165 - I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke
“I am sorry, Emperor.”
“That blasted sorry! Sorry! I promised the 7th Imperial Concubine that I would build her the Diamond Palace soon, but they are still only working on the foundation?”
“That is, there is a disruption in the supply of diamonds……”
“Then why is there a disruption!”
Bang!
The Emperor slammed his desk. The Emperor, who rarely raised his voice even when being sarcastic, roared.
The Minister of Finance, startled, raised his shoulders high before quickly lowering them.
These days, the Emperor’s mood was like a summer typhoon. It was so unpredictable that he felt like he was walking on thin ice every time.
“That, well, to buy more diamonds, we need to collect more taxes, but as you know, the East has postponed some taxes due to the drought……”
“Is the East still in a drought?”
The Emperor asked coldly.
“Th, that is not the case.”
“Right. It ended last year, so why haven’t the taxes come in yet?”
“The damage from the drought extends to this year……”
Bang!
The Emperor slammed his desk again, furious.
“Are you calling that an excuse now!”
“……I am sorry, Emperor.”
“What about the West?”
The Emperor brought up the West in a chilling tone.
“They have already collected all the taxes.”
“Isn’t the West’s tax rate too low? The Duke of the West has so much money that he even made a carriage out of diamonds. So, he must have the capacity to pay more taxes.”
The Emperor wore a twisted smile.
“Emperor. The West is already paying twice as much tax as other regions due to the desert trade.”
The Minister of Finance pleaded, bowing deeply.
The Emperor’s golden eyes flashed.
“That is true. Then it is unfair.”
The Minister of Finance did not dare to raise his head, fearing the Emperor’s next words.
“Collect as much from other regions as you do from the West.”
The Minister of Finance closed his eyes tightly, still bowing.
The West could extract twice the taxes due to the desert trade, but other regions had no suitable excuse.
“Emperor. If you do that, everyone’s backlash will be severe.”
“Minister of Finance.”
“Yes. Your Majesty.”
“What is your role? Do you think the position of Minister of Finance is so easy? Do you know how many people covet your position?”
The Emperor clicked his tongue as if he was feeling sorry.
The Minister of Finance bit his tongue to stop himself from saying he wanted to quit his position right away.
Who was the Emperor?
He was the 4th Prince, who was fourth in line to the throne, but he purged his other brothers with blood and rose to the position of Emperor.
In the process, countless lives were swept away.
The Emperor had a nature that did not forgive anyone who deviated from his will.
The Minister of Finance was afraid of what repercussions would follow if he quit his position before the Emperor fired him.
“Minister, you understand what I am saying, right?”
“Yes, Emperor. I will work hard.”
The Minister of Finance hid his despondent heart and spoke habitually.
The people were already complaining loudly, and now he had to collect more taxes for the Diamond Palace.
The nobles were protesting vehemently, but the Emperor closed his eyes and ears and indulged in luxury and pleasure.
“Just working hard is not enough. Show me the results quickly.”
“Yes, Emperor.”
“You may leave.”
The Minister of Finance bowed and left the Emperor’s office with cautious steps.
After the Minister of Finance left, the Chamberlain quietly entered the office and bowed his head.
“Emperor.”
The Chamberlain’s face looked stiff.
“What is it?”
The Emperor frowned.
“It is a report that the Duke of the West’s eyes are seeing again.”
“What?”
The Emperor’s expression froze over.
The Duke of the West’s eyes are seeing again?
The annual noble conference held in the Sun Hall flashed through his mind.
His teeth chattered as he recalled the way the Duke presumptuously flaunted his power in front of him.
The Emperor grabbed the report in front of him and crumpled it.
The Monster’s roar echoed, and the fear he felt then. The powerlessness. The misery.
He was the one who should shine brighter than anyone else under the sunlight pouring into the Sun Hall.
That position was taken away.
By the Duke of the West, of all people.
“He can see? Since when?”
“It seems to have been a few weeks. The Duke of the West dealt with all the spies, so the report was delayed.”
“Then you should have planted more spies!”
Bang!
The enraged Emperor slammed his desk.
The Chamberlain bowed and silently endured the Emperor’s wrath.
“I am sorry.”
“Now that he can see again, he will act even more recklessly. As if he were the Emperor. Isn’t that right, Chamberlain?”
The Emperor, who had been panting for a while, closed his eyes tightly as if trying to suppress his anger.
A moment later.
The Emperor, who opened his eyes, looked at the Chamberlain with a troubled expression and asked.
“Chamberlain, what is it?”
“Yes?”
“I am asking why you came.”
“……!”
The old Chamberlain’s wrinkled eyes trembled.
The Emperor, who had become more angry recently, often acted as if he had lost his memory.
Fortunately, he had not yet shown such behavior in front of the ministers, but if these symptoms of the Emperor were known, the Empire would surely falter.
“……It is a report that the Duke of the West’s eyes are seeing again.”
“What? He can see? Since when?”
“It seems to have been a few weeks. The Duke of the West dealt with all the spies, so the report was delayed.”
The Chamberlain suppressed his uneasy heart and gave the same report again, then endured his anger.
“Find out how he fixed it immediately.”
“Yes.”
The Emperor, who gave the cold order, rose from his seat.
“I am going to the 7th Imperial Concubine.”
“Yes. I will follow.”
The Chamberlain watched the Emperor’s back with a complicated look.
Should he inform the Imperial Physician about this, or not?
His worries deepened.
\ \ *
Gerald was frantically busy dealing with the work he had put off while he was away from the Duke's Castle.
He chased after Marin whenever he had a moment, but even that time was very rare.
“Did you call for me, Duke?”
Sebas Butler, who knocked and entered the office, bowed politely.
“I am late in saying this. Thank you.”
“Yes? What are you talking about?”
Sebas Butler, who raised his head, shifted his gaze to Olive, who was standing next to him, with a puzzled expression.
However, Olive simply shook her head, as if she did not know what he meant either.
“The Butler’s advice was excellent.”
Only then did Sebas Butler understand what he meant, and a satisfied smile spread across his lips.
“Did you confess your love well?”
“Yes. I did it right away as soon as I met her, as you advised.”
“Ah…… I see.”
Sebas Butler’s wrinkled eyes deepened as he hid his embarrassment.
Surely he did not confess right away without looking at the surrounding situation at all, did he?
The Butler’s lips twitched before closing.
Yes, let’s trust The Duke.
Meanwhile, Olive listened to the conversation between the two with sparkling eyes from the side.
“Prepare for the wedding from now on.”
Sebas Butler’s face soon brightened.
“Did you propose too?”
Instantly, The Duke’s face stiffened.
The Butler’s eyes drooped as he quietly watched the scene.
“Don’t tell me, you thought about it all by yourself again……?”
“We are already engaged.”
“That is true.”
“We love each other.”
The Duke said confidently, as if declaring it.
“That is a very good thing.”
The Butler replied politely.
“But was I supposed to propose too?”
The Duke frowned as if he had encountered an unexpected difficulty.
“Of course. My wife still boasts to my daughter about the proposal I made. Even though it has been 40 years since then.”
The Duke’s expression quickly turned serious.
“Is a proposal that important?”
Olive also gasped as if she had learned something she did not know.
Sebas Butler clicked his tongue inwardly.
What should he do with these romance novices?
“Yes. It is very important to women!”
