She has a request for the Emperor

“So there are days when you ask to eat together first.”

The emperor seemed in an exceptionally good mood today too. Of course, she didn’t care one way or the other. she had sought him out because there was something she wanted.

“I have a favour to ask of you.”

“What is it? Tell me.”

His tone was innocent like he didn’t have any idea what it could be. It made sense now that he had never once checked up on her after entrusting her with what was a matter of national significance.

She had to wonder if it was really fine to leave the management of this country in the hands of these two siblings. It wouldn’t be surprising if the country collapsed during this generation.

“I would like to have counsel.”

“Counsel?”

The emperor opened his eyes wide.

‘Yes, I know. That this isn’t something that you would expect to hear from this princess’s mouth.’

“Please provide me with someone.”

“You mean to say…”

“This is a good opportunity to establish strong relations with Rothschild. I need someone who is knowledgeable about foreign affairs as well as general geography.”

She had spent the morning studying and deliberating on her own; she quickly realised that she couldn’t rely on a romance novel for knowledge of an entirely different world. There was no way she could begin preparations when she knew basically nothing except for the relationships between specific characters.

A ripe cherry tomato fell off the emperor’s fork and rolled across the table. Seeing him more shocked than she expected, She continued as if to justify herself.

“Of course… It is not easy humbling myself, but I thought it wouldn’t be bad to try it out at least once.”

“I-Is that so?”

The emperor was quiet for a while. He rubbed his chin over and over while mumbling something under his breath before lifting his head.

“You have someone specific in mind….?”

“Pardon?”

She furrowed her brow due to not being able to hear him over the distance. But then he suddenly slammed down a fist and began nodding vigorously.

“That’s right. I have just the teacher! Yes indeed.”

“If you could explain what you mean…”

“I know what you mean now!”

Before she knew it, She had lost the flow of the conversation. She waited for the emperor to provide a proper explanation but she knew it wasn’t likely to happen.

The man truly moved at his own pace.

The emperor gazed at her warmly, swept up in his own emotions. She twisted Her face in annoyance.

“I am only asking for an advisor, Your Majesty.”

“Ah! Naturally, I will not tell Gelt that you asked for him! You do not need to worry.”

“…….”

She felt a little uneasy but she decided to wrap up for now. It was best to limit her time speaking with the emperor.

---

“Lord Gelt has arrived. Would you like me to tell him to come in?”

She lifted her chin and checked the clock. The advisor provided by the emperor had arrived slightly behind schedule.

“Yes. Quickly escort him in.”

The door opened and she heard the sound of smart footsteps. She straightened in her chair out of politeness. And then she turned her head.

The teacher came and stood in front of her.

“Vizima?”

“Yes.”

“….Vizima?”

“Yes.”

As she stared at him blankly with her mouth wide open, Vizima’s brow developed a deep furrow. He brought out the books he had at his side and placed them on the table.

“What exactly is the problem?”

“Um.”

“I heard that you were seeking a teacher for guidance.”

“……..”

“Does it bother you that it is me?”

“Your name is-.”

“It is Vizima.”

“Then, what about Gelt?”

“…..”

Vizima stared at her wordlessly before beginning. He breathed out deeply through his nose and took off his glasses. He laid the back of his hand over his eyes for a moment before replacing his glasses.

For some reason, his calm eyes looked like those of someone who was completely pissed.

“I am.”

“Y-Yeah.”

“I am Vizima Gelt, Your Highness.”

He said and smiled sweetly like a fairy.

“Then, shall we start?”

It was a smile bright enough to light up a room. She swallowed hard and thought. ‘I should’ve known Alexandra’s brother was up to something!”

Finally, everything made sense. That is to say, the emperor’s weird reaction and all-knowing look.

So basically he had thought she wanted him to make an excuse to stick to a concubine who didn’t love her anymore, but whom she was too prideful to approach herself?

‘What in the world?’ She wondered how exactly the emperor saw his younger sister.

Vizima icily opened up his book and began his lecture. It seemed like he didn’t even want to meet her eyes.

While sighing multiple times in a row inside, she tried to keep it from showing on her face.

“Are you paying attention?”

“…..I was listening.”

“Then would you explain what I just said?”

It looked like he wouldn’t let it go. With no other choice, she quickly skimmed over the pages of the book that they had opened.

