And so, I heard the whole story from Audrey.
Partway through her account, a deep disgust settled in my stomach.
Up to a certain point, I had felt sorry for the man—my nephew.
I could muster some sympathy for how far he had fallen, devolving into a common thug and delinquent.
My pity waned when it came to his repeated imprisonments for assault and battery, but having seen so many people turn to crime during my tenure as Minister of Justice, I could at least understand the pattern from a practical standpoint.
Being forced into a downward spiral of a life because of the circumstances of one's birth happens often enough. It wasn't entirely beyond pity.
However, his recent behavior was another matter entirely.
Attempting to sell his own daughter to a brothel, and even acting as if he were "targeting" her for himself—that crossed a line where no sympathy could remain.
"That child is Shem's cousin. Because Lord Noah treated Lord Albert with such consideration, that patrilineal child is still theoretically a member of the imperial family. That very imperial, the cousin of the de facto Crown Prince, Shem..."
Audrey cut herself off there, leaving the rest unsaid.
She didn't need to finish. I understood all too well.
If the cousin of the de facto Crown Prince were to lay a hand on his own flesh-and-blood daughter... it would be an utter disgrace.
Imperial Law strictly forbids marriage between lineal ascendants and descendants. Naturally, sexual relations fall under the same prohibition.
In the past, marriages with full sisters had occurred to preserve the imperial bloodline, but because brothers and sisters are collateral relatives, an exception was made.
Direct lineal relations, however, were absolutely forbidden.
Laying a hand on one's own biological daughter was utterly outrageous, both under Imperial Law and from an ethical standpoint.
If that looming threat became reality and was exposed to the light of day...
It would literally become the shame of the Empire and the imperial family.
"...Thank you for coming to tell me."
Sorting through the tangled web of facts in my mind, I offered Audrey my appreciation.
"It is my duty. Besides, this matter falls just barely within the realm of 'internal affairs.'"
"Yeah, you're right. In fact, it's best we handle it entirely as an internal family matter."
"What will you do?"
"..."
I pondered for a moment.
"I'd like a little more information... but more than that, I want to know what kind of man Albert's son really is."
"It may not directly speak to his character, but..."
With that, Audrey produced a paper folded into quarters and handed it to me.
I took it, unfolded it, and scanned the contents.
It was a record of the man's imprisonments—in other words, his criminal record.
"...Looks like he's dabbled in quite a bit."
I muttered, half-exasperated.
The sheer variety of "credentials" listed there left me shaking my head.
"Judging by this, if we factor in the crimes he wasn't jailed for and the ones that went undiscovered, the list would be far longer."
"Do you think so?"
"Yeah. From what I'm seeing here, he's tried his hand at just about everything short of murder."
"Is that so...? Shall we investigate those matters further? If you were to punish him for unsubstantiated crimes, it would tarnish Lord Noah's good name."
"You've thought that far ahead for me? You truly are a good wife."
"You flatter me."
Praised, Audrey blushed and looked down slightly.
For a woman who always strove to be a wise empress and took great pains never to show emotion, even this was a maximal display of feeling.
The idea that the Empress holds power second only to the Emperor is purely an institutional concept on paper.
Most men in this world have a weakness for women, naturally wanting to grant every wish and indulge every whim of the woman they love. Considering that, one could argue that an empress sometimes wields even more practical power than the Emperor himself.
Naturally, from the perspective of sycophants seeking favor, approaching the woman—the Empress—is far easier, and they can often hope for rewards far beyond their expectations.
That was why there was never any shortage of schemers trying to curry favor with the Empress or whichever consort held the Emperor's favor at the time.
To successfully win someone over, one must thoroughly map out their likes and dislikes.
When that happens, state affairs begin to sway at the whim of an empress or consort's shifting moods.
One could argue there was nothing inherently wrong with that system.
However, Audrey placed me at the center of everything she did.
Keeping me as the Emperor of the Empire as her sole priority, she took care that none of her actions would ever, through any twist of fate, make Noah I appear foolish. As a result, she left virtually no openings for others to exploit, keeping her emotions strictly hidden.
Considering all that, even this modest reaction spoke volumes.
"When I praise you..."
"Yes?"
"You don't need to hold your feelings back. I wasn't born from a tree knot either. When I do something for my wife, seeing her genuinely pleased makes it worthwhile."
"Yes..."
Audrey's expression brightened another notch, looking genuinely delighted.
"—..."
I swallowed the words that were about to leave my mouth.
If you make being praised by me your greatest joy, unwanted pests won't try to cling to you.
I had almost voiced the thought, but realizing it would be far too unrefined for a moment like this, I held my tongue.
"You truly are remarkable, Lord Noah."
"...I'm sure I don't know what you mean."
Audrey was sharp, and having clearly read between the lines of what I had meant to say, she offered a knowing smile.
I played dumb and brought the conversation back to the matter at hand.
"There's no need to go digging for new crimes."
"Then what shall we do?"
"For this man—"
I gave the paper she had handed me a light flutter.
"—I have an approach that suits him perfectly."
☆
On the outskirts of the provincial capital of Larak, deep within a squalid alley.
I walked down a path too narrow for carriages, having stepped down from mine out on the main road.
The atmosphere here was foul, so I had left Audrey behind in the safety of the carriage.
A single soldier accompanied me, leading the way to a dilapidated building.
"It is here, Your Majesty."
"Umu. Wait here."
"Sir!"
Leaving the soldier outside, I knocked on the door.
It was poorly fitted, groaning on its hinges at even a light tap.
One knock brought no answer.
After a second and third try, a voice finally grunted from inside.
The door was thrown open with violence, revealing a disheveled man with a wild nest of hair.
"What is it?! I already told you, I ain't got no money—huh?"
