827 – The Empire is the Continent – 7

I am not a corrupt noble, but I am not a particularly honest and upright noble either. How much was the friend fee I received while working as the head of the inspection department, and how much was the stuff I pocketed whenever I did my job. I did not plan to save money, but when the opportunity to increase my wealth came, I did not turn it down.

The reasons were complex. If he showed that he was taking care of his money, other nobles would think, “That gentleman is someone you can talk to,” and he would feel good about his growing wealth. The problem was that he didn’t have time to spend his money, so it just kept growing.

Anyway, to me, bribery is not something that I particularly hate or get angry about.

‘This is my first time experiencing something like this.’

But that only applies to bribes given by innocent nobles as a favor to friends. I have never received bribes from people who have already been caught and arrested in real time.

How dare you wave money in front of public authorities when you’re caught in the act. Accepting that kind of money will only make me feel worse and give me more reasons to be harassed by the emperor.

And if you’re someone who’s caught by the Inspector General’s Office, there’s a high chance that your assets will be confiscated. Since the money will end up in the Inspector General’s warehouse or the national treasury anyway, why would you let someone catch a criminal in the act and let them get it a little faster? That’s ridiculous.

“Fortunately, this seems to be the only gambling house within the Hausenz Circle.”

– Since I couldn’t even properly examine the one and only thing, how can I raise my head with any shame? I have wasted Your Majesty’s precious time and have nothing to say even if I had ten mouths.

But the unpleasant feeling gradually subsided thanks to Winston showing his crown instead of his face.

It is presumed that the illegal gambling house was operating blatantly not because of the chief governor’s leadership, but because of the misdeeds of the governors below him. When the control of Northern Hausenz was transferred from the Ashlon family to the imperial family, the gambling house took advantage of the confusion and indiscriminately oiled the governors. The governor’s authority is sufficient to control a single gambling house.

Of course, it is not certain. We will have to investigate properly to find out whether the chief provincial governor is truly innocent or not. For now, this is only a temporary confirmation.

“Minister! Here are the ledgers!”

“Oh, good job.”

However, the person who was in charge of the temporary verification was Eri, who was the head of the first division of the Information Department. A veteran who was more skilled than me in uncovering the scene, a more capable executive than an average inspector general, personally identified the connection between the gambling house and the local officials.

In that case, there is a high probability that the temporary confirmation result will lead to the official confirmation result. In the first place, if he has the ability to avoid Eri’s eyes, he is not a person who will rot in Hausenz.

“why…”

“hmm?”

In the meantime, I heard an unpleasant voice and turned my head.

“Why, why is Your Excellency here! As far as I know, Your Excellency is clearly on vacation! He should be in the capital! Why did he come all the way to a remote gambling house to personally inspect the gambling house’s irregularities?”

‘Is this crazy?’

I was momentarily moved to tears by the voice full of resentment and injustice.

You crazy b*stard. I came here to have fun because I’m on vacation. If I were working, would I have come here? And I didn’t come here to check out the casino’s misconduct. I came here and saw the misconduct.

‘Why do you feel wronged?’

I desperately held back my hand that was about to jump out without me knowing. Of all of them, I was the one who should be the most wronged. I came all the way out to play and ended up in this situation.

But if you swing your fist with this anger, you could kill many sinners who still have a lot to say. Just like when you were an Academy inspector in the past, you sent the Red Wave’s head into the hole.

One moment of mistake is enough to make your head spin. You can’t do it twice.

‘Let’s be patient.’

I sighed inwardly and calmed my mind.

Yeah, this kid must be feeling aggrieved. If he’s been living like this for decades, if he’s been keeping his illegal gambling house legal, he must’ve put in a lot of effort. He must’ve been careful to avoid the danger of his hideout collapsing, and if an unavoidable disaster like mine were to pass him by, he’d probably just lie flat on his face.

But then, a person who was supposed to be in the system suddenly showed up at Hausenz and turned his hideout upside down. From this kid’s perspective, wouldn’t it feel like a bolt from the blue?

In fact, if it was a bolt from the blue and a sudden attack and he had not committed any illegal acts in the first place, there would have been nothing to feel wronged about, but if he was someone who thought of such things, would he have dared to insult the administration?

“Since you have enjoyed glory beyond your means, isn’t it right that you receive punishment beyond your expectations? All karma eventually comes back to haunt you.”

That’s why I spoke calmly to the illegal gambler who was complaining about the injustice.

If you had just been caught by the Hausenz local officials, you wouldn’t have had to see me. Since you hadn’t paid your taxes for decades, the inspector general himself came to visit you.

‘Because it’s been unpaid for decades.’

I couldn’t help but laugh. If an empire can collect taxes for months without paying them, while cursing, what kind of reaction will the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice have if they’ve been unpaid for decades?

Perhaps it is an arrears that is beyond imagination, so much so that it can be admired. It is natural for people to either tremble in fear or be amazed when they encounter the unknown beyond their own perception.

