The Old Sage’s Last Teachings ~Ludwig’s Consultation~
Late at night… After the banquet in the Lulu tribe’s village was over, Ludwig came to the wandering sage, Galv, who was staying at the chieftain’s house.
“Hmm, is that you, Ludwig?”
The chieftain’s house is made of wood, and its entrance is slightly elevated. To reach it, once has to climb a set of stairs. Halfway up the stairs, Galv was sitting. In his hand was a wooden bowl filled with muddy sake. The moon that can be seen through the trees in the forest. It seemed like he was continuing the drinking party on his own.
Seeing that figure, Ludwig was a little surprised. Galv, who was strong against alcohol and had never seen him drunk, was blushing in a good mood.
“Aren’t you drinking too much, master?”
Galv gave a nasty smile to Ludwig, who frowned.
“Well, it’s all your fault. Because of the delightful encounters you brought me, you see, I still have to work, too. Haha, I planned to wither and die in secret, but because of you, that’s now all ruined.”
Contrary to his words, Galv’s voice is bright. Ludwig wonders if he’s too drunk to talk to him.
“Do you want to talk something with me, Ludwig?”
When he glanced at his master, there was a sharp and perceptive light in his eyes. Ludwig sat down next to his master, then took a deep breath before starting.
“Actually, I want Princess Mia to become the Empress… That’s what I’m thinking. Therefore, Master, I would like to ask for your cooperation.”
Ludwig cut to the chase and didn’t mince his words. He did this knowing his master’s personality that dislikes roundabout things.
“Hou… the Empress.”
Galv looked down at the cup of sake and narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
“I see. Her Highness Princess Mia is an astute person. If she is worthy of the name of the empire’s wisdom, the country may start moving in a good direction… but…”
Then Galv turned a sharp glance at Ludwig.
“Ludwig, I have one question for you.”
“What is it, master?”
Ludwig corrects his posture. He heard the same deep, still voice when he was being taught.
“Is it because of her wisdom that you recommend Her Highness the Princess as Empress?”
Ludwig was perplexed by the too obvious question. For a moment, he wondered if there was something beneath the question. Even though he was worried, he nodded loudly.
“That’s right, Master. Her wisdom is comparable to yours. If she becomes Empress, I’m sure she will lead this country well and avoid bad customs…”
“Then what if she doesn’t have wisdom?”
Ludwig shook his head at the words that followed.
“What does that mean?”
“Well… let’s ask another way. What would you do if she used her intellect for evil?”
“She won’t do that. She is wise…”
“Intellect can be impeccable as evil, Ludwig. The foolish do not have sole agency over evil. Just as there is the evil of fools and the good of fools; there is the good and evil of the wise. The honed mind is as a blade. A sharper one cuts better, but it still cuts any which way.”
After speaking in a heavy tone, the sage silently stares at Ludwig.
“Then let me ask, Ludwig. Why do you serve her? Is it because of her wisdom? Or does it come from something else?”
“That is……”
Ludwig could not answer.
“Why do you follow that person …. Depending on that, you may become hostile to her in the future. You should be clear.”
Saying that, the master laughed quietly.
It was that night that Ludwig had a dream.
It was a strange dream. An ominous dream in which the Tearmoon Empire was facing its decline. Finances deteriorated due to great famine and epidemics, and government officials left the country one after another. Under such circumstances, Ludwig strived to rebuild the country under Princess Mia.
Strangely enough, Ludwig in his dream hated Mia.
An incompetent princess of the imperial family, a disgusting fellow who lives in peace while burdening the country. Originally, he had absolutely no obligation to help her, but he reluctantly cooperated in rebuilding the empire.
That day, Ludwig was visiting a small village with Mia.
A village that has escaped the spread of epidemics and is relatively unaffected by the great famine. Nonetheless, the villagers were hungry, and people gave up, or hated the nobles and cursed their fate.
