A Treacherous Courtier Manages the Empire Well

57 – Promotion

The elderly Emperor was lying on the bed. Living in the capital, Celeine and Adran, who had arrived faster than anyone else, welcomed us.

“Father.”

Karia hurriedly approached the Emperor’s side. The Emperor, with a pale expression, was breathing heavily, not doing anything else.

“How is the situation?”

To my question, the two of them answered.

One was a priest from the Glory Sect, and the other was a doctor I brought from Karamba. The Glory Sect was one of the sects quickly replacing the fallen Healing Sect.

“We are trying to enhance his physical abilities using healing magic and divine magic as much as possible, but… due to his advanced age, there are limitations.”

“It’s not due to an illness. It’s a problem caused by aging of the organs. It’s the conclusion from various medical tests conducted with precision medical equipment.”

The expressions were different, but the conclusion was ultimately the same. The Emperor was old.

His bodily functions had deteriorated due to advanced age, leading to his collapse.

“Understood. You may leave now.”

“Yes, understood.”

After the two left, I sighed and looked at the fallen Emperor.

The Emperor was still lying there, not saying a word. It seemed like he could stop breathing at any moment.

The five of us stood silently by the Emperor’s side.

Until the Emperor opened his eyes.

“Cough! Cough!… Where am I?”

The Emperor opened his eyes again within a day.

As he raised his head, he realized that his three children and I were looking down at him, widening his eyes.

“It’s truly difficult to see your faces. The day when the four of you are together has come.”

Adran and Celeine forced a complex smile.

The two harbored a deep resentment towards the Emperor.

It was likely because he had put Randor, a lackey, by his side and had made various mistakes in his final years.

But when it came down to the fact that their father was leaving, they couldn’t help but feel a strange mix of emotions.

“Adran. Karia. Celeine.”

The Emperor, breathing heavily, looked at his children and slowly began to hold their hands tightly.

“I… I’m sorry. This wretched father has done many unforgivable things to you all.”

Is the sentiment expressed by a dying human being at the end of his life always similar? A clichéd line came out of the Emperor’s mouth.

The three of them looked surprised.

Perhaps it was because the Emperor had never said such emotional words to them before. To me… he said it every day. The only being he could treat with humanity. That was also the reason why the Emperor had fallen for Randor.

“What power truly is. I have made too many inhumane choices and lived. I hope… I hope you all live in a much better world, far more advanced than I. Do not live tearing each other apart, consumed by power and malice. A life filled with that is truly unfortunate.”

Trembling, the Emperor first grabbed Karia’s hand.

“Yes, Father.”

“I know well that you like Randor.”

Karia’s eyes widened. I felt embarrassed and lowered my head. Nonetheless, it was natural for the Emperor, who was at the pinnacle of power, to notice the relationship between me and Karia subtly.

“Randor is a good man. He will live happily all his life, keeping the principles of marriage. I do not wish for your unhappiness.”

Karia quietly held her father’s hand in response to those words.

“I will live as if everything is well. Father.”

“Thank you. My youngest daughter.”

The father firmly held his daughter’s hand.

Next was Selene.

“Selene. Our intelligent daughter.”

“Father.”

Selene had a complex expression. It was a mix of disgust, pity, and sadness. The Emperor seemed to understand his daughter’s emotions, showing a sympathetic smile.

“Do not covet power. You are not meant to be an Emperor. Closer to a scholar. Never, under any circumstances, even think of seizing power using your influence. Do not ever. Do not live a foolish life like mine. Selene. Remember!”

Selene closed her eyes tightly at her father’s words.

After digesting her emotions and composing herself, she opened her eyes.

She cautiously pressed her lips to her father’s aged hand.

“I will keep that in mind. Father.”

“Yes. Lastly, Adran. My son.”

Adran took hold of the Emperor’s hand. He was filled with anger.

“You were a disappointing ruler. As a father, you were a failure. As a son and a subject. Even if you were to die, I would not shed a tear.”

Adran spat out the harsh words. But why.

His expression was not stern but rather appeared sad.

The Emperor nodded as if understanding.

“It is truly the Empire’s fortune that a talent like you emerged from a foolish person like me. Treat this father as a mentor. Do not become a ruler like me, do not become a father like me, Adran. Power is something you must wield and control. You must not be controlled by power.”

Adran seemed to ponder over his father’s words for a while before finally taking his father’s hand.

“But as a human being, I sympathize with you, Father. Do not worry about the Empire. I will lead it well.”

The Emperor smiled contentedly at Adran’s words before carefully handing a single object to his son.

The Imperial Seal.

A symbol of power that can wield the administration, legislation, and judiciary of the Empire.

“The next Emperor is you. Adran. Forgive me as I pass on this heavy burden to you before I go.”

Adran silently accepted the Imperial Seal. Then, he knelt and paid his respects to the dying Emperor.

“Rest peacefully, Father.”

“Thank you. Thank you, Adran.”

Tears streaming down his face, the Emperor affectionately caressed Adran’s head for a long time. I stood at a distance, watching the family’s farewell scene.

It was a calm yet solemn parting. They exchanged their final words that they had kept in their hearts.

It was a scene that could never be seen in the original novel.

In the original, the Emperor was assassinated by Selene, who could not bear the Emperor’s situation, marking the tragic end of his reign.

Although he was an incompetent being, thanks to him, I could revive the Empire. Truly a strange twist of fate.

The farewells with everyone had concluded, and now, the only thing left was me.

“Randor.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I approached the Emperor. The Emperor tightly held my hand.

“Indeed, my choice to trust you was not wrong. Please, make my children happy.”

