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“Guildmaster Isravel died?”
“Yes, Margrave Baumeister-sama. I hear he passed away last night.”
“Burkhart-san, what kind of person was Guildmaster Isravel? I don’t really know anything about him…”
“He was quite old. If I remember correctly, he had already passed his nineties. He was experienced and possessed political clout. Given his advanced age, it wasn’t strange for him at any moment, though…or rather, why don’t you know anything about him, Margrave-sama?”
“Up until now, the magic tool guild visited me to buy all sorts of items from the Ancient Magic Civilization, there would be no reason for such a celebrity to come greet me on such occasions, right?”
“Well, I guess you have a point there. But, you know… You and I have contributed to the magic tool guild a fair deal, so it feels kinda ungrateful for him to not have visited us even once… Considering it like that got me somewhat angry.”
“Isn’t the guild just slow to act because it’s such an old, established institution? I mean, that’s a common thing, no? Besides, aren’t both of you close to the sorcery guild?”
“Hmm, you’re right… All that these people have going for them is their pointlessly high pride, after all.”
“Burkhart, you should say such things too loudly.”
“Ah, excuse me then.”
The guildmaster of the magic tool guild, which had been trying to prevent the import of magic tools from the demon country, suddenly passed away.
“Sudden death, you say…didn’t he just die of old age?”
“You could say so, I suppose. But, the upper ranks of that place and the sorcery guild are gatherings of ghastly pale old crooks anyway. The people out on the streets make jokes about those two guilds being public cemeteries.”
This world has nothing like senior citizen’s homes, so it wouldn’t be odd for a gathering of extremely old people to quickly turn into a mass burial, which resulted in that malicious, sarcastic phrasing.
“Well, at least people, who become too old to use magic, retire at the sorcery guild.”
However, it’s not like the magic tool guild’s productivity has dropped either. Even though the upper management is full of elderly, many of those in charge of the practical work are young people. And because one can gain higher income and status the older they become, most of the lower ranks are aiming to climb into the ranks of the upper management someday. You might say the magic tool guild is close to a company in this regard.
Even if the young people harbor dissatisfaction with the older, conservative higher-ups, they’d never voice it openly. Because of that, the magic tool guild always seemed like one big monolith.
“I don’t know whether it’s the outcome of their organization, but their magic tools haven’t progressed for the last two hundred years.”
“Seriously?”
Not managing to progress at all over a time span of two hundred years is amazing in and by itself…
Technological development through magic might be a lot more of a challenge than development through scientific means as it happened on Earth. To be honest, I don’t know enough to make a fair call here…
“At the very least it’s true that their technology hasn’t advanced much. According to Beckenbauer who has been only focusing on research, the folks at the magic tool guild are being held back by the elderly holding all the powerful positions in the guild.”
If they can keep up the production of magic tools which are always in high demand, that alone already accounts for a rather big achievement. Since it’s much easier to keep going with the usual than building prototypes of new magic tools and setting up new production lines, if those prototypes succeed, the magic tool guild has been making good money, even without the upper management doing anything in particular.
And because they won’t be dismissed as long as they don’t make any mistakes, the elderly have been needlessly sticking to their high positions.
“So no one was telling Guildmaster Isravel to make magic tools, huh…?”
“Guildmaster ISravel himself came to his position on the achievement of having controlled the magic tool production.”
“So he did have some achievements, right?”
“Margrave Baumeister, he wouldn’t have become the guildmaster without any. The same applies to the other higher-ups, too. The issue is them occupying the upper positions for such a long time.”
“Milord, you do sound bitter about this.”
“Anyone would be, if you get pressured by them like that. Many nobles hate this, I think. And I can understand their feelings, but…”
Because of him, the production output of magic tools has increased by 1.3 times without the quality dropping at all. Given his achievements and political influence, he was able to hold the position as guildmaster for a long time.
