I Became the Master of the Empress - Chapter 189
189 – 193
On the day of our wedding anniversary.
The palace has been bustling with activity since morning.
My family, Mary, Agrippa, my sister Octavia and her husband, and their children, and Theodora’s grandfather, Duke Janus, were all present.
It was a lively morning for our wedding anniversary, but…
“Karl, is there any confirmed information on where the Locust is?”
At my question, Karl nods.
“There have been no unusual movements since Egypt was attacked last time. I think the excellent response using the Holy Water last time has made it difficult for them to move around for the time being.”
-Knock… Knock…
I tap my fingers on the desk, lost in thought.
I don’t think they’ll just back down like this.
If they back down without a fight, it will be troublesome.
I need to kill the Locust and deal a major blow to the Demon Worshipers before I can step down from the Empire.
At the very least, I need to kill the Locust so that he can’t create the Demon King’s Coffin.
Because the only high-ranking demon who has descended here is that guy.
“What about Amon?”
“He’s trying to raise a militia in the provinces, but… it’s not going as well as he thought. People who live hand-to-mouth are more interested in having facilities like windmills or watermills built in their villages than in politics or the Archduke.”
We have recently been carrying out large-scale infrastructure development within the Empire.
As a result, the territorial investment fund is now almost depleted, and unless we receive a large investment, the fund may run out.
“Phew… The territorial development fund is also starting to run low. Should we take some more from the technology investment fund?”
In contrast, the technology investment fund has a little more room to spare.
“Even if we take it all out, it probably won’t cover the whole of next year.”
Karl’s point is valid.
We have already taken several blood transfusions from the technology investment fund.
“Then what if we dispose of some more of the Pieta Company’s assets?”
At my words, Karl shakes his head.
“That’s difficult now too. Most of the assets have been sold off and put into the territorial development fund.”
No matter how much tax revenue we collect from Epirus, Egypt, and Nicaea, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the funds needed for the technology investment fund.
In the first place, the investment fund itself was procured from the private sector, which is how such an astronomical amount was raised. It’s an amount that would be difficult for a single medieval or early modern nation to afford.
“It will be difficult to find investors, won’t it?”
Karl nods at my words.
His expression makes me sigh involuntarily.
“Hoo… I wonder where all that money went.”
Lucius replies to my words.
“Even so, the economy is booming, isn’t it? The Minister of Finance was very pleased. Shouldn’t we take things slowly for now? If all else fails, we can always issue bonds. Isn’t it unnecessary to worry so much?”
I’d like to issue bonds as a last resort, if possible.
Basically, the Empire cannot issue bonds without the consent of the Parliament.
In other words, for the bond issuance bill to pass, I have to show some kind of ‘sincerity’.
I’d prefer not to show anything like that, as I’d like to maintain my current system of absolute power if possible.
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-Knock, knock!
-Your Highness, lunch is ready.
I realize it’s almost lunchtime, so I stand up and say,
“Let’s talk about it again tomorrow for now.”
I get up from my seat and head to the dining room.
***
Sabinelly sends a letter to the Papal States, and a few days later.
He has a bad feeling about the letter the Pope wants to see him about.
Sabinelly’s heart is uneasy as he rides in a carriage to the Papal States.
Debian… Has he really become a demon worshiper?
I don’t like him, but I know he’s not the kind of person who would do that.
Others may not know, but I’ve known for a long time that he stays in the Grand Ducal Palace and pores over state affairs later than anyone else.
There was a time when Sabinelly spent time in Rome as a hostage because he was accused of intervening in the former Grand Duchy’s civil war.
At that time, I heard various reports about the Grand Duke, who was an enemy of Johannes.
He feels bitterness and fear.
If the Grand Duke is really a demon worshiper… It’s a serious matter.
Because he holds all of Roman’s military power in his hands.
He can’t harm him right away.
Even if he were to ask the nobles for help and raise an army, it would be a major problem.
Because it’s obvious that a second Debien would appear.
Before he knows it, Sabinelly is thinking such thoughts.
He arrives at the Papal States.
As he opens the carriage door and gets out, a priest in a red hat greets him.
“Minister of Justice, I sincerely welcome you to the Elysian Basilica.”
This man is a cardinal who is called the Pope’s secretary. He must be Cardinal Andrea.
He is a cardinal of high rank, but he is known to be a close confidant of the Pope, so I understand that he personally comes out and guides visitors to the Papal States.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Andrea, a servant of God. I am humbly serving as a cardinal of the Papal States.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Sabinelly, who humbly serves as the Empire’s Minister of Justice.”
