Published: January 4, 2026
Nighttime, inside the inn.
As I was lost in thought in my room, Cindy entered carrying a water jar.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, master. I will prepare a drink immediately.”
She called me "master" as she came in.
This was my first time traveling with someone while hiding my identity, and Cindy seemed uncertain about how to treat me.
It seemed she settled on the somewhat awkward but safe term "master," which wouldn't easily give me away.
“What is this?”
“Yes, it’s water suitable for drinking. The innkeeper prepared it.”
“How much does it cost?”
“Eh?”
Cindy flinched, and her gaze started to wander.
She must have found it hard to say.
“Relax, I have no intention of blaming you. In a town like this, it’s natural there’s water sold to the rich, and it’s only expected that you’d prepare that.”
“Y-yes. I’m sorry—”
“I said I don’t blame you. Since we came here hiding our identities, I want to know the reality.”
“—! I’m sorry! I made an inappropriate assumption.”
Cindy placed the water jar on the nearby table and hurriedly bowed her head.
“Alright. So?”
“Yes! This is 2 Lien!”
“Hmm.”
I nodded slightly.
When I was a child, adults in the Imperial Capital earned about 10 Lien a month.
After Father’s long reign, things improved, and now it’s nearly 20 Lien a month.
So, 2 Lien is about a tenth of an ordinary person’s monthly earnings.
Given the state of the waterworks and that this business targets the wealthy, it seems reasonable.
“Um…”
“Yes?”
“I see that you’re troubled, master.”
“Ah.”
“Why are you troubled? The injustice is real. Even just from the waterworks’ condition, if imperial law were strictly enforced, the local magistrate could be sentenced to death.”
“Ah. They could be hanged at worst.”
“Then... why?”
“...Because I’ve grown old.”
“Huh?”
“Just kidding, half kidding.”
I chuckled softly and continued.
“Only circumstantial evidence exists, but I’m 99.9% sure the officials fattening their own pockets caused all this.”
“Yes.”
“The problem is, this isn’t just here; most of Enlil Province is in the same state.”
Afterwards, Cindy and I asked various people.
We learned that not just the two towns we visited today, but most of Enlil Province is in a similar situation, to varying degrees.
“In other words, this is the environment we’re dealing with. …Now then.”
“Y-yes.”
Cindy stiffened with a start as I fixed my gaze on her, realizing the real discussion was about to begin.
“Words are crafted carefully over time. Right now, some are enriching themselves privately. If we punish them and simply replace them with hungry new officials, what happens?”
“………!!”
After about two thoughtful breaths, Cindy’s eyes widened almost painfully.
“They’ll start eating from scratch…?”
I nodded.
“Of course, the officials who fattened their pockets and ruined the waterworks will eventually face the law. But not now. If we exterminate them without changing the environment, the people will only suffer more.”
“You’ve thought this through... Amazing, Your Majesty!”
“You just called me that again.”
“Ah! S-sorry.”
“Haha, it’s fine. I’ll take it as proof my words have reached you.”
I smiled gently.
“There is a way to change the environment, but—”
“Is there something troubling you?”
“To do that, a trustworthy person must take command. Someone at the governor level.”
“Governor...”
“If we want to avoid making the people suffer twice, we must be sure the person we appoint will never fail in that.”
“Someone who can be trusted not to make the people suffer... a capable person who swears absolute loyalty to you, master.”
“Exactly. Since they swear loyalty to me, they wouldn’t do such a thing.”
“Evelyn... right?”
“Yes, that kind of person.”
I nodded.
As Cindy said, Evelyn is probably the right choice.
I then considered Zoe or Leon.
“Ah, but... Evelyn is the fourth prime minister. Appointing her as governor would be a demotion.”