Now 21 years old, Sevi has become a beautiful young man with sharp eyes.
His long green hair was tied back, and quite a few people seemed to be flirting with his shimmering locks.
Most of all, he grew much taller, it was embarrassing to be teased by Began and the others.
As he grew bigger, so much bigger than the taller Axion, I repeatedly reminded myself not to cut the young child’s future short too fast.
Jeanne, who grew as beautifully as a clear ice flower, remained the quiet one and did not speak much.
The others found such a figure quite difficult to approach, and they all rolled their tongues, “she seems to be her title of Ice Wall,” they said.
Despite the distance, both of these beauties were of marriageable age, which drove the suitors away.
Anasta, the guardian of the two, seemed quite troubled by it. People would come to ask permission for them or whatever they call it.
But in my opinion, half of the suitors who came to Anasta came for her, so it wasn’t just unfair.
At some relative distance, Tragula and Optatio were sitting side by side.
Optatio, who was 10 years old at the time of the Holy Demon War, has grown up and is now a young Count of 15.
Optatio grew grayish-brown hair that resembled Countess Nerus to cover his face, but the thin chin tip and softly visible eyes definitely overlapped Tragula’s figure.
‘He looks more and more like Tragula as the years go by.’
I don’t know if Tragula made it clear that he was his father…
I saw Optatio’s face and thought he’d find out soon enough.
Well, family matters are sensitive and Tragula will do well.
I circled the meeting room that way, and as soon as I sat down on the throne, everyone’s eyes were on me.
I didn’t want to be a group project presenter, so I was preoccupied with the PPT, but how did I end up like this…
I had forgotten for a while before I became emperor that the emperor was originally a position that undertook this type of work.
I swallowed a sigh and got right down to business as soon as I took the throne.
“I appreciate you all taking time out of your busy schedules to attend every meeting. So, what’s on the agenda this time?”
Anasta, who had taken charge of the meeting, checked the list of items on the agenda and opened her mouth without hesitation.
“The first issue is the recommendation of Grand Duke Ventus.”
“Rejected.”
“No, why?”
Sevi rose from his seat. But as soon as Meyer raised his eyebrows, he sat down again.
I shook my head and said.
“You haven’t missed anything since you turned 20, Grand Duke. I don’t say this much, but you need to learn to give up.”
“Your Majesty, honestly, isn’t that too much? I can’t live with that title for the rest of my life.”
Sevi said, pretending to be very poor as if he were begging.
It used to be a title that he craved so much for, but it’s too bad that he can’t put it in his mouth…
The request to change the title of Sevi was like a cannonball that signaled the beginning of a meeting, and everyone in the conference room was not keen on it.
“I think I clearly tried to stop you…”
“You should have stopped me more! Don’t you think it’s too cruel to keep a child’s mischief in the archives for generations to come?”
He pretended to cry before, but now he’s angry. Of course, I understood Sevi’s mind.
Beyond remaining in all literature as “Sevi Ventus, the Destroyer of Gales,” the title of Sevi Ventus was also widely disseminated because of Meyer’s memorial project.
But there was no way around it.
The historian recorded that even the imperial state could not back out.
As if aware of these circumstances, Sevi spoke with dignity and desperation.
“The request I present to you is different. I already know that I cannot correct what has already been recorded! Please just correct the title. Or at least take my title off the Black Order souvenirs that Grand Duke Knox prints!”
“Hmmm… I’ll give my positive consideration. Now, the next item.”
It was then that the face of Sevi finally brightened.
This is why you shouldn’t get ahead at such a young age. If I had to continue to use my adolescent internet nickname as an adult… It’s terrible just to think about it.
Since then, ordinary and distant agendas have passed by.
“There will be a good harvest everywhere, and taxes will be available in a relaxed manner. All of this is due to Your Majesty’s reign.”
Meanwhile, a single nobleman sneaked in a sneaky quip in his face.
Arund, who wielded considerable power in the south, was also a count.
What use could I, who knew nothing of farming, be to a good harvest? He must be flattering me to look good. I snickered.
“Well, I didn’t do anything. Still, a bountiful harvest sounds pretty good to me.”
A look of embarrassment spread across the Count’s face, as if he was still not used to flattery. Count Arund shook his head and spoke hastily.
“I believe that the roads that Your Majesty has built-in each region have helped the regions to develop, avoid bad harvests, and promote the exchange of information and farm products. We all owe it to Your Majesty’s grace, don’t we?”
“Yes, yes. I understand. I understand.”
I thought he was going to paint my face in gold with every word until I admitted it, so I nodded my head indifferently and waved my hand.
It had been two years since I ascended to the throne, yet he seemed to have no idea what I liked and disliked.
To them, efficiency was the extreme opposite of aristocracy.
Otherwise, it was not explained that I, the emperor, couldn’t understand the efficiency.
