at me. “Our treasury is in a state of chronic danger. Rescuing people from disasters, suppressing rebellions, all of these things costs money.” That’s why we want this kind of extra income. I can understand how he feels, but... I said firmly with a straight face. “If we set a precedent like this, people who can pay will think that as long as they pay, they will be innocent. This is not the case in actual imperial law, but if this kind of thinking prevails, it lowers the barrier to crime.” “Hmm, you’re right. The deterrent power of the law will die.” “Furthermore, the majority of such people are merchants, nobles, and officials. That, in turn, leads to political corruption.” “The lack of funds in treasury is a serious problem. But it should be enhanced by proper means.” “...... Yes, it’s exactly as Noah says. You have corrected me well. I’ll consult with Oscar at the treasury. I think we will need to hear your opinion again.” He nodded and wrote something on a piece of paper in his hand. After finishing the whole thing, he signed it and stamped it. It was the emperor’s official document – an imperial decree. He held it out to me. I accepted it and looked over the contents. The document begins with praise that I the 13th Prince is Wise and rare, and concludes with the appointment of me to the position of Advisor to the Prime Minister. The term “Prime Minister” came from the Prime Minister’s Office, which I had suggested, and his adviser. “......” “It’s an honorary position. Do you not like it?” “Paying people to get away with crimes is out of the question, but why not let them pay for the honor?” I told His Majesty about the idea, which was no doubt born of the now-fabricated honorary position of Advisor to the Prime Minister. “Honor?” ” For example, how about an honorary knighthood for anyone who donates a thousand reens to the treasury?” The knowledge and memories of my previous life tell me a lot about that. When a person has a certain amount of money – more than he can spend on himself – he will seek honor rather than material things. This is one of the reasons why aristocrats become the patrons of various people. They use the money they can’t spend on themselves to nurture talented but underprivileged people in order to increase their fame as nobles. That is the same thing. His Majesty’s eyes seemed to gleam. “However, it is only Honorary. An honorary knight must be accompanied by the proviso that he will not be able to participate in the selection of knights afterward and will not be connected to the actual authority.” “Fumu.” “In exchange, they will receive an award from His Majesty in person.” “So it’s all about honor, is it?” “Exactly as you say.” “That’s a great idea. ......amazing, Noah.” His Majesty’s eyes shone brighter and brighter. “Curuz. Call Oscar. It’s urgent.” His Majesty seemed to be on board with my proposal, so much so that he immediately got into talks with Oscar, the Minister of Finance.

At night, in the living room of a detached palace. I was sitting cross-legged on the bed, with my right palm facing upward, at about the height of my solar plexus. Then concentrating my magical power on it. I transformed the concentrated magic power with Apophis’s help. “Your Majesty.” Suddenly, I heard a voice calling me from the side. I look up to see Audrey with several servants in tow. Even if it is a rear palace – so to speak, her own home – the Empress always walks around with a large number of eunuchs and servants in tow. The reason for this is to avoid inconveniencing the Empress, to protect her by shielding herself in case of trouble, and to give her a slight feeling of security. Those reasons are many and overlapping, and Empresses are the ones who always have such useless ranks with them. Incidentally, it is similar for Emperors, but in the Empire, which is a ‘land of warriors,’ the active Emperors often go off on their own to show off their power, like going incognito or similar. Audrey waved her hand. And the servants bowed deeply and everyone left the room. Audrey, who remained behind, climbed onto the bed and leaned over me. “What are you doing, Your Majesty?” “I was making a potion.” “Potion ...... that thing you gave to Jessica?” “Yeah.” “You devised it, I believe. Huh?” Audrey tilts her head as she’s about to say. “What is it?” “I know that Your Majesty devised it, but why are you making it again? I hear that you are using Almeria’s land for mass production.” “Good question. It’s because I’m not satisfied with the potions I’m making now.” “Not satisfied?” I nodded. “The current potion only cures minor injuries. It is not effective enough for use on the battlefield. I am working on something more effective.” “I see. Is it possible?” “It’s already in the works.” “Already?” I picked up the small bottle on the side table next to the bed and handed it to Audrey. “This is the latest product. I’ve named it High Potion, just for the sake of clarity.” “High Potion ......” “Watch.” I pulled the Demon sword Livyathan from the bracelet. In the residence at night, the tip of the magic sword towing a beautifully shining light blue light, I thrust the tip of the sword into the palm of my hand – it penetrated. “Your Majesty! “Don’t make a fuss.” I pulled out Leviathan and returned it to the bracelet. On the other hand, I sprinkled the high potion on the palm that had been pierced. Then, in a flash, the wound that had pierced through was closed and completely disappeared. “It goes something like this.” “Wow. ......” “With this, the wound is instantly closed .......but” “If the body is missing–for example, a finger is torn off or the arm is cut off–. That kind of physical injury would only lead it to seal the wound.” “So, ......, the arm will still be missing, right” “That’s right. Well, it’s more effective than potions, so that’s good.” “It’s amazing, Your Majesty.” I looked at Audrey. Audrey was staring at me with sparkling, moving eyes like an excited young girl. “I couldn’t believe you could make something this amazing.” ‘It’s an extension of the potion. It’s not perfect yet, I try to make this and it can turn out to be something else entirely.” “Still, it’s amazing. Recovery magic and restorative potions have only existed in ancient lore for hundreds of years. To not only revive it, but to further improve upon it.” “Fumu.” “I ...... feel like I’m witnessing a moment that will change history. It’s amazing, Your Majesty!” It is as if a village girl met a famous bard, and she is staring at me with % admiration. It’s not a bad feeling to be told that much. “Ah” “Um, ...... Your Majesty. I have a favor to ask of Your Majesty ......” Audrey backed away from me a little, fidgeted, and said shyly, “What, is there something you want? Is it about time to get a detached palace?” “No, it’s not that. I want you to deliver that ...... high potion to Jessica.” I was a little surprised. Audrey’s “begging” came from a direction I hadn’t expected. “For Jessica?” “Yes. I think she’s the one who needs it now.” “You care for her?” “I’d be happy if we could be like ‘sisters,’ women who serve His Majesty together.”[TN: She’s the one who’s into incest kink] “And since Your Majesty went to the trouble of giving her a trial, we must take good care of her.” “Is it really so unusual for me to give her a trial?” I smiled and said jokingly, “Yes, very much.” Audrey giggled as well and said firmly. “Your Majesty does most things himself.” Audrey reached out and touched my hand. The wound was sealed with a high potion, but there was still blood diluted with the liquid. She scraped up some of the blood with her finger and held it up for me to see. “There are many things you do without regard for your own danger or pain. It is unusual for such a sovereign to go to the trouble of putting others through such ordeals.” I thought Audrey might be right. “So, please give Jessica a high potion.” “I understand what you’re saying. But that won’t be a problem, ’cause I’ve already had it delivered to her.” “Eh?” “I had the first batch delivered right away. I had someone else hold it for her so she wouldn’t get it, but I made sure it will be close to her.” “Why did you do that?” “How does Audrey feel about me developing a high potion after the potion?” “Eh? That’s .......” Audrey was puzzled when the question was returned with a question, but she still twisted her head around to answer. “I think it’s amazing and fast.” “That’s right. If Jessica has that mindset, she will lose her composure. One is that if you have a high potion, you can get a little hurt. The second is that in a little while, there will be more than a high potion. That’s what I mean.” “Ah, .......” “She will be protected, so that there will be no slackness, from the shadows.” “I see. ...... As expected of you, Your Majesty. I can’t believe you thought that far ahead.” Audrey gazed at me with even more sparkling eyes. The next day, in the study of the detached palace. Jean Brad Reydouk, the First Vizier, was in front of me. Jean knelt down on one knee and bowed his head with great skill. “Be at ease. How is the investigation going?” “Yes. As His Majesty’s order, I had them secretly investigate for regenerative dragon veins in various places.” “Umu.” “The Geraha Desert proved to be the most promising.” “Geraha Desert, ......, Salaruria huh.” Salaruria province. It is the largest province in the southeastern part of the Empire. The reason for its large area is that it is a frontier, it has no significant industry and a small population, and the desert accounts for more than half of its total area, to begin with. “Salaruria is ...... a frontier land of the Margrave Gerdt, right?” “Yes. It is a land too ‘good’ for the Empire, so it was forced upon one of the Margrave. “Give another land to Gerdt. In exchange, Salaruria will be placed under the direct control of the Emperor.” “Why do you go to such lengths? Isn’t Almeria enough for the Dragon Vein ......?” Jean asked me, choosing his words carefully. I had expected that question. I took a small bottle that I had prepared and put a drop of liquid from the bottle on the lantern on my desk. Then the lantern began to glow. It was not the light from a flame, but something brighter, more like daytime light. “T-This is!?” Jean, amazed, catches on to the lantern’s light. “It’s a potion ......, well, a failure.” “A failure?” “Whenever I try to make a potion with my own power, sometimes I end up with something completely unexpected.” I mentioned this briefly to Audrey yesterday, but she didn’t seem interested in it. “One of them is this. It glows after a while when it touches the air.” “In the air .......” “One drop of that will last you all night.” “Haa!” Jean stares at the lantern, even more astonished. “The magic power from the dragon’s veins can create potions, but if we change the direction of that power, we can create something else. I felt that there are infinite possibilities there.” “I see. That’s why the dragon’s vein.” “Yeah, for that I made Saraluria under the direct control of the Emperor.” “......” Jean stared at the lantern for a while as if he were immersed in it, and then, “Fuu,......,” he said, putting it down and straightening himself up. “Even this kind of thing...... is as expected from His Majesty’s.” After saying this, Jean returned to a serious expression – an expression befitting a first Vizier. “I’ll make haste with the Saraluria matter. And the restoration of the dragon’s vein.” “Yes, it will be a test for the future. You can use as much of the budget as you can.” “Understood.” Jean gave a final bow and left the study. Drops of magic power like this, produced using the dragon vein. It has the potential to change people’s lives. I was secretly convinced.

Because I thought there would be more secret talks from now on, I moved to a type of inn that rents out a separate house from last night. The inn had a large garden, and in the morning I woke up and stood in the garden. The morning sun was gently rising and morning dew was dripping from the trees. The trees were blown by the wind, and a single fallen leaf fluttered down. As it was falling in front of me, I raised my hand and tapped it with my fingers like knocking on a door. Poof! There was a small crunching sound, and the fallen leaves shattered into pieces in mid-air. The fallen leaves were literally shattered, as if they were dead leaves, even though they were supposed to contain moisture. “A-awesome .......” From behind me, I heard Zoe’s voice. She had returned from outside and was marveling with her eyes wide open, having seen what I had done. “Was this .......Master’s power now?” “Yeah.” “That’s so ...... huh?” “What’s wrong?” I asked back, but Zoe didn’t answer, on the contrary, she muttered to herself. “Leviathan-sama, Bahamut-sama, Behemoth-sama, Fuwawa-sama, Apophis-sama, Ziz-sama, .......” She counted as she muttered the names of the powerful magical tools in my possession. Zoey, however, looked increasingly puzzled after she had muttered all of them. “So, whose power was that?” “Yeah, I see. You’ve been by my side all these years, so you had some idea of everyone’s power.” “Yes.” “Just as you wondered, it wasn’t any of them.” “Eh?” “It was my own power. I came here to find out about the salt tax, and while I’m here nurture Zoe as well. I can’t talk about me thinking like that if I’m not improving at all. My current status and my experience so far combined. I spent a night thinking about what I could do, which led me to my present attack. It’s easy to swing out an attack with force. However, I got the idea from the fact that clapping your hands makes a better sound if you focus on the momentary impact rather than just hitting them, and I tried a strike that concentrates on the surface – or rather, on the point. As a result, I created a technique that shatters fallen leaves fluttering in the air. “Just by yourself,...... I knew Master was awesome.............” “More importantly, have you talked to the guys?” “Eh? Yeah......” Zoe glanced around uneasily as she said this. “Don’t worry, Ziz’s power controls the wind around us.” “Wind?” ” Air is what transmits the sound. I manipulated the wind so that the sound would not leak outside. If it’s indoors, it can travel through walls, but in the garden, it’s fine.” “I see. Then I will report to His Majesty.” “Umu.” “When I told them that I had used the , reens I had received to bribe Kate, they were very surprised. So I asked for more money and they gave it to me.” “How much?” “Eh?” “How much did they give you?” “The same amount, ,000 reens.” As I smiled a little, Zoe tilted her head curiously. “What is it, Your Majesty?” “If someone like Zoe came to my door, I would pay at least twice as much, or even ten times as much. It’s a classic example of a strike when the iron is hot.” “It just seemed odd to me that it was the same amount.” “Umm, ...... you mean?” I smiled again at Zoe, who was still not quite sure what to think. “Even though someone came in with that kind of money to spend, they only offered the same amount. At best, he’s a B-grade, or at best, an A-grade, even if he has the advantage of being in the area. He’s not stupid, but he’s not great either.” Explaining it in terms of status and comparing it to the “+”. “I see! I suppose you could say that.” Zoe nodded with a knowing look on her face. “After informing them of His Majesty’s response. The other side was divided on whether to go on as is or change their approach. Even I could tell, there was a hesitation, and not a good one.” “And they’ve been asking me what His Majesty prefers.” “My preference, huh. What did you say?” “Humans – especially gifted women.” It is almost a hundred-point answer. No lie, considering what I have been doing, that answer is true enough. But it is also very limited. “Well done, Zoe.” “Thank you very much!” Zoe broke into a happy smile. “Then I wonder if they will send someone like Evelyn-san.” A woman of talent. From Zoe’s point of view, it would be reminiscent of Evelyn, a senior maid and a rising member of the Thirteenth Household, who has now risen to the rank of Governor. But, “That would be overrating them.” “Really?” “A B-grade person would send in a skilled prostitute or an entertainer, at best, with information such as that.” “Haah, ...... I see. ......” Well, we’ll see. “Well, now that we know how they’re coming out. Let’s go out today and pretend to investigate, and wait for their contact. I’m sure they’ll try to get some ‘gifted girl’ close to me.” “Yes! I will prepare for it!” Zoe nodded, ran inside the inn, and prepared to leave. Out on the town, it was another slow day. The city was so empty of life and goods that it was hard to imagine that six horse-drawn carriages could stand side by side at the same time on the street. As Zoe had told me, it seems that the city is continuing with the guise of a recession, which is almost overdone. I wonder how much money they are holding on to at all. At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if the other side says boldly, “There’s nothing we can’t do in this city.” That’s how much they are creating a situation. “Master,......, this means ...... that people are forced to live a different life than usual, doesn’t it?” “I still can’t believe ...... that people are following it.” “I guess the guilds, or the associations, must be very powerful. Well, they have money, of course, they do.” “Is that so?” “Yeah. You know about the ‘separate house’ that the Princes have?” “Eh? Umm, ...... you mean the ‘village’ as we call it?” “That’s half incorrect.” I giggled. “It’s just a ‘separate house,’ away from the capital. Just that, it is usually the same size as a village or a city.” “Ah, yes.” His Majesty the Emperor and other members of the royal family often have their own towns and villages called villas or residences. The thousands of people who live in these villas are the servants of the royal family. “In the villa, if the main royal family says it is black, it is black, and if they say the sun rises in the west, they are right. If the villa is inspected, some members of the royal family will order the villa to refrain from various activities during that period, won’t they? It’s the same thing, only on an exasperatingly large scale.” Zoe gulped, swallowed her saliva, and looked around. It wasn’t on the level of ” slightly bigger” in scale, but she understood it metaphorically, and that seemed to give her a small taste of the power that the salt merchants had. “Mm?” “What is it, Master?” “Over there, the ‘business’ is looking good.” I pointed to the end of the main street. The city had deliberately created a false image of recession to deceive my eyes, but that one corner was as bustling and lively as the night I entered the city. As I approached there, with Zoe in tow, I could hear the conversations of the people of the city. “There’s an amazing songstress from the capital over at that store over there.” “A songstress from the capital?” “Yes, I’ve already heard the song, and it was great. It’s something you’ll remember for the rest of your life.” “Is it really that great?” Overhearing the conversation of passersby, who were paying attention here, I exchanged glances with Zoe. This is it. We nodded to each other, and from the fragments of conversation we heard, we headed toward the store where the songstress or whoever she was was. “As expected of you, Master, you were right!” Zoey was very excited that my prediction came true. Shortly thereafter, she-no I was surprised as well. As we walked to the front of the restaurant, we heard a familiar singing voice. “This is ...... Alice-san ......?” The singing voice coming faintly from inside the store was definitely Alice’s.

“Noah-sama” I borrowed a couch a short distance away, sat down and waited, when Shirley came over, bowed, and reported. “That man has died, sir.” “All right.” “And there are some police officers on their way. They must have heard the commotion, but when they heard that Noah-sama was there, they seemed troubled from afar.” “Maybe.” A police officer is commonly called a “policeman”.[警吏(Keiri) = Police Officer and おまわりさん(Omawarisan) = Policeman and yes kanji for the guard(警備員) is different] This comes from the word “mawaru” meaning to visit several places in order to maintain public order.[TN: Here まわる(Mawaru)=’ to turn/to visit several places’ is used, while まわり(mawari) means circumference or rotation which may differ on Kanji Used] The Police officers in the capital are, of course, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice. “Go get them.” “Yes, sir.” Shirley bowed again and went to deliver my order. A few moments later, two young police officers arrived. Both of them were in a hurry, and when they got in front of me, their legs got tangled and they rolled over and knelt down to me. “Y-Yo-Your Highness, we didn’t know you were here.” “We are extremely sorry!” The two of them looked terrified. They didn’t have any manners at all, but I let them pass. “If there are two of you, that’s just fine. One of you – you over there, you’re going to clean up that body. If he has a family, have them take him in. If not, have him cremated immediately.” “And you, go to the Ministry of the Imperial Household. Report and record that Daren, the First Prince Retainer, has been punished under the Imperial Household Law for disrespecting the Thirteenth Prince.” “Understood, sir.” “Go.” The two of them ran off in delight. They misunderstood that I was definitely offended and were relieved that I hadn’t taken my anger out on them. Shirley came back, replacing them. “What do we do now, Noah-sama?” “Go get one of those handcuffs.” “That’s all very well, but ...... why?” Shirley tilted her head curiously. She carried out my orders and kept whipping Daren until he was dead. Because she actually did it and made sure that Darren died, why handcuff him now? It’s natural to have this question. “They’re for me, so I’ll just use the kids’ ones.” “Ehh ......?” Shirley was even more surprised and puzzled. The First Prince’s residence is located on the perimeter of the royal palace, the same as my own. I took Shirley there, not in a carriage, but on foot. On my hands are the handcuffs that Shirley procured for me. With the handcuffs on, I approached the gatekeeper. “Hello there, Your Highness the thirt—eh?” He knew my face and almost smiled to show his respect, but when he saw that I was handcuffed, he became speechless. “Uhmm...... what is this...” “I’m here to apologize to my brother. Can you please report this?” “Ehh? Ah, sure! One moment, please.” Although the situation was far beyond the capacity of a simple gatekeeper, he did what he thought was best. He made me wait there and then went inside the residence to make a report. A few moments later, an elderly man appeared from inside the compound. His name is Coyle, and he has been working as a butler at the First Prince’s residence for a long time.[TN: コイル = Coil, changed it to Coyle] “Long time no see, Your Highness.” “I’m sorry to barge in on you like this. Is my brother at home?” “Gilbert-sama is waiting inside. Please come in.” Unlike the gatekeepers, as expected of a man who has worked as a butler at the First Prince’s residence for many years, he was completely unfazed when he saw that I had come in handcuffs. Led by Coyle, I entered the First Prince’s residence with Shirley, who was still fidgety, in tow. We were led into a room with gorgeous furnishings. It was the highest-grade room in the parlor, with several priceless gifts from His Majesty that could be seen at a glance. Inside the room, Gilbert was looking out the window, but when I entered the room, he turned around and came over to me. “Oh, good to see you, Noah. Hmm? What’s with the handcuffs, is this some kind of new game?” Gilbert looked at my handcuffs and asked with a carefree smile on his face. “I’ve come to apologize to you, brother.” “Apology? All of a sudden” “I have just disposed of Daren, Brother’s Retainer. I want to apologize for what I did without consulting you.” After I said that, I gave a brief explanation of what had happened on Cobalt Street. “That’s a given. He deserves to die for being a Retainer and talking down to the Prince. But–“ Gilbert picked his chin and looked up at the ceiling, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Daren......Daren......Hmm, I don’t remember.” Coyle, the butler who had been showing us around, opened his mouth. “This is the name of the man who was transferred from this residence to the Ministry of the Imperial Household a few years ago.” “Ah!” Gilbert clapped his hands. “I remember now, that’s him. You don’t have to worry about him.” Gilbert smirked. “I had to fire him for misbehaving. That’s why he’s not much of a Retainer. Don’t worry about it, Noah.” ...... Oh, I see, so that’s what happened. “Thank you very much.” I immediately bowed my head. “You’ve done rather well, Noah. If I had let him get away with it, he would have continued to misbehave under my name. I’d rather thank you for defending my honor.” With that, Gilbert squared his chin at Coyle, took the key, and uncuffed me himself. “You’re still amazing. His Majesty has appointed you Minister of Justice – the guardian of the law. Normally, you wouldn’t go so far as to get yourself punished .” “Thank you very much, brother.” While taking advantage of Gilbert’s story, which I wanted to put it that way, we made some appropriate small talk and then left the First Prince’s residence. After leaving the mansion, Shirley and I walked around the royal palace. “Um ...... Noah-sama.” Shirley, who had been looking as if she had been pinched by a fox ever since I handcuffed myself, boldly asked me. “What was that about?” “What do you mean?” “Something ......, um, ...... something .......” Shirley tilted her head, desperately trying to find the words. However, she can’t seem to find the right words, so she grunted. “Did you find my brother’s attitude strange?” “That’s it! But I don’t know what’s so strange about it. ......” “He was furious.” “Eh? But he seemed so calm.” “He’s furious, but he’s not going to be hostile with me just over one of his Retainer. We’re both Princes, and I’m also the Minister of Justice. My patronage is greater than my brother’s now.” “Hah. ......” “And I went there to apologize, myself. His younger brother was the first to tell him he had done something wrong. As the eldest child, you must show some maturity. You know that, right?” “Ah, yes! I understand! That’s right, he can’t get angry if you apologize first. I see. ......amazing.” Shirley rolled her tongue in admiration. “And there’s one more thing.” “If we leave this matter open-ended, my brother will harass me later. It’s almost as if we’re enemies.” “Yes.” “But I came to apologize, and he had to forgive me. And a nobleman has a face. It’s shameful to retract something once you’ve said it.” “Thinking that far ...... awesome .......” Seeing Shirley’s admiration, I smiled. Well, I didn’t have to go this far, but I guess you can never be too careful. The next day, after finishing my work at the Ministry of Justice, I came home in the early afternoon to find Dylan, my butler, greeting me at the door. “What’s up, Dylan?” “You have a visitor, sir.” “A visitor?” “Yes, he’s from the Ministry of Imperial Household. Please come in and see him in the parlor.” “...... Okay.” I walked to the parlor where the man had been sent. As soon as I entered, the seated man stood up as if he had been jolted and bowed to me on one knee. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. My name is Don Oates.”[Don Oats, why OATS] With a slight tug of my chin, I walked over to the sofa and sat down. “You may sit down.” “Thank you.” Don gets up and sits back down on the edge of the couch where he was sitting before in a reserved manner. “I wanted to talk to you about yesterday.” “I was impressed by His Highness Thirteen’s treatment. I would like to come under Your Highness!” “You want to join me?” “Yes! By all means.” “All right. But I’m the Minister of Justice, it’s hard to get you promoted in the Ministry of the Imperial Household.” “No problem at all! Your Highness can use me when he needs me!” “All right. I’ll keep that in mind.” “Thank you, sir!” Don bowed his head happily. After watching him leave through the window, I called Dylan. “Find out what you can about the man. And be careful.” Without asking why Dylan took my order and left the room. The next day. I woke up in the morning and had the maids wash my face, brush my teeth, and set my hair as usual when Dylan came to me. “I have something to report. We found out some details about this Don.” “It seems to have been cleverly concealed, but both his parents are servants of His Highness the First.” “He’s quite committed.” Sometimes, noblemen let their servants marry each other. The house of the aristocracy, especially the Prince, is very strict, and you cannot stop if you want to, and since you are in contact with the Prince on a regular basis, you are restricted from socializing in order to maintain secrecy. That’s why they often arrange marriages between their servants. And, as a matter of course, children born to servants also swear allegiance to their masters. That is what it means to be a servant of the nobility. “Perhaps His Highness the First sent him to be his spy.” “I suppose. Do not let anyone find out that you know that. If he being a spy is known, he can be used in a certain way.” “Hah” Dylan paused for a breath and said in a different tone than when he was reporting. “You’ve got a great eye for seeing through a person with just one glance.” Eyesight, huh—-or rather it’s the sight in front of my eye. It’s a status that’s always in the corner of my vision. Even when I allowed Don, the “+” didn’t increase at all. It was so obvious that he was not working for me in my heart.

I left the restaurant with Byron immersed in the lingering effects of the song. I got an unexpected satisfaction from Alice’s evolution. She grew! I knew it would happen sometime, but I didn’t expect it to be this fast. It was a happy miscalculation. While savoring the lingering effects, I asked Byron, who had followed me. “So, what are you doing here?” “I was just passing by and saw His Highness.” “You’re lying.” “Eh?” Byron was surprised, I turned around with a smile as I walked and looked up at the merchant I had just met. “A merchant wouldn’t waste his time, especially if he’s a successful merchant.” “......” This time it was Byron who was exclaiming in a different way. He stared at me with his eyes wide as if his eyeballs were about to pop out. “What’s the matter,” “No, I’m surprised that at your age ...... and a nobleman, you understand merchants so well.” “Me, on the other hand, it’s kind of my job to waste time.” “Your Highness.” I smiled at him, and glanced behind me. The shop where Alice is located is slowly moving away from me. Her patronage comes from a peculiar aristocratic habit. To put it bluntly, it’s a form of debauchery, and debauchery also means enjoying the waste. “If you’re a merchant, you wouldn’t be raising them like that.” “No. ...... Oh, well,” “What were you about to say?” “Eh, its ......” Byron stammered on in an awkward tone, but eventually gave up and replied. “Some people would spend money or time to find a mistress.” He remembered that I’m six years old, so he interrupted before speaking. “So?” “Yes, I would like to ask Your Highness to do me a favor ...... I’m sure you know that it’s time to hire some servants at the Royal Palace this year.” “Hmm.” Byron is right. Once a year, the royal palace hires a large number of female servants in bulk. Although nominally it’s a recruitment of servants, if someone catches the eye of His Majesty, they are ordered to work the night shift and have the chance to become a concubine, etc. That’s why the selection criteria are so strict, and the number of people who apply is high, making every year a tight squeeze. “What’s the matter with that?” “Well, you know what they tend to do, you know?” “You want to send someone to the palace.” “......” Byron nodded with a straight face. The “government” and the ” business” have been inseparable from each other since ancient times. If a person in the palace who is in charge of the situation is in the palace, he or she will be able to get information as soon as possible, and if she becomes a queen or even an empress, it will be a great advantage for business. This is what Byron wants to do. “Of course, I won’t ask for free. I have already sent my sentiments to the mansion.” Paying it forward, or don’t do it. It would be second-rate to say “When we succeed–” here. So, what to do? As long as I take my share, I don’t mind. I’m the prince, the emperor’s son. As a prince, I can take a merchant’s gift with a simple “well done” and be done with it. That’s the status of a prince. But I like this man. That girl he found and adopted. So I like this man, Byron, for doing it. So I started thinking about what we could do. Suddenly, two faces popped into my head. One is Alice, whom I just parted with, and the other one is the Emperor in the palace. His Majesty is very fond of me now, and if I recommend him, he will readily accept my recommendation. “There is one. “...... I can put my recommendation on, it if she’s the kind of girl I like.” After I said that, I glanced behind me – in the direction of where Alice was. It wasn’t unconditional, I could feel that she really was someone I liked. Byron was apparently smart. After alternating between me and the store where Alice was, he bowed his head in great delight. “Thank you! I’ll choose a girl who fits the bill.” “Yeah. Well, you’ve got one shot at the real thing, but I can give you as many tries as you want to qualify.” I would add, lest I be misunderstood by the ingratitude and no-goodness. “For your generosity, my lord, thank you! “Hmm ...... you still look like you have something to say.” I read it in Byron’s face as he raised his head. “I can see that look of determination on your face, and I can tell.” “Your Highness the Thirteenth, I’m honored by your wisdom.” “Start talking.” “Yes, ......, if you would allow me to put His Highness’ insignia on my board.” This is amazing. Putting my insignia on the board. Which means he’s going to be completely under my command. “You sure?” “Yes! It’s only been a short time since we’ve met, but having seen firsthand what a great man His Highness has been, I hope to be allowed to join your command.” “Yeah, then okay.” “The only thing I won’t tolerate is betrayal.” “Thank you very much!” Byron got down on one knee to me in spite of the fact that we were on the street. At that moment. Name: Noah Ararat The th prince of the Ararat Empire Gender: Male With Byron under my command, I had a “+” in both intelligence and spirit. At night, I look at the status in my room. I was looking at the statuses that had been raised due to Byron becoming a subordinate. It was about time I filled in the whole thing. If I hadn’t blown up that grimoire, I would have gotten a “+” on the wind, but well, it wouldn’t matter if I said that now. Just to be sure, I called a servant to call up my ” public ” status as well. Name: Noah Ararat Gender: Male HPFMPFStrengthEStaminaEIntelligenceE SpiritESpeedFDexterityELuckE FireFWaterSSSWindFEarthFLight FDarknessF It reflects well on this side too. I was satisfied with this. There will be more to come. I am the emperor’s son, the 13th prince. It is difficult for me not to have more people in my position. And the more people who are underneath, the more “+” minutes they have, and their actual abilities will increase. The fact that it will actually go up as well is proven by the fact that I made Leviathan a loyal dog. I’ll just continue to stay a nobleman and increase the number of subordinates and I’ll get stronger and stronger. The future I imagine is bright and I’m satisfied. But something strange happens. “–!” I stood up quickly as if I was being bounced. The status I’m looking at now has changed. The 13th prince of the Ararat Empire Level: 1 / ∞ HPFMPFStrengthF+FStaminaF+FIntelligenceF+FSpiritF+FSpeedFDexterityF+FLuckF+F FireFWaterE+S WindFEarthFLight FDarknessF The one at Water has decreased. It was SS right before and now it’s S. What happened? The “+” is a correction for the subordinates, and the water SS was attached to me when I brought Leviathan to his knees, and the S was attached to me the moment His Majesty declared Almeria to be my enclosure right after I was born. In other words – an anomaly(incident) in Almeria. What’s more, it’s an incident that makes me out of my control. I ran out. “Master,” As I ran out of the room, the maid who was waiting in the hallway was startled and followed me. “Is something wrong, master?” “Get the carriage ready, we’re going to the palace.” Yes! The Maid wasn’t in position to ask, “Why?” , she hastily obeyed my orders and prepared a carriage. It was night, and in spite of the fact that I had come out of the blue to visit him, His Majesty met with me. In His Majesty’s study, which is the size of a library, I got down on one knee and reported to His Majesty. “Something is happening to Almeria, Your Majesty.” “...... How do you know?” What is this reaction of His Majesty? It’s as if– “Did you know about this?” “Not until I got indications.” “So,” I looked up from my position on one knee. “There should some anomaly that happened,” His Majesty raised his eyebrows and stared at me. A few moments later, His Majesty’s confidant, Eunuch Cruz, came in and spoke something to His Majesty in his ear. “I see. All right.” His Majesty nodded, and Cruz bent down and left the study. His Majesty sighed one sigh, then looked at me. ‘”Amazing, Noah,” His Majesty nodded. “There’s been a revolt in Almeria.”

I looked at Henry, who was amazed and was lost in thought for a moment. It was understandable what Henry meant when he said, “The flow of war would change”. “The war was more trouble with wounded soldiers, I suppose.” “Yes. We need more men to care for the wounded and treat them.” “Fuu, death in battle would have been much better.”[TN: Don’t wanna say bad about MC, but wtf man] Henry silently bowed his head. Of course, the fewer the deaths, the better. However, in the short term, the dead are less of a burden on the army than wounded soldiers. “As expected of Your Majesty. I only realized this a month after I entered the Ministry of War.” “If this potion that can heal minor wounds in an instant could be mass-produced,......, how much would it increase our military strength?” “...... even estimating lightly, three times as much.” Henry thought about it for a moment and stated simply. I wonder if it will go up that much....... No, I guess it will. So Henry was not joking when he said “The flow of the war will change.”. I thought for a moment and turned to Jessica first. “Jessica.” “Take it with you, and keep it. Empire law states that front-line generals may not be transferred for personal reasons under any circumstances. The Empire is a ‘nation of warriors,’ and that must not change under any circumstances. “...... yes.” Jessica looked even more serious as she realized I was ‘about to say something’. “You are my concubine, and whatever pretense you make, it will be for private reasons. It can only be seen as such. In other words,” “The next time you return, it will either be in triumph or in defeat.” Another possibility is to return as a corpse— but I left it out. “Obviously, I want a triumphant return.” “—Yes!” “Do you get it?” “Eh?” Jessica nodded enthusiastically, but then she paused. “The Empire is a nation of warriors, so changing the system to appoint you, a concubine, as a general will be acceptable. But, normally, it would not be so. But it did—-why,” “......” Jessica looked at me with a serious expression and held her breath. “I changed it for you because I thought you can do it.” “—-!” Jessica’s demeanor changed as I looked at her. She was already a fantastic woman, but now she was even more so. My eyes were not mistaken. Jessica left the room once to form her immediate unit, leaving just Henry and me there. Henry stared at the door she had left and exhaled, “Oh, ....... “That’s amazing.” “Hmm?” “In just that moment when she received His Majesty’s words, she became stronger that I felt as if she had been training somewhere for a year. No ordinary human being can have that kind of fighting spirit.” “She had it right from the start. As I told her, that is why I changed the system.” “Your Majesty’s grasp of people’s hearts and minds is indeed impressive.” “That said, ...... going back to our conversation, we need to find a way to mass produce the potions.” Henry nodded with a serious look. “I wish I had remained completely ignorant of it, but now that I know it exists, ......” “Umu.” I stroked my chin and thought for a moment. “You are certain that potions have existed throughout history, correct?” Henry nodded profoundly. I had known about recovery magic, but I had never heard of potions until Henry told me. But since Henry was so sure, he must have read about it in a book. “Any clues as to how to make it?” “Maybe. If there were, one would have tried to reproduce it by now.” “Yes. It is worth studying, even with the Empire’s annual budget. If only we had a clue.” “It’s truly that much worth.” Henry said, “even estimating lightly, three times as much”. For the Empire, land of warriors and constant conquerors, this was more important than anything else. Henry mentioned the annual budget, but it is worth having the research done even if it means tilting the whole nation. In history, there have been countless Emperors who have ruined themselves and their nations in the pursuit of immortality. The potion is something that the Empire needs as much as, if not more than, that. “But if there are no clues at all, there’s no way to do it.” “Yes. ......” “Even though the royal library numbers in the tens of thousands. ......” Henry quietly shook his head. I see. Speaking of the royal library, it has the most important collection of knowledge that exists in this land. But it is still not there. ............. Well, if there were, we would have reproduced it by now. There is no clue. That’s the usual case. I had one thing in mind. “Henry, you know about Livyathan, right?” “Huh ...... His Majesty’s magic sword?” Henry asked cautiously. Livyathan – originally Leviathan. Henry was there when the Crown Prince brought it. Come to think of it, we’ve known each other for a long time. Knowing that Leviathan had become Livyahtan led to a discreet response. “No, not that way. Do you know anything else?” “............,–!” After tilting his head in thought, Henry hastened to ask, “The Silver Age?” “Yes, Livyathan, one of the Four Sages from the Silver Age.” “Don’t tell me!? I gave a small nod. I have not heard it directly, but I am sure of it. The mysterious voice –that I heard before in a dream-like place. Luthiya is Bahamut. And Leviathan is Livyathan. After being convinced of each, I became more and more certain. Livyathan, one of the Four Sages, is this Livyathan. This led to another fact. “Livyathan.” I raised my hand and called out Livyathan. The humanoid, non-human Livyathan appeared and knelt down before me. “You wished to see me, my Lord?” “Answer me, were you around when recovery magic existed?” “Yes, I was aiding the Emperor of the time.” “Ohh, .......” Henry marveled. He was smart and understood immediately. There wasn’t any information on recovery magic and potions in any books. I instantly understood that it existed in the mind of the ‘living witness’ in front of me. “Amazing .......” Henry looked at me with a look of deep respect as I retrieved the lost knowledge. “You know about potions, too.” “Tell me.” “There is a magic channel in the earth called the ‘Dragon Vein’.” “Dragon veins.” I mumbled in return and rolled it on my tongue. It’s a word I’ve never heard before. I look at Henry and ask, “You got something” Henry comes back to himself and shakes his head. Then I asked Livyathan again. “What is this dragon vein?” “A river of magic power, so to speak. Starting as a small stream, it becomes a tributary and joins the mainstream, which eventually leads to the great ocean.” “...... is the magic power that gathers and condenses and materializes?” “As expected of my Lord. That is as you say.” I carefully considered what Livyathan had said. “In short, the dragon veins no longer exist?” “Yes. All but one of the veins have been cut off and exhausted.” “One? You mean it’s still there? “It’s more like it’s regenerated.” “Where?” “Almeria, capital Nisir.” “.....Eh?” It was completely unexpected. I had expected to see the names of more remote and sacred places, but unexpectedly, I found familiar names. I had lived and ruled there for a time. “Dragon veins are the lifeline of the earth. Life is water.” “Water.” “That land was also ruined, but it has been regenerating in recent years.” “Water ...... regeneration ......?” I stroked my chin and thought. Then, Henry came up from the side. “Maybe it’s because His Majesty has built a special waterway?” Livyathan nodded quietly. “......” I was surprised by something unusual and completely unexpected. “Amazing, as expected of His Majesty.” Meanwhile, Henry was marveling even more.

