Reincarnated as an Emperor ~ Will the Emperor at Birth Survive?

Chapter 44: Sharing a Bed

The man in the butlers uniform left and a short while later there was a knock at the door.

I told them to enter and sure enough, it was Timona. He entered the room, closed the door, and fell to a prostrate position in a fluid motion.

It is my lifetime shame to allow an assassin to enter your presence, Your Majesty. I can offer no apologies for this blunder. I will slice myself to pieces with my own hand if you order me to do so. Please give me the order.

Whats with this grotesque apology? Eh, you cant be serious, can you?

Whos going to take care of the mutated corpse? You dont need to apologise. Thats how good a mage he was.

Being able to interfere with space is usually a cheat. Im jealous because I cant use spatial magic.

I guess I need more theoretical knowledge and a more detailed image because imagining it like it was used in games doesnt work.

I should reprimand him as his Master but thats a bit different from tormenting him about it.

Honestly, there would have been nothing I could have done if he had snuck in while I was sleeping Ah, Timona, whos on guard duty at night, might have prevented the attack. HE would have been able to prevent the assassination. I dont need to reprimand him for the attack.

Im just tired.

I had just fought for my life. Im tired physically and more importantly, mentally.

Should I call Rosalia-sama?

Why would you call her? By the way a bit of time passed between the mans departure and your entry. Were you isolated far away?

No. I was so angry that I kicked him.

You used magic to catch him while he was escaping and kicked him? Thats difficult even for me.

Hey, I told him Ill overlook this, didnt I? Will this be a problem?

No wait. I told him I will overlook it, but I didnt say anything about anyone else, so it should be fine. Yeah, its fine.

So? Whats going on in the front line?

Ah yes. Let me give you an update on the situation at the Theanabe Union border.

Our purpose this time was to see the nation that were at war with or rather, the rebels. Well anyway, the official reason is to see the front line and confirm that they are fighting properly.

And the Chancellor and the others are heading all the way to the front lines to deceive the Emperor into thinking that they were fighting properly.

In reality, they werent fighting properly. They will probably be surrounded by tighter security to prevent the Emperor from finding this out. They werent doing this to prepare for the enemy, no, they were doing this to prevent me from talking to commoners and merchants who know of the reality of the situation.

It was a futile effort of course.

The border appears to have already been breached. Our group has also changed its course and will likely be advancing beyond the border.

Putting the Emperor in the frontlines? Thats how far theyve pushed them huh.

They werent using mercenaries this time, but was the fight really that one-sided even though the Chancellor is leading the Dukes army? 

No, actually there are almost no battles on the frontline. The Theanabe Union forces have fallen back and the villages near the borders seem to have been abandoned. Lord Rauls army is burning those villages and claiming, they have won.

There are no battles?

Could it be a trap?

Yes. But but theres no sign of the army laying low now are they hiding the fact that they have a larger army than Lord Rauls. The troops close to Theanabe Union capital have also been destroyed which leads us to believe that they are avoiding a confrontation.

Tsk. They predicted everything?

I clicked my tongue I was hoping Lord Rauls army and the Theanabe Union army would destroy each other

Are they cutting their losses? Thats very merchant-like.

Yes. They weighed the cost of losing soldiers in battles against losing a few villages I think its safe to say that its gone below an acceptable level, and the Dukes army has realised this so they havent gone beyond a certain point.

Shyt. I guess itll end with a compromise.

Well, weve confirmed the Theanabe Unions forces, which means weve accomplished the minimum task of not sending more weapons and mercenaries to the Central Continent. I can only consider that this is good for now.

Then the problem is

Any movements from the Regent faction?

The Regent faction, you say?

Yeah. I dont want them to give any extra support to Theanabe Union just because they want to thin out Lord Rauls army.

The Golden Fleece Association was steadily expanding its profits in the war-torn Central Continent. They want to sell things that are short in supply on the Central Continent at a high price. One example is weapons and mercenaries.

But there is one thing that has a higher shortage in nations at war.

Yes. Food.

And the Empire has one of the largest granaries on the Eastern Continent.

Ill be troubled if they give food to Theanabe Union just because they hate Lord Raul. The Theanabe Union will surely sell that food to the Central Continent.

I see. Then Ill have a spy keep an eye on them.

Please do.

