"Listen, Anya. Even if we start now, the number of consorts His Majesty actually selects through the process will only be anywhere from a handful to a few dozen."
"Yeah, that's true."
"However, by overlapping it with the existing Knight Selection, women across the realm will naturally strive to grow toward the criteria—the direction—set by His Majesty in order to be chosen by him."
"...Whoa."
"Knights are inevitably male-centric, and women who wish to become knights are an eccentric minority. But barring extraordinary circumstances, there is hardly a woman who does not wish to marry into wealth and power. The women of the world will exert themselves to win His Majesty's favor."
"Thinking that far ahead... Amazing!"
Anya gazed at me with eyes full of utter admiration.
"The amazing one is you, for reading my thoughts in an instant."
Saying that, I smiled and looked at Audrey.
"That is all well and good, but does Your Majesty truly have no woman who has caught your interest?"
"Where did that come from so suddenly? Given the context, I take it you mean in a romantic sense?"
When I asked, Audrey gave a quiet nod.
"Why ask something like that?"
"Because it appeared to me that Your Majesty had forgotten an important matter."
"An important matter?"
Did I forget something?
"His Majesty the retired emperor has many consorts. And there were various kinds of consorts among them."
"Hm."
I almost burst out laughing at the word "various."
Father truly had made all kinds of women his consorts.
Among them were women who had been the wives of his own retainers, and even a woman who was once his own father's consort—his stepmother.
It was a famous story.
When the Emperor at the time passed away, there was a girl who had been taken as a consort for political reasons, but because she was only six years old, she remained untouched.
In other words, a six-year-old widow.
When she grew up and reached marriageable age, Father caught sight of her beauty and forcibly made her his wife.
The retired emperor, my father, had no shortage of such exploits.
"When he claimed his retainer's wife, or when he laid hands upon the young girl who was his stepmother, did anyone rebuke His Majesty the retired emperor?"
"No?"
Why would an emperor ever be rebuked for something like that?
An emperor was someone who wouldn't be rebuked even for doing far more unthinkable, inhumane things.
"Yes, exactly as Your Majesty's reaction suggests."
"What are you trying to say?"
"Your Majesty often speaks of the duties of the nobility, but it seems to me that you have forgotten the rights of the nobility."
"...Hm."
"Every woman in the Empire belongs to Your Majesty—the Empire itself already belongs to Your Majesty."
I see, so she was telling me to enjoy my status and power more.
"I understand what you mean. But why bring that up?"
"Water that is too pure cannot support fish."
"...Ah."
I understood what Audrey was getting at.
If I, the Emperor, didn't indulge, the lower nobles would hold back out of deference and refrain as well.
That wasn't good.
If I were just an imperial prince, that would have been fine.
But as the Emperor, wielding absolute authority, the nobility and the subjects would inevitably try to read my mood.
If they started holding back out of deference to me, the economy would stagnate.
"Your Majesty is a person of extraordinary talent, perhaps a genius seen once in ten thousand years. However, as an emperor, I must say that you still fall far short of His Majesty the retired emperor."
"...I see. That is certainly a perspective befitting the Empress."
It took a bit of time to get through, but I finally understood what Audrey meant.
"Understood. The entire Empire belongs to me—I shall keep that engraved in my heart as I act."
"...As expected, Your Majesty is truly magnificent."
"Hm?"
"Even after hearing words that essentially denied everything you have done, you accept them readily if they are right for an emperor. Truly admirable."
"Is that so?"
It was a compliment I heard often, but hearing it from Audrey with her perspective as Empress brought a different kind of joy.
☆
The next afternoon, I was holding a mock battle in the garden.
Accompanied by Zoe the head maid and the newly brought-back Kate, I relaxed inside an arbor while having the newly joined Ziz fight against the other five.
Linked with the Ring of Armor and materialized for the mock battle, I had them fight one after another, centering around the new Ziz.
Once they completed a full round, my level rose.
―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Empire Emperor Gender: Male Level: 16 + 1 / ∞ HP: C+C | Fire: E+S MP: D+C | Water: C+SS Strength: C+S | Wind: E+C Endurance: D+C | Earth: E+C Intelligence: D+B | Light: E+B Mind: E+C | Dark: E+B Speed: E+C Dexterity: E+C Luck: E+C ―――――――――――
My MP went up by one rank.
