Chapter 12: 12

Episode 12: Sending You Flowers (1)

 

TL: thursdays 

PR: altacco

 

Seventh Month, Year 327, Altius Empire calendar.

For several days in a row, notices showing the scandals of highly ranked priests had been posted. The contents were provocative, and the situations were described with quite a lot of detail.

Whether it was a prominent and well-known high ranking priest being involved in the operation of an illegal gambling house to accumulate wealth or a priest who had built up a virtuous reputation with his healing power in the villages committing adultery with a married woman, the empire was abuzz with the scandals that erupted day after day.

The imperial family officially expressed its regrets and promised to conduct a thorough investigation to clear suspicions and to protect the victims.

This measure had been intended to raise public dissatisfaction with the temple in earnest, but the temple’s response was also swift. The temple dismissed all the priests in question without fail, and the head of the temple, the high priest, personally apologized to the people of the empire. In addition, a part of the land and assets owned by the temple were used to provide relief to the poor on a shockingly large scale.

The public opinion of the empire, which had been about to turn furious, instead turned somewhat lukewarm.

 

“It’s weak.”

At the emperor’s brief sentiment, the faces of the ministers at the cabinet meeting darkened.

Although the emperor was ambitious, he was also a very rational person. At least, it wasn’t his style to get angry or hold his officials accountable for things that went beyond their ability and control. 

 

However, that rational part of him sometimes made things more difficult for his vassals.

Putting aside their ruler’s qualities, people in general often became disappointed and pointed fingers when things went wrong. In the worst case scenario, they even vented their anger. Even the officials in the meeting sometimes blamed the lower-ranking officials below them and took their anger out on them.

However, rather than being disappointed with the result that could not be helped by manpower or looking for who was responsible, the emperor was the type to start scheming again, putting the ministers back to work and saying, let’s think about how to overcome this crisis.

Of course, he was strict about doing things well, but very occasionally he was generous with understanding and tolerant of mistakes. Rather, because of that aspect, the officials could not do anything haphazardly.

Because the emperor was not an irrational and emotional boss but a reasonable person who understood that there could be problems in applying plans to practice, before they knew it, everyone was volunteering to work to the bone to accomplish what the emperor desired.

‘Haaa… It seems that this pain will end only when I die.’

Why must I live like this? lamented the minister of domestic affairs, who had been taking losses in the battle for the public opinion because the temple had not been embarrassed by the scandals and responded quickly and on a larger scale than expected.

On the other hand, the emperor was immersed in different thoughts. He had used all the intelligence resources he had to investigate the avenues that could lead to scandal, but the temple was less corrupt than they thought in that regard—and the emperor was already well aware of that. Should he say that their administration was well-managed?

It wasn’t because the temple was corrupt that the emperor wanted to fight it. It was because they were coveting the power of the imperial family. The temple was trying to extend its power to rule over the empire, even though the imperial family was still alive and well.

“It’s unfortunate, but it was as we expected.”

The emperor summarized it briefly.

“For now, thank you for your hard work up to this point.”

Despite the emperor’s words, the faces of the ministers did not brighten. They had all worked zealously for this, so they were disappointed by the results. The emperor, who had been watching them placidly, smirked.

“All of you know, right? This is just the beginning. If the history of the imperial family is 300 years, so is the history of the temple. They wouldn’t be knocked down with one blow.”

The emperor called out the minister of domestic affairs, who seemed most disappointed.

 

“Minister of Domestic Affairs.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“There may not be many cards you can use anymore, but continue to manage the public opinion until the end. Gaining the public opinion is, in the end, about persuading people. The more people you persuade, the sooner the tax reforms will push forward and the sooner I will achieve my goals.”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

The minister’s eyes were emotional and a little wet. He was moved that the emperor did not blame the minister even when things did not meet expectations. Instead, the emperor reminded him of the importance of his role and comforted him.

Like this, the minister of domestic affairs decided to work overtime again today.

“And, Minister of Finance.”

This time, the emperor called the minister of finance. The minister of finance, who had just barely gotten the approval for the tax reform’s draft, seemed to have aged years over the course of several days.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“The tax bill needs to be amended.”

The finance minister’s face turned pale. The other ministers groaned on the minister of finance’s behalf. Knowing how painful the minister of finance’s days had been, it didn’t feel like someone else’s pain. And they were all nervous because they didn’t know when the resulting sparks would hit them.

“Allocate a portion of the tax revenue from the temple to be sent to the provinces. Let’s supplement that part.”

