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chapter 54.
The northernmost part of the Arthur Empire was the Priem region.
The Priem region, which was the last to join the Empire, had a different ethnicity and culture from the central part of the Empire.
They even spoke a different language.
The upper class still learned and used the Imperial language, but the lower class continued to use their own.
Vincent, who was reviewing the report on the situation in the Priem region, felt a heavy weight on his chest.
The Imperial Family has neglected this region for too long.
Because they were so different, unless special care was taken, the region was bound to remain isolated.
Supplies were always scarce.
Especially in winter, crops would not grow at all, so grain was desperately lacking.
The Duke of Priem had tried to compensate by selling conifers and leather, the region’s specialties, and buying food with the proceeds, but it was never enough.
Above all, the roads were the problem.
There was only one route in and out, and it was so rough and long that the circulation of supplies was inevitably slow.
Yet the taxes were collected at the same rate as in other regions, and there was no special support.
The sweet promises made to them at the time of annexation had long vanished into history, and now, though they were one nation, they lived as if they were in a different land.
As for the Duke of Priem, although he held the title of Duke, since he was of a different race, it must have been difficult for him to mingle in the central social circles.
Inevitably, discontent would accumulate, and the arrows of that discontent could only point toward the Imperial Family.
According to the actual Priem regional reports, their loyalty to the Imperial Family was evaluated as the lowest among all regions.
If, in this situation, the Duke of Wentworth were to reach out to them…
So far, there had been no sign or report that the Duke of Wentworth had made contact with them.
But if he were to provide what the northern lands needed, and win over the Duke of Priem’s vote, it would be disastrous.
Ten votes was an enormous number.
In fact, this was not the first report that had come up about the Priem region.
It was just that among the major issues sorted and submitted by the bureaucrats, this often got left out, so he hadn’t known.
Even though Vincent had been in charge of practical affairs for about five years, all he had ever heard was that the one and only road had been blocked by a snowstorm.
Vincent lifted the stack of reports.
He thought he had better report this to His Majesty the Emperor and discuss proper directions for support.
As he walked, a thought came to him.
In fact, ever since he had seen the Priem report, it had been lingering in his mind.
How did Amelia…
Before his regression, the Duke of Priem had not participated in the vote.
So Vincent had only considered it vaguely and had not thought of drawing him in directly.
After all, the Duke of Priem was one of the Empire’s three Dukes.
How could he have overlooked those ten votes?
Was I too trapped in my pre-regression thinking?
Events before and after regression proceeded similarly, but the developments flowed differently.
Thinking about it now, someone whose path had been most different before and after regression came to mind.
“…Amelia.”
Muttering, he suddenly pressed his lips shut.
That didn’t erase the fact that she had once killed him.
Clenching the documents tightly in his hands, Vincent quickened his steps toward the Imperial Palace.
He felt as though he kept missing something, but forced himself to ignore it.
***
Upon arriving at the Imperial Palace, Vincent saw the Empress Consort pacing anxiously in the corridor before the reception room.
It would have been awkward to ignore her, so he approached.
“Could it be… has the Empress really noticed? No, that can’t be.
But then, where on earth is Rizel….”
“What are you doing?”
“Kyaaaah!”
The Empress Consort, who had been muttering to herself, screamed when Vincent suddenly spoke to her.
Then, realizing it was Vincent, she snapped irritably.
“Your Highness, how could you just start talking like that!
You startled me!”
“I think I just heard you mention the Empress.
Did something happen with my mother?”
“H-happen? What would happen…. Ah, right now, she is with His Majesty.
Why don’t you go see for yourself?
Ah, I suppose this counts as a rare family gathering, doesn’t it?”
Her tone sounded a bit biting, but Vincent paid no mind.
What struck him more was that the Empress was really here?
How unusual.
“So my mother… that’s why you were out here.”
“For the record, I came out.”
“Yes.”
Vincent gave a short reply to her unsolicited comment and turned away.
Nearly a year, no—two years, perhaps.
Since he had last seen the Emperor and Empress together.
But he wasn’t worried.
As their son, Vincent knew their bond was fairly strong.
That was why he could overlook the Empress Consort’s spiteful attitude or Noel’s occasional insolence.
Vincent stood before the reception room.
“Your Maj—”
“Wait a moment.”
The attendant tried to announce him, but Vincent stopped him.
From inside, the Emperor’s voice was audible.
“So this was a request from Vincent to the Empress?
To persuade me?”
“No, Your Majesty.
Vincent is not the type to come with such a request.
If he had, I would not have tried to persuade you either.”
“Then… was this your idea alone, Empress?”
“That’s not it either.
I’ve been bedridden so long, I hardly knew how state affairs were going.
It was truly someone unexpected.”
“And who was that?”
“The daughter of the Duke of Wentworth.”
At that, Vincent stiffened and stared at the door as though trying to see through it.
“That girl… isn’t she Vincent’s fiancée?
Even so, are you telling me that a child of the Wentworth family asked the Empress to request something that might put her own father at a disadvantage?”
“Yes.
She was much deeper than I expected.”
The attendant, who had been waiting, looked confused and asked Vincent.
“Your Highness, shall I announce you? The Empress is inside.”
In fact, the conversation inside could only be heard by Vincent.
His hearing was sharper than most, so while the attendant might hear a muffled murmur, he could not make out the words.
It would be strange to delay any longer, so Vincent nodded.
“Go ahead.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The attendant bowed lightly and knocked hard on the door.
“Your Majesties, His Highness the Crown Prince requests an audience.”
The conversation inside ceased, and soon the Emperor’s voice rang out.
“Let him in.”
When Vincent entered, he found the Emperor and Empress seated facing one another.
The Empress turned her head toward him.
Vincent bowed to them both.
“I came to discuss something with Your Majesty, but I did not expect to find you here as well.”
“Sit down, Vincent.”
The Empress shifted slightly, and Vincent sat beside her.
Looking at him, the Emperor smiled and said,
“Is this not a rare family gathering, Vincent?
Forget the stiff address of ‘Majesty’ and speak more comfortably.”
“Yes, Father.
Mother, your health seems much improved.”
“Yes, and that is thanks to that child… I came here to repay her kindness.”
“By that child… could you mean—”
With a doubtful look, Vincent turned to the Empress, and she replied,
“Amelia Wentworth.
That day you came with her, she gave me a hint.
Well, that’s not important now.
What business do you bring to your father?”
The Empress smoothly shifted the topic.
Vincent handed the documents he had brought to the Emperor.
“It concerns the northern region, particularly Priem.”
“Priem?”
The Emperor repeated, clearly not expecting this, and picked up the documents Vincent had given him.
He put on the monocle resting on the table and began skimming the contents.
Vincent watched him with a tense expression.