But in return, it had the bad effect that a lot of the personnel was assigned to increasing the production output and maintaining the quality, leading to a shortage of hand in the research department.
According to Burkhart-san, Beckenbauer was criticizing that part.
“The guildmaster apparently worried about the influx of magic tools made by the demons.”
That must have been worrying for sure. Not only would it lead to them becoming unemployed, but if things went really badly, it could result in the Lingaia Continent losing the ability to produce its own magic tools, which would effectively yield a monopoly in this area to the demons.
After all, it was hard to get back on track with technological development if you cut it off once. I can’t create stuff like generic magic tools, so I thought it’d be fine for the highly-efficient magic tools of the demons to become more available on the market. For me as an individual, this would be a welcome change, but for me as a statesman, you could label my thinking as failure.
The people producing magic tools in the Baumeister Margravate…come to think of it, there were some on Akitsushima Island…but their technological level was lower than that of the Lingaia Continent and they were few in numbers.
Currently they’re busy maintaining, managing, and repairing the second-hand magic tools which the demon queen brought to the island. Those are treated as junk in the demon country and thus those magic tools, which were treated like trash that costs money to be disposed of, are sold almost for nothing as spare parts assembly. For this reason, the craftsmen on Akitsushima Island were earning money while studying the structure of sophisticated magic tools. It’s kind of like killing two birds with one stone, but we cannot afford to create too much publicity about this.
“Not going to the funeral isn’t an option either, I guess.”
“You mean us?”
“Obviously, Earl-sama…err, Margrave-sama.”
Burkhart-san, Doushi, and I belong to the sorcery guild, I worried whether it’d be smart for us to attend the funeral for a guildmaster of a rivaling guild, but I’m Margrave Baumeister, Burkhart-san is the attendant of Margrave Breithilde, and Doushi is the Royal Head Wizard, although one tends to forget about that part. It won’t be strange for us to attend, or rather, it’d be a problem, if we don’t go.
“It’s going to be people whom I’ve never seen before but okay, I’ll go.”
I think I have to handle this in an adult way.
“Elise-dono, too.”
Elise is my first wife, so she’s expected to accompany me since it’d be strange for us as a couple to not attend together.
“I understand. How about you attend with your wife as well, Burkhart-san?”
“I’m a retainer. Since I’m the attendant of Milord, it’s unnecessary for my wife to be present. Doushi hates funerals, so I’ll probably end up attending by myself, though.”
I suppose he’s got nobody around him who would directly tell him to bring his wife.
＊
“Very well. I will get everything ready.”
When I got back to Castle Ootsu after finishing my business in the royal capital, Elise accepted her attendance at the funeral. We could only attend as a couple because of my Teleportation, but sometimes it’s also nice to go somewhere with just the two of us.
“Let’s eat a cake in the new store on the way back, okay?”
“Of course. I’m looking forward to it.”
Because we’ve been busy with the birth of the children, the demons, and the unification and rule over Akitsushima Island, a short date should pose no problem.
Elise didn’t go out into the public overly often, but she solidified the support of the Baumeister house on this island by continuously providing healing for free. Her being a healer who exceeds Ryouko, who had been appointed as governor of Akitsushima Island, was a clear exhibition of the Baumeister House’s superiority. She didn’t fight at all, but her achievements were quite big, nonetheless.
“Umm, Milord.”
“Is something the matter, Ryouko?”
“I would like to attend the funeral as governor of the Margrave Baumeister House as well…”
“It’s the funeral of a heretic. Are you okay with that?”
Ryouko was the leader of a religion which was very similar to that of Mizuho. In the recent past, her religion’s influence had declined quite a bit and the Grand Ootsu Temple, which resembled a Shinto shrine, had been abandoned, but now she should be busy as head priestess. As such I thought that her attending a funeral of the church might cause various issues.
“The Akitsushima religion is very tolerant. There won’t be any problems as long as we respect each other.”
