70 – 70. Emperor
What is the emperor thinking?
And what is the reality behind the ‘remarkable reward’ he decided to give me?
If Sienna’s speculation about the empress’s involvement is correct, it might be a situation where they need to be quite tense.
Perhaps the art of dealing with meritorious subjects is much more systematic, ruthless, and cold in the Eastern Empire than in the West. It wouldn’t be surprising if the commendation for meritorious service was akin to an entry in the Book of Life and Death.
This is not the true capital, so it might be a bit excessive to lament even the lives of criminals.
Moreover, the Empress was still relying on the Silvini I govern. She played instruments in a trance state, and lately, she even mentioned creating sheet music. Other than the Empress, it might be an Eastern-style sheet music that no one else could recognize.
Anyway, she was living each day joyfully, as if compensating for lost years.
“Is there a reason for her to suddenly want to perform surgery on me?”
Certainly, the Empress must have a purpose too.
The problem was that there was no time to find out what it was. She had even kept her mouth shut in front of Siena, who was close enough to be like real mother and daughter.
It was a wasteful act to do this while struggling to find an answer.
Moreover, I had other things to do.
Marcella, who became both a royal judge and a warrior.
I had promised to help her family, addicted to heroin. And I was still fulfilling that promise. There was no time to postpone, as withdrawal symptoms had already started when I made the promise.
…
“Give me heroin. No, don’t give it to me. I’ll just watch without using. That beautiful powder.”
An elf, with a face and neck covered in cold sweat, wriggling.
It was a scene I witnessed while bringing oral fluid.
“I’ll endure. I won’t endure. …But is there a reason to endure? Of course, there is a reason to endure. It’s not just the elders, right? I don’t want to live on Hoen Earth anyway. I have to impress Marcella to live. Still, I like heroin.”
So, I want to endure, but I won’t endure it.
A faint voice murmuring, a green-haired elf like Marcella.
Turns out, she was Marcella’s cousin. Her name was Hotalin.
And the elf nearby, wrapped tightly in a blanket and shivering, was also a relative of Marcella. It turns out that being a close blood relative was the only truth.
‘That’s probably why Marcella accepted my proposal.’
Giving and taking dru*gs is considered a dirty business, I know that. But rather than breaking the promise we made, it’s better to decisively cut the tie.
The parties involved were still struggling.
Muscle pain, fever and chills, insomnia, loss of appetite. Even when withdrawal symptoms peaked, they would complain of intense pain, saying, “It feels like shivers in the bones.”
Meanwhile, the craving for heroin was growing.
Knowing that just 10 milligrams of heroin would make all the pain disappear. If Marcela hadn’t ordered her subordinates to control them, they might have rushed towards heroin.
Was this pitiful sight of these cousins disturbing?
Even in the midst of negotiating peace treaties with the empire’s bureaucrats, Marcela would discreetly check on her cousins’ condition.
“Alan Madox. Why do you keep giving him water? …He’s just going to vomit anyway.”
“It’s not just water, it’s saline. I’ll tell you the ratio now. Actually, the most dangerous thing in the process of quitting dru*gs is dehydration.”
“…How long will this state last?”
“It varies from person to person.”
Quitting on their own, like Marcela, was impossible. She just somehow managed it.
“I know. It was excruciating for the first two days, but after that, I thought I could survive. But others were different, too much. …Just give me a rough estimate.”
“This state will continue for about 2 more weeks.”
“And after enduring that?”
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“The physical pain will decrease, but the craving will remain.”
Taking methadone (heroin substitute) and faithfully following a 16-month detox program, even for someone who went to work, the fear of craving was so overwhelming that they would unconsciously reach for heroin if they saw it.
Even after returning with a healthy body and mind, there was a possibility that the craving would revive if heroin was nearby.
Moreover, the elves were abruptly quitting without any reduction.
“It’s truly a dreadful substance.”
“……”
“The one who made that is as ruthless as a heroin addict.”
No retort came from here. Considering the cousins were behaving like that due to withdrawal symptoms, this was relatively lenient.
“Then we should send it to a place where heroin cannot be seen.”
“And it’s better to provide a motive to maintain the abstinence. These elves eventually decided to take the dru*g because they thought living on Ho’en Earth was unbearable. It’s better to start thinking about different motives from now on.”
“Think about it. Oh, and congratulations.”
“……?”
Congratulations? Something seemed off, so Marcella turned to look.
Silver hair and cobalt-colored eyes. An appearance that, apart from the trained body, didn’t reveal the characteristics of a warrior just by looking at the face.
There didn’t seem to be any malice.
