Published: January 4, 2026
“…What do you mean by that?”
“Ha ha, that’s more like it. That’s the spirit.”
Indra slapped my shoulder with a cheerful smile.
“If you were going to spill the beans just because someone threw a little bait, you wouldn’t last as emperor.”
“…”
I gave a wry smile.
I didn’t dislike Indra’s frank way of speaking, but since he had just hit me right where it hurt, it was a bit hard to take at the moment.
“That guy too, if he hadn’t had so many kids, maybe there wouldn’t have been so many problems.”
“…Huff.”
That one word made me realize Indra’s words weren’t just a trap, and with a white flag in mind, I let out a small sigh.
Seeing that, Indra smiled broadly.
“You think so too, right?”
“…I have no comment.”
“Don’t want to hear badmouthing about your old man? But I’m his uncle, so I figure a little scolding is fine.”
“…”
I smiled even more wryly.
Indra was just way too straightforward.
If someone else were here—someone like Oscar—I’d probably be fuming again.
Hmm? If Oscar were here?
Something nagged at me in my mind.
But Indra didn’t give me time to ponder.
He went on.
“Albert, and Gilbert. Their mischief was mainly because that guy stuck around too long, but also because there were too many children, and among the younger brothers, many were more capable than they were. Isn’t that right?”
“…Might be.”
“Albert, Gilbert, Henry, Oscar—and the kid. Future generations will probably call it the ‘Struggle for succession among the five princes.’”
“That’s not a very flattering way to put it.”
“That fight over the throne still continues. Even after the kid took the throne. So it’s no wonder he wants to reduce the number of kids. He’s one of them after all.”
I sighed again.
It had been a while since something hit me this deeply, so the sigh came naturally.
“I am no match for the late emperor. If I could control the family strife that even he couldn’t handle before it erupts, that would be best.”
“I understand the reason—I’m not going to scold you.”
“Really?”
“I just want you to handle Audrey well, that’s all.”
“Understood. I promise.”
When I said that, Indra looked pleased and patted my shoulder happily.
“That’s the way, man. If the kid ever says he’ll ‘do his best,’ I’ll have to knock some sense into him.”
“Even though he’s technically the emperor.”
“Ha ha, I’ve kicked your old man’s ass before—this is nothing new.”
“That’s true.”
I was a little troubled but laughed along with Indra.
Honestly, having someone like Indra around was a blessing.
Being emperor is lonely.
Father used to say that, and I’m beginning to feel it myself.
The people around you either treat you with caution or expect you to act a certain way, and honestly, it can be suffocating.
So, having someone like Indra who doesn’t care about titles is invaluable.
“Hey kid, let’s have a man-to-man talk.”
“Man-to-man?”
I tilted my head.
It felt a bit strange so late in the game.
“I get why you don’t want more kids—political considerations, I understand. If I were in your shoes, I might do the same.”
He paused, then suddenly changed the subject completely.
“But still, you’re a man, right? Aren’t you not getting enough action with the ladies?”
“Ha… do you really think so?”
I gave a vague answer.
My tone had become completely informal, almost like when I was a child prince when I first met Indra.
“That’s too few. So tell me, how many women have you been with so far?”
“That is…”
“Three, right?”
“Why do you know that—ah, never mind, I guess you do.”
I was about to ask how he knew, but stopped midway.
The emperor’s private affairs are all recorded.
When and where, who he was with—all recorded by the Ministry of Internal Affairs through the eunuchs.
The emperor is lonely, but also has no privacy whatsoever.
Of course, this information isn’t public to commoners, but for a prince like Indra—the empress’s grandfather and bearer of the “Lei” title—this information is easy to obtain.