Chapter 110: For the Emperor The Imperial State Council was in full swing, the grand assembly hall packed with the Empire's high-ranking ministers and bureaucrats.
A long line of lobbyists from various interest groups, elders from academic societies, mages from the Magic Towers, and individuals bearing titles like "President of Such-and-Such Association" took turns ascending the podium. Without exception, they poured out proposals for bills that favored their own interests.
"Ahem, there have been many opinions lately that the regulations regarding the use of mana stones by mages are far too strict. Based on the results of my own research, I have prepared a proposal for relaxation..."
The mage demanded a reduction in the mana stone consumption tax.
"I strongly oppose this new environmental regulation! Tightening the standards for factory smoke emissions will decrease productivity and deal a severe blow to the national economy!"
The entrepreneur cried out for the abolition of environmental regulations.
"Please lower the trade tariffs with the Western Empire! Only then can our merchants distribute more goods and make the Empire prosperous!"
The merchants pleaded for a tariff cut.
Most of these suggestions were detrimental to the Empire as a whole but promised immense profit for their specific sectors.
People from all walks of life—entrepreneurs, mages, and more—stepped up to propose countless bills, but most remained mere formalities. The council members let the words go in one ear and out the other, checking their watches with weary faces or yawning.
The real event was yet to come.
Ken Steiner, the Chancellor of the nation, had suddenly resigned one day, and the man responsible for that downfall was expected to arrive soon.
Numerous entrepreneurs had lobbied and petitioned the nobles and council members of the Imperial Palace, but for once, the officials couldn't bring themselves to accept.
Just as the bureaucrats were exchanging uneasy glances—
Creeeeeak—
The doors swung open. Every gaze shifted toward the entrance. The noise died down in an instant.
Onto the red carpet of the grand assembly hall, he appeared.
Blonde hair and golden eyes. A perfectly tailored knight's dress uniform without a single speck of dust. A gait that didn't falter for a second.
Maintaining an air of composure and elegance as he ascended the podium...
"I am Maximilian, a knight of the Sentinel."
Certainly, just as the rumors said.
He looked exactly like the Baltaras from the novels.
*
The speech, covering tax reforms including withholding tax and suggestions regarding corporate obligations, was nearing its end—the opening chapter of my blueprint.
"—As you all know, we are Aranians. Our blood and sweat must be spent only for our own sake."
I recited the script Johann had written for me. My voice resonated clearly throughout the Imperial State Council's assembly hall. It was a conscious resonance I had never produced before.
To be honest, managing my dantian in this way was more exhausting than most battles.
"The air we breathe, the earth we tread upon, the full lives we enjoy—we must never forget that all of it exists within the fence of the Empire."
The script for the State Council was filled with vocabulary far more sophisticated than that of a public speech. It contained many literary phrases that nobles favored.
"Taxes do not need to be painful. If it is for the sake of the Empire, it should be a natural flow of devotion, as effortless as breathing."
I paused for a moment. I looked out over the audience with the poise of a high noble. Following Johann's advice, I moved my gaze as if making eye contact with everyone without focusing on any specific individual.
"The Aranian wealth, surging from the source, will function as the purest sword and shield of the Empire..."
Withholding tax, a structural reform of the tax system.
Easing the tax burden on the lower classes of the Empire and imposing regulations on foreign companies that only sucked the fruits of the Empire dry.
The speech continued for a suitable length. Not too long, not too short. Just enough for the core essence to be perfectly understood.
"...This has been Knight Maximilian."
I bowed my head quietly.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Amidst the rising applause, my eyes met Sonette's once again. This time, too, she pushed up her round glasses with her middle finger. I responded by lightly scratching the end of my eyebrow with my own middle finger.
It was our own way of greeting each other.
*
Hermes Province possessed the largest landmass in the South.
Thanks to Maximilian's various businesses and infrastructure like the Aternum factory, the population here was quietly increasing, and it had quickly emerged as the heart driving the economy of the southern Empire.
"So, exactly what percentage is our weekly pay dropping by?"
"Who knows."
In the workers' locker room, having finished their day's work, they discussed the new bill while changing clothes.
"The supervisor said it's about 20%?"
"Ah... man. I was planning to buy my son a nice gift."
"Don't worry about it. They say it's just paying taxes in advance. They said we'll get used to it in no time."
"They say the Knight proposed it himself. If it's for the country to do well, we gotta accept it..."
They laughed bitterly as they took off their work clothes.
Trickle. They stepped outside and stood in front of the payroll office. A long line had already formed.
The officer in charge spoke to them.
"—Listen up, everyone! As you know, the tax laws have been revised, and they apply immediately, so withholding tax starts from this week's pay. It looks like our factory will be the first to implement it!"
He pointed to the items written on the chalkboard.
"Medical insurance, pension, unemployment benefits, and income tax are deducted in advance. On top of that, including the dues for the 'Arten Labor Union' established by the Knight's orders, exactly 25.5% will be deducted. You're just paying the taxes you'd pay later anyway, so don't feel too bad!"
