Chapter 270

On one side, however, since the most perfect dragon master had appeared, for the emperor, this was like an opportunity from heaven. Though there were hundreds of people like Eleonora or Adrian, they were no match for a dragon and dragon master.

Noah vaguely threw a reply, “Umm, I shall think about it, Your Royal Highness.”

“Think again. Oh, right. Which position do you want? I’ll match your desired status. Should I step down from the duke? Or do you want to be a minister? I think one seat will be empty today.”

Noah kept silent as the emperor continued, “If you say yes, dragon master, I will hand over all the control of the Ministry of Magic. You can fill the department with whomever you like.”

“No, thank you. I’ll refuse the ministerial position. My work history is insufficient for such a position.”

Noah can’t beat around the bush. She changed her mind and rejected the emperor’s offer at once. And added, since she was a bit upset, “…and, Your Royal Highness. No matter how heavy Minister Rossinell’s crime may be, he has been serving as the minister for a long time, so why not express your regret that the magic world has lost its star?”

“Oh…”

“What crime did the civil servants of the Ministry of Magic commit? They must be troubled by the sudden lawsuit Minister Adrian is facing, and they’re even on unpaid leave,” said Noah.

“Uh… they must be glad to have an extended vaca—”

“But it’s unpaid. What they want is not unpaid leave, but to reduce the burden of their work.”

The emperor muttered nonsense, saying that they had always done well on their own, that Laurent would develop faster as the Ministry of Magic rolled faster. Then, he concluded on his own: “Then you should reform the Ministry of Magic by taking over the ministerial position…!”

This isn’t a rerun. How does he think she’s going to put on a spectacular show when she doesn’t even know the first thing about the theory of magic?

The emperor’s pretending to look good by flattering Noah was so much that she felt more prone to reject his offer. It’s not like he’s teasing her by flaunting a name tag of a nation’s ministerial position…

Duke Leonard seemed to have read the visible displeasure on Noah’s face. He leaned in her direction and whispered, “Just let it slide, Miss Noah. Around this time next year is the continent conference, and it will be held in Laurent, you know. It’s a time when all the rulers of the whole continent flock here, so I think they want to do well early on.”

Noah didn’t want that. She placed her chin on Muell’s tiny head and thought deeply.

It was too obvious that he was trying to get advertisements extensively to the country to which a dragon and dragon master belonged. Noah had felt it from earlier, but looking from the outside, Laurent was an advanced country, but if you look at the situation a little bit, you can see that it was not very flashy.

The life of the slave miners in Maobiana sucked, and so did the treatment of slums like Harrell and the workers in industrial areas. Even the day-in-day-out problem of overtime enforced by imperial officers.

These were the harmful effects that naturally followed if the world developed too rapidly. However, Noah didn’t know why she had to worry about such things now? Some people needed to review the agenda and put it up for the next meeting.

“Everyone, please be quiet.”

Noah was deep in thought, and Muell lifted his head when she rubbed her cheek on his curly hair. The Minister of Justice was sitting in the judge’s seat just below the observation hall. Further below in the defendant’s seat was blonde hair, and in the prosecutor’s seat to the right was Kyle.

It was the beginning of a full-fledged trial.

Muell, who was sitting, leaning back in Noah’s arms, wiggled and changed his posture.

“…anyway, I hope to have dinner with you, Miss Noah. How about it?”

Upon first glance behind her, the emperor had a look like he wanted to have a private meeting with her after this small-scale trial ended. Noah broke the silence that she had kept all along, and spoke out.

“Let’s reverse it. I will accept one of your proposals, Your Royal Highness.”

“Hmm?”

“That you let me do whatever I want, whenever I want, anywhere in Laurent.”

“Huh? Oh, that proposal is primarily based on the premise that you will absolutely cooperate with Laurent—”

“Except that.”

“What?”

“Then I’ll thankfully keep that in mind.”

A black magical orb stretched out on the golden chair. It was a portal summoned by Muell.

Perhaps Duke Leonard was bewildered, he turned around to Noah. But before he called her name the scene in front of her eyes changed.

***

The place she’d traveled to was the hallway beyond the courtroom door. Noah lifted her head to study the thin screen installed on the wall.

“Kyle Leonard, former investigator. I shall begin the interrogation of the defendant.”

The trial process was being broadcast live on the screen. Since it was an issue, today’s trial was being transmitted in real-time not only to the Imperial Castle but also to the town square in front of Tezeba City Hall. Noah tried to measure the time.

Will it be the most dramatic if I intrude at some point?