If she’s saying all that, I guess I can’t really refuse her attendance. But, since it spoiled our rare date, I felt bad for Elise.
“In that case, it’d be better if you stopped wearing Akitsushima-styled clothing. People of the church are going to attend the funeral.”
The church had people who weren’t as tolerant towards other religions and sects, so her wearing such a heretic, conspicuous outfit might cause unexpected problems. Elise set the condition that Ryouko had to wear a Lingaia-styled mourning dress.
“I don’t have any clothes that I can wear for a funeral…”
“I will borrow you a dress.”
“Thank you, Elise-sama.”
Elise is a truly gentle soul. I’m going to definitely make some time for a date later.
“In that case, I will accompany you as well. It will likely be necessary for me to assist Ryouko-sama,” said Yuki.
“Then I will come as well!”
“Yuki-san, you’re probably busy as vice-governor. I think it’s better for me to go,” Yui-san, the daughter of Matsunaga Hisahide, volunteered.
If I’m not going to attend with Elise alone, I guess I should make sure to keep formality. The other nobles will participate in the funeral while bringing several people as well, so I think it will be necessary for me to bring along the governor of Akitsushima Island at the very least.
“Very well, I will go as well then.”
“Lulu will come too.”
The two five-year-olds also chimed in, but I’m sure they just wanted to go sightseeing in the capital.
“We don’t have any clothes for you, so it’s impossible.”
“Whaaaat───!”
Understanding that I wouldn’t take her with me to the capital, Fujiko suffered a light shock.
“It’s a funeral, so swarming the place with an overly big group would be distasteful. I’ll plan a sightseeing tour of the capital once we have a bit of free time. We will buy you some souvenirs, so be good girls and stay here.”
“I’m looking forward to those.”
“Yaaay, thank you, Wendelin-sama.”
No matter how smart they might be, children are still children. As soon as I told them that I’d make it up to them later, they immediately cheered up. Since I was planning to go for a swim at the southern coast of Akitsushima Island on top of bringing back souvenirs, they readily agreed.
“Okay, the four of us are going to attend the funeral. I feel sorry for everyone else, but please take care of the work over here.”
“I get that part, but still…”
“Do you have a question, Erw?”
“You have been promoted to Margrave, right? Yet, no one is talking about that topic at all. Won’t we have some sort of celebration? Isn’t this the sort of opportunity where you go with a huge bang?”
Won’t Roderich take the initiative for this later on? Though, if I consider all the invitees, I feel like I’ll get a sour stomach…
Besides, even if you call it a promotion, it’s not like my annuity as landed nobility has increased, and even though my territory did grow, I secured it with my own hands…
The Kingdom’s south is still being controlled by Margrave Breithilde and I’m still his vassal. At present, nothing has really changed.
“I imagine it doesn’t feel very real yet, but it is still a promotion from earl to margrave. If we don’t hold a grand feast… Right, Elise-sama?”
“We definitely cannot afford to not do anything,” Elise answered Haruka’s question.
“So we have to do something, eh…?”
“Yes.”
A celebration party where I invite a big number of guests just because my peerage went up in rank, huh…? Just when I thought that this would be such a bother, I got a call from Roderich through the MHCD.
『Milord, I heard about your promotion in peerage. Now that you have become a margrave, you are a high-ranking noble of established reputation. This lowly servant of yours cannot stop the tears of joy and excitement!』
“S-Sure…”
It’s not that I could check, but it seemed like he was really crying. Back when I became an earl, he wasn’t so deeply touched…or wait, was he?
But, with him being a lot more moved by this whole story than me, I was able to collect myself.
『Please do not worry. I shall prepare an unprecedented, wonderful party. I shall immediately start the selection and invitation of attendees, so I would like you to devote all your effort to the ruling of Akitsushima Island, Milord』
I wouldn’t be burdened with the preparation of the party, but attending it actually seemed like a nuisance. Well, I guess it’s a blessing that I don’t have to do troublesome stuff like choosing the invitee or writing invitation letters.