As a devoted reader of the original work, that line of trust from him until the end was truly repugnant. I knew very well how the Empire had crumbled under the Emperor’s attitude. If I hadn’t changed, things would have taken a more disastrous turn.

He was truly a despicable ruler in the eyes of many, but personally, he was a deeply unhappy figure. In the original novel, he was a man who killed all his wives for the sake of his children and the strengthening of his own power.

Never at ease, constantly competing with the nobles, ultimately becoming an individual evaluated for strengthening his authority to the pinnacle.

However, after seizing such power, his judgment became clouded, and in the end, he fell victim to the sword of Rendor in his final days.

It should be alright to let him rest a bit more comfortably in his final moments.

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“Of course, Your Majesty. I will do so with all my heart.”

“I feel relieved. Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease. You were always… always my closest… friend…”

His grip weakened in my hand. I hesitated, holding onto his hand tightly, but his hand slipped away from my grasp.

“Ah…”

As if his soul was departing.

A long, deep breath escaped the Emperor’s lips.

His body completely relaxed.

No longer.

The Emperor did not move.

“Father!!!”

Karla’s sharp cry followed, and hastily, doctors and priests rushed in at the sound of her voice.

They hurriedly examined the Emperor, but they all came to the same conclusion.

“He has passed away.”

The end of a ruler was no different from the end of an ordinary man.

The 17th Emperor of Ailam, Tressel.

At the age of 78, seen by his three children at a very late stage, he departed.

The Empire came to a temporary halt.

After a solemn and heavy funeral lasting three days, the late Emperor was quietly laid to rest in the imperial family’s cemetery where past Emperors had been buried.

And soon after, the coronation took place.

To prevent chaos due to the power vacuum.

“Long live the 18th Emperor, His Majesty Adran! Long live!!!”

“May his reign be eternal!!”

Prince Adran finally ascended to the throne.

Upon hearing about the coronation, I mobilized the funds of the Merchant Guild, sparing no expense to make the coronation as grand and magnificent as possible. Was it to impress the new Emperor?

No.

It was to demonstrate to the Empire that we had such financial resources.

The unprecedented grandeur of the coronation spread far and wide, and thanks to that, everyone in the Empire could know that a new Emperor had been crowned.

The news even reached Karamba through the merchants.

And so, the new Emperor was officially crowned.

And as soon as the new Emperor ascended, he summoned Selene, Karla, and myself to his court.

“Selene.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Put it away. Just call me Adran in private settings. My duties won’t change from what I’ve been doing. I will nurture various businesses and strive for significant technological advancements.”

Selene chuckled at Adran’s words.

“That’s right, Adran. Thankfully, nothing seems to have changed.”

“There’s no reason for it to change. How’s the automobile business progressing?”

“We’ve gathered scientists specializing in mechanical engineering and magicians to work on initial designs. Once those are ready, we’ll send them to the factory area for production to begin.”

I added, “The tires to be used are crucial. How about the petroleum business? Princess Selene?”

“Petroleum… that black liquid you brought. Turns out it’s quite useful. Upon starting a thorough analysis at the Tower, it was revealed to have many practical applications. We’re researching ways to synthesize petroleum into rubber. How did you, Lendor, know how to extract this from petroleum when you’re not even a scientist?”

“Merchant’s intuition. Something like that. Anyway! Once the tires are ready, we can immediately kick off the automobile business. Prince, through extensive mass production, we’ll open up a new era of logistics transportation alongside the railways!”

“The petroleum industry will take some time. It’s not something that can be rushed, right? But with consistent research, results are bound to show.”

“Indeed. That’s how things are progressing, right?”

The new Emperor rose from the throne with a smile.

He stamped three documents before us and handed them to each of us.

“Selene.”

“Yes, Adran.”

“We plan to establish a new university in the capital and a separate district in the Tower to promote significant technological advancements. This is the construction plan for that.”

Selene’s eyes widened. But Adran waved his hand, as if to say not to be surprised.

“If I become the Emperor, this is a project I’ve been determined to carry out. The Tower is the foundation of the Empire’s development. It should be encouraged even more. Be aware that construction will commence soon.”

“…Understood, Adran.”

“And Karia.”

“Yes.”

“We plan to expand the size of the Imperial Army, or more precisely, the Crimson Legion.”

“For hunting monsters in the Green Hell region of the Limnakal Plains in the south?”

“Yes. The document I just handed you is an administrative permit to admit a large number of beastfolk into the Legion. You should be able to train the beastfolk well and turn them into Legionnaires, right?”

Karia smiled as if to say leave it to her.

“Of course, I can handle it. Leave it to me.”

“Good. I believe you’ll do well.”

I watched as the siblings discussed the Empire’s future.

As a devoted reader, it was a sight that never grew tiresome no matter how many times I witnessed it.

Thinking about how much those three had clashed and struggled in the original novel, it wouldn’t be strange to shed tears at this sight.

“Yeah, that’s it, damn it!!!! This is the ideal scene I’ve been wanting!!!!!!”

Smiling contentedly, I took a step back, observing the scene, which caught the attention of Emperor Adran, who then called me over.

“And Lendor.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Take a look at the documents I handed you…”

I began examining the documents stamped with jade.

Thinking it was a plan for another business venture, I glanced at it, only to widen my eyes in disbelief.

“Your, Your Majesty. This is…”

“If you keep being called a Viscount, it might be awkward, right? Don’t you think you deserve this treatment considering what you’ve done for the Empire?”

A new emperor slightly lowered his head towards me.

Unlike when he was looking at his father, his expression was very reassuring.

“Please continue to take care of the empire in the future. Elond Changebaek.”