They weren’t very kind to Mia’s group, but no one went so far as to go against the guards and take up the sword. After seeing the state of the village and saying words of encouragement to the soldiers who were struggling to maintain public order, Mia said in the carriage.
“Oh, I want a cake. I know there’s no bread but there might be some cake.”
“No. Both cakes and bread are made from wheat.”
“Is that so…?”
Mia drops her shoulders dejectedly. Ludwig sees this and becomes a little annoyed.
Even though it’s hard to get even a small piece of bread, she is even looking for a cake…
“Just one would be enough…”
What?! One?! That is already a luxury!
His frustration quickly turns into disgust. This is why he couldn’t stand nobles. Ludwig let out a sigh. But…
“If I could get a one whole cake, it should be enough for the village. Maybe not with all the adults, but at least with the children…”
“E……?”
At those words, Ludwig’s thoughts came to a halt.
“In that case I’d like a big cake. With enough strawberries on it as well. Those villagers seemed so upset. If they all get a slice of cake with a strawberry, I’m sure they would feel much better.”
I thought she wanted to eat everything by herself…
At least, Ludwig’s image of Mia was that kind of person. That’s why he suddenly wanted to ask something rude.
“Your Highness, suppose I told you that I could prepare a cake just for one person, what would you do?”
“Is that true!?”
“No, it’s just hypothetical. I said ‘suppose’.”
“Eh… Uh, hmm, that’s right… Assuming that one person is a one giant soldier…”
“No. It’s just for Her Highness Princess Mia. One slice of cake.”
It’s just a hypothetical. Nevertheless, Mia had a really serious face, and after groaning,
“In that case, ku, uh, it can’t be helped. I’ll settle with one bite too… Oh, but isn’t the strawberry the size of a bite? That means I can get a strawberry… so…”
Mia mutters something while wrinkling her brow. Seeing that, Ludwig was shocked.
She’s seriously fretting over her answer?!
A hypocrite wouldn’t fret. She would just say that she will give it all the people. The egotist wouldn’t fret. She would just eat it all herself.
Mia was neither. She fretted. She was faced with the genuine distress of being able to get the strawberry.
There existed people who would be willing to give to others as long as they had enough to eat themselves. They were not exactly saints, but they are still better than most nobles. Nobles, after all, are a group of people who wouldn’t share until their own meals are guaranteed. But what “guaranteed” means is the problem. Those who have a gurantee for a meal today, would want a gurantee for a meal tomorrow, then again for the next day, then for a week, then for a month, then for a year, then for a decade… and so on.
Ludwig had that impression of Mia as well. Therefore, Mia’s answer was shocking.
“Hmm? What is it? Ludwig. I heard you said something.”
Ludwig shook his head slightly at Mia who looked suspicious.
“No, I was just a little surprised.
“Well! Ludwig, did you think that when I saw the state of that village, I would have the cake all to myself!?”
“Yes, I never doubted it.”
Mia grinds her teeth at such a quick reply.
“Grrr… this stupid four-eyes…”
Mia was mumbling something, but let out a big sigh to calm herself down.
“Seeing someone in trouble, and me being in a position to help but ignoring them: it hurts that you think that I am that kind of person.”
Ludwig replied to Mia with a look of genuine admiration.
“I see… Your Highness Princess Mia, you seem to be a decent person to some extent.”
“What!? What do you mean by a certain extent? Damn stupid four-eyes, you have a foul mouth!”
“Says the one who keeps on calling me ‘stupid four-eyes’.”
That’s how Ludwig thought, even as he cursed. This person may not be the best as a master, but she may be someone worth serving.
And he knows this well.
Mia is proud. Yet despite her habit of complaining, she always listened to Ludwig’s advice.
Mia is a timid person. Yet instead of running away, she remains in the empire and strives to rebuild it.
Mia is a slow learner. Yet despite Ludwig’s tough teachings, she continued to soldier on through learning.
Seeing her like that, Ludwig began to wish.
Please, I hope that this foolish princess’s hard work will be rewarded, even if just a little.