If I had the time for stuff like that, it’d be better used on developing magic for that, though.
“A party, eh…?”
“Umm, Milord…”
“Is something the matter?”
It looked like Ryouko wanted to ask something.”
“Is the person called Roderich.sama hailing from Mizuho?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
Going by his outward experience, he’s a genuine resident of the Kingdom.
“It’s my first time to hear someone talk like that outside of books.” (T/N: Short reminder: Roderich refers to him like a samurai would do)
“That guy is slightly special…”
According to Ryouko, people who would use the same way of referring to themselves as Roderich, have long died out on Akitsushima Island. I explained to her that he was a very capable man, despite being a bit of an oddball.
＊ ＊ ＊
—————- End of Part 1 —————-
“It really looks good on you, Ryouko.”
“Thank you. It is thanks to Elise-sama for lending it to me.”
Because we were going to attend the funeral of the magic tool guild master, Elise, Ryouko, and Yui had changed into mourning dresses as they were worn on the Lingaia continent. I remained in my usual robe, though.
Ryouko had adjusted the size of Elise’s spare mourning dress…mostly in the chest area…while Yui wore Lisa’s mourning dress with almost no changes to it. Clothes apparently made her look a lot more slender than expected.
“It’s just common sense for pretty ladies to look good in mourning dresses.”
“Burkhart-san, beauties are beauties, no matter what they wear.”
“Well, you’ve got a point there. Ina, are you not going to attend the funeral?”
“I have plenty of other things to do. Besides, Wend and Burkhart-san, you’ll clearly be uninvited guests over there, won’t you? If I were to join in, it could actually lead to frictions…”
“The other side isn’t stupid, so I expect them to stick to lip service and flattery.”
Certainly, the relationship between the sorcery guild and the magic tool guild is bad, but the top staff of both guilds will be attending the funeral. Since we’re even preparing expensive funeral gifts out of consideration, I’d like them to leave the fighting to the level of a few sarcastic comments.
“It’s good that I don’t need to go. I hate those formal occasions with their suffocating atmosphere,” Luise commented with a sigh of relief.
“Wend-sama, let us all go out to have some fun in the capital later on,” Wilma said, hoping to be taken to the capital on another occasion.
“You’re right. Since I don’t have any relation to the magic tools whatsoever, I’m a member of the sorcery guild. The same applies to you as well, doesn’t it Lisa-san?”
“The creation of magic tools is a special skill even among magicians. I have no idea of it either.”
“I also belong to the sorcery guild, so yeah…or rather, we don’t even have anyone affiliated to the magic tool guild in the Baumeister House, do we?”
Oh, now that she mentions it…
Katharina, Lisa, and Katia also belong to the sorcery guild. We don’t have any magic tool guild members in our family.
“That’s amazing. I don’t belong to any of those guilds.”
“In reality, you don’t have any disadvantages from not belonging to those guilds.”
“Hmm, that sounds logical. In the first place, they won’t recruit someone with a troublesome standing like me anyway.”
She’s the former Duchess Philip and my unofficial lover. So I don’t think you’ll find anyone in the magic tool guild who would try to invite her.
“Wendelin, I’d like to have a cake from Sohrind as a souvenir.”
“Sure, I’ll get you one.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
＊
After being seen off by my wives, I leaped to the capital with Teleport. I had heard in advance that the funeral would be held at the church headquarters, so I wasn’t worried about us getting lost.
I teleported to a place a short walk away from the church headquarter. Naturally we quickly arrived in front of it.
“It looks very extravagant.”
Ryouko couldn’t hide her surprise over the luxurious exterior of the church headquarters. But well, if you compare it to the Grand Ootsu Shrine, which had been left unattended for a long time, it only makes sense.
“The church can’t really brag much about its luxury though…”
From Elise’s point of view, it might feel uncomfortable for the church to be more luxurious than necessary. Just as Cardinal Hohenheim said in the past, it looks like it’d be difficult for her to become a key figure in the church.
