Chapter 86
The Ministry of the Imperial Household boldly holds the top rank in the Empire’s administration. It’s the department responsible for the royal family’s affairs and acting as their secretaries, so if it’s not ranked first, that would be even weirder.
If the Emperor were to promote another department to the top rank, everyone would rush to the palace begging him to retract the decree, banging their heads on the ground. The status of the Ministry of the Imperial Household is directly linked to the authority of the royal family; it’s practically a loyalty test.
Moreover, because of that status and authority, anyone not affiliated with the Ministry is incredibly reluctant to step foot in its offices. If something good happens, the Emperor personally delivers the news. But if it’s something bad? Well, he’d delightfully beat you through the Ministry.
‘Well, here I am.’
But here I am at the Ministry nonetheless. Of course, I’m thankful I’m not here to annoy the Emperor, but I’m right on the edge of disaster. Now, I’m about to get a taste of punishment from everyone beneath the Emperor.
As I casually glanced around the office area, I spotted several lavish carriages parked nearby. These are the carriages used by the ministers of each department. But the number seems… excessive. Am I really the last one to arrive?
‘Damn it.’
Though these noble folks tend to be a bit slow, something about the Crown Prince’s involvement had them moving quickly. Still, I didn’t expect them to gather this fast with 30 minutes left before the meeting started.
As I rushed into the building, someone approached me as if they’d been waiting for me.
“I will guide you.”
“Is everyone here?”
“The Crown Prince has not yet arrived.”
Thank goodness for that! Being marked as a latecomer by the Crown Prince is far worse than being stuck behind the ministers.
“This way, please.”
Following the guide, we arrived at the main conference room. It was a huge space for just over ten people gathering. But given the titles of those attending, it makes sense.
Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the meeting room door. Opening this door means I will be reduced to the weakest of the weak.
— Knock, knock.
“It’s me, the Executive Manager of the Prosecutor’s Office.”
“Come in.”
Hearing the response from the Minister of the Imperial Household, I cautiously opened the door and stepped inside, instantly catching nine pairs of eyes aimed at me.
There were various expressions among the high-ranking individuals: welcoming, indifferent, disgruntled, and utterly exhausted. The potpourri of gazes was dizzying.
“Good to see you, Executive Manager.”
An elderly man with a head full of wrinkles adjusted his glasses and spoke. He was the Governor of the Capital, a veteran of the Empire’s political realm.
“I thought you wouldn’t make it since you were dispatched elsewhere.”
“How could I skip a meeting on such significant matters?”
“I assumed you wouldn’t come since you hadn’t arrived until now.”
The Governor’s eyes glinted with displeasure. He spent his whole life serving the royal family, and now, gifted the governorship for a peaceful retirement, he’s been yanked into this situation. No wonder he’s in a bad mood.
“Haha! The Executive Manager had to come from the furthest place, didn’t he? He must have hurried to get here.”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs defended me, to which the Governor nodded slightly. He wasn’t truly blaming me; he just needed to vent his frustration.
“Indeed! I didn’t think of that. My apologies, Executive Manager.”
“It’s fine.”
With that said, the Governor lowered his head slightly. Had he fallen asleep? Sorry, sir. It’s cruel to drag someone so tired into this.
“Don’t just stand there—take a seat.”
“Ah, yes.”
Taking the Minister’s cue, I settled in at the farthest end of the table. I greeted the Minister of Territory sitting next to me, but he just nodded indifferently as always. His expression could give a poker face a run for its money.
“So, Executive Manager, how has life at the Academy been?”
There were still about 30 minutes until the meeting would start. The Crown Prince was punctual as a clock, meaning all ten of us had to sit in silence. Perhaps the Minister of Foreign Affairs intended to break this awkwardness or share news about the foreign guests, so he finally spoke up.
“It was an unforgettable time.”
“An intriguing statement.”
“He was quite the uneducated individual. Naturally, seeing new things would leave an impression on him.”
“Pfft. Hahaha—”
The Minister of Internal Affairs let out a chuckle at the sarcastic remark but quickly zipped it, trying not to take the blame. A mere glance confirmed that it was indeed him who found that amusing.
“Well, that’s one way to look at it.”
I felt a twinge in my heart from the laughter at my expense. What was so special about that perspective?
“Don’t be too hard on him.”
At least one person possessed a decent conscience to rein in the two ministers.
“Lack of education isn’t a crime.”
Wait a second. That’s even more insulting than the others combined!
As the Minister of Justice spoke, the shoulders of the Minister of Internal Affairs began to shake with silent laughter.
Still, given my degree of involvement in making this meeting convene, I remained quiet. While I might be free from blame, nonetheless, I was the one who ignited this whole situation.
‘Damn these jerks.’
These were the people who had to slog through tedious and tiresome tasks day in and day out. It was shocking how quickly they capitalized on any opportunity to mock someone under the guise of professionalism.
And then, 30 minutes later, the door to the conference room swung open, and everyone leaped to their feet, bowing. It was quite obvious who had entered.
“It’s fine. Everyone, please sit.”
Before any ministers could speak, the Crown Prince waved his hand dismissively and took his seat in the highest position. The ministers exchanged glances, surprised by the Crown Prince skipping the usual formalities, before settling back down.
“Sorry to gather you all when you’re busy. Something unexpected has come up.”
“This is also for the Empire; how can we complain about busyness?”
“I always appreciate the loyalty of the Minister of the Imperial Household.”
The Crown Prince nodded in satisfaction. After a brief moment of contemplation, he began to speak again.
