829 – I’m on vacation – 2

My heartfelt cry seemed to have resonated deeply with the Emperor.

Normally, if I made a remark that seemed to hint at my retirement, he would tell me to just quit talking nonsense and get lost, but didn’t he make a deferred remark telling me to finish my honeymoon first?

This worked. The emperor thought my situation was pitiful and pitiful, and his heart was moved.

‘You are still human.’

I feel like I’m going to cry tears of emotion. He’s always been a guy who goes back and forth between beast and human, but there are times when he shows his human side. I think that time is right now. It was the perfect timing.

And what if, if things go well, he succeeds in stepping down from his post, even temporarily? What if he becomes the Inspector General’s Karl, not the Inspector General’s Karl?

‘You just have to hold out for a year.’

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my pounding heart.

Next year, Tricky will step down from the position of Duke of Servette, and I will become the Acting Duke. If I can hold out for just one year, I will even have the title of Acting Duke.

If I can just get that business card, it’s my victory. If the Duke’s deputy returns to being a minister, there will be a problem of fairness, and I can’t put the Duke’s deputy in the Imperial Diet. I can use the title of Duke’s deputy, which I have to carry anyway, as an excuse to get rid of all the other titles.

I know it’s a cowardly way to do it. In fact, just a few hours ago, I hadn’t even thought about such a petty thing.

‘I can be petty.’

But when I think about it, even during my honeymoon, I worked hard for the royal family, the empire, and the continent. I showed crazy dedication even when I didn’t have to work, so isn’t it time to be completely freed from that dedication?

So, it’s one year. If I step down from the position of the Inspector General for just one year, everything will be fine. After that, it will not be my struggle to step down from the position of the Minister, but the Emperor’s struggle to somehow reinstate me. It is truly a perfect turnaround.

‘You’ve got to work hard, you son of a b*tch.’

Just imagining it makes me excited. How angry the Emperor will be if I refuse to return to work for all sorts of reasons. He will feel the same pain I felt when I longed for retirement.

Of course, in order for the air force to change, a temporary retirement from the ministerial position would be a priority, but given that the Emperor has made a statement of postponement, it is highly likely. In addition, since he has the merit of uncovering an illegal gambling house in Northern Hausenz, which is the Emperor’s sore spot, wouldn’t the Emperor also feel a sense of burden? How grateful and sorry would a subordinate on his honeymoon be if he cleaned up his sore spot?

Surely it will be so. Let us believe in that thin, pitiful, faint, and feeble human nature.

Fortunately, all the honeymoon destinations we visited after Northern Housenz were peaceful and quiet.

This is a natural thing. The imperial territories are managed by local officials who receive royal salaries, and the territories are managed by lords who have managed the region for generations. If there is a problem in the area under their control, it will be a red light for their wallets and safety, so it is normal for them to deal with it themselves before it comes to my attention.

It’s understandable that the illegal gambling den discovered in Hausenz Circle is a remnant of Ashlon. No matter how bizarre or absurd something is, it becomes more convincing when the word ‘Ashlon’ is attached to it.

“Minister! How about this!?”

While I was leisurely exploring new travel destinations and tourist attractions, Eri brought something strange from somewhere.

“It’s not a real sword, is it?”

“It’s a toy!”

A toy sword so realistic and huge that it looks like a real sword at first glance.

No, that looks like a toy. If you throw it where the knights are training, they’ll get confused. You won’t know if it’s real or a toy until you pick it up.

‘Is this an adult’s toy?’

I don’t think that’s a toy aimed at children. It’s something for some adults who still have a childlike side.

Perhaps it is the stuff of aspiring knights who have given up on the path of a knight due to talent and environmental issues, but still long for the sword. Either way, it is definitely not for children.

“Come back with a refund.”

“Why! I promised Ferenc I’d buy him a nice present! What could be more wonderful than this?”

However, Eri was already possessed by the adult toy, and protested loudly while hugging the sword.

I know that too. Ferenc chose our honeymoon location, so as a parent who leaves his child behind on the trip, I have to give him a nice gift. This is not only a love for the child, but also a duty that should be done.

But that’s not it. If I were to exaggerate a bit, it would be a sword bigger than Ferenc, and if you gave it to him as a gift, Ferenc would play with it.

“You want to see Ferenc get stabbed? Get your money back and come back.”

“Hey, kids grow up so quickly! Even Pedi, who was so small, has grown so much! He can play with it even after just one year!”

“Then I should buy it then. Why buy it now when I can’t use it anymore─”

“This is a limited sale! You can’t get it if you don’t buy it today!”

I couldn’t help but sigh at those words.

The fact that people are attracted to the word limited sale is no different in the world of Bing or this world. Even if the buyer is of the blood of the Marquis.

“Oh, I got this as a bonus! They said they were giving it to me as a special gift since I have good taste?”

As she said that, Eri took out a small dagger from her pocket. Naturally, the dagger was also a toy of considerable quality.

…

‘Dump?’

