"With this personal campaign, I estimate I will not be able to return for at least half a year. Therefore, there is an important task I need Oscar to handle."
"What would that be?"
"Serve as the selection examiner for this year's Knight Selection."
"The Knight Selection... you say?"
Oscar knitted his brows.
Though he had been smiling pleasantly just moments before, his expression did a complete hundred-and-eighty-degree turn.
"I understand how you feel. Normally, being an examiner for knights is a task for an imperial prince with far more free time."
"No, I by no means meant—"
"It is fine. In times of peace, you would be correct."
"—Understood."
Oscar nodded with a solemn look.
It seemed he had read between the lines of the word peace.
It held true for all things; the methods used in normal times were completely different from those used in emergencies.
Naturally, Oscar understood that logic as well, deducing from my phrasing that I was about to discuss an emergency measure.
"I humbly accept your imperial command."
"Good."
"And so, how should I conduct the selection this year?"
"I leave the method to you—however, fail every single capable candidate."
"Fail them? Every single one...?"
"Yes. If you need a cover story, you may openly accept massive bribes from the incompetent ones. I will draft an imperial writ right now stating that it is by my order."
"...Why would you do such a thing?"
"Naturally, I do not intend for you to simply fail them."
"Understood."
Oscar gave a slight nod.
His expression seemed to say that much went without saying.
"After failing the useful ones, consult with Henry and assign them to the right places."
"...For the expedition?"
"Correct."
I nodded firmly.
Looking straight at Oscar, I continued with a serious face.
"There is no telling how this personal campaign will turn out. It is always better to have more pieces at hand."
"In that case, would it not suffice to conduct the regular selection and recruit them openly?"
"It is so the enemy will not realize. The same reason applies to why I am not having Henry do it. If Henry, the Minister of Military Affairs, does it openly, people will become suspicious. That is why it must be you. If you handle it, it serves as a cover of internal affairs."
"I see............"
Oscar nodded slightly, his expression shifting into one of deep contemplation.
Not wanting to disturb his thoughts, I waited for him to speak on his own accord.
After pondering for about a dozen seconds, Oscar raised his head and looked straight at me.
"In that case, would Dustin not be more suited for this than I?"
"The Tenth?"
A little surprised, I looked at Oscar.
Tenth Imperial Prince Dustin.
He was my older brother, and while he was publicly known as a mere—no, an absolute womanizer, I considered him a capable man of a different caliber than either Henry or Oscar.
"Yes. I also hold a position that draws a fair amount of attention. Rather than me with my official duties, would Dustin, who holds no office, not be preferable?"
"Hmm."
"Furthermore, Dustin is known for his womanizing. If it is meant as a camouflage, he would be far more suited. If it is Dustin, he will understand if Your Majesty hints at it verbally, without leaving anything in writing."
"Haha, you hold him in high regard."
When I said that, Oscar let out a sigh.
"I find it frustrating at times. For an imperial prince to possess such talent yet use it for nothing but chasing women... I cannot help but question such conduct."
"Hmm."
I nodded.
I see, so Oscar took it "that way."
Well, that was only natural.
There was no way Oscar could say, "He is only pretending to have no interest in the throne," right to my face.
Judging by the atmosphere, I could tell that deep down, Oscar likely held the same assessment as I did.
I considered it further.
I thought about Oscar's proposal.
There was also the matter of Cheryl.
Let us leave this to Dustin as Oscar suggested.
For the sake of the true objective.
"Very well. I shall accept that recommendation. I will summon Dustin later and instruct him. You are to act as the receptacle for those who are rejected."
"By your will."
Oscar bowed his head.
I watched him lower his head.
My primary purpose in summoning Oscar here was to make the story add up.
Oscar had ears and eyes within the imperial court as well.
There was no way the contents of my conversation with Henry in this arbor would leak, but the fact that we had spoken would spread.
If it were only with Henry, it would invite suspicion and doubt, but speaking with Oscar as well eliminated that problem.
In other words, I summoned both Henry and Oscar, and equally discussed confidential matters with them.
In my imperial court, Henry and Oscar were essentially my two arms.
If I discussed confidential matters with only one of them, the other would harbor all sorts of suspicions.