“Well then, let us go in.”
Once we entered the funeral venue after handing over the funeral offerings at the reception, Burkhart-san and Doushi were already present. Doushi had returned to his mansion in the capital yesterday in order to get ready for the funeral. Burkhart-san said he has some business to attend to and stayed in the mansion of Margrave Breithilde together with the margrave himself since yesterday.
“Well, he peacefully died at an age of 96. This sort of funeral is still the best, I’d say.”
After all, anyone would feel depressed if it was the funeral of a young person, not to mention, a child. Because the guild master died of old age, only a few of the funeral attendees are actually sad, I think.
“Rather, the people in the lower ranks should rejoice over this.”
“””””DOUSHI! Sshh───!”””””
All of us simultaneously blocked Doushi’s mouth. Even so, the age of the attending upper brass of the magic tool guild wasn’t that different from their deceased guild leader, so they should be happy that they get a chance to become guild master before their own death.
Given their advanced age, it wouldn’t be strange for any of them to collapse and die here, but I’d love Doushi to keep time, place, and occasion in mind with such comments. I’m sure those old men are pressuring the Kingdom at the negotiations with the demons, so I suppose it’s only normal for Doushi, the best friend of His Majesty, to not value them much.
“(Are they going to decide the next guild master from among those grandpas?)”
“(That seems to be the case. After all, they’re the upper staff of the guild)”
No matter where you looked, not a single of them seemed to have an age below eighty. Of course, all of them were magicians, but they had already retired as active magic tool makers.
When it comes to managing an organization, old age is no problem as I could clearly see from the example in front of my eyes.
“It’s going to be the same, regardless of which of them becomes the next guild master.”
Burkhart-san seems to have absolutely no interest in who’s going to become the next guild master. The new guild master is going to continue obstructing the import of magic tools from the demon country either way.
Thanks to their assets, their influence is tremendous.
The other nobles, who were attending the funeral, quickly put down their funeral offerings, prayed in front of the coffin, and called out to me, who had become a margrave.
“It’s incredible to advance to the rank of Margrave in such a short period of time. I hear you have conquered the island you discovered and turned it into new land for you.”
“The day of you becoming the most influential noble in the south, even surpassing MArgrave Breithilde, is nigh.”
“No, someone as inexperienced as me has been receiving a lot of help from Margrave Breithilde-dono. I have been relying on him quite a bit.”
People will quickly start to stand in your way, if you achieve too much success. Are they trying to break the relationship between me and Margrave Breithilde to take the margrave’s place?
Many nobles have gathered at this funeral, so it’s kind of like a semi-official occasion. I used this opportunity to boldly declare that I’m relying on Margrave Breithilde. If I hadn’t said that, more nobles with strange ideas would have come out of the bushes. Then again, it’s also a fact that things would have been tough on me without his help.
“(Elise, who is that person?)”
“(Sheesh…how about you finally remember the names and faces of nobles, now that you’ve become a margrave?)”
“(I’ve already told you, but there’s just too many of them)”
Burkhart-san said it as if it’s easy, but I can’t remember all the nobles because there’s such a huge number of them.
Roderich doesn’t say anything as long as I develop the land with my magic and Elise knows all the major nobles in the central government. Since crest officials are around as well, I really don’t think it’s that much of a problem…
“(It’s simply about the right person in the right place)”
“(It’d still be better for you to memorize at least a few of them)”
Burkhart-san remembered the names and faces of most nobles.
“(That person is Viscount Bulow. He is a relative of Earl Platte)”
“(I can tell)”
The viscount wasn’t stupid enough to not realize that I had deliberately sacrificed Earl Platte’s son to free the Lingaia and its crew. Since he couldn’t scold me during an official occasion, he probably started to spread bad rumors about me behind my back.
“(This much won’t pose much of a problem, will it?)”
