CH 17

The Emperor of Istacio, Heges Istacio, was about to get really pissed.

The urgent knock at the door was unnerving.

[Your Majesty!]

[What is it?]

[His Majesty is at the Tempt loading dock right now!]

[What? Why!]

[I can’t figure that one out, he’s got the whole town stirred up… and he’s only got two escorts, Lord Cheshire and Lord Coenheim!]

[This… bastard!]

The eldest sons of other families are growing up to be sturdy enough to take care of the family and household, so why is it that his eldest son, who has come of age, is not like them?

The extraordinary emperor soon issued an urgent summons for the crown prince, and as a result, the two came face to face with each other after a small commotion among the wealthy class.

“You bastard, cough, cough!”

“Your Majesty, be still. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Otherwise, Your Majesty’s jade body will be further injured.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“Who do you think is to blame for this! How can you go around causing accidents!”

“Your Majesty, there are no accidents. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.It was all necessary.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“And because it was necessary, you sneak off without telling me?”

“There was no time to report it. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.It was a matter of urgency, and I did not do it for my own pleasure.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

Heges’s fingertips trembled.

He lowered his scolding hand to the handle of his chair.

“Well, give me an explanation. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.You caught some suspicious things?”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“Yes, Your Majesty. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.This, for starters.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

Caden held out the brief report he had compiled.

“I received a tip about smuggling, and being pressed for time, I had no choice but to go check it out myself.”

Heges flipped through the report at a rapid pace.

Glancing at the page he was reading, Caden spoke up cautiously.

“And there I found a large quantity of gunpowder.”

“… What?”

Heges’s hand stopped flipping through the report.

“It wasn’t a quantity that could be said to have been siphoned off somewhere. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.I think we need to move with the understanding that there are hidden saltpeter mines.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“I see… The matter is serious.”

“Yes. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.The other items will become clearer when we do a little more research, but for now, I think it’s something we need to look into.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“I see. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.I’ll give you full authority. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.By the way, you got a tip?”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“… Yes.”

“Do you intend to investigate through that source?”

“Of course, we’ll utilize the tipster, but we’ll lean more heavily on our own sources.”

“I see. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.That’s right.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

Heges said, turning his attention back to the report.

“We’ve got good results this time, so we’re done here. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.You know that, right?”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“Yes.”

“You… need to take care of yourself. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.You’re old enough to know what I’m talking about.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“…Yes.”

The person that came to both of their minds at that moment was the same.

Caden Istacio’s birth mother, Lilia Istacio.

The former empress who had been poisoned.

“But, Your Majesty.”

“Is there anything else to be said?”

“Yes. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.About this upcoming public meeting.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

At the mention of the public meeting, Heges, who had been listening to him, suddenly frowned, wondering why he was bringing it up again.

“Let’s check the water storage status and also refurbish the old levees and canals.”

“Suddenly? Is something bothering you?”

“Some people are predicting a severe drought this year.”

“…”

Caden was silent for a moment at the Emperor’s demand for confirmation.

Truth be told, he wasn’t sure about that part either.

It was Ellen Kryant who had proclaimed there would be a great drought, not him.

‘But to waste that much money on something we can’t be sure of? Even if its Kryant…’

In his mind, it was impossible.

‘And yet somehow, I can’t imagine her being wrong.’

Ellen Kryant’s unstoppable spirit gave him little hope.

If someone else had said this, even if it was Lord Coenheim, his limb, he would not have done this.

Or, more accurately, they were not supposed to.

None of them would have been so bold.

As he paused, the Emperor stepped aside and said.

“It happened. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Even if you hear that a disaster is predicted, you can’t help but prepare. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.You must have been concerned about that and brought it up.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“…”

“As much as I can, I’ll take care of the business that should have been done this year.”

Hedges clicked his tongue as if he already had a headache.

“Hmm, I hope the aftermath of that won’t be a big mess to deal with.”

“Isn’t that always the case?”

Caden said sarcastically.

“I heartily agree with you, but you’re no different in my book, so please, try to keep it in check.”

“Your Majesty, your words are harsh.”

Then Hedges exclaimed in disbelief.

“What is harsh is your thunderous behavior!”

* * *

Duke of Krembel’s residence, Duke’s Office.

