TDKSR 07

Chapter 07

How much time had passed?

A more serious issue than anything else had come to the table.

A new leader had risen among the northern barbarians.

That man had looked down on the Empire so contemptuously that a dispute had arisen.

Samuel had been enthroned as Emperor, but at the present time, his imperial authority was not particularly strong.

There were parts that had been compensated for with considerable effort, but in truth, nobles were people who prioritized their own interests above all else.

“Go to war!”

“We need to sweep away those kinds of people once and for all.”

They sure talked big.

“Who should go?”

In reality, not many were willing to step up and take the lead.

After all, it was war—even if it could be won easily, risking one’s life in battle was the same either way.

“Since His Majesty considers this war important, I, as first in line for imperial succession, shall go myself. I will present my brother with a safe border as a gift.”

Jonathan said with a smile.

“You all have fervently called for war. Since I, whom His Majesty the Emperor cherishes most, am departing for battle, I trust that you too will send those dear to you to this war.”

Jonathan managed to extract one young man from each high-ranking noble family.

Samuel naturally opposed it.

“Jonathan, are you saying you’re going to war yourself? You are the imperial successor. If something were to happen to you…”

“Because I’m moving, they too can offer their direct descendants as hostages. Your Majesty, do you think it’s easy to take hostages from them?”

“Hostages?”

“When their own children are on the battlefield, they can’t speak recklessly, and they become more generous with supplies. How many of them have only talked big until now?”

Jonathan smiled toward his brother.

“Your Majesty, when I and the children of high-ranking nobles are dispatched to war, people are bound to pay more attention, aren’t they?”

“But it’s war, Jonathan.”

“Exactly.”

Wasn’t it time to filter them out once?

“Just watch. I’m separately sorting out those who claim they have no proper direct descendants and are hastily adopting distant relatives. After they return from war, I’ll completely expose them. Or Your Majesty can expose them in the middle of it all.”

“Jonathan.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“No, let me speak to you as your brother now.”

“…Brother.”

“You’re pushing yourself too hard. You don’t have to go that far. Why do you have to take the lead…”

Samuel was a person of upright character, and a kind and loving brother to Jonathan.

“It’s not overexertion, brother. I’m just finding things I can do at my age and doing them.”

“Jonathan.”

“I’m doing this for what I want to protect. You live cleanly as a good emperor, brother. I’ll be the only one with blood on my hands.”

“Just as you value family and love me, I cherish you too. There’s no need to go this far. Once a considerable number of noble children volunteer, you should drop out.”

“If I start pulling out with the excuse of being sick, they’ll start dropping out one by one too. If that happens, this war might not be fought properly.”

“Would I feel at ease sending you to the battlefield? Mother is already anxious and in tears.”

“Brother, let’s catch them at the start. If we properly crush them at the beginning rather than dragging it out, the future will be easier.”

“Jonathan.”

“Besides, I’m first in line for the imperial succession. Even on the battlefield, I’ll just stay hidden in the safest spot—I won’t be in the middle of enemy territory. Don’t worry, okay? If things go wrong, I’ll come back right away.”

“Jonathan…”

“You know I won’t listen even if you try to stop me, brother? Just send me off well.”

Samuel embraced Jonathan. Jonathan smiled and patted Samuel’s back.

“After this war is over, if you can rule with peace of mind, brother, there’s nothing better for me than that.”

“Why do you always try to protect your family by sacrificing yourself?”

“It’s not a sacrifice. I do it because I enjoy it. Rather, it’s my joy.”

“When things are unfavorable, you should run away by any means necessary. Understood?”

“Yeah. In the meantime, stop working so much and make me a nephew. I’m first in line for the succession—aren’t you worried the Empire will fall?”

“Because I have a successor like you, I can rest easy.”

“I want to get pushed down the succession line quickly. I want to see my nephew. He’ll be so cute. The Empress is a beauty too, so I have high expectations for the successor.”

Samuel smiled faintly. Jonathan was satisfied with that.

—

* * *

—

“How about meeting Livga Wilton?”

It was Jonathan’s subordinate, Jason, who first brought it up.

The topic of the Star, which he hadn’t thought about in a long time, came up.

“Why suddenly?”

“Because of the war. Among our subordinates, there might be someone with aura manifestation. Livga Wilton has the eyes to discern that. She would be useful.”

“Livga is a child. Are you telling me to ask a sixteen-year-old to go to the battlefield? Are you crazy?”

“Your Highness has been so busy working for the imperial authority and the Empire that you may not have noticed, but she is already seventeen.”

“Huh?”

He had thought it had been quite a while since he last saw Livga, but had it been that long?

Jonathan searched his memory.

Now that he thought about it, it had already been over a year since he had last met Livga.

“If taking her to the battlefield is difficult, how about having her examine our subordinates and identify those with potential for aura manifestation?”

