211 – Epilogue-4
“On behalf of the royal family, I sincerely thank you for creating this event.”
“…because there is no need to fight.”
I sat on a stool wearing luxurious clothes I had never worn in my life.
The jewels were only in the necessary parts, but each one looked like a huge and precious jewel that was terrifying to ask for the price.
The clothes were a bit heavy. Of course, seriously, if it’s clothes that I can’t lift on my own, there’s no way ordinary people can wear them, so it’s probably a psychological problem.
“Thank you again for your mercy.”
I resisted fiercely when the elders said that I had to wear these clothes and start negotiations, but I was able to understand the meaning after sitting here.
The clothes of the imperial family standing in front of me were just as luxurious and authoritative as mine.
“Tell me.”
It was very clear that they did not trust each other. It was a good thing.
Even when negotiating with me, instead of sending one trustworthy representative, a chaotic situation arose as representatives from factions were sent.
“We will not forget what the warrior has contributed to this empire. It won’t be such a difficult condition.”
Contrary to the gentle words of the old imperial family, the amount of papers he handed over was not small.
“It’s not short. If it’s this long, shouldn’t I have given you time to read it by handing it to you in advance?”
Although I wasn’t a person well versed in politics, I was well aware of the need for behind-the-scenes negotiations before meeting like this.
The writing was readable, but not at a very meaningful level.
The negotiation text filled with jargon and pedantic phrases was not something I could understand to my level.
“For now, I’ll take it positively. I’ll need some time, so I’ll call you back later.”
It was a fruitless meeting, but just showing the fact that we are negotiating would be enough to put an end to the turmoil in the capital.
“thank you.”
The old imperial family politely bowed their heads. Perhaps, this imperial family did not seem to be the representative of their faction.
I tried to send them back, but none of the imperial family got up.
“…Well?”
“Well, I’d appreciate it if you could read our suggestions as well.”
My head got dizzy. I thought they were just coming together to spy on each other, but no way, if I’m guessing right.
“no way…”
As if to prove that my ominous imagination was right, they pushed me with different negotiation proposals.
It seemed that the future was not going to be so smooth.
/////
If I had to say that I was a trusted politician, it was definitely decided.
After all the negotiators, I slowly listened to her advice.
“This part, about ensuring discretionary rights regarding taxes… This should never be allowed. The moment this condition is entered, they will get the basis to legally exploit the people.”
“Nevertheless, I felt cheap from the moment I saw this clause.”
I nodded slowly and agreed with her.
“Anything over night, unlawful requisitions or contemptuous actions… If this provision is allowed, it will all be at the discretion of the nobles.”
“All of that will be done to replace the taxes they couldn’t pay.”
Selling ordinary citizens into slavery or imprisoning them was not something that could be easily tolerated, no matter how soft the imperial laws were.
However, it could have been much easier and simpler to sell citizens who habitually failed to pay their taxes, to sell them into slavery, to imprison them, or to make them pay their taxes in some other way.
“Then, how about this. Is there a problem with this provision?”
“Freedom to hunt… As plausible as it may seem, allowing nobles something doesn’t mean they are simply allowed to do it.”
“then?”
“The right to oppress citizens to manage forests used for hunting, and to collect huge taxes on hunters who hunt deer or animals in the forest…”
If I had to say the hunting I knew, it was about bringing back the corpse of a wild boar that Nerwen had disappeared somewhere during the journey. I didn’t think that such a situation would exist.
“And you should take it to mean that it includes the right to mobilize the people for hunting. This, too, must ask for permission from the Empire for individual hunting.”
“It’s not easy.”
Either way, there was no provision that could not be abused.
“The right to guarantee the honor of the royal family and nobility… This, too, is just a pun.”
“why?”
“According to this article, the new emperor is obliged to preserve and protect their honor. And, if their honor should ever fall to the ground in the most common way… it would be a trial.”
“I’ll turn around.”
So, are these guys asking for immunity from immunity for the nobility and the royal family who are on the list? In fact, even reading it further made me feel bad.
“As expected, wasn’t the shock I gave them… not enough?”
Hundreds of soldiers fell. With some luck involved, not one of them died.
Maybe that’s why they’re looking at me lightly.
“It wasn’t enough, but maybe they couldn’t back down either. There will be nobility and royalty supporting them, and they may not be satisfied with these conditions.”
The death of the former emperor was an event like a celebration for the nobility.
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Just reading the reports that came to me through so many people, I could see that they were running amok.
“You mean you don’t want to go back?”
Eleanor nodded with a heavy face.
“Or, maybe it just takes time. They haven’t yet felt how strong the hero is.”
Even if they suffered defeat in the battle at the imperial palace, there are many nobles and many soldiers in the empire.
Some of them may be thinking, ‘If we all attack together, we can defeat the hero.’
Or, expecting me to think that way, I proudly pushed for excessive conditions.
“…a bit scary.”
“What are you afraid of?”
Eleanor, since that day, has treated me with respect.
At some point, she may have recognized me as the new emperor and herself as a knight serving him.
“Now you’re really… in a position of responsibility.”
can’t do everything As power becomes infinite, so does responsibility.
If I had agreed to this agreement of my own accord, without calling Eleanor or any other servant, this would have done many harm.
“Someday I will… act like you.”
Eleanor, in the end, didn’t change until the end.
She thought me most important, but that didn’t mean she was prepared to sacrifice someone else for me.
However, I wasn’t sure that I was a different person from her.
Whether Eleanor or Parseer, they didn’t bother me out of genuine loathing or disgust.
I just turned a blind eye for a moment. Because I thought I had more important things to do than pay attention to my pain.
Now, soon to be emperor. Even if the rest of the imperial family resisted, they wouldn’t be able to stop me from becoming emperor.
I do it because it is necessary, but it comes with responsibility.
“You, you will never follow in my footsteps. Enerel. I can be sure.”
But Eleanor, as always, spoke to me with unwavering eyes.”
“…why?”
“Because he was the one who suffered more than anyone else. Even if a situation comes when you have to sacrifice someone else, you will always be saddened by that sacrifice.”
“…”
Actually, it wasn’t very nutritious.
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Just because I felt that way didn’t mean I wasn’t going to be like her.
“I guarantee you… on my poor name… Enerel, you will never fail. At least not the way I did… never.”
But seeing Eleanor’s warm smile, I couldn’t bear to say that it couldn’t be.
“… Let’s go back to the beginning. These questions, you’ll have to check them all.”
Of course, I had no intention of accepting this absurd agreement. However, that doesn’t mean you can completely ignore it.
Even if I was strong, I wasn’t in a position to roam around the vast empire and slash.
After all, governance must be done through the nobility, and at some point the use of force must be stopped and negotiations must be initiated.
I had to make up my mind which articles were unacceptable for what reasons, and then memorize them in my head.
“The next clause…”
A few seconds after I thought I had to work, I blankly looked at Eleanor’s profile.
It was like burnt ashes. Ashes who burned themselves all their lives, and realized that they had burned too much only after the heavy rain calmed them down.
However, she was still there. That sharp, steely spirit has faded, but the desire to warm someone remains unchanged.
“Ennelel?”
“…No, sorry. Let’s start over.”
After tilting her head for a moment, Eleanor began to read the next question.
Embarrassingly, it took more time before I really started to focus on the negotiation text.