Under normal circumstances it might not matter, but right now, having Oscar harbor ill suspicions would be troublesome.
That was why I summoned Oscar as well, to make things consistent.
With this, doubt would take root in Oscar.
To take it to the extreme:
It did not matter if Oscar harbored rebellious intent until the day he died of old age.
As long as that rebellious intent did not cross a certain threshold and translate into action, that was enough.
Doubt became shackles that made him hesitate to act.
...In the extreme, that was more than sufficient.
"Then, I shall bring this matter to Dustin."
"P-Please wait, Imperial Prince—"
"Just back off. Don't worry, you lot won't be punished."
Just as our discussion reached a conclusion, a commotion resembling an argument could be heard from afar.
Looking toward the noise, I saw a man and several women heading this way from the palace.
The man was quite old, but he looked vigorous and hale, his stride and movements matching those of any young man.
If anything, the eunuchs gathering around him, desperately trying to intervene, looked far more frail.
They looped around the pond, stepped onto the solitary bridge, and came toward us.
"F-Forgive us, Your Majesty! Our report was delayed—"
The eunuch dropped into a prostration on the bridge.
"It is fine. Withdraw."
"Y-Yes, Sire!"
At my word, the eunuchs remained prostrate, crawling backward on all fours like animals before returning the way they came.
The one left behind was a well-dressed old man.
No, more than that, he was an old man who radiated an overwhelming presence.
Thunder Imperial Prince Indra.
A high-ranking imperial prince bearing the title of "Thunder," and the grandfather of my legal wife, Empress Audrey.
Indra was casually wearing finely tailored clothes in a manner unfitting an imperial prince, carrying his trademark golden gourd.
The moment Indra entered the arbor, he sat down next to me and slapped my shoulder.
"Hey there, lad! Been keeping well?"
"Wha—?!"
Oscar, who had been sitting until then, widened his eyes and bristled with anger.
"Lord Indra! Isn't that exceedingly rude?!"
"Hahahaha, getting all worked up will shorten your life, you know? Right, lad?"
"Haha, indeed."
"Your Majesty!"
Oscar's spearhead turned toward me as well.
I understood what he wanted to say.
Normally speaking, doing something like this to me, the Emperor of the Empire, would warrant being beheaded for grand lese-majesty.
"It is fine."
"However—!"
"I am saying it is fine. Besides, grand lese-majesty is an offense subject to prosecution only upon complaint."
"...Understood."
When it came to the law, Oscar backed down.
Ever since I was an imperial prince, I had upheld the law while maintaining flexibility within its framework.
Knowing that trait of mine, Oscar had no choice but to yield.
"You're too uptight, kid. Why don't you live a little more casually, like yours truly?"
"I shall pass."
"Setting that aside, Thunder Imperial Prince, what brings you here so suddenly?"
Since Indra and Oscar—or rather, Oscar alone—were fuming, I decided to step between them.
I felt that leaving them alone would cause things to get massively tangled into a huge mess.
When I intervened, Indra's expression remained cheerful, but he clapped his hands as if suddenly remembering something.
"Oh, right, right! Today, you see, I came to give the lad a bit of a lecture."
"A lecture?"
I tilted my head slightly, wondering what it could be.
Seeing Oscar's eyebrow twitch in the corner of my vision, I decided it was best for me to take the lead in driving the conversation.
If someone cut in while the Emperor was speaking, that would be an act of lese-majesty in itself.
"Have I been lacking in something?"
"Oh, you bet you have. Can't figure it out? Then I'll tell ya. You, lad—your inner palace is far too small."
"...Ah."
I gave a small nod.
Even without Indra going out of his way to tell me, it was something I had naturally noticed myself.
"I understand that, but why is the Thunder Imperial Prince bringing it up?"
"Audrey is the Empress, the mother of the nation."
"Hmm."
"What the lad rules is the realm, the Empire. In the same way, the Empress must govern the inner palace and act as the mother of the nation."
"Audrey said something similar as well."
"Right. Lad, if the inner palace is too small, what do you think future generations will say about Audrey?"
"...Well, now."
"They'll write her down as a jealous woman or a wicked villainess."
"Would it really come to that?"
