I Became the Master of the Empress

33 – Episode 33

The morning after the public holiday.

Theodora’s official duties begin today.

Morning task of handling various petitions submitted directly to the emperor within the empire.

I discussed with Theodora yesterday how to handle the petition in advance, so I hope there won’t be too much of a problem.

-His Majesty the Emperor enters.

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Everyone gathered in the throne room looks at the door of the throne room.

-Kkiik!, Boom!

The large door opens and Theodora, wearing a gorgeous dress and a purple fur cloak, enters.

Is it because of dark circles?

She enters, her makeup looking a little heavier than usual, lightly brightening her purple carpet.

And soon.

He sits on the throne and speaks in a voice full of majesty.

“Petitioner, come in.”

At those words, a wealthy-looking man from the city stands in front of the throne and kneels on one knee.

“I meet Your Majesty, Emperor of the Supreme Empire.”

Theodora said that.

“Okay, tell me what you’re pleading for.”

At those words, the wealthy-looking man stands up, looks at Theodora, and speaks.

“Unfortunately, Roman’s security is currently unstable and additional guards are needed.”

At those words, Theodora nods her head and says.

“The Grand Duke, listen.”

I bow my head in respect to Theodora’s words and say:

“Yes. “Please tell me.”

“Relieve citizens’ anxiety by organizing 500 new guards into the security force.”

“I will follow your orders.”

In this way, we hit the specific number yesterday.

“Oh, your Majesty, the benevolent emperor, your Majesty the Emperor.”

The petition begins with the man retreating.

“Your Majesty! Flour prices are currently skyrocketing. Take special measures…”

“I will bring flour from home.”

Currently, Ezip has been handed over to Ioanes, but I think that if Ioanes wants to secretly take control of Epirus and Ezip, he will obediently hand over the flour.

So Theodora came out obediently and dealt with what he said.

And before we know it, the last petitioner appears.

She looks quite old, a woman in her 50s.

She weeps and kneels before Theodora.

“Your Majesty! My son has been falsely accused! Please! “Please save me!”

I feel puzzled when I see my old mother speaking to the emperor without showing respect.

But regardless of my doubts, Theodora answered calmly.

“No! “Isn’t he a vicious man who brutally killed his wife?”

Theodora’s words remind me of the contents of the petition we saw together a few days ago.

A man who had just gotten married was executed for brutally killing his wife.

However, the man’s mother petitioned, claiming that her son was innocent.

I have looked through the trial records, but the circumstances, witnesses, and evidence prove that the man is the culprit.

But rather, I felt uncomfortable in such a neat situation.

The witness was the son of the lord where the couple resided, right?

So, it was decided to put this case on hold and conduct a new investigation…

“It is said that the emperor must always have a merciful heart, but he has no mercy to show to those who are vicious.”

Theodora began to act alone.

Oh my…

“Your Majesty! My son is not that kind of child. How good were you two? “This is the lord’s son’s plot.”

At those words, Theodora shakes her head and speaks rather coldly.

“This is a decision made by a sacred court. Numerous witnesses and circumstances point to him as the culprit. Are you now insulting them and the imperial court?”

“Your Majesty!, It’s true!, They are…”

“Shut up! If you say anything that mocks the empire in front of me anymore, you too will be judged by the law.”

Theodora looks at me and says.

“Grand Duke! Have that woman’s son executed immediately!”

As I look at Theodora who is just starting to leave, I mentally organize my thoughts.

A person in power… Small choices create big results.

The results may be good, but they may not be.

That’s why. Even the smallest things must be thought through and dealt with.

Of course, there are times when you miss the right time due to indecisiveness just thinking about it, so you have to make a bold decision depending on the situation.

But now is not the time to make bold decisions.

“Grand Duke? Why is there no answer?”

Ignoring Theodora’s words, I organize my thoughts.

Once someone is killed… They cannot be brought back to life.

I make up my mind like that and say it.

“I will exercise my veto.”

-Ji… Did the Archduke exercise his veto right now?

-Why suddenly?

The place becomes noisy.

The behavior that Theodora and I have shown so far is a play to show that we are not on good terms within the empire.

For me as well, Theodora’s prestige is at stake, so it’s like a play that is planned and performed in advance.

-Boom!

“Grand Duke?! Now… Are you saying you are exercising your veto right now because of that damn criminal?”

Theodora slams the throne and speaks harshly, but I speak without paying attention.

“Yes, that’s right. Once someone is killed, it cannot be brought back to life. “I plan to order the Ministry of Justice to conduct a reinvestigation ex officio.”

Theodora smiles coldly.

“So? What if he is the criminal? “Does the Archduke want to waste the empire’s precious administrative power on an insignificant prisoner?”

-Pisik.

“Yes, it will be a waste. “If I can save an innocent person by spending so much money, I will always do it.”

“Grand Duke!”

Angrily red eyes scan my body.

– Cattails… Cattails…

Theodora shakes her hands in anger.

Ugh… So I guess I’ll just do what I said before. You’re making things complicated for no reason.

It would probably be embarrassing.

Her husband, who was a subject, openly refused her orders.

-Grand Duke!, Be respectful to His Majesty the Emperor!

-Yes, no matter how much you are the state secretary of this country, you are also a subject of the emperor.

-Tsk, tsk, they came from a lowly Mu family.

I take a quick look at the people who are mocking me.

– Flinch…

The poor people who just shiver under my cold gaze.

A topic with no power, you don’t even have the courage to make eye contact with me.

I turn my gaze from those who cannot make eye contact with me to Theodora.

She is clearly glaring at me.

I continue to speak in an attempt to save her face.