And the heads of the Treasury and the Justice Department are not fearful gentlemen. Rather, they are happy to have something fun added to their boring ministerial careers.

“Ah, Chief Governor.”

– Yes, Your Majesty.

As he opened his mouth to give his final instructions, Winston heard the cries of the illegal gambler and answered in a more rigid voice than before.

“This casino, replace all of its management, but keep it going. It’s a place with a lot of history and tradition, so it’s hard to get rid of it.”

– I will keep that in mind. I will do my best to maintain a clean gambling establishment so as not to disgrace the opportunity and consideration Your Majesty has given me.”

I almost laughed at that remark. I understand Winston’s determination, but can the words casino and clean coexist?

“Okay. I’ll look forward to it.”

However, the fact that I gave Winston instructions regarding the casino is tantamount to implying that Winston will be safe even if the casino-related purge is carried out. So, from Winston’s perspective, wouldn’t he be burning with relief at being alive and determination that he won’t be screwed twice?

It is not right to pour cold water on such a person.

***

The minister and Elizabeth headed to Bukhausen. Unlike their last honeymoon, they said they would enjoy a trip that started in the morning and returned in the evening, so they would return to the islands in the evening.

At first, I was shocked when I heard that the minister was going to Bukhausenz. It was truly shameful and embarrassing. I knew better than anyone that Bukhausenz was safe and quiet, but I lost my senses when I heard that the minister, the head of the Inspectorate, was going there.

How tragic it is. The Emperor, for a moment, doubted the peace of the imperial domain, the devotion of the local officials, and ignored their loyalty for years.

Let’s reflect. The shame of forgetting years of records and results because of mere past memories and fleeting emotions.

─It was only a few hours ago that I made that pledge.

“…There was an illegal gambling house within the Housenz Circle, and the Minister discovered it and arrested the management. Is that correct, Jim?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

He turned his head silently at the report of the Minister of the Imperial Household.

This wall once had a portrait of the minister as an adult, but it was taken down because it seemed like the minister would go crazy if it was hung for too long. Now it is a clean wall with nothing on it.

‘Should I walk again?’

I seriously considered whether I should hang the portrait I had collected again.

Clearly, the minister had gone to Bukhausentz with a light heart. He had gone only to have fun, and even then, he was only planning to stay from morning to night, not for a few days.

But what is this? In the span of a moment, from morning to evening, the minister uncovered and inspected an illegal gambling den that had been hidden for decades. He carried out his work in just a few hours.

‘He is not the patron saint of bureaucrats.’

Why else would I have thought that? The minister is the patron saint of bureaucrats, and he is a living saint, so he must be working even during his vacation. If not, then this eccentric behavior cannot be explained.

It is now common for ministers to work while on vacation. It is also not the first time that they get caught up in something unusual while on honeymoon.

However, it is no ordinary thing to discover and normalize an illegal gambling den that even I, the emperor, did not know about in a matter of hours. To this extent, wouldn’t it be appropriate for Enen to be the patron saint who protects officials?

‘this.’

The corners of my mouth started to twitch like crazy as I concluded that the minister was the patron saint of bureaucrats.

“Punish those who have insulted the administration according to the law, and thoroughly recover the unpaid taxes. Only by shaking off the filth of the past can the tradition of the newly rising Hausenz Circle be solid.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will do so.”

That is why he hurriedly issued an order to follow the principle. If an illegal gambling house is discovered, the profits made during the illegal period should be recovered, the criminals should be punished, and the situation should be returned to legality.

It was an ordinary order, and one that was not objectionable. Thanks to this, the Minister of the Imperial Household quickly bowed and stepped back.

“Phew…”

And as soon as he saw the Minister of the Imperial Household leave, he burst into laughter.

All my questions were answered. I realized why the minister loves his job while he is on vacation, and why he works even during his honeymoon.

Yes, if you are a patron saint, there is nothing you can do. If it is a destiny given by God, you cannot escape it unless you apostatize.

‘This is the first day.’

Suddenly, it occurred to me that today is the first day of the Minister’s honeymoon. Bukhausen is just one of the many destinations the Minister will visit in the future.

What on earth will happen then? My heart is pounding─

‘ah.’

A good idea occurred to me.

***

The emperor sent a letter.

[ The minister stood up as the minister of the empire in a place where merchants of various nationalities gathered and where merchants of different nationalities were in conflict. This is like the spirit of an empire that reigns over the continent and embraces many nations, so how can one not be impressed? ]

[ An empire is a continent because it encompasses everything. An empire is an empire because it is a small continent. The minister has successfully embraced and supported a small continent, which is a blessing for the continent beyond the empire. ]

[ I applaud the Minister for not losing his duty and honor as a pillar of the Empire and the Continent even while on vacation, and I bestow upon the Minister a small business that he has normalized. ]

As soon as I saw that text, I instinctively closed my eyes.

‘That son of a b*tch.’

I hate this guy more than an illegal gambler.