Chapter 71

The next day, I was listening to Don's report in the study.

It was about the knight selection.

The large-scale knight selection that always takes place with the coronation of a new emperor, and Don told me about the methods and the standards for the tests.

While the scale has been increased, the knight selection itself is something that is done every year.

Don's proposal was safe and sound, leaving no room for complaint.

"Hmm, the basics are fine."

"Is there anything you want to add?"

Don read between the lines of my words and asked back.

I nodded quietly.

"The final stage of the selection is to be observed by me personally, right?"

"Yes. It also has the meaning of bestowing the emperor's favor upon the knight candidates."

"I want to see the top 100 and the bottom 100 of the selection results."

"The top is understandable, but the bottom... does that mean the bottom 100?"

"Yes."

I nodded clearly.

"Why is that?"

" Talent is something that stands out."

"Hmm..."

"Ordinary methods will only bring up people who are similar. Therefore, I want to see with my own eyes those who are thoroughly bad by ordinary standards."

"I see."

"Genius and mediocrity are said to be separated by a thin line, but to the ordinary person, they are two extremes. Besides,"

"Besides?"

Don's face showed that there was more to come.

"I have been involved in state affairs for nearly ten years under the previous emperor. I know that bribery is quite rampant in the usual knight selection."

"..."

Don bowed and said nothing.

It was his position not to say whether it was true or not. So he gave a kind of tacit approval.

"Those who are thoroughly confident in their own abilities and hate bribery are often disliked by the recipients and have their scores lowered. That's why I want to see the bottom 100."

"I see... Truly impressive. I have underestimated you."

Don bowed again, deeply impressed.

"I understand. As you say, I will select the top and bottom 100 as the final candidates."

"Understood, but keep the bottom 100 a secret."

"As you wish."

Immediately after becoming emperor, I had the study in the mansion renovated.

My desk remains in the best spot, but I also set up a place for Don near the entrance.

There, Don, based on my orders, drafts and proofreads edicts, and then I stamp them.

While watching Don draft the edict, I thought further.

People are treasures, and possibilities.

I wanted to see the bottom 100 to bet on those possibilities.

To see if there was something more.

I sipped the premium tea made from melted snow water and thought.

I stared intently at Don.

I wanted more men like him and thought about how to find them.

"..."

"Please check, Your Majesty... Your Majesty?"

Don, who had returned with the draft of the edict, looked at me curiously.

"Hmm?"

"Is there something on my face?"

"You weren't a knight, were you?"

"Ah!"

"I was thinking about how to find more men like you who are not of knight origin. It might be convenient to include them in the knight selection."

"Include civil servants in the knight selection...?"

Don was shocked.

My words seemed to have been quite shocking to him.

"Yes."

"That... is unprecedented. After all, knights are—"

"I know. The empire is a land of warriors, and the annual knight selection is to elevate those skilled in martial arts—right?"

"Yes, it is a tradition."

"The large-scale selection for the new emperor's coronation is both a tradition and an exception."

Another regular selection will be held within the year, in addition to this one.

This means that the selection process will be doubled immediately after the new emperor's coronation.

"If it's an exception, a little unprecedentedness shouldn't be a problem, right? Perhaps—yes, I'll conduct a test to select civil servants."

"But wouldn't it be fine to continue as usual?"

"..."

I smiled wryly.

"Under the current system, it takes a long time to elevate civil servants. Right?"

Don nodded quietly.

"Unlike knights, young people don't come forward. Especially those with bold and free-thinking ideas. By the time they come to my attention and are used, they are all middle-aged and have been tamed. I want them at the stage of potential."

"..."

I thought for a moment.

I understand why Don would object.

But I am the emperor.

As the emperor, I can push through my will, even if it goes against tradition.

I can even push through something as outrageous as tripling all taxes tomorrow. Compared to that, elevating civil servants is nothing.

"I've decided. Make it so that civil servants can also be selected. I want as many talents as possible."

"As you wish... Truly impressive."