And then he started dreaming. If the empire were able to escape from this current predicament, he would advise and work alongside this hopelessly unreliable master. To make this country a better place, he will do his best as her vassal. Ludwig thought that such a future wouldn’t be too bad.
That’s why when Mia was put on the guillotine, he…
Then he woke up.
“Just now…was it a dream?” Ludwig was in a cold sweat. The dream he was having just now… it was so real that he could call it a memory.
“Nonsense… Her Highness Princess Mia can’t be that stupid…”
It was an impossible dream. It was a very rude dream towards Mia, the Wisdom of the Empire. Ludwig tried to laugh it off. But he couldn’t. A deep part of him refused to laugh.
Deep down, he flet that it wasn’t just a dream but more of a memory – and an important one at that too. Something he couldn’t afford to forget. Somehow, he also knew, beyond reason and doubt, that the girl in the dream was indeed the princess that he is serving, Mia Luna Tearmoon. On the surface, they were very different. At their core, they were one and the same.
In Ludwig’s mind, the scene in the slums resurfaced. Mia ran to the dirty child and took care of him. She did not care how dirty he was. Her words from the dream echoed to him.
Seeing someone in trouble, and knowing I am in the position to help…
Helping someone is the natural thing to do. Whether it may stem from morality or political calculation, the conclusion is the same.
How many nobles will help the dirty and weak? Even though he was a commoner, he hesitated to enter the slums. But Mia did it. The only one he knew that would do it was Mia Luna Tearmoon. Knowing that someone is lying down and not helping out would make her feel bad. That was Mia’s core.
“…I see”
Ludwig finally comes to his senses. His admiration for intellect and wisdom remains unchanged. His loyalty, however, has shifted its direction.
“It is her essence, her core, to which I should devote myself.”
The thought brought with it a flood of emotions to him. It felt like remembering a long-lost memory… as if the dream that he just had was real.
It all makes sense now… it is not the Great Wisdom of the Empire. It never was. It is the person inside. My dream… has always been to server Her Highness… and realize her goals.
The next day, Ludwig visited his master again.
Seeing his disciple with a lighter expression, Galv smiled quietly. Today there was no sake cup in his hand. This is because it would be disrespectful for his disciple if he is drunk.
“I think you have the answer, Ludwig.”
“Yes, master.”
“Then let me ask you, Ludwig. Why are you pushing Princess Mia to become Empress?”
Ludwig, as if digesting the question posed to him, was silent for a short while, and then answered.
“Mia-sama… if she makes a mistake in ignorance, then she would never knowingly repeat that mistake.”
She might not know that there are people in trouble, but once she was aware, she would never leave them to their fates. She possessed a soul capable of loathing such neglect. That was why he pledged to her his loyalty, and his life.
“Even if she loses her wisdom, or if she loses her way… then I shall tell her so. So long as I do, she will never choose the wrong path.”
Galv nodded in satisfaction at that answer.
“Amazing… you found your way, Ludwig.”
“Yes, master. Thank you for your teaching.”
“That will be my last teaching to you. Serve Her Highness Princess Mia well, Ludwig.”
“Yes, master. And thank you for your cooperation for Mia-sama’s sake.”
Ludwig bowed deeply.
Meanwhile the princess in question didn’t know that such an extremely serious meeting was held,
“Ohoho! And to think that Ludwig was stressing so much about this meeting. He was a pushover! They are all pushovers! Once I got involved, none of them stood a chance!”
Enjoying her blissful ignorance, Mia proudly returned to Viscount Berman’s mansion.
With the addition of Galv, along with all the students who answered his call, the staffing issues of Saint Mia Academy were solved in one go.
Of course, after this, she would run into another problem in trying to recruit the Princess of Perujin, Arshia Tafrif Perujin. But that is for another story.
Author’s Note:
Activity report update.
I think of updating daily this week and next week.
This was a very very long chapter. The longest I have translated so far.