More precisely, it might be better to say that she didn’t know how to be malicious. Rather than scratching gently, she seemed clueless about how to provoke.
In the end, it meant there was indeed something to congratulate. And when she heard, it was true.
“Your emperor is planning to come directly to the border city of Antrim to sign a ceasefire treaty. He said he wants to meet you there, so please go quietly. I know meeting the emperor means a lot to a human like you.”
It could have been called without going through Marcela, but for some reason, they chose to summon me through Marcela, the new leader of Medelin.
Perhaps it was an intention to hide until the end, preventing me from getting any hints. Whatever the emperor’s intention was, there was no way to refuse his call.
The other party was the ruler of the empire.
**
Four days later. I was finally able to leave the Great Forest.
The destination was the border city of Antrim near the Great Forest.
Once a military city supporting the battles against elves, it would likely change its nature a lot in the future. Considering the abundant resources pouring out of the Great Forest, it was certain that this place would become a future economic hub.
That’s why the Antrem Market felt desperate under Yooim’s gaze.
“I’m Alan, the consul. Haven’t I been of great help practically? If you happen to go to a good place, please don’t forget.”
The market groveled shamelessly, but the emperor just nodded reluctantly.
I was in a situation where I was summoned to recognize the emperor who had traveled this far.
Emperor of the Britannia Empire, Edmund III.
In the original, he was just a father who loved his youngest daughter.
He would restrain and be jealous of Leon, whom his youngest daughter Anais liked, helplessly pretending to lose, express anger when his second daughter Siena caused trouble, saying, “This time, I cannot forgive.” but eventually relenting, and in his middle age, relying on his eldest daughter Victoria while boiling inside.
But now, he was a nobleman whose inner thoughts were hard to guess.
‘Even if he listens to the empress’s political advice, nothing will change.’
The fact that Edmund III accepted the empress’s political advice ultimately meant he sympathized with her. He hadn’t even revealed his intentions to his daughters.
If the emperor had decided how to deal with me…
It would be difficult to change that decision now by turning words with improvisation. Still, I should try until the end.
“Consul Alan. Her Majesty wishes to see you.”
“Yes.”
Finally, the moment of recognition.
The door of the temporary office that the emperor had chosen as his office in the market opened.
While regularly communicating with Princesses 1 and 2, and even personally closing down the monastery where the youngest, Princess 3, was, the emperor was different.
I followed all the protocols as I approached the emperor. I didn’t forget to politely praise him as the sun of the empire.
“Alan Maydoff.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Please proceed.”
The emperor just stared at me as I waited in silence.
Though I couldn’t read his thoughts, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of tension.
The emperor’s gaze, distant and unapproachable, added weight to his already imposing figure that even most knights would envy.
After some time had passed,
“The tribute from Gyeong, it is greatly appreciated.”
“Your Majesty.”
“We will recognize the ruling authority of Prime Minister Marcela and accept her ceasefire conditions, in return for giving up 50% of Dae-Surim’s territory. There is no set deadline, just like the disarmament. The negotiations have already concluded and it will be enforced in two months.”
“It is all thanks to Your Majesty,”
“Not really. It should be seen as the merit of only the Prime Minister. Anyone who knows the inside story would think the same.”
“….”
It’s already starting.
The content of his speech clearly favors the prime minister, but the emperor’s expression remained stern.
Not exactly animosity, but it felt like he was observing me with some distance. As expected, the emperor was receiving advice from someone…
“Allan Maydoff. I have one question for now.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
“My most trusted advisor said this. If you were a knight, you would be able to discern the presence of a shadow behind me. And he said that you would also know who that shadow is. …But he also said that you wouldn’t show it.”
“….”
“Is this true?”
Even if I say I don’t know, he won’t believe me. I simply lowered my gaze politely.
And thanks to that, I was able to gain certainty.
The presence standing behind the emperor was undoubtedly Empress Yeonhwa.
Once a severe case of depression, she had now become a malicious and cunning noble of the Jin country. The emperor obediently followed her advice.
As if it were strange or bitter, the emperor nodded his head while I was half asleep.
“Reward… Yes. I definitely called you to discuss the reward. And I do plan on actually giving it. The right to operate in the territory that you will undoubtedly acquire, a title… Ah, and if you wish, I will bestow privileges upon your family as well.”
“…”
“But there is a separate, greater reward.”
“Please tell me.”
“My advisor once said that the more difficult a subordinate is, the closer they should be kept. He even provided me with specific methods, saying that rejecting and keeping them at a distance is actually a handshake… I found it to be an effective method as well and agreed.”
The emperor paused for a moment.
But soon, his order was given.
“Allen Maydoff.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Marry my daughter.”