The workers received their envelopes from the payroll office one by one, but they couldn't help but turn away with gloomy expressions.
They understood it was for the good of the country. They understood they were paying taxes in advance. Even so, the fact that the money in their hands right now was decreasing—
"Huh?"
A worker who opened his envelope suddenly widened his eyes.
"It's the same?"
The amount hadn't decreased. No, it was actually slightly more than last week. Other workers nearby hurriedly checked their envelopes as well.
"Wait, mine too?"
"Did they calculate it wrong?"
As a commotion began to rise, the officer spoke with a bright smile.
"No. The calculation is correct."
This was part of the training he had received.
A psychological tactic: deliver the negative news first, then provide an even greater reward afterward.
"To match the taxes being paid, the weekly wages at Aternum have been increased. Because you all have consistently exceeded your targets, our Knight Maximilian!"
He paused for a moment at the name Maximilian.
"Has shown special consideration. Thanks to him, the money you're taking home has actually increased."
The workers' faces brightened instantly.
They paid their taxes, but their money didn't decrease. Rather, it was as if their wages had been raised through the Knight's grace. No, they actually had been raised.
The workers let out cheers, and as the noise died down, the officer tapped the chalkboard.
"However, keep this firmly in mind."
His expression turned serious.
"All these benefits stem solely from the Knight's heart for the Empire. The Knight has invested in you, believing in the future of the Empire."
He then pointed to a poster on the factory wall.
"The Knight and all of you are Aranians of the Empire. Therefore, we also work only for the Empire."
His firm voice echoed through the factory.
"If there is anyone suspicious at Aternum, or anyone trying to bring in subversive ideologies, be sure to report them. That is the way to protect our livelihood and repay the Knight's grace."
This was the message the officer delivered every day at clock-out time.
It was ideological education that went far beyond a warning, bordering on brainwashing.
"You are raising families within the fence of the Empire. Thanks to the Empire, you live in good houses and eat good food. Without the Empire, none of us could maintain this life. Keep that in mind."
The workers nodded with solemn faces.
"Ah, also, there will be a random inspection before you leave today. All workers, please go to that person over there."
The officer pointed somewhere. A woman wearing sunglasses. Yukia was standing there.
"Go through a short interview and pick up your 'Worker's Handbook'..."
*
In this Empire, there are artists, painters, and architects.
That goes without saying.
However, those are the first things to be discarded when the economy collapses and the clouds of war gather. To the poor, a painting is a mere luxury; to the rich, it becomes a burden with no liquidity.
However, I intended to protect those meaningless values for a while.
"Sir. The Arte Museum has gone bankrupt and has been put up for auction."
One quiet afternoon. I nodded at the official's words.
"Let's go."
I hurriedly got into the car and headed there.
The Arte Museum had once boasted of being the largest in the Empire.
But now, there wasn't a single visitor. The spring breeze swirling through the streets felt desolate.
"Wait outside."
"Yes, sir."
The entrance was empty. There was no one at the counter. Since the admission was 10 dollars, I tossed about 100 dollars in cash inside and walked in.
Thud— Thud—
Every step I took created a massive echo. It was almost overwhelming.
At least I didn't have to worry about an assassination.
Thud—
The interior fixtures were gone, but the artworks hanging on the walls were meticulously maintained.
"..."
I stood in the center and looked around at the paintings.
"...How unexpected."
Someone walked out from the inner exhibition hall. A refined elderly man in a dignified suit. It was Verdi, the director of Arte.
"I did not expect you to come here."
There was a hint of wariness in Verdi's voice.
I asked back calmly.
"What is my image like that you would think such a thing?"
The director smiled bitterly and straightened a painting on the wall.
"Maximilian von Ebenholtz. Son of Zebestian. You possess the most noble appearance and outstanding looks, but..."
He turned to look at me.
"They say a monster lives inside you."
A monster. I quietly closed my eyes.
In a way, that was correct.
The virus inside me—it was talking about you, not me.
"Is that so?"
I took a step toward him.
"But Director, are you not afraid of such a person?"
"...Sir. I am very good at remembering faces."
Director Verdi gazed at me intently.
"A long time ago, I saw you when you were a child. Your bright, clear eyes were adorable. You were a child whose eyes sparkled with curiosity, as if everything in the world was a wonder."
"..."
"With the image of that child so vivid in my mind, how could I be afraid?"
I gave a bitter smile. Back then, that child had felt a very special emotion while looking at the artworks hung here.
"Yes. You are right. I was likely holding the hand of the person I loved most."
My mother.
My mother.
She loved art, and she loved beauty.
"...That child has become you."
The director's gaze became complicated.
Verdi was a long-time friend of Ken Steiner. Therefore, it was impossible for him to have good feelings toward me, the one who had shipwrecked him.
"Then, will you refuse the sponsorship of such a child as well?"
I asked point-blank.
The director's brow twitched.
"Sponsorship?"
"Yes."
