Unbeknownst to Me, I’m Secretly Dating the Emperor — Chapter 26

-I BELIEVE THIS IS TOO UNFAIR A MEASURE.

TO IMPOSE SUCH A HIGH TAX RATE ONLY ON THE WESTERN GRANARY REGION?

IF IT'S TAX REVENUE YOU NEED, IT WOULD BE BETTER TO COVER IT FROM THE EASTERN MINING REGION!

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, COUNT HARKAN!

YOU KNOW HOW DEVASTATED THE EASTERN BORDER IS BECAUSE OF THE WAR.

ALL THE MINING PROFITS ARE ALREADY BEING DIVERTED TO DAMAGE RESTORATION AS WE SPEAK!

DO YOU HAVE ANY CONSCIENCE, DRAGGING THE EAST INTO A DISCUSSION ABOUT TAXES?!

DO YOU THINK I'M SAYING THIS JUST TO LINE MY OWN POCKETS?!

IF NOT THAT, THEN WHAT IS YOUR INTENTION?!

THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY IS BLEAK.

TO THINK THE POLITICIANS WHO SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF THE EMPIRE AND ITS PEOPLE

ARE SO PREOCCUPIED WITH FILLING THEIR OWN BELLIES LIKE THIS.

NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE EIGHT YEARS AGO.

...THEN LET'S DO THIS, COUNT HARKAN.

FROM NOW ON, THE EXACT SAME TAX RATE WILL BE IMPOSED ON BOTH THE WEST AND THE EAST.

OH! ARE YOU SERIOUS, YOUR MAJESTY?

-HOWEVER,

SINCE THE EAST WILL NEED THAT MUCH MORE HELP FOR DAMAGE RESTORATION,

YOU WILL DRAFT PRIVATE SOLDIERS FROM YOUR ESTATE AND SEND THEM AS SUPPORT.

?!

Y-YOUR MAJESTY, THAT'S...!

DIDN'T YOU SAY YOU WANTED FAIR TREATMENT?

I ASSUME THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, SO WE WILL CONCLUDE TODAY'S MEETING HE-

YOUR MAJESTY.

JUST ONE LAST THING.

MAY I DARE TO BRING SOMETHING TO YOUR ATTENTION?

...WHAT IS IT NOW?

TO GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT,

THE EMPIRE IS STILL IN A CHAOTIC PERIOD DUE TO THE AFTERMATH OF THE WAR.

THEREFORE, YOUR MAJESTY SHOULD MARRY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,

AND SOLIDIFY THE NATION'S INTERNAL STABILITY, SHOULDN'T YOU?

DROP THE SUBJECT. I WILL HANDLE MY OWN MARRIAGE.

BUT YOUR MAJESTY, COUNT BROWN IS RIGHT!

IT IS ABOUT TIME YOU PREPARE TO WELCOME A HOSTESS FOR THE PALACE.

Oho..

SINCE IT HAS COME TO THIS, WHY DON'T WE STEP UP

AND FIND YOU A SUITABLE PARTNER?

THAT'S A TRULY EXCELLENT IDEA!

SHALL WE HOLD A GRAND BALL AND INVITE ALL THE DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN VIPS?

EVEN SO, AN IMPERIAL CITIZEN MUST SIT IN THE EMPRESS'S SEAT!

FROM AMONG THE UNMARRIED NOBLE LADIES, A SUITABLE CANDIDATE...

NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT, SOMEONE COMES TO MIND.

VISCOUNT ELKINS'S ELDEST DAUGHTER.

SHE HAS QUITE A COLORFUL REPUTATION IN HIGH SOCIETY REGARDING THAT SORT OF THING.

AFTER ALL, HIS MAJESTY HAS BEEN ON THE BATTLEFIELD FOR A LONG TIME.

HE MUST STILL BE INEXPERIENCED IN RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN,

SO SHE WILL CERTAINLY BE OF HELP IN THAT AREA–

EEK?!

SEEING HOW FREELY YOU ARE RUNNING YOUR MOUTHS,

IT SEEMS NONE OF YOU HAVE EVEN THE SLIGHTEST SHRED OF SHAME.