“(Dear, please be careful)”
Unpreparedness is one’s greatest enemy, huh? I should report this to Roderich later.
“It seems like Cardinal Hohenheim is busy with the funeral as well. I guess we’ll go back home after giving him a short greeting…”
Since I had fulfilled my duty with this, I decided to go back soon. When I greeted Cardinal Hohenheim, he appeared to be extremely busy with managing the funeral.
“Ooh, Earl…no, Margrave Baumeister! Congratulations to your rise in peerage, son-in-law-dono.”
“Thank you kindly.”
“I’d love to talk with you at ease, but the situation is what it is. Won’t you show Friedrich to me on another day?”
Cardinal Hohenheim was bogged down by work as the one in charge of the funeral on the church’s side.
“Understood. Even so, I must say it’s a fairly luxurious funeral service.”
“Well, the magic tool guild has money.”
Seeing how it’s quite possible that their income and power will fall drastically, if magic tools start to be imported from the demon country, I guess it’s only natural for them to fight back against this with all means at their disposal.
“It looks like there’s various circumstances at work here, but the church has no power to intervene with the magic tool guild.”
I could only interpret this as him telling me that the church would hate it to turn the magic tool guild into enemies by provoking them in a silly manner.
“If you come to the party for my promotion to margrave, you will be able to see Friedrich as well.”
“I’m looking forward to that. Time to wrap up this job here, I guess. It’s great to see you in fine health as well, Elise.”
“Yes, but every day is filled with something new or unexpected.”
“Well, it cannot be helped with Margrave Baumeister as your husband. Take care of yourself, okay?”
We left the funeral venue after the conversation between Elise and the cardinal ended. Even if we stayed longer, it’d only become more troublesome as the nobles would swarm me, trying to get closer to me.
“Ryouko-san, what do you think about the church’s funeral service?”
“It was very pompous. Even the funerals at the Greater Miyoshi Shrine weren’t so luxurious.”
Miyoshi who had ruled over the island’s central area, and a guild master who controlled half of the Lingaia Continent. I guess it’s because the latter had money.
“You do not know whether a funeral is extravagant or modest when you are dead anyway!”
“Uncle-sama, that statement is a bit…,” Elise restrained Doushi.
I mean, he’s right, but if possible, I’d like him to keep these things to himself. Outside the venue young priests were still receiving guests.
“Milord, what are you going to do from now on?”
“Let’s see… We finished faster than planned, so we’ll stroll through the capital, get some souvenirs, and head back.”
“I think that’s a smart idea.”
It sure is weird that I feel fully relieved when I’m told this by Yui-san. She’s the daughter of the same family as that convicted mastermind, so she’s still under some surveillance.
“Dear, it’s such a wonderful opportunity, so how about we get some clothes for Ryouko-san and Yui-san? They might need them in the future.”
“I’d say that’s a great idea.”
Ryouko-san is the governor of the entire Akitsushima island, even if it’s just an honorary post. Because the opportunities for interaction with the main Baumeister Margravate will increase as well, she probably needs Lingaia-styled outfits.
“We’ve also got your share, Yui.”
“Milord, please prioritize Ryouko-sama. I will be fine with being next after Yuki-san.”
Yui-san backed away from accepting her own share and said she’d let Yui-san get priority. I think a young lady capable of such considerations is great.
“I will also buy Yuki’s share, but since she’ll accompany you, Ryouko, on many occasions, it’s probably necessary. We should use our rare visit to the capital wisely.”
“I’m in a position similar to being Ryouko-sama’s maid.”
“That’s no way that’s true.”
Yui’s father, Hisahide is one of the best magicians on the island, a soldier who was appointed by the late Miyoshi, a civil official, and an educated man. Treating his daughter as maid might have a bad influence on my future rule of the island.
———– End of Part 2 ———–
“You have also been helping Yuki with her work. No need to hold back.”