Don looked at me with a passionate gaze, moved by my resolve.

☆

The selection of civil servants is unprecedented, so even drafting the proposal will take time.

I left the study to avoid interrupting Don's thoughts.

I left the palace and entered the royal palace with my trusted eunuch, Gran.

As I walked, soldiers, maids, and eunuchs all stopped their work and knelt, bowing as I passed.

Receiving the respect and awe due to an emperor, I arrived at the royal treasury.

"Wow... amazing..."

Faced with a mountain of treasures, Gran was simply amazed.

"If you like something, take it."

"Wh-what? No! If I take something this amazing, my life might be shortened!"

"You're not greedy."

I smiled slightly and walked around the treasury casually.

The last time I was here was when my father gave me Lutieya—now Bahamut.

Thinking back to that time, I came to see if there were any other treasures.

Yes, treasures.

I wanted treasures that would enhance my abilities, like Leviathan and Bahamut.

I am the emperor.

Now, I can take what I want without anyone complaining.

So, I walked around the treasury, looking for real treasures.

I stared at the treasures, picked them up, and checked if there was any change in the status that always appears in the corner of my vision.

There was no change at all.

Perhaps there weren't any treasures as good as Lutieya left...

I picked up a small jewel box.

There were five indentations on the lid where jewels could be set, but none were set now.

It looked like an incomplete treasure, so I thought it wouldn't enhance my abilities and was about to put it back.

"Huh?"

"What is it, Gran?"

"The indentations on that box... I saw jewels with exactly the same shape earlier."

Gran said firmly, "exactly the same."

I knew his memory was excellent.

"Where? Bring them here."

"Yes!"

Gran retraced his steps and soon returned, holding a blue gem.

I took it and compared it with the jewel box. As Gran said, the gem and the indentation matched perfectly.

I tried setting it in the box—it fit smoothly, as if it were being sucked in.

"Good job, Gran. I'll give you a reward later."

"Thank you!"

"Did you see any others?"

"No."

Gran said firmly.

He had a good memory and knew the land prices around the Almeria mansion and the details of this gem.

If Gran said there were none, there were probably none left to be seen.

"Then search for them."

"Yes!"

Gran searched as I ordered.

I joined him, looking for something that would fit the remaining four indentations.

"I found one, Your Majesty!"

Gran quickly found a red gem and brought it to me.

I took it and set it in the box, and it fit perfectly like the last one.

This made me even more confident that all the gems were there.

After about an hour of searching with Gran,

"There, they're all in."

I set the last gem in the box.

The box, which already exuded a sense of luxury, became even more divine with all the gems set.

Now, let's see if there's any change in my status—next moment.

'Command me.'

Bahamut's voice echoed in my mind.

I didn't know what to command.

"...Alright, do it."

I decided to leave it all to Bahamut, who doesn't make unnecessary claims.

In the next moment, light shot out from the bracelet containing Bahamut's ring, and, surprisingly, the light bent mid-air and was absorbed into the red gem in the box.

The red gem began to shine, illuminating the treasury.

Then, I heard the same voice from Leviathan, Behemoth, Fuwawa, and Apophis one after another.

I commanded, "Do it."

Light shot out from the bracelet one after another, illuminating each of the set gems.

Eventually, all five gems glowed—next moment.

The lid of the box opened on its own, revealing a feather ornament inside.

'I have been waiting.'

A voice echoed in my mind.

And not just that.

――――――――――――

Name: Noah Alarate

Emperor of the Empire

Gender: Male

Level: 15 + 1 / ∞

HP C + C Fire E + S

MP E + C Water C + SS

Strength C + S Wind E + C

Stamina D + C Earth E + C

Intelligence D + C Light E + B

Spirit E + C Darkness E + B

Speed E + C

Dexterity E + C

Luck E + C

――――――――――――

The "＋" for Wind instantly rose two levels.

Thanks to this, I managed to re-emerge and am now just 500 points away from the daily front page (5th place).

This might be the last chance for the front page...

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