Sitting at his desk, poring over papers as usual today, Gillian looked up to relieve the stiffness in his neck.

He checked his watch and realize it’s still lunchtime.

This evening he’ll be able to read the reports on the workshops.

As Gillian leaned his head back down, an urgent knock on the door reached his ears.

“Your Grace!”

The voice sounded like one of the men he had planted outside.

He was being loud and obnoxious.

The behavior reminded Gillian of the woman who had barged into his office not long ago and thrown a ridiculous piece of paper at him.

Feeling uncomfortable, he pressed his brows together.

“Come in.”

The door swung open, and the man who had been waiting outside huffed and puffed in.

It was the subordinate he’d assigned to oversee the workshops.

“What’s going on?”

The subordinate’s face was grim.

Gillian, sensing something wasn’t right, urged the hesitant subordinate on.

“Quickly.”

“It’s…”

Swallowing dryly, the subordinate stared for a moment before speaking.

“The junction of the Tempt Grand Canal… has been discovered. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.It is said that the Crown Prince personally led the personnel and sealed off the surroundings before starting the investigation, and all the things there, both the items and the people, fell into the hands of the Crown Prince without being able to dispose of them.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“…What?”

Gillian felt his hand tightened around the pen he was holding.

What was he saying now?

“Say it again.”

“It’s…”

BANG!

The pen in his hand slammed down on the desk.

He swatted it away without realizing it, then looked down at the sharp pain he felt.

He looked down to see a completely broken nib and a small trickle of blood on his hand.

“When you say it was all taken, you don’t mean that included gunpowder, guns… or anything like that?”

“It’s possible that… it may have included some…”

“That, that was found, even taken?”

Feeling even more offended, he swept everything on the desk to the floor and threw it away.

What the hell!

Gillian shouted angrily.

“What the hell did you guys do to have reached this point, without realizing you bit your own tail off!”

“…I apologize.”

“I want to know what was confiscated, how much was taken. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.And I want to know that, now!”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“Yes, yes!”

Trembling and bowing his head, the man quickly fled the scene, fearing that he might die in this place.

* * *

“Well, then, let’s call the meeting to order.”

Public meeting.

The highest governing body of the Istacio Empire, who decides on major matters.

The Emperor picked up the topmost of the many papers in the basket of papers.

“The first item on the agenda today is the reservoirs and dikes.”

At the sound of that, Caden’s neck shifted once.

“Surely such maintenance is best done in the spring.”

The first to react was someone from the Emperor’s faction, Marquis Cedric Port.

He was a person who insisted that the industry related to military service should not be handed over exclusively to the aristocrats, and was investing all of the profits of the business, which was in the black1, in the development of firearms, which was in the red2.

“Spring construction is good, of course, but where would the budget come from?”

The free-spirited, if slightly rude, man pointed to the Marquis of Port.

He was Duke Dwayne Traia, one of the key players in the aristocratic faction.

“It will come from the taxes we’ve been collecting.”

The Marquis of Port shot back. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.But his rebuttal came from another source.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“If each fief pays for itself, then it’s their own business, and there’s no point in discussing it here.”

Marquis Hemony Baroque said, the oldest person in the group.

He was the de facto head of the aristocracy, the father of the current Emperor’s only wife, Concubine Bellatess Istacio, and the maternal grandfather of her children, Prince Crescent and Princess Eclipse.

“It’s about time we repair our aging facilities. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.It’s too late when something goes wrong anywhere. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.We need to do a nationwide overhaul.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

What a cranky old man!

The Emperor gritted his teeth and drove a wedge, but the Marquis of Baroque was not about to back down.

“…Your Majesty. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.You said nothing at the end of last year, and now you’re suddenly pushing ahead with this project, which is bound to cause embarrassment in more ways than one. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.And if you’re planning to raise the tax rate on the nobles to fund the project, as Marquis Port says, this is bound to cause problems, even if we’re living by your grace.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

At that, the Emperor rubbed the back of his neck as if he were already annoyed, and Caden, the propositioner of the motion, crossed his arms with a smile that hid his irritation.

Then Gillian Krembel, the young duke of Istacio’s blood, interjected.

refers to a situation where a company is profitable or has a positive net income

a situation where a company is unprofitable or has a negative net income