“I cannot turn His Majesty the Emperor into a murderer just because I am a subject. Therefore, I will exercise the power of veto granted to me directly by His Majesty.”

“How dare… How dare!”

She probably thought she could control me with the authority of the emperor, but she has no intention of doing so.

“Are there any officials from the Ministry of Justice?”

A man comes forward after hearing my words.

“Did you find your car?”

“I will give orders from now on.”

“Ha… Please give me your name.”

“From now on, I will conduct a retrial myself. Issue an order in my name summoning all those involved to Roman and transfer all evidence to the Archduchy.”

“Yes, yes!”

Then she turns her body and speaks leisurely to Theodora.

“The last petition is now over.”

“Grand Duke, I would like to ask you one thing.”

Theodora, trembling and trying to calm down her anger, continues.

“What if… what if your thoughts are wrong? How will you pay for wasting the precious administrative power of the empire then?”

I come forward and say that.

“Then, let me ask you the other question. On the other hand, if the man is innocent… Would your Majesty be able to bring that man back to life?”

“…”

“If I conduct a new investigation and the criminal’s guilt is clear, I can correct the mistake at that time, but if I handled it according to Your Majesty’s wishes and later turned out to be not guilty… Will Your Majesty be able to correct the mistake?”

“Hmph, that can’t be possible, right? “The judges of the empire are not fools and do not sentence anyone to death.”

Eyes full of firm faith.

Does she think that the empire she has always believed in is always right?

I don’t know in the past when the emperor’s authority was high, but not now.

Collapsed central government.

Local authorities are taking advantage of this opportunity to expand their power.

The more you get to know her, the more she has a secretly cute side to her.

I laugh at that action.

“There are no absolutes in this world. “I’m busy so I’ll leave.”

He says so and comes out of the throne room.

***

Afterwards, I briefly ate a sandwich in my office and then prepared for the cabinet meeting in the afternoon.

This time, the Cabinet meeting will issue instructions for tax reform.

We plan to simply reform the tax system and instruct the government to create related reference materials.

The direction I want will be met with strong opposition from nobles, so I have to move in secret.

The authority of the ministers who attend the Cabinet meeting is enormous, so it is difficult to easily estimate how much money has been spent on the forces that want to borrow their power.

What the tax reform will be like will be revealed later.

It would be easier to hide it for now.

-Emperor… Your Majesty the Emperor?!

-Get out of my way!

-Boom!

-Kkiik!

“Hey!, You bastard!”

Theodora comes into my room, huffing and puffing.

I was taken aback by that sight and hurriedly spoke to the guards.

“Everyone… Close the door right now, what are they doing?”

It would be a disgrace if it became known that the emperor opened the door without any culture, ignoring the guards, so let’s give instructions hastily.

“Yes!”

-Kkiik!, Boom!

I sigh when I see the door hastily closed.

“Why? Again? “Why are you doing that?”

As I spoke in a weak voice, Theodora clenched her hands into fists and spoke trembling.

“Do you feel relieved having to humiliate me like that?”

“So, just as I promised yesterday…”

“I am the emperor! “I’m not your puppet, but why should I do what you tell me?”

I frown and say those words.

“You’re going to make a mistake if you don’t do as you’re told, right?”

“A mistake? Killing that damn killer was a mistake?!”

I feel like my forehead is shaking as Theodora shouts.

I still couldn’t sleep… But it was so loud…

“Speak quietly, my head is pounding.”

“That’s it!, Withdraw what you did earlier.”

I shake my head at those words.

And with her cold eyes, she glares at her, full of anger, and speaks.

“No, I’m not withdrawing.”

I stand up and approach Theodora.

“It’s not a scarecrow?”

Let me speak in a calm voice…

-Finch.

I grab her slightly trembling chin and make eye contact with her.

“Ugh…”

“What do you know about this empire? Do you think you would rule it well if I gave you power right now? “It would be nice if the empire didn’t collapse.”

To be honest, I don’t think she will be able to resolve this complicated situation these days.

Even though she has the authority of the emperor, she is not wise enough to defeat her cunning subjects.

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I don’t have the power to subdue Ioanes with harsh words.

“Tsk! Shut up, you trash.”

Theodora spits in my face.

As I lift her hand opposite hers, she closes her eyes tightly.

Did you think I was going to hit you?

Thinking like that, I wipe away her spit with my other hand.

-Sseok.

And looking at her, he says that he feels pathetic.

“If the emperor is ignorant and incompetent, wouldn’t it be good for the world to become a scarecrow?”

“Shut up! “Shut up!”

I let her go as she glares at me with her eyes wide open.

“Stop trying, anyway, I keep what I said once. “I will not revoke the veto. I will personally retry that man.”

If he is innocent… In the end, it will be the Empire and ‘I’ who kill him.

I kill evildoers, but I feel no remorse.

I don’t want to kill innocent people by making them criminals.

“And, if I’m wrong, I’ll apologize to you publicly.”

An apology from the Archduke who currently holds all power.

If that’s the case, it might restore some of the prestige I’ve lost to her.

Well, I didn’t want to step on her prestige in the first place.

This is unavoidable.

“Really… Is that really going to happen?”

I nod my head at her slightly softened appearance.

“But what will you do if the man is innocent?”

Theodora rolls her eyes at my words.

She is thinking about something.

“I promised you a public apology, and even though you are a woman, if you are the master of the empire, then you will do the right thing.”

“From now on, I won’t care whether you use the veto or not.”

It is a bit surprising to see that she is bigger than expected.

“Really? Well, let’s wrap this up and re-read what I got wrong on yesterday’s test.”

After hearing what I said, I looked at Theodora sitting on the sofa and rewatching the mistake, then focused on my own work.