The man took one look at me, and realizing I wasn't who he expected, his voice died in his throat, freezing him on the spot.
"W-Who're you?"
The man looked me up and down, his eyes narrowing as if taking my measure.
I was dressed in fine, dignified attire befitting a governor-general.
This single outfit was easily worth enough to buy this entire rundown shack.
With a man dressed in such luxury appearing before him, it was no surprise he was taken aback.
"You are Genuine Albertson, correct?"
"Yeah, that's me... but who the hell are you?"
"I am Noah Ararat."
"Huh? Noah... wait, Ararat?!"
"Pardon the intrusion."
Brushing past the stunned man, I stepped inside.
Looking even more bewildered, he glanced back and forth between me and the soldier standing guard outside.
To certain commoners, a soldier's uniform represents power far more vividly than fine noble silk.
This man, Albert's son, Genuine Albertson, seemed to be of that ilk. The sight of the soldier transformed his expression into one of understanding, or perhaps sudden conviction.
Inside, the room was a pigsty of scattered liquor bottles, refuse, and broken furniture. The sour stench of decay mingled with stale alcohol, so foul it made my brows draw together involuntarily.
Noticing a dining table, I pulled out a chair and sat down.
Genuine gingerly closed the door and crept over to stand before me.
"Umm... well, now..."
"Do you know who I am?"
"Eh? Ah, yes. You're His Majesty, right? Yes, sir, indeed."
Genuine began to fawn over me, yet his obsequiousness was thoroughly undermined by his crude, uneducated speech, making my frown deepen further.
I studied his face.
Faintly... no, distinctly, he carried Albert's features.
Albert, the Crown Prince and my second eldest brother.
He had died when I was only twelve, so we hadn't spent much time together, but my memories of him remained vivid nonetheless.
And I could see undeniable traces of Albert looking back at me from Genuine's face.
"...And what do you know of your own origins?"
I asked.
"Ah, yes. Of course, sir. My old lady told me everything, yes, sir."
With a face full of unvarnished servility, Genuine rubbed his hands together as he answered.
"I see. I hear you have a daughter?"
"Eh? Ah, yes! —Ah! Understood, sir! I'll have her brought to Your Majesty right away—"
After looking blank for a split second, his face lit up with a grotesque look of understanding, as if to say, I catch your drift.
I could already guess the words that were about to follow.
Thirteenth Imperial Prince, Royal Minister of Justice, and now Emperor.
In my life as Noah, I have been subjected to countless varieties of flattery and sycophancy.
Yet I knew Genuine's next words would be among the most vulgar and stomach-turning I had ever encountered.
Mistakenly assuming that was what I wanted, he was preparing to "offer" his daughter to me.
Naturally, that was not why I had come, so I cut him off sharply.
"It is a promise made to Albert."
I stated firmly, shutting him down.
"I will guarantee the preservation of the bloodline. Failing to discover your existence until now was an oversight on Our part."
"Ah—no, no, no, not at all, sir! It can't be helped, yes, sir, perfectly understandable!"
"A promise is a promise. From this day until the day you die, your status as a member of the imperial family will be guaranteed."
"Really?!"
Leaning forward, Genuine's eyes gleamed with greed.
A foul blast of alcohol-soaked breath hit me full in the face.
Looking closely at his grinning mouth, he had fewer than ten teeth left in total—a fitting summary of the man's wasted life.
"A carriage is waiting out front. Depart for the capital at once. The necessary arrangements have already been made."
"Thank you very much! Thank you so very much, yes, sir!"
Genuine bowed repeatedly, practically throwing himself at my feet.
When I told him to be on his way, he turned and made straight for the door.
Just then, a voice drifted in from the alley outside: "W-What is it? Did my dad do something again?"
When Genuine yanked the door open, still grinning broadly, a young girl in tattered clothes was standing there, timidly questioning the soldier.
"Dad! Why is a soldier at our house? Did you swindle someone out of their money again?!"
"Haaah? What're you babbling about? I'm about to—ah, never mind that, just get in here!"
"Eek!"
As if remembering something, Genuine grabbed the girl by the scruff of her neck and dragged her into the room.
Without a shred of concern for the girl, who stumbled and nearly tumbled to the floor, he shoved her forward to present her to me.
"Go on, give your greetings!"
"Eh? Eeeeeh? Ah... umm, my dad's..............."
The words Who are you? seemed to hang in her throat, but not knowing how to even ask, she swallowed them down in confusion.
I turned to Genuine.
"Is this child your daughter?"
"Yes, sir, absolutely! —Ah! That slut of a mother didn't have the guts to cheat on me, so she's definitely mine!"
"...Her name?"
"Uh, umm—"
"She's called Canaan! What're you doing just standing there?! Greet His Majesty properly!"
Genuine barked at his daughter.
The girl introduced as Canaan looked even more bewildered.
"Eh? His Majesty? Isn't that just one of Dad's tall tales—wait, what? Huh?!"
Canaan's confusion seemed to reach its absolute limit.
Apparently, Genuine had often bragged to his daughter about having imperial blood.
And she had naturally written it off as nothing more than drunken boasting.
Genuine's behavior was a tale as old as time, and Canaan's skepticism was only natural.
"Genuine."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
"You're done here. Take the carriage waiting outside and head to the capital. The girl stays."
"Understood, sir! You, make sure you don't show any disrespect!"
After barking that final order at his daughter, Genuine practically skipped out of the house, his steps practically bouncing with glee.
The soldier, having already received his orders, offered Genuine a respectful bow before escorting him toward the main street.
Genuine puffed himself up with even greater arrogance at the gesture. Seeing a soldier—an official of the imperial government—bowing and scraping to her deadbeat father, Canaan's eyes went wide with sheer astonishment.