Chapter: 652
Summer is when the sun rises earlier than in any other season. As a result, the sunlight streaming through the curtains hits a bit sooner than usual.
But the gentle sunlight is nature’s gift that brightens a good morning. The warm rays tickle my cheeks, and before I know it, my eyes flutter open.
‘I haven’t slept much.’
After a light stretch, I rolled my arms around and hopped out of bed, striding toward the window.
The sliver of sunlight sneaking through the curtains couldn’t exactly warm the entire room. First things first, I need to draw back those curtains and greet the day.
“Uuugh…”
As I pulled the curtains aside, the bright sunlight flooded the room, and I could hear a tiny mumble from the bed where Penelia was nestled.
If I didn’t sleep much, neither did she. Luckily, Penelia is the healthiest and strongest among my wives. A little less sleep doesn’t faze her at all.
Of course, if it were a matter of two weeks instead of just one day, then things would be quite different.
“Are you awake?”
“Sir, Minister—!”
The moment Penelia blinked her eyes open and saw me, she hastily sat up, but then…
“What?”
“…Dear…”
She murmured, her voice trailing off as she bowed her head shyly.
Now, that’s satisfying! Finally, I’ve succeeded in hearing a normal, gentle title instead of just Minister.
‘What a journey it has been.’
I felt a flutter of warmth around my eyes and a pinch at my nose. Sure, the wedding last night had been a success, shifting Penelia’s worldview from my focus to our world together, but the rigid coldness of her titles had remained unchanged.
At least in the Duchy of Yudhal, I’d managed to go from ‘Master’ to ‘Minister,’ but that still feels terribly lacking.
“Penelia. Everything’s good, but don’t you think we should change the title of ‘Minister?’ We are married now.”
“Uh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I said that…”
It’s not like ‘Minister’ is a title I should be embarrassed about. Even Erich still calls me ‘Minister’ despite happily snoozing away.
Plus, Penelia adjusted from calling me ‘Master’ to ‘Minister’ at my request. Getting her used to ‘Minister’ just took a little time, and now asking for a second adjustment seems a bit harsh.
So, without putting too much pressure on her or making it a burden, I decided to give her the chance to adjust voluntarily.
“Well, I guess we have no choice. Let’s try until you’re used to another title, Penelia.”
“Uh, yes… I will do my best.”
“Good. With about ten days of just the two of us putting in effort, we should be able to manage.”
“…Huh?”
With those words, we embarked on some heated quality time together.
Until the word ‘Minister’ vanished from Penelia’s mind. Until an innocent and warm title emerged from her lips.
“Minister, can we… take it easy for a bit…”
“Are you alright? I got it…”
At first, Penelia seemed relaxed. Being the healthiest among my wives, she could keep up with my pace, and although she felt shy, she didn’t seem overwhelmed.
That lasting feeling held for about three days. Unfortunately, after that, the strain began to show.
“Alright, Minister…! Let’s, please, stop…!”
“I don’t think we’re talking about a minister here.”
You see, my stamina triumphed over Penelia’s!
If I were weaker than Penelia, she would’ve been fine. Of course, when the weaker party tries to keep pace with the stronger one, problems naturally arise.
Still, I’d say she held on surprisingly well. An average white-haired individual would’ve thrown in the towel after just one day.
“Minister…! If we keep this up, you’ll…!”
“I’m fine.”
“But if anything happens because of me…!”
“Ministers don’t worry about those things.”
My blunt reaction left Penelia a bit flustered, her eyes darting around.
Whenever she hinted at slowing down, I just kept spouting bizarre things like, “I’m not a minister! Ministers don’t worry about this.” It was clear as day; anyone who heard could see where my true feelings lay.
I just wanted her to switch from ‘Minister’ to something normal and warm.
‘That was cowardly, though.’
To say I was embarrassed wouldn’t be entirely true. I’d set the condition to keep trying until she adjusted to a new title, but the pressure I put was… well, it’s not pretty from an objective standpoint.
But what can I do? Being called ‘Minister’ by my wife is far more disgraceful than acting cowardly here. Even Erich calls me ‘Minister,’ but when she says it, it’s less sincere and more playful.
“Oh, what if you called me Boss instead…!”
“That’s hardly different from Minister.”
“Or Count…”
“That’s worse.”
“Or Patriarch…!”
“…….”
But even with this ugly situation looming, Penelia’s journey was long and arduous. I seriously considered postponing the whole title adjustment indefinitely!
“Uh, dear…”
Still, after all the struggle, a reward came my way. After ten days, I finally got to hear ‘dear’!
“Thank you, Penelia. This is how it should be between a married couple.”
“Uh, then…”
“From now on, I’ll focus on being ‘dear’ instead of ‘Minister.’”