But something is strange. Are the merchants at tourist attractions the ones who give out freebies? Rather, they are the ones who give out freebies without a reason, rather than the ones who give out freebies without a reason.

‘if.’

I absentmindedly glanced at the toy sword Eri was holding, then quietly turned my gaze away.

I think I know the basics. The environment of the tourist destination, the mother’s heart that she should give her beloved son good things, and the bloodline of the writer for whom money is just a number. These three things combined must have caused the price of that toy to skyrocket.

Since he readily bought such a precious and heavy item, he must have given away the dagger as a bonus. After all, the combined cost of the sword and dagger wouldn’t even be half of what Eri paid.

“Keep the sword in a safe place and give it to Ferenc when he grows up. For now, let him play with just the dagger.”

“yes!”

That’s why I couldn’t dissuade the cheerful Eri any longer.

Yes, how can I stop a mother from buying a gift for her child? Besides, Ferenc is also a child of Krasius’ blood. He might be very interested in a toy sword. In fact, he showed affection for the toy that Eri briefly gave him while he was choosing a honeymoon destination.

Ferenc’s size is too big to handle right now, so let’s just keep him in storage until he gets bigger.

“Should I just buy a window?”

“Shouldn’t you give them time to become attached to their toys? If you give them too much at once, they’ll get tired of it quickly.”

“I see. Then just take this for today!”

Looking at the smiling Eri, I suddenly had a gut feeling that Ferenc would grow up to be a weapon master, not a prosecutor. A warrior who was skilled in all weapons, just like his father-in-law.

Actually, I also handle various weapons other than swords, but my main weapon is the sword, and the rest are just general knowledge. On the other hand, my father-in-law handles all weapons, from fists to swords, spears, bows, axes, etc., just like I handle swords.

‘When he grows up, should I send him to Ulken?’

If Ferenc dreams of becoming a Weapon Master because of this strange early education, let’s send him to Wolken to study. The best Weapon Master in the continent, not to mention the Empire, is in Wolken.

I feel sorry for bothering someone who has already stepped down from the Duke’s position, but I think you’ll be lenient on the basics since he’s your son-in-law’s son. It’s like you’re nurturing a successor.

Time passed quickly.

Time passed so that Ferenc was delighted to receive his toy dagger, Yulia was able to stare at her father, and their domestic honeymoon was nearing its end.

I heard that the casino in Hausenz Circle has reopened while we were out and about. Starting next month, the casino’s revenue will be in my wallet too.

‘I should save this up and give it to Ferenc when he grows up.’

In a way, it is the injustice that Ferenc discovered because he chose Northern Hausenz, and the gain that he gained because he discovered the injustice. So wouldn’t it be right to return it to Ferenc, who was the trigger?

When I think about it, it’s amazing. A child who is only three years old has made money with his own abilities. He is a child who cannot even be described as a prodigy.

Maybe our Ferenc, a man interested in all kinds of weapons and an intellectual who searches for corruption in the empire, is a man of both civil and military abilities.

‘hmm?’

While I was imagining Ferenc’s bright future and preparing for my last journey, the communication port vibrated briefly.

[ After the trip is over, come to the palace the next day. We will finish talking about what we were talking about before then. ]

‘oh.’

As soon as I saw the letter the Emperor sent, I was moved.

Not a firm rejection, but a deferral. Not a sneaky avoidance, but the boldness to seek me out first.

My hopes are growing stronger. As expected, the Emperor was also feeling sorry for me.

‘I will work hard as the Duke’s agent.’

That’s why I made a promise to myself. I’ll work so hard that I won’t even notice that the position of Duke is vacant.

Ah, especially regarding the return of the Inspector General, it would be good to actively consider returning depending on the situation, keep all possibilities open, and consider whether to do it or not through constructive discussions. Since the Emperor has stepped back, I also need to consider taking a step back.

‘This is an empire.’

The emperor and his subjects come to the best possible agreement.

This beautiful process will be the most imperial of all.

***

Unfortunately, while the Minister was on his honeymoon, I was unable to find any logic that would cleanly dispel the Minister’s claims.

To be exact, I couldn’t find a logic that would crush the Minister’s fragile spirit while comforting him. In such a situation, if I forcefully refute the claim, the Minister might swing his fist.

That’s a difficult thing. If I get hit by the minister’s fist, it’s not a matter of disloyalty or anything, but a matter of whether I live or die. Of course, if it’s not an instant death, I can recover, but no matter how much I think about it, I don’t think I can withstand the minister’s power even once.

‘Then the minister should step down on his own.’

So that the Minister can humbly accept the title of Inspector General. Rather, he would be happy to remain as Inspector General.

[ Discussion on establishing a new position of Minister of State Affairs . ]

So that you can choose a less hot hell rather than a hotter hell.

“Minister of State.”

I read the title on the document out loud for no reason.

The Minister in charge of state affairs. What a beautiful sound this is. I’m sure the Minister will be moved to tears.