After wiping out the lizards, I checked my status while watching the revitalization of the dragon vein. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Emperor of the Empire Gender: Male Level: + /∞ It hadn’t changed at all from before the fight. There was some possibility that my level might have gone up because I wiped out the demons, but it didn’t. Well, that’s what I thought it would be. My level cap is (somehow) ∞, but most of the world is under . In other words, even at this stage, I am at a fairly high level for a human being. It’s not surprising that it won’t go up in just one fight. If it doesn’t raise, it doesn’t raise, and there is nothing to be gained by begging for something you don’t have.[TN: Cannon Event] I looked at my status and saw Bahamut and the others activating the Dragon Vein again. The land – the desert was beginning to glow faintly. It was dimly shining with a light as faint as moonlight. The light was flowing toward the activated center point, like a river flowing from a tributary to the mainstream. At the same time, I feel a dense surge of magical power that I cannot normally feel. That alone was enough to tell me that it was succeeding. “Ugh.......” “My head ...... ouch ......” “Muuh.” Then suddenly, from behind me, I hear the pained voices of Peiyu and Ivy. I turned around to see them both cowering and in agony. “What’s wrong?” “.......” Peiyu looked like she couldn’t even afford to speak, and Ivy somehow managed to squeeze out the word ‘cold’. “Cold?” “Ahhhh, hot ...... hot!” Complete change. Ivy rolled over and complained of the heat. What’s going on– “Ha! That one, huh” With a huff, I turned around to look at the dragon vein. A high concentration of magical power was overflowing from the veins. They were hit by this, huh. “Ziz, give me a hand here.” I said that and withdrew Ziz from the dragon vein. Then I used the Ziz to create wings of light. Wings of light with a pale phosphorescent glow appeared on my back. As they were capable of flying, I spread them out as wide as I could. Spreading the wings to their full extent, I shielded the two people on my back while releasing particles of phosphorescent light. Then– “Not hot ......” “Master!” Peiyu called me, seemingly moved. Looks like she saw and understood the situation. Peiyu gasped a breath later. “So beautiful .......” And she was admiring the wings of light. “...... ha! M-Master. We were ...... “It must have been magic intoxication.” “Intoxicated ...... with magic?” “Yeah. Stay within the wings range.” “Y-yes.” After reminding the two of them, I focused on the dragon vein again. “It was painful just to be there, and yet he could stand there ...... unperturbed.” “Amazing .......” I waited patiently for the dragon vein to activate. A few hours later, I returned to the inn with the two of them. Entering the room, I took out a glass vial from my pocket while letting Ivy, who had become quite good at washing feet in the past while, do it. Inside the bottle was a clear-colored liquid shimmering. “Magic is like ...... water, I see ......” Peiyu marveled at what I was holding. “No, magic power is essentially invisible. It is more like air.” “Eh? But ......” Peiyu, who was amazed, alternately examined my face and the liquid in the vial. “This is condensed magic. The potion I showed you before is also made from this.” “I-Is that so?” “Well, I’ll show you all about it.” I said this and picked up the candlestick in the center of the room, on the table that is also the set of the chair I am sitting on. I removed the candles from the candlestick and put a drop – just a drop – of magic power on it. Then – I lit it. “Wow.” Ivy, who was washing my feet and wiping them with a cloth, was also surprised, stopped, and looked up. “Like this, you can light it and make it into a lamp.” “It’s like oil isn’t it,...... and, very long.” “Yes, it’s much brighter and lasts much longer than wax or oil.” “Not only that–Apophis.” I called out Apophis. Calling Apophis in the form of a wand, and pouring Apophis poison on the candlestick, which had finally burned out. Then, I put another drop of magic power on the candlestick. After the Apophis poison and the magic drop were mixed, I stirred the mixture with a twig-sized stick. Soon, a thin thread-like substance formed from the transparent drop of magic. While stirring in a circular motion, I scooped up the thread. I showed it to Peiyu and Ivy, who had completely stopped working. “I can make something like this.” “Is this ......?” “It’s a kind of thread. It’s not flammable like regular yarn, and it’s impervious to water.” “So you can make clothes that don’t burn easily and don’t get wet in the rain.” I explained the end of the thread to them, who didn’t seem to understand it at the moment. “Wow, that’s amazing! Can you make something like that? They were amazed and marveled. There are many other uses,” he said. We are still exploring them. For the time being, it will most likely be used to make potions. ‘Exploring ...... is what your master is researching? “Wow, you do your own research. I’m not a scholar or anything like that. ...... While receiving the goodwill of the two, I looked again at the drops of magic power I was holding. The Dragon’s Vein activation was successful in condensing the drops of magic power. Also, since Peiyu and Ivy were hit by it, it’s clear that the magic power output by Saraluria’s dragon vein is more highly concentrated and pure than that of Almeria’s. The higher the purity, the better this drop of magic power. Now that the trial extraction was successful, we need to think about a mass production system. That would require a considerable investment. Now, will the treasury have enough ......? At worst, even if we have to requisition it, this is our priority. {My Lord, an emergency has arisen.} “Livyathan? What is this emergency?” I raised my eyebrows and asked Livyathan. It was unusual for Livyathan to say something like this. {The dragon vein has burst.} “What!?” I stood up unintentionally at the unmitigated emergency. Ivy, who was washing my feet, got splashed with water, but it wasn’t important. Leaving the two women behind, I returned to what should have been a successful activation. As the full moon was sinking into the horizon, I saw the Dragon’s veins, broken here and there, leaking out a desperate light. “What is the meaning of this, Leviathan?” “Speak.” {By Your Will ......, the dragon vein in this land has been cut off for many years, and no magic has passed through it.} “Yeah.” {The Lord reconnected it there. But the vein itself had already deteriorated because it had been without magic for so many years.} “......, if a house is left unoccupied, it deteriorates at an accelerated rate, it is just like that, huh.” {The essence is the same.} I nodded. “So you’re saying that you reconnected the battered pipes, but they were already unable to withstand the flow.” “It was fine in Almeria. ...... Ah, no. The purity of the magic here is much better than in Almeria, and if anything, it’s more potent.” Livyathan didn’t answer, but the silent hints conveyed a feeling of agreement and admiration. It’s giving a hint, so to speak. Then, unlike Almeria, it is possible to guess the reason why it happened. “I understand the cause. So what should we do? Is it possible to reconnect them?” {It needs a sacrifice– a human sacrifice.} I thought about it for a while. “Are there any requirements for a person to be sacrificed?” {Only that the human being must be in good health at the moment of the sacrifice.} “Then let’s use a death-row prisoner. There must have been a man who will be executed with his family in succession. In exchange for the family’s life, he would give his life.” {Sasuga my Lord. A decision worthy of the Emperor.} “Any other precautions?” “There should be no impurity. For three days before the sacrifice, he must be cleansed and forbidden to eat. And then...” Leviathan explained everything to me, but beyond that, it was all trivial. A Sacrifice huh....... I don’t care – I can’t say that. Still, the activation of the Dragon’s vein, the magic power drops... If one considers the development of the Empire of the Dawn, which mass-produced them. Even if it was a sinful deed, I thought that the Emperor, I had no other choice but to bear it.

Great Wall of People In the half-destroyed study, the servants and maids were taking care of the mess. There was no point in staying there, so I went out to the garden. I checked my abilities under the starry sky. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Minister of Justice Gender: Male Level: / ∞ HPC+EMPE+EStrengthC+AStaminaD+EIntelligenceE+DSpiritE+DSpeedE+EDexterityE+DLuckE+D FireE+AWaterC+SWindE+FEarthE+DLight E+CDarknessE+C My abilities are completely back to normal. They haven’t increased, nor have they decreased. The problem with the meteorite in my hand seems to be temporary and will return when I defeat the tentacle. I checked the abilities of all five of them just to be sure. Going through the order from the bottom of the ranks from the mock battle I had just before, I finally produced Bahamut’s flame. It was a ball of flame that floated about ten centimeters above my palm, thrusting it upward. The brilliantly shining ball of flame illuminated the entire area around it as brightly as if it were daytime. “Ohh!” I heard a voice of admiration from behind me. When I turned around, Don had returned. “As expected of His Highness, even in that tremendous battle, you were able to hold back your power.” Don was obviously marveling at the “amazing” fireball. “Rather, you caught him?” “Yes, he brought it to Nisir in person, and a servant delivered it to His Highness’s residence. Just .......” “Just?” “When I got there, he looked so happy that he said, ‘I was waiting’. He seemed to be happy as if his reward had come. When I threatened him a little and asked him about it, he just said, ‘I picked up a meteorite and carved letters on it’.” “You mean he was just trying to cheat?” “That’s what I think. Of course, there’s always the possibility that he’s acting, so we’ll keep questioning him.” “All right, then I’ll leave you to it.” “Yes” Don had nothing more to report, so he bowed and left. It was nice to have my abilities back, but there was one mystery left to solve. The Prince who is in a fief is obliged to return to the capital once a year to report to His Majesty on the current state of the fief’s governance. It was that time of year, so I left Nisir and Armeria and came back to the capital where I was born and raised. Instead of returning to the residence of the th Prince in the capital, I made a straight line to visit the Royal Palace. I asked a familiar eunuch for permission to see His Majesty and was immediately ushered into his study. Entering the study, I knelt down on one knee in front of His Majesty in a familiar manner. “Ohh, Noah, huh.” “Your subject, Noah, here to submit my annual report.” “Is that so. Well, I’ve heard more about you. Looks like you defeated quite a monster with just your sword.” His Majesty’s ears are as quick as ever. Even though it was just before I left, he’s already caught on. “As expected of Noah, a Prince of the ‘Warrior Nation’.” His Majesty was in a very good mood. The empire’s official name is the ‘Meeres Empire’, which means “Warrior Nation” in the old language. A Prince of that warrior nation had shown his power in battle. His Majesty is very happy about it. “As the one who was entrusted with not only Almeria but also Ararat by His Majesty, I have not neglected my daily efforts.” “Umu. Keep up your diligence.” “Yes. As for the...” “Ahh, the report. No need for that now.” His Majesty stopped me from giving my report. I tilted my head and looked at him curiously. “There is a diplomatic envoy here, and I need to see him first. Noah should be there.” If it’s a diplomatic matter, it should come first. His Majesty stood up after saying this and left the study. I followed him. Proceeding through the palace, I was brought to a large hall. The basic structure is similar to that of the audience hall, but only His Majesty’s throne is set on a raised platform about two levels high. It’s a room used not for office work, but for diplomatic envoys and other occasions when you want to emphasize your authority. The First and Third Viziers were already standing under the platform and several other officials and clerks. His Majesty slowly ascended the dais, and I stood underneath the dais, next to the Third Vizier. Although we were old acquaintances, we couldn’t greet each other here, so we only exchanged glances. As soon as His Majesty sat down on the throne, he held out his hand, and the eunuch at the gate said in a high-pitched voice: Rushi Tsar? I’ve never heard that name before. Is it different from the Kingdom of Rushi?[TN: You wanna know about this Kingdom of Rus’ルシ’? this may be referring to this kingdom which existed long ago ] As I waited for a while, a man came in from outside. He was a dark-skinned man with a bushy beard. When he reached the designated place, he bowed down on one knee, moving awkwardly on the spot. Then he said something. The words were unfamiliar. “He says it’s an honor to meet you, Your Majesty.” One of the officials in attendance said to the king. I see, a translator. His Majesty nodded humbly, and the man said something more. The translator listened to the end of it and furrowed his brow. “Well, I’m here on behalf of the ...... magnificent, that ...... messenger. I have a ...... request to make it to the greater Emperor.” The translator slurred as he translated. His Majesty glared at the translator. Of course, it was obvious even to the casual observer that the translator was not translating well.[TN: I think I will get along well with that translator] The translator was drenched in sweat from the glare. “First of all, ask him what is the Rushi Tsar?” “Yes!” The translator spoke to the man on one knee. And again, His Majesty’s expression grew uncomfortable. I don’t understand the words, but the man being spoken to is twisting his head and wondering over and over again. It was obvious that the words were not being understood well. “It’s still not working.” Jean Brad Reydouk, the Third Prime Vizier, whispered beside me so that only I could hear. “Do you know anything about it?” “That seems to be a very southern dialect of Rushian. A regular translator would have difficulty.” I nodded. Rushi is the name of the kingdom of Rushi in the north of the empire. Combined with the harshness of the people, and the emphasis on military power, which is no less than that of the Empire, It’s also known as Rakshasa’s Country.[TN: Rakshasha (Sanskrit: राक्षस, rākṣasa) is a supernatural being in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Rakshasas are also called “man-eaters ” (nri-chakshas, kravyads). A female rakshasa is known as a rakshasi. A female rakshasi in human form is a Rakshesha. The terms asura and rakshasa are sometimes used interchangeably.] Naturally, there are a few disputes with the empire, so there are always translators to help with negotiations. As is the case with most translators, they can interpret standard languages, but dialects are difficult. This is not good. His Majesty’s mood is getting worse and worse. I was just thinking If this continues... {Leave it to me.} I heard Bahamut’s voice. (Leave it to you?) {We are beings that transcend humanity and can communicate with all people.} What does that mean? I wondered. {So tell His Majesty. I am here on behalf of the Rushi Tsar to form an alliance with the Empire.} The man’s words, which I hadn’t understood at all before, became clear to me. It was something that sounded like Bahamut’s words or Leviathan’s emotions. In that way, the unknown words I heard reached my head in an understandable way. “I’ll convey it.” When I opened my mouth, both the messenger and the translator were surprised. I turned to his Majesty, looked up at him, and said. “With all due respect, Your Majesty. I’m afraid I must inform you that this man is a representative of Emperor of Rushi and an envoy of the alliance.” Instantly, there was a buzz in the hall. “Do you understand, Noah?” “Yes.” “Ask him what the ...... Rushi Tsar is.” His Majesty thought for a moment and then said to me. I turned to the man. {What is Rushi Tsar? Isn’t it the Kingdom of Rushi?} {We have risen from the tyranny of the Rushians. Our people have already taken control of the lands to the south of the kingdom, adjacent to the Empire. Rushi Tsar is the name of our new country.} I told His Majesty exactly what the man had told me. “Fumu. Impressive, Noah.” His Majesty listened to my translation until the end and then looked at me with admiration. Since it’s ...... His Majesty, I’m sure he already knows what I just told him. No, even if it’s not his Majesty, it’s only natural that someone in the center of national politics would know about it. A neighboring country in a state of sporadic warfare has had a civil war and has become partially independent. This is a major event that any Emperor would be aware of. I, who didn’t know (but should have), translated it correctly. “That’s great, Noah. I need you to continue translating for me.” “What kind of alliance does the Rushi Tsar want with the Empire?” {We have only risen against the tyranny of Rushi. We have no intention of antagonizing the great Meeres Empire. Our only wish is for lasting peace within our borders.} ” And why should we believe that?” {We are prepared to offer our King’s mother and sister as hostages.} Immediately after I translated, the ministers, including the viziers, all shouted in unison, “Oooh!” The man bowed to me. Even if I couldn’t understand the words, I could tell by their reaction that I had translated them correctly. To offer the king’s mother and sister hostages is a big deal. “I understand what you are saying. I will reply after consulting with my chief ministers. You may go back and rest for the rest of the day.” {Thank you for your grace.} The messenger gave a final bow, stood up, and turned around to leave the hall. After the messenger was gone, His Majesty consulted us. “As you have just heard. I would like to hear what you have to say.” The Third Vizier stepped forward and bowed slightly before answering. “I don’t think we should be on board. Even though they have changed their name, they are still from Rushi – the Land of the Rakshaha. We shouldn’t trust them.” The First Vizier countered. “We are not at war with his country. I think we should accept the offer and show him the extent of our empire. If they continue to obey us, so be it, and if they decide to jump up and down in blood, we can beat them down again.” The First Vizier agreed while the Third Vizier disagreed. The other viziers expressed their opinions one after another, centering on these two. After all of that, His Majesty turned to me. “What do you think, Noah?” I thought for a moment. It reminded me about Nisir’s mansion in Armeria. I never imagined that what I planned to do – surrounding the mansion – would lead to a similar situation here. “I’m all for it. In fact, I think we should actively support them.” The ministers were in an uproar. “Calm down. Noah, what is your reason?” “Yes, if you could provide a map.” “Somebody get me a map.” At His Majesty’s command, four eunuchs brought out a map the size of a flag. The map showed the empire and the surrounding countries. I took a pen from the official’s office and drew another line on the map – on the border between the Empire and the Kingdom of Rushi. In the area between the border and the line, I wrote the word “Great Wall.” “I thought it would be best to make the territory of the Rushi Tsar look like this.” “Fumu. So, you mean to divide the Empire from the Kingdom of Lucy?” “Yes. We have a long history of disputes with the Kingdom of Lucy, and despite all the measures we have taken, it has been impossible to eradicate them. In addition, they have never shown any intention of making peace.” “On the other hand, Rushi Tsar wants to join hands with the Empire, even offering the King’s mother and sister as hostages. If that is the case, I think it would be best to use the Rushi Tsar to help create a shield against them.” “...... I see, so it’s not a Stone Castle, but a Great Wall of Country.” I nodded my head clearly. This is what I was going to do in the mansion. There was a time when I was almost assassinated. Some people tried to bribe my maid, Zoe, to poison me. But Zoe, who felt indebted to me, turned the tables on them. In the same way, I wanted to surround the mansion with people who felt indebted to me. I didn’t have enough money this year, so I figured I’d have to wait until next year – but I didn’t expect to run into a similar situation here. “This way, the Kingdom of Rushi won’t be able to touch the Empire without at least knocking out the Rushi Tsar.” Hearing this, His Majesty said. “Umu, great work, Noah. That’s a great idea.” “I think we can do them a favor and give them some additional support. Since the other side has just started a rebellion, they must be short of supplies. Almeria’s Hojoi can provide enough surplus food for a million people.” “Umu! Well said. First Vizier.” “Consult with them in that direction.” “By your command.” My proposal was accepted, and His Majesty as well as the Viziers looked at me with admiration.

On a clear morning, I went out to the garden of the mansion. I stood in front of a banyan tree, a common tree in the Almeria region. The banyan tree is a characteristic plant that has “beard-like” roots hanging down from its trunk. When the whiskers come together and become entangled, they form a new trunk, but because the whiskers are originally thin and thread-like, they look stringy even after they are entangled and hardened, making the tree look like the body of an old man. The banyan tree is called the “long-life tree” or the “hermit tree” because of its whiskers, and this is a tree of good luck. I pulled out my leviathan and slashed at the banyan’s beard as if I were cleaving it. The blade of the demon sword, which was trailing a light blue afterglow, struck the whiskers – it couldn’t be cut. Starting with that, I unleashed a series of slashes. The whiskers, which could be torn off by even a child’s hand, did not seem to be cut by the slashes, no matter how many they were received. Well, I was not trying to cut it. Leviathan has a sword technique inside it, a technique to control the blade line so that even if something can be cut easily, it will not be cut. For a while now, I’ve been practicing it as part of my morning routine. After swinging the leviathan for about half an hour, I put the sword away and took a breath. I look at the ground. Today, not a single whisker had been cut. “As expected, Noah-sama.” I heard a girl’s voice and the sound of applause from behind me. When I turned around, I saw a girl about fifteen years old, like me, coming towards me with Zoe, my maid, in tow. The girl’s name was Audrey. She’s the granddaughter of the Thunder Prince Indra, and she’s my wife. “You have been brilliant today.” “Well, I guess so.” “Until I met Noah-sama, I could never have imagined that this kind of swordsmanship existed in the world. That’s Noah-sama for you. Audrey said and came even closer. Then she stood in front of me. “Would you like some breakfast?” “Sure let’s have it here.” “All right. Zoe.” “Understood.” At Audrey’s command, Zoe, who was now the head maid of the mansion, ran to get ready. Once she retreated into the mansion, she immediately came out with several maids. The maids quickly set up a table and a chair in front of us and laid out a tablecloth and dishes on it. Then the food was brought in. Audrey took the food brought by the maids and placed it in front of me. “Here you go, Noah-sama.” It was a usual morning breakfast, served by Audrey. When a member of the royal family takes a wife, the role of the servants in the house changes drastically. Serving my meal was the job of Audrey and the concubines who would join her in the future. Even Zoe, the head maid, cannot serve me directly when the “lady” is around. Also, unless there’s something wrong, the main and entourage chambers will not eat with me. There are two meanings to this. The first is that the head of the house is the royal family, in this case, me. It’s like the epitome of a Royal Family. That’s why Audrey, my wife, serves me. The other reason is to improve the status of my wife. She is the only one who can “do something directly” to the head of the house, to emphasize that she is in the number two position in the house. While being served by Audrey, my wife, I had a chat with her. “By the way, you are turning fifteen next week, aren’t you?” “Yes, that’s right.” “Now we can finally perform the ‘Rite of Expulsion’.” “Yes! I’ve been waiting for this!” Audrey answered excitedly, her eyes shining. There is one more thing that distinguishes the wives of the royal family from the common people. That is, they lose their last names. Right now, Audrey’s full name is Audrey Ararat. In a ceremony called the ‘Rite of Expulsion’, she takes off her last name, Ararat, and becomes just Audrey. It’s an old custom. A person who becomes the wife of a member of the royal family is not allowed to divorce at all. And a surname means “the house of one’s birth’. It is an old custom to remove it and say ‘ there is no home to go back to.’ “I understand that the common people yearn for the rite of expulsion, but were you the same?” “Yes! Because now I can truly and authentically become Noah’s wife.” So it’s not about the ritual itself, but about being mine. “Finally, finally.” “Well, don’t get worked up. It’s just a ritual in itself. As you can see from the maids, I have no intention of letting anyone else cross this threshold.” “Yes! Thank you very much!” Audrey smiled even more gleefully. Nisir, the capital city of Almeria. At the age of fifteen, I entered a feudal domain with my wife Audrey. As is customary, we live in a feudal domain for several years to study political affairs. However, I had been appointed Minister of Justice for a long time, and His Majesty had asked me for my opinions on political matters on various occasions. I didn’t feel particularly nervous when I entered the estate, and it was business as usual. Today, too, I went out to the city around mid-afternoon after I had taken care of all the political affairs. Nisir was the “capital of the province,” and it was quite prosperous. Everything found in the imperial capital is also found here. Overall, Nisir is a smaller version of the Imperial Capital. I went straight to the one store I wanted to visit. I have heard that she will be coming here today. As I approached the store. I said with a smile. I heard a singing voice. It belonged to Alice. Alice, whom I had once helped and then become a patron of. She has been singing for a while now and has become one of the best singers in the Empire. As a result, she began to sing all over the Empire. Of course, the travel expenses, her mother’s living expenses, and even purchasing outlets in the places she went. In any case, I continue to support her so that she can concentrate on singing. When I entered the store, I found that it was the same kind of store as Keith’s in the Imperial City. But on a smaller scale, so as soon as I walked in, my eyes met Alice’s, who was singing. Before she could do anything, I held up my hand to stop her. I gave her a look and told her to keep singing, and sat down at an appropriate seat. I was satisfied with her voice, which was getting better and better. After one song, Alice went back to the back of the stage for a while. The audience, who had been listening quietly until then, opened their mouths at once. Some were discussing their impressions, while others were just chatting. I like this kind of miscellaneous atmosphere that is common in such stores. “Oh, by the way, I’m moving to Gora next month.” “Gora? What kind of place is that?” “Don’t you know? Gora’s new governor Evelyn, she’s amazing.” I overheard a conversation between two people sitting next to me. Evelyn, the governor of Gora ......, is definitely my servant Evelyn that I sent out from my mansion. I was curious about what the big deal was because it wasn’t entirely unrelated. “Ever since Evelyn-sama came, she’s put a lot of effort into security, and now Gora is so safe you don’t even have to lock your door at night.” “No way!” “I am serious. Well, if you commit a crime, you’re in trouble. I have no intention of doing that, so that’s why I decided to move there.” “Wow. That’s great.” “Yeah. Well, it’s because of the ‘Wise officials’.” “What’s that? What’s this “Wise”?” “A wise person is an official appointed by the Wise Prince. The rest are ‘Imperial Appointees’, officials appointed by the Emperor.” The man who was planning to move out broke off at that point, and then said with a sense of pride, as if he were speaking for himself. “There are only a few wise officials, but they’re all very good ones. Everywhere they go, people are getting richer and safer. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with the imperial appointees, you know. Just that the wise officials are better.” ” Amazing. That may be because Wise Prince had a good eye for people?” “Although there is that too, the merchants who spoke directly with the Governor-samas say that they are all extremely loyal to him and will repay his debt by doing things right.” “His subordinates love him so much, that’s even more impressive. ......” I listened to the men talk for a while, but they didn’t give me any more new information. I’ve received reports that the Evelyn I sent out is doing reasonably well. That being said, I’m glad to hear that the people are actually talking about her. I’ll send Evelyn a letter of appreciation later. Just as I was thinking this, Alice returned from backstage. There was applause, and the chatter died down. The next song then—. “You’re Alice-san?” –did not start. Three tactless men approached Alice from downstage. Alice’s brow furrowed for a moment, but she answered with a cold expression. “Yes I am, so what about it?” “Pascal-sama has taken a liking to you. He has invited you to sing in his house.” “I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t accept such invitations, no matter who they are. If you want to hear me sing, just come to my store.” “Oh, come on, you don’t know anything. Pascal-sama is the governor of Nisir. And it’s only for one night, you know.” “I already told you. Whoever you are, please come to the store.” “Hey, you don’t get it yet, do you? I...” “That’s enough.” Watching the scene unfold, my voice rang out more than usual in the quiet store. I got up from my chair and slowly made my way to the stage. “Haah? What the fuck, kid? Do you have any idea who you’re talking to?” “We’re Pascal’s messengers, you know.” “I don’t care.” “Then I’ll have to drill it into your body until you do.” The men laughed mockingly, and one of them reached out to grab my shoulder. “Bahamut.” The next moment, both my arms were covered in flames. I punched the open body of the man who had grabbed me. The man was blown away a few meters and turned into a fire doll, rolling around on the ground. “Wha” “You bastard!” The other two also came at me. I hit them both with the same fist of flame, turning them into a fire doll. The flames only lasted for a dozen seconds, and then subsided as if they were a lie. “What the hell was that?” “Wow, ......, he’s controlling the flames at will, huh?” “Who is he?” While the customers in the store were buzzing, another group of people jumped in from outside. This one was a city patrolman, in uniform and armed. “What’s this!? Who’s that rampaging around here?” “It’s me.” “It’s yo——–!? H-His Highness the th? I apologize for the intrusion!!” The patrolman looked at my face and quickly dropped to one knee in front of me. “His Highness the th?” “Could it be that, His Highness the th Wise Prince?” “The lord of Almeria!” The buzz in the store reached its peak. Ignoring it, I said to the patrolman. “They tried to take someone from the store, arrest them and throw them in jail for a while.” “Yes!” “Also this guy Pascal should come to have his men released. And tell them to come to me.” The patrolman followed my orders, grabbed the man who was letting out smoke, and left. I turned to Alice. “Is everything alright? You don’t have to be so stubborn when it comes to things like that.” “No, even Noah-sama always comes to the store. So I can’t go with him, no matter who he is.” “I see. Well, then let’s hear some more singing here.” “Yes! With pleasure!” I turned myself around and walked back to my seat as people stared at me, enjoying the song Alice was singing again. Halfway through the song, a man named Pascal came to get down on his knees, but I ignored him and kept him on his knees until Alice finished singing.

With Ziz’s wings, I soared high into the sky. The flapping wing with pale phosphorescence looks fantastic and beautiful even to me, the one who is controlling it. It is a natural feeling for a human being. If someone else had been flying in the sky with such wings of light on their back, I would have thought they were an angel who had descended from the heavens. There was another fantastic and beautiful sight. The sky was clear. On the ground, it would be hot and humid, so hot that we would have to bring out the ice we stored underground during the winter. It was such a clear sky as far as the eye could see, but there was one part a few kilometers away that was different. A rain pillar. A cumulonimbus cloud had formed in one place, and from there, the rain was pouring down in torrents, looking like a pillar or a curtain. The rainfall was so heavy that one could have mistaken it for a storm. “Amazing, Livyathan,” I muttered, and slowly descended to the ground, flapping my wings. A young girl was standing in the garden of the detached palace of the th Prince’s former residence. She looked to be about years old. Her shiny golden hair was far beyond her height and hung like a waterfall on the ground. She has all the requirements of dignity, and her eyes are full of light, looking very thoughtful. Livyathan. The soul of the awakened Water Demon Sword manifested in human form. “I saw it, it’s raining. Quite amazing. The rainfall was enough to supply a month’s worth of water for the Imperial City in a single moment, wasn’t it? It’s a pity there are no reservoirs there.” “It is only because of the Lord’s strength. The stronger the Lord is, the more power I can exert.” “Is that how it is?” “That rain is the Lord’s power itself. If you say it is great, then the Lord is greater.” I see. Then if I become stronger,....... I was thinking about flood control for a moment. Livyathan said with an even stronger gaze. “I will not fall behind Bahamut. And I will continue to do my utmost for the Lord.” “Both you and Bahamut are my treasures. However, if you feel so, you may compete with each other to increase your power for my sake.” “–I understand!” Livyathan replied strongly with thoughtfulness and reason reflected in those eyes. I wondered if its awakening had changed its character a little. “–!” “Hi-hiiiiiii!” I heard a maid scream from behind me. When I turned around, I saw Gig, the maid, on her bottom, looking frightened. Looking closely, I saw an ongoing stain spreading across her skirt. She must have leaked in fear – I see. “Livyathan.” I turn around and quiet Leviathan. “Gigi is my maid, you should know her face since she came in later than you.” “.......” Complete change. Far from the intellectual air of a moment ago, Livyathan now said with a furious expression. “It’s insolent to talk to Lord suddenly.” “Whenever someone addresses me, it’s usually sudden. Unless someone suddenly appears in front of me at the same time.” I chuckled. Even if Livyathan thinks properly, it is Leviathan. Just like Leviathan. She was as young as she looked and looked like a selfish child. “Anyway, my maids are carefully selected to some extent, and they are all people who feel indebted to me. There is no need to be so intimidating, it will interfere with my use of them.” “.....I understand.” Leviathan retracted the intimidation. Gig was relieved to see it. “Go change your clothes,......, but first, what was the matter” “Ah, ......, Y-yes.” Gig was still scared but reported. “Do-Don-sama is here.” “Send him through here.” Gig hurriedly left the place as if to run away. In her place, the fourth Vizier, Don Oates, came. “About what?” “Even a mad dog like that would be a loyal dog in your hands.” “You saw what just happened, huh.” “No. I just felt it from a distance, that’s all.” That’s too much, Livyathan. I told Livyathan, who didn’t think it was too much and was wary of the Don. “You can go back. I’m going to talk with Don now.” “Yes.” Livyathan didn’t say anything, just accepted, undid the manifestation, and went back into my bracelet. “So, what is it?” “A letter came from Governor Gabelle reporting to you.” “Phil Mohm huh. Let me see–what’s this?” Don didn’t present an envelope, but a long, thin tube. When I took it, I could see that there was a rolled-up piece of paper inside. “A painting? ......No way.” For a moment, I had a bad imagination. Most of the paintings sent to me like this are bribes–I am the emperor, and they are offerings. Such paintings are usually expensive. Gabel State. Not long ago, I saw the Governor taking bribes and distributing gold in one of the salt tax cases. The man I took it from at the time, but just before that, he was a slave. He shouldn’t have the money to send paintings. Don’t tell me ...... this soon? “Hmm?” “Apparently, it was his own handiwork.” “By ...... Phil Mohm?” Don nodded clearly. So it’s not an antique gift? If so, what is it? Wondering, I took a piece of paper from the tube and opened it. Then, there was an amateur’s drawing, completely disregarding the techniques of painting. Although it was an amateur drawing, I could somehow understand the scene. There were two pictures. The first picture was of someone offering a gift to another person. The second picture is of the recipient kicking the ass of the sender. “...... hmm.” “A little later, then, we got this one from Zoe. Given the timing, I thought perhaps they were related.” This time he held out a box. Fuwawa’s box. The box I gave Zoe to use as a snitch. I took it and unlocked it with Fuwawa. Taking out the envelope inside, I opened it and read what was inside. “What was the content?” “Another party was trying to expand its market reach there, and they tried to hold onto Phil Mohm, but they were turned away in a rather embarrassing way, apparently.” “And since Phil Mohm couldn’t read or write, he reported back with drawings he’d made.” “I see. I admit that he is loyal to ...... His Majesty, but isn’t it bad that he can’t even read and write? Zoe is close by, and to assist him more–“ “No, let’s just leave it at that. I took up Phil Mohm. If he fails, I’ll just have to clean up his mess. I’d rather cherish the heart of a man who was born into slavery, who is not blinded by gold, silver, or treasure, and who has sworn his allegiance to me.” “I understand. Then, I will only keep a close watch on the situation.” “Umm. I’ll leave it to you.” Returning to my study in the Palace, I called Henry. Across the desk, Henry bowed reverently to me as usual. “You wanted to see me, Your Majesty?” “I’m about to strike Kuruge’s Galwan entirely.” “—Pardon!” Henry’s expression stiffened, and he fell to his knees on the spot. “It’s fine. It’s not your fault.” There is a reason why Henry did it. Before I ascended to the throne, there was talk of a rebellion by Galwan of Kuruge when I first came to the territory. His Majesty at that time – my father – asked my opinion, and I recommended Henry, the Minister of Military Affairs. “But ......” “It’s okay, get up. It is not your fault. You did a good job of bringing us to a stalemate with that kind of budget. If it weren’t for you, the rebellion would have spread and we would have been forced to recognize their independence.” “Your kind words are wasted on me.” “It is also the reason why I have tapped into the salt tax this time. Henry, what is most important in defeating the frontier?” “Logistics, sir.” Henry answered immediately without any hesitation at all. The tone of his voice carried the weight of someone with experience. “Yes, logistics. I am not being conceited, the Empire is huge. Even if we lose a skirmish with a rebellion of Galwan’s caliber, the victory in the big picture is unassailable. But, you see, for the Empire to reach its full potential, we need to keep supplying the food needed to move a large army.” “Yes......” Henry nodded, then I stood up, folded my hands behind my back, and walked through the study as I spoke. “Up until now we’ve only been able to fight the war on the fly because of budget shortfalls, but now that the salt tax thing is taken care of, the treasury is at its best right now. We will invest all our resources at once and pay them off.” “Please leave it to me. If Your Majesty is willing to go that far and if I can’t defeat ...... Galwan, I will never step on the soil of the Imperial City again.” Henry knelt and bowed his head. If he’s willing to step in on his own, well, that’s fine. “And so Your Majesty.” “Hmm?” “Something to keep Turbaif in check.” Henry knelt down and only raised his head. As expected, he’s been the Minister of Military Affairs for many years and was quick to suggest what needed to be done. “Oh, I’ve already made a move on that.” “With all due respect, ...... what is it?” “I heard that Turbaif has three sons. Three sons, each of them distinguished in valor, wisdom, and virtue. I hear they are known as the Three Arrows.” “Yes. And I hear that all of them respect their father and are therefore very close to him.” “That’s problematic.” After all, I don’t want to deal with Turbaif as long as he’s alive. “I’ve gotten father’s approval to marry off the th, 18th, and 20th sisters.” The seventeenth, eighteenth, and twentieth Princesses. The Princesses who match the age of the other three will be given into a political marriage. “T-That’s ..... is it necessary for the empire to take such a low stance with fear? I agree with political marriage, but only one would be enough.” “I have to uproot Galwan, and we can’t afford a two-front battle any more than we usually do. It would be laughable if he escapes by leading us into a trap when we have him cornered.” “In your eyes, this diplomacy seems like we’re the one kneeling, right? That’s all the more appropriate ...... for now.” Henry was surprised and bowed again. “Turbaif ..... I am sending you three Imperial Princesses as well,...... and I hope you’ll refrain from any indiscretions in the future,.......” I looked up at the blue sky through the window with my hands folded behind my back.

