Chapter 29

As night fell, I was watching a mock battle between Leviathan and Lutieya, who had been ordered to "hold back," when a maid knocked and entered the room.

This was Cecily, the maid who had taken Evelyn's place, whom I rarely saw at this hour.

"Master, there is a guest," she said.

"Who is it?"

"The messenger from His Majesty, he says he has brought an imperial command."

I stood up quickly.

It was late, but with an imperial command, there was no choice but to meet.

"Show him in."

"As you wish."

Cecily left the room, and after a while, a man entered.

I was a bit surprised.

It was a familiar face.

Rice Cake.

He was a subordinate of my older brother Henry, who had been involved in suppressing a rebellion until recently.

"By the will of the Emperor."

"Yes."

I knelt on one knee before Rice.

The messenger who brought the imperial command was, in a sense, the emperor's representative.

Etiquette demanded that everything be done as if for the emperor, and in such a situation, it would be a grave disrespect for a third party to interject.

So I knelt, bowed my head, and listened quietly.

"The first campaign of Prince Noah Alarate is to be postponed. Wait for further orders."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

I responded, bowed again, and stood up straight.

The next moment, Rice knelt and bowed his head to me, as if in a role reversal.

"It's been a while, Your Highness."

"Hmm? Oh, right, you're one of Henry's 'family,' aren't you?"

"Yes."

Rice responded and bowed his head even lower.

Sometimes, the nobility send their slaves or servants out as officials or military officers.

Such people are called "family" because they are "people who have come from a noble household."

I had recently sent Evelyn to be the steward of a small piece of land in Almeria.

It was the same for Rice, but he had risen much higher than Evelyn.

And there was one important thing.

While he held the position of a public official, he was also a "servant" of the royal family.

Rice was a servant of my older brother Henry and, at the same time, a servant of mine.

That's why, as soon as the imperial command was delivered, Rice knelt and bowed to me.

"I see, you can relax."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

With that, I sat back down on the sofa.

Rice, of course, stood facing me.

"Zoe!"

"Did you call, Your Highness?"

Zoe entered.

"Give the messenger his travel expenses. 500 Reen."

"As you wish."

Zoe left the room, and I turned to face Rice again.

"I understand the imperial command, but why did it come to this?"

"It is solely due to Your Highness's power."

"What do you mean?"

"When Lord Henry— the Ministry of Military Affairs— reported the results of the divination to His Majesty, the emperor was greatly pleased."

"I see."

"So, he said, 'If that's the case, we must do it on a grand scale.' The Ministry of Military Affairs and the Ministry of Finance will work together to do it on a grand scale."

I nodded quietly.

That was important.

Commoners love heroic tales.

If the protagonist is a member of the royal family, it needs to be widely publicized.

"Having a first campaign alone is unprecedented. His Majesty is considering ways to spread the greatness of this throughout the empire, along with Lord Henry and the Eighth Prince."

I nodded again.

If that was the case, there wouldn't be much for me to do regarding the first campaign for a while.

☆

The next day, I went to Cobalt Street with Shirley.

Lutieya's growth and the mock battles had led to my level-up.

To find more items like Leviathan and Lutieya, I came to Cobalt Street, where antiques and treasures gather.

We walked around with Shirley, but we couldn't find anything that looked promising.

Well, items like Leviathan and Lutieya aren't easy to find.

Both are genuine treasures, not something that comes along every day.

It's not a big deal if we can't find them, so after a round, I went to Alan's shop, a familiar face.

Alan, who was in the shop, greeted us with a broad smile and led us to the back.

In the VIP room, I sat down, and Shirley stood guard behind me.

"What are you looking for today?"

Alan, the businessman, asked while rubbing his hands.

"I'm looking for an item... something like a magical artifact with a will of its own."

"I see..."

"Is there anything like that? Anything will do, for example, a cursed doll."

"There is one— oh no, that is, it's—"

"Hmm?"

Why did he suddenly hesitate? I looked at Alan with a puzzled expression.

"Just between us, what I just said is a fake. It's just a piece of merchandise to push on amateurs."

"I see."

I chuckled.

This is a shop that deals in antiques and treasures, so of course, such things happen.

"So, you don't have anything like that right now?"

"Yes... I'm very sorry..."

"It's fine, then."

I took a leather bag from my pocket.

It contained money for when I found a treasure.

"Keep it. There's 10,000 Reen. If you find something promising, let me know."

"Yes, sir!"

"If you find something, I'll give you a bonus. See you later."