“Even if she’s seventeen, she’s still not an adult. Dragging a child into this… I don’t like that.”

“We’re not asking for anything big—just for her to look.”

Jonathan had unintentionally witnessed many of the nobles’ dirty and hideous hobbies up close in the process of elevating Samuel to the imperial throne.

And through that, he had come to know in detail just how easily children were exploited for labor and sex.

After Samuel became Emperor, Jonathan had worked hard on related laws and enforcement, and things had finally calmed down a little. And now he himself was going to exploit a child’s labor? That was preposterous.

Normally, he would have dismissed such talk immediately.

‘Just to look…’

This time, however, he hesitated.

It was because he was curious about the Star’s growth, after all.

A considerable amount of time had passed since he last saw the girl he remembered as a sixteen-year-old child, and he had lived without thinking of her all this while…

What if he didn’t summon Livga, but quietly checked on her academic progress at the academy?

“Then arrange a visit to the academy. She’s still a child, so I’ll decide whether to use her abilities after observing her.”

“What? She’s playing the role of a back-alley woman in acting class? That job I’m thinking of, right? Has the academy gone mad? They’re making her do that kind of insane thing? To a seventeen-year-old?”

When a schedule was set for checking on Livga’s academic progress, Jonathan was horrified upon reviewing her class contents.

“It’s just acting after all, and if she’s going to work for the information department as an adult, she needs various indirect experiences. And as you know, that market is also a hub of information.”

“That sounds like complete nonsense to me! What are they doing to a child! She’s not even an adult yet.”

“It’s just acting, I said. Unless it’s the student’s personal choice, there’s no reason to take on that role. And since it’s her own choice, we can’t force her to quit.”

“It says she gets a high score for it!”

“Normally, students don’t volunteer for it anyway.”

“Livga volunteered for that role?”

“Yes.”

He was so flustered in that moment that his mouth fell open.

Could it be that the back-alley woman role was actually the portrayal of a very poor, struggling woman?

Jonathan thought back for a moment.

“Wasn’t she on a scholarship? Why is she doing that?”

“…She’s a student with a strong sense of responsibility, so I suppose she wanted to prove her qualifications for the scholarship with her own abilities. Her actual grades are also outstanding.”

“Crazy…”

“Your Highness, I understand you’re concerned about Livga Wilton because she’s the only Star, but everyone has gone through this path. It’s also true that the information department keeps an eye on students with high acting scores at the academy.”

“…I need to replace the principal. What is he trying to do by making a child do this? Is he a pervert?”

Jonathan wanted to strangle the principal. It was appalling.

“I’ll investigate the current academy principal separately and report back. And I’ll also look into a successor that reflects Your Highness’s wishes.”

But by the time Jonathan tried to eliminate the acting evaluation class, many students had already been evaluated.

Even if he had hurried, it was too late.

—

Jonathan walked down the classroom hallway and checked inside through the window. A female student in a red dress was twirling a parasol.

Soon, the female student lowered the parasol.

Jonathan stopped dead in his tracks.

Blonde hair. Even from the back, even though he hadn’t seen her for a year, he could tell.

‘The Star…’

It was Livga, the Star he had sought.

“Oh my, good sir. Would you mind picking up my handkerchief for me?”

Livga swayed her body and spoke in a coquettish voice. She was dressed in a shoulder-baring dress with bright red lipstick—the image of a young lady.

The male student playing opposite her awkwardly picked up the handkerchief and handed it to Livga.

“Thank you. It’s hard for me to pick up a dropped handkerchief while wearing a dress like this.”

Livga took the handkerchief and brushed the male student’s shoulder with it.

“Dust got on it. Because of me, your nice clothes… Well, not that a little dust can hide a gentleman’s charm.”

“Madam, you are also beautiful—uh, it suits you well.”

“Oh my, oh my.”

Livga twisted her body and laughed, her eyes crinkling brightly.

As she scattered eye-smiles around, her eyes met Jonathan’s.

Livga, recognizing him, widened her eyes briefly before winking. Then she turned her face back to the male student and said,

“Don’t you think we make a good pair?”

Livga naturally slipped her arm around the male student’s arm and spoke casually.

Jonathan watched Livga’s performance to the end, standing still beyond the window.

“I’m not an easy woman, you know. You have no idea how diligently I go to church. I sing hymns well too. Want to hear?”

Livga leaned against the male student and sang a hymn with a languid expression. The male student couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Livga’s voice was thin and young, but when paired with the slow, beautiful hymn, it created a strange atmosphere.

At that moment, no one in the classroom opened their mouths.

Fortunately, Livga’s performance wasn’t long. It ended with her enticing the man, linking arms, and walking off somewhere.

As Livga’s performance ended, Jonathan turned on his heel.

He couldn’t just barge into the classroom.

It was proper etiquette to invite her separately.

It was right to wait for her in the academy’s distinguished guest reception room.