While a large departure parade was being held in the capital, led by Empress Audrey, I quietly set off with my two maids. Zoe, the head maid, and Kate, who I had just recently picked up. I took a well-made but inconspicuous carriage and posed as a proper merchant, and had Zoe and Kate follow me on foot. After about half a day of walking along the road, I sent Kate ahead of me to secure the lodging for the day. As I watched from the top of the carriage as Kate ran to secure the lodging, Zoe spoke to me from the side. Her speech and address had reverted to that of the days of me being the Prince, as we are traveling secretly. “Master, there’s something I’d like to ask you.” “What is it?” “Why did you bring Kate along?” “Hmm?” I turn my head to the side. Zoe was looking up at me with a troubled, questioning look on her face. “I understand why Master took a liking to her. She is honest and devoted and is very aware of everything. But she is too inexperienced. In the palace, other maids are there to follow her around, but when she is outside, ......” “Oh well. There are still some risks, that’s for sure.” I looked at Kate’s back, which looked about the size of a pea at the end of the road and smiled. As with anything, enthusiasm is when you are doing something that is beyond your capabilities or near your limits. Humans don’t say, ‘I’m going to walk!’ when they are walking, only when they are trying to run fast, they will say ‘I am going to run!’. In this sense, Kate’s constant enthusiasm was probably unreliable in Zoe’s eyes. “It’s not a big reason. I’m just trying to nurture Kate’s talent and give her some experience.” “Nurture?” “Yeah. That girl will grow if you keep training her. Don’t you think so?” “That’s true, but ...... with the shortage of manpower, that would be inconvenient for Master.” “A nobleman must nurture others, and it is a nobleman’s privilege to put up with them.” “But ...... master is now ......” ”......” it was probably followed by “even though you are the Emperor”. After stammering for a bit, she shook her head. She seemed convinced. Since we’ve known each other for so long, she understands that when I nurture people, I nurture them, regardless of whether I’m the Emperor or not. I brought them here not only to nurture Kate but Zoe as well. She works hard as the head maid, so I kept her with me, but I wanted to let her out sooner, just like Evelyn. That Evelyn is now the Governor of Almeria. Zoe’s talent is no less than Evelyn’s. That’s why I brought Zoe along with me, to give her some experience. After about a week’s journey, we came to Dussel, the capital of Gabel. Dussel. A city built on both ends of the Dussel River, as if it were sitting on top of the river. The city, which has prospered thanks to the river’s water transportation, was so crowded that we could see it from a distance even on the night we arrived. “It’s a bustling town.” “There are more than , people registered in the city’s register.” Kate was so surprised that her intonation of “hundred thousand” was slightly funny. “Anyway, have you got the accommodations in order?” Unlike Kate, Zoe was not surprised by the city of about 200,000 people, since she has been in Royal Capital for a long time. After calming her down, she asked Kate. “Ah, yes! I have a room on the top floor at the inn by the river. And to be safe, I rented out the one downstairs as well.” “You weren’t able to rent out the entire inn?” “I apologize, but there were already some guests there when I got there.” “Then negotiate–“ “Good. Well done, Kate.” I stopped Zoe’s questioning and complimented Kate. She may not have done the best but she did well enough. If it’s good enough, then Kate needs to get more praise and confidence now. Kate looked relieved by the praise. She was more relieved than happy. It would take a while, I thought, as I entered the city. Even at night, the city was quite busy. Especially along the river, which is the heartbeat of the city, there were various night stalls and people were doing nighttime business. Amid this bustle, we entered the inn Kate had arranged for us. The innkeeper welcomed me with his staff, probably because I had paid a lot of money in advance. After telling Zoe to give an appropriate tip, I entered a room on the top floor. The room had a wide window overlooking the Dusel River, probably because it was designed for rich people from the start. I sat by the window and looked out at the river. “Fuhahahahaha!” Suddenly, I heard a man’s high-pitched laugh coming from above the river. There was a houseboat in the center of the river, and at the tip of the boat, a man was throwing something while laughing hysterically. On both sides of the river, there were piles of people watching, marveling, and cheering each time the man threw something. The man, pleased with the response, threw more stuff. And so it goes. “That’s .......” “Looks beautiful. ......” Zoe and Kate came up behind me. They were one step back from me, in an over-the-shoulder position, looking at the boat and the man. “What is he throwing?” “Maybe money.”[TN: 金 ‘kin’ means gold or can mean money as well] “It’s the gold.”[TN: 黄金’kogane’ means gold as well] “”Ehhhhhh!?”” Zoe and Kate both squealed in surprise. “Oh, by gold do you mean that gold?” “Yeah. It’s probably made out of gold dust or gold leaf since it has relatively long airtime. Since we can see the reflection from this distance, it must have been a very large one.” “Gold ...... amazing, must be very expensive, right?” Kate asked fearfully, to which I replied. “Given the size and the amount of reflection, I’d say about 100 reens each time they are scattered” “......” “oh my......” With a thud, Kate collapsed to the floor. It seems that she fainted from too much. Zoe’s been the head maid at the Royal Mansion for many years, though, so it wasn’t enough to cause her to pass out. Still, she was shocked to the extent that her face turned pale and her brow furrowed. “Fuhahahahaha!! That’s it!” “”Kyaaaaah! Olcott-sama is wonderful!” “Olcott!?” Zoe raised her eyebrows differently hearing the name of the person mixed in with the yellow screams from below. “Master!” “Governor Gavel Olcott. Himself or his family? We’ve run into each other right from the start huh.” ‘With a Governor’s salary, there’s no way he could do something like that.” “Exactly. He’s probably taking a bribe.” “We’ll get him.” “Wait a bit. This in itself is not evidence of a bribe. Let’s let him swim until we get something more incriminating.” Zoe nodded her head in agreement, though she looked bitter. Among my maids, there’s one important factor in the selection of who I want to put “out there”. When push comes to shove, she is the type that reason can hold her emotions in check. “It’s true in theory, but ......” The person who shows reluctance is a failure, “If so, I’ll follow theory.” and I like those who can say this. And, Zoe has those qualities in abundance. Zoe had a completely different expression now. She was looking at Olcott on the river with a puzzled look on her face, tilting her head. She was wondering why he was scattering gold while being pampered by a woman. “Ah, no. There’s something different about it.” “What is it?” “He’s a Governor, but he doesn’t look like a nobleman at all.” “Because he’s not doing his nobleman’s duty.” “Nobleman’s duties.” Zoe turns her head and gazes at me. “A nobleman has to act selflessly.” “That’s right!” “Even when throwing away gold, the nobleman should convert it into goods and distribute it to the affected areas. This one is just a rich man.” “...... Zoe. What about that Olcott, did you hear about him taking bribes?” Before I left Royal Capital, I had gathered some information on the major figures in Gabel, especially those I needed to look into, and I had Zoe memorize them as well. So I asked Zoe. “No, not at all. He came out clean.” “Then there aren’t that many possibilities. ...... Zoe, there’s something I need you to look into right now.” Perhaps it was because she had witnessed Olcott’s maniacal behavior, Zoe was motivated. The next morning, I woke up and got dressed with Kate’s help. Kate, who had just become a maid, blushed when she saw me standing there naked. It was just changing clothes, so I did so without embarrassment. Then there was a knock at the door. “Come in.” “Excuse me.” Zoe walked in. She was unfazed seeing me naked. Kate had a mixed reaction to Zoe’s reaction as well. You get used to it, I thought, and asked Zoe, ignoring Kate’s reaction. “So, did you get it? “Yes. Of the three that Master mentioned, the poem was the first.” “One of Olcott’s handwritten poems was sold for a 10000 reens.” “Of course–“ “It’s not for sale, just on display in the store.” “I see. I was hoping it was a painting, but it’s a poem.” “Hmm, ......, what do you mean by that?” Kate asked curiously while helping me get dressed. “For Olcott to spend money the way he did, he had to have taken a bribe–I mean, he must have taken it. So far, so good, right?” “Yes.” “But he didn’t take it in the form of a straight-up bribe. Then again, what would it be? In that case, the safest thing to do is to trade poems and paintings. A person who wants to bribe, buys a poem or a painting that would be worthless normally – and were you able to get the real thing?” “I wasn’t because it was too expensive, but I have ...... copied it.” Zoe held out a piece of paper to me that looked like a note. I read it and then showed it to Kate. “[Halo may be infinite, but Doom is eternal].”[TN: well the poem says, {No eternity, only timelessness}, ‘永遠などない、それが永遠’, really don’t know how to express it] Shortly after Kate read it, Zoe said “It was 1,000 reens.” “This one is 5000 reens.” “[Yesterday’s Sunset leads Today’s Sunrise].”[TN: 昨日の夕焼けは、今日の朝日] “Fueeeeeeee!?” “Simply put, this one’s worse. Half as bad as the other one.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Of those, this morning’s offering is likely to be traded for a 1000 reens or so.” “Sasuga Master.”{Sasuga Ainz-sama} “Hmm?” “It appears that it already has.” I guess the inquiries must have come along as well. Zoe said with a scornful look on her face. “I see. So, the one’s doing it is would be?” “Yes.” Zoe nodded. “The stores dealing in poetry were all salt merchants, opened solely for that purpose.”

Keith’s store on Raid Street. In the store, Alice is playing the harp and singing as usual. And from the best seat, His Majesty is listening to her. Sometimes he looks straight at her, sometimes he closes his eyes and sways his body in rhythm with the song. His Majesty was enjoying Alice’s singing. Curuz and I were standing behind him. I had gotten the hang of using Apophis. His Majesty had come to Keith’s in secret, in accordance with Alice’s insistence on singing only in the establishment and not in a solo performance at someone’s mansion. Naturally, there are quite a few customers around. As long as it’s not too much trouble, no one can harm His Majesty since I’m with him. However, there is a great possibility that some people who don’t read the atmosphere will spoil His Majesty’s fun. So, to prevent that from happening, I took measures with Apophis. There is a fine line between medicine and poison. A drug that works on humans is usually just a poison with weakened toxicity. So I used Apophis to put all the customers in the store to sleep. I didn’t want them to snore, so I paralyzed them to a certain extent and took away their physical freedom. Since, all the people here were just customers, and none of them could resist Apophis’s poison – they were all put to sleep by me without any effort. As a result, His Majesty’s reception went off without a hitch, quiet and peaceful. Even so, I looked around to be on the alert, just in case. Suddenly, I made eye contact with Curuz, who was also waiting. He only moved his lips and said it without speaking. I could tell by the way his lips formed because it was a simple word. He had noticed. Because a eunuch is a person whose job is to serve the nobleman. Unlike mere servants, eunuchs are castrated, so they can only do what eunuchs can do, and as a result, they specialize in the ability to serve – the skills to make the nobleman comfortable. And Curuz is a eunuch who has been serving the “Emperor” for a long time. The emperor has far more power than just a common aristocrat, and Curuz is skilled at serving him. If Curuz is saying that he’s ” as expected “, then this is the right thing to do in order to have His Majesty enjoy himself. I then continued to use Apophis to maintain His Majesty’s entertainment environment. At the interval, Alice retreated backstage for a moment. The restaurant was filled with applause as I had broken the sleep and paralysis of all the guests just before. Most of the customers looked confused, but they still applauded as they were carried away by their surroundings. [TN: Here it says ‘狐につままれた’ kitsune ni tsumareru, also termed as a Japanese Idiom that means being disbelieving one’s eyes, because the situation feels like surreal like a fox had put a spell on you] “Ah yes, Noah.” “What it may be?” “I heard that the war with the Saeis in the south has come to an end.” “The Saei tribe?” I wondered for a moment why he was talking about it now. The Empire is a Warrior nation, and there are always wars and rebellions being suppressed somewhere within its borders. And, recently, in the south, there had been a battle against the Saeis, a tribe that lived in the forest and did not obey the empire. “They’re giving out awards for meritorious service, and a man named Jerry Eisen was reported to have done particularly well.” “Jerry ......, heh?” He’s that bandit guy. I caught him and sent him to the army as a prisoner of war, but he came to the surface surprisingly quickly. “After losing the local battle, this Jerry guy gathered up the remaining soldiers and pushed the enemy back. I heard that he was like a lion in the field.” “Is that so” “He said that he wants to repay your favor, Noah.” “A favor I owe him?” “You gave me a new and hopeful second life. Like a father figure.” “Father” I muttered half-heartedly. I have nothing against this guy Jerry, but it feels strange to be referred to as a father by a guy like him. He’s probably twice my age, to begin with. “That’s great, Noah.” His Majesty said in a good mood. “The man who was a thief has become a useful soldier. Moreover, if he can organize his troops and move them around like arms and legs, then he will be a general.” That’s true. He was the leader of the bandits, so I knew he had the ability to organize the troops. “You found the man and sent him to the right place. Noah, as always, you are amazing.” “People are treasure and potential. Your Majesty.” “Yes, and it was a moment when that potential comes to fruition.” His Majesty smiled happily. “Keep up the good work.” After the performance, His Majesty said he wanted to look around the city some more, so I accompanied him as an escort. We left Raid Street and came to Hose Street. Hose Street is the busiest street in the Imperial Capital. There’s a huge plaza where the ceremonies of the expedition and the big festivals are held. Large events are often held here, and the street is usually quite crowded. “Muu? What’s that? Is it something for sale?” His Majesty showed interest in a stall in the middle of the square. At first glance, it looked like a stall, but the merchandise was unusual. It was a simple stall with several huge jute sacks lined up with strings tied around their mouths. “That’s a slave trader, sir.” “Slaves?” “Yes, a proper, licensed slave trader.” While saying this, I approached the trader in the stall. I glanced over to see that His Majesty and Curuz were accompanying me and then asked the trader. “Where are these slaves from?” “They are newly arrived slaves of the Saei tribe, sir. Indeed.” “We won the war against the Saei tribe.” I spoke calmly but relayed the obvious thing like this. The empire is always fighting somewhere, that’s why there is such a thing as military service as a punishment. And the Empire has always won. Each time it has won, it has taken a large number of prisoners. Most of the prisoners of war go to licensed slave traders. Slaves of unimportant status are stuffed into jute sacks and sold for literal piles of money. “I see, buying and selling of slaves is done in this way. His Majesty murmured from behind me, sounding like he was interested. I turned around and bowed slightly to him. “Yes, my lord. Will you be buying some of them?” “How much for these?” The merchant replied with a sales smile on his face. “Is that cheap? Or is it expensive?” When His Majesty asked further, I answered. “For reens, the sack will have a spell of absolute obedience on it.” “Magic?” “Yes, it’s a spell that causes them to be obedient to all orders, as the first person they see when the bag is opened becomes their master”. “Just like a baby bird.” “That’s what this bag is for.” “I see.” His Majesty looked at the jute sack with great interest. Maybe he will buy it. Although the magic of absolute obedience is in place, just in case, I touched the top of the bag to check if there was any weapon or something hidden inside. “Hmm?” “What’s the matter, Noah? “Can I help you, customer?” “This bag ......” I gazed at the bag as I touched it. There’s no doubt about it. I took out reens from my pocket and tossed them to the merchant. “I’ll take this one.” “Please wait a moment.” I untied the string that bound the bag and a woman emerged from it. She had shaggy hair and rags-like slave clothes. It’s a common look, but that is not what I’m looking at. It’s my status that is in view. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Minister of Justice Gender: Male Level: / ∞ HPC+DMPE+DStrengthC+AStaminaD+EIntelligenceE+DSpiritE+DSpeedE+EDexterityE+DLuckE+D FireE+AWaterC+SWindE+FEarthE+DLight E+CDarknessE+C The moment I touched the bag the girl was inside, the “+” in my MP went up one level. This would not happen with a mere slave. It’s definitely “someone”. To confirm this, I paid the trader to buy her, opened the bag, and activated the magic of absolute obedience. Then I asked. “What is your name? Who are you?” The girl furrows her brow and tries to shut her mouth like a clam, but there is absolute obedience magic. “Lou Peiyu. Daughter of the Saei tribe chief–eh.” She was surprised that she answered against her will, but we were surprised too. “The chief’s daughter ...... was mixed in?” “What a surprise! You saw right through this, Noah.” “Splendid, sir.” His Majesty and Curuz were both surprised.

“Master. His Highness the Fourth is here to see you.” “My brother!?” When I was reading in the inner garden in the late afternoon of the following day, I was surprised by a visitor who was announced by Cecily, the reception maid. “Yes” Cecily bowed and left the room. A few moments later, my brother Henry, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, came into the room. I stood up and bowed lightly to him. “It’s been a long time, brother. What’s up with the sudden visit?” “I am here for work—– a Decree.” I was even more surprised and knelt down on the spot as if it was a spinal reflex. Decree – that means, an Imperial Command. “I’ve heard that Syria has produced new water suitable for direct consumption. And I want you to urge Cabinet Minister, Henry, to have it transported to the summer resort.” I looked up, Brother Henry was smiling at me. “Prepare the water.” “Understood.” I called my maid and asked her to give a message to Don, who was in another room in the outer garden study. His Majesty must be referring to the special water. I’ve ordered twelve barrels of it to be packed for transport. It was not something I could prepare right away, so I turned to my brother. “I’ll have them prepared. Please wait a moment.” “Umu.” Saying that I sat down facing my brother. “You surprised?” “Well, no. It’s not unusual for water to be transported. Even at the royal palace, water from the Beryl Spring is always transported and kept on hand for tea.” “Yes. Water from Beryl’s Spring. It is said to be the best water in the empire for brewing tea. It’s so precious that it’s only used for His Majesty’s own drinking and as a reward for his ministers. It’s going to be the same as that. That’s great, Noah.” I was surprised at how quickly His Majesty heard. It hasn’t been that long since the Special-Grade Water was made available. And yet, he’d already heard about it. As expected of His Majesty, his ears are as frightening as ever. Of course, I couldn’t say such a thing. “The water has low levels of miscellaneous substances, so I think it will be ideal for His Majesty’s recuperation.” “Yes, His Majesty should be back on his feet soon.” “Oh, there’s one more thing.” “Another one?” “You can read this one yourself.” Brother Henry took out an imperial edict from his pocket and handed it to me. I opened it and read it from the beginning. It contained commendations and rewards. As a reward for this incident, my son – my eldest son, who is not yet even conceived – has been given a title. The son of the Emperor is born a Prince, but the son of a Prince is not born with any special title. His Majesty gave him a baronetcy before he was even born. “What a blessing.” “Quite incredible, Noah. It’s been decades since a member of the royal family has received a baronetcy ...... before birth.” “That’s about right.” I searched my memory for something like that, but couldn’t find it. “The Water System in Almeria is well developed. It’s at a level where it doesn’t need any modification. It’s been an amazing transformation in less than six months since you entered the fief.” “I intend to do it all sooner or later.” “Is that so!?” My brother’s eyes widened in surprise. “Yes, it will be better for the health of the people and easier to maintain the water supply. Every year some people die during maintenance. That’s the first thing we want to eliminate.” “You always take care of people, don’t you?” “It’s in my nature.” With a crack, the door opened and Audrey came into the room with several maids in tow. Audrey came in front of Brother Henry and bowed in the manner of a noblewoman. “It’s been a long time, my brother-in-law.” My brother simply nodded. It was a simple nod, so simple that it seemed almost casual. Although not as much as the emperor, the inner garden of the prince is operated in the same way as the inner palace. Even though he was her brother-in-law, he was a man other than her husband. It is the common sense of the royal family not to talk more than necessary, although they are allowed in the inner garden. ” Looking well.” He said to me. In such cases, it is normal to converse through me. “And ...... you’ve become a proper wife in a short while.” He said with a satisfied look on his face. Audrey was handed a number of things by the maids. Tea sets, tea leaves, and hot water. The maids handed them to Audrey, who made the tea and served it to me and my brother. This is her job, which cannot be left to the maids. Seeing Audrey doing it quietly, my brother was satisfied. “Please.” He took the tea that Audrey had made and sipped it. “Umu, excellent.” My brother said, still staring at me. “You’re both doing very well for such young people.” He seemed to be very satisfied. After Brother Henry left, I went to the study in the outer garden. In case His Majesty actually liked the product after drinking it, I would have to decide in advance about the transportation of the product for regular delivery. As I arrived at the study, the door opened from the other side and Don came out. “Ah! Noah-sama. I was just about to call for you.” “Yes. ...... What’s the matter?” Don seemed to be in a panic. “Please come in.” I nodded and walked into the study. There was a boy on his knees inside. He looked at me with a sobbing face, turned around, and slammed his head down hard on the floor. “My Lord! My father, please save my father!” “...... What do you mean?” After closing the door, Don held something out to me from the side. I looked at it – the box. It was one of those boxes I give out to people to send me messages. Don held out a box that he hadn’t opened, but the top of it was heavily dented as if it had been hit by a hammer. “Is this from ...... Lawrence?” “You recognize it?” The box contains a portion of the power of the Fuwawa. From there, I can tell at a glance who I’ve given it to. “You said your father. Are you Lawrence’s son?” “Yes! My name is Linus.” “What happened to Lawrence?” “He’s in jail, accused by Pascal-sama of a crime he didn’t commit!” I noticed that my eyebrows were furrowed. I listened to Linus’s story with a clear sense of discomfort. After the previous incident, Pascal began to be harsher with Lawrence. “How did he get into His Highness’ good graces, huh” He seems to be unhappy with the fact that I’ve taken a liking to Lawrence. Then, a few days ago, he finally framed Lawrence for a crime he didn’t commit and threw him in jail. “Taking bribes and turning a trial around. ...... My father would never do that!” Don asked me with a serious face. I took the box with the dented top out of Don’s hand. “Do you remember what this box is capable of?” Don tilted his head and tried to remember. The box itself was the actual thing I told Don about and asked him to give to Lawrence. I explained it to Don at the time. “I am sure.... once locked, only His Highness can open it, and if you show it off, it will destroy itself. Isn’t that right?” “Yes. If I’m going to go that far, it’s only natural that I’d have put another one of those means, right? “...... that is correct.” Don couldn’t help but burst out laughing at how funny it was. “Anybody who would do something as bad as taking a bribe doesn’t deserve to have this.” “That’s the point.” “As expected, Your Highness. Quite a preparation, sire.” I looked at the box. Pascal tried to destroy the box, but the man named Lawrence kept him from doing so. Then. “Where is the prison where Lawrence is being held?” Linus looked at me as if he had found his savior. Linus led me to a prison cell on the outskirts of Nisir. Nisir, the capital of the state of Almeria. The largest city in the province has a large jail on the outskirts of the city. Linus and I arrived there. “Stop! Who are you?” “Noah Ararat.” The guard gave me a quick, administrative shout, and I said my name in a cold tone. “P-Prince......, Noah!” The guard realized who I was and hurriedly got down on his knees right then and there. “I’ll head inside.” “Y-Yes.” I walked past the guard and entered the prison. There was another guard inside, but he seemed to know my face from the start, and before I could say anything, he was too scared to say anything. I continued on my way and asked one of the guards. “Where’s Lawrence?” “Uh, .......” “Where is he?” I stopped, turned my body around, and glared at the stunned prison guard. The prisoner freaks out, his legs shaking as if he’s about to cave in. ‘A-At the far end, sire.” I start walking again, heading in a straight line toward the far end. Linus followed a few steps behind me. After a few steps, I hear a muffled groan. I hurried towards the sound. When I reached the far end, I saw that something terrible was happening in the prison. Lawrence was lying on the floor, with what looked like a sandbag on his chest and stomach. And there were three men dressed in black. One of them was holding Lawrence down by placing his body on top of the sandbag, and the other two were holding down his arms and legs. It was a gruesome scene. As the Minister of Justice, I have seen various documents on punishment and torture at the Ministry of Justice. This method is to make it look like a natural death. They put sandbags on the body and put weights on it. Then, the chest – and the entire lungs – are compressed, making it impossible to breathe. It takes about an hour, but when it’s over, you have a body that looks like it died of natural causes, with no external injuries at all. “Father!” “””—!””” Linus shouted, and the black-clad men reacted. As soon as one of them grunted, he pulled out a knife and tried to stab Lawrence with it. You switched to a more brutal method because you were found out, huh. I pulled out Leviathan and swung it down on the spot. The Prime Minister, who deals with the subjects of the empire. A state of Invincibility of all abilities SSS. With a light swing, Leviathan sent slashes flying at the three men. The two men who were slow to react and had restrained his limbs were cut, and the one with the knife intercepted it with his knife. However, the knife was also repelled. The man took out another knife and rushed at me this time. It was a huge rush, and he was coming at me in a straight line. The knife gouged me in the chest – or so it seemed. “It was an afterimage.” “—-!” With enough speed to leave an afterimage, I got behind the man and slashed my hand across his neck. The man went white-eyed and collapsed. “A-Amazing.......” Linus, who was following me, had his eyes opened wide and looked as if he had seen something unbelievable.

“What are you thinking about, Master?” “Hmm? Oh, Zoe.” When I looked up, I saw a maid I knew well standing by the delivery wagon, looking at me with a worried look on her face for some reason. I’ve been seeing her a lot lately. After I bought her hometown, a whole village that had been flooded, she offered to repay me in any way she could, so I offered her more work at the mansion. Perhaps because she felt indebted to me, she worked hard and became attentive to details. It’s not bad enough to let her take care of things around the house. Even now, she’s staying by my side as I’m thinking in the mansion’s hall and taking care of things. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the selection process for the upcoming knight selection. I was trying to figure out how to do that better.” ” Oh, I see!” “What, are you aware of the Knight Selection?” “Yes! It’s the only gateway for us common people to climb up the ladder, and everyone who knows how to use their skills is training for it every day.” “Yeah. Well, I was just wondering how to do that. ...Is there a challenger from your village?” “Yes, there’s one from my village every year.” “Yeah. Well, I took away the qualifiers this year. They can come as much as they want.” “...yes.” Zoe’s vague reply bothered me. “What’s wrong?” “I’m sorry!” “I’m not offended or anything. Just tell me what you think now, okay?” “It’s not really important. The reason for being the only one from my village is not because of the qualifying or anything, but because of the cost of travel to the capital and also the cost of staying there.” “Huh?” “The cost of living in the capital is high. Everyone in the village has to contribute money to cover the cost of that one person’s stay at the city. Therefore....” Then she gave him a complicated look. I see, so that’s what happened. “...Is that a lot? The village collects money and sends one of them out.” “Yes. And so they come out with the expectations of the village, and they all take it very seriously–“ “Okay, well, let’s get rid of it then.” Zoe stared blankly. “What are you trying to get rid of?” “Travel and accommodation. I’d like to choose as many as I can, but I don’t want to miss out on talent because of that. Okay, if you want, I’ll provide food, clothing, and shelter for the duration of their stay in the capital.” “Oh, you can do that?” “I can.” I said clearly. “I’m in charge of selecting the knights this time. All I have to do is pay for it, and I can decide right now, right now.” “No sir it’s going to cost a hell of a lot of money...” ” Anyone.” A man’s servant came in to answer my call. I ordered him to check the number of empty dwellings in the capital. I told him to buy every empty house in the city and if that’s enough, good, if not, it’s enough to build a new dormitory of sorts. And food, depending on the number of people, we’ll need to buy enough to feed a village or a small town. I search my memory for the grain merchant who has a relationship with the Thirteenth Parent’s residence. “Master you are amazing........” Beside me, with my brain in full swing, Zoe, on the other hand, was flabbergasted. On the way home after visiting the grain merchant. I was heading back home, satisfied after taking the pledge of a steady supply during the knight selection period. The capital’s main street is still busy with all sorts of people today. Is there any talent among these people? The thought of that made me want to catch each one of them and listen to their stories. Suddenly, one by one, the passersby stopped and broke off to the left and right. From the other side of the road that had been created, a carriage. A carriage that stops passersby and gives priority to the use of the road, and that pattern – that’s the pattern. “Isn’t that Noah?” The carriage stopped as it came up beside me. After the horses had stopped neighing, a young man emerged from the carriage. “Brother,” I bowed lightly on the spot. Oscar Ararat. His Majesty’s eighth child and my brother. Obviously, the prince as well. Which is why passersby gave way to him. Oscar, who is said to be the nicest of all the Princes, spoke to me with a kind face. “What are you doing here?” “I was just hanging out. And what about you, brother?” “I’m on my way to Cobalt Street. Yeah, why don’t you join us, Noah?” “...Okay, I’ll join you.” There was no reason to refuse, so I accepted the invitation. He quickly lowered a step stool to get me into the carriage, and I used it to get in and sit across from Oscar. As soon as I got in, he started the carriage up again with his expert handling of the reins. “I heard that you’ve been selected for the upcoming knight selection, Noah.” “That’s a real good ear, brother.” “His Majesty kept going on and on about you. I haven’t seen His Majesty that happy in years.” “Is that so?” “Yeah, at least for the first time since Noah was born.” I talk with Oscar about knight selection. I told Oscar that he has good ears, but he doesn’t seem to have as many ears as Your Majesty does.” He knows about the selection process, but he doesn’t know that I’m working to secure food and clothing for all those who travel to the capital as soon as possible. Well, it could be said that that of His Majesty was too unusual. A short time later, the carriage came to the entrance of another main street. “From here on out, we have to walk.” “Are you sure about the carriage?” “This is a place where I enjoy using my feet to hunt for treasure.” Oscar smiled innocently. He was already a young man, but he had a childlike smile that suited him well, despite his age. We get out of the carriage and turn into Cobalt Street, which is right in front of us. Cobalt Street is a densely populated area of antique dealers. Some of them have shops and some have stalls. All the antiques from all over the empire are gathered here, but at the same time many fakes are also gathered. It’s a small town that is truly jumbled up, and it is considered an aristocrat’s way of life to seek out genuine treasures using their own eyes. “Has Noah ever been here before?” “I’ve heard a lot about it. This is my first time here in person.” “Okay.” “I hear it costs quite a bit of money.” “Not really, , reens will be enough for now, and even if you find a real bargain, it will be enough for a handout.”‘ The average amount of money an adult male in the city earns in a month is ten reens. Ten thousand is not a small amount, but when you meet a real treasure, you need that much. I walked around with Oscar. We went into a shop and looked at some bargains, or went to a stall and looked at some of the displays. “I didn’t know they had paintings and stuff.” “Yeah. Well, most of those artworks are fake.” Oscar replied, no longer as enthusiastic as he was when he came here. I can see that the tension is clearly dropping due to the fact that he hasn’t been able to find any treasures. Well, it’s not like I’m going to be able to find treasures pompously like that. With that in mind, I randomly lifted the things lined up in the stalls and stared at them. I don’t know much about antiques and artifacts. As a tendency, there are somehow better things in the places that have a proper shop, and the stalls seem to be full of junk. That may be my preconceptions. With that in mind, I picked up a book from the stall. It’s a rather old book with a thick cover. “—-m!” A moment later, my hand stopped. “What is it, Noah?” “How much is this?” “It’s three reens.” I pull the said amount out of my pocket and hand it to the owner. Then I stare at it intently. “What’s the matter with you, Noah, staring at it with such a scary look on your face?” “....” “What’s the matter with that, I mean, let me see a little bit, Noah.” As if he remembered something, Oscar grabbed my wrist and stared at the old book. This action, on the contrary, made me go, “What’s wrong?” “Brother?” “This is ... oh, I’m sure of it. Noah, this is a treasure.” “Treasure?” “Oh. This is the book of the great sorcerer Andreas. And it’s the original.” “How do you know it’s a treasure? It’s amazing, Noah.” Smiling back at Oscar, I looked down at the old book – the book of magic – again. I didn’t know this was a treasure, I just saw certain things change as soon as I picked it up. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat3th prince of the Ararat Empire Gender: Male Level: 1 / ∞ HPFMPFStrengthF+FStaminaF+FIntelligenceFSpiritFSpeedFDexterityF+FLuckF+F FireFWaterE+SSWindF+F EarthFLight FDarknessF ―――――――――――― It was my status. It’ always in the corner of my vision, and it changed. I got a “+” at the wind. Definitely because of this, so I paid three reeks to get it. I looked at the grimoire as I walked, Oscar was still beside me, saying. ‘”Apparently it was written quite a bit later. Depending on the content, a 1000 reens wouldn’t be trivial. Wow, that’s amazing, to find the real thing in Cobalt Street for the first time, and among the stalls.” “... feeling.” “Eh? What?” I stopped. I thrust the Leviathan at the Book. “Noah!?” Oscar was surprised, but I ignored it and prodded the Leviathan. Leviathan told me about it. It was strange that my status increased with the grimoire. The “+” in my ability is only when I have a human under my command. When I wondered about that, Leviathan told me that a soul was enclosed in the grimoire. In order to get a glimpse of that soul, I thrust my sword at the book as Leviathan had told me to do. Then — a black shadow came out of the book. The shadow that came out had the shape of a person, but it was pure white with no pupils in its eyes, and a monstrous aura rose up from around its body. “No way! A forbidden book that contains the soul of the person in question! Run, Noah! He has mastered the wind–“ I moved before Oscar could finish. The one who moved me was a mad dog, a loyal dog, Leviathan. As soon as he appeared, the Leviathan gave one of the most hostile looks I’ve ever seen. So I immediately moved to cut off the man’s head with a flash of my demon sword, and in return, I unleashed Leviathan’s special technique, the water column. The head with a parabolic neck and the torso that was attached to the grimoire. The water pillar smashed them all together. The ‘+’ disappeared from the status. It was a waste, but Leviathan’s hostility was practically a warning, so I thought it was better to do this. “Speaking of which, just now, brother was shouting something, but was that – brother?” The next thing I knew, Oscar was looking at me and gaping his mouth open, pouting. “What’s the matter, brother?” “You ... when did you become so strong?” Brother was genuinely surprised.

“More importantly, brother, you had some business with me, didn’t you?” “Ohh, that’s right.” He straightened up and looked at me as if he had changed his mind. “I’ve come to ask Noah for a favor.” “A favor from me?” I braced myself. Brother Henry, the Fourth Prince. His rank is the same as mine, and we are as old as father and son. If such an older brother comes and formally asks you, you can’t help but feel defensive. “Oh, it’s nothing serious. You know that I have many entertainers.” “Yeah.” I nodded. My brother does his duty as a nobleman. He supports painters, musicians, and other artisans. As a nobleman, the more you can do that, the more you will be honored and praised. That’s the reason why I supported Alice. “Some time ago, I found a boy with a great talent for painting. His talent makes me shudder.” “For my brother to say that...... is quite a feat.” He nodded at my words. “I gave him a fair amount of help to start with because he was having trouble making ends meet, but I didn’t think that would be enough. That’s why I want Noah to raise him.” “Why me?” “Alice.” My brother said and smiled at me. “The songstress you raised has made a name for herself throughout the empire. Even His Majesty has been known to go out of his way to listen to her.” ” What the !” Crash! I stood up with such force that I hit the sofa and made a noise. “His Majesty?” “Yeah. And not just once or twice. Whenever Alice is in the capital, it’s quite often. Even more surprisingly.” My brother looked impressed, chuckled, or something in between. “His Majesty – who has had more than thirty children. He doesn’t want to embrace her at all, he just wants to listen to her sing.” “...... Ohhhhh.” That’s great, I was surprised too. The other day, the Seventeenth Prince was born. This means that His Majesty has male children alone. If you include the female children, the Princess, there are more than thirty. His Majesty’s libido is so strong that he can have thirty children, but he does not want to do that at all with Alice. It’s not that Alice is not beautiful. He just wants to go to her and listen to her singing. We, who know His Majesty well and are the result of his work, know how great it is. “So, I want to ask you, the man who raised Alice-“ “Me?” “I can only count on you, Noah.” Brother said so and looked at me straight in the eyes. Only count on me. If he is going to that extent, there is no way I can refuse. I decided to accept painter in making from my brother. After my brother left, I was thinking about what to do with the painter in making. I had the maids serve me, and I was relaxing and thinking over a cup of tea. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and a receptionist maid came in. It wasn’t Cecily, but another Maid she had left behind in the capital. “Master, Byron Alain is here to see you.” “Byron? Send him in.” “Very well, sir.” Once the maid left, Byron came in almost as soon as she left. He seemed to be in a hurry, his normally neatly set hair was disheveled, his forehead was sweating profusely, and he was out of breath. “What’s the matter, you’re in such a hurry?” “Sorry about this ...... you guys.” Byron turned around and hurried his men who were just about to enter. They carried several boxes and laid them out in the room. “Yes. First of all, I have something to report. Ada-sama is pregnant.” Ada. She entered the royal palace with my help, caught His Majesty’s eye, and became the concubine. She was originally under Byron’s command, but now that she has become a concubine, the positions have reversed and she is now called Ada-sama. “Thank you, Your Highness. I owe it all to you, Your Highness.” Byron was about to speak when he turned and looked at his men. They all opened the boxes they had brought in at once. The box was filled with gold coins. “Wow, ......, I’ve never seen anything like it.” The young maid behind me, who had been serving and was now refraining from serving, blurted out. A box full of gold coins. That amount of gold coins – roughly ,00 reens, I think. “It’s a small token of our appreciation for His Highness’ efforts.” “All right, I’ll take it.” “Thank you very much!” I called a Maid and instructed her to take the men to the place where the gold was stored. The Maid and Byron’s men left together, and I sent the young maid serving us back, as this was going to be a confidential conversation. It was just me and Byron in the room. We sat on the sofa, facing each other. “Actually, we’ve just found out that another person — Consort Rebecca is also pregnant.” Well, as expected of His Majesty. I can’t believe he’s added two more children to the family. Or rather, the results of that ...... trip to the summer resort with the concubines have just come out. “I was hoping Your Highness could give me some advice on what to do about it.” “Is there a guardian on the other side?” “Yes. In fact, they’ve already started working on it.” “What about it? Anything done about it?” “No, I didn’t want to do anything until I spoke to His Highness. That’s why I’ve come here.” “I see. Then you need not do anything.” “Eh?” “In fact, this just saved your life.” “I-Is that ......?” Byron is surprised. The word ” saved your life ” caught him off guard. ” ...... How, what do you mean?” I kept my voice low and answered Byron. “His Majesty is disgusted by the two rebellions.” “—!” Byron’s face tensed again in a different way as he realized the gravity of what I was saying. “He’s allowing the Princes to do all sorts of political work, but the fact that he has a firm grip on Military power and decision-making power is proof of that. His Majesty does not like people who try to seize power now. The most taboo thing would be for an upstart to try to seize power under the guise of the Inner Palace.” “So it’s best not to do anything about it.” Returning to my earlier advice, I mentioned it again, and this time Byron huffed. “B-But then, no matter what...” “Haste makes waste... no, losing is winning.” “Losing is ...... winning.” “It is better to do absolutely nothing, but rather to actively withdraw from the situation. It would be a good contrast if the one who conceived at the same time, and who is in the same position as you is also actively working.” “Ahh ......” Looks like he finally got it. “So don’t do anything, you should rather actively retreat.” “I see, Your Highness! That’s an excellent idea!” Byron was overjoyed and patted his chest. Just as he had rushed in bringing 100,000 reens. If he hadn’t heard about it from me, he would have been doing a lot of work on behalf of Ada, who would be promoted to legitimate wife the next moment. ” To begin with.” “To begin with?” “His Majesty is indeed a great ruler. One in a few hundred years.” “Yeah.” I know that, but why bring that up? Bryon had such a look on his face. “No matter how well you try to gain power, his Majesty will always know about it. In that sense, it’s better not to do anything.” “You are absolutely right, Your Highness!” Byron said, standing up and opening the door, beckoning to his men outside. “Go back to the store now and bring me another 100,000 reens.” The thank-you was also this much, to the degree that he thought it was such a ” life-saver”.