I left the shop with Shirley, and Alan saw us off, bowing deeply until we were out of sight.

Well, what should I do—hmm?

"What's wrong, Shirley? You look strange."

After leaving the shop, I noticed that Shirley had been staring blankly.

"W-Well, I was just wondering what that was about."

"What do you mean?"

"Um... you gave him money?"

"Of course, it's a purchase."

"Is it a purchase?"

"Hmm?"

"I've never seen a purchase like that. You paid 10,000 Reen without even seeing the item."

"Oh."

"It's... amazing... And you didn't even ask the price."

I can understand how she feels. If I were still in my previous life, I would have reacted the same way as Shirley.

But this is how the nobility shop.

I led the amazed Shirley, browsing through the stalls on Cobalt Street one last time before leaving.

"Ah!?"

Suddenly, a loud, rough male voice cut through the crowd.

It was clearly heard by everyone, and the bustling antique market fell silent in an instant.

"Say that again. What did you just say?"

In the silence, the voice came again.

From a distance, I could clearly see a balding man yelling at a stall owner.

"Well, sir, this item has already been reserved by another customer—"

"I said I'm buying it!"

"Ah!"

The stall owner shrank back in fear at the man's second threat.

I approached and said to the man,

"Stop it."

"Huh? Oh, it's Prince Noah, isn't it?"

"Do you know me?"

The man's attitude suddenly changed to one of obsequiousness.

No, that's not quite right.

It was more like obsequious rudeness.

"Forgive me, I am Darren, a member of Prince Gilbert's household."

"Darren."

"Have we met at the Imperial Household Department?"

"Hmm."

The Imperial Household Department is the agency that oversees the "internal affairs" of the royal family.

It manages the finances of the royal family, while the Ministry of Finance manages the imperial treasury.

Because of their close relationship with the royal family, they often have a strange sense of superiority and tend to look down on other departments.

"That's fine. What are you doing? I heard you threatening someone."

"Oh, Prince Noah, as the Minister of Legal Affairs, you don't know?"

Darren looked at me with disdain.

"People from the Imperial Household Department cannot be charged with a crime unless it involves treason or rebellion. This is a special privilege to maintain the stability of the royal family, and it is clearly stipulated in the imperial law."

"..."

That's true.

I had forgotten because I don't often deal with the Imperial Household Department, but it is true.

But still.

"So what? I wish you wouldn't interfere."

"..."

"Prince Noah..."

Shirley called my name hesitantly.

I must have looked quite frightening.

Servants of the royal family, especially princes, hold a considerable position.

Even a gatekeeper is considered to have a position equivalent to a low-ranking knight who doesn't interact with the royal family.

If this man is a member of the household of the current emperor's firstborn, the First Prince Gilbert, and also a member of the Imperial Household Department with special privileges, his attitude is not surprising.

"I understand. But—"

"But?"

Darren looked at me with a "Is there something else?" face, still condescending.

"You are a member of my older brother's household, aren't you? Then why are you standing there looking at me?"

"Hmm."

Darren's expression changed for the first time.

Yesterday, Rice did the same thing to me.

At first, I knelt to Rice because he was delivering the imperial command, but once that was done, Rice knelt to me as a "member of the royal family."

The same applies here.

Darren should be more respectful to me.

"I didn't notice—"

"It's too late. Shirley."

"Huh? Ah, yes!"

"Capture him. Tie him up and flog him."

"What!?"

Darren was shocked.

"Are you crazy! I am—"

"Have you not yet realized that you have disgraced Prince Gilbert? Go, Shirley!"

"Yes!"

Shirley, understanding the situation, stepped forward and captured Darren.

Darren resisted, but Shirley had the strength to break through even Leviathan's barrier.

She easily captured the resisting Darren and twisted his arms behind his back.

"Um... the rope...?"

"Here, use this."

A man from the crowd stepped forward and offered a rope.

"Thank you."

Shirley took the rope and, borrowing a pillar from a nearby shop, tied Darren up.

Someone offered a whip, which Shirley also took.

"Prince Noah, how many times should I flog him?"

"If—"

I paused, glanced at Darren, and then said to Shirley,

"If any of my servants, maids, or subordinates oppress the people, I will not hesitate to execute them."

"Understood."

Shirley nodded and, without hesitation, began to flog Darren.

Instantly, cheers rose up.

"Serves you right."

"Always acting so high and mighty, he got what he deserved."

"Thank you, Prince."

The people around us were surprisingly delighted, laughing as they watched Darren being flogged.

Shirley continued to flog Darren until he stopped breathing.