When night fell, I parted ways with Henry and returned to my tent, where Alice came out to greet me.
"Welcome back, Your Majesty."
"Umu."
As I replied, Alice hurried over and began attending to me, dutifully unbuckling my armor.
Just as one would slip off their coat upon returning home, I shed the armor I had been wearing to get comfortable now that I was back in my bedchamber tent.
While Alice worked, I casually glanced around the interior.
A bedroom. Yes, a bedroom.
Among the Emperor's several pavilions, this one served as the sleeping quarters.
Even though it was a tent—meaning we were technically out in the field—it was properly furnished with a real bed and an elaborately carved table.
A thick, plush carpet blanketed the ground, making the floor beneath my feet so comfortable it was hard to believe we were outdoors.
It was not set up at the moment, but in winter, trenches could be dug beneath the ground to run hot air channels for radiant floor heating.
While an emperor could not accomplish the technically impossible, he occupied a position where he could achieve anything that merely required throwing more manpower at it.
This place was no exception. While it was practically impossible to erect a permanent stone structure every single day—hence the reliance on tents—transporting luxurious furnishings was simple enough as long as you increased the labor force.
"...Fumu."
"Is something the matter, Your Majesty?"
"I was just thinking that Oscar went a bit overboard."
"Lord Oscar... the Eighth Imperial Prince?"
"Yeah. You noticed this bedroom is even more lavish than it was two or three days ago, right?"
"Huh? Ah, yes! It's very... well, it feels almost like we're back in the capital."
Alice answered, carefully choosing her words.
"Oscar arranged for the supply train to haul it all here. He sent word saying that since the journey from here on is a triumphal return, we must emphasize the Emperor's prestige."
"Prestige... I see."
"Indeed. Even the Divine Palanquin we rode in will be far more extravagant on the way back."
"M-More than it already was?!"
Alice looked flabbergasted, and I couldn't blame her.
When we set out from the capital in that Divine Palanquin, she had been utterly overwhelmed by its sheer magnificence.
To hear it would be even grander than that was bound to shock her.
"A triumphal march back into the Imperial Capital will draw far more eyes than our departure did. Ah, right—let me give you a heads-up about one thing."
"What would that be?"
"With this victory, the sycophants will undoubtedly start trying to lightly deify me. In the process, they'll probably fawn over you as well, Alice... likely hailing you as some kind of 'Goddess of Victory.'"
"Goddess of Victory... Goodness, not someone like me..."
"Heh, I did say they were sycophants."
I chuckled and gave Alice a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"I'll have to play along and act the part myself, so just bear with it for a little while."
"Y-Yes! If it is for Your Majesty's sake!"
"I'm counting on you."
"..."
Suddenly, I noticed Alice's gaze.
For some reason, she was looking up at me with an enraptured expression.
"What is it?"
"Ah... Well, I just thought it was incredible how you can predict the flattery heading your way and keep your composure without letting any of it go to your head."
"You think so? If you know it's coming, it's easy enough to brace yourself."
"Even so, it's truly remarkable."
"Is that so?"
I had a feeling Alice was indulging in a bit of flattery herself, but compared to the vultures in the Imperial Capital, hers was charmingly innocent, so I brushed it off with a smile.
Once stripped of my armor, I walked over to the desk.
Several stacks of documents were piled neatly across the surface.
Noticing where my eyes lingered, Alice spoke up.
"An official brought those by earlier."
"I see."
"Will you be... working in the bedchamber as well?"
"Umu. I had them sorted in advance. I gave orders that anything non-essential and non-urgent—things I can casually glance over in my spare time—should be sent here."
"I understand."
"For instance—"
Saying that, I picked up the topmost report, unrolled it, and skimmed its contents.
"...Heh."
"W-What does it say?"
"See for yourself."
With a wry smirk, I held out the document to Alice.
Alice took it and looked it over, but a helpless look quickly washed over her face.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry... The formal wording used by officials is a bit beyond me..."
"Ah. Hard to parse bureaucratic prose when it's drowning in pointless embellishments, isn't it?"
I gave her a gentle smile, took the report back, and summarized it for her.
"It's a memorial asking me to bestow a title upon a new musical piece the court musicians composed in honor of my victory."
"Um, does that mean... could it be...?"
Alice trailed off.
That pregnant pause spoke volumes: she understood precisely what it meant, yet was utterly bewildered by the absurdity.
"Told you, didn't I? The flatterers have already sprung into action."
"Incredible... Truly, already..."
A conflicted look crossed Alice's face, caught between admiration for my foresight and sheer exasperation at the petition.