Today, while returning to the mansion around mid-afternoon after listening to Alice’s singing, I saw two people in the garden, a man and a woman, tied to a tree. The man was a eunuch and the woman was a maid. Both were familiar faces in the mansion. The two were tied to a tree and being whipped by another eunuch. As I paused to wonder at the unusual sight, Zoe came out from inside the mansion. “Welcome back, Master.” “What’s that?” When I asked, Zoe blushed and made a complicated face. “Madam is ...... well ......” “Fumu. All right, I’ll ask Audrey directly.” I could tell that this was a very difficult thing to say. If I questioned her too strongly, Zoe would probably answer, but I didn’t have to go that far. After asking Zoe, I went inside the Mansion and visited Audrey in the living room. “Ah, welcome home, Noah-sama.” “I’m home. What’s that in the garden?” “I’m sorry, that was my fault.” “Hmm?” What do you mean? I asked her to elaborate. “A while ago, one of the maids told me she saw them naked in their room, hugging each other, so I went to .......” “Oh.” I could feel my temples twitching. “Still a Man?” “It’s been changed properly. All castrated – definitely a eunuch.” “Fumu.” There are several ways to castrate a eunuch. Half castration, in which only the testicles are removed, and full castration, in which the entire genitals are removed. Of course, considering the nature of eunuchs, it goes without saying that the latter is more ‘safe’. “So they are only doing pretend play?” “Yes. So, the eunuch was given whippings and the maid was given . Since it was an internal matter, I handled it myself.” “Well, that’s perfectly reasonable. There’s nothing to be concerned about.” Audrey was relieved. The eunuch was a castrated man, but that didn’t mean that he had lost his libido altogether. Of course, there are eunuchs who have reached zero, and that’s fine. However, eunuchs who still have a little bit of sexual desire will have relationships with lady in waiting in the royal palace, or with maids in the nobleman’s mansion. Sometimes they get into a good relationship and have physical intimacy with each other. By the way, eunuchs who are completely castrated can’t ” release ” themselves when they have physical intimacy, so they tend to engage in violent acts such as biting or hitting their partners.[TN: I didn’t need explanation] If they had not been castrated, then this would be a crime of death, but if they had been properly castrated and were doing “play,” it would only take a few dozen lashes. “Why the difference in numbers?” “That...... eunuch said, “I was the one who asked her out. It’s not her fault!” And so he defends her. The maid tried to cover for him as well, but the eunuch got down on his knees with such force that his forehead bled.” “Fumu. ...... So it’s a two-sided affair.” “Yes.” Audrey nodded quietly. I thought about it for a minute and then said to Zoe, who came into the living room with me. “Go to the garden and tell them to come here when the whipping is over.” Zoe walked out of the living room and went to call them. A short time later, the pair of the eunuch and the maid came in, with their clothes in tatters and swollen lines here and there – ripped and bleeding in some places. As soon as they entered the living room, they turned extremely pale and got down on their knees. “F-Forgive us!” “It won’t happen again! So–! “Ahh, you’ve already been punished, so stop it.” I held up my hand to stop them from apologizing. Audrey was right, this was an internal matter. Now that she’s dealt with it, it’s not my place to say anything. Audrey is the legitimate wife of the Prince, in other words, the Princess.[TN: it says queen (王妃 ‘ohi’), but I didn’t feel like using it, so changed it to Princess, suggestions are welcomed though.] She has a reputation to uphold. If she’s wrong, it’s obvious, but if she’s not and I intervene, no one will listen to her orders in the future. “That’s not what I’m talking about. You guys seem to like each other.” “It’s ......” The eunuch and the maid looked at each other. They had the look of unsure of how to answer. Eventually, the eunuch made up his mind. “Yes! We like each other. We came from the same village, she went to His Highness’ residence and I went to the royal palace, but when His Highness entered the fief, I requested my superiors to let me accompany her.” “Childhood friends, huh?” I looked at Audrey and she shook her head in surprise. It seems that she didn’t know. “Yes, .......” ” You want to stay together forever” The eunuch replied haltingly. He seemed unsure of my true intentions. “One last thing. Are there any more like you in the mansion?” “—-!” “I’m not talking about ratting them out. Ohh, I guess the order was wrong. Zoe, I want you to buy up some of the houses around the estate. Preferably in a neighborhood that surrounds the mansion. One of them will be given to you.” “”............”” The two of them were puzzled, they didn’t know what was going on and didn’t seem to be able to follow it at all. “During the day, you can continue to work at the mansion as before, but at night you can go back to your homes.” “Noah-sama, ...... it looks as if you are arranging ...... marriages for your subjects.” Audrey said, and they both snapped out of it. “I intend to.” After replying to Audrey, I asked them. “So? We can pretend this never happened if you don’t want to be together forever.” “A-Absolutely not!” “Thank you very much! Thank you very much!” They bowed their heads to me again and again. “Such ...... an amazing person ......” “I shall never forget this kindness.” “Hmm. Ah, yes. If you want a daughter, you can adopt one. I’ll treat your adopted daughter as a household member. A son is fine, but you don’t want to take a son and turn him into a eunuch, do you?” “”–! Thank you very much!”” The two of them were so moved to tears that they kept bowing their heads over and over again, like a bunch of grasshoppers. “That’s why. If any of the servants want to start another ‘family’, they can do the same as now. I leave this matter to you.” “Yes, I understand.” Audrey smiled and nodded. “But as expected of Noah-sama. I could never have imagined such a procedure.” “Um, Master .......” “Hmm?” I turned to Zoe. For some reason, she had a troubled look on her face. “What’s wrong?” “That ...... there was an order from Master...” “This year, that ...... money is ......” “...... Oh.” Thinking for a moment, I understood why Zoe looked so worried. In the past, when it came to water maintenance, my brother Oscar couldn’t pass the budget for it this year, so I had to cover it out of my own pocket. “Nothing at all?” “No, maybe for those who want to. It’s just that purchasing them in a circle around the house is .......” “I see. Well then, let’s start with the applicants. The neighbors won’t be leaving any time soon. The rest can wait until next year.” “I understand. I’ll do it that way.” ☆ The next day, while I was relaxing in the living room, playing a mock battle between the newly subordinated Apophis and four of his seniors to raise their levels and determine their ranks, Cecily, the serving maid, came in. “Master, you have a visitor.” “Who is this?” “Well, there are a lot of ...... mayors.” “What?” I frowned. “Mayors, are they from Nisir?” “Yes.” “All right, lead them into the parlor. And call Don.” Cecily nodded and left the living room. I stood up and walked to the parlor, thinking. Nisir, the capital of Almeria. This city is divided into a number of “towns”. Each town has its own mayor and based on two or three towns, there is one governor. And the mayors of these towns came in group? What the heck. I thought about it and couldn’t figure it out, so I met up with Don on the way and we went into the parlor together. There were about twenty people standing in the room. Most of them were old men, with a few middle-aged ones. That’s what they looked like. “It’s a privilege to meet you. My name is Delos.” The old man at the front bowed his head and said. The other mayors bowed along with him but said nothing. It seemed that Delos was the leader of the group. “Umm. Cecily, bring everyone a chair.” I sat down on the couch. Don stood behind me. I had the maids bring in the chairs, as there were not enough of them in the room for the mayors. I waited until all the mayors had sat down in their chairs. “So, what’s the occasion?” I asked Delos. “Here.” Delos stood up, walked over to me, and held out something with both hands. I took it and opened it. It looked like a catalog, with words written on it. “What’s this?” “This is a donation from the entire town.” “Money?” “I heard that this year His Highness spent his own money to maintain the waterworks.” “......” “Water is the lifeline of this city. We cannot thank you enough, Your Highness.” “That’s why you came to me to repay me?” Delos said so, and, the mayor and others stood up as if in unison, and bowed their heads. “We apologize for any rudeness. But please accept the feelings of the people.” “””Please do.””” “All right, I’ll take it without reservation, then.” “””Thank you very much!!!””” The mayors looked up again, and all of them had happy faces. After the mayors left, Don and I remained in the parlor. I’m looking at the inventory that Delos gave me. “What a ...... story, I’ve never heard such an amazing story before. It’s unheard of for people to voluntarily give money like this. This is another example of His Highness’ virtue.” “Don.” “Yes, what is it?” “Proceed with the purification of the water source to make it special-grade.” “Eh? That was supposed to be done after the budget was set–“ I tossed the inventory to Don. “You see this?” “.......” Don was puzzled. “But that’s His Highness’s–“ “It is the duty of a nobleman to answer to the goodwill of his people. I’ll get the money I spent back from the Treasury next year. This is the people’s money, so spend it on the people.” “By your will. We will definitely use it all for water projects.” “Um.” I nodded and left the parlor, leaving Don behind. After Noah left, Don stayed in the parlor for a while to think, and then he left the room to look for Zoe. Zoe was now the head maid. As far as Don could see, she was as talented as Evelyn, but she was loyal to Noah and had no intention of becoming a governor like Evelyn. He explained to Zoe what had just happened and showed her the catalog he had received. “That’s just like Master. I guess he’ll just do what he has to do and say nothing to the people.” Don said, and Zoe nodded. “So what do you suggest we do?” “I’ll do everything I can to get the water project going. Zoe, use the maids and eunuchs to spread the word.” “You’ll keep the facts under wraps?” “All right. Leave it to me.” “Appreciated.” Don and Zoe. They nodded at each other and parted ways for the moment. Noah didn’t like to talk about it, saying ‘It’s a nobleman’s privilege to be putting up with it,’ but those who adored him couldn’t stand it. Noah’s fame grew even higher without his intention.

The next morning, after breakfast, I was summoned to the royal palace and arrived at the flower garden. I found His Majesty in the midst of the colourful flower garden, where he was playing with a parrot – enjoying himself – and I hurried to him with a great stride. “Noah Ararat, here to answer your summons.” His Majesty was in a very good mood as I dropped to one knee and bowed my head. “Oh, you’re here. Lift your head.” “Yes, sir.” “Henry told me what happened last night. The assassin has spoken up.” “So?” “Hmm. This is a rebel hand. They thought they’d capture you and turn you into a card for their play.” I wasn’t surprised, because I knew what to expect. Rather, I was surprised that they threw up in just one night. “Your Majesty,” “I’m afraid I am speaking out of place, but it’s possible that they lied.” “You’re a smart boy.” His Majesty was in an increasingly good mood. ” Well, about that, there’s nothing to be worried. There is a way to be sure that the person who spoke up was telling the truth. According to that, it is the truth.” So the path of the snake. I don’t know much about torture, so let’s just accept it for what it is. “Therefore. Good job, Noah. If you had been captured, the Empire would have had to make a difficult choice.” “And,” “?” Is there more to it? – and the next moment I thought. “I’m impressed that you’ve got your eye on fodder supplies.” “—e!” This was a grand surprise. The talk of buying up the fodder in the surrounding land to capture Almeria and reduce the power of the cavalry was something that I came up with on the spot last night and only told Byron. And yet, it has already been heard by His Majesty. This kind of thing has happened occasionally before, but this was the most surprising. The fact that I was surprised doesn’t really matter at all, as His Majesty excitedly praised me. “Anyone can do a food raid, but to think about the people of your domain and attack only on horses, and with your own money!” His Majesty approached me and placed a hand on my shoulder with a pat. “This idea, and the power of action, is amazing. It’s not something you can do very often.” “Thank you.” “I’ll have to reward you with something. Money will be too mundane for this matter.... ...... Okay, Cruz.” “Ha!” The eunuch Cruz emerged from the shadows of the flower garden. As usual, I don’t know where he’s hiding until he’s called. ” Permission to put a sword on Noah’s coat of arms. Give the decree.” “As you wish.” Cruz moved quickly. I got down on one knee again, surprised, and dropped my head down once more. That said. The Empire is a nation of warriors, and many of the honors are battle-related. Among them, adding a “sword” to an official coat of arms is something that should not be done without the Emperor’s permission. The same is true for the signs of merchants and guilds. If you use a “sword” on a crest without permission, you will be guilty of impiety, and in the worst case, you could be executed. On the contrary, being able to use it is the highest honor bestowed by the emperor. I raised my face and stood up. His Majesty smiles, dimples appearing on his wrinkled face. He looks happier than I do. Suddenly, His Majesty seems to remember. “Oh, yes, Noah, have you decided how you’re going to choose the knight selection?” “...... Yes, I have one plan.” ” hmm? What’s it like?” “Would you mind excusing me?” “Mm, I approve.” After His Majesty nodded solemnly at me, I beckoned to the junior eunuch, who was waiting in the distance and was visible. I gave the coming eunuch an earful and got him ready to go. Then the eunuch complied and ran to get ready. A few minutes later, a table and chairs were placed in the flower garden, and a few more eunuchs arrived with a few additional eunuchs. There was a tea set on the table and the eunuch was holding a bucket of water. It was actually easier to recognize the soldiers, but they did this because they weren’t allowed to be armed inside the royal palace without His Majesty’s permission. I turned my gaze to His Majesty. He smiled and nodded, a look on his face that said he was looking forward to seeing what I was going to do. I nodded back, sat down in my chair and picked up my tea set. I behaved as if it was an elegant tea time – in the heavenly garden inside the royal palace, the most expensive garden in the land. One of the eunuchs, beckoning me to join him, splashed a bucket of water on me. The water hurled at me, and Leviathan reacted to it. My armor transformed from the Linked Ring and became like an umbrella, blocking the bucket of water. Furthermore, another eunuch splashed on me, and then the next eunuch on the waiting list. In total, there were four eunuchs, all of whom splashed buckets of water, but all of them were prevented by the ring umbrella. The ground was soaked with water, but the area around me, inside the two-meter diameter circle, was dry. The word “territory(domain)” comes to mind. Inside the territory, even if it was just a drop of water, Leviathan didn’t let any of it through. The demonstration was complete, I put down my teacup, stood up and reported to His Majesty down on one knee. ” I will have the person I am selecting attack me like this. I’ll decide how far they can push me, then I’ll decide.” I didn’t dare say it because I meant that teatime would be a long process. “I’m impressed. This should be able to withstand the long process of selection.” His Majesty seemed to have seen it coming. “But ...... ummm.” “Is there any problem with it?” “Mm. That’s why I thought it was dangerous. Some of the ones we select will be reasonably strong. In the unlikely event that they can penetrate your defenses.” ” That’ s the extent of my commitment, sir.” I answered immediately. It is the duty of a nobleman, the duty of a prince. I must find the right people for the Empire. Compared to that, some risk is unavoidable. So I answered immediately. And then His Majesty became more and more – with the happiest face of the day. “Well said. I’m proud of you, Noah. That’s my son,the prince of the empire.” He praised me for this. When I came back to the mansion from the palace, Byron had come to visit me. I let him into the parlor to talk to him, he’s been working on buying up the fodder as soon as possible and seems to have some idea of what he’s going to do. “You’re early,'” There are only a limited number of fodder places from where it can be transported, and I know where they are. So it is not that difficult to seize them.” As expected of a merchant. As I was about to ask for more information, there was a knock at the door of the room. It’s an unusual, impatient knock. “Enter.” A maid from the hospitality service came in. “Excuse me–Master, there’s a man with wounds at the main gate. ” A man with wounds?” “I received word that he came from Almeria with a report of something important to master.” When I heard the word “Almeria,” I exchanged glances with Byron and we nodded at each other. I got up first and left the room, Byron following behind me. We left the mansion and came to the main gate. There, as the maid reported, there was one young man who looked like a raggedy looking man. Aside from being covered in fresh wounds, his skin and clothes are stained with sweat and mud, and you can tell at a glance that he’s a person who came from far away in a hurry. “This is Noah Ararat.” “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Imperial Highness.” “Hmm. And who are you?” “I’m a soldier in the province of Adora, in the province of Almeria, and I’m the commander of a ten-man squad.” “Hmm.” “Your Highness, there’s been a rebellion in Almeria.” “......ho.” I quietly listened to the young man. It wasn’t much of a story now that the young man spoke. His superiors had rebelled in Almeria. He didn’t agree with it himself, so he desperately escaped the army and came to the Imperial City to report to me. I thought for a moment and nodded. “Okay, you did well to inform me.” Then I turned to the hospitality service maid who had followed along. “Patch him up. And reward him with five hundred–no, a thousand reens.” I ordered. The maid nodded and called for another maid to take the man away to patch him up. We remained there, myself and Byron, and soon Byron asked me. “Your Highness, what did that mean?” “hmm?” ” His Highness already knows about the rebellion, doesn’t he? So why did you reward him with such a large sum of money?” “Certainly his information was useless. It’s nothing new now, and it won’t be of any use.” Byron stares straight at me as I say that. Right, so? He kept looking at me asking, with his eyes. “That feeling, the reward for that loyalty. A mere captain of a soldier has risked his life to inform me, and I must reciprocate that loyalty.” “That’s a lot of money for ...... that’s all I can say about that!” Byron opened his mouth wide and, then looked at me with impressed eyes.

A few days later, in the study of the royal palace in the daytime. His Majesty, the head of the study, is there, and across from the desk where he usually sits, Albert, the Crown Prince, and I are standing side by side. All three of us have very serious faces. I stepped forward and broke the silence with a cough before beginning my report. “The investigation of Brother———no, Gilbert’s house has been completed. We found a document in a hidden room in the basement that shows what happens if you consume Poinics wine and dragon claws together.” “Solid evidence of an attempt to conspire against you. The fact that it was hidden in a hidden room is the best proof. A bastard no better than a dog.”[Don’t compare that as**ole to a dog] Albert spat hatefully. On the other hand, His Majesty sighed with a dejected look on his face, as if he had lost ten years of age because of this incident. “What about Gilbert?” “Gilbert is imprisoned. In order to prevent him from committing suicide, we’ve magically restricted his every move and assigned him three times as many guards as usual.” What I reported was an unbelievably strict regime. He had plotted to poison the emperor, a crime of unprecedented proportions, and I didn’t want anything to happen to him before His Majesty made a decision. If Gilbert were to commit suicide in the prison because of his guilt, the guards would all be fired, no joke. I protected Gilbert with the strictest of measures – in fact, with the strictest of measures to protect him from the whole world. “Well, ....... So, what’s the disposition?” His Majesty opened his heavy mouth and stared at me. As the Minister of Justice, he asked for my opinion. “There is solid evidence, and it is a clear case of treason, a conspiracy to kill His Majesty, so in light of imperial law, there is no alternative but to execute him by decapitation.” “Umu. ......” His Majesty made a face of a grimace. Seeing this, I took a breath and then continued. “But in this case, it could be taken as an attempt.” His Majesty’s eyebrows twitched. “What if it is an attempt?” “Of course, it must be treason, so the execution by decapitation is unavoidable. However, the sentence can be suspended for a reduced period of time. And in the case of treason, His Majesty can order the suspension to be carried out at any time he wishes.” “Why are you doing such a complicated thing?” Albert, after hearing my opinion, tilted his head curiously. “No, this is just Noah. He thinks in terms of both the law and humanity.” “......” I bowed silently. That’s what I thought, and I don’t know if I should say “yes” too often. “You’ve thought this through, Noah.” “......?” Albert, on the other hand, still doesn’t seem to understand. Although he was almost murdered, Gilbert is still his son. He also thought of the possibility that he could not punish his son even if he was about to be killed. That’s why I came up with the idea of a suspension of execution, where the emperor can decide the timing of execution at his discretion within the law – in other words, if he wanted to, he could effectively sentence him to life in prison.” His Majesty understood this and praised me for it. “Your Majesty, don’t hesitate. Whoever it was who thought of poisoning you should be executed.” Albert appealed for immediate execution. This is the right thing to do, though. For a moment, I saw His Majesty’s brow furrow in displeasure. It was only for a moment, however, and he quickly returned to his normal expression and thought about it for several tens of seconds. “...... Albert.” “Yes.” “I will leave the execution to you. Go ahead.” Albert got down on one knee and walked out of the study. I sighed secretly in my mind. “Noah.” “You’ve done well. It’s amazing you can be so thoughtful.” “......” “That kind of thoughtfulness alone is a lifesaver.” I was silent, just listening with my head faintly bowed. The air that had been heavy from the start became even heavier, and his majesty coughed and changed the subject. “Gilbert’s estate after his death will be transferred. Actually, I was going to give it to you as is, but–“ “Please do not.” I looked up quickly and interrupted his words. “Hm?” “This whole thing started because of my informant. No matter how much fault Gilbert has brought upon himself, if I took Gilbert’s domain because of it, it might lead to a dispute between the Princes later on – or rather, pulling each other’s legs.” After I said that, His Majesty revealed a smile happily for the first time today. “Don’t be hasty, I said ‘actually’.” “Ah .......” “And well said. That’s what I’m afraid of. Yes, there is that fear. It’s okay to fight, but dragging each other down is unacceptable. So I’m not rewarding Noah for this.” “Thank you for your consideration.” I knelt down on the spot and thanked him. “Instead, I’m going to do what’s right. Noah, you’ve reached the point where you are ready to enter your domain(fief). It’s time for you to think about taking a wife.” I raised my head and nodded. I am years old now, but it is not so early to get married. The first marriage of a member of the royal family, that is to say, for the main wife is % political, and the marriage must be with someone whose family background is at least equal. If you take that into consideration, twelve is a bit late. “How about my uncle——-Lightning Prince’s granddaughter?”[TN: visible confusion 雷(kaminari=Lightning) 親王(Shino=Imperial Prince)” “I have no objection.” I replied as a matter of course. “I see. Actually, I had the fortune-teller do a compatibility reading beforehand, and she said that Noah and the girl would make a pretty smart child in over 0% of cases and that there was about a 1% chance that the child would be more talented than you.” The further into the future you look, the harder it is to see, and the more likely you are to be wrong. It’s not too early to get married at twelve, but that doesn’t mean you have to have a baby right away. My child will have to wait at least five more years in order to be born. There is no such thing as a fortune teller that can predict what will happen in five years, and there is a high probability that it will be wrong. But still. “I am extremely fortunate to have such a person.” “Well, then I will proceed with the match with the girl.” “Thank you for your generosity.” I bowed one last time, and after confirming that His Majesty had nothing to say, I slowly left the study. After Noah left, the First Vizier came into the study instead. “Oh, as expected of Noah-sama. Not only did he not know what kind of girl she was, but he also didn’t even ask for her name.” “That is how it is with royalty and princes.” “However, it is true that there are not many people who can do so. Every boy has some interest in the person who will be his wife. Noah-sama, at his age, is capable of such a thing, which is quite impressive.” The First Vizier was impressed, and the Emperor nodded in satisfaction. Noah’s questioning of the other party there would be an act of disrespect. It’s not uncommon for a lord to arrange marriages for his subordinates, even if it’s on a larger scale as the Emperor and the Prince. And you must always receive the Emperor’s gifts. Asking for the person’s name and personality can mean refusing, depending on the person. This is not possible between a nobleman – the Emperor and the Prince. “But not even Noah-sama noticed this.” The first vizier smiled happily, his deep wrinkles creasing even more. “When I heard you mention it, it made me snicker. ......” “It was not a bad suggestion.” The First Vizier, because he had been a vassal for many years, was rather frank with the emperor – though only in comparison to others. And the Emperor does not seem to feel bad about it. “Aah. A blind spot, but certainly a good idea. Grandson, huh” “Choose your grandchildren as your successors. A good grandson will ensure prosperity for three generations.” The First Vizier repeated what he had said to the Emperor some time ago. “But, from which one precisely? A Grandchild who could be my successor” “So far, the only possibility is Noah-sama. If his talents can be passed on to his child.” “Well......we can only hope.” The emperor and the first vizier continued to stare at the door after Noah had left with serious faces.

After three days of staying at the inn, in the early afternoon, I was going through the political documents from the previous day in my room when there was a knock on the door. “Peiyu huh, come in.” Without lifting my head, I determined from the sound of the knock and presence who it was. As expected, it was Peiyu, who entered the room and bowed to me silently. “Master, a guest has arrived.” “Hmm, who is it?” “He claims to be a retainer of the Eighth Prince.” “I see, let him in.” “Yes.” Peiyu bowed once more and left the room with the same atmosphere as when she entered. I continued with my political work as is. For things that required a detailed response, I first organized my thoughts in my head before writing them down. There was another knock on the door. “Come in.” Upon my permission, the door opened even more respectfully than when Peiyu entered. I could tell from the presence that the person who entered knelt near the entrance. “Rio Leo, I am deeply honored to meet you and bow before your divine countenance.” “Umu.” While nodding, I continued writing. As there were specific instructions that required me to finish writing for nearly five minutes. After setting down the pen, I spent another two minutes checking the contents. After confirming the instructions were correct, I put down my pen and lifted my head. The man who introduced himself as Rio Leo remained bowing his head. He’s breathing heavily with sweat covering his body. It was clear he had come in a hurry. “Stand up. Did you come in a hurry?” “Yes. I came by ‘express’ under Oscar-sama’s order.” “Express” refers to the degree of urgency. Depending on the importance of the order or document being delivered, the level of urgency would differ. Roughly speaking, there were two types: “Express” and “Special Express.” This meant using horses to deliver the message quickly, even if it meant exhausting the horse in the process. “Special Express” was a level of urgency even higher than “Express.” In this case, human life was not even taken into account. The focus was on speed. Since human life was not a concern, three sets of people and horses carrying the same document were often sent out simultaneously. If at least one set arrived alive, the mission was considered successful. Although rarely used, there was also a level higher than “Special Express” called “Super Special Express,” which was only used for emergency military reports. Oscar had sent his own retainer and it was even by Express. “Let’s talk calmly. Peiyu, bring a chair for Rio.” I called out to the outside of the room. Peiyu brought a chair and placed it beside Rio. Rio did not sit right away but knelt down again and said, “Thank you for your kindness,” Before standing up and sitting down hesitantly with his bottom half on the chair. This was also a form of etiquette, so there’s no complaint. “Now then, what did Oscar say?” “He said that as Minister of Finance, he agrees with the plan,” “So there are opposing views as well?” Rio gave a small bow while seated. “He said that as a Prince first, he cannot fully agree with the plan.” “And the reason?” “The exchange tax has been in place for over years and has become a precedent, with many interests involved. If we take it away, it will be difficult to predict the level of backlash from local officials and retired ministers.” “Retired ministers? Ah, I see.” Rio said, bowing his head solemnly. As Oscar had said, this was indeed a point of concern. Apart from the Prince’s retainers, ministers at the level of the Viziers often became examiners for selecting knights and increased their own followers. It was similar to how I chose Shirley. And they often send out their protegees as governors. Then, these followers were often sent out as officials, and they usually paid tribute to the minister who had chosen them. And where does this money come from— most of this tribute came from the exchange tax. And many of these ministers were family members of some prince... Empress Audrey’s family, Prince Rai, also has about three viziers among their retainers. In other words, if the conversation turns to take up the exchange tax, it would inevitably make retired ministers enemies and even possibly turn the Prince behind them into an enemy. Oscar agrees as the finance minister, but as a Prince, he cannot simply let it go, which is why he replies as such. “... Is that all Oscar said?” “Huh?” “It’s Oscar here, he must have some idea what I would do after hearing the story?” “... As expected of Your Majesty, I am sincerely impressed,” Rio said, then got up from his chair, knelt down, and bowed deeply to me. Then he stood up again, sat back in his chair, and looked straight at me. “As you guessed, Oscar-sama said ‘His Majesty does not hesitate to touch various customs, so it is unlikely that he will back down for that reason.’ “ “That’s right.” The first thing I tackled was the marital relationship of the Imperial Princess. Even if the Imperial Princess married a commoner, her status would be maintained as a custom, and their relationship would become like that of a master and servant. Even meeting with his wife required applications and permissions, which was not a normal marital relationship, so I abolished it by Imperial decree. Although it was a custom that had been continuing since the early days of the empire, it was a relationship between a husband and wife that had nothing to do with political affairs. Furthermore, the situation where men were oppressed――husbands――was viewed favorably by the various generations of Princes, and even at worst, their opinion was, “Do as you please,” so the reform went smoothly. Originally, I had been thinking of reforming some customs as the Emperor, and I utilized this opportunity that suddenly arose. As a result, like Oscar, some of the Princes and ministers recognized me as an Emperor who was willing to break with tradition. “As expected, this time is the same as well.” Even though I was trying to touch the exchange tax, Oscar had predicted that it wouldn’t work, while admonishing me from his position. “It’s really about human resources...” “Huh, what do you mean?” “No, it’s nothing. I understand the conversation. Give a response to Oscar recommending it. We’ll fill in the details once we return to the capital.” “...I’ll just give you the direction.” “I receive.” Rio stood up again and kneeled before me. He knelt and was ready to receive my orders. “First, we take it away from the governors. But if we do that alone, there will be a backlash. So, we’ll distribute the money from the exchange tax to the governors as a bonus.” “...” Rio looked up in surprise. But he didn’t say anything. In this situation where the Emperor gave orders to the prince, he was like a carrier pigeon. Interjecting with one’s own opinions or words would be considered a disrespectful act. As a retainer to the Prince, Rio understood this well and was only surprised, without saying anything. “I understand what you want to say. That it’s pointless to take it away if we’re just going to give it back, and that we might even end up in the red?” “...” Rio bowed his head silently. His response was a silent agreement. “We also need some incidental expenses, so we’ll raise part of the exchange tax.” “...!” “Don’t get distracted, there’s more. It’s not to line our own pockets, so we’ll raise it just enough to keep it at the same level overall. However, some people will still be unhappy with the fact that it’s going up.” Rio bowed his head silently again. “So, we’ll issue a decree that we won’t increase the exchange tax permanently.” “!” “At least during my reign, we won’t increase the exchange tax permanently.” Rio’s expression became extremely complex. It was % surprise and 70% confusion. “What’s bothering you? I’ll allow it, so tell me.” “I am grateful for your kindness. Why not propose something instead of raising taxes?” “Do you know what the most important thing the country can give to its people is?” “Um, money...no, jobs...food, clothing, and shelter, right?” “70 points, not bad.” “Thank you!” “All of those things combined give hope and expectations.” “Hope....expectations” “That’s right. It is the duty of the government, of the rulers, to give people hope and expectations for the future. Money, jobs, food, clothing, and shelter are all included in that hope and expectation for a better life.” After a brief pause, I continued. “Permanently not raising taxes is also part of creating that expectation.” “I see...as expected of Your Majesty. I am impressed.” “Indeed. Now go tell Oscar about this. Recite the original text to him, he’ll be able to draft a good proposal.” “Yes.” Rio bowed once again and then left. After seeing Rio off, I stood up and looked out the window. Oscar is capable, he will understand the essence of this discussion. The essence of this discussion is not only to help the people but also to change the structure and nature of the bureaucracy itself. We took away the means for officials to line their pockets, but we provided compensation. Even so, if they still try to profit in any way, it won’t be forgiven. I have been very accommodating to Oscar. Aside from the throne, I can give him almost anything he desires. If he still aims for the throne after all that... Oscar will surely understand. “Give up the throne, my brother. That would tarnish our father’s name.” My mutterings by the window disappeared into the scorching desert sun, unheard by anyone.

“Damn it!” A man who seemed to be the leader jumped at me, wielding a weapon. His weapon was a large, thick sword, which, combined with his size, he wielded with ease. Leviathan’s volley of attacks wounded him, but the wound was minor enough that it didn’t interfere with his movement. “Control, Livyathan.” I restrained Livyathan from shaking with my presence, took it back to its original form, and held it as a sword. I then used Livyathan to catch the man’s slash. The sound of sword fights rang out, and sparks flew. The man was startled momentarily when he saw the sword appear out of thin air. Just as we were about to engage in a sparring match, the man gritted his teeth and pushed me aside, still competing with me, and came at me with his great sword swinging wildly. “Uh-oh, oriyaaah! You little bastard!” He slashed at me several times with such force that it seemed to create a whirlpool of air currents. I caught and parried them with my leviathan. The man was not focused solely on slashing. Sometimes he would thrust his great sword into the ground, causing sand to roll up, or he would aim to distract me by sending spilled blood at me. “...... I see, a good boss.” “–!” The man is confused and startled by my words. “Stop him Livyathan, just hold his feet.” {As you wish.} Leviathan’s blade shuddered. It was the same feeling as before, but a far thinner pillar of water – a needle of water was sent flying all at once. I stopped all the bandits who were trying to escape while the man was distracting me. “Y-You saw ......’ The man stopped attacking, glared at me with his arms ready, and twisted face. “It was because your movements were unnaturally loud and over the top.” “When did you give the orders?” I asked the man. To tell the truth, I didn’t realize at first that he was attacking me to get my attention. It was just after he attacked me. I had never seen a bandit decide to retreat so quickly. “I didn’t give them any orders.” “Hou?” “Life is the most important thing. I always tell them to run away when things go wrong.” “They’re not my subordinates, they are my brothers.”[TN: DOM?] “Fumu.” I nodded slightly. It was a relationship that was difficult for others to understand. “Why didn’t you take the girl hostage?” I asked again. Peiyu and Ivy shuddered and stared at the man, holding up their hands in a gesture of reassurance. “That’s not the kind of power difference that would help, you know” “Fumu, quick assessment of the situation.” I looked at the man again. What he was doing was the wrong thing to do, and it was the wrong way to meet him, but... The man in front of me is definitely a talent. I turn my head to Peiyu and instructed looking over my shoulder. “Peiyu, give me the potion.” “Eh?” “Heal the most severely injured first.” Peyre was puzzled for a moment, but still obeyed my order and took a potion out of her baggage. A newly developed potion, a precious commodity that can even be a strategic supply. Unlike Livyathan’s water, it was made to be used immediately and carried in physical form. Peiyu brought it out. Then, like a senior, she asked Ivy to help her. Ivy didn’t know what was going on, but she helped Peyre nonetheless. “T-The wound was healed in an instant. ......!” Ivy, seeing the potion for the first time, was astonished. “This is something Master made.” “He made it?” “Yes, isn’t it amazing? It can cure any kind of injury.” “That’s ...... but it’s true ....... Amazing .......” Ivy is speechless at the potion’s potency. And she wasn’t the only one surprised. Even the bandits who had experienced the instantaneous recovery from injuries with the potion were astonished, and many of them didn’t know what had happened. On the other hand, the man who was looking at the “whole” situation from a distance was surprised but was able to grasp what was going on. He looked at me with a face that was half surprised and half cautious. “Why are you helping me?” “Because you are not a threat.” “What?” “You decided in an instant that you were no match for me. Then even if I heal everyone’s wounds, they won’t attack.” “......” “And people are treasures. There’s no reason to let them die unnecessarily.” “It’s a robbery.” “There is no death penalty for banditry. Under Imperial law, no matter how severe the sentence, it can’t even reach life imprisonment for it.” In some cases, it’s a few hundred years in prison, but that’s still a different stage from life imprisonment or the death penalty. “Even so.” The man asks me, still wary. “There’s no reason to go to the trouble of fixing it. So why are you doing this?” “To ask a question.” “What?” “Your men – your brothers, I should say. If I heal their wounds, you will hear me out, won’t you?” “...... what do you want to know? The weather? Or the location of the nearest oasis?” “Ha-ha-ha, I see, the weather is worth talking about here.” I laughed happily. From the man’s tone, I felt that “the weather” was not a casual remark. It’s true that the weather in this desert, in this poor environment, can be life-or-death information in some cases. I understood that if he was willing to give it to me, we could talk. “First, why do you do this kind of work?” “What else is there to do besides make a living?” “There’s no such business that doesn’t need money.” It is said that the two oldest professions of mankind are mercenaries and prostitutes. Men as mercenaries and women as prostitutes. Both are things that can be done with just one’s body. In that sense, it could be said that being a thief or a bandit is a ‘business that requires no capital’ that can be done with only one’s body. “Have you thought about becoming a mercenary?” “You can’t become a mercenary. Without proper armaments, you can’t even find an employer. Even if you are lucky to find one, you will be a pawn.” I nodded and agreed. I didn’t think of it that way, but it is true that employers usually look at equipment and weapons as part of the force. In that sense, mercenaries need to have the “original capital” if they want to do it right. However, if you are a bandit, you only need a minimal amount of weapons....... I see. “Is that all you want to hear?” The man said with irritation. He looked as if he didn’t want to talk about how he ended up as a bandit and a thief. Well, I guess so. If it weren’t for a painful past, you wouldn’t have fallen into this line of work. Especially a man who is as talented as he is. “No, there’s one more thing.” “Ask me quickly.” “Are you willing to stop being a bandit?” “Ha!” The man snorted. “If I could quit, I would have done it by now.” “Listen to the question carefully. Are you willing to stop being a bandit?” ” ......if I could quit, I would have already quit.” The man toned down. It was the same word, but it had a different meaning. The first time it was meant to be mean and contemptuous, but the second time it was more like an expletive ...... of bitterness ....... “Do you want to join the army?” “I ain’t getting in, ...... only guys from decent backgrounds can get in.” “Not a problem if you get a good introduction.” The guy looked at me. I stared back at him silently and waited for his reply. “You are...... just a .......” “That’s not important. I’m asking you your intentions.” The man’s demeanor softened considerably. He looked at his “brothers” around him. The ones who had been cured by the potion had the same look of bewilderment on their faces as the man. And the man turned to me. “B-But. We’ve already been tagged and known to do this kind of thing.” “That’s not a big deal. Tell me honestly, how many people have you killed?” “K-killed ...... um not more than ten...” “As a group?” “Then it’s easy to talk. That’s years of imprisonment or three years in the military, respectively, for that number.” Under imperial law, the military sentence is often one-tenth of the imprisonment sentence, although it depends on the amount of punishment. There are several reasons. First, the empire is a “nation of warriors,” constantly at war with smaller neighboring countries that need to replenish their ranks. Then there is the idea that if a person can be made a soldier with a military sentence and survive for several years, it is better to promote him to a soldier or general rather than as a prisoner. In the first place, some believe that since soldiers are “expendable” and will die soon, the length of the military sentence does not mean much. Having worked for both the Department of Military Affairs and the Department of Justice, I understand this very well. “If you get a military sentence, you can legally serve in the military.” “Well, it’s not decided that it will be done.” “That’s why I’m introducing you.” “–!” He looked at me. “Who the... hell are you ......?” “Let’s just say I’m someone who’s in a position to make sure you’re sent to the military.” “Can you really ...... do that?” “Don’t be fooled, brother! That’s just an attempt to screw us over! “That’s right, that’s right! They’re trying to trick us and throw us in jail!” His men shouted at the wavering man. Hearing this, the man sighed weakly. “Why would a man who could annihilate us here need to go through such a roundabout process?” “Uuh. .......” “T-That’s .......” Everyone fell silent at the man’s point. He looked at me again. “Is it really ......?” “Peiyu.” “Yes!” Peiyu pulled out a piece of paper, a pen, and a small board from the luggage. She took the board and stood in front of me, using it as a makeshift desk. I took the pen and began to scribble a few sentences on the paper. “Yes.” I took it and marked the end of the paper, near my signature. After reading the text one last time, I handed it to the man who looked at me blankly. “Take this to the governor or the secretary of state, and don’t make it any worse.” “...... you.” “I’ve paved the way for you, now it’s up to you to do your best.” ” ......Thank you, I appreciate it.” The man bowed deeply and clutched the letter I gave him carefully. After the men left, Peiyu asked me. “Was it all right, Master, to let them go?” “They are effectively turning themselves in, it won’t be a problem.” “But they are going into the army. If they did the same thing in the military, they would have ......” I understand what Peiyu is trying to say. That is because the military also has an image of looting. “No problem.” “N-No problem, is that sure?” “That’s right. If a civilian kills someone for banditry, they are only imprisoned, but for unauthorized looting, the minimum penalty is death according to military law.” Military law imposes heavier penalties than the common law in order to maintain discipline in the army. Of course, it is not only about the punishment, but also there’s a candy that says “defeat the place and you are allowed to loot for a few days” which is added when going to war, but there is no need to tell that to her now. “I just laid out the path for him. What happens from there is up to him.” “I see. ...... That’s as expected of you, Master. Although the form is different, it is the same as mine, isn’t it?” “Yes, it is.” I took Peiyu in as a retainer and protected her. The men were taken in and protected by the nation. The form is a little different, but it is essentially the same thing. I was a little happy to know that Peiyu is also a smart woman who understood this. Ivy was trembling. She couldn’t understand what Noah had done at all. Why would he not punish the bandit, but instead heal them, release them, and to top it off, offer them a job? She couldn’t understand it. People fear what they do not understand. Ivy was still at that stage where she couldn’t understand Noah and was afraid of him. “......” At the same time, she began to be more curious about Noah than before.

