Kill the Emperor Chapter 143 : Chapter 143

Translator: AkazaTL

Pr/Ed: Sol IX

***

Chapter 143 : About Believing

The unexpectedly long employnt period entered the ears of Mikhail, who had been soaked in emotion.

He asked with moist eyes.

"......Yes? Your Excellency, did you just say thirty years?"

I, Hein Reichart, said, "I told you last ti. You would have to work at least that much under ."

"Er...... so, thirty years?"

"Yes, thirty years. Do you not like it?"

"No, it is not that, it is not that I do not like it......"

"Ha! I even went out of my way to exempt the finger flicks, and now you want to change the employnt period as you please? You are quite a bad friend."

"Ah, no. I will work. I should do thirty years, I will do it."

Mikhail shook his head vigorously several tis and then spoke with a sheepish expression.

"To be honest, I thought about half of what you said back then was naturally a joke."

"I am sorry, but I do not have a hobby of talking nonsense. The words I said to you that day, and today, are all 100% pure sincerity. So do not have any useless thoughts and look through these docunts carefully."

I pulled out another bundle from about the middle of the pile of docunts that were stacked high enough to reach the ceiling and handed it directly to Mikhail.

"Process this first."

"Your Excellency, this is......?"

"Our business capital. After all, I am not such a harsh person as to tell you to start blindly with bare hands."

On the docunts I handed to Mikhail, the inventory of various ores procured from Eldrigal was written in detail.

"I processed a portion of it to handle urgent matters, but it seems the capacity of the Batavia Union alone was not enough to manage it. But now that you have co and Wind Tail has beco ours, a more smooth processing should be possible now, right?"

"......Please wait a mont. Your Excellency."

Before I knew it, Mikhail focused on the inventory list while barely answering.

"Your Excellency! Is it possible to verify the actual goods of the volu recorded in this inventory list?"

"It is possible even right now."

"However, it seems the grade classification has been done too roughly. Is there a reason why you did not classify the grades in detail?"

"Did I not tell you? Both hands and capacity were insufficient."

"First, I believe I must verify the inventory quantity and its grade with my own eyes. Only then will I be able to establish an accurate sales strategy."

The naive young man who had shown a bewildered expression upon hearing the employnt period of thirty years no longer existed.

Mikhail's rchant instinct, which had been temporarily closed for several months, began to smolder with a violent montum.

"Can you also classify the grades of magic ores?"

The types of minerals brought from Eldrigal exceeded dozens.

Among them, there were many items with a high difficulty of appraisal that even professional appraisers would find difficult.

"If it is the items on this list, I can do all of them."

However, Mikhail nodded without a single bit of hesitation.

'According to the inventory list, the cycle in which the minerals are supplied is regular and the quality is sufficient. If we can continuously procure ores of this quality and quantity, it is safe to consider that Zodiac's financial power easily transcends that of an average middle-power nation.'

Eyes that were sparkling as if they would emit fire at any mont.

'Yes, this is the Mikhail Enderose I know.'

Looking at Mikhail's appearance burning with the montum to spit out flas, I nodded with a satisfied expression.

"If you have ti later, try talking with Lord Sheldrick, the Chief Minister. It seems he has been attempting various public projects lately. Because of that, there are many items he needs to buy in large quantities, but since it is not his specialty, it seems there are various difficulties."

"Ah, I know about that matter."

Mikhail, recalling the incident he witnessed in the market the other day, nodded.

"Yes. So if you have room, is it not fine for you to help him a bit?"

"I will do so."

He answered readily, but Mikhail's expression looked anxious.

"You may withdraw. The knight order mbers outside the door will guide you on the way to the mineral warehouse."

"Then I shall withdraw! Your Excellency! I will submit a report imdiately as soon as verification is done."

Mikhail headed toward the mineral storage with hurried footsteps.

I leaned my body against the back of the chair and closed my eyes.

'I can finally take a breath now.'

I successfully swallowed Wind Tail.

And now I have succeeded in making even Mikhail my person.

The shape of the country's housekeeping has roughly been established.

Since I have even successfully signed an alliance with Veradora, Zodiac's physical weight has also grown to a certain extent now.

'It seems I can slowly start to dream a bit of a bigger dream...... At this level, I will not be completely ignored even if I send a letter to Maganus.'

Around the ti my thoughts, with eyes closed, had just stepped into the next stage.

A servant from the Great Hall knocked on the office door.

"Your Excellency! His Majesty is looking for Your Excellency!"

***

"Grand Duke, I intend to grant the Mahatdur region, which has been newly incorporated into Zodiac's territory, as the new territory of Reichart."

Did he feel refreshed after spitting out the thoughts he had kept only in his heart for the past few days?

The expression of the King saying he would grant a new territory to looked very bright.

"Your Majesty!"

But what was interesting was the expression of the party receiving the territory.

A 'territory' is sothing like life itself to a noble holding a title.

However, the expression of the party receiving an extra life from the King was not bright.

"Your Majesty, I am truly honored, but I already have sufficient territory. I request that you withdraw those words from a mont ago."

Having expressed my intention to refuse the grant of the territory, I gave a bitter smile in my heart.

Because I knew well what this kid was saying he would give the Mahatdur territory to .

'He must have felt guilty. This kid thinks this territorial expansion is entirely my contribution. So he thinks it is right for to have the territory as well.'

