Chapter 424
I couldn’t muster a single word in response to the former head of the imperial knights. If we had just bumped into each other casually, we could have exchanged greetings normally, but instead, here we were at an unexpected moment, in an unexpected manner.
‘What are you doing here?’
It was baffling. The fact that he had stepped down from the head of the imperial knight command was to provide protection for the situation at hand. He was someone who had gained the role because of the situation, and now he had unexpectedly thrown off that title for the sake of peace. Being in a personal capacity would make it easier to oversee things.
I had heard that the emperor wouldn’t just let that be; he wouldn’t let go of someone who had earned his trust so thoroughly. But instead of fulfilling that protective role, he was chasing a chicken around.
What even is this? Is it some kind of hidden camera prank? Are they trying to make people chuckle as they enter the palace?
– Cluck, cluck, clucking around!
In the middle of the chaos, the chicken squawked even louder and flapped its wings.
This was bizarre. I thought chickens couldn’t fly.
‘What an agile creature.’
Way too agile! It actually soared high enough to leap over the knights trying to herd it toward the open space.
Is it actually a pigeon disguised as a chicken? Though pigeons fly better than chickens.
In any case, watching those knights getting played by a chicken, I cautiously made my way forward. Usually, I would just trust the knights to handle whatever situation arose, but this was something I couldn’t ignore. Hearing a chicken squawking while facing the emperor would make things awkward.
“I’ll help too!”
I offered my assistance to the former head knight as I extended my arm. Just then, the chicken, having broken through the encirclement, dashed toward me—
“Be careful! That’s the chicken that His Majesty is raising!”
I froze mid-reach.
‘Is that His Majesty’s chicken?’
Upon hearing the former head knight’s words, everything clicked into place. There was a reason why the knights seemed flustered by a mere chicken.
This wasn’t just any chicken; it was the emperor’s chicken. If I accidentally touched it and something happened, I wouldn’t be able to look the emperor in the eye. Of course, it’s not like the emperor would get furious over a chicken, but it would still be a disgrace to interfere with the peaceful retirement of a veteran who has served the empire for decades.
Even as the chicken flapped past my legs, I found myself unable to move. What if I exerted too much force while trying to catch it, and it burst?
‘So is it higher on the hierarchy than me?’
That question popped into my mind. This chicken that His Majesty personally raises while the knights are running in circles—can I really regard it as just an animal? Perhaps it’s a higher being than me, a mere Count.
After all, a Count has a position and age, but this chicken? It’s one-of-a-kind. There’s nothing that can replace it.
…
‘Yeah, it’s clearly above me.’
I finished my tearful self-assessment. That splendid bird, Chicken His Majesty, is indeed a more esteemed being than I am.
“That one is heading towards the empress’s quarters!”
As I pondered whether it would be best to let such a dignified creature have a gander about the palace, one of the knights shouted in a panicked voice.
At that, the other knights’ expressions changed rapidly.
“Chase it! If you can’t catch it, at least slow it down!”
Even the former head knight’s expression turned grim as he started to sprint.
This is strange. It’s not like the chicken will suddenly transform the palace into something unrecognizable just because it heads into the empress’s quarters. And given the empress’s character, she could laugh off this little incident. The crown princess, too…
‘What the heck.’
As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I began running alongside the former head knight. While the empress might be lenient, the crown princess is still a small child babbling away. A baby with weak immunity, so we need to be careful when meeting anyone.
If, just maybe, the chicken burst into the empress’s quarters and something happened to the crown princess’s health, we’d all lose our heads. No matter how composed the empress is, she’s bound to show her anger, and the situation would throw us all into the fire alongside the chicken.
So I sprinted madly. If that little chicken steps into the empress’s quarters, it will go from being Chicken to being nuggets.
Fortunately, we managed to capture the prized chicken before it turned into nuggets. In the process, it lost a few feathers, but thankfully, it wasn’t injured.
The knights, on the other hand, were rolling on the ground in disarray, but that’s something I chose to erase from memory. This incident was a mutual embarrassment; one that we’d need to handle delicately.
“Thank you for your cooperation, Your Excellency. We managed to capture it without incident, all thanks to you.”
“I’m glad I could be of assistance.”
I awkwardly nodded to the former head knight, who was smiling wryly. Honestly, it felt a bit embarrassing to receive thanks over something like this.
“When the empress is around, it’s all calm and nice, but oddly enough, whenever she leaves, all sorts of trouble ensues.”
Noticing my somewhat disheartened expression, the former head knight awkwardly added an explanation.
That’s not something I particularly wanted to know. So I’ve had to endure all this trouble thanks to an animal that seems to know only its master.
‘Stupid chicken.’
I looked down at the now-captured chicken flapping around in the former head knight’s hands. Is it holding back because it knows it’ll be in a pot if it acts up in front of its master? That’s a whole new level of cunning.
“It used to pick a fight with a cow once.”
And as if drained from speaking, the former head knight murmured under his breath.
It’s hard to wrap my head around the concept of a chicken picking a fight with a cow, or even that there’s a cow in the palace to begin with.
‘What is going on here?’
I felt lost at sea. This was a man who, during the reign of the emperor, was known for being strict and composed, now running a petting farm inside the palace.
