Inside the study, Pluvia glanced at the map Kenji had just handed over, hesitating for a mont.
"The intelligence from the Holy Church—can we trust it?" she asked, looking up.
"Your Majesty, you can confirm it with the envoy. In fact, the Western Empire's envoy has been here in Luminara City for days. According to him, the Western Empire could face danger at any mont, so he has to stay on standby here."
Honestly, the Western Empire's envoy in Luminara was extrely diligent. To make sure Calot always had the latest updates, the envoy even used a griffin from his own country to send ssages west—sothing incredibly valuable. Though the official notifications were always polite and understated, that was just protocol. In reality, the situation inside the Western Empire had beco grave.
"I've looked into it. The money you requested is reasonable—no problem there. But I did ask Minister of the Treasury about our reserves and… gold…"
"Not much left, right?" Kenji interrupted, already all too familiar with this conversation.
Every ti he asked for funding, Pluvia would remind him of the empire's tight finances, hoping for his understanding. Sotis Kenji had to put in a major effort to convince her and prove his plans were feasible, sotis he had to revise his ideas to require less funding or substitute with a cheaper alternative.
But after several rounds of this, Kenji sensed sothing wasn't quite right.
It was always "not enough money," and though Calot's current finances were tight—between river canal construction and a military overhaul—it seed the treasury still had a decent cushion. The latest project—the construction of Duke Anos's residence—was lavishly funded. If things were truly that tight, Pluvia never would have approved such spending.
"To be honest with you, Kenji, there's still quite a bit left in the treasury—enough for our current expenses, at least." Pluvia smiled faintly. "But if I agreed to every request, wouldn't people start treating the treasury like their personal money? I can't just give the green light to everything. Our treasury is built on the sweat of ordinary citizens, and this money must always be used for their good."
"So, does that an Your Majesty is agreeing or refusing?" Kenji pressed, though he understood what she ant.
"I'll approve it—but on one condition."
"That's a bit much, Your Majesty," Kenji replied coolly. "All my suggestions are for Calot, not personal gain. Every effort I'll make with this money is for Calot's future, not for myself. And now you want sothing in return?"
"Don't worry, it's nothing that concerns your interests," Pluvia waved him off.
Despite being emperor, she wasn't a tyrant. Kenji's proposals had always been for Calot's benefit, and he'd never asked for more than necessary.
"Your Majesty, I'm listening."
"It's simple," she said. "It's about the princess of the Sal Kingdom. According to etiquette, she'll arrive in Calot soon, accompanied by her retinue. I want you to spend so ti with her. You don't have to do anything special—just figure out where she stands. I want to know if she can be of use to Calot."
"Oh, that? No problem. I'll find an opportunity to talk to her," Kenji said. If it was just about testing Uheya's attitude, that was easy.
"As for the funding, don't worry. The treasury might not be brimming, but it's just enough to support a mid-size war if needed. Since you truly want to solve problems for Calot, I'll give you as much latitude as I can."
Pluvia signed several lines on a decree, stamped it with her seal, and handed it to Kenji. This was the signed approval for the funds from the treasury minister—the official green light.
Well, for all its faults, an autocratic monarchy like Calot did have its upsides: convince the emperor, and you get your funding. Simple—almost fun.
"In that case, I'll take my leave," Kenji said, ready to step out of the study.
"Wait."
Pluvia suddenly called him back.
"Is there sothing else, Your Majesty?"
"There's a court official called Guillau Guerin—the adviser. Have you t him?" Pluvia fixed her gaze on him.
Kenji was caught off guard by the question. What was this about all of a sudden?
"Uh, I've t him once… Why do you ask?" He didn't ntion the earlier conflict between them; there was no need.
"I'm planning to promote Guerin. He'll start as a mber of the council, and later I'll find sothing practical for him to work on."
Pluvia sounded casual, but Kenji was unconvinced—why tell him about this promotion?
"It's good for the empire to promote talent," he replied.
"No, I need to tell you. Guillau Guerin is talented—I t him when he sat his civil exam. But he's so upright, he tends to be a bit unrealistic. He can argue theory well, but he lacks practical experience. That's why I want you to take him under your wing for a while. Let him get so real-world training."
"Your Majesty… Guerin is famously principled. He treats everyone the sa. If he ends up under my command…"
Kenji was thinking: If he's with , can he still call himself a reforr? Your Majesty, will you still dare use him then?
"If following you for a while is enough to make him blindly loyal, then maybe he's not the person I need," Pluvia mused, looking thoughtful. "Talent is never in short supply here, but I want people whose conviction cannot be shaken. Besides…" She looked at him. "They say in court that he is a 'clean stream.' In truth, that ans he's loyal to and to the empire. You're a clean stream too, aren't you?"
"Understood, Your Majesty," Kenji replied.
That's right, he was a loyalist too—his loyalty always belonged to his emperor… as long as his emperor didn't betray him.
….
Luminara City.
The Old Floren Trading House was the largest foreign rchant guild in all of Calot, with countless rchants coming and going every day. It served as a major hub for Calot's foreign trade. Its building was naturally one of the city's most unique, an eclectic blend of Eastern and Western styles—a mix that looked almost comical, yet sohow captured the spirit of openness and inclusiveness the Floren guild was known for.
Today, the trading hall was as busy as ever, filled with rchants from abroad and Calot alike, discussing business deals. There was even a special chamber where daily prices for essential goods were publicly posted, helping traders negotiate and make quick decisions on investnts.
But today, the guild received a visit from unexpected guests—a group of people clad in gray robes.
Reviews
All reviews (0)