“The growth of our nation was based on the establishment of colonies acquired through wars of conquest and the enormous amount of tributes received from them, …. this subsequently contributed greatly to the establishment and reinforcement of imperial power?”

Vizima made a displeased face but maybe because she had given the right answer, continued the lesson without another word.

“Why do you think there was no other way to grow besides taking such an atypical route?”

The moment she went to take another peek, Vizima shut the book. She stared at his large, white hand laying on the book’s cover for a moment before lifting her gaze.

“Because of a lack of farmland?”

“……Yes, exactly. In the early days of our country, the amount of grain harvested from farmland was insufficient compared to the population. Also, as there was no farming technology to deal with it, the available farmland only decreased with the passing of the year.”

“But there must have been a limit to plundering it.”

“Yes. Soon, another method emerged. What do you think it was?”

It was like he had been waiting to ask the question. In the proceeding silence, her eyes and Vizima’s met.

He didn’t avoid her eyes but it didn’t seem like he was really looking at her either. His eyes were mechanical like they could be looking at her pores.

“The use of human resources to develop farming technology?”

His response came one step late.

“What human resources exactly do you think?”

“Did they employ colonials without discrimination?”

Suddenly, he looked at her strangely. Although he finally looked human with the emotion swirling in his eyes at last, she felt uneasy thinking she might have made a mistake.

“….Please think over it again.”

After that, he closed his mouth tight.

His posture was perfect enough to be impressive. She could also feel his weariness from having lived a life surrounded by paper and ink. And his tone was respectful but neutral.

She wondered if he was purposefully only like this with her or if he was just that kind of person.

She hazily recalled that day. His drunk face as he hung onto her, crying, almost seemed like a dream. Because the man who stood before her in the morning light was a completely different person.

The emperor had done something really unnecessary.

Because despite not having any personal grudges toward Vizim, he had unknowingly hurt him.

“Overall, the centre part of the continent where the Empire is located is in a cold climate with high elevation, so even if there is land, the grain often freezes. And the climate isn’t easy to overcome.”

When she didn’t respond, Vizima elaborated slowly. Suddenly, a memory flitted through her mind.

She had asked Emily about it because only that place strangely had no wind and was warm. The answer she had heard then.

“……Magic.”

“Exactly. It was quite difficult to hear that answer, Your Highness.”

She wasn’t even angry because it was more refreshing than she’d expected to hear him taunt her in that emotionless voice. It felt like being doused by truth. She strangely found herself accepting it.

It might have been because she had actually witnessed his skill. To say he was simply the princess’s concubine, Vizima’s knowledge spanned all fields and was extremely detailed. She couldn’t help but be filled with admiration.

“Our country, which was gradually feeling limited in its development, took steps to counter the atmosphere of rejecting and destroying magicians at the time. This was due to the characteristics of the national stance that originated from the myth of the country’s founding which eventually led to a system focused on cultivating and protecting talented individuals and…”

“The myth of the country’s founding?”

“Yes. It is also widely known as the story of the red dragon, and the dominant view is that it was passed down through folk legends. To briefly explain, it is an epic in which a dragon descends from the heavens to devour the world. And was slain by her Alexandra Drakenire.”

‘The founder of the nation was a woman?’ That piqued her interest. To think that this was a country founded by a woman but also Alexandra’s namesake.

“Like all founding myths, this one ends with the founding of the country. We might say that the existence of ‘magicians’ was exposed early on when the foundations of the country were established, for they included the acceptance of new foreign ideas about ‘things which cannot be seen’.”

“This has raised the question of whether the nation’s founder Empress Alexandra I was a magician, but I believe it is unlikely considering that the Drakenire bloodline started with the **** of such a powerful magical creature the gods cursed Alexandra and her descendants to never be allowed to use the gift of magic.”

Vizima continued speaking while putting his finger on a map spread out wide between them.

“As magic developed, geographic limitations began to break down.”

He started in the Empire in the centre of the continent. Vizima moved his finger to the border of the empire.

“Movement of soldiers, provision of military supplies, easy adaptation to the climate… That is how the empire’s borders have expanded to here.”

There were sixteen small countries bordering the Empire. And of those, ten had come under the empire.

“Truthfully, it would have been possible to increase our territory further. However-.”

“We converted them to colonies?”

“Yes, correct. What do you think is the reason?”

The answer came easily after she had more or less grasped his intent.

“I’m guessing it’s because it takes money to maintain a country as well. We would have to support a greater number of troops for the expanded territory, plus it would take an astronomical sum just to collect taxes.”