The inside of the conference room became hectic.

All of them were nobles from the central region of the empire. They were confused why the emperor suddenly seemed to be empowering the provincial nobles.

“The aim is to unite the provincial nobles with the capital. You already know this, but the temple does not like the empire’s centralized power. We will redistribute part of the secured tax revenue from the center to strengthen the influence of the imperial family in the provinces and prevent the temple from colluding with the provincial nobles.”

The emperor continued, “For now, briefly organize the appropriate proportion of the tax revenue that should be sent to the provinces and where it will be used. We will talk again after reviewing that. And, Minister of Domestic Affairs.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Pass on the information regarding this to the provinces. They will be able to see which side offers them the most benefit once they know what they stand to gain from the reforms.”

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“Understood.”

“Minister of Foreign Affairs.”

This time, the emperor called the minister of foreign affairs. The minister of foreign affairs, who thought he would be skipped over today, was surprised and replied, “Yes? Yes,” to the emperor.

“How is the Sarman side reacting, regarding the trading?”

“There was a part they did not expect, and so they asked for time to arbitrate with their nation.”

At the minister of foreign affair’s words, the emperor said sarcastically, “They don’t even have land, but they call themselves a nation.”

The emperor commented on the nomadic Sarman people’s Achilles’ heel like it was nothing.

“If a situation comes up, report it immediately. Today’s meeting ends here. Work hard, everyone.”

After the long meeting, which lasted over three hours, Mikhail went straight to Dayeon.

“Is she in her lessons with the priest right now?”

“That’s correct, Your Majesty,” answered the grand chamberlain, quickly following behind him.

“Where?”

“We have prepared a place in the annex by the western palace.”

“Let’s go.”

 

An attendant who arrived first announced the emperor’s visit.

Dayeon was calm, as she was used to being visited by the emperor, but Theo was not. Considering his status, the emperor was someone he would normally have never met in his life.

With a slightly nervous face, he bowed to the emperor.

“This servant of god greets the emperor of Altius.”

The emperor’s reaction was colder than expected.

“You are a trial servant. And before that, you are a citizen of the empire.”

In short, he meant that Theo was only an apprentice. And more importantly, he should remember that he was his emperor.

Ah, how mean. That was what everyone thought. Theo, who was disrespected, smiled a little awkwardly but didn’t respond otherwise.

The grand chamberlain looked at the emperor with a puzzled expression. The reason was because the emperor’s reaction was weird and different from usual.

Although the emperor was rather ill-tempered and spoke very straightforwardly, he was not rude without purpose. On the contrary, he was flexible, and in a good mood, he even joked around.

If he hadn’t been bearing the heavy crown of the emperor, he would certainly have had many friends who liked him and followed him.

Mikhail took one step toward Dayeon, who was standing still.

“Am I interrupting?”

The grand chamberlain got goosebumps on his forearm at the immeasurable warmth of the emperor’s tone. The emperor did not stop there, reaching out his hand and lightly brushing Dayeon’s hair. The servants’ dumbstruck gazes bounced back and forth in the empty air.

Why is our emperor acting like this again?

Embarrassed, Dayeon shook her head.

“No, we weren’t doing anything serious. You’re not a bother.”

When Dayeon said so, the emperor smiled contentedly. His gaze was so warm that everybody else felt chills.

“Is there anything difficult or troublesome?”

“No, there isn’t.”

What ‘serious’ or ‘difficult’ thing? Weren’t these just characters that even children learn to read?

The people around them sighed inwardly.

“I’ll take my leave before I really do get in the way. When you’re done, come to my palace. Let’s have dinner together.”

“Yes, understood.”

The emperor sent a warm smile to Dayeon and did not forget to send a warning glare to the priest before going back out. The smile on his face disappeared the instant he left the room.

“Commander.”

When the emperor called, the commander of the guards, who had been accompanying him, hurriedly stepped up.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The emperor’s face looked very annoyed. 

When the commander of the imperial guards, who could not understand why, looked at him with a puzzled face, the emperor said irritatedly, “The report didn’t mention that he was that good-looking.”

“…I apologize.”

The commander felt it was unfair. He wasn’t so handsome as to cause a blind man to see again; his face was just a little prettier than others’.

It wasn’t like the priest’s handsomeness had anything to do with his teaching, so the commander didn’t understand why it had to be included in the report. However, the emperor did not seem to be in a good mood, so he apologized for now.

The emperor waved his hand as if it didn’t matter, but his furrowed brows did not seem like they would unfurrow anytime soon.

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