The next day, I came alone to the Leararat government office. A government building is a public administrative agency of a town and is usually the place where the lord or governor who governs the town resides. Standing on the main street, look up at the government building. It’s a three-story building at most, but it’s an unfamiliar-style building. “... the royal palace, huh?” That kind of impression popped up in my head. It’s a style I’ve never seen before, but it’s the decorations on the exterior, the construction of the gate, and the positional relationship with the city. Everything met the requirements of the so-called royal palace. “Seems like they had a lot of fun.” I chuckled. It is not unusual for a deputy or governor posted to a frontier region to wield power like a king in that region. Even if they hold the same official position, if they are in the capital, they are just mid-level officials, but if they are in the frontier, they become high-ranking officials from the capital. Therefore, it is common to hear people say that they would rather stay as a low-ranking official on the frontier, even if their official position is lower than rise to the top and enter the center of the empire. Some of them even bribe the inspector-general who oversees their political performance so that they will stay in office. In that sense, the barren and remote area of Saralira would have been an easy place to do such a thing, I thought as I looked at the palace-like building in front of me. Well, that’s not important now. I started walking again and came to the gate guard guarding the main gate. Usually, these gatekeepers are a pair of two people, standing on either side of the double-opening gate. This place was no exception, with an elderly man and a young man serving as the guards. When they saw me approaching, the young gatekeeper held up his spear, another standard weapon, and thrust the tip of the spear toward me. “Stop! Who are you?” “I am this.” It was not worth the time to argue with the gatekeeper, so. I released Livyathan’s power and displayed the crest on my back. It is my crest, designed after the ship. It was a technique I had developed when I had Leviathan. I will use my most loyal and mag dog, Livyathan’s power to intimidate along with the crest. “”Hah-hah–“” Two of the gatekeepers dropped their spears at the same time and knelt on the spot. Some of the people who happened to be passing by also kneeled. With this pressure, it will make them know that I am the Emperor. “Let’s go inside. Who is the head of this place?” “Y-yes! The governor is here.” “I understand.” With a nod, I leave the two gatekeepers in their place and enter the government building. Once inside, I encounter various people, but because of Livyathan’s continued intimidation, everyone I meet instantly kneels down to me. I learned from the kneeling people where the Governor’s office was and came to it on the top floor of the building. I didn’t knock, but pushed the door open and went in. In the government office, furnished as luxuriously as the Emperor’s office, a man was sitting at a desk with his legs propped up on the desk, sipping from his cup. “Who is it? Can’t you at least knock?” “Is that all right?” I knocked on the open door. The man looked at me with a sour expression—- then. “Y-Your Majesty!?” Startled, he fell off his chair. The cup fell to the floor and broke, splashing amber liquid on the man’s body. The man crawled across the floor, came in front of me, and bowed again and again on all fours. “Y-Your Majesty, I am very sorry, I didn’t know you were coming...” “Good. ...... you know my face, don’t you?” I said this and retracted Livyathan’s crest. Revealing my identity with my crest versus the reaction of someone who has known me from the beginning. The reaction was slightly different, and the man in front of me, the governor of Saralaria, was the one who knew my face. “Yes! I have seen you once at the Imperial Prince’s residence in the capital.” “Hou? What is your name?” “Y-Yellow Cake, sire.” “Cake? Are you related to Rice?” “Yes, Rice is my brother.” “I see. So you must be one of Henry’s retainers, huh.” “No, I’m a retainer of His Highness the Eighth.” “.......Hou” Interesting, I thought. Rice cake. He’s the retainer of the fourth prince, Henry. When I was years old, I met him when I was working with Henry in the Ministry of War. He was a tough soldier, but at the same time, he was a strong military commander, and he used his skills to successfully organize his troops and achieve success in war. I thought that since he was Rice’s older brother, he was also Henry’s retainer, but he said that he was Oscar’s retainer. “It is unusual for two brothers to serve different Princes. Is there a reason for that?” “T-That’s.......” Yellow looked away awkwardly. He averted his eyes and glanced at me. Is this something that would be awkward for you to tell me? ......Ahh. “Eh?” “The brothers will each serve a different Prince, and whichever one ascends to the throne, the house of Rice will be protected.” “Well, that’s .......” “Hahaha, good. You could not have imagined that I, the thirteenth prince, would ascend to the throne. I can understand why you did not send your family to me.” “A-apologies. ......” “Fuh.” I smiled faintly and sat down in the chair that Yellow had been sitting in a moment ago. I looked at him over the table. “Stand up, I need to talk to you.” Yellow stood up as I had ordered. “I have a few things to do. First, is there a death row inmate here in Leararat?” “A death-row inmate..... sire?” “Yeah. A death row inmate awaiting execution who did not reach an immediate decision.” I asked Yellow. What I thought last night was that I was going to use a death row inmate who had been convicted of rebellion or something like that, and whose whole family had been sentenced to death, but then I thought about it and remembered that most such cases are decided immediately, and none of them exist in the Imperial Capital at the moment. I had no choice but to switch to a policy of procuring death row inmates in the vicinity, and here we are. “Some of them are at .......” “I see. Is there anyone on false charge and substitution?” “Eh?” “I’m the Minister of Justice. I know how this works. Do you have a substitute who is paid for?” “T-that’s ...... no it shouldn’t be–no, it’s not. Tomorrow...” Yellow spouted off a lot of words but then stopped talking. “Calm down, I’m not here to question you about your sins.” “Do you think I, the Emperor, would come all the way here for something as trivial as that?” “Ah, .......” He was taken aback in a different way, and his expression was a little relieved. In the first place, the substitution attendance and execution, of such things will not disappear forever. That kind of thing happens when there is a certain amount of wealth and power. It is confirmed in a book written about years ago that when a master has done something wrong, someone is forced to substitute himself for the master with the promise that after the sentence is over he will do something about it. It is a fact that exists and will never disappear. There is no time to waste on something that cannot be eradicated. “I’m just asking if there is anyone on false charges or scapegoats among those on death row.” “There are...... some.” “But not all of them?” “Yes.” “Then I’ll use the proper death row inmates.” “B-By your will. Then, how will you use them......?.” “Umu.” I nodded and decided to tell Yellow about the dragon vein revitalization, picking up only the practical details. After putting it all together in my head, I was about to open my mouth—then. “Governor-sama! There’s a serious, very serious situation!” A middle-aged man jumped in, almost smashing through the door of the room. Yellow glared angrily at the one who jumped in. “You’re being noisy! I don’t know what’s going on, but back off! I’ll hear you later!” “That’s not it, sire! It’s an express letter from the capital!” “What!?” Umu? Yellow took the document from the man. He waved his hand and let the man go. When we were alone again, Yellow asked me. “May I read it, Your Majesty?” “Yeah, it’s an express, check the content without concern for me.” Yellow reverently bent down and opened the express document. “What is it?” Yellow looked up and stared at me. “It is an urgent matter, and I have been asked to find His Majesty in Saralaria and give him the enclosed document.” With that, he showed me a smaller envelope enclosed in the document he had mentioned. “Let me see it.” Yellow held out the envelope with both hands. I took it, opened it, and read what was inside. Then – to my surprise. It was a letter from Henry. The content was simple. Rebellion has broken out and the Imperial Army has been defeated. That was all that was written. With a clatter, I knocked over the chair and stood up. “Y-Your Majesty?” “......, it’s nothing.” I took a deep breath and sat back in my chair. Calm down, I told myself. It’s important, undeniably important. But – it’s not an emergency. From the place of the rebellion to the Imperial Capital. And from there to Leararat. Both would take about seven days to reach here, even with express service. In other words, the defeat itself happened seven days ago. It’s important, but ...... depending on the case, it’s a situation that can’t be rushed. I took another deep breath. I told myself to regain my composure as an emperor. And then I thought. What I should do now and what I should do in the future. “Yellow.” “Yes!” “Prepare a horse for the super-express, ahead of time.” “By your will!!” “I have some decrees. Get a pen and paper ready.” “By your will!” “And I’m leaving a man here to serve as my personal representative.” “By your will—eh?” The super-express for the limited express. As a man who had risen to the rank of governor, Yellow understood the urgency of the situation, even if he didn’t know the details.[TN: Should I have used viceroy from the beginning instead of the governor?] So he responded to my orders each time, remembering them by the gesture of writing something in the palm of his hand, but he froze at the last word. “Leaving ......? Where is His Majesty going?” “With that super-express service, I am going back to Imperial Capital.” Yellow was astonished. The super express service is a service that does not guarantee the lives of either man or horse.

The th prince from the Land of Warriors After patting my head for a while, His Majesty looked at the demon sword at my waist. ”So that’s Leviathan now, I see, it really has shrunk.” From the way His Majesty spoke, it seems that the Leviathan’s shrinking was also a source of information. That means there’s someone in my mansion who delivers information to His Majesty in a timely manner. I guess that’s only natural. ” Noah.” “Yes” “Can you make it big again?” I know His Majesty would have heard the words, but the Leviathan didn’t answer until I asked it in person. I thought it was more and more of a loyal dog, and reported the reply directly to His Majesty. “It appears that I can do it,” “Show me.” I pulled out the Leviathan and thrust it to the ground. I put my hand on the top of the hilt and reminded Leviathan to be bigger. Then the Leviathan grew steadily. It went from a length appropriate for my six year old body to one that was easy for an adult to wield when I first met it. “Oh....” His Majesty marveled at the changes that took place before his eyes. “I see, it is indeed unheard of. Besides,” “?” “It’s perfectly accurate, isn’t it, the Demon Sword Leviathan? Considering the abominable history of this, I have to say, it’s amazing.” Abominable history, huh? Well, I’m well aware of this guy’s mad dog nature. If I hadn’t been there to stop it, the man who spoke uselessly at the party invited by the third vizier, Reydok, might very well have killed the man-or worse, all the people present. I was convinced that if there was no one to stop the Leviathan, then surely ‘abominable history’ would be made one after another. “Okay.” I nod and put the leviathan back around my waist, sizing it up for my own use. “It looks good on you, too. Yes, I need to get Noah a master.” “A master?” “He’s a master of swordsmanship. You’d better learn the art of wielding the Demon Sword. Cruz.” When His Majesty called out, the gutted eunuch, where he had been until then, appeared without a sound. “Go get Noble, right now. Cruz took his orders and left without further ado. I waited in the garden, making small talk with His Majesty in the garden. About twenty minutes later, a middle-aged man in knight’s armor arrived. The man dropped to one knee before father. “Damien Noble, I am honored to serve you.” “Mm, good to see you. I need you to do something for me.” “You know Noah. I want you to teach him to use a sword.” “Yes!, I’ll do my best.” At the command, Damien stood up and turned to me. He bowed his head to me to the point of a bailout, whereas he kneeled to His Majesty. “My name is Damien Noble and I have been appointed to be your highness’ instructor. Henceforth, I hope that you will be familiar with me.” “Noble is the best swordsman in the Empire and is claimed to be unmatched in swordplay.” Damien bowed his head lightly as he said that. I’m not sure if he’s happy or not, he puts on a stern face. Maybe that’s always been the case, but His Majesty didn’t mind it either. “Be encouraged under Noble.” “Let’s get right to it, Your Highness. Let us see what you have to offer.” Damien drew the sword from his waist and pointed the cutting edge at me. His Majesty was surprised by this, as expected. “He’s a child who hasn’t been taught anything yet.” ” Rest assured, I am not looking for skills, just character.” “Hmm.” His Majesty was easily convinced. I didn’t know if he could be convinced so easily, but maybe that was his faith in ‘the best in the Empire’. ”You can come slashing at me from anywhere.” I pulled out my leviathan and slashed at Damien. My slash, swinging down from directly above, and Damien took a stance to catch it, holding his sword horizontally. Keen! Right after a light metallic sound. “...eh...” Damien was astonished. The sword he had held just a moment ago flew in the opposite direction, whirling around and stabbing into the ground. My slash, which I haphazardly swung down, wrapped around and twisted just as it struck Damien’s sword. The sword blade wrapped around each other as if it were sucking, and Damien, whose wrist bent in a way it shouldn’t if he held it as it was, couldn’t help but let go of the sword. The sword flew far away from me with the momentum of being wound up. Damien stared at me dumbfounded, looked at his sword stuck in the distance and looked up at the heavens. And finally, he turned to His Majesty and got down on one knee. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I have nothing to teach His Highness.” “What is this all about? You gotta help me understand.” ” His Highness’s strength and speed, they are all of a child’s nature, but his sword skills have already reached the level of a master.” “Mastery?” “The one before, he hoisted the sword from me with only the right technique.” “....” “I can’t teach you anything. I’ve lost.” “...Oh.” As expected of His Majesty, he was pouting for a moment, or even ten seconds, unable to swallow the situation, but when he came back to himself, he looked happier than before. “Well, ha-ha-ha. You’re doing great, Noah, that’s great, Noah.” “Ha! You are indeed His Majesty’s son.” “Hahahahahahaha!” His Majesty looked extremely happy and smiled broadly to the heavens. “Good, good. That’s right!” His Majesty clapped his hands as if he remembered something. “This year’s knight selection, let’s have Noah be the main selection officer. I could not have picked a better person.” Damien agreed with His Majesty. The knight selection, it’s the big annual event of the Empire. Now, the term Empire on earth means our Empire, and although no one calls it that anymore, the official name was originally ‘Meeres Empire’. Meeres is an old word for warrior, or the Empire of Meeres means ‘Land of Warriors’. The empire has a tradition of valuing the warrior, and it is even said that warriorship is the only way to get up and running on merit. This is determined by the annual selection of knights. People who have won from all over the empire fight to the death in the imperial capital, and the winner is given the title of knight and at once joins the upper class. He wants me to be that selector. I thought about it for a moment. This is very, very convenient for me. The reason being, the knight who wins in the end is the first to become the selector’s subordinate at that time. I looked at the status out of the corner of my eye, a status I normally don’t pay much attention to. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Araratth Prince of Ararat Empire Gender: male Level: /∞ HPFMPFStrengthF+FStaminaF+FIntelligenceFSpiritFSpeedFDexterityF+FLuckF+F FireFWater E+SSWindFEarthFLight FDarknessF ―――――――――――― For some reason, I have a unique “+” ability that other people don’t have. It depends on my subordinates, the people in my domain, to build it up. In other words, if I have strong subordinates, I will become strong myself. The knight selector is a welcome decree. I stepped forward and got down on one knee. “As you wish, I will faithfully execute the selector’s duty.” “Hmm. Then we should make one quick decision. What kind of selection will Noah make?” His Majesty’s question. This is another right of the selectors. Since the last person to be selected is to be your subordinate, you have the right to decide how the selection process is conducted. For example, in a league and a tournament, the tendency of the people who survive to the end is completely different. It’s nothing, because I want the stronger person. ” Just one.” “Yeah, say it.” “I want all the qualifiers from all over the Empire in the Imperial City. I want it done right in front of me.” “What? Why is that?” “I don’t want to miss out on any talent. I want to see everything for myself and decide for myself.” The empire is big, and with a big event like this, I can’t completely control it at the local qualifying level. It would be a shame if there was someone there who was worthy of being under my command and they were dropped for something weird. So I wanted to see the whole thing with my own eyes. “Oh, ooooh,” “Your Majesty.” Turning to His Majesty, who was looking up to the heavens in ecstasy, Damien explained. “He is impressed by your splendid thoughts,”

“Right, what’s this guy’s problem? Get him to tell us why he attacked us.” Oscar told his men. So I looked into the face of the man who was subdued – and I said. “It’s you.” “Do you know him, Noah?” What a surprise, it was that debt collector who attacked me. I looked around, and I didn’t see the guys who were on their knees in front of the th Prince’s residence. I told him about the series of things that started with Alice. “Yeah, it’s totally counterproductive.” “Fuck you! Hey, let go of me!” “Too loud.. Let’s remove that jaw.” “Ha!” At Oscar’s command, the gent removes the debt collector’s jaw with an extremely expert hand. Cleverly, not your average Joe. Well, I don’t care about this guy. More importantly, it’s the armor linked to the Leviathan. Oscar marveled at how well he was using it, but I’m still not sure if he really is. I’d like to try it out some more. I look up at Oscar. “‘Brother, could I ask you to do one thing for me?” “Yes, please speak up.” “I’d like to see how well I can handle this armor. Since brother has expert magicians with him, can you help me with this one? “It’s no problem. What do you want to do?” “Um, .......” I told Oscar what I was thinking. Oscar listened to the end of it in silence, and then smiled with a snicker. “Then let’s get on with it.” “Yeah. I’d like to see how it works, wouldn’t it be more informative to do it yourself?” “Okay. Well, then, let’s go inside my house.” “Yup.” Nodding, I entered the mansion with Oscar. Just before we left the place, Oscar gave a look to the man, the debt collector was being taken somewhere. He attacked a prince, and he’s going to get the punishment he deserves. We didn’t enter the mansion building, but rather came to the yard. Then we face each other and get about ten meters away from each other. “Let’s go.” Nodding, Oscar began to chant a spell. A magic circle was spread out at his feet, and his aristocratic clothes fluttered with the rising magic power. Immediately afterwards, many flaming arrows flew in unison. One, two, three – seventeen in all. Seventeen flame arrows flew in and scattered all at once a few meters in front of me, and then they attacked me in the entire perimeter. I didn’t move, I was standing in a state of peace. The flame arrows that flew at me were blocked by a shield that was transformed by the ring from the Leviathan Link. There were seventeen arrows and seventeen shields that were put out around me. All of the seventeen arrows that Oscar shot at me were exactly blocked by all of them. “Haha ...... that’s amazing. Noah was the first person to prevent this so perfectly.” “Is that so?” “Yeah, I’m still working out on this one. Wow, that’s amazing, Noah. I’d love to show this to His Majesty.” I nodded at the excited Oscar. ” I suppose I’ll have to figure it out a bit more.” “Why?” “If I show it to His Majesty, he will surely ask me ‘how it happened’. If you can’t explain your power to him then, then what’s the point?” “I see. Clever Noah, I didn’t know you could think that far ahead.” I smiled back at Oscar. I’ve been thinking a lot about making this ability more my own. The next day, for a change of pace, I went out to the store where Alice is. I figured that the debt collector would no longer be able to recover, and if Arice was still worried about it, I’d tell her and reassure her. So I went to the store with that in mind. And, there Alice was just singing along. I didn’t want to interrupt her singing, I gave the clerk ten reeks, including the tip, and took the best seat to listen to her sing. Yeah, I knew it. The more she sings, the more she will grow. Definitely, she’ll grow. I was quietly listening to Alice’s song, thinking that I’m looking forward to the future. When the song ended, Alice caught her breath. There are a few guests here and there who throw a treat in between acts. In the midst of this, one of the guests approaches the stage with a dazed step. “Yo sis, that was a good song, see, here’s your reward.” “Thank you very much.” “Come over here and pour me a drink.” “I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant–“ Alice was used to this kind of drunk, though she tried to refuse without changing her face. “Ahn, back off, you. I had my eye on this woman first.” Another drunk appeared from the other side. “Shut up. I’m going first.” “You shut up and get in there.” Two drunks, fighting Alice while imposing their own rules. Alice looked troubled. “You fucking did it!” The two men grew more and more heated, each clenching their fists and hitting the other. Gogon. There were two dull noises in rapid succession. “gaaah!” They held their fists that they swung and were in pain. Between the two of them – I was the one who had interrupted them. At this rate, blood will be seen. I don’t care what happens to these two, but it would be disgusting for Alice to see it involved. So I interrupted, between their punches. Then Leviathan reacts and pulls out two shields from the linked ring to block the punches. The drunkards punched the iron shields as hard as they could, holding their hands and screaming in agony. “What the hell!” I silently pulled out my leviathan and slashed them both. In the next moment, their clothes were torn apart and they were completely naked. “N,Noooo.” “Hiiii!” The men turned pale and ran away screaming, having only their clothes torn off in an instant. I held back, I just didn’t want to spill blood in front of Alice. Threatening them with Leviathan was fine, but if I “beat” them with it, it might not necessarily have a negative effect on Alice’s mind. So this is how I had them comically exit the scene. “What the hell was that, that was some amazing swordplay!” “That’s the prince himself. Huh. ...... As expected of the prince, his swordsmanship is also top-notch.” The atmosphere was buzzing around me, but the fact that I had stripped and chased them away in a mop, kept the atmosphere peaceful. I turned to Alice. “Are you okay?” I asked her. “Yes ...... thank you so much.” “Hm. Hey, owner.” “Yes, sir! Excuse me, my lord.” The owner, who had been watching the course of events at a distance, came running up to me in a hurry – so hurriedly that his foot hit the table. “From now on, don’t let customers like that in.” “And yet, this is the kind of customer base that sustains our shop. We’re in the business of...” “Okay, that’ s fine. I’ll buy the whole store, then.” “—-Eh?” The owner is surprised. I pull the money I’m carrying around in my pocket and give it to him. “I’ve got a thousand liens, I’ll buy the whole shop, so don’t let that happen again.” “Yes, sir! Thank you!” The shopkeeper bowed his head over and over again as he held the money he had received high. “That ...... your highness.” “What’s the matter with you, Alice, you don’t look so happy.” “I don’t know how I can ever repay you for all you’ve done for me.” “Just keep singing.” I answered immediately. “All I want from you is a song. All you have to do is sing.” ” Just keep singing, Yes” “Yeah, I’m counting on it. I hope His Majesty will eventually hear it, and in the meantime, devote yourself to it.” “Yes ......” Alice’s eyes welled up with emotion and her cheeks dyed. “Um, Your Highness ......?” ” Another song, if you would?” “Yes, sing.” With a smile, I nodded and went back to my seat at the back of the room. Waiting for me to sit down, Alice gave a beaming smile, then touched the strings of her harp and started to sing again. “Mmm ......” It was clearly different from the start. As she started to sing, it was more and more pronounced. Alice’s song enveloped the restaurant. Me and the rest of the customers. All of us fell in love with Alice’s song. It was a clear departure from Alice’s previous songs. It’s as if she grew – or evolved – in an instant. I knew she had talent, so it makes sense that she would get better. However, why all of a sudden? The end of the song came as I was mysteriously listening to the song. A moment later, there was a thunderous applause. All the guests who had witnessed Alice’s hatching stood up and gave generous applause. “Really, I wonder what that means,” “I think it was His Highness.” “Hmm?” Someone speaks to me from the side and I turn around. I know that face, I think– “Byron, huh?” It was that merchant I met at the Third Vizier’s party, Byron. Byron gave him a respectful look. “Why are you here ...... or more importantly, what do you call it my help?” “Your Highness made her evolve the way she did. I thought the girl had grown out of her shell to respond to His Highness.” “Is that possible?” “A rare occurrence. But that makes you, your Highness a great person indeed.” “Right. Is that going to last?” “As long as you keep your eye on her, Your Highness.” Byron assured me. Then it’s alright.

The royal palace, audience hall. Before me on the throne, there were two princes. The Fourth Prince, Henry Ararat. The Eighth Prince, Oscar Ararat. They walked into the audience hall, positioned themselves in place, and knelt down to me in a fluid motion. “You vassal, Oscar.” “And Henry. We have answered your summons.” “Both of you, please raise your heads.” “Yes.” “As you command.” They nodded and stood up as they were told. When I called their names, Henry remained calm and Oscar wrinkled his brow for a moment. And, they responded in unison. “I’ve asked you both to come here today for one simple reason. I wanted to give you both something for the moment.” “For the moment?” Henry tilted his head slightly and asked. “Yes, for the moment. My reign is about, to begin with, many measures. But before that, it’s time to do something that hasn’t been done yet.” I told them both the premise first. Both Henry and Oscar looked at me as if they were having trouble understanding me. “Sir Reydok.” A young eunuch appeared at the beck of Jean Brad Reydouk, who had been waiting nearby and had just been promoted to First Vizier. In each of the eunuch’s hands was a tray of some sort, with something long on top of the tray, but there was also a red cloth over it, so it was hard to tell what was on it. Both eunuchs took it and stood in front of Henry and Oscar respectively. Then I nodded to Jean and he looked at the eunuch. The red cloth was removed. Two long swords made of glass were revealed. “T-This is!” “Crystal Swords ......” Henry and Oscar were so startled that their faces flushed red. “Yes, the crystal sword. Otherwise known as ”The Sword of Immunity”. The emperor can completely ignore the laws of the empire if he wants to. This is because the Emperor holds the highest power in the empire, and the empire is his domain. The Crystal Sword is a gift from the Emperor to his subjects. “As you know, a person who possesses this sword can be exempted from any single crime, except treason. Even death penalty.” “Giving this to us ......?” Oscar’s brows creased in surprise as he looked at me in disbelief. It’s just as well. This is one of the greatest gifts that can be given to a vassal, even exempt from death charges. “Yes, for both of you. “It’s a great honor, but why us?” Henry asked back with a straight face. ” Among the nearly twenty sons of His Majesty the Emperor, Henry, and Oscar. They are the most capable. In my reign, I hope to be able to rely heavily on them.” “That is what a vassal is supposed to —-.” “Depending on political matters, we may come into conflict.” I interrupted Henry. “The Sword of Immunity is an expression of my desire that you do so without fear of disrespect.” “......” “Will you accept?” The two exchanged glances, then knelt down again. “”Even if it costs me my life.”” They accepted. Afterward, they received the crystal sword and left the audience hall. “Very good, Your Majesty.” Jean, who remained behind, said with impressed eyes. “Oscar-sama had an impressed look in his eyes. Henry-sama seemed unconcerned, but his hand was trembling slightly as he accepted the crystal sword.” “You’re watching closely.” “This is the biggest reward of all. Now Your Highnesses will work their hearts out for you.” Henry, and Oscar. In the future, if anybody is going to do anything to the throne, it will be these two. Before that happens, I’ll have to convince them deep down to stay as my vassals. In the evening, in the study of the detached palace. The former residence of the th Prince, near the Royal Palace. After becoming the Emperor and until the construction of the new palace is finished. The palace was given to the Emperor, and I was to sleep and eat in the detached palace that was converted from the Thirteenth Prince’s residence. In the study, I was looking over some documents related to political affairs. “Your Majesty.” With a voice, the eunuch Gran came in. “What happened – your clothes look good on you.” “Eh? Ah, Thank you, Your Majesty.” Gran smiled embarrassed. Two appointments were made at about the same time I became Emperor. The first was to make Jean the First Vizier and the second was to make Gran the head eunuch. Just as my father had Curuz, I needed a confidant. Gran has a good memory and can think from my point of view, so I decided to take him up first. He had changed his clothes, signifying that he was the head eunuch. “I never thought I’d be in such a great position.” “If you serve me properly, I’ll even let you move up the ladder.” “Yes!” “So, what is it?” “Ah, that’s right. Here.” Gran said and held out in front of me the tray that he had been holding so carefully since he came into the study. There were two elaborate dolls on the tray, placed face down. On their backs were written the names of Audrey and Anya, respectively. Empress Audrey, and Concubine Anya. “Please select your lady for the night session today.” “Hmm.” This is one of the several changes that have occurred since I became Emperor. Every night, a eunuch would come to ask me who my “companion for the night” would be. The eunuchs would present the dolls of the “available” consorts, and the Emperor would turn over the one he liked and lay it on its back. The eunuchs would then wrap the naked partner in a screen (with a very expensive cloth) and deliver it to the emperor’s room. This is a systematic way of saying that the most important job of the emperor is to create an heir. Incidentally, the Household Ministry keeps a record of the partners chosen each night. I was surprised to find out that my father, at his age, is still doing this “every night”. That would be so considering that I have nearly brothers and a hundred sisters. By the way, it is common to find that there are few men. The reason why there are so few males is common knowledge because many males who have the right to inherit the emperor’s throne “somehow” die prematurely. Regardless of that. I glanced at the doll. “Not today. I want the two of them to get some rest.” “Is that okay!?” Gran was surprised. “What, did one of them give you a reward and ask you to recommend them?” ” No sir, of course not!” Gran panicked but firmly denied it. Well, that’s just the way it is sometimes. Eunuchs are often paid by the consort to place dolls in positions where they can be easily seen, or to remove the dolls of rivals in the first place. Women have the things of the month, and of course, they can’t be good every day, so it’s easy to do such tricks. “Fuu, I was joking.” “Yeah, this is more important right now.” I pointed to a document in my hand that I had been looking at before Gran walked in. “This is......?” “Knight selection. When a new Emperor ascends to the throne, it’s tradition to have a big ceremony.” It’s a tradition that dates back to the time when we were a Warrior Nation. The Emperor of the Warrior Nation often goes on friendly campaigns and sometimes dies on the battlefield. When the Emperor dies, it means that many of his men also perish. Therefore, a large number of new knights have to be chosen for the new Emperor – a tradition leftover from the times. People are treasures and potential. The largest selection of knights can’t be done haphazardly. “You prioritize work over night thing. ...... As expected, Your Majesty.” “That’s why not tonight. And brew me a nice strong cup of tea.” “I understand!” Incidentally, if I wanted to, I could call the consort who had been wrapped up in a mattress here, return her ” when I was done ” and resume my political duties directly. I heard that my father used to do that a lot. A few days later, a large hall in the royal palace. It was almost the same as the audience hall, only the throne in the middle was as high as a normal two-story building. It’s a room used when you want to emphasize your authority, not purely for business. I slowly walked up the stairs to the throne, reached the top, and turned around. At the same time, more than a thousand people, including Henry and Oscar, all knelt down at once. Starting with the two people at the front, the kneeling spread out like ripples on the water. Over a thousand people kneeled to one person. An inexplicable feeling of elation welled up in my chest. This is what nobility – no. This is the kind of excitement that only the Emperor is allowed to enjoy.

Byron’s subordinates and my maid. After they left the room with the gold coins in the box, Byron and I stayed behind. We faced each other again. Byron cleared his throat and his expression changed. He had a different expression on his face than before. “I have a ...... request for you, Your Highness.” “Hmm? What is it?” “It’s about Cindy.” “Is there something about her?” And what’s with the look on Byron’s face? I have never seen him look like this. What’s going on? “It’s about her marriage.” “I see. I believe Cindy is going to be ......” “She’ll be this year.” “Umu, right.” She was ten when I met her. Four years older than me – well, it’s been almost ten years since we met. “It’s about time, and it’s good that she grew up smart, but what about......” Byron smiles bitterly and sighs. Cindy is the girl that Byron found and adopted. As an adoptive father, he’s happy that she grew up to be a smart girl, but it’s complicated for him to let her fall behind. “You’re right, it’s not a good look to be married off when you’re almost twenty.” “Yes. So I was hoping that His Highness would introduce her to .......” “By me? ...... I see.” I completely understand. It is not unusual for a lord to arrange marriages for his subordinates, or rather it is natural. Cindy is smart and hardworking, and although I may have lost track of her, she’s a liability to my reputation. Byron is my subordinate, which means Cindy is practically under my household. In other words, I’m almost like a father to Cindy. It’s not good for my daughter to be late. “But you know, ...... hmm...: “What is it?” “It’s a tough one. Cindy’s talent will be missed. She’s one of the most talented people I know. It would be a shame to give her to another man.” “For your such assessment ......, thank you.” If Cindy’s forte was domestic affairs, I would have made her my concubine. Similar to having eunuchs in the house, the ladies of the family are generally not allowed out of the house – no contact with other men. It would be a shame to keep Cindy’s talent locked up in the house. “I’ll think about her selection carefully. I want to make her a governor and give her a part of the fief. We cannot afford a half-hearted person.” “Ehh!” Byron’s eyes widened as he shouted. “What’s so surprising?” “G-Governor, is it? Isn’t a female Governor unheard of ......?” “It’s unheard of, but there’s no rule against it. We just don’t have one for some reason.” It is standard practice for the Emperor and the Royal Family to have eunuchs in their regular and side chambers to keep them away from other men, according to the Internal Affairs Ministry’s laws. In comparison, the lack of women in high-ranking positions is only a matter of “somehow”. There is no reason to obey or insist on it. “People are treasures. In the first place, women make up half of all subjects. If you scoop up women as well, you’ll have almost twice as much talent as if you scoop up men alone. It would be a shame to turn a blind eye to them.” “As expected of you, sir, I hadn’t thought of it that way.” “Anyway, leave Cindy to me.” “Yes, sir! Thank you very much!” The next day, around mid-afternoon, a eunuch suddenly came and summoned me to the royal palace. I went to the palace and had an audience with His Majesty in his study. Because of what happened before, the eunuch in this study was replaced by a man who had his ears and tongue destroyed. In his study, I bowed down on one knee to His Majesty. “I have come in response to your summons. How can be of service to you today?” ” Welcome Noah, look up. I wanted to get your opinion before I discuss it at the morning meeting.” “In the west, Kuruge’s Galwan has moved.” “What the!?” I felt a shock as if I had been hit on the head. Kuruge’s Galwan Kuruge is the name of a religion, and Galwan is the title for the supreme leader of the religion for generations. Galwans are passed on in the form of “reincarnation,” and immediately after the death of the previous Galwan, a new Galwan is appointed in some way. The current Galwan is Galwan VI. He is known to be a very ambitious person. “A rebellion, perhaps?” “That’s the only possibility. Moreover, there is a movement to send a messenger to Tulbaikh.” “...... I see.” I could sense the seriousness in his voice. Tulbaikh is a vassal state of the empire to the west, and there is a lot of unrest there that could lead to another betrayal at any moment. “What would you do, Noah?” His Majesty stares at me. I feel like he’s testing me, but I’m sure it’s just my imagination, given the circumstances. I thought to myself. “Are we sure about Kuruge’s movements?” “Yes, I’m sure about that. And it seems that the messenger hasn’t left yet.” Your Majesty assured me. I thought that this prerequisite was certain, having experienced firsthand the greatness of His Majesty’s ears so far. Then. “...... We should send out our troops now. We have to move with lightning speed and hit Kruuge first.” “Lightning fast, huh?” “Yes, sir. And at the same time, we must be on high alert and stop the messenger before he reaches Tulbaikh.” “Why are we doing this?” “The basic idea is to avoid a two-front operation. Once the Tulbaikhs are on board, it will be difficult to defeat them and clean up after them. But if the messenger hasn’t arrived in the first place, then ......” “...... Tulbaikh would have known nothing about it.” “That’s right, sir. We will have to deal with the Tulbaikh sooner or later, but for now, we should focus on the targets to be defeated.” “I see. Umu, I’m glad I listened to Noah’s opinion. You’re amazing as always, you know that?” Apparently, he liked my opinion. “Now that you mention it, Noah, why don’t you go?” “Me, sir?” I tilt my head. “Umu. For taking down Kuruge.” “I think Brother Henry would be better suited for that.” I answered immediately. And without any hesitation at all. “Henry, huh? Why is so?” “He’s the only one who’s ever actually led an army. Moreover, his knight, Rice Cake, is a skilled soldier. Therefore, I believe that brother is the best choice.” When I said it all at once, His Majesty was, for some reason, blindingly surprised. The surprise lasted for more than ten seconds, and then he nodded his head and asked further. “Aren’t you getting pretty strong, too? I hear your knights are growing.” “Ours is individual prowess.” I replied, staring at his majesty without wavering at all. “I don’t know if I’m cut out to lead an army, and I have no experience. The burden of this great task is too great for me.” “I see. ......” His Majesty said, turning over and stroking his white beard. “Even though it was possible in the past, few people are able to do the same after gaining power.” “?” “Lose but win. ...... It is natural for words and deeds to coincide.” The murmurings became quieter and quieter, and at the end, I could not hear what he was saying at all. I wondered if I had said something wrong. No, I don’t think so. And even if it was bad, it was in line with my own policy. It was only logical that I should wait for His Majesty’s response with my heart on my sleeve. Unperturbed, I looked at His Majesty and waited for his next words. After a while, His Majesty looked up. The look on his face was one of praise – a look of satisfaction. “You are marvelous, Noah.” “I’m flattered.” I don’t know what he was complimenting me on, but a present from His Majesty should be received with reverence, even if it’s a poisonous medicine for suicide. Not to mention the words of praise. “I will consult with the Prime Minister and others in that direction. You’ve given your opinion well, I’ll be counting on you from now on, Noah.” His Majesty seemed satisfied, so for the time being, this was a good decision.

