Chapter 4:
The Queen’s Play
I ARRIVED AT THE OUTER PALACE very early the following morning to review paperwork in my royal office.
“I heard about your wonderful ‘battle’ yesterday,” Gilbert said.
“You’re the first to joke about yesterday’s commotion, Gilbert.”
“Ha ha ha! Well, I wasn’t there to witness it myself. Besides, knowing it was going to happen, I wouldn’t have been afraid.”
“Ah, makes sense. So, how is the palace faring?”
“There is a lot less chaos than expected. I thought the bureaucrats would be in disarray and that most of them would take a day off, but that hasn’t been the case at all. In fact, it appears the news didn’t reach them.”
“Oh? I thought the nobles in the palace loved spreading rumors… When did they become so cautious?”
“I believe every noble who witnessed the event decided to keep quiet. Something clearly happened, but no one dares to speak about it. Even if the bureaucrats want to ask, they can’t casually approach powerful nobles. They’ve also refrained from speculating and speaking out without solid evidence… It would be quite impressive if anyone dared to gossip about it.”
“I see. I wonder why everyone chose to stay silent about it? Wouldn’t it be better to openly discuss what they saw?”
“I think it’s because they fear you, Your Majesty. Several families have packed up and rushed back to their regions.”
“They fear me? I find that hard to believe. Considering everything that happened at the banquet and the tea party, I can’t imagine their attitudes would change so drastically just because I summoned the Sacred Swords once.”
“Well, not everyone shares the sentiment. Some of them couldn’t bring themselves to believe what they saw and opted to turn a blind eye.”
“Hm.”
“At any rate, it might be a good thing that the story didn’t spread far. If others remain in the dark about your transformation, they will continue to look down on you as they always have. There might be an opportunity to round up and apprehend such individuals all at once.”
“A fair point. It would be much easier if they brought about their own demise, though.”
“I doubt they’ll be such easy prey—the Great Five in particular. Oh, apologies, there are only four of them now.” Gilbert laughed with mirth—and he seemed to be testing me.
“True enough. Gilbert, continue to closely monitor the bureaucrats’ movements. Make sure they aren’t up to anything.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
At that moment, there was a knock on the door. The man who entered was dressed head to toe in military garb, and he snapped off a perfect salute.
“Excuse me. We have received a postrider’s report from the Radford Region Expeditionary Unit!”
“Tell me, have they successfully apprehended everyone related to House Radford?” I asked.
“Yes, all targets have been detained. No sign of rebellion or unrest in the region.”
“I see. Since there is still a possibility of revolt, stay on your guard. And about Norman, the bureaucrat who was dispatched from the palace… Have you heard anything from him?”
It was part of the original plan to have Norman sent to House Radford, so I’d discussed regional governance with him on many occasions. With House Radford abolished, no one was leading the regional government. To fill that gap, I’d dispatched him from the palace, granting him the authority to rule.
“He has arrived safely and will be working alongside local officials, as planned.”
“Good. So many people went to work in House Radford’s region because they believed in me… I must pivot my efforts as well.”
“Yes, we should prepare for the second phase to increase the chances of success.”
“Mm, we should,” I remarked. “Messenger, is there anything else to report?”
“No, that concludes the report. Though I have received documents from Norman to deliver to you.”
“Ah, good work. You may leave.”
“Yes, Your Majesty! Excuse me.”
After the messenger left, I turned back to Gilbert. “First, we should instruct the heads of each ministry to identify the redundant tasks covered in others… Is everything ready for the meeting?”
“Of course. Could I borrow some of your time tomorrow to sign off on a few things?”
“Absolutely.”
“Thank you. I have more things to attend to, so I’ll be off, then.”
“Yes, you’re free to go.”
Once Gilbert was gone, I returned my attention to the paperwork on my desk. Some things were beyond my understanding, so I’d asked those relevant to each subject for clarification.
I heard a knock, and in waltzed Alicia. “Hello, Your Majesty!”
“My, Alicia, what bring you here?”
“I figured it was about time for you to take a break, so I brought you a treat.”
“Wow, your homemade dessert! Thank you. I was just feeling tired and craving some sugar!”
“I’m glad to hear that. Today’s dessert is…cheesecake!”
“Oh my! You’re just the best. You really know my tastes.”
I set the documents aside and let myself indulge in Alicia’s cheesecake. At the first bite, its rich sweetness spread through my mouth. The tart berries she’d paired with it brought the whole thing together.
“Mmm, delicious!” I couldn’t help but exclaim in delight before I devoured the rest of the cake.
I knew this was a little—no, quite unladylike—but I couldn’t help it. Sweet things tasted the best when you were tired, after all. And they were even better when made by Alicia. She knew my preferences through and through. The cake disappeared in an instant.
“There’s plenty more,” Alicia said. “Would you like seconds?”
“You know it.”
For a moment, I thought, I didn’t move at all today, so I’ll probably gain weight if I eat all that. Still, I didn’t doubt my decision.
I finished every last bite of Alicia’s cake before returning to work.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Welcome, Master Ted. Master Nate is awaiting you in the reception room.”
Immediately after the new queen’s coronation, the various ministers of government received word of a mandatory meeting. The night before, Minister Nate—head of the Ministry of General Affairs—had invited Vice Minister Ted to his home.
Upon stepping into the reception room, Ted saw his superior unusually agitated.
“Damn it! How dare she underestimate me?!”
The butler who had guided Ted into the room seemed taken aback by his employer’s outburst.
“Oh, how unsightly of me. Thank you, you may leave.”
Relieved, the butler fled the room, leaving the two colleagues alone.
“Isn’t this just ridiculous?!” Master Nate slammed his fist on the table with a loud bang. A glass of water toppled over and spilled its contents on the desk.
“I agree,” Ted said. “The doll who was handed the throne on a silver platter dared to summon you despite all the work on your plate… Good grief, she is terribly disrespectful. Is the purpose of the meeting still a secret?”
“Yes… How unpleasant.”
“But if that’s the case, won’t other ministers be inclined to skip the meeting?”
“They should! But the Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs unfortunately rejected my proposal to skip the meeting. Not only that, but they insisted I participate.”
“What? The Minister of Defense and the Minister of Foreign Affairs?! Why in the world…?”
“I do not know, either. They don’t do anything without a damn good reason, though. There must be some logical explanation behind their choice.”
“Yes, they’re both very sharp. Perhaps it would be best if you joined.”
“I know. But to think I’d be summoned by a brat like her… It makes my blood boil!”
“On the other hand, this might be a good opportunity.”
“What?” Nate’s eyes snapped over to Ted.
“She is little more than a brat who knows nothing about politics, right? You should mentor her, Nate.”
Nate, who had been ranting and raving all this time, finally smiled. “Aha, I see. I suppose you’re right. I should just embarrass that clueless girl during the meeting.”
Ted poured some liquor into the now-empty glass on his desk and handed it to Nate. Nate happily accepted the cup, downing it in one gulp.