Chapter 185 Death

Time passed quickly after I met with Earl Sagittaria.

Thanks to everyone’s hard work, the currency switch had been completed.

Although quite a bit of chaos occurred, that was within expectations.

“It was because of our healthy relationship to the people that we were able to…” Sebastian’s report stated.

Not that I was being cocky, but I agreed with the sentiment.

If this happened back when I had just arrived here, things wouldn’t be going so smoothly.

So much had happened, but I had managed to overcome it all.

When I was setting up all kinds of policies and reformations, time flew by.

It connected everything that I had been doing up until now.

The path I paved would not be wasted. That was what I thought.

The Azura Conglomerate had already raised its prices.

All the other conglomerates had done the same within our territories as well as those around us to compensate for the our losses.

“…But is this really for the best? If any of this spreads into the ears of the public…”

Sei asked me this at the end of his report about the Azura Conglomerate.

“They’re merchants. The best in the game.”

His eyes went wide at my response.

“If this causes chaos, then there’s a high likelihood that all the transactions occurring at the moment will cease. If currency no longer has trust backing it up, it’s reasonable to imagine that it would stagnate. But they are first class merchants. So if they compare their profits in potential chaos and with potential peace, they will most definitely choose to stay silent.”

“I see…”

Sei nodded, seeming to understand.

“Well then, we needn’t worry more about the Azura Conglomerate. Please assign the guards of Duke Armenia’s family to the various official stores throughout the territory. If there’s anything else going on, report it to me as well.”

“Understood.”

That was when Tanya walked into the room.

“Milady, we’ve received reports that the king has passed away.”

So this day came after all…for a moment, time seemed to stop before my eyes.

“Is that so…”

I exhaled deeply.

“Have you already heard?”

“No. I knew that he couldn’t last much longer.”

“…I see.”

“Queen Ellia will likely expedite the process of preparing a funeral. She wants to see Prince Edward on the throne…Tanya.”

“Yes, milady?”

“Start preparing to go back to our territory. We’ll be returning right after the funeral.”

“But…”

“The situation has began to shift. Staying longer would only be futile. As long as I’m in the capital, they’ll be searching for ways to attack me.”

“…Understood. I’ll start preparing to ensure a smooth journey.”

“Thank you…the two of you, could you let me have a moment alone? I need to think.”

The two of them nodded in response, leaving the room.

I sighed deeply, lowering my head onto my hands.

So this was a done deal already.

Queen Ellia and Marquis Maelia controlled the situation.

What would this country turn into?

What would my territory turn into?

No matter how hard I thought, I could come up with no answers, no resolutions. All I could do was ponder on the fuzziness in my own head.

To confirm that the pocket watch on my neck was still there, I placed a hand over it through my clothes.

“I will build a territory that will never waver or fall no matter what happens in the capital.”

I remembered my own words to Father in the past.

“Was that the truth, or just nonsense…it’s time for me to show the true worth of those words.”

This is what I said to myself as I hugged myself.

I couldn’t run away, couldn’t lose. Couldn’t give up.

That’s what responsibility was.

This was the kind of mindset I needed to embrace in my work.

There were similar words that I said to myself in a previous life, whenever something went wrong with my work.

Although enough time had passed that I couldn’t remember much of that time, that memory suddenly came into my mind.

“No matter what happens to the environment around me, if I don’t finish my own tasks…well.”

I suppose in the end, what I was supposed to do hadn’t changed at all.

Thinking that was enough to somehow make me calm.

Now that I was calm, I left the room to talk to my mother and Bern about our future.