A level up after a long while.
A level up brought about by Ziz's new addition.
"Zoe... no, Kate. Use the status magic."
"Y-Yes, understood."
Not much time had passed since I brought her back, so Kate was still nervous.
She possessed a bit of magical talent, so I had her learn the status-checking spell and gave it to her as her current duty.
With that, I confirmed my apparent level 17 status.
Thinking I could still push further, I made them fight more.
After two rounds, the general pecking order became clear.
There was no change in the existing hierarchy.
Bahamut was at the top, followed by Leviathan.
The dynamic consisted of Leviathan baring its competitive spirit and snapping aggressively at the awakened Bahamut.
Below them were Behemoth, Apophis, and Huwawa, in that order.
These three were indifferent, without any particular hostility—though Huwawa was so excessively detached that it formed a sharp contrast with Leviathan's competitive nature, making me wonder if she was still hiding her true power.
Squeezing into those five, below Leviathan and above Behemoth, was Ziz.
A bird's head and the torso of a muscular man.
That was Ziz's materialized form when linked with the Ring of Armor.
Just as Ziz's standing was roughly established, my level rose again.
―――――――――――― Name: Noah Ararat Empire Emperor Gender: Male Level: 17 + 1 / ∞ HP: C+C | Fire: E+S MP: D+C | Water: C+SS Strength: C+S | Wind: E+C Endurance: D+C | Earth: E+C Intelligence: D+B | Light: E+B Mind: E+C | Dark: E+B Speed: E+C Dexterity: E+C Luck: D+C ―――――――――――
This time, Luck went up by one rank.
My base abilities were still somewhat modest, but it could be said that I had become plenty strong nonetheless.
My surface status was—
"H-Here you go."
Before I could call out to her, Kate cast the magic proactively.
My status floated before me, visible to others as well.
It displayed level 18, reflecting the one-level increase from 17+1.
"Ah..."
Zoe was the one surprised by this.
I chuckled smugly to Zoe.
"That's how it is. Quick on the uptake, isn't she?"
"Yes."
"When I reached for some lukewarm tea, before I even noticed, it had already been swapped for a hot cup."
"Ohh..."
Zoe looked at Kate in astonishment.
Being stared at, Kate looked down uncomfortably.
"As expected of Your Majesty, to even see through the talent of such an ordinary girl."
"I was the one who saw it, but you are the one raising her. I leave it to you."
"Yes! Please leave it to me!"
She brimmed with enthusiasm, as if nothing could make her happier than being trusted by me.
Nodding with a smile, I returned to the mock battle.
From experience, with Ziz joining, my level should smoothly go up by about three more.
I decided to stop after reaching that goal today.
With the pecking order settled, the focus I had dedicated to the mock battle began to drift toward other things.
Suddenly, I noticed Kate staring intently at my hand.
"What is it? Is there something on my hand?"
"Huh? Ah..."
"Mind your manners, Kate."
"It is fine this time, I permit it. More importantly, you looked as though you had something to say. What is it?"
"Um..."
Flustered, Kate looked back and forth between me and Zoe.
When I entrusted her to Zoe, I had told her to "listen to what Zoe says," so I could tell plain as day that she was confused, still not used to the hierarchy.
"Answer His Majesty's question. His Majesty's words take precedence over everything."
"Y-Yes!"
After nodding in a fluster, Kate looked at my hand and spoke.
"I was just wondering if Lord Majesty's power could work on humans too."
"Humans?"
"Because the Kala God sometimes possessed human bodies."
"...I never even considered that. What do you think?"
When I asked, only one of the six responded.
The answer came immediately.
『If it be I.』
It was Bahamut.
It was Bahamut, the only one among them that had awakened.
『For a little under a minute, I could make use of that girl's body.』
"Give it a try."
『Understood.』
Bahamut complied, leaping out from the bracelet and possessing Kate.
The next moment, Kate's body underwent a rapid transformation; her youthful girl's frame extended into that of a mature woman, and her hair, clothes, and entire body became clad in flames.
A fiend of flame—or perhaps a flame deity.
She assumed a form worthy of such a title.
"I-Incredible..."
Seeing Kate transform into a divine figure right before her eyes, Zoe's eyes widened in sheer astonishment.