Published: January 4, 2026
“Listen, Anya. Even if we start now, Your Majesty will only choose a handful to a few dozen consorts through the selection.”
“Yeah, that makes sense.”
“But by overlapping that with the existing knight selection, women in the world will grow toward the standard—towards the direction set by Your Majesty—in order to be chosen by Your Majesty.”
“...Wow.”
“Knights are inevitably centered on men; only a small number of eccentric women think about becoming knights. However, almost no woman would refuse the prospect of marrying into wealth. Women in the world will strive hard to catch Your Majesty’s favor.”
“To think you’ve considered all that... that’s amazing!”
Anya gazed at me with complete admiration.
“You’re amazing for reading my thoughts in an instant,” I said, smiling as I looked at Audrey.
“That’s good, but does Your Majesty have any women you fancy?”
“What’s that all of a sudden? You mean as a woman, right?”
When I asked back, Audrey nodded quietly.
“Why do you ask that?”
“It seemed to me that Your Majesty forgot something important.”
“Something important?”
Did I forget something?
“The retired emperor your majesty has many consorts. And various kinds of... consorts.”
“Hmm.”
I almost chuckled at the word “various.”
Father did indeed take all kinds of people as his consorts.
Among them were wives of vassals and even women who were once my father’s consorts—my stepmothers.
It’s a famous story.
When the emperor of the time passed away, for political reasons, a consort was chosen—a girl only six years old and untouched.
In other words, a six-year-old widow.
When she grew up and reached an appropriate age, Father, captivated by her beauty, forcibly made her his wife.
Such... war stories are never lacking about the retired emperor, Father.
“When the retired emperor your majesty took a vassal’s wife or defiled a girl who was his stepmother, was he ever reproached?”
“No, never.”
Why would an emperor be blamed for such things?
Even worse, inhumane acts go unpunished for emperors.
“Exactly, that’s Your Majesty’s reaction.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“You often say it’s the duty of the nobility, but it seems you’ve forgotten the rights of the nobility.”
“...Hmm.”
“All the women of the empire belong to Your Majesty—the empire itself is already Your Majesty’s.”
I see, you’re saying I should enjoy more of my status and power.
“I understand. But why say such a thing?”
“Pure water is hard to live in.”
“...Ah.”
I understood what Audrey meant.
If I, the emperor, don’t do it, the nobles below will hold back and stop acting.
That’s no good.
If I were just a prince, that might be fine.
But as the emperor, with absolute power, the nobles and subjects inevitably show consideration toward me.
If they start holding back out of concern, the economy stagnates.
“Your Majesty has incredible talent, a one-in-ten-thousand-year talent. However, as an emperor, I’m forced to say you still fall short of the retired emperor your majesty.”
“...I see. That’s the empress’s perspective.”
The conversation had gotten a little long, but finally, I understood what Audrey was trying to say.
“Understood. The empire is all mine—I will keep that firmly in mind and act accordingly.”
“...Your Majesty really is amazing.”
“Hm?”
“Even when all you’ve done is denied, when you say it’s correct as emperor, it is accepted. That’s admirable.”
“I see.”
It’s a common compliment, but hearing it from Audrey, who has the empress’s perspective, gave me a different kind of joy.
☆
The next afternoon, I was practicing mock battles in the garden.
With head maid Zoe and the newly brought-back Kate, relaxing in the pavilion, I had the newly joined Jiz fighting against five others.
By linking the armor ring and materializing them for mock battles, I focused on the new Jiz, having him battle one after another.
After one round, my level increased.
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