“Did you say three?”
“Yes, it’s Prince Rutis Robens, Prince Lather Ostia, and Tannian Enes.”
“It seems Ainter has found himself some good friends.”
His words triggered an awkward silence. It sent chills down me, especially given that he had once wiped out Ainter’s brother.
“Executive Manager.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“How’s Ainter doing?”
“He’s diligent with his studies, though I worry as he tends to avoid physical activities.”
“Oh, that won’t do. If he doesn’t stay active, he’ll become lethargic over time.”
That was sufficient consolation. It implied ‘He’s not behaving strangely like when we kept tabs on him at the palace,’ which seemed to satisfy the Crown Prince. In truth, Ainter was a far more innocent victim in this mess than I was.
With his home being here, he was naturally supposed to return during the breaks, but suddenly other princes were showing up? Visiting different regions could be brushed off as a club activity, but them all coming here might look like an attempt to curry favor with the Crown Prince.
Thanks to this absurd situation, Ainter had been speaking far less lately. If I were to oppose the idea of him visiting the Capital, I’d have to explain the Crown Prince’s ‘sensitive’ situation, which was a discussion that should never stray beyond the Imperial Family. How unfortunate!
“I feel like I’ve overstepped, discussing personal matters in front of you all. My apologies.”
“Your affection for His Highness the Third Prince is well-known among the people; there’s no need for any apologies.”
‘Wow.’
I felt genuine admiration. To wield that level of eloquence while serving as a minister for the Imperial Household is impressive. How do they come up with such lines in this situation? Clearly, those who bridge the halls of the bureaucratic and royal realms are remarkable.
“Well, this chit-chat has wandered on long enough. Let’s begin.”
Seemingly satisfied, the Crown Prince declared the meeting officially opened.
Discussions regarding the overall framework went back and forth. The intricate details would be left for the ministers to sort out when they returned to their respective departments. After all, a single minister cannot handle the entire plan independently.
They coordinated on the responsibilities each department was to undertake and their respective scales of action. For instance, if the roads became congested as the escort troops and band entered the Capital, or if a lack of budget hampered the beautification of the street to be traversed by club members, that could present a problem. This was precisely the kind of situation where everyone had to ensure they were in sync to prevent annoying mishaps.
“This doesn’t seem to fall under our ministry.”
“The Minister of Internal Affairs would know if that’s the case.”
“Isn’t this more of a job for the Ministry of Defense?”
The endless ping pong of tedious discussions had commenced.
Anyway, while the various ministers were joined at the hip reporting to the Crown Prince, my sole job was clear.
‘Here we go again.’
I busied myself studying the table’s pattern.
Well, what could I possibly say? I wasn’t a minister. Just an Executive Manager. Plus, my direct superior was engaged in a lively budget debate with every minister present.
On top of that, the Prosecutor’s Office could do nothing regarding external dignitary protocol. The only reason I had been dragged into this meeting was not to contribute my opinion but to simply fill a seat.
‘I am Groot…’
I was just a civil servant ordered to come rushing here.
“Are they going to keep staying at the Academy?”
While I continued my examination of the table’s design, the word ‘Academy’ snapped my attention back to the ongoing conversation. The Minister of Internal Affairs seemed to be rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
“Since it’s a break, the escort troops will naturally dwindle. Is it really wise to keep everyone at the Academy?”
“That’s a fair point. The number of individuals to protect has decreased, but still, the sense of unease remains.”
The Minister of Defense acknowledged the concerns of the Minister of Internal Affairs. With some individuals choosing to stick around the Academy during the break, revising escort arrangements became a pressing issue—not exactly reassuring for the Minister of Defense.
“There’s no need for them to stay at the Academy.”
Just as the Minister of Defense opened his mouth to reframe the escort arrangements, the Crown Prince abruptly interjected.
“If they’re coming to the Capital anyway, wouldn’t it be better if they remained here during break?”
The mention of the Capital sparked a visible twitch in the Governor’s pupils.
“There’s no need to mention how safe the Capital is. Plus, we can conveniently use the teleportation magic circle to facilitate their travel.”
“You raise a valid point.”
The Minister of the Imperial Household, glancing at the Governor, ultimately sided with the Crown Prince. And it made sense too; during breaks, staying in the Capital would indeed be far safer than remaining at the Academy when the escort forces would be reduced.
From the perspective of the foreign guests, the Capital, which was connected to nearly every major city by teleportation magic circles, was infinitely more convenient than the Academy, which lacked such facilities. The Crown Prince was certainly not wrong.
“I will arrange accommodations for the guests.”
“There’s no need for that. While it makes sense for hosts to greet guests properly, putting them in formal quarters could somewhat hamper the leisure traditionally associated with their trip.”
The palace indeed has guest rooms specifically for welcoming distinguished guests. When the Minister of the Imperial Household suggested arranging for certain rooms, the Crown Prince shook his head and turned to face me.
“Executive Manager. If I recall, you’re the advisor for the club of these esteemed guests, correct?”
“Yes, yes, that’s right.”
What is he getting at…?
“From what I remember, there’s not only the Krasius family residence in the Capital, but your personal residence as well.”
“Pardon?”
What on earth is he talking about?
“Considering the guests, wouldn’t it be much more comfortable for them to stay at your familiar abode rather than the palace?”
This is pure madness, Crown Prince! Seriously, this nonsense has gone way too far. Why on earth would I host royal family members at my house?
“What a marvelous idea.”
My teeth ground at the Minister of Imperial Household’s remark. What exactly is so wonderful about this?
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