I took a pen and paper from Cindy and set to writing.
After drafting a concise letter, I folded it into fourths and slipped it into a prepared envelope.
Right on cue, Cindy offered me a candle. Taking it, I dripped sealing wax onto the envelope, pulled out the imperial seal I kept on my person at all times, and stamped it into the warm wax.
Once finished, I handed the letter to Robin.
"Take this and go to Dustin. Hand over your duties here to someone suitable, save for anything requiring urgent attention."
"Y-Yes, Sire!"
Robin received the envelope with deep reverence, raised it above his head, offered one final bow, and backed out of the room facing toward me the entire time.
Once again, I was left alone in the room with Cindy.
"Um..."
"Hm?"
"Why send it to Lord Dustin? Wouldn't it have been better to direct him to one of the ministries, or perhaps to Lord Oscar?"
"It's nothing complicated; I'm simply saving Dustin some face."
"Saving face...?"
"Don't you get it? Even you would feel slighted if a subordinate you'd raised with great care was snatched away out of nowhere, wouldn't you?"
"Huh? No, that would be an honor for them, so..."
Cindy blinked, utterly baffled. It wasn't flattery or an act—she genuinely could not wrap her head around it.
I see. This is what happens when someone is devoted to a fault, I realized.
I searched for an explanation Cindy might better understand.
"That is how it works among royalty. Though it may sound harsh, retainers are regarded almost as personal property. If your property is unilaterally confiscated, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. That is why I left the decision to Dustin's discretion."
"Incredible... You thought that far ahead..."
"..."
In truth, I wondered if even that was unnecessary.
Among my brothers, the Tenth Imperial Prince, Dustin, was particularly adept at playing dumb.
What's more, his feigned ignorance wasn't meant to conceal ambition; it was a front built upon seeing right through my character and methods, reasoning that without ambition, he could live out his days in peace as an imperial prince.
That act had not changed.
Even now, he clung stubbornly to his persona as the Profligate Prince.
So, I was also taking this opportunity to send him a message.
A message that so long as he maintained that stance, I would treat him with the care due an imperial prince.
To preserve Father's honor in his final years, having been appointed Emperor, I could not afford to have any defectors among my own kin.
Well, given that it was Dustin, I remained optimistic that there wouldn't be much trouble.
As I pondered this, I noticed Cindy gazing at me, enraptured, her cheeks flushed.
"What's the matter? Is it hot in here?"
"Huh? N-No. I was just thinking about how incredible you are."
"Oh?"
"Such a magnificent judgment, followed by an immediate promotion of talent. At this rate, corrupt officials will soon be wiped out, and those who oppress the people will be completely eradicated."
"Eradication is impossible."
"...Huh?"
When I chuckled and said that, Cindy blinked as if caught completely off guard.
"If the day ever comes when such vices can be eradicated, it will be the day all humans become gods—no, angels completely obedient to the gods."
"Y-Yes... I'm sor—"
"However, I do believe rulers should possess the spirit to try and eradicate them nonetheless."
"Pardon?"
"Eradication is an ideal bordering on fantasy, but a good ruler is someone who holds ideals while distinguishing them from reality and reconciling the two. That is why I believe one ought to possess the resolve to eradicate evil all the same."
"Incredible... I couldn't agree more!"
Cindy said, gazing at me with eyes full of admiration.
Letting out a faint smile, I stood up and started walking toward the door.
"Where are you going?"
Cindy turned a slightly startled look toward me.
"To gather information down in the tavern. You go ahead and get some rest."
"Y-Yes. Understood."
Leaving Cindy behind, I stepped out of the room and headed toward the tavern, where the boisterous revelry could be heard even through the walls and doors.
Opening the door and stepping inside, I was met with a wall of sweltering heat and raw energy.
Patrons were drinking, relishing their food, and bellowing at the top of their lungs.
At the table closest to the entrance, a pair of men were engrossed in a drinking game.
"One lone pine!"
"Four-cornered square!"
"Eight sides blocked!"
"Double chin—ah, dammit!"
"You lose!"
"Agh, not again!"
The two men sat across from each other, each extending a hand and choosing how many fingers to flash from their fists with every call.
The calls corresponded to numbers from zero to ten; the rule was simple: if your call matched the total number of fingers extended between both players, you lost.
Since a round was decided in a matter of seconds, pairing it with the rule that the loser had to down a drink made for a wildly energetic game.
It was a common sight in taverns frequented by commoners, where volume and momentum reigned supreme.
Taking in the lively atmosphere, I surveyed the room.
Should I find an empty seat and eavesdrop, or should I join a table—
"Young man, you're not a face I see around here."
A raspy voice spoke directly to me.
Turning toward the sound, I saw an old man sitting quietly at a table, pouring himself a drink.
This must be fate, I thought.
I walked over to the old man's table and took a seat across from him.
"I'm heading to Enlil Province on business."
"Is that so? First time through here?"
"Yes... I only just took over the family business from my father."
"I see, I see."
"Are you from around here, sir?"
"No, I lived in the capital back in my younger days. The place didn't suit my temperament, so I fell from grace and left the city behind."
"If you were young back then, that would mean it was during the late Emperor's reign, wouldn't it?"
"Indeed. Quite ironic, really. The previous Emperor was a wonderful ruler, and because of that, the capital grew far too lively for my tastes."
"Haha, well, things rarely go quite as planned, do they?"
"Not at all."
As we shared a laugh, the old man poured liquor into his own cup and offered it to me.
I accepted it and took a sip.
"...Hm."
"Is something the matter?"
"No. If that were the case, you wouldn't have drunk it so willingly."
"...?"
"Never mind me, just talking to myself."
"I see."
Taking a breath, I decided to ask a few questions.
My reason for coming down here was that I wanted to know what life was truly like for the common folk.
No matter what measures were taken, reports that reached the Emperor would never be entirely free of sycophancy and ulterior motives.
That was why I wanted to hear the unvarnished truth while concealing my identity.
"Have you already retired from your work, sir?"
"Passed it on to my son. Right around the time the previous Emperor passed away."
"Is that so?"
"The previous Emperor was a wonderful man, you see, which is why I feared there might be turmoil after his passing. I'm getting on in years; I might have been able to carry on so long as things stayed peaceful, but if the world took a violent turn, I no longer had the stamina to weather it."
"Naturally. That sort of burden should be shouldered by the young—by your son."
"So I kept my head down for a while, but it seems the current Emperor is quite an extraordinary figure as well."
"Oh?"
"My son and his family are making a decent living without any trouble, so I can dip into my retirement savings and drink like this. If we had a useless Emperor on the throne, I'd have to pinch pennies just in case something went wrong."
"Haha, is that right?"
A quiet sense of satisfaction settled over me.
An old man being able to spend his days without worrying about his twilight years was proof that the people, at the very least, were living in peace.
That brought me genuine relief.
"Well, that Emperor was a sharp-witted boy, so it stands to reason he grew into a fine ruler."
"...!"
I caught my breath, startled by the old man's words.
He... remembered me from when I was a child?