“Your Majesty.” I bent at the waist, bowed, and stared straight at His Majesty. “What is it?” “I remembered that I had some unfinished business at the Ministry of Justice. I’d like to ask your permission to leave.” “......” His Majesty furrowed his brow, tilting his head to look at me. That was it. Like anything else, it’s not good to overdo it. The same goes for this story. His Majesty called Oscar, the Minister of Finance. If I continue to stay here, I might encroach on Oscar’s authority if I’m not careful. This kind of thing should be done in moderation, or rather, it must be done in moderation. So before Oscar arrives, I make an excuse for my absence. His Majesty looks at me for a moment, then says with a faint sigh. “You’re a clever one, Noah.” But then again, that’s the emperor for you. He didn’t go any further and returned to his original expression. “I will allow it.” Finally, I kneeled down on one knee, bowed, and exited His Majesty’s study. I left the study and walked out to the front. And I spotted a eunuch nearby and gestured to him. He came towards me. As he approached, I realized I knew him. “Siz, huh” “Yes.” It was Siz, a low-ranking eunuch I’ve met every time I come to the palace. “I’m going back to my residence. Get my carriage ready.” “It’s already waiting out front.” “You’re quite smart.” “Thank you very much, sir.” “There seems to be a lot of noise over there, what happened?” “What do you mean?” Siz replied in a high-pitched voice. Eunuchs usually enter the royal court at an early age with their genitals clipped, so most of them never grow beards or change their voices. According to the doctor, this is because something that is supposed to be secreted in the body after a man comes of age is no longer done. Incidentally, in the past, the church choir used to do the same thing as eunuchs in order to maintain the boy’s voice, but now the imperial law forbids anyone other than the eunuchs in the imperial family to cut off their genitals. “We’re cleaning up the area after what Your Highness just did.” “Me?” “Yes, the ground has melted into a doughnut shape, and everyone is wondering how it happened, and there’s a lot of talk among us.”[TN: Yep it really says doughnut] “Everyone was amazed at the power of His Highness. One of them even fell into the pit when he was trying to dig up the soil after it had melted into mush. It was so deep that the one who fell broke his leg.” I took out a leather bag from my pocket and threw it at Siz. As usual, it was a leather bag containing reens that I had prepared for him as a reward. “That’s for the treatment and the labor.” “Thank you very much! Also, everyone says that His Highness is very kind to those under him, even though he is young.” “No, it’s true. His Highness will probably get married soon, but the number of applicants to serve him is flooding in, and the scale is over .” Not only the royal palace but also the Prince’s residence can dispatch eunuchs if they wish. Eunuchs are originally castrated to prevent them from making “mistakes” with the nobleman’s wives and concubines. This is a necessary procedure for the emperor to maintain the purity of his bloodline, and it’s quite important, even for the Princes, so they often have eunuchs in their mansions after marriage. “The number of eunuchs is likely to increase at this rate. It is said that you are the most popular of His Majesty’s children.” “Hoh. By the way, what’s that thing in your pocket?” I pointed to the area around Seeds’ bosom, diverting the conversation from the politically sensitive topic that could become too broad. “Oh, this one.” He took out a transparent box from his pocket. There were two beetles in the box. “I brought this for His Highness the Sixteenth. He seems to like to make beetles fight.” His Royal Highness the Sixteenth – my younger brother, the Sixteenth Prince – just turned three this year. He is still very young, therefore he does not have a house outside the Palace, and lives in the Palace. Since he is a Prince, he is given a certain amount of strict education, but at the same time, there are many children who ask eunuchs to give them these bland toys. I’ve heard that the fourth prince, brother Henry, was also fond of such things. While chatting randomly with Siz, we went outside the palace and boarded a waiting carriage. “Where are we heading?” Gigi, the new maid, who was sitting beside the carriage, asked me. “The mansion.” Though still inexperienced, Gigi relayed my order to the carriage attendant. As the carriage began to move, Gigi made her way to the side. As the carriage rocked, I looked at the ring on my thumb. His Majesty’s gift, a new piece of equipment, the Ring Luthiya. I’ll have to learn to use this well. “......Fumu.” Suddenly, I remembered the beetle that Siz had. I remembered that, and asked the willful Leviathan and Luthiya if it was feasible. Both of them answered that it was ‘possible’. Then do it, I ordered them. I linked the ring of armor with both Leviathan and Luthiya. They both transformed the armor rings. After a while, two figures were created. Both were the same size as my palm, and both had their toes connected to the ring of armor. One was light blue and held a sword, and the other was red and had its fists clenched. The next moment, the two dolls started to fight. Right in front of me, on the carriage, the two figures were fighting. I had seen the movements of the light blue swordsman before, in Leviathan’s memory, and they were very similar to the movements I had made when I was swinging my sword. This one had more power and speed. I guess I can move like this when I grow up, I thought. And I had never seen the red one before, but this one had flames on his hands and feet and was throwing punches and kicks. I guess with Luthiya’s power, I can move like this too. The fight lasted less than a minute. The light blue swordsman–Leviathan–overwhelmed Luthiya from start to finish, finally managing to break through the guard and slice the torso in half down the middle. “Wow. ......” I heard an admiring voice from the side. Gigi, who was accompanying me, looked at me with respect. “What is it?” “Master, that’s amazing. What’s that?” “Ever saw a beetle or a cricket fight?” “Well, the boys in the village used to do that.” “It’s the same thing.” “But it’s amazing. It’s magic, isn’t it?” “It’s kind of similar.” I thought for a moment and mimicked Leviathan’s move from earlier. Imitating its last slash that cut down Luthiya, I swung the demon sword I pulled out. Leviathan slashed the decoration that was inside the carriage in front of me. “Huh? Your sword passed by it and it was not cut?”[TN: or slashed help me on this one] “It’s been cut, you see.” With that, I pinched the tip of the decoration and lifted it up. “Wow.” I put it back – on Leviathan’s suggestion. The decoration was restored to its original state. It was as if there was no cut at all as if it had been sucked back into place. The carriage went through the city, and the wheels hit a pebble and the carriage bounced a bit. But. ” Huh? It didn’t fall.” The decoration that should have been cut off was still attached to the carriage, and Gigi looked at it curiously. I grabbed the decoration again and showed it to Gigi. “The surface is smooth, right?” “If you cut it with the right technique, it becomes smooth like this, and when you put it back together, it sticks together perfectly.” “Wow, ...... this is amazing!” Gigi said with sparkling eyes. I smiled and thought about Leviathan and Luthiya. It was a mock battle, so to speak, using it in combination with the Armor Ring. This way, they could practice the techniques they both had in them. It was a coincidence but I was a little happy that I had devised a good method. “...u!” I saw a status out of the corner of my eye, and it caught my eye. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Minister of Justice Gender: Male Level: 2 / ∞ HPE+FMPF+FStrengthF+EStaminaF+FIntelligenceF+ESpiritF+FSpeedF+FDexterityF+FLuckF+F FireF+CWaterE+SWindFEarthFLight FDarknessF For some reason, my level has increased, and my HP has gone up one level. As soon as I thought, “How?” the ring caught my eye. “...... No way.”

“These are the main and subordinate criminals of this rebellion.” “All of them are people around the Crown Prince.” All the names were familiar to me. The Crown Prince’s confidant, his former educator, and a knight. It can only be seen as a rebellion from Crown Prince’s faction trying to overthrow the system. “......” I sighed and rubbed my temples. For these people, it’s just a matter of getting a legal sentence. The problem is — I glanced at Vinnie. Vinnie looked away awkwardly. Well, it was a natural reaction. There was only one problem. Whether or not the Crown Prince is involved here. In imperial law, even if the royal family violates the law, there is a clause that allows them to receive a lighter sentence. The only exception is —rebellion. If a member of the Imperial Family is involved in a rebellion, regardless of whether he is a main criminal or accomplice, the penalty is the most severe-beheading. And with such a close relationship with the Crown Prince, it is impossible for the Crown Prince to say that ‘I had no idea about it’. Even in the case of ordinary crimes, it is a crime to not report a crime when you know that it is a crime — well, in the case of theft, it is a light penalty or a fine of about one reen. However, it is a crime that is clearly defined by Imperial Law. And if the crown prince “knew of the rebellion and did not report it (to the emperor),” that alone is an extreme penalty for the royal family’s involvement in the rebellion. Here’s the problem. The Crown Prince’s treason – and the death penalty. It would be a terrible scandal, and the empire itself could be shaken. “Has His Majesty said anything to you?” “Hah, he wants me to repeat the original text. “Those who did shall be punished accordingly.” “ “......, is that it?” I sighed. “What does it mean?” “It seems that His Majesty does not intend to make a scene. Well, of course, that would be the case.” “Then?” “Yeah, we’ll only execute those on that list. Fortunately, the rebellion is so certain that we don’t need to get a confession.” “Indeed.” “And so they will all be executed, and the execution will be immediate.” “...... I’m impressed, sir.” Vinnie took a deep breath. The eyes that looked up at me were the eyes of deep admiration. There are two types of death penalties, depending on the timing of the execution. One is for immediate execution and the other is for collective execution once a year. If the crime is more serious or there is no room for extenuating circumstances, the execution is carried out immediately. On the other hand, if there is room for consideration of circumstances, or if there are other unidentified crimes, the execution may be postponed. In some cases, the postponement can lead to a grand pardon. For example, if someone slaughtered your family and you killed them in revenge. In this case, according to imperial law, you would be beheaded. However, because of the circumstances, the execution can be carried out after a maximum of three years. If there is a grand pardon in the meantime, the person will be set free. Or there is a story like this. The man who was sentenced to death still had extenuating circumstances and waited three years to be executed, but he still didn’t get a grand pardon. His family bribed the prison guards to send a woman to carry his baby boy so that he could continue his bloodline. In other words, even with the death penalty, the execution could be postponed. I decided to execute them all on the same day. His Majesty clearly does not want to involve the Crown Prince “at the moment”. So I did this. After I made that decision, I got up from the chair. “Where to?” “I’m going to see His Majesty. Just in case.” “All right, sir. I’ll make the necessary preparations.” “I ask you to.” I left the minister’s office and the Ministry of Justice then got into a carriage and headed straight for the royal palace. When I requested an audience with His Majesty, I was taken straight to His Majesty’s study – a study as big as a library. His Majesty, who was reading some documents there, looked up, saw me, and stood up with a smile. “Oh, you’re here, Noah.” I got down on one knee and bowed, then stood up and faced His Majesty. “It’s about the rebellion, Your Majesty.” “I see. What’s the penalty?” “As per imperial law, the main perpetrator will be executed by beheading, and each of the subordinates and below will be sentenced to death.” I cut off at this point and report the most important part of the case separately. “All of them will be executed on the same day.” “Umu, Well done.” His Majesty folded his hands behind his back and walked around in his study. “Curuz.” “Yes” Cruz, the eunuch, still appeared out of nowhere. “Noah has done well. His allowance will be increased by reens per year.” Cruz accepted the imperial order from His Majesty in a formal manner and walked away with a blank expression on his face. After all, it’s right that he doesn’t want to get ...... involved. A judgment of this magnitude is not enough of an achievement to warrant an addition. Even so, it was His Majesty’s ‘that kind of’ message. “Very good, Noah.” He approached me, tapped me on the shoulder, and looked me straight in the eye. “Well done.” I could tell by the serious look on his face that he meant it. “I’ll be counting on you to keep up the good work.” I left the study, boarded a carriage outside the royal palace, and returned to the Ministry of Justice. Now that this has happened, the rebels must be executed immediately. I hurried the carriage back to the Ministry of Justice, and for some reason, it was so chaotic that I could see it from the outside. I jumped down from the carriage and asked the young man who was guarding the gate. “Hey, what’s going on?” “Y-Your Highness! There’s been an intruder.” “Intruders?” “Yes, they’ve already killed several of our men, and the intruders are inside.” “......, you go to the Ministry of Military Affairs and tell my brother–“ Get support from the military. I stopped what I was about to say. This timing ...... could prove problematic if we make a big mistake. “Gather everyone here. Aside from me, nobody else should be allowed in. Even if the other party is the Prince.” “Move!” Seeing the gatekeeper rushing out in a panic, I pulled Leviathan from my bracelet and returned it to its original size. With the Demon Sword in my hand, I rushed into the building of the Ministry of Justice. Once inside, I heard the sound of sword fights, screams, and shouts. As I advanced toward the voice, I saw a black shadow sprinting toward me after cutting down one of the guards with a dagger. Looking closely, I could see that it was completely covered from head to toe in a black costume to hide its true identity. “Keeeeeeeeeee!” The man shouted, then accelerated and jumped at me, slashing at me with his dagger. “Naïve.” I parry the slash with my leviathan and cut off his tendons in return. As he crashed to the ground, the ring linked to the magic sword produced a gag in his mouth. It’s to prevent suicide. When the movement was almost blocked, more came after. This time, there were three of them, all dressed exactly the same, with blood on their black robes. The three of them jumped at me at once. From the front, left, and right. It was a breathtaking combination. Leviathan parried the slashes from identical daggers and guided the slashes so that A slashed at B, B slashed at C, and C slashed at A as if the three of them were in a circle.[TN: it says like in Tomoe] Then, in the same way, slashed the tendons of their limbs and gagged them. The commotion slowly subsided, at least there was no more noise from the battle. “Your Highness!” Vinnie rushed over from across the turn of the corridor. “Are you all right, Your Highness? Did you defeat them all? What an amazing feat.” “Really?” “Hah, after all, there were more than casualties among the guards, and even more so...” “More so?” “The rebels. They’ve all been killed.” Because of the severity of the situation, the rebels were kept in the Ministry of Justice instead of the usual jail. “All of them?” “All of them.” Vinnie looked straight at me and nodded. That is what it means. I knew he was implying it. In other words, these four people belong to the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince has gone to great lengths to keep their mouth shut in order to prevent any repercussions for himself. “.......” I used Leviathan to cut my own stomach without saying a word. I slashed my side a little deeper, and blood spurted out. “I was attacked by these four. What will be the heaviest sentence for seriously injuring the Crown Prince?” “–!” Vinnie gulped, he seems to understand. “All of them will be executed, and that too immediately.” “Then do it.” “Y-Yes!” Vinnie responded by calling in the guards who could move and stabbing the four I had stopped on the spot. After making sure they were all dead, Vinnie came back. “We executed them.” “Ahh.” “...... This is the end of the matter.” Fuuh. You know, one wrong move and the country would have been shaken, Crown Prince.

In the late afternoon on a sunny day, I came to Cobalt Street with Shirley. “T-This is ......” Even in the flourishing capital, Cobalt Street, which, by the nature of dealing in antiques, attracts the rich and noble especially. Shirley, who just came from a village where there is not even a doctor, was dumbfounded by the buzz of a hundreds of people. “Don’t be a dimwit and just follow me.” “Y-Yes!” I jumped off the carriage at the entrance to Cobalt Street and walked in with a newly knighted Shirley in tow. I wander around at random, looking for treasure. There were all sorts of things that caught my eye at a glance, but none of them were flashy. The reason I came here is to find a gift for my brother Henry. Even though it was ordered by His Majesty, technically he subdued Almeria on my behalf. I need to show some sentiments. So I’m looking for the treasure to do just that........ “Mmmm, there’s ......” “What’s going on, Your Highness?” “Let’s go into that store!” “Yes.” Shirley followed behind me, wondering. I took her into a store. I’ve been there before with my brother Oscar. “Oh, well, well, well. His Royal Highness the Thirteenth, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” “Alan Bardsley, right?” “Yes. This way, please.” The moment we walked in, the owner, Alan, greeted us and invited us into the back of the store, keeping a very low profile. We were ushered into a VIP room. Immediately afterwards, the shopkeeper brought us our drinks. I could tell by the smell alone that it was a pretty good tea. By the way, Shirley stood behind me with her hands clasped behind her back. There is no seat for a knight when you are with the Lord. Alan, who does business with the aristocracy, of course knows this and treats Shirley as if she were an air. “Can I help you with something today, sir?” “I want to give my brother something to thank him for, something good.” “Is it His Royal Highness the Eighth Prince?” “No, it’s my brother Henry.” “You mean His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince! I just stocked up on something the other day. Would you please wait a moment?” “Ah.” I nodded and Alan left the room once. We waited for a few minutes, and then he returned with some servants. Each of the servants had something with them. Perhaps it was a jewelry box, or a picture in a frame, or something big enough to fit in a wagon. They probably brought a whole lot of treasures that can be sold in this store. In the midst of all this, my eyes were glued to one thing. It was placed on a table in a wagon and covered with a cloth on top. I was curious, so I pointed to it and asked Alan. “What’s that? The atmosphere is clearly different from the rest.” “Oh, Your Royal Highness the Thirteenth, you saw through it at a glance.” Alan looked half business tongued, half plain amazed. He made eye contact and had a servant take a cloth. What came out was a statue of a goddess which was transparent. “Is this ...... glass? “A goddess made of glass and not crystal? I didn’t know you could make something like this.” ” The surprise is understandable. This is the legacy of Lindsey, the master glass artist. Lindsay was the only one who could make a goddess statue out of glass, a now lost skill.” “I guess.” I stared at the statue of the goddess. I knew – it’s a little bit out. A little bit of something similar to that grimoire. I saw it, so I asked to be the first to see it. “It is said that Lindsey herself has few works, and that there are only two goddess statues left in the world.” “Okay. So, I’ll take that.” “This will be , reens......” I took out a leather bag from my pocket and handed it to Alan. “There’s more than ten thousand in there. The remainder is my reward for you bringing a gift for my brother.” “Thank you very much!” Alan received the leather bag with a big smile on his face. “That goddess statue, later at home–“ “There you are, Noah.” As I was about to say, a man came in from outside. It was the Eighth Prince, Brother Oscar, with his trademark gentle smile. “Brother,” I stood up and gave a quick bow to Oscar. “I heard Noah was here when I went into the store. Found some good treasure–or ......” Oscar looked at the glass goddess statue and froze in place. He looks as if he has seen something unbelievable. “What’s the matter with you, brother?” “This is the Statue by Lindsey. Is it real?” “Yeah, probably.” Me, who replied, as if that wasn’t enough, Oscar looked at Alan. Alan nodded, puzzled. “I-It’s authentic. There’s no way I would offer your highness a fake ...... something poorly done.” “Hah.” Oscar sighed and sat down in a nearby chair. “Damn, so I guess that means there are only two of them and they’re both coming out at the same time.” “Do you know about the other one?” “I have it.” Then, Oscar, this time with a wry smile. “It’s a glass statue of Lindsay, I know it was made in two, but I didn’t see it here on Cobalt Street, so I thought I had the last one in the world. I didn’t know there were any more of them. I can understand why Oscar laments. The fewer the number of treasures, the more valuable they are in their rarity. Among them, “there is only one” is of tremendous value. When there are two, if the value of each is , the value of one is more than ten times higher than the value of the other. This is what treasures – antiques – are all about. “Brother.” “Yeah, what is it?” I silently approached the glass goddess statue, lifted it up – and smashed it to the ground. “Mmm” “Y-Y-Your Royal Highness!” As Alan panicked, I took out another bag of about 100 reens from my pocket and gave it to him. “Don’t worry, you can keep the money for what I paid you for earlier. And here’s your wages.” “What, wage?” “The second statue came out, but it broke. I want you to spread the word, but only in Cobalt Street”. “.....I’m impressed” Oscar nodded with an impressed look on his face. “Wow that’s amazing, Noah. If you broke it and even shed the fact that you’re the one who broke it, the statue I have will certainly increase in value.” “The sooner the treasure is found, the better. And if only brother Oscar have it, it would be worth more.” “I’m surprised you knew how to do this, and even more so that you actually did it. Amazing. I only reached this point after I came of age and entered the fiefdom.” Oscar stood up and gave a glimpse of the cracked statue. “I’ll thank you, in due course,” With that, Oscar walked out of the store. After telling Alan to clean up and choose the next treasure to present to the house, I left with Shirley. “Oh, uh, your highness ......?” After leaving the store, the busy Cobalt Street. Shirley called out to me as if she were afraid. “What’s up,” “Why would you do that?” I looked around. Everyone around me is a stranger, and I don’t have to worry about being heard. “It’s just a thing, after all.” But it’s a very expensive treasure?” “A real treasure is not like that.” “Eh?” Shirley was puzzled. I saw my status, always visible in the corner of my vision. My own personal status with a “+” behind my normal status. I have this one. “A real treasure is not something like that, it’s people.” “People?” “People who are loyal to me. Like you.” “Yeah.” I nodded. Yes, to me, the real treasures are people. Breaking one of those glass goddesses is a small price to pay for a happy memory of brother Oscar. “......” “What’s up Shirley?” “I’m impressed! You’re saying the same thing as the great men in the story.” “It’s amazing, Your Highness. ...... I’ll follow you forever!” “Ah.” I broke it down to make Oscar’s memory a happy one, and as a bonus, Shirley’s favorability seems to have increased. I took Shirley with me out of the junk-covered Cobalt Street. Somehow, I remember what Oscar said. Becoming an adult, entering the fiefdom. The time will come for me to join Almeria. In the Empire, it’s usually when the royal family comes of age. Until that time, I had a clear goal in mind to collect more treasures.

“Sister! I heard that you were ill!?” I was the most surprised I’ve been in a while when I saw Rain being ushered into the parlor. The First Princess Rain is almost the same age as Mother. A princess who was known for her lady-like martial arts and dynamic personality. I was surprised to see her, as I had heard that she had been suffering from a serious illness recently. She was in such high spirits that she didn’t look like a sick person. “I can’t be resting, not at a time like this.” “Eh?” “I need to be thanking, Noah. I came to thank you.” “Thank me?” I tilted my head, wondering what she was talking about. “I heard what you did for Arlene.” “Ahh.” “So, just a little while ago, I knocked out all the women staying at Husband’s place.” The rest of the story finally came into focus here. Alan, Rain’s husband. As the princess’s husband, he is in a way the man who is doing the most normal thing. The husband of the Imperial Princess is treated as a subject unless there is something wrong with him. And because she is a princess, she’s not asked to have an heir. Therefore, many of the husbands of the Imperial Princess have concubines in their lives, rather than only the Imperial Princess. This is semi-official recognition. It is better to get rid of your desire with other women than to turn the sluttish thoughts toward the Imperial Princess. When you are the husband of an Imperial Princess, a quasi-royalty figure, it is only natural to have a concubine or two. For men, it is better to have a concubine they can control than to have a princess who is above them in any way, and they can maintain their pride. It is rare for a man to say he wants to be with Arlene like Angus. “Noah, thanks to you, I can now fight those thieving cats proudly.” I chuckled. The fact that it is natural does not mean that there is no jealousy on the part of the Princess. Because it’s not dignified to be jealous of your subjects, so you can’t show it openly — no, you can’t do anything at all because it’s even more disgraceful to sneak around. Now that the ‘jealousy’ was excused, Rain moved quickly. It seems that what I did for Arlene and the others helped Rain, even if in a different way. “That’s fine, sister, but don’t take it too hard. I’ve read the medical officer’s report.” “I’ve recovered, you know.” “Eh?” “After I beat those thieving cats out of there, I feel incredibly light.” It is said that sickness and health begin with the heart. And there is also mental illness. I don’t know which one Rain’s is, but apparently, she was properly cured by that one. “Thank you so much, Noah.” “You’re welcome. So, sister, what are you going to do now?” “About what now?” “After knocking out the concubines.” “That’s .......” What is this reaction? Rain, who’s getting pretty old, started blushing and fidgeting. “Sister?” “I just remembered what he said to me the night we got married.” “Haah.” I wondered what those words were. A memory of the two of them, and probably from their wedding night. I knew better than to ask too deeply. “So I thought, ...... now that the thieving cats are gone, I might as well forgive him.” “I see. Well then, good luck, sister, and if there is anything I can do, please let me know.” “Yes. Thank you, Noah. There is the word, unintentional. Noah’s sequence of actions was just like that. Imperial Princesses have had a significantly shorter lifespan than their kinsmen. In the several hundred years of their history, only two have exceeded the age of . However, after this measure by Noah, the life expectancy of the Imperial Princesses increased significantly. It was not immediately clear at the time. Still, it was revealed in later generations that the liberation of the Imperial Princesses from the customs that had bound them had greatly increased their life expectancy. It was a small but certainly historic achievement of Noah’s generation. The next day, in the study. I called Henry and Oscar over. We conducted government business in the usual manner, with me sitting and Henry and Oscar standing across the desk from each other. “That’s why Oscar. I want you to review the budget for the Princesses who have married. It may not be much from the annual budget, but it’s to show that I’m serious about this.” “Your Majesty, about that, shouldn’t we be a little more careful?” I look Oscar straight in the eye as he makes his rebuttal. “The tradition has been carried on for hundreds of years in the Empire. I don’t think it’s a good idea to suddenly abolish it. I think it would be fine to call Arlene’s case a special exception.” Oscar had a good point. These old traditions are strongly opposed if you try to break them suddenly. Even the Emperor cannot do everything he wants to do. This is especially true concerning traditions. In a sense, tweaking traditions is a challenge to the Emperors of the past. The resistance and backlash are sometimes stronger than expected. But, “It has already been decided, there will be no change.” “I hope you will reconsider.” “......” “Oscar.” Henry, who had been quietly watching the proceedings until then, opened his mouth to speak next. “What is it, brother?” “There has been a move in Turbaif.” “Now the princesses–“ “It shows the seriousness of the Emperor who is willing to lower the privileges of the Imperial Princesses to allow them to marry. Voices of that kind were heard from within the Turbaif.” “–! Your Majesty, ......, now way for this to happen.” “Yeah.” I nodded deeply. The moment I heard Angus’ direct appeal, I had drawn this picture in my mind. The privileges of a married Princess are not limited to the Empire. In fact, their privileges come into play when they are sent to other countries. Naturally, a married Princess is both hostage and guest. Neglecting her is almost the same as declaring hostility to the Empire. Therefore, the Princess is treated on the same level even after marriage. I took that away. “Was this your intention all along?” I smiled at him. Without responding directly, I stood up and looked out the window behind me. “I hope they’ll behave themselves.” It was a continuation of the words I had used when I decided to send the three princesses off to a political marriage. “As expected of His Majesty. If you have gone this far, I am sure that Turbaif will shed tears of joy and follow your orders.” “One cannot be too careful, though. Keep your guard up.” Henry bowed deeply. I stared at Oscar. Our eyes met, and we stared at each other for a while. Oscar said, “I understand,” and agreed to review the budget. Henry and Oscar both left the room together. “Haah.......” “That didn’t go so well.” Don said as he came in to take over. “His Highness didn’t accept Your Majesty’s wishes, did he?” “I’m surprised you noticed that, .......” “Your Majesty is indeed very good.” I sighed again at Don’s compliment. “I went out of my way to call Oscar, the Minister of the Imperial Household, and spoke to him directly, even though it was just a matter of sending a single document to the relevant department through the Fourth Vizier.” It was to, “I will do whatever it takes to bring about the reign of the monarchy.” This was to convey a message to him. Following in my father’s footsteps, I’m building an intelligence network. I’m using more than just Fuwawa’s box; I’m also using people who are more in the dark. And from all over the place came reports of disturbing – if not outright unrest – in Oscar. If anyone interfered even if it’s the Prince– I sent such a message, but Oscar did not receive it. He was aware of it, and he didn’t dare take it. Will I have to deal with it someday, or can I only hope that such a day will never come?

It was late at night and I was inside the inn writing. Even when I am away from the Capital, the government affairs are run by a joint decision of Henry and Oscar, but there are still a few matters here and there that can only be decided by the Emperor. I have to read the contents, think about them, and respond to them during the night. So even now, I was cutting down on my sleeping time to write a reply. Knock-knock. A discreet knock on the door. “It’s John.” I stopped writing. And then looked up to see the door. A man’s voice, not Pieyu’s, had identified himself. I searched my memory for the name John ....... Immediately the image of a young man came into my mind. “...... Ah, it’s you. Come in.” “Thank you very much!” After the reply, the door slowly opened. Kneeling outside the door, he opened it, stood up once and carefully closed the door, then reverently knelt and bowed to me once again. “Your majesty, I–“ “There are no outsiders here, private courtesy will do.” “–Yes! It has been a long time, Master.” “Umu. You’ve been well?” “Yes!” John looked up and answered with a big smile. There was once a time when Albert, the former Emperor’s first Prince, was a black marketer of slaves. I bumped into this black marketer on the street and rescued the children who were being forced into slavery and took them in. One of those children was John. He did odd jobs in the mansion for a few years after that, but when I ascended to the throne, I sent him out as a deputy. I looked at him and observed. “You’ve gotten a little plump, looks like you’ve been eating well.” “Apologies! I’ve been addicted to fatty rice lately.” “Eh? Fatty rice.” “It’s basically just thickly seasoned fat poured over rice, but it’s so addictive!” “Hahahaha, that’s a manly meal. Have you had anything better?” “I once went to a restaurant to entertain some merchants, but the food was too refined for me. It’s elegant, I know, but I got diarrhea after eating it.” “You have a poor palate. However, you should gradually get used to it. If you keep that poor palate when I call you back to the capital in the future, there will be less for me to reward you with.” “Y-yes! I’ll do my best!” “So, what are you doing here?” “Yes, sir! I heard that Master was here, so I came to escort him with soldiers.” “Soldiers?” I tilted my head a little and listened carefully. Then I felt a slight presence. Outside the inn, I sensed an air of something that could not have been there in the middle of the night. “That’s over the top.” “No way! If something happened to Master in a place like this, it would be a disaster. Besides,” “I haven’t had much opportunity to serve Master since I left the mansion, so let me at least do it on occasions like this.” John said so as he turned his eager eyes on me. I don’t feel bad because I know he admires me. “Hahaha, all right. I’ll leave everything to you.” “Thank you very much!” John bowed his head, looking happy. That’s when it happened. Until now, I couldn’t hear anything even if I listened carefully, but then I heard an argument going on outside. “What is it?” “It might be a drunk. There’s nothing to worry about. I’ve told the staff downstairs not to let anyone in.” “Let the guests through. We’re not renting the whole place out.” “Y-Yes! As expected of Master, Mary always told me to be attentive to such things, but I forgot!” John said and scratched his head. Given his history as a farmer and then a slave before coming to my mansion, John’s mannerisms and language are a bit of a mess at first glance. It still shows, but since many of my people come from slavery, I try to laugh it off on occasions like this. Evelyn was a rarity when you think about it – or so I thought. Amidst the noise of the struggle, a metallic swordfight mingled. “Muh?” “What is it? Those guys. Excuse me, master, I’ll take the window.” I nodded, and John got up and went to the window. “Master!?” Peiyu came running into the room. I told her that I had something to do and that she could go back to bed, but the commotion seemed to have woken her up. “Don’t worry, I’m fine.” “Y-yes, ......,Ah, John-san .......” John was from my mansion and they knew each other. When Peiyu saw John, she felt mixed emotions, a ‘Why’ as well as nostalgia for meeting after a long time. Meanwhile, John stood by the window and opened it at once. Then all at once the sound of the struggle that had been faintly audible through the window became clear. “What the hell are you guys doing!” John roared from the bottom of his gut. When I was in the Ministry of Military Affairs during the reign of the Emperor, I used to deal with these types of generals a lot, so I’m used to it, but Peiyu, who was not one of them, was horrified and shrugged. “Aaahh, what is it? Why are you soldiers fighting with each other? What jurisdiction is this!” “I-It’s John-sama. I am so sorry, I didn’t know that John-sama was here.” A man responded to John’s yell with condescension. “Master, this is .......” “Yeah. John.” “Yes, what is it?” John stood at the window and turned himself toward me. “Do you know that guy?” “Yes, well, he works for me as a gatekeeper at the checkpoint, and he’s a real piece of shit.” “I see. He’s after me, I think.” John was surprised, his eyes widened. I told him what had happened during the day. John’s surprise subsided. I guess he could tell from what I told him that I do this all the time. When he heard what had happened, he turned around again. “Come up alone, you little shit!” Immediately after the man’s voice, there was a thud, thud, thud of footsteps, and the man from the afternoon came tumbling into the room, looking flustered. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting, John-sama! Apologies, I didn’t know John-sama was here, and I’m sorry it took me so long to greet you.” “I don’t care how you greet me.” John approached and kicked the man. “Your Master’s Master is here, so greet him!” The man tilted his head as if he didn’t understand the conversation. John scrunched up his chin, and the man looked at me. Then he finally noticed my presence and gasped. “Ahh, you! Your luck runs out here!” The man became furious and tried to grab me. At that, Peiyu screamed. I sat down and didn’t move. John intervened from the side and kicked the man. The man slammed into the wall and looked at John with a startled look on his face. “W-why ......” “I told you he’s your master’s master.” “Eh?” The man finally calmed down and began to think things over. “Master, .......” “Ouu.” “......, master?” Then he looked at me and mumbled. After mumbling for a bit, he turned pale. John was a servant from the Thirteenth Residence. In other words, he was a servant of the Thirteenth Prince–the Emperor. That is a fact that anyone at the official level knows. It is important to know who is a retainer of whom, and ignorance is not an option. Naturally, this man must know John very well. On top of that, speaking of John’s master–. The man began to tremble as his understanding progressed. It was as if he finally understood who I was. “I am so sorry! I had no idea His Majesty was there!” “You think you can get away without knowing!” “No, ignorance is fine.” I interrupted the conversation. Then took a sip of the tea on the desk, which had cooled down while I was writing... “Your Majesty?” “It’s written in the imperial law. There is no disrespect for anything I do before I identify myself.” “That’s true, but... You are lucky His Majesty is the most law-abiding person in the history of the Empire.” “Ha-ha-ha. yess .......” The man seemed to have completely lost his nerve. John, on the other hand, turned himself to me. “As expected of you, Your Majesty. So, what are you going to do?” “Fuuh.” I smiled at him. As expected of John, one of the oldest servants under me. John knows me well at times like this. “Demanding more than the prescribed toll at the gate, assaulting the people. He’ll be dismissed from his post and forever denied promotion.” John looked at me with deeply impressed eyes. Then he turned to the still-battered man and said, “Did you hear that?” “Y-Yes?” “Neck, your neck. You’re lucky to be alive.” “Y-yes, sir! T-Tttthank you for your grace!” The man panicked and bowed his head to me. He bowed again and again, on his knees on the spot. “It’s getting annoying, get out of here.” John kicked him out of the room. John followed him, said a word or two to his men who were probably waiting in the hallway, and then came back and closed the door to the room. Meanwhile, Peiyu closed the window on my watch. “I’m really sorry for my lack of supervision, Master.” “Don’t worry, there are people like that everywhere.” “Yes, I’m sorry. Ah, by the way, Master.” “I don’t know who might try to get on the master’s case here again. so could you please come to my house? As a matter of fact, Mary also wants to see Master. Of course, I will have her cook some of the dishes she learned when she was at Lord’s house.” I laughed and stood up. “Then I will be troubling you.” “Shall we go, Peiyu?” “Yes!” We left the inn and were escorted by John’s soldiers to his place. “It’s huge” I muttered to myself as I dismounted from my horse and looked at the mansion in front of me. The mansion is quite spacious, with a bonfire burning at the entrance. The bonfire stretched from the front gate to the back of the building as if it were a beacon. “This is the residence of the Governor, and I’m grateful to be allowed to live here for free.” “Is that so?” “Mary is very happy with this as it will save a lot of money on rent and stuff.” I smiled and walked in through the bonfire pathway. John’s position as a government official is a good one. At the very least, he could command nearly a hundred men with the snap of his fingers, and he could kick the crap out of any official at the checkpoint. With that said, he is not in a position to talk about “rent-bagging”. But maybe he’s just keeping it simple, not accepting ...... bribes or anything like that. Many of my retainers are like that. It’s not uncommon for them to pander to my preferences, but many of them do so as a matter of reality. “It’s fine if you’re stingy, but don’t force it on everyone else.” “Wh? But if I set a good example, why don’t the people around me become cleaner, too?” “Fuu, People can’t survive on ideals.” I smile and say to John, “You have the same illness as Evelyn.” “Same illness as sister? W-What’s wrong?” John’s complexion changed. Because I used the word ‘Illness’ he panicked. “Don’t be impatient, I’m not blaming you. You and Evelyn both think too highly of ordinary people by your own standards.” “Eh mm... ......?” “You guys work for me without getting paid much money.” “Of course, I can! I owe my life to the master, you’re my life’s savior!” “But can you recruit good people without paying them much money?” “Eh .......” “Let’s say for example, there’s a person who doesn’t feel indebted to me, would that person go to your place for a low salary or to a merchant who pays a high salary? Which would they go for?” “Ugh. .......” John stumbled over his words. “Most people, especially the more capable ones, think they should be making more money than they are.” “T-that’s ...... true, but...” “To begin with.” I laugh playfully. “At the end of the day, I reward you when you work hard, don’t I?” “!!!” “I don’t mind if you kick down your underlings, and even whip them. But don’t forget to give them candy as well.” “Y-Yes! Understood! I’ll do it right.” I smiled a little more gently. John’s the kind of guy who will change his tune if properly told. “I’ve been having trouble pulling in talent lately, actually. Now that you mentioned the reason for that. ...... Thank you very much!” John said embarrassingly. “Well, you better give me some encouragement.” Let’s watch John for a while. If he can get the right people, – let’s move his position up a bit. I thought to myself.