“If you go this far, I shall take advantage of your kindness, Milord. You are a very generous man, aren’t you?”
“You think so?”
Every man should be happy about being praised by a pretty woman.
“First, we will find you clothes to be worn on official occasions. Then we’ll go to Candy-san’s store, I’d say.”
Ryouko and Yui might get shocked when meeting Candy. After all, I kind of doubt you’ll find his type on Akitsushima Island.
“Yo, fancy meeting you here, Wendeling.”
Just as we were about to go look for Ryouko and Yui’s clothes, someone suddenly called out to me. When I turned around, I saw Peter of all people. Elise and I were surprised by the totally unexpected reunion.
“Elise-dono, forgive me for being somewhat late, but congratulations on the birth of your child.”
“Thank you kindly.”
“Wendelin, I hear you’ve been promoted to Margrave, huh? Congratulations…or I guess not?”
As expected of Peter. He immediately realized my discontent with the promotion. Still, I’d never expected to meet Peter here in the capital. Or rather, it’s the first time in the history between both countries for the emperor of Urqhart to visit the Kingdom.
Even though this should have been a huge piece of news, I didn’t hear anything about it at all.
“When I hurriedly dispatched a diplomatic corps to the negotiations with the demons, fearing that we got a late start, it made the whole situation even more of a mess, right? I can’t apologize officially, but doing it in absolute secrecy behind doors on a personal level is no problem. I’m the younger one, so I’m being considerate of His Majesty Helmut the 37th.”
Peter was visiting the Kingdom with just a few, tight-lipped retainers. He was apparently discussing with His Majesty how to deal with the demons. And he got dragged into the chaos of democracy as it was practiced in the demon country.
“We’re in a similar situation as the Kingdom, you see…but, this place is kind of unsuited for this sort of talk, so how about finding a place where we can also drink some tea?”
“Hey, Peter, Why are you saying this while taking Ryouko’s hand?”
This guy has plenty of talent as a statesman, but normally he’s always pulling his stupid antics. I’m sure he’s using times like this to go back to his real self to release some stress.
In that case, it’s better for me to not treat Peter as emperor during those times.
“It’s because a pretty woman was over there. Going by my information, the inhabitants of Akitsushima Island share the same ancestors with the Mizuho people.”
“You did well to find that out.”
I was impressed by Peter’s, or rather, the Empire’s ability to gather intelligence.
“Still, the number of your wives has grown, so it must be quite tough on you, Wendelin.”
“She’s not my wife yet.”
Though she probably will be my wife in the future.
“But, sooner or later she will be, right? You must marry that missy over there and have the child between you act as governor to properly rule the island.”
Certainly, it’s just as Peter says. If I look reluctant here, it’ll be rude. Yuki, Yui, and Ryouko are beautiful and gentle women. I should feel honored to have such a relationship with them.
Besides, I’m a former Japanese man, so Japanese-styled women definitely suit my taste.
“Now that you mention it, I don’t hear any such rumors about you at all.”
“…Let us first enter a teahouse, okay?”
We decided to drink tea together with Peter after meeting him for the first time in a good while.
＊ ＊ ＊
“It is an honor to see you again after such a long time, Margrave Baumeister-sama.”
“My deepest congratulations for having been promoted to the rank of Margrave.”
It seemed as if Peter had entered a random cafe, but in reality, that place was already reserved for us. As he couldn’t afford to move around with only a few guards like in the past, many guards were pretending to be normal customers while drinking tea and watching over us. The same number of guards seemed to be stationed outside the cafe, too.
Next to Peter were the master swordsman Mark, who had been assigned as captain of the imperial guard, and Emela who had officially become the head wizard of the Empire.
Somehow I feel like she’s become a bit chubbier.
“Congratulations, Emela-san.”
“You can tell?”
“Yes.”
“Tell what, Elise?”
“Emela-san is pregnant.”
