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~Chapter 41~
I have to take control of the palace finances.
There were quite a few nobles who nodded in agreement with Conrad’s opinion.
Marquis Ludvika tried to argue, but he closed his mouth before he could even raise his voice. The looks from the other nobles were not friendly.
“Fortunately, the Empress brought this issue to light, but we cannot allow such things to happen in our empire.”
“Your Majesty…”
“In this situation, I can’t ask the knights to risk their lives anymore. Starting today, I will stop sending knights to the barrier to fight monsters.”
The nobles’ eyes grew wide at Conrad’s declaration.
The day before the council meeting.
“Did you look at the materials I submitted for the meeting agenda?”
“Oh, that.”
Conrad, who had already handed them over to the nobles, sat down in front of Regina.
As she sat down too, Remutan came in right away and started organizing the documents.
Maids came in, pushing a tray, and placed teacups on the now clean desk.
The only sound in the bedroom was the tea being poured. The pleasant scent of tea filled the room as Regina reached out and touched her teacup.
The warmth brought a faint smile to Regina’s lips, and Conrad waved his hand.
After the maids and Remutan left, Regina spoke first.
“We need to take the control of the palace finances from the Grand Empress.”
“What’s your plan?”
“We’ll start by putting pressure with the agenda I submitted for the council meeting.”
Regina said this casually as she picked up her teacup.
“She’ll have no choice but to give it up. I’ll make sure of it.”
“If the Empress wants it, then it should be done.”
Originally, the palace finances belonged to the Empress. Conrad hadn’t had an Empress for a long time, so Chloe managed them instead.
When generations changed, the person in charge of the finances was also supposed to change, but Chloe’s faction had delayed it.
Conrad couldn’t easily speak about the financial rights given to the mistress of the palace. That authority belonged only to the Empress, so even though he knew there were problems, he couldn’t interfere.
“But to take it back, I need your help, Your Majesty—no, Conrad.”
“My help?”
“Yes.”
Regina’s blue eyes, like the sea, turned to Conrad. They were similar to his, but still different, and Conrad hesitated for a moment.
When Regina’s lips drew closer and touched his ear, his fingers curled into a fist.
“So, will you do as I say?”
The day of the council meeting.
The nobles at the meeting were so shocked by Conrad’s words that they couldn’t close their open mouths.
Conrad had always fulfilled his duty to protect the people of the empire, no matter what happened.
“Y-Your Majesty…”
It was the first time he declared he would not lead the knights to hunt the monsters at the barrier. Even when the Grand Empress did terrible things, he always overlooked it, but now he said he would not go.
“That can’t be, Your Majesty. For the empire’s sake, please reconsider!”
A noble with territory closest to the barrier quickly spoke up.
If there were no monster hunts, he would have to quickly recruit new knights to prepare for the monster wave.
“That’s right, Your Majesty. Please think of the people’s hardships.”
Another noble quickly joined in, just like the first, since he also had territory near the barrier.
“My knights and I have always done our best to deal with the monsters.”
But Conrad didn’t answer the nobles’ pleas and spoke about something else.
“But if all we get in return is disrespect instead of gratitude, is there any reason to keep trying so hard?”
“You must not judge only by the actions of a few thoughtless people, Your Majesty.”
“That’s right! Not just the palace, but the people of the capital respect the knights and Your Majesty!”
“Yes! Who would dare look down on those who save lives with their swords?”
Marquis Ludvika watched the situation nervously, grabbing the armrest of his chair and trying to suggest other opinions to nearby nobles, but he couldn’t change what everyone else thought.
‘This is bad for the Grand Empress.’
What the Empress did was clearly wrong.
“If the Empress hadn’t brought this up in the council, I would not have known about this outrage either.”
No one could say anything as Conrad continued speaking sternly.
“A servant who was rude to the knights even acted disrespectfully to the Empress herself—how disgraceful is that?”
Conrad shook his head.
“That’s unbelievable!”
“Your Majesty! That servant must be crazy!”
“That’s right! No one who knows the law would do such a thing!”
Even though the order of events was reversed, Conrad intentionally brought up what happened between Regina and the Grand Empress’s servant.
“The one who strikes first always wins the game. That’s what public opinion is.”
Conrad remembered Regina’s playful face as she spoke of her plan.
‘She really isn’t ordinary.’
Regina was truly the perfect partner.
Just look at the nobles in front, panicking and scrambling for their own benefit—it felt good to watch.
The same people who always expected the knights to protect the empire were now begging when their own interests were threatened.
“Once public opinion swings, it’s hard to turn it back. Immediate danger is always scarier than future discomfort. Even if the Grand Empress tries to step in later, it won’t help.”
Regina’s bitter tone made Conrad sure she had suffered from public opinion before. She must have gone through a lot in the Permang Empire to handle things this skillfully now.
As Conrad smiled, suddenly—
“Your Majesty! The vice-captain of the Fredericks knights requests an audience!”
A sudden shout from the head servant echoed in the meeting room.
Not only the nobles, but even Conrad looked towards the door. The nobles, hoping to escape the emperor’s pressure, glanced at Conrad, and he allowed it with a sigh.
“Let him in.”
Wearing his formal knight uniform, the vice-captain, Herzen, walked into the meeting room.
His proud appearance was a silent threat to the nobles, but actually, Herzen was nervous.
“You don’t need to do anything special. Just say you want to serve the empire.”
Remembering Regina’s advice to just do as usual, Herzen bowed to Conrad.
“The greatest sword of the empire…”
“That’s enough. Stand up.”
Conrad interrupted Herzen before he finished greeting.
“What brings you here?”
“I came to represent the knights after hearing the agenda discussed at today’s meeting.”
He spoke smoothly, but sweat was running down Herzen’s back. He tried to keep a calm face, but couldn’t hide his stiffness.
But to the nobles, his awkward look just seemed like a loyal knight feeling uncomfortable in such a meeting.
“Speak.”
With Conrad’s permission, Herzen took a deep breath and spoke.
“My voice must not shake. I have to show strong determination.”
Remembering Regina’s instructions, Herzen delivered her secret message.
“Your Majesty, the Fredericks knights were treated unfairly by palace servants, but it was only the actions of a few servants and maids.”
“What? Even the maids did things like this?”
Conrad let out a sigh.
