Chapter 85
As a mere viscount, I was able to meet the Emperor immediately upon entering the imperial palace.
Considering that ordinary viscounts usually wait for hours even with scheduled appointments to meet the Emperor.
'Some intensely loyal nobles would probably collapse in gratitude for His Majesty's imperial grace.'
That's their story, but I don't think of the Emperor as just a hereditary monarch of one country, so I won't shed tears and marvel at just that much.
"Viscount Fabio de Medici, I have come at Your Majesty's command."
"You may raise your head. No, sit comfortably."
The Emperor gestured to an attendant to bring out a chair for me to sit on.
Originally, it's polite to refuse favors bestowed by high-ranking people twice and accept on the third time.
But it's also a problem not to accept when they've immediately had someone bring something.
So I sat down right away, keeping my back straight at 90 degrees.
'It's common sense worldwide that if you really sit comfortably when told to sit comfortably, you'll be charged with insolence.'
In job interviews too, if you believe those words literally you'll be immediately rejected, and if you believe your father-in-law saying "make yourself at home" and actually do so, you'll hear "I oppose this marriage!"
"You must have been so busy lately without proper time to rest, I'm sorry for calling you like this."
"When Your Majesty calls, it's a noble's duty to come even crawling. Please withdraw your words."
"Your loyalty would be exemplary to many nobles. I highly value such qualities."
"I don't know where to put myself at such excessive praise, Your Majesty."
My physical condition isn't very good right now.
It's partly due to overworking for a long time, but more because I played with Chloe, a powerful and cute beast, as soon as the overwork ended.
Sebastian even joked that I might end up in the hospital with dissolved bones when he saw me, and Chloe was scolded a bit by the head maid, so that says it all.
'Hospitals in this era are ominous places that don't even glance at you unless you're terribly sick, no matter how much money you have.'
Still, this works to my advantage in the current situation.
The Emperor will have to accept my sincere loyalty without doubt, coming right away even though I look like I'm about to die from exhaustion?
"When I was young, I too devoted myself to tasks with the spirit of burning my body, like you, Viscount Medici. But if a person doesn't properly cool their head and body, and just overworks themselves following youthful vigor... they'll suffer greatly later."
A certain large company chairman said this:
'Those bastards who say they succeed by sleeping only 4 hours a day and working, that's all lies! People work well when they sleep well!'
So that person slept a full 8 hours every day while handling mountains of work.
He also cherished his family as much as possible, and if that wasn't enough, he also worked hard at having affairs.
Anyway, it's true that if people overwork their bodies and don't properly rest their minds, they go crazy in an instant.
'My living with Chloe is for mental stability.'
Except in special situations like now when those spice guild bastards were tormenting me to death, I slept at least 7 hours every day without fail.
Because sleeping well is important to endure for a long time.
The Emperor sighed, pointing to his head.
"I too devoted myself to studying and governance, sleeping only 4 hours a day until I was 35, and got migraines. It's better now, but at the time there were even rumors that I should pass the throne to the Crown Prince who was only 13. If it had been another time, I would have given sad events to the families of those insolent bastards, but the me at that time could barely even eat properly, so I thought it was understandable and bestowed mercy."
So this was the sword wind of the great purge that almost blew when father was exactly my age.
I heard that one day, for unknown reasons, suddenly the heads of 3 count families, 5 viscount families, and 15 baron families submitted "resignations due to illness" for mysterious illnesses.
The Emperor bestowed mercy and ended it at the level of shutting the principals in back rooms.
"I will keep it in mind, I will not forget to take appropriate rest from now on."
"This is an imperial order. You must live long and devote yourself to the empire."
For a moment, did the Emperor move his tongue like someone smacking their lips, or was it my imagination?
I too will retire and rest when I reach an appropriate age.
I absolutely won't be like Hwang Hee who only retired in his mid-80s.
"As people age, I'm not like I used to be anymore. Perhaps that's why hearing about young people's activities is the joy of my life. Come on, tell me, how on earth did you succeed not only in escaping the pressure of the spice guild, but even in retaliating?"
The Emperor and Duke Visconti are in their late 60s.
It means they've reached the age to retire and rest after passing their positions to their successors.
But great responsibilities require enormous abilities.
Whether royalty or nobility, it's difficult for children and parents to be close, but there are almost no parents in this world who don't cherish their children.
Moreover, nurturing a successor is not simply for the child, but for the 'family' which is one's hometown and foundation of life.
'For nobles, all meaning of life remains in the family.'
I'm no exception either.
So that 'joy of life' probably arose from wanting to pick out decent young guys for their successors.
And it would be fun to hear stories of young people burning with passion too.
"The story might be a bit long, Your Majesty."
"Why do you think I deliberately called you at this late hour? Ah, and I've already heard about the Deus Knights Order matter through others, so don't hide that and tell me too."
Although he says late hour, it's only 7 PM, but by this era's standards, it's the time when even people working overtime finish all their work and go home.
Hearing those words, I cut out unnecessary or unspeakable parts, and told the story adding appropriate flesh to parts the Emperor would like.
High-ranking people always want "concise and accurate reports".
'I will see everything about you. So spill it all.'
Since he wants this, I should comply.
And I gradually finished speaking in a slightly resting voice.
"I imposed very severe punishments only on the spice guild master and executives, and secretly sent a code to the rest of the great merchants saying 'I could punish your crimes but won't', so I succeeded in retaliation to the extent of not appearing weak to anyone while also gaining favor with the great merchants. Therefore, I think this was the best measure I could take in this situation."
The Emperor applauded after hearing all my words.
Not dry applause, but visibly mixed with admiration.
In terms of grades, it would be an A, no, considering he invested hours listening to my story, it would be an A+.
"I can see why Baron Ducat seriously tried to bring you in as the division's logistics staff chief, even asking me personally."
Division logistics staff chief, strictly speaking the position itself is one created to let high-ranking people reach colonel before retiring.
But if you get that, you officially become a colonel in rank.
'Colonel in early 20s? That's crazy.'
They say there were actually colonels in their late 20s and generals in their 30s during the Korean War... but our Tuscan Imperial Army wasn't in such a difficult situation as the Korean Army at that time.
"There was a lot of backtalk when I forcibly commissioned you as logistics staff, but now even those who opposed that decision are praising it in tears as Your Majesty's wise judgment. So I believe you won't disappoint me even if I promote you one rank and commission you as deputy chief of staff based on those merits."
No, I hate the military.
Getting major once is enough, so please don't turn that 'major uniform' with two horse dung stuck in the corner of the closet into a lieutenant colonel uniform.
"Well, I can do it if you want."
"The book that led me to discover seaweed said rising too high at a young age leads to bad deaths. I fear I won't be able to handle Your Majesty's grace."
Originally, it's manners to attach the phrase 'this insufficient me'.
But after bragging for hours, saying your abilities are insufficient is likely to hear "where did you learn such common sense manners" from a common sense perspective.
"Honestly, regarding this spice guild atrocity, I thought you would ask me or Duke Visconti for help, but I was really surprised that you resolved it with your power alone. I want to give you a reward out of admiration, but it seems you've taken everything you could take as rights exercised as a tax farmer. The Deus Knights Order's naturalization is officially Duke Visconti's sole achievement, so I can't give anything directly."
The Emperor looked at me and asked.
"What do you want?"
What I want now is just one thing.
"I want a wider sea, the world beyond the sea."