Rosetta possessed powerful strength through his very existence alone, and therefore he had no need for something like factions.
Moreover, Rosetta disliked nobles who flattered him or bothered him from the sidelines, and as a result, the boundary between the Imperial faction and the Noble faction had naturally disappeared long ago.
‘Even so, imperial authority is stronger than ever.’
Rosetta was not a diligent emperor, nor was he an emperor who devoted himself to the people.
However, he valued efficiency and was someone who knew which choice was more moral. Rosetta did only exactly what he needed to do as emperor. As a result, the factions naturally found balance.
‘An emperor who doesn’t move first unless provoked.’
Kingdoms that were originally smaller than the Empire avoided provoking the Empire on their own. The situation within the Empire was no different.
Rosetta paid no attention to the nobles as long as they didn’t rebel against him or cause problems, but if they did cause trouble, he didn’t give them a second chance.
The nobles remembered how the First Prince, who had been the only one to rebel against Rosetta, and his subordinate forces had been dealt with.
‘If we accidentally catch his eye…’
With the nobles who knew Rosetta’s power watching his mood like this, the Empire was enjoying an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity.
Knowing that no matter how they acted they couldn’t win Rosetta’s favor and might instead be dealt with for being annoying, the nobles no longer engaged in factional struggles like before, nor could they exploit the commoners.
After all, they might accidentally catch Rosetta’s eye and lose their heads in an instant.
As a result, the world had become one where both nobles and commoners generally lived well.
With no political struggles happening, the power of the nobles naturally began to follow their titles and wealth, and the person reigning as the number one in noble society that had rapidly changed in the few years since Rosetta became emperor was none other than Duke Sabrina.
A duke who didn’t violate the law, caused no moral problems, kept appropriate boundaries, and didn’t upset Rosetta.
‘But why?’
The duke, who knew the boundaries well, was now acting as if in defiance even though Rosetta had openly expressed his refusal. The pupils of the nobles in the conference hall shook uneasily.
Just as the nobles were surprised, Rosetta also seemed to find Duke Sabrina’s sudden involvement in this matter unexpected, as he asked the duke.
“I didn’t think the duke would be interested in such matters.”
Although Rosetta didn’t express anger at Duke Sabrina’s actions, everyone knew this was a very precarious situation.
Black smoke was slowly flowing out around the emperor.
Several nobles’ legs went weak and they staggered, but Duke Sabrina calmly stated his opinion.
“But it is a matter that cannot simply be overlooked, is it not?”
A strange silence fell over the conference hall. The nobles broke out in cold sweat and looked at the count who had first spoken with resentful eyes.
Since they couldn’t blame the duke who was the number one among nobles or the emperor who was creating an uncomfortable atmosphere, the responsibility naturally shifted to the count.
Everyone must have thought that if things went wrong, there might really be bloodshed for the first time in a long while. At the same time, they were also impressed by Duke Sabrina’s courage. Even while receiving Rosetta’s gaze head-on for such a long time, he showed no wavering.
After staring at the duke in silence for a while, Rosetta leaned back deeply into the throne and slowly opened his mouth.
“What do you want?”
Then the duke answered as if he had been waiting.
“I request a private audience after the meeting ends.”
Rosetta’s cold gaze came and pierced into the duke. While everyone was watching Rosetta’s mood, Rosetta turned his gaze away from the duke and looked at the nobles in the conference hall, announcing the resumption of the meeting.
“Since I have a private audience scheduled with the duke, I’ll hurry the meeting along. Next.”
Those who had been swallowing dry saliva and keenly watching how the situation would unfold hurriedly looked at the noble who needed to step forward this time.
The noble who received people’s gazes barely took a step forward and opened his mouth with a trembling voice.
“In the southern territory’s county…”
And so the meeting resumed in a precarious atmosphere as if walking on thin ice.
***
As soon as the meeting ended, Rosetta gave Duke Sabrina a look. The duke then followed him without a word.
Rosetta, who headed to the reception room closest to the conference hall, opened his mouth as soon as the duke sat down, even before tea came out.
“Get to the point.”
The duke also began speaking without hesitation.
“I heard you recently sent people into the Temple.”