Of course, Friedrich's calculation was not wrong.

Even if I laid hands on the Mahatdur territory, no one would bla for it.

However, just because no one blas does not an I can take everything.

Because,

'I have already laid hands on Wind Tail. But it does not look good in many ways for to be seen as pressuring the King to gain additional territory here.'

As the Batavia Union and Wind Tail rged, I, as an individual, had already acquired enormous gains.

But if I am even granted the Mahatdur territory?

Roughly 30% of the entire territory of Zodiac would end up becoming the territory of Reichart.

'There will be no one bold enough to speak out openly, but stories will co out here and there. If that happens, troubleso things might occur later.'

I shook my head in my heart and then tried to express my intention not to receive the territory once more.

"I know with what aning the Grand Duke is saying those words."

However, Friedrich was a little faster than I was.

"But you do not need to worry. I will do my best so that the kind of thing the Grand Duke is worried about does not happen. If there is anyone who utters disrespectful words, I will make them unable to do so."

"Your Majesty......"

"Grand Duke, my granting a new territory to the Grand Duke is not simply to commorate your achievents. I believe the reason the Grand Duke is always busy is that you have a great cause that you harbor."

"......!"

At this part, I could not help but be surprised.

Because I did not think I would be able to hear such firm words from the King.

"Of course, I do not know specifically what plan the Grand Duke has. But I at least know that the Grand Duke's intention is for this country. Grand Duke, to achieve that cause, you will need a wider foothold. I only hope that the Mahatdur territory will be of even a little more help in achieving that cause."

It was the first ti.

Friedrich spoke this much in front of .

Showing such a firm expression, all of it.

Friedrich had always been making a shy expression, but today's boy had a face that was quite like a king.

Having felt interest in that fact, I threw a question.

"Your Majesty, I shall ask just one thing. Do you rember the words I said to you on the day Your Majesty first t ?"

"Of course. I have carved all the words the Grand Duke said to deep in my heart."

Just as Friedrich rembered that day, I also rembered all the words I had said.

That day, I had certainly said to Friedrich.

"After ti passes, Your Majesty will beco afraid of ."

"Is Your Majesty not afraid of ?"

A statent that could easily sound more than disrespectful.

The reason this question did not feel only disrespectful was perhaps because of the difference in power that existed too clearly between the two people.

"Grand Duke......"

"To speak frankly, if I were Your Majesty, I would have been wary of a subject like . Most monarchs would act that way."

However, the attitude with which Friedrich treated was far too pure and upright to be said to stem from a difference in power.

In fact, the question I really wanted to ask the King was—

'To what extent does Your Majesty trust ?' it might have been.

I was curious.

On what basis does this kid show such one-sided trust in ?

"To be honest, it is true that I am still afraid of the Grand Duke. But......"

Quite rarely, Friedrich t my gaze without bowing his head.

"The trust in the Grand Duke is much bigger and thicker than the fear. Haha, would that be the answer?"

Of course, the smile this boy king always showed was the sa, but.

"......Of course. I am only honored that you gave a wise answer without blaming my foolish question. I will accept the grace you have granted as an infinite honor. I will continue to work my hardest so that there is no failure to et Your Majesty's expectations."

"Ah! Thank you. Only now does my heart feel a little more at ease."

In the end, Friedrich did not answer the specific reason for his trust.

But what was it.

I thought that it was fine to withdraw like this today.

"Your Majesty, then I shall withdraw for now."

"Do so, Grand Duke. And although I know your duties are heavy, I hope you do not overdo it too much."

"I will do so."

Click!

"......."

Having co out of the Great Hall and returned to the office, I sat in the chair and fell into thought.

Because I had heard unexpected words from the kid, I had many things to think about.

'Trust...... I thought it was a word that no longer had anything to do with .'

Sohow, two fools who like to blindly trust others have already appeared by my side.

Of course, if the first fool found out I thought this, she would make a fuss, shouting, 'Who is a fool! Who! Master is an!'

"Trust......"

Because Alexar was a person more accustod to placing trust in soone, I had lived the world without ever realizing that I would beco the object of trust.

But since I know that I have beco the object of trust......

'It seems another reason to work a little harder has been created.'

Feeling an ambition that I had never felt before welling up, I leaned against the chair and closed my eyes.

***

One month later.

Thump, thump!

"There, hold it straight!"

In the Mahatdur territory, no, the Reichart territory, the sound of hamring and the shouts of workers resonated every day.

This land, famous for being located at the optimal transportation hub throughout the southeastern part of the continent, was busy preparing to welco its new owner.

"Where did you set the location for building the Magic Tower?"

"For now, we have set about four places as candidate sites. It seems there will be no great hindrance to the flow of mana no matter which of the candidate sites is chosen. However, as Your Excellency knows, the Magic Tower to be built here must carry out close mutual cooperation with the forge, so the final conclusion will only co after hearing the opinions of the heads of both sides."

"I understand. It will not take that long, so wait a mont."

Nodding, I climbed the temporary watchtower and looked at the panoramic view unfolding before my eyes.

People are busy carrying construction materials.

Artisans processing stone.

Surveyors running here and there with ground maps in hand to survey the land.

Thanks to the new owner being so diligent, every corner of the territory was full of vibrant life.

Standing in the center of the gap of that life force, I nodded and pledged.

'This is the starting point. I will use this place as a base to expand into the continent.'