The Count, who had also started the conversation, Arund, continued cautiously, sweating.
“Our empire is already on a solid foundation… It’s been a good year and the people of the empire are at peace…”
“Hm.”
While talking, he felt strangely self-conscious. The subtle diagonal shift in his expression was…
I glanced sideways at Meyer. Meyer didn’t do anything to him, right?
Meyer was sitting with his back in a chair with his natural eyes down.
I frowned and brushed off the Count, who didn’t seem to be able to get to the point.
“So what’s the point?”
“Since there is plenty of room in the empire and Your Majesty has been immersed in work without a break until now, why not enjoy a break and preserve the rooftops for a while?”
Meyer shook his head and added a hint as if he was good. He had recently lived up to his word to rest a bit, so it was not surprising that he had intrigued Count Arund to offer his opinion. I sighed and shook my head.
“I don’t need to do that. Even though I have lower stats than my level, I am a member of a titled expedition. I don’t have the physical strength to be this tired.”
“But…”
The Count hesitated, his words slurred. It was a face wondering if he should talk or not.
But as if he had quickly made up his mind, he added with his eyes closed.
“But it’s time to see an heir soon.”
“What?”
Meyer’s face contorted and he said. His spine stood in and his otherwise large body drooped dangerously forward.
Hmmm… I guess the latter wasn’t what he was consulted about.
Or they didn’t discuss the rest in the first place…
From Meyer’s point of view, he said he was good, but he put a knife in his back.
Flames rose in Meyer’s golden eyes. Meyer reached like a demon crawling up from the depths of a sulfur-boiling hell.
“I ordered that the latter story should not be mentioned, Count.”
No. Did he talk about it? When? Why on earth?
I looked at Meyer in a panic.
Come to think of it, Meyer and I have never exchanged a conversation about an heir… I was so busy that I didn’t have time to discuss it in depth.
‘I thought he was oddly consistent with contraception, but…’
From that attitude, I guessed that he did not like the idea of me getting pregnant, but I did not realize that he tried to control the public opinion of the nobility. The reaction was more sensitive than I had expected.
“Ah, no amount of Grand Duke Knox can stop me from admonishing loyalty to things for the sake of the peace of the Empire!”
Count Arundo did not shudder and refuted him firmly with his eyes closed. There was no other loyalty like that spirit.
However, Meyer does not seem to feel much of such loyalty. He shouted loudly.
“Loyalty? Do you say that because you think you are more loyal than I am? Do I seem less loyal toward Her Majesty than you?”
In the dungeon, without trying too hard, the 80th level of anger was enough to shut the mouths of all.
But the Count was more tenacious than I thought.
“Is it because you are incapacitated and hold on to the absence of an heir with your obsession! Your Majesty, only with an imperial heir can the country remain unshaken. Listen to my words of advice.”
Ah. It’s an ulterior motive to use the lack of an heir as an excuse to force others as concubines.
He seemed to have no doubt that Meyer’s incompetence was to blame for the fact that we still had no heir.
Surely he didn’t think for a minute that we would use contraception. Because there is no reason to use contraception.
How could I make that mistake? I shook my head.
My first priority was to get rid of this mess. I first of all stopped Meyer, who was anxious to get rid of Count Arund from the world because he couldn’t stop him from talking.
“Calm down, Grand Duke Knox.”
“But Your Majesty!”
Meyer shouted loudly, but when I pointed my palm at him, meaning to stop, his mouth closed.
I continued my words quietly, looking at the party that had ignited the succession issue.
“I have heard about an heir, Count Arundo.”
“Then…”
The count’s face was smudged with color. He seemed to expect me to take his side. I cruelly defied his expectations.
“But you are right that there is no talk of a successor, and I have been too busy to do so. For a start, you have to clap your hands to make a sound.”
As soon as I spoke quietly, several people turned their heads softly in embarrassment. Why, what, why? Once I decided to be brazen, I wasn’t wild. I continued talking without hesitation, with a vigor that no one could interrupt.
“Thank you for offering me a vacation just in time. I will enjoy my rest and talk with Grand Duke Knox about my successor, so please know that.”
“B-but!”
Count Arund’s expectation would have been for me to pull out a concubine and fill them in the palace during my break. Unfortunately, his expectations would never be met.
“I don’t like repeating the same thing twice, Count.”
“…”
When I revealed my annoyance, Count Arund also shut his mouth. If he was going to confront me with a concubine, he could not get out of my sight even more so.
However, I have no intention of retreating honestly here.
How could he cloud the atmosphere of the imperial family by pretending to be loyal? How dare he climb up?
I smiled and completely killed Count Arund’s temper.
“The Count thinks of the country so much, my tears are covering my eyes at your loyalty. You know, just recently the rain that fell in the southern region caused some rivers to blow and collapse their banks… Your territory was in the south, wasn’t it?”
“…”
The count’s face lost color.