SPOUT THAT NONSENSE ONE MORE TIME.

HOW DARE YOU. WHOSE NAME DID YOU JUST BRING UP?

...UNDER MARTIAL LAW, INSUBORDINATION RESULTS IN IMMEDIATE EXECUTION.

MAKE SURE I DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT MYSELF FROM NOW ON.

UNDERSTOOD?

THAT IS ALL. DISMISSED.

Y-YES!!!

...HAAH.

MY HEAD HURTS FROM ALL THIS.

SOMETIMES I THINK IT WAS BETTER WHEN I WAS ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

AT LEAST BACK THEN, I DIDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH BASTARDS LIKE THEM.

BUT...

BECAUSE I RETURNED HERE TODAY,

WAS I ABLE TO MEET MISS DIAZ.

...I MISS HER.

I FEEL LIKE ALL THIS FATIGUE WOULD MELT AWAY IF I JUST SAW MISS DIAZ.

EVEN JUST FOR A MOMENT WOULD BE FINE...

...SHOULD I ASK HER TO MEET UP?

SIR ROJAS!

I'M SORRY, DID YOU WAIT LONG?

I MEANT TO COME OUT RIGHT AT THE END OF MY SHIFT,

BUT A BUNCH OF WORK PILED UP RIGHT AT THE END.

...MISS DIAZ.

IT'S FINE. I JUST GOT OUT MYSELF.

IF ANYTHING, I'M THE ONE WHO'S SORRY FOR CALLING YOU OUT SO SUDDENLY.

OH, NOT AT ALL.

I JUST DIDN'T EXPECT TO RECEIVE A MESSAGE ASKING TO MEET THROUGH THE INTERNAL IMPERIAL PALACE MAIL,

SO I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED, BUT...

I CAN ABSOLUTELY NEVER TELL HIM THAT I ACTUALLY LIKED IT BECAUSE IT FELT LIKE AN OFFICE ROMANCE...!

ANYWAY, IT'S A BIT EMBARRASSING SINCE I CAME STRAIGHT FROM WORK.

Too plain, isn't it?

NO, NOT AT ALL.

PURPLE HAS ALWAYS LOOKED GOOD ON YOU.

JUST AS MUCH AS PINK, SKY BLUE, AND YELLOW.

ALL THE COLORS HE JUST MENTIONED ARE...

...THE COLORS OF THE CLOTHES I WORE WHENEVER I MET SIR ROJAS.

...YOU HAVE A GOOD MEMORY.

I SUPPOSE I DO.

AFTER ALL, I'M THE KIND OF PERSON WHO MEMORIZED AN ENTIRE CATALOG IN A SINGLE DAY.

TODAY, THE PLACE THAT I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU

IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE PLACE INSIDE THE IMPERIAL PALACE.

IT'S A GREAT SPOT FOR A QUIET STROLL.

ALTHOUGH I'LL HAVE TO HEAD BACK TO WORK AFTER STAYING THERE FOR JUST A BIT...

PARDON?

SIR ROJAS, WERE YOU NOT OFF WORK?

WELL, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK LATELY.

...IT REALLY IS JUST LIKE KYLUS SAID.

I HEARD THE EMPEROR'S CLOSE AIDES HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY BUSY THESE DAYS,

THEN SIR ROJAS TOO...

...UM, SIR ROJAS.

Hm?

WHAT'S WRONG, MISS DIAZ?

I'M JUST ASKING JUST IN CASE.

IF YOU'RE TIRED, YOU CAN LEAVE FIRST.

...WHAT?

TO THE POINT WHERE YOU ONLY HAVE TIME TO GET SOME FRESH AIR BEFORE HAVING TO GO BACK INSIDE,

IT MEANS YOU'RE REALLY BUSY WITH WORK.

WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER TO SAVE THE TIME YOU SPEND WITH ME AND GET EVEN A LITTLE BIT OF REST?

YOU ALREADY LOOK TIRED AS IT IS,

AND YOUR SKIN LOOKS A BIT ROUGH, TOO...

...MISS DIAZ.

COULD IT BE THAT...

...MEETING WITH ME IS...

...BOTHERSOME TO YOU?