“...... Okay, do it.” In the early afternoon of the following day, in the garden of the mansion, I took a deep breath and prepared my mind, then ordered the other party. In front of me was a dragon clad in flames. It was Luthiya’s ring, materialized by the Armor Ring – the Awakened Bahamut. Bahamut opened its mouth wide and spat out swirling flames at me from the back of its throat. The next moment, my body was in flames. “Mmm. ......” As I was burned by the fire, I let my body remember the feeling. I counted in my mind as my skin sizzled – one minute. “Ha!” Using the power of Leviathan, I blew out the flames of Bahamut. I can smell the charred smell, the ground is smoldering, the earth is melting down from the burning. Now that I had a general idea, let’s move on to– “Kyaaa!” I heard a scream. I turned to the voice and saw Gigi, my maid, slumped on the ground, her mouth gaping like a goldfish. An envelope of some kind fell beside her. “What’s wrong?” “A-Are you okay, Master?” “That was such a ...... great flame. .....”. “Yeah. That’s Bahamut, I burned myself.” “Eeeeeeeeeeeh!?” Gigi looked very surprised, she looked as if she had no idea what was said to her. “W-What do you mean, you burned yourself?” “I thought I’d take it while I still could.” I glanced at the status in the corner of my eye. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Prime Minister Gender: Male Level: / ∞ HPD+SSSMPE+SSSStrengthD+SSSStaminaE+SSSIntelligenceE+SSSSpiritE+SSSSpeedF+SSSDexterityE+SSSLuckE+SSS FireE+SSSWaterD+SSSWindE+SSSEarthE+SSS Light E+SSSDarknessE+SSS The Prime Minister, who is in charge of the affairs of the Empire on behalf of His Majesty. As a result of being ordered to do so, my “+” has probably added “the entire Empire” to it. In layman’s terms, I am now invincible. That’s why I decided to take on the attacks of Bahamut and Leviathan while I still can. “But why now?” “Gigi, have you been vaccinated against smallpox?” “Eh? Ah, yes. All of Master’s maids are vaccinated.” “It’s the same thing. The smallpox vaccination is called variolation, in which the patient’s pus – the poison of a weak disease – is deliberately transferred to the body so that the body learns it. It’s the same thing.” “Oh, yes, .......” Gigi finally understood and agreed with what I said. She slowly stood up, but it seemed that the surprise had not completely worn off yet. “B-But even so, it’s hard to believe that such a strong attack ...... that amount of flame .......” “I know that. It’s hard to breathe when your whole body is on fire. This way I won’t be surprised when the time comes.” “Haaa. ...... Master is amazing, after all. ......” “So, what do you have for me?” “Ah, yes! It’s a letter to Master.” Gigi hurriedly picked up the letter and presented it to me. “Who is it from?” “I don’t know.” “What?” “The person who delivered it didn’t say anything. He just said it was for the Prince.” “Fumu. ......” I took the letter and looked at it intently. At any rate, it seemed to be harmless. I broke the seal and took out the letter inside. “This is .......” “Have a look.” I showed the letter to Gigi. “It’s a ...... menu. And it’s for a healthy person.” As even Gigi could see at a glance, the contents of the letter were a menu. There were three basic meals a day and the occasional snacks. This was written in a row for about a month. In addition to the menu, there was a simple note that read, “To the person who saved my life.” It was the handwriting of someone who was not used to writing. I stared at the letter intently. Was it some kind of code? I suspected that it was some kind of cipher, but it ranged from a simple reading of the beginning of a line to a complex cipher. I looked at all the possibilities, but couldn’t read anything that looked like it. Suddenly, I noticed something. I noticed the texture of the paper. And as I noticed the texture, I realized something. A series of possibilities flashed through my mind like a stream. “Curuz, huh?” “E? Were you able to figure it out?” “Yeah, this is His Majesty’s ...... menu for the past month, probably.” “I see. It is true that the contents are like a royal palace meal. ...... Huh? But His Majesty is currently not feeling well .......” Gigi opened her eyes in surprise. Since His Majesty’s health was not good, he ordered me to be the Prime Minister until his recovery, and all the maids in the house know that. “That’s what this is all about.” “What do you mean?” “First of all, this paper is familiar to me. It’s the paper of His Majesty’s royal court.” “That’s how I knew it was His Majesty’s menu. And the only person who can use this and say ‘thank you for saving my life’ is Curuz.” At that time, I recommended that the charges against the eunuch who couldn’t write be dropped. That was the case, and Curuz could have been charged with death sentence, depending on the interpretation. It’s not too much to say that I owe him my life. And Curuz is a member of His Majesty’s inner circle, and he’s probably under strict orders from His Majesty not to tell anyone the truth about his health. In fact, he didn’t say a word when he came to deliver the Imperial Decree. However, His Majesty didn’t seem to mind the menu. What Curuz delivered was a menu for a healthy person, no matter how you look at it. No one with summer fatigue could eat this much. Curuz and the consort, Ada. The roundabout information from the two of them made me more and more convinced that His Majesty was still in good health. “Hmmm, ...... as expected. You can tell the sender just by the material of this paper. Master is amazing after all.” I smiled back at Gigi’s admiration. I’ll have to thank Cruise next time, I thought. After changing out of my partially burned clothes, I headed to the study I had built in the outer garden to begin today’s political work. But then I saw someone arguing with the gatekeeper at the main gate. Curious as to what was going on, I approached the gate. “Ah! I’m sorry, Your Highness. I’ll send him away right now.” The young gatekeeper panicked. Pushing the man’s breastplate, he is ready to drive him away right now, just as he said. “Your Highness, huh, are you His Highness the Thirteenth?” The man who had been arguing with the gatekeeper spoke to me in a cheerful voice. The man’s appearance could be summed up in one word: beggar-like. His hair was shaggy and his clothes were tattered. And his body was smeared with mud, and when I approached him, I could smell a strange odor that irritated the back of my nose. “Just in time, I’d like to talk to you, but I don’t know if you’ll listen.” “What are you talking about? You are being too rude.” “...... No, leave it at that. Do you want to talk about something? Let’s hear it.” Surprised, the gatekeeper looks like he doesn’t know what’s going on. “Follow me.” I took the man and headed back to the house. Entering the mansion, I had one of the maids prepare a cup of tea and brought the man into the parlor myself. I sat down on the sofa and the man sat down. “Yep, as expected from the Prince, you know your stuff.” “More importantly, what do you want with me?” “Yes, yes, I’m Leon. Today I brought the Prince a lucrative offer.”[TN: This guy has a rough way of speaking like Indra(The Thunder Prince)] “A Business.” “Oh, really? And what kind of business?” “That’s a secret. The Prince has a lot of servants, doesn’t he? And they say that even walls have ears.” “If they find out, you’ll lose your money?” “Fumu. So how much is it?” “ reens. That’s all I need.” “Fumu.” I looked at Leon. He was staring at me. “What do I get for my money or my investment in you?” “I’ll pay you back tenfold in a year.” Suddenly, I saw the expression of the maid who had entered the room. The maid was looking at the back of Leon’s head with a wry smile. It was as if she was saying, “You can’t fool anyone with such a crude scam.” Well, you would think so. “All right. Bonnie.” I called out the name of the maid there. “Yes?” “Go to Dylan and give him the 000 Reens.” The two surprised voices of Leon and Bonnie overlapped. “What’s the matter, 1000 reen’s not enough?” “N-no, ...... it’s not that it’s not enough, but .......” “If so, it won’t be a problem. I’m counting on you.” Rion, who was led out of the parlor by Bonnie had a sly expression. A few moments later, Bonnie came back. “Master. I gave the man the money and asked him to leave.” “Oh.” “But ......, why did you give him the money? And top of that ten times more. You can’t give money to a crook like that and expect him to come back.” “Did you see that guy’s head?” What do you hear suddenly? Bonnie makes a face. “Yes, his head.” “Well, it was shaggy, but...” “Not that. It’s true that his head was shaggy, his clothes were tattered, and he smelled of mud. But.” “His scalp was clean.” “What? Th-that’s not possible.” “You got it now?” “Yes! Because I was also an orphan rescued by my master and became a maid.” I nodded slightly. Most of the maids in this mansion are like that. She or her family members were saved by me and then became my maid. Bonnie is one of them. “That’s not possible to keep your scalp clean looking like that.” “Yes. That’s why it was a disguise.” “...... Yes.” Bonnie’s face remained bitter, but she nodded in agreement. And ...... this makes no sense to Bonnie, but Rion was only looking at me when he came into the room. This is the parlor of the Thirteenth Prince’s residence, and it is furnished with rather expensive furnishings for entertaining noblemen. Even a layman can recognize the value of these items at a glance. And yet, Rion didn’t pay any attention to them and just stared at me. “He even went to the trouble of disguising himself to ask me for money, which means there’s something going on.” “Yes, .......” “I don’t know what it is.” I shrugged my shoulders, palms upwards. “But people are treasure. Think of it as an investment in a man who has come that far. Even if there’s nothing in the future, the only loss is money. If something happens, we get one guy who dresses like that and jumps into our pockets. That’s the type of payment I’m talking about.” “I see. ...... As expected, master!” Outside the 13th Prince’s residence. Rion came out of the mansion and met up with another man waiting in the shadows. The man was a well-dressed, good-looking young man. “How did it go?” “I got it.......” “Why do you have such a strange look on your face?” “Look.” When Leon took out a leather bag, his companion was also surprised. “How much is this ......?” “A thousand reens. He gave me ten times as much.” “Why ......?” “I don’t know. He just stared me in the face and told the maid to give me a 1000 reens.” “He stared at your face?” “Yeah.” The young man stared at Leon for a moment, then huffed. “....Head.” “Head?” “He saw right through you, with your clean head, that you were in disguise.” “...... Ahh.” Rion touched his head – the clean scalp underneath the shag – and was equally flabbergasted. “That’s why I thought there was something about it.” “There’s not much of anything. We just wanted to observe the person referred as Prince.” “But we got ten times the money. Apparently, he’s a bigger fish than we thought, his highness.” The two young men stared at the Thirteenth Prince’s residence from the shadows. Though Noah had offered 1000 reens to catch one interesting man. The act was contrary to his expectations. Two promising young men had been caught.

I followed John and came to the front gate of the official residence. There, at the end of the bonfire, a familiar woman was waiting with a servant in tow. Mary. She is the girl I once rescued from the slavers, and she is now John’s wife, and until she got out, she was also my retainer, just like her husband. Mary knelt in front of me, bowing flat on the ground. I had pointed this out to John because of his status as a public figure, but Mary had no official position, so she simply bowed inwardly as a servant. Behind Mary’s back, the servants were surprised. -Why is Mistress doing this? Who is this man? I could clearly see that they were thinking like that, We have been expecting you, Master. “At ease. I would have preferred a short ceremony.” In any etiquette, there are formal and informal ones. Mary attended with a very formal version of the etiquette–a full course of manners if you will. So I told her I was fine with the simpler, abbreviated version, but Mary kept her hands and knees on the ground and only raised her face. “It cannot be! I only get to see the master once every few years or so. So please let me do this when we can meet. I can’t sleep at night because I feel guilty if I don’t do right by the master to whom I owe so much!” “Is that how it is?” “Yes.” “Then–John.” I turned around and called his name. “Yes!” “There will be times when you will have to come to Capital on official business to seek an audience with me. When you do, bring Mary with you as a couple. –That way we can see each other from time to time, right?” “Thank you very much.” John bowed hurriedly, and Mary bowed again in a calm manner. Compared to John, who still has some boyish composure, Mary seems to have acquired the composure of an adult woman. Mary stood up quietly, took a step back, and with a half-step, gave me the way to the official residence, “Please come in, My Lord.” “Umu.” I nodded and went inside. John and Mary followed behind me as I walked out, and John’s servants followed right behind them with puzzled looks on their faces. Peiyu followed silently from the very back. We entered the official residence and were first ushered into what looked like a parlor. “......Hou” I let out an unintentional gasp as I entered the room. The moment I entered the room, I felt as if I had stepped into a different world. Even though it was nighttime, the room was brightly lit, and there was incense burning that I could tell from one whiff of it. The sofa on which I would be sitting was richly decorated with embroidery, and fresh fruit was placed on the table in front of it. It was a very hospitable atmosphere that anyone could see. “I’m sorry, this is all we can offer here. I know it’s not as much as the capital can offer, but I’ll do my best to make up for it.” “Here here, Master, this way please.” John and Mary led me over to the sofa. Not only did it look good, but it was a nice sofa with plenty of padding. I sat down and looked around the room. ” ............. what about the money?” I asked John and Mary. They both looked embarrassed. “Your salary wouldn’t cover this kind of entertainment. If you are not careful, you could lose a year’s salary in an instant.” The salary of a low-ranking official in the Empire is not very high. That’s something I’ll get around to eventually, but for now, let’s talk about John. “It’s okay on that front.” “Houu?” “I borrowed it from a merchant in town. I wrote an IOU. And promised to pay it back by the end of my term.”[TN: For those not familiar with IOU, it’s an abbreviation for ‘I owe you’. And a written promise that you will pay back some money that you have borrowed.] “Fumu.” “Don’t worry, Master. We understand it perfectly. We will not suck it out of the people.” Mary followed up with John. The two were born and raised in a village so poor that they were originally slaves and were sold into slavery. Even if they made a mistake, they would never exploit the people, and I had carefully watched them and sent them out as my retainers. I was not mistaken in my judgment, but I did not think they would go into debt to host me. “Now, now, master, let me take off your shoes.” Mary said and knelt at my feet. Then she reverently took off the shoes I was wearing. After removing my shoes, she received a tub of water from a young servant standing behind her. Then washed my feet. Ever since I was at the residence of the Thirteen Prince, when I came home at night, I let the servant wash my feet to relieve my fatigue. This is something that everyone does, and just washing my feet and giving them a simple massage after a day of walking takes away a lot of the fatigue, so I was a bit confused right after my reincarnation, but eventually, I started having the servants do it as usual. Mary washed my feet, just as she did when I was at the Imperial Palace. Behind her, there were other servants. Especially in the cases of Princes and above those, only servants of a certain rank are allowed to serve you or directly serve you. In this case, Mary, who was also my maid, is the equivalent. To put it bluntly, other servants are ‘not qualified to serve’. This is something that nobles understand as a matter of course, but it is difficult for commoners to understand. Even now, Mary’s servants were making faces like, “Why is the mistress acting like such a servant?” ? After showing my feet for a while, “Peiyu” “Y-Yes!” I called her, and she scurried over to my side. “Paper and pen.” “Yes!” She took a piece of paper and a pen out of her baggage, which she carried close to her, and handed them to me. I took it and scribbled it on the table. Understanding the flow of the writing, she then presented me with my seal – the seal of the Emperor. I took it and stamped it on the paper. With this, the Imperial Rescript was ready, albeit in an unofficial form. I handed it to John. “Take it.” “What’s this?” “Make sure that the amount spent on my entertainment is properly billed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I’ve written it down so that you’ll be billed for it.” John screamed. Mary was frozen in the same position she had been in while wiping my feet after washing them. “I’m sorry! If anything is missing, I’ll have the staff come and get it right away.” “It’s the opposite.” “Eh?” “My hospitality is not something that you should have to borrow money for. I have received your filial piety. That’s fine.” “Master ......” “Master is indeed an amazing person......”[TN: Ah yes, the missing ingredient.......] John and Mary were moved and their eyes were moistened. “Well ......, let’s head to the bedroom. We’ll talk tomorrow.” “Understood!” The couple nodded simultaneously. Then Mary started to lead the servants. The properly-trained servants moved briskly following Mary’s orders. “I-I’m just a maid–“ Mary’s servants treated Peiyu as a guest, and Peiyu began to panic. “Don’t worry, you’re our junior, which means you’re superior to these girls.” John said. Peiyu was still anxiously casting me a helpful glance but, I smiled back at her. “So be it. You’re my maid, and you don’t have to be polite to anyone else.” “Y-yes. John-san, Mary-san, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Perhaps a little comforted by my words, Peiyu accepted the situation. And I, too, had Mary show me to the bedroom. There, too, the bedding was expensive, but I left it alone without bothering to point it out. Mary and the servant who had followed me to the end left the room, leaving me alone in the room. {Lord, may I have a word?} “Um? What’s wrong, Livyathan?” The moment I was alone, Livyathan spoke to me. “It’s rare for you to speak to me.” {Apologies. I decided it would be better to keep it in the Lord’s ear.} “Fumu?” Sitting on the bed, I nodded slightly and urged onward. {There was one of the servants who was very hostile to the Lord,} “Ohh, you mean the little intelligent girl, right?” I nodded, remembering the impressive girl behind Mary. Her age was or – no, given what John and Mary did, the girl must have come from a poor village, so she could have been 5 or 16 if you take stunted growth into account. That child has always been hostile toward me. But she hid her hostility well. She had the eyes of a thoughtful person, not the eyes of someone who can only see immediate things. {As expected of the Lord, you have noticed.} “With that much hostility directed at me, I would have noticed.” {What do you intend to do with the girl? At your order, I could slightly make her realize her position.} “You are always so fussy.” I laughed out loud. “Let it go, and don’t worry about all this hostility, which is neither poison nor medicine.” { But it .......} “There’s nothing wrong with it in the first place. Even if the hostility did turn into action, could it ever get past your defenses?” {Not even in the unlikely event.} Livyathan answered immediately. “Then there’s no problem. You’re the one protecting me.” Livyathan replied. Although the voice is only audible in my brain and has no form, the tone of its reply is such that I can almost see it kneeling before me, trembling with emotion. Livyathan, who has a temperamental personality that fluctuates wildly and is more agitated than others, reacts greatly in such situations. I slept soundly that night. The more vulnerable I was, the more I trusted Livyathan, so I decided to relax and sleep more soundly than usual.

At night, I was quietly standing in a place where I could a short distance from the riverbank, overlooking it. I was now acting alone after separating from Zoe, and don’t have to be so attentive or concerned anymore, and I use all my strength to hide my presence. Usually hiding in the bushes is the way, but alone, I can’t be noticed unless I’m standing directly in front of them. So, I was observing what they were doing. The pier on the riverbank has a huge bonfire burning, and the light around it is so bright that it looks as if it is daytime. The reason why it was so bright was because of the loading operation. A large number of boats are moored at the pier, and a large number of laborers are loading jute bags filled with something into the boats. The fully loaded boat leaves the port, and a new boat arrives and loads the jute bags onto it. The jute bags are filled with salt. Since I started monitoring the situation, enough salt has been loaded and taken away to feed tens of thousands of people. “I guess they couldn’t wait much longer.” I chuckled. The smuggling that couldn’t be done because of my presence, resumed immediately after my death. I couldn’t help but chuckle, expecting that I might have to wait a day or two to see what happened. “Leviathan.” (–) The reply I got back from Leviathan was a strong ‘leave it to me’. With this, the evidence was secured. Dussel’s salt sales and transportation are taxed, so they are always required to report detailed figures. I have them report those figures, including the most recent ones, to me from the Imperial Capital. I don’t need to compare the details of the situation in front of me. It is far more than ten times the normal sales and transportation. This situation itself was already a piece of evidence. To get further evidence, I headed for a houseboat that was parked a short distance away. Amidst the large number of boats transporting cargo, the houseboat was not far away, and I could even hear the sound of pleasure in the wind. Approaching the boat, I strapped Fuwawa’s string to the boat itself. Then, via the boat and the thread, I heard the voice. [This is enough for , reens. We’re talking about reaching 500,000 by tomorrow morning.] [Carrying this much at once. Is it going to be fine?] [Don’t worry, we’ve received black market clearance from Olcott, so there’s no way we’ll be stopped on the way.] [It’s going to be all right]. Two guys were exchanging information. One of them was thoughtful about the situation, while the other one was a bit of a rush guy. [The Emperor may send a new one. We have to do as much we can in the time between the death of the current one and the arrival of the new one.] [......That’s right.] The calm man was persuaded. I guess he had a point. Considering that an Imperial envoy was sent to investigate the situation rather than the Emperor himself, it is more than conceivable that a new person will be dispatched because of his sudden death. Until that person arrives, it should take 20 days of back-and-forth information, the Emperor’s decision, the new envoy’s travel, and other factors. 20 days can be considered long enough, yet also short. It is the right decision to use this time to fight the next opponent and make a big show of it. [Rest assured, we will let you know as soon in case there is any problem. The 10th Prince was very fond of the women I sent last time.] I heard the voice of the third man. Depending on their position, people change their tone of voice and use of language. The third man’s voice clearly seemed to think he was above the other two. [You have done well to gather them all.] [If His Highness likes them, it’s nothing.] [His Highness likes it no problem. No, Great men always have a great fondness for sensual pleasure. I have gathered more and will send them tomorrow.] The first two men switched to a tone of encouragement. Apparently, the man was a retainer of the 10th Prince, Dustin. Dustin has always been famous for his love of women, and in a sense, he even has the reputation of having the most potent blood of His Majesty the Previous Emperor. During the knight selection process, he demanded a lap pillow, and it was Sheryl who intervened and stopped him from doing so. Dustin huh, I guess that means he’s bribing women, not money. “......” I kind of regretted it. I didn’t want to hear this story. Or rather, I didn’t want to hear the rest of the story. Cutting the cord, I decided to charge in. I kicked the ground, leaped, and smashed through the window of the houseboat. “Who!” Before the two conspirators could do anything, Dustin’s retainer’s head was in the air. [Well Done!] I heard Bahamut applaud. In the split second that I was in there, I pulled out Leviathan and decapitated the guy, which in itself wasn’t much of a feat. It wasn’t enough to make Bahamut applaud. That applause was for my judgment. I’m here to get my salt tax back this time around. If it turns out that Dustin is involved here, he will have to be punished as well. That is, at worst, a death sentence. It would be too important if it comes to taking the 10th Prince’s head as well. So I pretended I hadn’t heard that and slashed Dustin’s retainer before anything more could come out of it. Bahamut understood that in an instant and applauded me. Well, it doesn’t matter – and I turned to face the two men. The two young men, one of whom was still very surprised, the other looked as if he had guessed what was going on. “I’m here to investigate the salt tax.” “What! –Hey!” The surprised, short-tempered man stood up and motioned to the outside of the boat. Instantly there was a flurry of activity outside, and I heard the noise of boats scrambling away. “I see, you were prepared for this huh.” “You are right about being prepared, don’t worry about that.” The short-tempered man said that and the calm one laughed. “It’s a shame that you’re not dead, but I didn’t expect you to be. Now you have no proof.” “You really think there isn’t?” “The boat will sink some distance away. It’s salt that’s sinking, and once it’s in the river, all the evidence will be wiped clean.” “I see. You’ve thought this through.” “......” The calm one’s eyebrows twitched. He looked as if he felt something about the fact that I was calm. I held up the leviathan to indicate that he was right. “What are you going to do?” “I’m going to get the evidence back. Leviathan.” (!!!) A strong emotion flowed from Leviathan, ‘I’ve been waiting for this!’ . He seemed excited. From the moment he found out that I had been poisoned for assassination, Leviathan, a loyal and mad dog, showed a great deal of emotion. When I quieted him down and gave him another task, Leviathan did it happily and above all with all his might. I hear a sound. The sounds of ships sailing on the water, and the rustling of humans, in great numbers. “What’s going on!?” The man shouted, and a man who looked like a subordinate rushed in from outside the houseboat. “D-Disaster! The boats are all turning back.” “What! Get them away from us now!” “About that! They’ve lost control of the ship.” “What!?” The guy looks at me, then goes “huh” and stares at me. “Is this your doing!?” “Yeah. Once you control the flow of the river, it’s easy to bring the ship back.” “Nonsense! How is that possible?” “Amazing ......, that much power. May I ask your name? Thanks to Leviathan, I could say that the evidence was completely secured, so I decided to tell him my name again. With Leviathan’s power, I created a Coat of Arms designed as a ship with water before them putting even more pressure on their consciousness to strongly appeal to me. The pressure gives the impression that I am the emperor. “I am Noah Ararat, Empire’s Emperor.” “Wha–!” “Y-Your Majesty, .......” Both men were speechless. The name through the power of the Demon Sword is the name that makes you believe that the other party is the “Emperor” even if you have no proof. This is settled—is what I thought. “I don’t care if he’s the emperor or not!” the man shouted, signaling to the outside. “Come on! Come onn! The next moment, armed men rushed in from outside the boat, one after another. In the blink of an eye, they filled the houseboat and surrounded the outside as well. “That man is a traitor impersonating the name of His Majesty!” “Catch him at ......, no, kill him.” Even the Calm one was angry and ordered his men to kill me. (—Yes) Leviathan’s intention flow through. Leave it to me. I think I heard it in words, though dimly. Leviathan seemed to be awakening, like Bahamut, whom it considers its rival, due to the high tension and the fact that it had done something that was at the level of breaking the limit, taking control of the entire river. Then, I decided to wield Leviathan. A quick grasp. About 100 people were surrounding me, and 200 more were on the other side of the pier. I swung my demon sword at them. The light blue light of the sword on the river at night was fantastic and beautiful, and every time it passed by, blood-splattered and screams filled the air. Like a storm, blood rained where I passed. A feeling of joy flowed from Leviathan each time. It took me less than five minutes to defeat two hundred people, thanks to Leviathan’s high spirits. “A-amazing ......!” “M-monster!” Only two remained at the end. One had an extremely moving look on his face, while the other was shaking uncontrollably from the waist down.

After receiving the order of the Minister of Justice in the audience hall and the morning assembly was dismissed, I came to the Ministry of Justice on my feet. The building of the Ministry of Justice is located one street over from the Ministry of Military Affairs. It was a building that I had glimpsed every morning when I was assisting my brother Henry. When I entered the Ministry of Justice grounds and got off the carriage, dozens of officials were waiting for me, bowing to me in neatly coordinated movements, as if the letter of appointment had already been handed down. A middle-aged man in the middle of the crowd, the only one who didn’t bow, stepped forward, knelt down, and bowed to me. “I have been expecting you, Your Highness.” “I suppose you have already heard the story.” “Of course, Your Highness.” “Then guide me to my room. Explanation can....... What’s your name?” “My name is Vinnie Aussie. I’m the Vice Minister of Justice.” “Second in command?” The vice-minister is a position under the minister that deals with practical matters. Vinnie is a little over forty years old, from the looks of it. At that age, this position is quite a career move. Guided by Vinnie, I entered the Ministry of Justice building and was led straight to the Minister’s office. The Minister’s office at the Ministry was similar to the one at the Ministry of Military Affairs, and I felt at home as soon as I entered the room. I sat down in the Minister’s chair and faced Vinnie one-on-one. “So, what do I have to do at the Ministry of Justice? Just give me a quick rundown up to the moment.” “Yes, sir. The Ministry of Justice is the body that organizes the courts throughout the empire and is the place where trials in the imperial capital are actually conducted. As you know, there are a lot of noblemen in the imperial capital, and as in the previous rebellion–“ Then Vinnie broke off and looked at me. Apparently, he knows about the revolt in Almeria six years ago, and that I was involved in it. “It is customary for serious crimes such as rebellion and treason to be brought to the Imperial Capital and judged by the Ministry of Justice or His Majesty in person.” “I see. So you’re saying that this place usually acts like an ordinary court?” Vinnie bows his head politely. Well, I know about that. I still have memories of my previous life, you know. So, I cut right to the chase based on those memories. ” Do you judge too?” “In some cases.” “How much bribe money do you take?” “Enough.” Interrupting Vinnie by holding out my hand. “I have no intention of pursuing this. I want to know what’s really going on. I’ll forget what you’ve just told me as soon as we leave this room. Just tell me the truth.” “...... As expected of His Highness the ‘Wise’.” Vinnie bowed deeply and then spoke. “I haven’t taken that much. In a year–something like a few hundred reens.”[TN: to be honest, I am really not getting the economy of this novel, the average income is reens, is it my sense of money that is bad or something else, I don’t know?] “Fumu.” “It’s because I’m very particular. Others who are not so particular take ten times as much as I do.” “I don’t take murder cases.” “Why not?” “Because the accuser holds a grudge, it’s easy to expose, and if the accused wants revenge, there’s no way to get it back. I receive some money for cases that are appropriate, cases that could go either way.” I took a piece of paper from the minister’s desk and scribbled some words on it. I toss it to Vinnie. “This is .......” ” Assuming you take five hundred a year, I’ll give you ten times, that is, five thousand. You’ll have to stop doing that while I’m here. I want to live up to His Majesty’s expectations. And I need your help.” “......” Vinnie’s eyes went wide, but eventually, my words and meaning seemed to sink in. “I now understand why His Majesty gave you the title of ‘Wise Price’ at the age of six and appointed you to become Minister of Justice.” “Really?” “Yes, I admire the way you handled it. It’s impressive indeed.” Vinnie handed the note back to me and bowed deeply. “I don’t want any extra money, and I won’t take any more bribes. Let me work for you, Your Highness.” He said to me. Normally, I would have questioned his sincerity. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Minister of Justice Gender: Male Level: / ∞ HPF+FMPF+FStrengthF+EStaminaF+FIntelligenceF+ESpiritF+FSpeedF+FDexterityF+FLuckF+F FireFWaterE+S WindFEarthFLight FDarknessF [TN: His Intelligence went from F+F to F+E, and MP from F to F+F] My MP and Intelligence “+” in the statuses visible in the corner of my eye have increased. The more subordinates I have, the more the numbers after the “+” go up. At least at this moment, I knew that Vinnie really wanted to work for me, as he had declared. At night, the Eighth Prince’s residence – Brother Oscar’s mansion. While I was listening to various stories at the Ministry of Justice, a messenger from Brother Oscar came to congratulate me on my appointment as a minister and asked me to come to his mansion. There was no reason for me to refuse, so I listened to what he had to say and came here. Brother Oscar had set up a banquet hall in the garden. The garden was as bright as if it was daytime, with hundreds of lanterns lit up. The main table was in the middle of the room, and an orchestra was playing a little further away. I was the only one invited to the party, but Brother Oscar spent a lot of money and manpower. “Thank you, brother. To think that you would celebrate in such a big way.” “No need to thank me, I’m happy too. We are talking about the second person as the Prince to be appointed as the Minister during His Majesty’s reign over fifty-years. And since it’s Noah, we have to celebrate even more, don’t we ......?” “I appreciate it very much.” After a toast with Brother Oscar, the servants of the Eighth Prince’s residence brought in the food one after another. They were not placed on the table. There were about twenty of them, each holding a platter with a different dish, surrounding our table in the distance. And they were going around in circles. It was the traditional banquet food of the empire. If we liked any of the dishes that were being passed around, we could call them off and the servants would serve them to us on small plates. For the rest of the time, they were circling around us, holding the food and keeping it on “display”. “But really, what a blessing!” “Is that so”. “Hmm? What’s the matter, Noah, with that funny look on your face? What’s troubling you?” “I’m just wondering why His Majesty has suddenly appointed the Imperial Princes as Minsters one after another.” “Isn’t it because—- Noah is cute? Oscar said with a teasing look on his face. You can certainly think so. The Minister of Military Affairs is my brother Henry, and he was appointed because of the rebellion that took place in my territory of Almeria. And the Minister of Justice is me. You could say it’s because he’s favoring me and patronizing me. But ...... was it really the case? “Is there something bothering you?” Oscar put down his drink and stared straight at me. “As you know brother, the empire has a history of near destruction, then a history of rebirth, then a history of major changes in the imperial system.” “Yeah. Until then, no one except the crown prince would do anything. As a prince, he spent his days luxuriating and playing around. So everyone except the crown prince, who had studied political affairs in order to succeed to the throne, was incompetent, and that’s why the empire almost collapsed.” “Because of this, the empire now provides the Prince with a royal title when he is born and gives him a feudal domain and a certain amount of training.” As I said that, Oscar and I nodded at each other. The current state of the empire, so to speak, we recap the preliminary discussion. “What’s wrong with that?” “Don’t you think the current situation is one step beyond that?” “...... No way!” Oscar was grandly startled and stood up, knocking over his chair with a clatter. The circle of people serving the food stopped, as well as the orchestra stopped playing. In the silence, Oscar stared at me. “Don’t tell me... replacement of the Crown Prince?” “I don’t know, it may be, it may not be. As long as it was just His Majesty adoring me, there is no problem.” Oscar sat back in the chair the servant had fixed and smiled. “As expected, such a thing....” “Your Highness?” Oscar was about to say something. Then, another servant – one dressed as a butler – arrived. When the man whispered to Oscar, his complexion changed. After a while, the butler finished his report and quietly left. “What’s the matter, brother?” “As you said. Noah, amazing.” “Eh?” “The eunuch I’m bribing told me. It seems I will be appointed as the Minister of Finance at tomorrow’s morning assembly.” The atmosphere froze. Both Oscar and I were speechless. Oscar’s appointment as minister. That was clearly out of me being favored. “Well, for now.” “Eh?” “Let’s toast to congratulate Noah and to his deduction “. I also shifted my mind and made a toast with Oscar for now. While Oscar and Noah were having their slightly unenthusiastic celebration party. On the roof of the royal palace, about meters above the ground, in the garden. In the midst of the empire’s pride and joy, there were two old men in the garden. One was the emperor, the supreme power of this empire. The other was the First Vizier, the emperor’s long-time confidant, who had been in charge of the emperor’s affairs for many years. The emperor was looking up at the moon in the garden, while the First Vizier was carefully reading a report behind him. “—-We have captured one hundred and sixty-seven people, including Keets.” “The confession was in accordance with the excuse we had obtained in advance, that His Majesty would be forced to abdicate the throne, and then the Crown Prince would take the throne.” “I see. Fifty years of reign, and forty-five years of the Crown Prince... can we wait any longer?” “Please note, there is no evidence that His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince was directly involved in any of this – none that you will find.” Both Openly and Secretly. The first vizier gave his evidence and his words as a confidant. “I know. That is why I will not do anything to Albert. Execute Keats and be done with it.” The First Vizier said nothing. He did not say a single unnecessary word to the emperor. He always tries to be fair and does not interfere. This is the biggest reason why he has been the First Vizier for more than twenty-five years of the Emperor’s fifty-year reign. “What happened to the matter of leaking the letter of appointment to Oscar? “Earlier, I sent for the eunuch who receives coins from His Highness on a daily basis. Apparently, His Highness had already guessed it.” “Hoh?” “His Highness Noah was there.” “Hoh, hoh.......” The emperor’s face, which had been gloomy earlier, brightened. “So you’re saying that Noah was aware of my intentions?” “Yes, the eunuch associated with the Eighth Prince’s residence reported as such.” “Fufu, as expected. Impressive as always, Noah.” The emperor was excited. His face was that of a father who dotes on his child. But it was only for a moment. The emperor, without his child in front of him and alone with his confidant, immediately returned to his normal, emperor-like face. “Neither Gilbert nor Albert.......” “Who? Who will be my successor? Henry? Oscar? Noah?” “Whoever it may be, I hope you will succeed in the trials I have for you.” As a father, the emperor was sweet. But more than that, as the Emperor, he was a strict man.

I called Don, the Fourth Chancellor, into my study at the Palace. As usual, I was seated, and Don was standing across the desk from me. And I told him that I was going to check on Gabel. “I’m going to create a diversion so they don’t find out.” “Diversion ......, sir?” “Yeah. There’s no need to do it, I can see that, but just in case.” ” I see ....... and What kind of diversion?” “Using the Vacation home.” “The vacation home .......” Don tilted his head and pondered. “The Summer Vacation home that was renovated for previous Emperor. I’ll take the Empress there.” “I see. If that’s the case, then it would be best to take the ‘Emperor Palanquin’ there.”[TN: “神輿’ mikoshi says portable shrine but, 神 can also be used for addressing Emperor, and 輿 means palanquin/litter which is something like a carriage carried by people. Thus instead of saying portable shrine, I used Emperor Palanquin] When the Emperor officially leaves the capital, there are rules governing the size of the procession and so on, depending on the purpose. For the most important official events, such as ceremonies, a ‘Emperor Palanquin’ consisting of , people is required. Next is the 0-member ‘Big Palanquin’. This is used, for instance, to transport a victorious army to the outskirts of the capital. Finally, there is the ‘Cavalry Palanquin’. The scale of this is about 100 people, and it is used when going out to explore the countryside. Incidentally, there is a remnant of the “Warrior Nation” here as well, and it is a tradition passed down from our ancestors to ride a horse wherever you go. From those three, Don proposed the largest scale of diversion, a large-scale ‘Emperor Palanquin’. “Not ‘Cavalry Palanquin’, —no, let’s scale it smaller than that.” “Even ......smaller than that, my lord?” “Yes. I went to the Vacation home secretly. Make it that way. Let’s use ‘Cavalry Palanquin’ to go somewhere even more irrelevant.” Don stared at me for a few moments. “Behind the scenes—sir” “That’s right.” Don looked at me with respect. “Then, let’s get to it.” “Umu.” I nodded, leaned back deeply in my chair, and looked up at the ceiling. Unlike the average person’s house, the ceiling was decorated in a variety of colors. As I gazed at it, I was lost in thought. “Something on your mind?” “It’s fine to secretly go to investigate the salt tax, but it wouldn’t be good if there wasn’t a way to quickly reveal that I’m the Emperor at the critical moment. That’s what I’ve been thinking about.” I remembered the series of events beyond the border town, Lermo. Although it had not become obvious at that time, it had already been a problem. Whenever I go out in secret, there will inevitably be times when I have to reveal my identity as emperor. At the time of the Lermo incident, the 2,000 soldiers led by Sheryl took on that role. That was only possible because it was a border city. In a normal town, it would be difficult to keep a large number of soldiers, and it would take a long time to rush to the scene in case of an emergency. Running through the wilderness and navigating the intricate city would take far more time than the latter. There is a lot of uncertainty and no immediate gratification. I wanted something that would be instantly recognizable on the spot. “How about your magic sword, Your Majesty?” “You mean Leviathan?” “Yes. It’s unique in appearance, and it’s one of a kind.” I pulled the Leviathan out of my bracelet and pulled it out. The bare blade of the sword is trailing a light blue light. As Don mentioned, it has a distinctive look, and it’s probably the only one on this world. “It’s fine, but what if there are only people who don’t know about Leviathan?” “Mmm. ......” Don was at a loss for words. No matter how leviathan is, it’s not necessarily well-known all over the world. “I want something that if I show it to a hundred people, hundred of them knows- I am the Emperor.” “That’s .......” Don’s brow furrowed. ” ...... something, I doubt is possible to be found.” “......Umu.” I think Don’s right about that. “Something that 100 out of 100 people agree can’t really be possible. Maybe we should compromise a little.” “......hmm?” “No such thing as ...... thing....” As I mumbled this over and over, a thought flashed through my mind. After picturing the thing in concrete form in my mind. “What can I do?” I raised my bracelet and asked the guys in it. Leviathan. Bahamut. Behemoth. Fuwawa. Apophis. Ziz. I asked the non-human beings following me. And the first to respond was Leviathan. Unlike Bahamut, there were no clear words, but rather emotions that flowed directly into my brain, strongly reflecting things other than words. This includes human possession, which I devised just before. Recently, it’s only Bahamut. I could feel Leviathan’s competitive spirit. “Can you do it?” I asked further, Leviathan’s fierce emotions strongly insisting that it was could be done. I looked at Don. He knew I was talking to Leviathan and the others because I was holding up my bracelet, but he didn’t join in the conversation, he just watched at me. I asked Don to help me with the experiment. Closing my eyes, I imagined... Something that symbolizes me. People are treasures. Something to hold all of that treasure. Leviathan, the water demon sword. Something to carry people and treasure in water. –A ship. With the power of water, I drew a coat of arms in the air in front of me with the design of an ark that could carry and protect a large number of people and treasure. At the same time, I intimidated them with Leviathan. It was not forceful intimidation like the previous ones. I put Don to the test with a strong pressure that appealed to his consciousness. “Haha!” Don knelt down on the spot. Immediately afterward, he let out an “ah”. It was as if what he had just done was half a reflex, half his body moving on its own. “Very good, sir!” Don drops to his knees and utters his greatest words of praise yet. He looked up and turned to me, his face a mixture of excitement. “The pressure right now, my consciousness has clearly recognized that it’s the Emperor.” “It’s a Success.” In the past, Leviathan’s intimidation was based on pure murderous intent or hostility to subdue the opponent. Managing it a little differently, in order to make them aware that it’s the Emperor. With the visual emblem, it seems to work well. I summoned Audrey and Anya to my bedroom at night. When Gran came to ask me in the study, I turned the two dolls on their backs and responded that I would appoint both of them.[TN: if you have forgotten by now, the dolls each represent his wives and the one which is then placed on its back would be the one who gets summoned.] After a while, the two of them, accompanied by the eunuch, will arrive. I will be away from them for a while when I leave tomorrow, so I wanted to appoint them before that. By the time they arrived, I was somewhat looking at my status. Name: Noah Ararat Empire’s Emperor Gender: Male Level: 17 + 1 / ∞ HPC+CMPD+CStrengthC+SStaminaD+CIntelligenceD+BSpiritE+CSpeedE+CDexterityE+CLuckD+C FireE+S+SWaterC+SSWindE+CEarthE+CLight E+BDarknessE+B My status has increased a lot since I was born, and it has become more and more complicated. Just thinking about how it would grow in the future was fun. In the meantime, the two of them were ‘delivered’. Even if you are the Empress herself, when you have a formal night, you will be naked and wrapped in a mattress and carried around by eunuchs. No, it was more because she was an empress. It’s not like that if you’re just a regular member of the royal family. It was a special treatment because she was the Emperor’s companion for the night. The two of them were placed on the bed, and the eunuchs collected the expensive cloth used for the mattress and hurriedly left the bedroom. I climb into bed and approach them. Then, Audrey. “Did you have something on your mind?” “Hmm? Yeah, a little.” Audrey’s question, which came just after I had pulled her over, caught me off guard. “I was thinking about my status. Speaking of which, what are your two statuses?” “I’m still at one.” “Mine’s two because of a few reasons,” Anya answered shyly. I’m a little curious about her ‘reasons’, since she’s a little brasher than Audrey. I smiled and cast a status check spell on the two of them. I don’t usually use it myself, but I do remember it. Even as the Emperor, I would never use this magic unless I were in a bedroom, where only naked men and women were allowed. Using it, I looked at the status of the two. As per their self-assessment, Audrey’s level was still 1 since birth, while Anya’s had risen by one level to 2. “Eh?” But for some reason, Audrey’s voice leaked out in surprise. “What is it” “My level cap has increased .......” “What?” I looked at Audrey’s status. Name: Audrey Empress of the Empire Gender: Female Level: 1/13 HPFMPFStrengthFStaminaFIntelligenceFSpiritFSpeedFDexterityFLuckF FireFWaterFWindFEarthFLight FDarknessF Audrey has lost her last name after the ‘Expulsion Ceremony’. Her title is now Empress, and her status itself is at the lowest possible rank for a level 1. That’s why I didn’t find anything strange about her at first glance. However, the person in question said that her level cap limit had increased. “Isn’t that a mistake?” “It can’t be, because it was in the single digits.” “...... Then it cannot be a mistake, I guess.” If it were small number it’s possible to misremember, but it is very difficult to misunderstand that a single-digit has become a double-digit. “So it really has gone up, ......? Why though?” “Well, Your Majesty. Maybe mine has gone up as well.” “Maybe?” “Yes. ...... I don’t usually see it, so I’m not sure.” Queen Consort- this is what the Consort is like. Unless you are a knight, a soldier, or an adventurer, you are unlikely to check your status. Aristocratic ladies, who are guarded by servants and knights and who consider it a virtue to keep their hands clean, are even more likely to do so. “...... Keep an eye on it from now on. If anything changes, let me know.” “Yes.” “Got it.” As the two responded, I smiled and switched the mood. I turned off the last light in the bedroom silently.[TN: looks like someone’s seggs intro problem was solved, this isn’t R-18 stuff so accept it as it is] The next morning, I woke up and told Zoe to check the status of all the maids and eunuchs. I asked her if anyone else around me had their level cap increased, but all of the maids and eunuchs remained the same, as did the knights Shirley and Cheryl, who check their status every day. I wondered if Audrey and Anya were mistaken. “Your Majesty! It’s serious.” Audrey and Anya burst into the study where I was deep in thought. “What’s wrong?” “Please have a look!” Audrey said, and Kate, the new maid who had accompanied her silently, cast a status check spell. Empress of the Empire Level: 1/14 HPFMPFStrengthFStaminaFIntelligenceFSpiritFSpeedFDexterityFLuckF FireFWaterFWindFEarthFLight FDarknessF “Mmm.” “It went up, it went up again.” Audrey was right, her level limit was one higher than what I had seen last night. That means — as I looked at Anya. “Yes, mine also went up from last night.” Looking at my status. My eye caught ‘∞’ notation, which was said to be unheard of. Is it thanks to this? But, I am still not quite sure about that. “It must be that! “That’s really amazing, Your Majesty! Audrey, and Anya, as well. They were very happy about it, as they thought it was for certain.