“You are correct.”

He said while nodding his head.

“We cannot simply think about troops in terms of numbers. Troops are also expensive to maintain, so in most countries, in the event of war, they recruit soldiers through a process similar to a **** draft. In addition, in the case of an absolute monarchy, if we blindly subjugate the territory, the natives resist fiercely, and taxes often go missing.”

Vizmia’s finger moved once again toward the far east. Located there was the Rothschild Empire. Several small countries bordered it to the north including,

“The Borne Kingdom.”

It was the nation that had fallen during this last war.

Everything was because of the princess’s fickle nature. That her concubine had gone there to die, that he had fought to survive there for years on end, and that the place had been turned to ruins.

“Rothschild has always seen the Borne Kingdom as prey. Simply said, it was because they were the land of milk and honey. The climate was mild and unlike Vanagandr-.”

“Vanagandr?”

Vizima pulled back his hand and spoke as if it were an insignificant matter.

“Yes, as a colony it is quite profitable for us because of its abundant mineral reserves. It is said that gold, silver, all kinds of rare jewels, and even some amount of marble are buried there.”

She mumbled.

“I thought Vanagandr had completely disappeared.”

“It has disappeared. The nation of ‘Vanagandr’.”

Vizima briefly looked at her, then said,

“What is that expression you are making?”

She didn’t know what expression she was making.

“It looks like you’re feeling guilty.”

“Why, can I not?”

“Towards Dimitri Vanagandr, you mean.”

“…..”

Vizima was quiet for a moment, then,

“It is hard to believe.”

He said spitefully.

“Even if you’re being sincere, that incident was not entirely your fault.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“It’s true that His Majesty treasures Your Highness, but he only acts after considering the practical benefits. You desired Dimitri Vanagandr while His Majesty desired the mineral reserves of that land. To put it simply, you had an understanding.”

“…..”

“It’s almost like a twisted joke. Your parents named you after our country’s founder to bring prosperity to our Empire but you turned into the dragon that wanted to devour the world. Your brother is the vulture that tears away at the scraps you leave behind.”

She was pretty naïve to believe that the workings of a nation would be so easily influenced by the princess alone. However, that didn’t change the fact that this incident wouldn’t have happened without the princess.

“Guilt doesn’t suit you. There have already been countless such times. Do you intend to apologize to all of those people? Now?”

“No.”

Finally, she understood what he was trying to say.

Many more things than she would expect in this world can be rectified. However, if there is one thing that can never be fixed even if the world split in two, that’s probably the human heart and emotional wounds.

Vizima was trying to say that it was already too late.

But for some reason, to her, it sounded like he was complaining.

“I don’t want to talk about the impossible. It’s just that…. People can’t change without guilt.”

That is what she thought.

“Guilt doesn’t benefit the victim. But Vizima. It could prevent the same thing from happening the next time.”

“……”

“That’s why it’s important.”

In the end, his poker face crumbled like a sandcastle.

“Who exactly…”

Vizima leaned over while gripping his knees with his hands. His patience in trying to seem like he didn’t care was finally running empty.

His face darkened. And his neatly styled blonde hair fell over his forehead.

“Who exactly made you like this?”

His voice, which he was fighting hard to keep cold, sounded precarious. He looked gaunt.

“I think it would be best to end it here for today.”

“Is it Jorg? Have you fallen for him?”

Vizima looked up in her direction to check her expression and crooked the corners of his lips. He straightened.

“Yeah, that’s right.” They were communicated clearly to each other. “I feel sorry for him. My heart keeps going out to him. ….But what’s changed is my own will.”

She spoke while looking up at Vizima. He looked away at those words. His expression said he regretted asking. “We both know you don’t have a heart anymore. Your highness.”

“......”

“…..I will recommend a number of books. Since I have assessed how much you know, if you want to follow along with the lessons, you will need to read all of them by the next lesson.”

Vizima quickly scribbled something on a piece of paper and set it down on the table before turning around.

He strode over to the door where he opened his mouth to speak.

“Because of something like that! If you were going to fall for someone like that, it was only right for you to love me first.”

“Don’t try to get compensated for your lost time from me, Vizima.”

“….You’re the same as ever, saying cruel things so easily then and now.”

“That might be true.”

If she considered how easily she had adapted to this world, this body.

Suddenly, she couldn’t remember what her previous world had been like.