"..."
Verdi glared at me and asked quietly.
"What is this for?"
There was no goodwill in his question. True nobles disliked me.
Perhaps, they loathed me.
"It is solely for the sake of beauty."
Despite that, I showed a faint smile.
"No matter what destruction comes, there is beauty we must protect, beauty we must cherish. Not as a means, but simply for its existence."
Protecting this museum was partly my personal greed, but that wasn't the only reason.
"The kind of beauty that makes me think of the person I love most just by looking at it, that makes me recall the happiest times."
I looked at the director. I took a checkbook from my coat and scribbled a number. I tore off the check without hesitation and placed it on the table.
"My mother was very fond of this place."
And, there was another great person who liked this place.
This was also for her.
A sort of stepping stone to get closer to her.
"..."
The director's complexion darkened. Distrust was thick in his aged eyes. Even in the face of a check for a massive amount, he showed no sign of greed.
"...It is not money earned by killing people. So you need not worry about that."
I added bitterly while looking at the director.
"I am also a person who is making my own efforts, Director Verdi."
Since I would likely be treated as a monster for the rest of my life, I wouldn't be angered or hurt by a gaze like his.
I would simply give a small smile and leave quietly.
Because I had been prepared for all this hatred from the moment I regressed.
Sigh.
I heard the director's sigh behind my back.
I couldn't tell if it was a sigh of relief or a deeper lament, but at the very least, this museum would not disappear.
*
Late at night.
Director Verdi was lost in deep thought. The cause was the single check Maximilian had left behind.
"It is incomprehensible..."
Just as he was agonizing over Maximilian's words about maintaining the museum his mother loved—
Click. Clack.
The silence of the museum was broken in an instant.
A new visitor had entered.
Click. Clack.
The sound of heels echoed through the empty exhibition hall.
Verdi raised his head.
Click. Clack.
From the darkness, a woman walked in. Her attire was not flashy, but elegant. The moonlight streaming through the window gaps illuminated her blonde hair.
"..."
She walked slowly through the exhibition hall, examining the canvases.
"It has been a long time."
The woman merely nodded in response to Verdi's greeting. Beside her, an unnamed knight stuck to her like a shadow.
"Is it that business hours are over, or is it that there are no people?"
The woman spoke. Her voice was low, but it carried a distinct dignity.
"Fortunately, business hours are over now... but there were only two visitors today."
"I suppose it is a relief there was even one more."
Her eyes moved. Her blonde hair swayed along with her gaze.
"Hmm..."
She soon stopped in front of a certain painting.
[The Secret of the Sea]
A landscape painting where a black sea and a red sunset mingled.
After staring at it for a long time, she suddenly turned to the director.
"Could you brew me a cup of black tea?"
The guard standing beside her was greatly surprised and tried to stop her, but she dismissed him with a single wave of her hand.
"...Yes. I will bring it."
The director hurried to the pantry. He did not treat her lightly. No, he couldn't. She was in her early twenties at most. Her face was that youthful, yet the grace overflowing from her body was incomparable to anyone else in the Empire.
"Here it is."
The director soon brought out warm black tea.
She lifted the teacup and moistened her lips.
"Are these paintings to be sold outside the Empire now?"
Her gaze swept over the paintings. Her face looked regretful at the traces of fading art.
"No."
The director answered carefully while looking at her.
"I have met a sponsor."
"A sponsor?"
"Yes."
"Is there an eccentric who would sponsor art in times like these?"
She chuckled. It was a smile that seemed somewhat relieved.
"Who is it?"
"...It is Knight Maximilian."
In an instant, the hand holding her teacup faltered.
Maximilian.
The name most frequently mentioned in the Imperial Palace these days.
"...I see. Maximilian."
Her attitude when discussing Maximilian was similar to Baron Verdi's. At the very least, she didn't seem to like him.
"Then, will you be open tomorrow as well?"
She asked.
"Yes. Most likely."
"And the day after tomorrow, and the day after that?"
She asked again. She was asking about the museum's permanence.
"Yes. I will make sure of it."
If there is even one person who purely loves art, there is enough reason to keep the museum open.
Even if that sponsorship originated from a monster, there was a clear purity in that monster's heart.
"...Is that so."
A faint smile played on her lips.
"I was thinking of looking around in a hurry before it closed. It seems I won't have to do that."
Clink. She set down the teacup, her eyebrows twitching with satisfaction.
"Then I shall take my leave for today."
"Yes. If you come back in a little while, I believe I will be able to bring in new canvases as well."
"That is good news indeed."
Though she smiled brightly, it was clear that some kind of monster lived in her heart as well.
It was inevitable, given her bloodline.
"I shall visit often."
She left first, and the knight glared at the director and said:
"Keep your mouth shut."
The way he threatened while fiddling with the sword at his waist made his origin easy to guess.
"...Yes. I will remain silent."
Verdi bowed deeply once again.
He had realized her identity long ago.
The Emperor has only one child, and that successor is a woman who loves art.
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