I soared high into the sky on Ziz's wings.
The flapping of those wings, cloaked in faint phosphorescence, looked fantastical and beautiful even to me as I controlled them.
It was a perfectly natural human reaction.
Had I seen someone else flying through the sky with such wings of light on their back, I surely would have thought them an angel descending from heaven.
There was another fantastical, beautiful sight before me.
The sky was clear and bright.
Down on the ground, the sweltering heat would have been unbearable without bringing out the ice stored underground during the winter.
A clear, cloudless expanse stretched as far as the eye could see, save for one distinct area a few kilometers away.
A pillar of rain.
Cumulonimbus clouds had gathered over that single spot, pouring down a torrential curtain of rain that looked like a solid pillar.
The sheer volume was staggering—a sudden, localized cloudburst that could easily be mistaken for a full-blown storm.
"Impressive, Leviathan."
Muttering to myself, I slowly flapped the wings and descended to the ground.
A young girl stood in the garden of the detached palace, the former Thirteenth Imperial Prince Mansion.
She appeared to be about ten years old.
Her shining golden hair far exceeded her height, cascading over the ground like a waterfall.
She carried an undeniable majesty, her eyes brimming with profound intellect.
Leviathan.
This was the manifestation of the awakened Magic Sword of Water's soul in human form.
"I saw the rain. Remarkable. That single moment produced enough water to supply the imperial capital for an entire month, didn't it? It's almost a pity there's no reservoir over there."
"It is entirely thanks to Master's power. The stronger Master is, the greater the power I can unleash."
"Is that how it works?"
"That rain is Master's power itself. If you deem it impressive, then it is Master who is truly magnificent."
I see.
Then if I become even stronger...
Just as I began pondering flood control, Leviathan spoke again, her gaze sharpening with intense determination.
"I shall never fall behind the likes of Bahamut. Please allow me to continue devoting all my might to Master."
"Both you and Bahamut are my treasures. But if that is how you feel, by all means, compete with each other to hone your power for my sake."
"—Understood!"
True to the light in her eyes, Leviathan's reply was dignified and full of rational composure.
I wondered if her personality had matured after awakening—or so I thought.
"—!"
"Ee-eeek!"
A maid's shriek echoed from behind us.
Turning around, I saw Gigi collapsed on her backside, her face pale with terror.
Looking closely, a wet stain was actively spreading across her skirt.
Did she wet herself from fright?—I see.
"Leviathan."
I turned back and soothed her.
"She entered my service after you did, so you should recognize her face. That is my maid, Gigi."
"..."
Her demeanor shifted completely.
With her intellectual composure vanishing without a trace, Leviathan scowled in fury.
"Addressing Master so abruptly is insolence of the highest order!"
"People usually address others abruptly, unless they happen to lock eyes beforehand."
I let out a soft, wry chuckle.
Just when I thought she had grown up, she was still Leviathan through and through.
More like 'Levia-chan,' really.
She looked just like her physical age—a petulant child throwing a tantrum.
"At any rate, my maids are carefully selected and devoted to me. There is no need for such intimidation; it will only get in the way when I need their service."
"...Understood."
Leviathan reined in her aura.
Gigi visibly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Go get changed... Ah, before that, what is it?"
"Ah... Y-yes!"
Still trembling from the lingering terror, Gigi gave her report.
"L-Lord Don has arrived."
"Show him in."
"U-Understood!"
Gigi scrambled to her feet and fled the courtyard in a panic.
Taking her place, Fourth Prime Minister Don Oates stepped into view.
"Magnificent as always, Your Majesty."
"What is?"
"Even such a ferocious beast becomes the very picture of a faithful hound before Your Majesty."
"Did you see what just happened?"
"No. I merely felt the intensity from a distance."
You really overdid it, Leviathan.
Seeing that she felt no remorse and was already glaring warily at Don, I addressed her.
"You may return. I have business to discuss with Don."
"Yes."
Without further argument, Leviathan obediently complied, dissolving her physical form and returning into my bracelet.
"So, what is it?"
"A written report from the Governor-General of Gabel."
"Phil Mohm, is it? Let me see—wait, what is this?"
What Don handed over was not an envelope, but a slender cylinder.
Taking it, I could tell there was rolled-up paper inside.
"A painting?...No, surely not."
For a fleeting second, an unpleasant thought crossed my mind.
Paintings sent in this manner were usually bribes—or, since I was the Emperor, tributes.
Such works were invariably expensive.
Gabel Province.
Just a short while ago, during the salt tax affair, I had seen the previous governor-general accepting bribes and squandering gold.
Though I had personally elevated this man, he had been a slave right up until that moment.
He shouldn't have possessed the coin to send expensive art.
Could he... already have been corrupted?
"There is no need for concern."
"Hm?"
"It appears to be the work of his own hand."
"His own hand... Phil Mohm drew this?"
Don nodded firmly.
So it wasn't an antique tribute after all.
If so, what was it?
Filled with curiosity, I pulled the paper from the cylinder and unfurled it.
