My Disciples Know That I Am Strong

Episode 16. Second noble meeting (2)

The Imperial Palace.

It’s a place I really don’t want to come back to, but it was a place I couldn’t avoid.

At the Noble Council, you could listen to the agenda of various nobles, and at the same time know how the empire was running.

This meant that, based on the information I had, I would have a means to exploit the nobility. How can I give it up

It was a loss in many ways for me not to participate in a place like this, with the goal of seri inheriting the throne.

However, there was a wish that Seri would overcome all the trauma as soon as possible so that she would not do this every year.

“Today, as before, speak freely even if you are ignored. Raise your voice if you’re going to ignore it. As the saying goes, the one with the loudest voice wins, and if the opponent tries to ignore it, create a situation where they cannot be ignored.”

Already, to Seri, everyone who wasn’t in her power was her enemy. No matter what she said or did, no one in the council of nobles was pleased with a publican.

But if the tax collector is able to control the situation itself, meeting attendees will have no choice but to obey.

“Yes, I understand.”

“Go in.”

I took the lead in opening the conference room door, and Tori, a tax collector, and Urca followed. There, those who seemed to be of the rank below the count were gathering and talking.

“Prause…… !”

Those who saw me started to freak out.

There were two reasons why nobles did that.

The first was last year’s Dalian, where Urca defeated Thoreau, and there was a lot of talk among the nobles.

Since most of the nobles knew that Baek Gwang-jo’s leader was So-ro, they felt uneasy that the power of the tax collector could not be tampered with even with the power of the emperor.

From noble mtl dot com

Secondly, the image of me as a hero was completely firmly fixed as the fact that I dealt with one of the demon sub-commanders and my students’ good performance against Peremus spread among the nobles.

I thought I would be monitored because I had done many things, but I could see that they were watching me more than I thought.

“Even Princess Se-ri… ….”

“After breaking it like that last time, you have the courage to show your face.”

I moved towards the aristocrats who whispered softly so that their voices could be heard. The nobles, noticing my approach, took a step back in amazement.

“Last time, it seemed like you were petting our Se-ri. Let’s see how it goes today. I wonder if you can be so mean in front of me.”

After tapping the nearest aristocrat on the shoulder twice, he confirmed his seat. Naturally, the tax collector’s name was nowhere to be found on the table.

I could have asked Tori to lend me a seat among the lower nobles who followed him, but that was only taken lightly.

After looking around the entire nameplate, I picked up a nameplate belonging to a noble family. As I hold my nameplate and tap my palm, a nobleman points a finger at me.

“Hey! That’s my nameplate—”

“Your name is not in the noble meeting today.”

“What?”

He is indignant. He looked at the grim expression, he said.

“Are you going to pay a fine for not attending a meeting? Or are you going to take off your nobility?”

“What are you talking about?! Hey! Why don’t you bring him down right away?!”

Because the meeting had not yet begun, the Imperial Knights were also guarding the entrance to the meeting room, and escort knights were waiting behind the nobles.

But they didn’t move despite the urgent urging of the nobleman. Rather, he was watching me. I snorted and walked slowly toward him.

“You should know better what that means.”

I went up to him and whispered softly in his ear.

“Isn’t it obvious what would happen if we found out that the money received from the official business expansion was spent on paying off debts? Even if it is a small amount.”

“Yeah, you bastard, how did you…… !”

“The important thing now is not how I knew it, but the fact that I could say this to someone is what matters?”

Since ancient times, those accustomed to a society with classes were more afraid of their immediate superiors than those with unknown power.

I glanced around and patted him on the shoulder. Other aristocrats can be seen panicking because of the visibly changing facial expression.

I handed him the name tag and put the tax collector’s name tag on the table.

“Sit down, tax collector.”

“Yes, Prause.”

With a dignified stride, he takes the seat of the aristocrat he took and sits down. In the process, no one could say a word.

It seemed that this was enough to suppress the baseline.

“Prause, take it easy. All of the nobles and lords got scared.”

Aristocrats’ expressions became even more distorted at Urkaga’s words and actions, which laughed at her as if she was a teacher. But no one pointed it out.

“But Prause.”

“…… What.”

“That… Why did you call me ‘our’ Seri?

“It doesn’t make much sense.”

“Really?”

Looking at the meaningful smile, it seemed that he was giving useless meaning again.

I hope you don’t give meaning to every single word or action I make. Delusions targeting people tend to lead to misunderstandings.

While a brief happening took place, the dukes appeared through the open conference room door.

Todia of the North. West Rexton. Calus of the East.

If you don’t know about other small nobles, there will be no one in the empire who doesn’t know their names.

“——Don’t you think that presenting the resolution is entering the power of the princess tax collector?”

“Not at all. I just judged that doing so would make the empire’s economy more sound.”

“Prause… ….”

As soon as the Dukes came in while talking, they stopped walking as soon as they saw me.

