Published: January 4, 2026
“That’s it… what do you mean by that?”
Henry looked at me suspiciously, tilting his head.
“The bandits—those involved in underground work have a strong sense of territoriality. We’ll use that to our advantage.”
“…So you plan to make those kinds of people fight among themselves?”
“Exactly.”
I nodded firmly.
“Fight poison with poison. From what I observed with Jerry, those kinds of people often desire honor even more than knights do. It makes sense—once you’re involved in an underground trade, you have to give that up, but that’s just a reluctant acceptance. If we dangle a suitable honor in front of them, it’ll work.”
“What exactly do you intend to do?”
“Find appropriate people and grant them honorary knights.”
The honorary knight system was something I devised a few years ago.
It’s a purely honorary title given only to those who donated to the national treasury, with no real power attached.
Since it’s called ‘knight’, I currently only bestow it on ‘decent people’.
Those involved in underground trades like bandits are completely unrelated.
But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
Since it’s not a traditional system, and I, a prince, came up with it, as emperor I can tweak it however I want.
“So, the ones who receive honorary knights will be envied by those who don’t. Then—”
“They’ll naturally start to fall out with each other. Fight poison with poison—you’re brilliant.”
Henry said with admiration.
“Yeah. I can already imagine what those who don’t get it will say. ‘They’ve become dogs of the empire’—something like that.”
“I’m sure that’ll happen.”
Henry agreed with that.
Jealousy is an emotion almost everyone has—and can’t escape.
If we poke at it skillfully…
“Henry.”
“Yes?”
“Investigate some candidates. Those with military strength—bandit groups are good, especially the kind that only steal and don’t assault women.”
“Why that kind?”
“There are two types of bandits.”
I raised one finger, despite saying two.
“Those who steal out of sheer necessity to survive, and those who don’t. The ones who are forced into it because they have no choice rarely commit unnecessary evil. How they treat women is one measure of that.”
“I see.”
“Find those kinds. It’ll be easier to justify making them honorary knights, and like Jerry, there’s a higher chance they’ll ‘reform’.”
“Understood—Your Majesty, that’s an excellent plan.”
☆
Half a month later, Shirley and I were traveling along a public road on the outskirts.
We weren’t in the usual carriage, but a wagon.
The cargo bed was piled high with goods that looked like they belonged to peddlers. On the driver’s platform, Shirley and I sat close together.
“Even now… wouldn’t it be better to stop this, Your Majesty?”
It had been nearly a day since leaving the capital, but Shirley still hadn’t given up trying to persuade me.
“It’s dangerous. Your Majesty personally acting as bait is just too risky.”
“Doing nothing just because it’s dangerous is pointless.”
“I understand, but… I wonder if this really needs Your Majesty’s direct involvement…”
“That’s exactly why I’m going.”
“Exactly why…?”
Shirley tilted her head.
“Listen, when something happens, the people involved are the ones handling it. I am the emperor now; showing up uninvited won’t reveal any truth.”
“That’s… true, I suppose…”
Hesitating, Shirley nodded quietly.
“You can’t govern the country without knowing the truth. That’s why you have to go out on your own before anything happens—to see with your own eyes, to feel it with your own body.”
“But it’s dangerous.”
“Dangerous?”
I chuckled softly.
“Is there really such a thing as dangerous?”
“Huh?”
“This concerns you, right? You’ve got guards with you, haven’t you?”
“—!”
That hit the mark; Shirley flinched slightly, eyes wide in surprise.
After a moment, she regained her composure.
“Yes. I have Sheryl with 2,000 soldiers waiting a few kilometers behind. There are also cavalry, so they can arrive within minutes if needed.”