Led by the cardinal, I arrived at the Pope’s office.
-Knock! Knock!
“Your Holiness, the Minister of Justice has arrived.”
[Shall I let him in?]
At the Pope’s words, Andrea opened the door and Sabienlli entered the office.
“It’s been a while, Your Holiness.”
At Sabienlli’s words, the Pope removed his glasses and said.
“Indeed it has been a while. Lord Sabienlli. No, I should call you Count Sabienlli now. Please, sit down.”
Looking at the kind-looking Pope, Sabienlli felt a sense of unease.
‘This is strange. If Debien were a demon worshiper, he wouldn’t be so relaxed.’
Seeing the Pope so relaxed, contrary to his expectations, Sabienlli instinctively felt that something was amiss.
The Pope pointed to the sofa and said.
“Please sit down, Count.”
At the Pope’s invitation, Sabienlli sat on the sofa, and the Pope sat opposite him.
“Yes, I have read the letter.”
At that moment.
I felt the air in the room change dramatically.
“How do you feel, accusing a saint who has dedicated everything to humanity without hesitation as a demon worshiper?”
At those words, Sabienlli asked the Pope with a bewildered face.
“Wh… What do you mean?”
A saint.
Sabienlli knew how noble that word was.
Saint Iyel.
Before the warriors appeared, he was chosen by God to spread God’s teachings throughout this land.
He burned everything he had for the naked and the poor, and he pleaded with God to allow humans to perform miracles with divine power.
The position of Pope signifies someone who has inherited the will of a saint.
Sabienlli knew well the weight of the name saint.
“He’s a saint? What are you talking about?”
Sabienlli asked with his eyes wide open, but the Pope shook his head firmly and said.
“I will not tell you the details because he does not want to talk about it. But I cannot tolerate you interfering with him or sending such ridiculous letters for political reasons!”
-Thud!
Sabienlli, who saw the Pope slam his fist on the table, asked a question.
“Then… what about the explosion at the Roman Inn? I definitely saw dark purple magic that day. That must have been…”
“Stop! Stop! How can you mention them in front of me when you know nothing about demon worshipers?! Have you fought demon worshipers longer than I have? How can you jump to the conclusion that it’s magic just because you saw purple?”
At those words, Sabienlli felt that the Pope was lying.
And with good reason…
Debien, who called himself a saint, definitely knew about demon worshipers.
Purple is the symbol of magic.
The Pope must be reprimanding him now and warning him not to get involved in this matter.
‘In that case, should I assume that the Grand Duke… is dealing with the demon worshipers?’
I’m not sure why, but I feel certain that the Grand Duke is currently scheming something against the demon worshippers.
“So I ask that you neither interfere with the Grand Duke nor criticize him, but follow him piously. That will be your atonement.”
The Pope says as he rises from his seat.
This is nothing short of a clear banishment order, so Sabrinella rises from her seat.
***
Joy’s room.
A gray-haired girl and a red-haired girl are sitting on the sofa.
Both of them are incredibly cute in appearance, but the red-haired girl is already a married woman.
“Unnie, how is this?” Joy asks as she looks at Mary reading a book in her hand calmly.
Mary’s face turns pale at Joy’s words.
‘Ugh… This is really driving me crazy.’
I can’t believe she’s writing an erotic novel with such an innocent and pure face…
Honestly, it’s really dirty.
Especially the part where the female protagonist ties the male protagonist’s hands and gets on top of him to squeeze him…
Or the part where she puts a choker around the male protagonist’s neck is shocking.
‘Should I try putting a choker on Agrippa’s neck later?’
Mary has such a fierce imagination, but Joy wants her feedback with her eyes shining.
With her face flushed red, Mary gives her a thumbs up and says, “Really! It’s so dirty! Wow… You really have a talent for this?”
The princess, who is first in line to the throne of this country, has a talent for writing erotic novels.
How terrible is this?
“Really?! Hehe… Will everyone like it if I write this?”
This is a male-dominated society.
In such a place, a novel in which a woman of higher status than a man squeezes a man…
It’s nothing short of taboo, but that’s why Mary finds it even more appealing.
In fact, it’s a novel that’s just her taste, so it can’t be helped.
Because Joy has Theodora’s appearance, but Mary’s personality.
“Hehe! Thank you, Unnie. I’ll have to show this to my friends too.”
Mary gulps as she watches Joy, who plans to make a few more copies and distribute them to her close maids.
‘Can I just… leave her alone?’