Published: January 4, 2026
Byron Allan, a merchant, requested an audience.
Since it wasn’t an official matter but a private one, I decided to meet him in the reception room of the detached palace.
I sat and waited in a room bathed in just the right amount of sunlight, where the furnishings gleamed even more brightly.
Byron was led in by a maid.
As soon as he entered, rather than moving forward, he knelt down.
“Byron Allan. It is an utmost honor to behold Your Majesty’s heavenly face.”
“That’s enough. We have a relationship—I’m fine with you being relaxed.”
“Thank you.”
“So, what is it today—hmm?”
Byron stood, and just then, a woman in a dress, who had been waiting just outside the room, entered.
“...Wow.”
I couldn’t help but utter a sound.
Simply put, she was a beautiful woman.
Not a peerless beauty, but she carried herself with elegance and dignity.
And that dignity was... acquired, not innate.
Here, by innate and acquired, I mean ‘by birth.’
Those born into noble families are raised from the moment of birth in a certain way (,,,,,) while others learn and acquire it as they grow up.
It’s not a matter of good or bad, just a difference.
Of course, some people literally possess innate dignity from birth, but that’s a different story.
The woman who entered following Byron had acquired her dignity through experience.
Although it’s not a matter of good or bad, acquired dignity tends to appear slightly inferior to innate dignity because the time—experience—is shorter.
The reason acquired ones look inferior is simply due to this length of experience.
However, despite being young and acquired, her demeanor was nearly perfect.
That was... interesting.
“Today, I have brought Jessica to present to Your Majesty.”
“To present?”
“To ask that she be added to Your Majesty’s harem.”
“Ah... I see.”
I recalled one of Father’s concubines, Ada.
Ada was the woman I had Byron work with to send into Father’s harem, and eventually, she caught his eye and became a concubine.
For merchants like Byron, whether they have someone influential in the harem—the imperial palace—completely changes how they do business.
Since Father abdicated, Ada’s influence has waned.
To compensate, Byron sent someone over to me.
“Huh, you came personally?”
“I beg Your Majesty’s pardon. Even if I tried to hide it, your keen insight would not allow it.”
“Well, between you and me...”
It’s not insight; we’d done the same thing before.
“Alright. I will accept her—”
There was no reason to refuse Byron, so I accepted.
――――――――――――
Name: Noah Alarate
Emperor of the Empire
Gender: Male
Level: level 17 plus 1 over infinity
HP: c plus b, Fire: e plus s plus s
MP: d plus c, Water: c plus ss s
Strength: c plus s, Wind: e plus c
Stamina: d plus c, Earth: e plus c
Intelligence: d plus a, Light: e plus b
Spirit: e plus c, Darkness: e plus b
Speed: e plus b
Dexterity: e plus c
Luck: d plus c
―――――――――――
The plus signs on my status, always visible in the corner of my vision, increased.
And not just one—they increased by two at once.
Surprised, I looked at the woman—Jessica.
A woman who, upon becoming mine, raised two of my stats at once.
This is... a rare talent.
“You’re not just an ordinary woman, are you?”
“As expected of Your Majesty. Your keen insight humbles me that you noticed in an instant.”
“What kind of person are you?”
“All I can say is that I am a woman with qualities Your Majesty favors.”
“I see.”
I had talked quite a bit with Byron about my preferences when choosing Ada.
So this means he chose a woman with ambition.
Well, unlike with Father, this time it’s direct—he sends her to me.
Of course, it’s natural to choose someone according to my tastes.
“And?”
“And?”
“Among those, she excels particularly in those qualities.”
“I see.”
So she’s the most hardworking woman.
That explained what I sensed from her demeanor.
“Well then, I will take my leave...”
Byron said that and left quickly.
Saying something like “Please take good care of her” here would be second-rate.