Ah, so she’s a bit chubbier because of that? But, her belly doesn’t seem to stand out as much yet…
Since magicians are wearing robes, it’s simpler to hide a pregnancy.
“Peter, did you have a ceremony with Emela?”
“No, I haven’t even added her to my family register. Nor do I plan to do so in the future.”
He won’t take her as concubine, despite having knocked her up? Isn’t that somewhat heartless?
“I don’t plan to do such things with any woman other than Emela.”
“I understand your feelings on this, but…”
I wonder, can an emperor really stick to having just one real wife? If I was able to do that…no, I don’t have any need to do so, I suppose.
“It’s fine. The rank of emperor isn’t hereditary in the Empire. One of the other prince-elector family’s children will likely become the next emperor. The imperial family has been almost completely wiped out too. It’ll be just fine for my child, who popped out from somewhere, to inherit that family.”
He’s going to acknowledge the child born by Emela and make them the heir of the imperial family. Him not taking Emela as his official wife is because people could plan to assassinate her in the worst case?
From the eyes of the nobles who are hoping to push their daughters onto Peter as wives and have the born child succeed the imperial family, a commoner like Emela poses a hindrance.
“As long as she isn’t registered as a member of the imperial family, Emela is nothing but an excellent head wizard. The idiots will find it hard to meddle with her. Besides…”
“Hmm?”
“My shitty father increased the number of maternal relatives who are butting in on marriage issues.”
After having been put under house arrest during Duke Nürnberg’s coup d’etat, Peter’s father lost most of his authority. Likely those people were supposed to help him when he’d force his way back to become the emperor again.
“My shitty father tried to fill the government with relatives, but that led to him losing power instead. Even if I hadn’t been there, he’d have likely lost to Therese-dono’s faction.”
After the death of his father, Peter chased down and punished all those folks, who tried to link up with Therese’s brothers. Thanks to that, Peter could currently act like a dictator in the imperial family.
Then again, the imperial family was one side of the bureaucratic organization which would manage the Empire’s budget. This also meant that Peter had power as emperor because he originated from the imperial family.
The bureaucratic layers organized by the imperial family were damaged by the Civil War, but Peter revitalized the imperial family by promoting superb, young people and the outstanding personnel, like merchants, commoners, noble sons, etc., who had served him for a long time,
He succeeded in creating a stable imperial family by resetting the complicated relationships within the family, fulfilling his wish of only having Emela as his woman. As such, he achieved his personal and public ambitions at the same time.
This was something I wouldn’t be able to imitate as a former salaryman who would always pay attention to his surroundings.
“No wonder Therese has lost.”
“She was a powerful, high-ranking noble who had been acknowledged even by Duke Nürnberg. But, she had the flaw of only being able to move within the Duke Philip family head outline. If not for the civil war, this would have been more than enough, but…”
“Either way, I can’t imitate that.”
So he loves only Emela to such an extent? That’s why he somehow handled the demerits accompanying his exceeding selfishness as emperor…his choice with his own strength. This guy really is a big shot.
“I feel bad for Emela, but…”
“I do not mind.”
“That’s the part where you should honestly say, 『Peter, I love you because you’re so kind!』.”
“Never. That’s too embarrassing,” answered Emela, her face blushing.
Unlike before, she’s now acting lovestruck, just as Peter said.
“We don’t have much time, but we act just like a married couple during our private time. Emela cooks for me and stuff like that.”
I guess the two of them have practically become a married couple. That’s great to hear.
“This secret visit also serves as a honeymoon. The annoying folks have stayed back home after all. And we even got a pretext.”
“The demons, eh…?”
“It’s inevitable for the negotiations to not advance. Until now, both sides haven’t acknowledged each other, so they won’t have any troubles, even if there’s no trade.”
“Still, humans are greedy.”
The folks trying to profit from trade are putting pressure on the nobles and government. On the other hand, there are also people who will lose from a trade agreement coming into power.
————- End of Part 3 ————-
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