After the giant dragon fell, several dragons about one-tenth of its size – but still larger than a human – jumped out at the same time. I turned the demon sword Livyathan around and thrust it into the ground. The blade shined, And from the border between the hilt and the blade, several pillars of water–or should we say torrents–were shot out. The water columns are as sharp as needles, drawn even sharper than the one that once shot the leader of the rebel army at a long distance. One after another, they shot out between the dragons’ brows. The dragons were shot through the air and instantly died. “Gooooooooooooooooo!!!!” Heaven and earth shook. The first gigantic dragon roared. I was a little surprised at its life force which did not die even after its head was cut off with a single slash. The giant dragon got up and leaped toward us. “Insolent one.” A childish but dignified voice echoed quietly. The next moment, a water dragon appeared. The water dragon was one size larger than the giant dragon. Livyathan. The giant dragon was overwhelmed by the manifestation. It shuddered and froze, unable to move either way. After shivering, it took a step back as if to curl up its tail and run away. “Thousand Death.” The water dragon murmured in a low voice. In the next moment, the giant dragon’s entire body was surrounded by water. The water then gradually compressed along with the entire giant dragon inside. It collapsed inside the water, burst open, and eventually disappeared. The water became smaller and smaller with the giant dragon and disappeared completely. “Good work.” “Haa” Livyathan, still as a water dragon, nodded its head faintly and returned to the magic sword Livyathan. Livyathan, the loyal and mad dog’s return meant that the enemy had been wiped out. I stowed the sword in my bracelet and turned to Evelyn. “.......” “What’s the matter, your eyes and mouth are a little more open than they should be.” ” What? Ah ....... S-sorry. It’s so amazing, I don’t know what to say anymore.” “You know what a mad dog Livyathan– Leviathan is, don’t you?” “It’s not that. ...... I mean, that’s true, too. But, Master who tamed such Livyathan to that extent is even more ...... amazing. There’s a big difference between seeing it in person and hearing that it’s ‘Obeying’.” I nodded and ended the conversation there. Then, I gazed at the ground – at the earth to be specific. It’s exactly as Evelyn just said. There is a big difference between knowing about it and actually seeing it. After defeating the giant dragon, it became more pronounced. I could clearly see and understand the flow of power that is visible on the earth. Like a real river, the power flowed and gathered at one point. Then a change appeared where there was nothing. A drop of water fell from the empty air. “Don’t touch it!” “—!” I stopped Evelyn from reaching out to catch it. “It is the materialization of the pure power of the earth. Think of it as super-concentrated magic.” Evelyn hurriedly withdrew her hand. I made a container from Fuwawa to catch the drops. Then I processed the drops of earth into a potion, just as I had done the first time. “Is that the ...... potion?” I nodded and scratched my palm with my fingernail. The wound was deep enough to cause blood to pour out in an instant, and I poured the potion on it.[TN: If you hit yourself and it hurts, are you strong or weak?] The wound healed in an instant. “—-! A-amazing!” “Henry said the same thing. It’s going to change the whole concept of war.” “Not only that. It will change the way the world works.” “That’s right. That’s why we need to manage it for a while. Evelyn.” “—-Yes!” Evelyn’s atmosphere, who had been a maid and an attendant until then, changed drastically. I guessed it by the fact that I called her name again. Like a person who hears one and knows all, she instantly realized her position and role and switched. “I’m going to leave the management of this place to you. Manufacturing as well. I’ll teach you how to do it later.” “I understand.” Evelyn raised her hand. Then, out of nowhere, a group of men wearing the exact same clothes appeared. Evelyn looked over at them, half of them guarded the drops and half of them began to line the ground, dig—- and started constructing. “Are these your men?” “Yes. Be assured. They are all men who I have saved or assisted with their lives. They are loyal to my orders.” “Is that–?” “Yes, I learned it from Master.” I chuckled slightly. Evelyn tilted her head. I reached out and touched Evelyn’s collar. “I was feeling nostalgic about your outfit. Now I know why.” “Eh?” “Your outfit is too ordinary, too plain. Look at this collar, there are no loose threads, but the color has faded slightly from repeated washings. It’s not something a governor would wear.” “Ah, .......” Evelyn blushed. “A-Apologies.” “That’s all right. I’ll give you , reens every year from now on.” “Eh?” “The same amount as the Prince’s basic allowance.” “Ah, ......, Master first got ......” Evelyn, who had been in Prince’s residence as the maid from the beginning, recalled. “The Ministry of Internal Affairs, which means it will come out of my own pocket. Use it as you please.” “But even without such–“ “You act out of loyalty to me.” I interrupted Evelyn, touching her collar. “You can live in a haze, yourself. But your people won’t, will they?” “That’s .......” “Let me ask you this. The loyalty you have for me. Is there anyone under you who can match that level of loyalty?” This is a rather mean question. No matter how she feels about it, Evelyn can’t say ‘yes’. So Evelyn’s “word” was as expected. “Then raise them with money. If you have money, you can increase the number and quality, right?” “I understand. I promise I’ll spend it all as I please.” “Umu.” I nodded. Then I walked away, glanced at Evelyn, and took her with me. “And one more thing. As you learn more about the potion’s effects, there will definitely be some diversions.” Evelyn is good enough not to say ‘no’ there. “If we know in advance, we can deal with it as much as we want. It can be prevented.” “No, not that.” Evelyn was taken aback. She stopped and turned to look at her after her men were far enough away that they would not hear her. “Use it to flush them out rather than prevent them.” “Flush them out.” “It’s more profitable that way.” “B-But. This potion is important to Master’s strategy. We can’t have them leaking out.” “People are treasures.” “If you know beforehand, the leakage will only be a few bottles to a few dozen bottles. If that kind of damage can flush out the undesirables and make your loyal subordinates, don’t you think it’s a small price to pay?” “...... I knew it, Master is amazing.” “The potion which is such an extraordinary item can be used in such a way,.......” Evelyn looked at me with increasingly impressed eyes. “Understood. I will utilize the potions and the ,00 reens per year. I’ll take care of everything.” I nodded and put my hand on Evelyn’s head. She used to be taller than me. I grew up and she matured. The height difference between us reversed completely, and I was able to put my hand on Evelyn’s head like this. “I will give you the title of Exemplary Governor, and when I get back, I’m going to announce it in a formal letter to the whole country.” “...... Yes.” Evelyn nodded seriously, with a serious expression. She understood. She was the first of the retainers to leave my mansion. If she sets an example, there will be others who will imitate her methods. Even if it was only to win me, the Emperor, over I would be grateful if they could copy her ways. After all, people are treasures.[TN: Haah, this guy serious clung to that phrase huh]

However I want, huh? I looked at Raymond, who was kneeling, and thought for a moment. “Do you respect your father?” “‘Eh? ...... Yes, that’s, you know.” He was surprised by my question, but there was no doubt that he was proud of his father, and Raymond quickly returned to a straight face and nodded clearly. “You’ll inherit your father’s title as it is.” “–! Thank you very much!” “What I want you to do is to continue to expand your territory.” “Eh?” Raymond’s face became puzzled again as he gave me another ‘Eh?’. He has the bewildered look of a man who has been tossed around. “I mean that you should act as a bandit and continue to expand your territory.” “If I may be so presumptuous, ...... why do you suggest such a thing?” “Are you aware that your kind of approach is unusual?” “...... Yes.” Raymond glanced at the corpse of his companion that he had cut down, and noticing the gaze, he gave a small nod. “It’s easy to incorporate you guys into the government army or something, but then your territory becomes a void. The newcomers might do the exact opposite.” “That’s why I’d rather have you. Then you can expand your territory by pushing out those who do things differently. ......?” Raymond nodded, huffing. It seems that he understands what I’m trying to do. “We are doing this as a government army, but we are still a bandit organization.” “Smart, that’s what it is.” “By your will.” “And I will give one honorary knighthood a year. You can decide which of your men will receive it.” “””Ooh!?””” The minions kneeling behind Raymond were buzzing. They all looked very happy. “I’ll supply you with provisions. I won’t say don’t do anything at all, but don’t loot too much.” “Yes” “I’ll give you this, too, in case you want to make a direct appeal to me.” I gave him a Fuwawa box that I had prepared in advance. As the emperor, I tweaked the exterior of the box a bit. I used the emperor’s coat of arms and made it a little more luxurious. “Once it is locked, no one but me can open it. Be careful with it.” “For giving me such a thing ......, thank you very much!” Raymond was so overcome with emotion that he rubbed his head against the ground some more. By all accounts, it was a figure of heartfelt admiration for me. “It’s amazing. Your Majesty.” Shirley, who was now alone with me again on the wagon, said in an impressed voice. Raymond’s case has been settled, but since we’ve come all this way, we decided to look around a bit more surreptitiously, so we parted ways with Raymond and Sheryl, and drove the cart down the street. Shirley, who had watched the whole thing earlier, was extremely impressed. “Is that so?” “Yes! Restoring the honor is one thing, but to have it passed down is as good as it gets.” “It’s a long-cherished wish of most noblemen, the idea of hereditary succession.” Aristocrats are not afraid of death (although they can become impatient). What they fear is losing their honor and status. The nobleman who has built up his position with his own hands, even if only a little, will wish to inherit that position. The son of a Prince is usually not a Prince. The Emperor is the only one who can inherit the throne. To inherit the throne means to be something equivalent to the Emperor. I know this very well, having been a Prince. “I see. That’s why you did it, isn’t it? You are indeed the best, Your Majesty. “He was a clever man, and the way he was acting, he wouldn’t hesitate to give up his life if his majesty ordered it. Your status has risen again, hasn’t it?”[TN: She meant by his stats] As my first knight, Shirley was also one of those who knew the details of my “+”. “Yeah, it went up.” “I knew it! It’s amazing how your power rises with the ...... people you follow, and more and more I believe that you were born to be the Emperor.” It may be so, it may not. But there is no doubt that I have the aptitude for it. We drove the carriage for half a day. When the land was dyed by the sunset, we reached a large village. “There’s a lot of activities going on here.” “Yeah, some sort of festival?” From a distance, it looked like a village, not a city. In a city, it would be bustling with activity on a daily basis, but in a village, for better or worse, the daily routine is usually peaceful. However, the villagers were moving around quite noisily. If it were a village, one would first imagine a harvest festival or something. “Maybe we’ve come at a good time.” I nodded and entered the village. At the entrance, Shirley stopped a villager and asked, “Excuse me, do you have an inn here? And if not, is there anywhere else we can stay for the night?” The person who stopped him was a middle-aged woman. She took one look at us on the carriage. “Are you a merchant? I don’t have that much to say. But, there’s an inn about half a day’s ride north of here, you can stay there. If you leave now, you’ll be just in time.” “Haah, .......” Shirley was puzzled by what she saw. It is quite unusual for a village like this to say they have nowhere to stay. “There is something–“ I opened my mouth, but the woman didn’t even listen to me and walked quickly towards the back of the village. She seemed to be in a hurry, as if in a dire situation. “What should we do, Master?” Not knowing if there would be anyone else around, Shirley changed the way she called me again so that I would not be recognized. At the same time, she seemed to have noticed something as well. “What do you want?” That woman had that kind of expression on her face when we asked. “Let’s see what happens.” Shirley nodded and composed herself. As the carriage continued on, we could vaguely see it in the distance. A simple platform had been built in the open space of the village and was set up like an altar. On top of the altar, a young girl lay bound hand and foot, gagged and bedraggled. The residents of the village are gathered around her. One of the residents, an old man with a cane and a trembling gait, stepped forward. “All of you. Today, at this time. I dedicate Raina to our god Kala.” The villagers were silent, listening to the old man’s speech. “I’ve known Raina since she was a child. She is like a daughter to me. However, she was violated by a stranger. We cannot leave such an unclean body in the village. Therefore, I offer her to the God Kala to purify her soul.” The old man said, then turned and faced the altar. ” O God Kala... Please cleanse us of our filth! “””O God Kala!””” After the old man’s words, the villagers shouted in unison. I got the gist of it. It’s disgusting. “Master.” I said to Shirley and jumped out of the carriage. The villagers noticed me and tried to stop me, but I ignored them and continued on my way. “Halt that ritual!” I stood in front of the altar, shouting loud enough for all the villagers to hear. “Who are you?” The village headman stared at me, trembling. ” It doesn’t matter who I am. I demand that you stop this ritual right now.” “You’re a stranger. Stay out of it.” “That’s right, that’s right!” “What do you know about it!” “Will you be responsible for the destruction of this village!” The villagers are shouting at me. “Travelers!” The old man told me in a quiet but insistent tone. “Look at the mountain behind you on the right.” “The mountain?” I turned and looked at the mountain he said was behind me. In the sunset, I noticed a peculiar shape. “It’s missing, isn’t it? That’s the mark of the god Kala, who chewed it up.” I understood only after he said that. The strange shapes on the mountain seemed to be the marks of a giant creature that had chewed them up. “That’s why you make offerings to such monsters, so as not to anger them?” “Oh, ......, how dare you!” The old man staggered as if he were dizzy, probably because his belief in this “God Kala” was called a monster. But it didn’t matter. “The act of sacrificing a human being is forbidden by Imperial Law , which–“ Booom! Before I could finish, there was a huge sound and the earth shook. “Here they come!” “It’s God Kala!” The villagers all turned pale at once. When I turned my head to follow his gaze, I saw a huge monster behind the altar. It was some kind of dragon, but it had two long necks. Its eyes seemed to be blazing with fire, giving it a very atmospheric look. As it approached the altar, its gaze drifted to the girl lying on the floor. “Fumu.” I ran up to the altar. “Stop it!” I ran further up the stairs, overcoming the old man’s restraint. ” Anything I can do?” I asked as I ran up. Leviathan answered most strongly. “All right, then, you. Leviathan!” I pulled out a water demon sword from my bracelet. Running up to the altar, I jumped over the trembling girl with her eyes tightly closed and pounced on this God Kala. It opened its huge mouth and tried to chomp down on me. “Too late!” I twisted my body to dodge the bite–a flash! With a leviathan, I chopped the two heads off. Boom ...... Booom! The head falls off, and the torso falls to the ground without power. “Bahamut.” I burned the body with flames, just to be sure. Whether it was cramping or stiffening, I couldn’t tell, but the dragon’s corpse was engulfed in flames and rapidly becoming charred. I put Leviathan away and returned to the altar. And then I helped the still shivering girl up. “It’s all right now.” “...... Eh.” The girl still didn’t know what had happened. But when she saw the corpse of the god Kala in flames, she was so surprised that her eyes widened to the point that her nape of the neck split open. I picked the girl up and walked down the altar with her. The villagers, including the old man, were puzzled. “We’ll be taking this girl.” At night, in the girl’s house. There were three of us, me, Shirley, and the girl. I sat down and listened to the girl’s story while drinking the tea that was served. The first half of the story was a common one. There was a monster near the village, and it was revered as a local deity. The second half was a disgusting story. A young girl is “defiled” by a violent attack by an outsider, and she offers it to the “God” to be cleansed. “I see, now I understand the story.” “Thank you for helping me, .......but” “You mean you can’t stay in the village anymore?” This kind of thing is familiar, it’s all too common. I can understand the girl’s concern. “Come with me, I’ll give you a job.” “Are you sure? I’m defiled.” “I don’t care about that.” Being violated doesn’t change anything. “Thank you very much, I’ll do anything and work very hard.” For now, let’s spend the night here and leave the village in the morning. We can reveal our true identities in the morning. Shirley spoke to me. “Have your abilities grown, Master?” “No, not yet. But that’s enough for now.” I moistened my lips with an almost tasteless cup of dry tea and continued. “People are treasure and possibilities.” “As long as you’re alive, there’s nothing but possibilities.” Shirley was puzzled for a moment, by the way, I said there was nothing but possibilities, but soon her eyes lit up with emotion. “Well, tomorrow...” As I said this, I reached for my tea out of habit. Even though I knew it wouldn’t taste good, I reached for it out of habit, and – to my surprise... Just before I did, the teacup was quickly replaced. The tea had been lukewarm earlier and was getting cold, but the girl quickly replaced it with a hot one. I picked it up and looked at her. “Ah, you don’t like it hot?” “...... it’s fine.” I chuckled. Apparently, the girl has a talent for hospitality – the kind that makes you comfortable. While still smiling I turned to Shirley. “See, it already is.” “Yes! That’s my master!”

“...That’s right, the damage to the city is– eh?” Oscar was relieved, but he looked around him and was again exclaimed. There was no damage to the city from the water column that he had probably expected to see. A water column that shot out like a beam and blew something out of the grimoire, it didn’t cause any damage to the city. Both the sellers and buyers on Cobalt Street were surprised that it happened so suddenly, but there was no damage to humans, buildings, or antiques. He looked at the water column flying off into the sky, and then at me. “No way ... Noah did you.” I extended my index finger and showed him a trajectory that extended upward at an angle. I’m six years old, holding a book, and my gaze is downward. Typically, the water column would be horizontal or diagonally down. And that would probably take the lives of dozens of people, just like the big hole in the garden before. So I took the plunge and shot from the bottom up. The water column I launched at an angle only blew away the grudge spirit of the grimoire and flew away into the sky without causing any other damage. ”You mean you shot upwards in that split second?” “Yes.” “What an ability to assess the situation...” Oscar was exclaiming, but he soon returned to his usual smile. “No, that’s our father’s son. That’s my brother.” He was in a good mood and complimented me. We didn’t explain anything and nothing was done to cause any damage. Cobalt Street rapidly returned to normal, as if nothing had happened. But it’s not as if everyone is completely unconcerned about what just happened. “Excuse me, may I have a moment?” A man calls out to me and Oscar from the side. He’s a well-dressed, little fat guy with a little beard. “And you are?” “I’m the owner of that shop. I saw what you just did. I’d like you to have a look at something.” “Do you have any special treasures?” The man lowered his head. Something like that, huh? Although it’s something that doesn’t quite boil over. “Okay, show us the way.” Oscar was on board, so I decided to go along for the ride. I followed the guy into the store and was ushered further into the back of the store. Me and Oscar followed without hesitation. When you are a nobleman, you don’t do your shopping in front of a store. Especially in a store that deals in expensive antiques like this, it’s natural to be shown to a VIP room in the back of the store. The same is true this time, and we were shown into a room with decent furnishings. “Please wait a moment.” The man said and left the room, leaving us alone. I looked around the room and muttered, “Heh.” “What’s up Noah?” “No, I just thought he was good at it. This room is deliberately set one rank lower than the class of a nobleman’s house. This room is a great example of “the best hospitality a commoner can offer.”.” “What? Can you figure that out already?” Oscar was surprised. “Wow, that’ s amazing ... I didn’t figure that out until I was twelve years old.” This time Oscar seemed impressed. As it was, I sat on the couch with Oscar and waited for the man to come back. A few minutes later, the guy came back with a jewelry box. As soon as he entered the room, he got down on one knee to me and Oscar. “I apologize for the delay in my greeting. I am Alan Bardsley. I would like to offer my greetings to His Royal Highness the Prince.” “Um” Oscar nods as if it’s obvious. Although we didn’t tell him our names, as evidenced by the fact that he led us to this room, the other side knows about us. Then it is the etiquette of a nobleman not to tell his or her name at a time like this. Originally, a nobleman is supposed to act as if the other party knows about you. I didn’t even try to rush him. I kept quiet and waited for him to start the conversation. Alan looks up, down on one knee, at us. “I have seen what you just did. I am simply in awe of Your Highness the Thirteenth’s great power.” “It’s no big deal. It’s just that I brought this thing on myself in the first place. I just did what I had to do to keep my people out of trouble.” As I replied, I saw Oscar’s smile with a satisfied look on his face. “Oh, what a big-hearted man you are! I’m sure you will be able to solve the mystery of this.” I exchanged glances with Oscar. Apparently, I was the one who was invited, not Oscar. When he got down to business, Alan opened a jewelry box and presented it to me with a gesture of offering. “This is our most prized possession.” “The ring...” “What’s it all about?” “I don’t know.” Alan said flatly. It was the first time a merchant had ever said ‘I don’t know’ about his merchandise, and it felt contrived and funny. ” The ring will show its true form when its true owner appears. That is all that I know.” “A true owner.” “Yes. I’ve shown it to many people in different ways, but I’ve never shown it to them in its true form.” “You saw what I did just now, so you want to give it a try? Alan bowed his head as he held out the jewelry box. “You can try it, but what I’m more concerned about is why do you keep this all the time? What’s the value of the product to you? You don’t know anything. So why did you keep it?” “If I throw it away or sell it for a throwaway price, it comes back to me.” “It comes back to you?” “Yes, before I knew it, it was here on its own. So, even though I don’t know anything about the details, I just know that ‘something’s up’...” Then you’d certainly think so. “Come now. Noah, try it on.” Oscar, who had been quietly listening to me until then, flippantly offered me the ring. To be honest, I didn’t care about it until just before, but when I heard that it would come back to me if I threw it away, I suddenly became interested. I took the ring and put it on my thumb like a matter of course. I look at it neatly stuck in my thumb and wonder what it is. (Level limit check.......rarity SSS) “What? What’s that voice?” ( New ownership confirmed and now authorizing– armorization initiate) After a voice that sounded like void speech, something “blew” out of the ring all at once. It wrapped around my body, and in the blink of an eye, it turned into knightly armor. “Oooh!” “My God, that’s...” Oscar marveled, and Alan exclaimed. I looked at myself. I saw myself, using the window pane as a mirror. I was clothed in white armor, and strangely enough, it seemed to fit my own eyes as well. By the way, there is no change in status. Probably a similar existence to Leviathan. “Alan, I’ll take this.” “Yes! I’d be happy to oblige.” “You’ll get your payment delivered later.” “No, let me pay for this one.” Oscar took out the ten thousand reens he had brought with him and handed them to Alan. “Brother!?” “It’s my gift to you. After the Demon Sword, this armor as well? Hmmm, Noah is indeed something different.” Oscar was really smiling happily, and he looked at me in the armor with narrowed eyes. The armor of the ring can be taken in and out at will. If it is damaged, it can repair itself over time if the ring itself is safe. I listened to those things with the same linked thoughts as Leviathan, and told Oscar on the carriage on the way home. “Isn’t that amazing? I’ve never heard of that before.” “It really is something.” “But, well, it’s Cobalt Street. Maybe it’s not surprising what treasures they’ve found.” So that’s what the city is like there. “Anyway, it’s been a great experience. Next time let’s have our audience together and let His Majesty take a look at it. “Yeah.” In the meantime, we returned to my mansion, the Thirteenth Prince’s Mansion. I jumped off the carriage and said goodbye to Oscar. “Dieeeeee!” Suddenly, something attacked me from behind with an angry shout. ” Watch out!” Oscar’s expression changed and he shouted–Gakin! Something bounced off of me. As I was pulling away, the frightened assailant was subdued by Oscar’s men. “A shield? Where the hell did it come from?” He was more concerned about the shield that appeared in the back of my head and bounced off the assault. “I linked the ring to the Leviathan.” “A what now?” Oscar is more and more surprised. “Leviathan is sensitive to hostility towards me, so I thought it would be a good idea to link them together – but it worked as an automatic defense.” “You already know how to use it! Amazing.....” Oscar marveled again.

Late afternoon in the study. Together with Don, I deal with the affairs of the state one after another. I’ve gotten so used to it lately that I can read the summaries of what the Viziers have outlined, and my efficiency has improved. However, I still had to keep my mind on the task at hand and avoid making mistakes. Just then, Lawrence came to visit me. He came into the room and knelt down elegantly in front of me. “You’re here. I’d like to ask your opinion on a few things. Don.” “Excuse me” Don nodded and went to get a document that he had put in the corner of his study. In fact, he had selected a wide range of political duties to test how well Lawrence could do them. I was about to ask him to deal with it, but he bowed further. “But first, Your Highness, I have a favor to ask.” “What is it?” “There’s someone I’d like you to persuade and introduce to your highness.” “All right, go ahead.” “...................” Lawrence looked up and puzzled, dropping to one knee. “What’s with that funny look on your face?” “N-no. I have not told you anything yet. And you have not heard what kind of person he is yet. I’m just surprised that you agreed to it so easily.” I chuckled. “I trust you. And” “People are treasures. If a man of your stature is willing to introduce you to someone, you can’t go wrong.” “......” He froze for a full minute, then came back to himself, took a deep breath, and regained his composure. “Your Highness is an amazing man. I feel ashamed of myself for refusing to serve you, even once in the past.” “It’s a story of the past.” “Ha. Although I don’t know if he can be persuaded, he will certainly be useful in your reign.” I had been planning to leave it to Lawrence, but the way he said it intrigued me. I stopped my work completely and stared straight at Lawrence. “Are you absolutely sure?” “Yes. They’re better than I am.” I nodded and stood up. Then facing Don. “I’ll leave you to it.” “Your Highness?” Don nodded, and Lawrence was even more confused. “Lead the way.” “They’re something that makes you say that much. Then it’s only polite that I come to you.” “...... You’re an amazing man, after all. ......” Lawrence laughed bitterly and looked down for a moment. We left the provincial capital, Nisir, on horseback and headed south. It was a neatly paved road, but the city behind us was completely out of sight, and we were now in an unpopular suburb. Lawrence rode his horse the same way and followed beside me. “So, what is the name of the person you want to introduce me to?” “Huh. Leon, and another one named Cress.” “Leon ......” “No, nothing.” The name sounded familiar, but I shook my head and forgot about it, thinking it was just my imagination. “What are they like?” “I used to be in a private school run by a man named Walter Miller. It is a place that teaches learning, especially practical learning that is useful to the world.” “Fumu.” “Leon and Cress came to the private school and both graduated within three months. They were so good that by the end they didn’t need to be taught anymore, they were teaching other students.” “Hoo, that’s quite a feat.” If they are that good, I want to meet them and take them under my command. People are treasures, and if I can get my hands on those two, my abilities will increase even more. As it was, Lawrence told me about the two men. Cress was relatively mild-mannered and came back often to teach at the Miller School, while Leon was quarrelsome and quarreled with the other students at the end, leaving the school with his back to them. They were two very different personalities. “They seem to get along well. As they always work together, they still live in the same remote mountain area.” I was beginning to understand the two men, Leon and Cress. We continued on our way. Suddenly, I saw a cloud of dust rolling down the road. I looked closer and saw a man being chased by something. It was a tiger, twice the size of a normal tiger, its body wrapped in pure white fur. “Leon!” I turned my head to the side and saw that Lawrence was surprised. “Is that the Leon you were talking about?” “I’m sure of it! He did something strange again.......” There was impatience in Lawrence’s tone, but no surprise. Apparently, this kind of thing is a regular occurrence with this guy Leon. I heard that he was a man who got into a quarrel with another student and ran away from the school, so I was not taken aback. “Aaaah!” Lawrence’s impatience grew even stronger. The distance between the Tiger and Leon was gradually closing. If they continued at this rate, he would be caught up in less than ten seconds. “We have to help!” I stood up, kicked the horse’s back, and jumped out. My entire ability is SSS. I figured it would be faster to head out on my own than to gallop my horse. And I was right. I closed the distance in an instant and stepped in between Leon and the giant tiger. The giant tiger roared and pounced on me. It completely obscured the sunlight, darkening the space in front of me as if it were night. I thrust out my fist toward the huge body. Lightly clenching my fist, I swung it at the tiger’s brow. I could hear the sound of its skull being crushed and the bones of its neck being broken through its body. The tiger was killed by the blow and collapsed to the ground in a limp heap. Fumu, nice fur.[PETA, this guy right here!!!!] Shall I strip it off and present it to His Majesty? Just as I was thinking this, I heard a voice behind me. “Whoa, whoa, a blow to this thing? You’re awesome!” “Hmm? You’re .......” The man seemed surprised for some reason, and when I turned around, I was surprised too. It’s a face I know. Leon. That’s the guy who came to the mansion a while ago disguised as a beggar. The other side seemed to have figured out that I was Noah, too, and gave me an awkward smile. Lawrence, who came with his horse to pull my horse, tilted his head when he saw our reaction. Leon led me into the mountain where he lives. Two huts stood quietly in the middle of a small mountain only a few hundred meters away. In one of them, I, Lawrence, and Leon, the owner of the hut, were sitting facing each other. “Well, thank you for your help. If you hadn’t come, I’d be in that tiger’s stomach right now.” “Why were you being chased by that tiger?” “Well, there’s a theory that if you give the milk of a White Saber Tiger to a human child, the child will become immune to all diseases.” “Yeah, I’ve heard about it.” It’s only a rumor, but I’ve heard that human children raised by white tigers grow up to be much bigger, tougher, and stronger than normal children. “So I was curious to see what the milk was like, and when I found out that a tiger cub had been born, I went to go milk it.” “No wonder!” Lawrence shouted. “Do you want to die by going near a beast of prey while it’s raising its young!” “Don’t get mad. Oh, yes, I’ve squeezed some out of you, why don’t you join me for a drink?” “You!” I held Lawrence’s impatience and spoke to Leon. “Leon, right” “Yeah.” “Lawrence recommended you to me. Along with Cress.” “Lawrence?” Leon looked at Lawrence in surprise. “You’ve finally given up on Kaskal, huh?”[Leon is saying Kasukaru] Lawrence smiled bitterly and did not answer. Leon’s calling out Pascal, and Lawrence’s not refuting it when he heard it. Apparently, the exchange that took place between me and Lawrence was also taking place between their friends. Lawrence looked uncomfortable but eventually answered. “I am now in the service of His Highness.” “Heh, .......” Leon stared at me. “It’s amazing that you can persuade that stubborn Lawrence. You’re a great guy, just like your story at Coroncia.” “Coroncia?” “Yeah, you sent three of your subordinates over there, right? Thanks to that, the rebuilding is going well.” I’ve heard the reports from Howard and the others, but it looks like the reconstruction is going well from the outside. “All right, in that case, I’ll be your subordinate. And leave Cress to me.” “Are you sure?” “Yeah. I intended to do so from the start, and if Cress hears that you are an amazing guy who has softened Lawrence’s big head, he won’t object.” “I’ll be in your care—Lord.” The tone of his voice was casual, but his eyes were serious just before he sat down and bowed his head with his hands on his knees. It was very, very serious. A few days later, while I was doing political work in my study, Curuz arrived again. Just like last time, I got down on one knee and bowed before the eunuch who had come as an imperial envoy. Next to me, Don knelt with me. Curuz recited the imperial order. His Majesty’s health has improved completely, and he will return to the imperial capital from the summer resort. With that, the order is to relieve me of my post as Prime Minister. Instantly, the status in the corner of my vision changed. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Minister of Justice Gender: Male HPD+EMPE+EStrengthD+EStaminaE+EIntelligenceE+DSpiritE+DSpeedF+EDexterityE+DLuckE+D FireE+AWaterD+SWindE+FEarthE+FLight E+CDarknessE+F All of the SSS, which means the whole empire, disappeared, and it returned to its previous state. The reason it’s slightly higher than it was then, with some D’s, is probably because I added Lawrence, Leon, and Cress as my subordinates. As I looked at it, I was thinking about how I should improve my abilities in the future. “You have done a good job with the affairs of the state. For this reason, I am giving you Apophis and shall add Ararat to the fief.” “A-Amazing.......” Listening in silence, – or rather, Don, who should have been listening in silence, was so surprised that he shouted out. I was surprised too. The fief, Ararat. As the name implies, it is the symbolic land where the Ararat family first raised its armies, although it is now a remote land that produces nothing. Don’s involuntary reaction of “Amazing” was understandable. I, on the other hand, was a little soberer. Because the moment Cruz pronounced the imperial decree, my status increased again. ―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Gender: Male HPD+EMPE+EStrengthD+AStaminaE+EIntelligenceE+DSpiritE+D SpeedF+EDexterityE+DLuckE+D FireE+AWaterD+SWindE+FEarthE+DLight E+CDarknessE+F The “+” in strength went up to A at once. The “+” in earth also went up to D. That’s two more. There’s not much in Ararat’s land now. Considering the fact that the water went up the moment I received Almeria as a fief when I was once born, and the actual situation in Almeria. It’s hard to imagine two status would rise just because of the land of Ararat. If that’s the case... I looked up and saw the person that Cruz had brought with him carrying a treasure chest. He placed the treasure chest in front of me and opened it. Inside was a cane with a snake motif on it. So this is — Apophis. I reached out my hand and touched the Apophis. Resonance. Leviathan. Bahamut. Fuwawa. Behemoth. And Apophis. Five of them were simultaneously emitting a sound – a true resonance. I was indeed surprised by this, but I looked around and saw no sign of Curuz or Don reacting to it. So it was just me. But now I knew. Apophis is the same as Leviathan and the others. If that’s the case, this is a treasure. I bowed down to Curuz, who had given it to me in the name of His Majesty. “Thank you for the generosity.” I said. That night, I had a strange dream. In the dream, there were five mysterious beings talking about something. {Five of us, and yet without incident.} {That’s a first in history. He’s an amazing man.} {If this is the case, ...... then..} {Yes, it may be possible for him to take us all in.} {And become the one who can awaken the Ark that lies dormant in the land of Ararat.} {When the Ark awakens, everyone including those on the ground can go to paradise. I have high hopes.} {Umu, I have expectations.] {Let us hope.} {To our Lord of infinite possibilities......} {{{{{Let’s hope }}}}} Level: 10 / ∞