"Well, as you can see, they're all trivial matters that can be handled half-heartedly. They're hardly a burden."
"Y-Yes, of course."
"I'll look over one more. In the meantime... let's see, fetch me something to drink."
"Right away!"
Alice rose gracefully and glided toward the entrance of the pavilion.
Parting the curtain, she leaned out and whispered instructions to a handmaiden stationed outside.
Keeping an eye on her from the corner of my vision, I picked up the next report to process, just as I had promised.
"...Fumu."
After reading it through to the end, I organized my thoughts, took up a pen, and drafted a reply.
The letter turned out a bit lengthy, but because the subject wasn't particularly complicated, I wrote it all out in a single, fluid burst.
Once finished, I checked it over from top to bottom before giving a small, satisfied nod. "Good."
"Thank you for your hard work, Your Majesty. Please, have this."
"Ah, thank you."
Acknowledging her attentiveness, I brought the cup to my lips.
It was an iced beverage—a luxury reserved only for high nobles back in the Imperial Capital, and something practically unimaginable for anyone other than the Emperor out here in the field.
Sipping the chilled drink, I gently rubbed my earlobes.
My head felt slightly flushed from excessive thinking, and I wanted to cool down.
"Would you like me to massage your shoulders?"
"No, that won't be necessary."
"Is that so...?"
For some reason, Alice looked faintly disappointed.
Catching me looking at her, she realized she had let her feelings show and hurriedly changed the subject.
"Um, what were you writing just now? You seemed quite focused."
"Don't worry. This was another non-essential, non-urgent matter."
"Ah..."
"Heh, it was a reply to Zoe."
"Zoe-san...? You mean the maid from your estate?"
"Yes, Zoe. Though she's assigned away from the capital at the moment."
"What did you write to her about?"
"She requested permission to secure some land she found suitable for constructing my imperial mausoleum—my tomb. How about that? Utterly non-essential and non-urgent, wouldn't you say?"
"Y-Your Majesty's tomb?!"
I had meant it as a lighthearted joke, but Alice went completely pale with shock.
The sheer intensity of her horror nearly rattled me in return.
"Calm down. It's standard practice."
"Eh?"
Alice stared at me, completely blank.
I gestured toward the seat beside me with my eyes.
She timidly sat down as directed, and I began to explain.
"Have you ever seen an emperor's tomb before? One belonging to a ruler from several centuries ago, for example."
"Um... Ah, there was one near my mother's hometown."
"It was massive, wasn't it?"
"Yes... It was the size of a small village—no, an entire town."
"Umu. How long do you think it takes to build a monument of that scale? It's not a matter of a month or two. It takes years."
"Yes, I imagine it must."
"From initial planning to drafting blueprints, and then from breaking ground to final completion, it wouldn't be surprising if the whole endeavor took a decade if things go poorly. After all, it's the size of a town, and the aesthetic grandeur must be meticulously maintained. In some cases, arcane wards and ritualistic architecture are incorporated, making it even more complex."
"I see..."
Alice shifted in her seat and nodded softly.
"Which means if we waited until after an emperor died to start building, it would never be finished in time. Wouldn't it be pitiful if a man couldn't be laid to rest in his own tomb until ten years after his death?"
When I finished with a teasing grin, Alice let out a soft gasp of realization.
Catching on to my playful tone, she flushed bright red, seemingly embarrassed at having lost her composure over nothing.
"T-That's very true, isn't it?"
"Indeed. That's why ninety-nine out of a hundred emperors begin construction on their mausoleums while they are still alive and well. For that matter, the late Emperor's tombs are already completed—three of them, including the decoys."
"Decoys... Ah, to prevent grave robbery..."
"Precisely."
I gave a dry chuckle.
"So there's nothing strange about me starting construction on my own. In fact, it's something I must do."
"Something you must do?"
While Alice understood the practical necessity of starting early, framing it as an absolute duty still left her puzzled.
"At the end of the day, it's a public works project. Civil engineering costs a fortune, and pouring state funds into it enriches the private sector. When common laborers earn a living through public works—well, the money in their pockets eventually trickles down to people in your trade, Alice."
"Ah... The economic cycle Your Majesty always speaks of..."
"Precisely."
"I understand now... You truly are incredible, Your Majesty. To think there is such profound reasoning even behind a tomb."
"Yeah."
I nodded, maintaining an entirely straight face.
"Whenever the empire has wealth to spare, public works should be pursued almost to the point of excess."
"You are truly magnificent, Your Majesty."