Chapter 74. A novel way to commit suicide2020.10.17.
A few days later, the socialite’s hot gossip made headlines in the Ricavelli Weekly. ‘Viscount Langott’s night escape on a moonlit night?’ ‘The virginity of Count Eluroth, a prodigal son of a socialite. Who is the opponent!’ ‘Weparin bank bankruptcy crisis! Will it collapse like this?’ Issues that would have been noisy for a while even if one exploded came out at once, and the atmosphere became rather gloomy. When people got together, they would whisper behind the scenes. Franz, who was looking at the weekly newspaper, looked up and looked at Mabel, his apprentice and emperor of the empire. Feeling the gaze, Mabel took her eyes off the document.
“Why is that, Master?”
Mabel, who asked innocently, was looking at the guild’s financial statements that Franz had submitted. Externally, it was a long time ago that His Majesty the Little Emperor’s class hours changed to Franz’s business report hours. Officially the Emperor’s mentor and unofficially Mabel’s slave, Franz trembled with fear even today.
“Oh no.”
“Is there anything interesting in the newspaper?”
“Ah haha…”
Anyway, Franz, a member of the evil guild, knew that Mabel was the instigator of this social upheaval. Even so, it’s an aloof attitude, as if you don’t care about worldly affairs. I felt chills when I thought that he had casually shattered dozens of families with such a cute, innocent, and lovely face.
‘dread.’
When Franz laughed awkwardly, Mabel tilted her head and now began to teach herself Langard by herself. He studied so well on his own that he didn’t even need Franz. That’s how Franz passed the time like a sack of barley he borrowed today.
‘A honey job.’
Job satisfaction was 100 out of 100.
***
The Imperial Castle of Devlin. Emperor Veron Arthur Devlica used to shut herself up in her lab. However, he used to come out of the lab often these days.
“This is a report on Ermano’s < Evil > information guild.”
Veron flipped through the report handed to him by his subordinate. There, the guild’s activities for several years were recorded intact. Although the guild seemed nothing special on the outside, it was a matter of note that it had recently become the most famous guild in the Ermano Empire.
“A man named Edan is said to be the head of the guild.”
“Ethan. It’s Ethan…”
Veron smiled and rested his chin quietly.
‘He’s doing something interesting.’
After being attached to the one-year-old emperor of Ermano, it seemed that their mental age had become younger together. Otherwise, he would do such a childish thing. I was curious about what Aidan, who was out of his control, would do, so I just left it alone, but nothing happened.
“Among those in key positions in the guild, are there people worth buying?”
“If that’s the case… there’s Casey, the deputy master, and Franz Alonica, the former head of the academy.”
“Why are they?”
“In the case of Casey, since he is a commoner from the back alley, money would be enough, and in the case of Franz Alonica, it seems easy to buy because he does not seem to be working on his own will.”
Veron knew well what moved people’s hearts. The most important thing was money. There was no such thing as material compensation. The corners of his mouth went up at an angle.
“okay. First, try approaching Casey first.”
It was a thought that would allow Aidan to experience firsthand what it feels like to be betrayed by a confidant. Just like Baron felt.
***
Abelard has also received a letter from the Holy Kingdom. As soon as I opened the letter, I was greeted with an informal message that omitted all greetings. [To be honest, Mabel Gardenia Hermano. It was the best when I was there. where is the lie No wonder my education as the god-king is much better than that of those rookie priests.] I sneered at the poor letter.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen a boss who is jealous of his subordinates.”
The sender of the letter was the God King. He came as a teaching priest under the pseudonym Hael, and after a period of six months, he was forced to return to the Holy Kingdom. The line left by the god king on the way back was truly a spectacle.
“Let it go. I will be back soon.”
The god king, who left a strong line, unfortunately, has not set foot in Ermano since then. Instead, we often exchanged letters. I didn’t really want to maintain friendship, but I couldn’t help it for world peace. I sent all the Essences of the Tree of Creation obtained through the guild to the Temple, and the Temple was in charge of storing and purifying the Essence. Perhaps thanks to that, he said that the recent drought that has spread across the continent is improving. I finished reading the god king’s letter. [Anyway, I received this essence well. It’s annoying to have to purify every day, but I can’t help it. Come to think of it, I found something peculiar about this essence…] It was while I was reading the letter. Larimar called me.
“your majesty. You should hurry up and get ready!”
“huh? Is there still time left?”
“no. Even if you prepare from now on, it’s tight!”
“Ooh… okay.”
I put the letter in the drawer and got up from the chair. Then, as if they had waited, the maids who had snatched me up like a hawk quickly dressed me up. After growing up, I struggled to take heavy steps.
“I want to lie down, I want to sleep, I want to rest, I want to play…”
Lisa, who was following my muttering, laughed at me and asked.
“If anyone hears it, they will know that His Majesty is watching government affairs, right?”
“Hmm…”
I looked up at Lisandro with my eyes narrowed.
“why?”
“it’s okay. You don’t know anything about Lisandro.”
“yes? What am I! Who do you think knows more about His Majesty than I do?”
I don’t know, I didn’t know for a long time. I dealt with guild-related matters during every class with Franz and every night. Is that all? I was busy chirping and squeaking, and occasionally stopping by the stables to check on the horses about the society. In addition, there was so much study to do that even two bodies were not enough. Even if Dad was doing the emperor’s work, he was busy. It gave me goosebumps at the thought of having to do the duties of an emperor on top of that.
‘Am I not growing taller because I work so much?!’
Unlike the other kids who grew up quickly, I was still attached to the ground. It was unfair. Ignoring the grunting Lisandro, I arrived at the meeting place. It was a glass greenhouse flower garden that I received as a gift for my 7th birthday.
