Volume 1: 09 - Virtuous Old Man, the Emperor Favours You

[TL Note: Emperor in this case should be “monarch” since it’s gender neutral. I’ll fix it later]

「Elizabeth C. Forsyth. Although it’s an invitation to snakes to dare to call myself that 」

……

「Baron Alexander Carlisle. It a great honour to make your acquaintance 」

I bowed my head reverently in accordance with the Imperial etiquette.

The person in front of me was undoubtedly the Emperor.

Father would not use the「Alec appeal 」 as a folly.

Even if the girl in front of me looked to be a beautiful girl whom moments ago was walking the city streets unaccompanied by a servant and had been flirtatiously attacked by a stranger.

She is the Imperial Emperor that Father had been so adamant on inviting.

「Be at ease, raise your head 」

「Thank you」

「Your son is quite admirable Lord Carlisle. He has a good head on his shoulders and is quick on his feet 」

「With all due respect, Your Majesty, this is not at all the extent of Alec’s true brilliance 」

「How so? 」

「Eventually, Your Majesty will have an Isaiah 」

Please do not raise the bar any higher, Father.

Prime Minister Isaiah.

He was renowned as the right-hand man of Emperor Colin, who brought on the Golden Age of the Empire.

Many historians claim that it was in fact Isaiah who made way for the Golden Age.

「I shall keep that in mind 」

The Emperor said with a smile.

I beg of you, do not take my father’s words as the truth.

*

We moved from the garden into the mansion and entered the parlour.

Although she was a guest, Her Majesty the Emperor was seated in the main seat.

Father and I remained standing for a moment.

「Go ahead and take a seat 」

After we were told to do so, we took our seats.

Incidentally, Angie had returned to her room.

Formally, the duke and baron – the noblemen are the only ones to have an audience with the Emperor, so to avoid being rude, Angie left the room.

「Sir Carlisle, is this place secure enough for our conversation? 」

「That I have no doubt about, my liege. There is no one in my household with a loose tongue 」

「Is that so? 」

The Emperor nodded, but she seemed dubious of my father’s answer.

This is a confidential discussion…. If it is so, then….

「With your permission, I would like to use my magic 」

「Mm, proceed 」

With Her Majesty’s permission, I cast a spell over the entire parlour.

This is magic of sound insulation.

Interior to exterior, exterior to interior.

It’s a spell that blocks out the sound coming from either.

Just for a second, my ears “keened” in pain.

It was not just me from how both Father and Her Majesty’s eyebrows furrowed.

「It’s all right now, no sound will escape. If there is an explosion in this room, there would only be a silent tremor to be felt outside 」

「That is excellent Alec, I’ve never heard of a spell that completely prevents sound leakage 」

「This magic that the mage Trevor specialized in fifty years ago. It is has been documented 」

「I see! Mmm. That’s my Alec, indeed 」

My father’s usual sickness has begun.

As for Her Majesty –

「Well then, let me break it down for you 」

She spoke in a tone that was unlike of that of the Imperial Emperor Elizabeth, but in the one of the normal girl Eliza whom I met in the city earlier.

「Is that okay? 」

「It’s okay it makes things easier when I talk this way 」

「So that’s it 」

She might be the Emperor….. But she’s still a sixteen-year-old girl.

「Now, don’t you have something to say? 」

Her Majesty – Eliza looked at me with a mischievous smile plastered on her face.

「To be honest, I was surprised 」

After a muffled sound check, I decided that this form of speech and some genuine emotions were okay.

「Why were you in town without an escort? 」

「I was interested in what Lord Carlisle had always said about you. I wanted to see first hand your character and learn of your thoughts, with my position unknown 」

「Oh, I see 」

「It appears you are as outstanding as Lord Carlisle claimed. I can see why he sent me a letter once a month bragging about it 」

「Father, what were you thinking? 」

I lashed out.

Father slumped in the chair next to me.

「I just wanted her to know how remarkable Alec is, what’s wrong with that?」

「I did not mean you should explain the idea behind it!」

What were you thinking?!

「But I am actually glad he did. I know where you stand. It’s hard to hear the real story from people when I am dressed up in a regal role 」

「That’s… well…. Yes 」

「So I have a favour to ask of you 」

"

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「What kind of favour? 」

「A subjugation 」

「A subjugation? 」

That’s a disturbing word out of the blue.

「How much do you know about the previous Emperor, my father? 」

Eliza asked me a question that was a somewhat difficult to answer.

I could jokingly tell her what I saw in the afterlife – that he was reincarnated as a poor commoner.

Eliza’s tone was shaking but hoping to hide it.

「I can only say that if he had died earlier, his next life would have been better one 」

「Yes, I should have done what you refer to as『early death 』, that’s what the previous Emperor deserved 」

「What do you mean? 」

「Due to the maladministration of the previous emperor, there have been a number of small-scale rebellions in various part of the Empire. We’re trying to subjugate them each time, but it’s a tussle 」

Come to think of it, my father said something like that when I was born.

Maybe the inner workings of the Empire are rather rickety.

「I have now seen your magic in action 」

Father chuckled next to me, outright.

「I am convinced you can subjugate the rebellion 」

「I understand 」

「That’s a quick answer 」

「For now it’s just a rebellion, there’s a chance they might turn into bandits, and continue to pile on their evil 」

「I see, that’s right 」

Eliza nodded.

「You’ve saved me. After you subjugate the rebellion, I’ll hand the land over to you. Lord Carlisle insisted so 」

「Father….. 」

I shot Father a glare.

Really, you’ve done enough.

「By the way what is the location of the rebellion you want me to subdue? 」

「Do you know Fairy Hill? 」

「Yes, the land known as the heavenly land, a fertile land where dukes are downgraded to petty officials but still want to be sent, and where there’s a surprising amount of bribes flying around for that – it can’t be 」

「Yes 」

Eliza smiled at me.

「There 」

「Why are you giving it to me…. 」

「What did I tell you? 」

Eliza grinned even more.

「I said I like you 」

…….

I’m in trouble now.