Across the sheet was an amateurish sketch that completely disregarded any semblance of artistic technique.
Yet, despite its crude nature, the scene was surprisingly clear.
There were two drawings.
The first depicted someone attempting to hand a gift to another person.
The second showed the intended recipient kicking the gift-giver right in the backside.
"...Hmm."
"Furthermore, slightly after that arrived, Zoe sent this. Given the timing, I believe they are related."
This time, he presented a box.
Huwawa's Box.
The container I had given to Zoe for confidential correspondence.
Taking it, I used Huwawa's power to unlock the mechanism.
I extracted the envelope from within, broke the seal, and read the letter.
"...I see."
"What did it say?"
"Another faction tried to seize the opportunity to expand their influence by bringing Phil Mohm into their fold, but it seems he rejected them in a thoroughly humiliating fashion."
"I see."
"And since Phil Mohm is illiterate, he delivered his report through his own drawings."
"Is that so?...While I acknowledge his loyalty to Your Majesty, is it not a liability that he cannot read or write? Zoe is nearby, so perhaps she could offer more direct oversight—"
"No, he is fine as he is. I was the one who appointed Phil Mohm. If he makes a mistake, I will simply clean up after him. More importantly, despite rising from slavery, he was not blinded by gold and silver and remains loyal to me. I want to cherish that devotion."
"Understood. In that case, I shall simply ensure we keep a close eye on the situation."
"Umu. I leave it to you."
☆
Returning to my study in the detached palace, I summoned Henry.
Across the desk, Henry bowed respectfully to me as always.
"You summoned me, Your Majesty?"
"I intend to thoroughly crush Gyelwang of Kurge."
"—! Forgive me!"
Henry's expression stiffened, and he dropped to his knees on the spot.
"It is fine. It is not your fault."
There was a reason for Henry's reaction.
Before my accession, around the time I took charge of my domain, news had arrived that Gyelwang of Kurge was staging a rebellion.
The Emperor at the time—my father—asked for my counsel, and I recommended Henry, the Imperial Prince Minister of Military Affairs.
"However..."
"Enough, stand up. It is not your fault. If anything, given the meager budget you had, you did remarkably well to force a stalemate. Had it been anyone else, the rebellion would have spread, and we might have been forced to recognize their independence."
"Your words are more gracious than I deserve."
"The reason I cracked down on the salt tax was partly to address this. Henry, what is the single most important factor when subjugating the frontier?"
"Logistics."
Henry answered without a shred of hesitation.
The weight of an experienced commander resonated in his voice.
"Indeed, logistics. Not to boast, but our empire is vast. In a rebellion of Gyelwang's scale, even if we lose a few skirmishes, our ultimate victory remains unshakable. However, to bring the Empire's full might to bear, we must maintain a steady supply of provisions to move a massive army."
"Ha..."
Henry nodded. I rose from my chair, clasped my hands behind my back, and paced around the study as I spoke.
"Until now, our lack of funds forced us to rely on stopgap measures. But now that the salt tax affair is settled, the national treasury is wealthier than ever. We will commit our resources in one decisive push and root them out completely."
"Leave it to me. With Your Majesty going to such lengths... if I fail to eradicate Gyelwang, I shall never set foot in the imperial capital again."
Henry dropped to his knees once more and bowed his head.
He intends to take the field personally, does he? Well, that works out fine.
"On that note, Your Majesty..."
"Umu?"
"We must also establish some form of restraint against Tulbaif."
Still kneeling, Henry raised his head to speak.
As expected of someone who had served as the Imperial Prince Minister of Military Affairs for so long, he immediately brought up the necessary precautions.
"Ah, I have already made arrangements for that."
"Pardon my asking, but... what might they be?"
"I hear Tulbaif has three sons. Three young men who each excel in martial prowess, intellect, and virtue. They are renowned as the 'three arrows,' are they not?"
"Yes. Furthermore, all three revere their father, making their familial bond exceptionally strong."
"A troublesome bunch."
I certainly had no desire to provoke Tulbaif while the old man was still alive.
"I have already secured Father's approval. I will marry off my seventeenth elder sister, along with my eighteenth and twentieth younger sisters."
The seventeenth, eighteenth, and twentieth imperial princesses.
I would send princesses matched to the ages of those three sons into political marriages.
"T-To such an extent...? Pardon me, but is there truly a need for the Empire to adopt such a humble posture? While I agree with a political marriage, surely one princess would suffice..."
"We must eradicate Gyelwang down to the root. We cannot afford the distraction of a two-front war. If Tulbaif aids Gyelwang's escape just as we have him cornered, it will be no laughing matter."
"B-But..."
"It looks like kowtow diplomacy, doesn't it? But that level of concession is precisely what is needed... for now."
"...Magnificent as always."
Henry stared in awe, then lowered his head once more.
"As for Tulbaif... we are granting him three imperial princesses, so I only hope he refrains from acting rashly..."
With my hands still clasped behind my back, I looked up at the blue sky through the window.