Honestly, I dont believe the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies, who is strengthening his faction in the capital, can afford to do such necessary things but I cant tell what his sons will do since they are still in their fiefs.

Still

They cast pieces away when theyre invaded theyre no longer a nation.

Normally, you would send out the army if youre invaded. If the odds are against you, then you look for an opportunity to turn the tides.

A victory that comes at a great cost is called a Pyrrhic victory, but on the other hand, war happens even if its not worth it. Surrendering land because it is a loss is hardly the actions of a nation.

Of course, there are times when land is surrendered as a strategy for victory.

And perhaps, this was how the Golden Fleece explained this to the feudal lords. The Golden Fleece was only a trading company who were cooperating with the Theanabe Union.

Actually, the feudal lords were probably emasculated.

Hmm, can this be used to pester them?

If the feudal lords are convinced that the forced retreat by the Golden Fleece was not a strategy but a way to cut loss, then they will probably rally against the Golden Fleece. Theyve been duped after all.

The question was how to do this? They can say whatever they want once theyve recovered. The argument that the retreat was for victory would make sense, no matter how painful it might be.

If thats the case, then I just need to create a reason as to why Lord Rauls army cannot withdraw and turn the current situation from temporary into something that must be preserved.

So

Your Majesty. Your Majesty!

I smelled the faint smell of flowers and realised that someone had called out to me.

Oh, Rosalia?

Rosalia appeared before me without me realising. She was holding my hand and looking at me worriedly. I looked around and saw that Timona had disappeared.

Why are you here?

Lord Renan forced me in here Are you hurt, Your Majesty?

She knew that I had been attacked He said something unnecessary.

Im not, so dont worry Did you hear about this from Timona?

No. The maid noticed. And the battle ended while I was gathering people I am sorry.

Rosalia apologised while obviously looking down.

Ive accused Timona of something he didnt do but he did let her in my room. Well, I wouldnt get angry at him over something as small as this though.

I guess he was telling me to take a rest seeing as how he wasnt in the room.

Lets put that aside. The barrier was up even though the battle was intense. The maid being able to sense that battle despite this means

Is the maid a mage? And an excellent one at that.

She is.

I see.

And you said you were gathering people which means you brought other mages with you? And all of them are from the Belbe Kingdom?

Yes Are you going to reprimand me for bringing them?

No. Its up to you who you bring, but Id like to know more about them.

She is a Princess of a nation. Theres nothing wrong with not trusting the Imperial Guards and bringing your own. I dont trust the Imperial Guards either!

Of course, Your Majesty. Only three of them were able to infiltrate this group. The remaining 18 are deployed around the perimeter so that they wouldnt be noticed by the guards. They are led by Salomon de Valverde, my uncle.

He was a part of the tour group. It must be hard for him to get in contact with the mages outside from within the group, and he is a commander? Hes a former general.

Are they all mages?

Yes. I should have sent the three of them in here, but I thought that they would slow you down and create unnecessary confusion if they werent prepared

Hmm, you say that as if its your responsibility

Lord Salomon made that decision, didnt he?

He did.

He made the correct decision. Dont worry about it.

I would have done the same, but well, the mages seem competent since they were able to judge that it would be pointless to intervene with the battle.

Oh yeah, before Rosalia and I got engaged, the Belbe Kingdom was on the verge of sending kids who can use magic into battle as soldiers, werent they? I believe Salomon was the one who took care of them maybe its that unit?

We finally met up with the other 18 in this city. I am sorry for not reporting this to you sooner.

You dont need to apologise again.

I dont feel comfortable with Rosalia looking at me like that.

I might need to rely on them one day. Tell them Im counting on them. And please stop looking at me like that.

But Your Majesty It hurts me to think that something might have happened to you.

I told you Im fine, geez. You dont have to worry that much.

Well, I also know that emperors dont directly fight, so I know I made her worried but, you know, its embarrassing. The way shes acting.

So will you rest? I am also worried about that, Rosalia said.

Its unfair of you to look up at me with puppy eyes, Rosalia-san.

I really wanted to think about more countermeasures against the Theanabe Union but well, I can just think about that in the carriage.

Alright. Im going to bed.

Yay!

Hmm? Are you not going back to your room?

Are you sleeping here? You want to make sure Im resting properly? Is it alright for us to sleep in the same bed before were married? Well, were kids, so nothing will happen though.