‘At some point, there were more flowers around the main garden again.’
Unlike the hot summer weather outside, a cool breeze blew inside the greenhouse.
“Meet Your Majesty the Emperor.”
The guest who had arrived first greeted them politely. I smiled and nodded.
“It’s hot, but you worked hard getting here, Emily.”
“you’re welcome.”
It was. The guest to meet today was none other than Emily Javier, daughter of Duke Javier and younger sister of Enrique.
“Come on, sit down. Let’s have some cold tea.”
“Your Majesty.”
We sat facing each other at a table set on one side of the garden. Emily, who smiled brightly at me, became more mature than before and looked quite mature.
‘Since I’m nine, Emily must be eleven already.’
I sipped my tea, feeling that the years had passed quickly. It had been about three months since Emily and I met and talked occasionally in the greenhouse. As for how we ended up drinking tea like this…
‘The cause is Duke Javier.’
Years had passed since the duke was placed under house arrest, but his power was still present in the capital. They destroyed Count Mytheron’s family, but that wasn’t enough. The forces under the duchy, including the vassals, demanded that the pension be lifted from Duke Javier every day. In addition, they even tried to control Enrique, who was acting as the head of the household, to their liking. In order to put such people to sleep, it was necessary to release them to some extent. However, since the duke’s pension could not be canceled, the alternative was to have Emily, the daughter of the Javier family, as my playmate. Even as playmates, it was to the extent that Emily would occasionally enter the palace and have tea time. Our family is so great that you can meet alone with the emperor. It’s like proof of such ability and honor. In fact, I thought it was because I didn’t care at all whether it was or not.
‘Even if a pyramid jumps, it’s a pyramid.’
Being playmates with Emily had no particular complaints, other than wasting time. It was when I was half-drinking tea while having a small talk with Emily. Emily brought up a new topic.
“Come to think of it, there will be a swordsmanship competition soon.”
“Oh, it already happened.”
I had seen Dad and Gustav working overtime for a swordsmanship competition. The swordsmanship competition held under the emperor’s watch was an annual event held to show off the skills of young knights who had just been ordained knights. Of course, they weren’t the only ones who were eligible to participate. Anyone who walks the path of martial arts could participate in the competition. I’ve never seen one because my dad forbade me to watch it because it was too stimulating for the baby. So I didn’t know how it was held. It was after I decided to attend the event starting this year. Emily smiled expectantly.
“I really wonder who will be the winner of this contest.”
“What’s good about winning?”
“Well, if you win, it’s a huge honor for the family, and you can make a wish.”
“wish? Who will grant that wish?”
Emily answered with a tilt of her head.
“Your Majesty.”
“Is Jim…?”
I was taken aback when I first heard the story. so suddenly? Should I grant your wish? I felt like I was caught in a penalty game out of nowhere.
***
The rumor started from a male-only salon.
“Did you hear that rumor?”
“What are you talking about? There must have been so many rumors.”
“It’s not that. Some say that if someone wins this swordsmanship competition, he will propose to His Majesty as a wish.”
“…Is it not a waste of life?”
It seemed that someone had devised a novel suicide method, and the rumor seemed to be dismissed as a joke. However, rumors did not end with simple happenings. Rumors were not rumors. Several subjects attached to the ambiguous rumor that if someone won the championship, he would propose. Indeed, people who were proposing to the 9-year-old official cutie emperor of the empire began to appear one after another. And upon hearing the rumor, Hwang Sangje Esteban… exploded. This is not the first time that he has proposed a marriage proposal to Mabel out of nowhere, and his anger has reached a peak.
“under. Everyone went crazy. … The swordsmanship competition is abolished from this year!”
“But, Your Majesty the situation. The swordsmanship competition is a national event that has always been held since the founding of the country. So easy-.”
Esteban cut off Gustav’s bewildered words without delay.
“Gustav.”
“yes?”
“Does my words sound so easy?”
“Ha but…”
“Or get rid of the damn custom of granting wishes!”
“That, too, has continued since the founding of the country.”
“Looks like Gustav is becoming the founding emperor. Seeing how you represent your position!”
At those words, Gustav pouted.
“Then I wouldn’t be doing this.”
“what?”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. My heart is…”
Of course, Esteban’s claim to cancel the swordsmanship competition was not accepted. This is because important national events of the imperial family along with the founding festival could not be eliminated overnight. The benefit of granting the wish of the emperor to the winner could not be removed. Because it was a custom with symbolic meaning. Esteban finally found a solution(?).
“Okay then… I kill the winner.”
“your majesty. Please calm down…”
“Before that, I will kill you Gustav first.”
“Oops. Why are you killing me all of a sudden?”
While the holding of the < Death Swordsmanship Tournament where winning and facing death at the same time > was being discussed, rumors spread all over the capital. and the same time. Chaeng and… Upon hearing the rumors from Xavier, Oscar unwittingly dropped the sword he was holding.
“What about Mabel?”
“They say they’re proposing.”
“…not like that.”
Oscar picked up his sword again.
“Because I will win.”
The emperor’s brother burned his desire to win like that. . . . A few days later, a list of applicants for the swordsmanship competition appeared. Originally there were many participants, but this year the number of participants was about twice that of previous years. Regardless of the emperor’s wish, it was a great honor for the family to achieve high marks in a swordsmanship competition, so any young swordsman participated. And there were three names that stood out among the long list. [Oscar Alle Hermano. Aidan. Enrique Javier.] All three of them were passionate unrequited love targets of young girls their age and were the most likely candidates for the championship.