“It’s been a while, Prause.”

It was Rexton who spoke first.

“I see.”

“Is this the first time since I visited Aus estate last year?”

Last year, he visited the Aus estate to warn Tori according to the emperor’s order. To this extent he had been warned by the emperor not to intervene in the battle for succession.

This was like cutting off the arms and legs of tax collectors.

No matter how competent the publican became and how he changed his image, Tori Auss was absolutely necessary to gain the absolute support of the empire.

If Tori Auss falls under the power of the tax collector, he will no longer be able to handle the power of the crown prince.

Even if all the coincidences overlap and he becomes emperor, no one will support the tax collector.

A person’s position was as important as that.

It is only natural that it is easier to trust a person who has been watching for decades than a person who does not know why.

It is said that Tori Auss, who heard the warning for that reason, said this on the spot.

“I’m sorry, but I won’t follow your warning.” Called.

When I heard that story, it was very unexpected. Saying so, Tori Auss told me his thoughts.

“Isn’t the reason why His Majesty the Emperor doesn’t invite Princess Se-ri into the imperial family, Praus, to make a justification for having you fight the demons? In other words, as long as Prause’s values are maintained, His Majesty the Emperor cannot take any action against us.”

So his thoughts became more persuasive as I killed the vice-captain of the Demon Tribe, and in fact, the emperor’s warning was put to rest.

“It was surprising how even the most reckless ideas can change when competent people gather. I hope you continue to show that kind of side in the future so that I can believe in you.”

Rexton approached me and spoke softly.

“…… Okay.”

“Oh, and stop talking rudely.”

“Yes.”

Rexton returned to his seat with a wry smile at my consistent answer.

Calus ended up glancing at me, and Todia walked over to me. She throws a tightly folded note at me and she goes to her seat.

Looking at the note in puzzlement.

[Let’s talk for a while after the noble meeting.]

Is it a story?

I haven’t spoken to Todia in a long time.

She talked to Ella from time to time on vacation at the border, but mostly it was just hairless or telling her how to become stronger in terms of training.

At this point, it would be good to talk clearly and bring them to our side.

As I was thinking about that, the inside of the meeting room suddenly became noisy.

It was because of the appearance of the crown prince, Chris.

When Chris enters and our eyes meet, the distance between his eyebrows immediately narrows. The nobles are silent at the tension flowing inside the meeting room.

“Prause…… Did you come to defend the publican again?”

“…… You don’t even have to. The publican is much stronger than you think.”

When she saw Se-Ri whose self-esteem had risen a lot in the past year, she was much better off giving her a place to let her run wild rather than hiding it.

Moreover, she is determined that this time she will never be taken lightly. I won’t have to step out.

“What would you do if you were strong? No one wants nobles to follow tax collectors.”

“… ….”

“Prause, do you know why the nobles don’t follow tax collectors?”

It was an outrageous statement.

I silently listened with my arms folded, asking me to try it.

“Because tax collectors have no value other than you. Prause, I acknowledge your strength. Your power will surely be of great help in destroying the demons. But what about the tax collector? Do you really think that the person from the imperial family you are pushing for will make a capable ruler?”

He asked me, and before he could hear my answer, he shook his head.

“Absolutely not.”

Take a look at what they openly say. On the subject of not recognizing the values of other races.

The reason Chris was able to build an image of being competent was because the emperor supported him. It can’t be denied that he lived a hard life from a young age, but if the publican had grown up receiving the same teachings, the story would have been completely different.

“…… So?”

“Why don’t you stop clinging to me now? All of the rudeness so far will be put on fire. Try to be flexible with things related to other races that you wanted.”

The attitude has definitely changed.

Seeing that the hostile attitude towards me disappeared and I accepted it, it was clear that Lufen gave me some advice. After all, killing a deputy corps commander is a big deal.

If I stick with Chris, Tori Auss will also dump Seri right away.

Of course, considering my position, it wouldn’t be a problem to save at least one tax collector. Surely everything will go smoothly.

At least until the human-majeon war broke out.

Unfortunately, the game wasn’t designed to go smoothly until the end.

If Chris rises to the end of the emperor’s seat, this world will perish.

In other words, there was no such thing as a ‘choice’ from the beginning.

But since I knew there were ‘variables’ in this world, there was nothing strange about thinking of new possibilities.

What if Chris becomes emperor and slavery of other races is abolished, and resistance does not occur?

Then wouldn’t sticking to Chris be a bad choice?

Thanks to that possibility, I asked him.

“I want complete abolition of slavery, not flexibility.”

“That is impossible. The other races are the ones we have to rule over. Complete emancipation of slaves is unacceptable.”

Yes. I guess so.

I was completely convinced by his determined answer.

As expected, Chris Aether Pretium must die.

“If that’s the case, nothing will stick to you even after you die and wake up.”