Celebrating that milestone, I spent about five more days just to be together with Penelia, and it felt absolutely weightless.
“Uugh…”
“Are you okay?”
While I was beaming with joy, Penelia stepped on the floor and let out a soft yelp.
“I’m fine! Just a little surprised…”
I couldn’t help but admire Penelia’s faint smile.
Her resilience is truly astounding. Other notable mentions like our bloodline of Ironblood Marquis or using magic cheats like Trixy pale in comparison to her recovery and stamina.
“Then today too—”
“Uh, is it already morning? Shall we eat first?”
Her desperate change of subject made me chuckle.
I certainly didn’t plan to stretch it beyond fifteen days.
*
In the Imperial Council’s garden, finding someone here is like trying to locate a needle in a haystack, bordering on impossible, yet the place is under strict management as part of the building responsible for the Empire’s legislation.
Thanks to this, the garden rivals even the estates and mansions of others, a site I visit for some fresh air, especially when my mind’s swirling with complicated thoughts.
It’s a shame I’m now coming here almost daily since becoming the Council Chair.
‘Today, it seems to be empty.’
As I looked around the sparse garden, I plopped down on a bench.
Although other council members usually ignore this garden, the two junior members often roam around here as they tend to be quite social due to their youth.
But today, they were nowhere to be seen. It felt nice to have some time alone for a change.
‘Those juniors…’
Thank goodness! The source of my chaotic thoughts had been those two. If I’d run into them here while trying to gather my thoughts, it would’ve been a bittersweet encounter.
‘What on earth do I do?’
Laying back on the bench and staring up at the sky, I took a moment to breathe.
Those two were the root of my troubles, but they hadn’t really done anything wrong. In fact, they were working hard like juniors should, getting things done ahead of time for the honeymoon leave they plan to apply for early next year.
Right, they’re trying to plan their honeymoon for early next year, but that’s why it’s problematic now.
‘It’s going to be a mess if both of them are gone at the same time.’
The Imperial Council members are solely made up of Imperial Counts. In this vast Empire, there are only thirty of us.
That’s pure honor! There’s pride in sharing the Empire’s fate, being the Emperor’s arms and final shield. Our privileges as this tiny group mean even Marquis wouldn’t dare treat us lightly.
However, having such a minimal number sometimes becomes cumbersome after 300 years of tradition.
‘If two are missing, that’s practically 10%.’
Like right now.
The Imperial Counts, aka Imperial Council members, are so few in number that losing just one could be devastating. So if both apply for leave, it turns into a significant issue. Statistically, just two members leave could mean a lack of 10% at this point!
But I can’t exactly stop their departure. They’re taking a leave for their marriage, and denying one while allowing the other isn’t feasible. Moreover, we’re bound by law in the Empire’s legislative body, meaning we can’t disregard the law.
‘Cursed luck.’
After splashing cold water on my face, I let out a heavy sigh.
Fortunately, I can rely a little on Count Horfelt and Baron Hardiner. They’re both conscious of their absence and have taken the initiative to pile up their workloads. I’m grateful for that.
But that’s merely a temporary fix. Even if we manage to get through this time, what happens next time it occurs?
There’s no need to look too far into the future. Count Horfelt is on maternity and childcare leave, while Baron Hardiner is planning another wedding at the end of next year.
‘There’s no end to this.’
In the end, being one of thirty members in the council means I must constantly worry about personnel shortages. Regardless of how hard we work, these innate issues cannot be resolved.
‘We can’t just expand the Imperial Counts either.’
For a moment, I thought about proposing an increase to the Emperor, but quickly dismissed the thought.
That’s nonsense! These Imperial Counts have a history spanning 300 years. They stood by the Emperor during his darkest hours, sharing in triumph and disaster. I wouldn’t dream of sharing this role with outsiders.
‘If a new Imperial Count were to emerge after 300 years? They’d better have steel guts to take on that challenge!’
A stubborn stalemate is the nature of this game.
‘…As for council members…’
While watching a hawk soaring through the sky, a different thought crossed my mind.
Increasing the number of Imperial Counts is out of the question. That notion is hopeless, and suggesting it to the Emperor doesn’t sit right with me either.
What if I were to expand the membership of the council instead? Perhaps allow others to partake in council positions, spreading the legitimacy out among more members. That way, having two absences wouldn’t lead to a 10% vacancy.
Of course, this too stands against 300 years of tradition. It would mean sharing the authority and rights that belong solely to the Imperial Counts with others.
‘It’s a price worth paying.’
But it’s certainly better than constantly fretting over each individual member’s leave. The notion of our legislative body being too small compared to the executive and judicial branches has been a topic for discussion for ages.
“Alright.”
After much contemplation, I stood up.
First, I’ll bring this up to the other members for discussion. Expanding the council’s member count is not something I can just propose casually, even as the chair.
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