"Do you know His Majesty the Emperor, old sir?"
"That was decades ago now."
Despite sitting in the middle of a noisy tavern, the old man stared off into the distance, a look of fond nostalgia washing over his features.
"I saw him with my own eyes about three or four times."
"No way!"
I was genuinely surprised.
Decades ago meant back when I was still just a little boy.
What could he possibly mean by having seen me three or four times back then? My curiosity was piqued.
"It was at a tavern—not a crude joint like this one, mind, but the sort where you can enjoy a fine drink while listening to songs. The kind of place you only find in big cities."
"Oh?"
As I answered, the pieces began falling into place.
I had a strong feeling I knew where this was going...
"His Majesty saved a singing girl at that tavern."
Just as I thought.
He's talking about Alice.
"He saved a singing girl? You mean she got cornered by thugs or something?"
"Right on the mark. Well, it's a dime-a-dozen tale in this world, but His Majesty saved her and even gave her financial support to boot."
"He did something like that?"
"She was a sweet girl, too. Naturally, she offered to repay his kindness."
"Naturally."
"And what do you think His Majesty said to that?"
"I wonder."
It was the incident with Alice; of course I remembered it clearly, but I played completely dumb.
"'All you need to do is keep singing,' he told her. She was a comely maiden, you see. If a girl like that had looked at me and asked to repay my favor, why, I'd have been weak in the knees and head over heels right on the spot!"
The old man chuckled, telling it like a joke.
"Couldn't that have just been a superficial facade to look good?"
"If it had only been that once, maybe. But didn't I tell you? I saw him four or five times."
"So you did."
"Not only did he turn down her offer to repay him back then, but he kept supporting her with money after that. In the end, he even bought out the entire shop just so she could sing without a care. Even after going that far, he never once asked for a single thing in return. That girl kept singing there right up until the day I left the capital."
"Incredible."
"It really was."
Growing animated, the old man tossed back his drink in one hearty gulp.
His cheeks flushed an even deeper red as his excitement mounted.
"I've lived a long life, but that Emperor is the only person I've ever known who gained power and wasn't corrupted by it, before or since. Most folks start throwing their weight around the moment they get even a scrap of authority, but he never did anything of the sort."
"Wasn't that just because he was still a child?"
"Ahahaha! Even the son of a village mayor will start abusing what little sway he has from the time he can walk—that's human nature for you."
"I see. A fair point."
"I met His Majesty about six or seven times, and right to the very end, he never once threw his weight around."
"He sounds like quite the man."
I continued nodding along with his tale.
It was rather amusing how the number of times he claimed to have met me grew in direct proportion to how much liquor he drank.
"What are your thoughts on His Majesty continuing to wage war?"
"The previous Emperor did it too. For common folks like us living at the bottom of society, as long as he puts food on our plates and keeps us from worrying about tomorrow, he's a wonderful Emperor."
"Is that so? He seems well-loved, then. Is there anything you wish His Majesty would do for you?"
With the alcohol flowing freely, the old man was letting his unvarnished thoughts spill out.
Since the chance had presented itself, I figured I would listen to what he had to say as a genuine piece of public feedback.
"Well now... I wish he'd come down for a visit more often."
"A visit for an inspection?"
"The previous Emperor used to travel out to the provinces quite often, officially."
"Ah..."
Less of a casual visit and more of an official inspection tour, then.
Indeed, the late Emperor, my father, had frequently embarked on inspection tours throughout the provinces.
Furthermore, unlike my habit of slipping away incognito, he had conducted grand, official inspections at the head of massive, magnificent processions.
"Waging war is all well and good, but I wish he'd descend to our level every once in a while. Seeing the Emperor's face brings peace of mind, and well, it brings in quite a bit of profit for the locals too."
"It certainly would bring profit."
I smiled.
This was surely the honest, heartfelt truth of the common people.
When the Emperor went on a large-scale, official provincial inspection, it cost an enormous fortune.
In essence, the taxes gathered into the national treasury were scattered right back into the local economies.
On top of that, while Father himself had been rather modest, the retainers and officials accompanying him naturally let their hair down once they were far from the capital, opening their purse strings generously on the road.
"However, there was an earthquake recently, so that seems unlikely for a while. I hear the current Emperor prefers not to disturb the populace unnecessarily."
"It's the exact opposite, I tell you!"
"The opposite?"
"If he comes right after a natural disaster, the officials scramble to fix everything up that much faster."
"I hadn't considered that perspective."
I was genuinely impressed, and I continued drawing various stories out of the old man long into the evening.
A few hours later, I returned to my room.
Inside, Cindy was writing something at the table, but the moment I stepped in, she promptly rose to greet me.
"Welcome back, Your Majesty."
"Still awake?"
"Yes, I was writing in my diary."
"A diary?"
"I am recording everything that happens each day in fine detail, ensuring we are prepared no matter what occurs during our travels together."
"I see. If you have pen and paper ready, that is convenient. Take a letter to the capital for me."
"Understood."
With that, Cindy sat back down, took up her pen, and faced the paper.
"Calculate an estimate of roughly how long reconstruction will take, and we will schedule Our first inspection tour to coincide with it. Use that policy to light a fire under their rear ends."
"Are you sure it should not be scheduled sooner?"
"Hm?"
"If you announce that you are coming immediately, will that not accelerate the reconstruction?"
"No. Forcing them to rush will only cause cracks to show. The standard estimate will do. Instead, the inspection schedule will remain deliberately broad, and We shall tour the grounds on Our whim."
"On Your... whim?"
"If the dates and itinerary are fixed, they will simply gloss over the relevant areas, will they not? We will not allow that. It will serve as a message that they must maintain everything thoroughly."
"I see! That is brilliant, Your Majesty."
Cindy spoke with a note of excitement, jotting my words down on the parchment.
"Are you finished?"
"Yes."
"Then send it to the imperial capital immediately via wired telegraphy."
"Via telegraphy?"
Cindy's eyes widened in surprise.
"The visit is still quite a ways off; wouldn't a horse messenger suffice instead of wired telegraphy?"
"We will be entering the disaster area as early as tomorrow. If anyone attempts any strange maneuvers in response to this order, We will personally deal with them while We are on-site."
"...Incredible, Your Majesty. To think you have planned that far ahead."
"Send it promptly."
"Yes! Right away."
Cindy dashed out of the room.
A major settlement—a town as substantial as this post town—naturally had a wired telegraphy relay station.
With a relay station available, messages could be transmitted directly from here.
I watched her go as she hurried into the corridor.
"...Perhaps I should have brought Alice along too."
Finding this unexpected "reunion" rather amusing, I caught myself smiling.