Objectively speaking, it would seem like some kind of outburst or that he has suppressed his complaints. If the little emperor was causing the chaos, I would have sworn profusely, but if it were the Emperor, then there had to be some underlying reason.
‘…Nature is important, too.’
Right, this is probably the emperor’s way of providing a natural habitat for the crown princess. Maybe he was just trying to give her animal companions to keep her entertained during the dull palace life.
I decided to think of it that way.
*
While I was busying myself with paperwork, I heard the voice of Lord Hendrick outside the door.
“Your Grace, it’s Count Tailglehen.”
I reflexively glanced at the clock. It had been a while since I was told that the head of the royal knights had seen the Minister pass through the main gate. No matter how far the main gate and the Sun Palace are, how would it take this long?
It seemed odd. The head knight wouldn’t report a false observation, nor would the minister dawdle.
“Come in.”
After a moment of hesitation, I opened my mouth. Something peculiar may have happened, but I could directly ask the involved party.
Plus, since Gran Hendrick’s voice was calm, I wasn’t feeling any sense of urgency. Since becoming the vice chief of the royal knights, Lord Hendrick has been even more dedicated to his work. If there had been even a hint of something wrong with the minister, he would have reacted much sooner.
“Long live the emperor. I, Carl Krasius of Tailglehen, a servant blessed by the imperial family, stand before you to meet the sun of our empire.”
Then the door opened, and the minister entered.
Right there, as if he had overnight gained a new full name.
‘Count Tailglehen.’
I let out a tiny snicker. The minister was no longer just an heir but had become a Count in his own right. He had become an unequivocal arm of the emperor and a direct vassal.
This was delightful. After dedicating his life to the imperial family and the empire, the minister now carries the title of Count. It’s almost like a death sentence to be forever trapped under the weight of that name while working.
“I’ve been waiting for my Count to arrive.”
As I observed the kneeling minister with satisfaction, I got up from my seat. He was visiting not as the minister of the Information Department but as Count Tailglehen, so I would warmly refer to him as ‘Count.’
The minister visibly trembled at that considerate gesture. He must have been touched.
“Rise.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
I patted the shoulders of the minister as he cautiously stood up. For some reason, I couldn’t stop smiling.
“Well, you didn’t become the youngest imperial count. How unfortunate.”
“…I’m just grateful I could avoid such an honor.”
His response, almost bitter, made me nod. In truth, the moment he became the youngest head and minister, he was honour-bound. Still, since the minister appreciated it, I decided not to dwell on the matter.
People need to cherish their small joys to fully live their lives. It’s never right to break that joy.
“The previous Count Tailglehen, Wilhelm Krasius, devoted his everything to the empire.”
At those words, the minister’s spirits seemed to sag a bit. It was a statement recognizing the transition of the imperial count title from one hand to another, acknowledging his father’s legacy.
“Wilhelm Krasius dedicated himself to the imperial family and the empire from his heir days, and when he finally became Count, he distinguished himself through two wars. That’s why His Majesty favored Wilhelm Krasius dearly.”
That wasn’t mere formality. His Majesty trusted the imperial counts, especially Wilhelm Krasius, who was close to his heart.
The unique tranquility and loyalty that the Krasius family embodies, along with Wilhelm Krasius’s exceptional personal capabilities, certainly played a part—but above all, the minister’s switch from the academy to the administration kept the empire from falling into turmoil.
If the minister had gone to the academy instead, history would have taken a turn for the worse.
“It’s sad when such a loyal subject decides to step down, but I can smile. A successor who carries on the will of the former is there to support me, so why should I be sad?”
“Your words are generous, Your Grace.”
I once again patted the shoulder of the minister, who lowered his head respectfully.
“That just means I cannot needlessly worry. From Eimanka II’s time, I respect the wishes of the Krasius family that have given up their title. So I hereby recognize that the title of Count Tailglehen has been bestowed upon Carl Krasius of Tailglehen. From now on, Carl Krasius of Tailglehen shall be the patriarch of the Krasius family and a rightful member of the imperial council—so let’s expect the unwavering loyalty toward the imperial family.”
“Never will I forget the heavy grace bestowed upon my ancestors and will serve with eternal loyalty.”
With those words, the succession procedure of the imperial count was entirely concluded.
Since it was just a formality, there was no need to drag it out. This was merely a procedure to underline the bond between the emperor and the imperial count, so it didn’t have to be complicated.
And now, something else was more pressing.
“By the way, Count.”
“Yes, Your Grace. Command me.”
“Did anything happen along the way?”
I had to consider why he was delayed rather than just the fact that he was now a count.
“Well, that was—”
At my firm and precise questioning, a flicker of nervousness danced in the minister’s eyes, but he opened his mouth quickly.
“On my way, I encountered the chicken that His Majesty is raising and took a while to guide it back to where it should be.”
‘Ah.’
I could guess what kind of ordeal he had been through.
So it was the chicken, huh?
‘I thought it was a horse.’
I recalled a few days earlier when I had crossed paths with a black stallion while wandering the palace grounds. It had a majestic build and a gleaming coat, clearly loved by His Majesty. How it managed to break free from the stables, I had no clue.
“You’ll need to get used to that.”
At his indifferent answer, the minister silently nodded.
We can’t treat the things that His Majesty personally nurtures carelessly, so we all have to be mindful of them.
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