The corner of Rosetta’s mouth rose crookedly. So the reason the duke had acted so presumptuously in the conference hall was precisely because of that.
Rosetta asked coldly.
“Do I need to explain every single reason for my actions?”
“There’s no need to go that far, but a father worrying about his daughter is a different matter.”
Rosetta didn’t hide his annoyance.
“Are you worried your daughter will get hurt?”
“Your Majesty. The Temple belongs to no nation.”
Right, the Temple belonged to nowhere. But then why was the Temple so interested in this country?
The Temple used the fact that Rosetta had received his name from a god as the reason for all their actions. They were the ones who crossed the line first.
So now Rosetta had sufficient reason to interfere with the Temple too.
“If you think about it, am I not also affiliated with the Temple?”
“This is a different case…”
Rosetta cut off the duke’s words.
“I don’t see what’s different. But you must have a reason for calling me while going so far as to rebel. There’s no need to waste time being polite. Say what you want to say.”
No matter how much Rosetta tried to end the meeting quickly, there were limits. It was already approaching midnight, the end of the day.
‘I shouldn’t have let him sleep.’
The problem was giving five hours of rest at the nobles’ request to guarantee minimum sleeping time.
Rosetta checked the time once more anxiously. There were only about 15 minutes left until midnight.
While Rosetta was checking the time, Duke Sabrina opened his mouth.
“It would be better not to interfere with the Temple. Please withdraw your hand from the Temple.”
Rosetta looked at the duke. As expected, as soon as Rosetta planted people in the Temple, he thought Rosetta was trying to put the Temple under his feet.
Rosetta asked.
“The reason I should? What if I gain more by putting them under me?”
“Not everyone will welcome Your Majesty’s actions.”
Rosetta’s indifferent eyes swept over the duke.
“I see the duke is one of those who don’t welcome it.”
“That is so. Because the balance of power becomes uneven.”
“The balance of power has been off for a long time.”
“But there is a need to maintain that balance, at least outwardly.”
It wasn’t something that needed to be granted. Rosetta didn’t want the Temple.
Because it was bothersome.
However, if Angel had suspicious intentions and Seoho got hurt because of them, Rosetta was fully prepared to take the Temple.
What was most important to Rosetta was Seoho. Just as Rosetta was about to express his refusal, the duke spoke again.
“For that person’s sake as well, wouldn’t that be better? The more enemies there are, the worse it will be for that person too.”
His hand stiffened rigidly. No, it was the feeling of sensation disappearing from his hand because too much force was applied. Rosetta quietly looked down at the armrest of the chair that had crumbled beneath his hand before answering.
“The more things I have, the fewer people there will be who can touch him.”
“Your Majesty.”
Rosetta asked without hiding his anger.
“Is this insolent behavior right now solely because of your daughter?”
“There are various reasons, but that is the biggest one.”
He wanted to deal with the duke here and now. But Rosetta knew the duke’s words just now had some merit.
There was no law saying someone like Angel wouldn’t appear again. It would be good for the future to handle matters while making as few enemies as possible.
‘There’s no need to create troublesome work.’
Having calmed his anger, Rosetta propped his chin and said to the duke.
“You know why I’m interfering with the Temple.”
“Do I?”
“You couldn’t not know.”
Why else would the duke have come to find Rosetta? He had learned while investigating the Holy Maiden this time that Angel and the duke’s daughter had once been close.
And he had given work to that daughter and been refused.
“Just because your daughter refused my order, no harm will come to her.”
“Under the assumption that nothing happens to that person.”
Rosetta didn’t deny the duke’s words. If something happened to Seoho, he wouldn’t leave the entire Temple alone.
“Right.”
“…I will step forward separately. And when things go wrong, you may punish me.”
Not bad. Since he was offering to handle the troublesome work instead.
Of course Rosetta wouldn’t stop monitoring Angel, but in any case, it was true that the work would decrease.
‘If the work decreases, I’ll have more time with Seoho.’
Having made his decision, Rosetta stood up from his seat and said.
“Do as you please.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I’m going back.”
Rosetta left the duke behind in the reception room and moved his feet.
By now Seoho would be sleeping, but he wanted to see him even if just his sleeping form. Rosetta ignored the servants following behind and increased his speed.