I gave a bitter smile.
"That's just how it is. You can't put a door on people's mouths. History books are the same."
"I see."
"We can't have my granddaughter written about like that, now can we? Eh?"
I understood now.
Indra had come to complain on behalf of his granddaughter, Audrey.
Thunder Imperial Prince Indra was known for being free-spirited and open-hearted, but when it came to doting on his granddaughter, it seemed he was no different from any other man in the world.
"I understand your point... However, is that not overthinking it?"
"No, Your Majesty, the Lord Thunder Imperial Prince is correct on this matter."
"Oh?"
A bit surprised, I looked toward Oscar.
Oscar, who looked ready to shoot sparks from his eyes just a moment ago, had completely flipped and was now supporting Indra's argument.
"In our Empire, there were Elizabeth and Angela. In the previous empire, Julie and others fell into that category."
"...Ah, all of them are regarded as wicked women or evil empresses."
"Yes. What they have in common is that they were jealous and carried out massive purges of the inner palace."
"Meaning Audrey might end up written about in the same light?"
When I said that, Oscar nodded firmly.
"There is the matter of heirs, as well as keeping up appearances. We would like Your Majesty to expand the inner palace a bit more."
"Expand the inner palace, you say."
"To put it simply, we wish for you to behave more like an Emperor in that regard. This is also a recommendation from one who concurrently oversees the Imperial Household Department."
"Hmm..."
"Besides,"
Once Oscar's words came to a pause, Indra followed up.
For a while now, it had gone Indra, Oscar, Indra, the two of them pressing me with a harmonious combination as if they were longtime partners.
"For example, if the old man of you lads suddenly started staying away from women about ten years from now, what do you think people around him would think?"
"Imperial Father?"
I knitted my brows and thought about it.
Father's love for women was famous.
He had tens of times more consorts than I did, with over a dozen sons and dozens of daughters.
Even now, having abdicated to become the retired emperor, he kept his consorts by his side just the same.
If that Imperial Father were to suddenly distance himself from women...?
"Health, is it?"
When I said that, both Indra and Oscar nodded firmly.
"Right. 'The Emperor's health is failing. That's why he began keeping away from women.' That's what outsiders would think."
"Hmm......"
"If that happens, the surrounding barbarians would surely treat it as a rare opportunity and make a great commotion all at once."
"Exactly. Whether the Emperor loves women, and whether he can embrace women, is also one of the barometers outsiders look at."
"Is that so..."
I gave a small nod.
From the standpoint of an Emperor... I see.
There were many things to think about.
Indra and I remained in the arbor.
Oscar had taken his leave, saying he would go to Dustin.
Indra and I watched Oscar's retreating figure as he left.
"Was that guy always so quick to anger?"
"Eh?"
"I thought he was a bit more of a mild-mannered kid."
Indra said with a puzzled tilt of his head.
"Most likely, I think it is because it concerns the Emperor."
"Hmm?"
Indra looked at me.
I looked in the direction Oscar had left—looking into the distance as if gazing far beyond.
"It just clicked for me. Things that I couldn't quite articulate before have finally come together in words."
"Oho?"
"To Oscar, the 'Emperor' must be an absolute existence."
Because he yearned for it himself—that, I deliberately chose not to say aloud.
Because he viewed the Emperor as absolute, he could not forgive an imperial prince like Indra speaking so familiarly to the Emperor, nor could he forgive the Emperor not properly maintaining his inner palace.
That was why, after getting angry at Indra, he agreed with Indra's argument.
When I explained that, Indra let out an understanding "Ah."
"Impressive, lad. You saw right through that?"
"..."
I gave a faint, bitter smile.
The fact that he reacted like that meant Indra had understood it long before.
I felt as though Indra had been testing me a little.
"Don't be shy, lad. I mean it."
"Eh?"
"There aren't many who can see through to the consistent true intentions of someone who acts contradictorily at a glance like that. It's truly impressive."
"Haha."
It was merely because I had been thinking about Oscar constantly of late, but well, that was fine.
"More importantly—"
The Thunder Imperial Prince's expression changed completely.
"I truly know the reason why you won't expand your inner palace."
"—!"
My heart skipped a massive beat.