I Didn't Want to Become the Emperor of This World

Chapter 157

After confirming the performance of Chomsky's Madan.

I entrusted the training of the Gryphon Knight Order to Jereuth. All I had to teach them was the ‘height at which the Madan explodes stably,’ so I left after telling them just that.

Jereuth was much better at planning tactics and training knight orders than I was, so there was nothing more for me to worry about.

By the time I returned to the royal castle, the sun had almost set.

I got a little scolding from Elly.

“…Your Majesty, it is not my place to say this to you, but if you are going to be late, I would appreciate it if you could let me know through the crystal ball. The meal got cold, and I was worried.”

—Like that.

Still, I returned to my room with better-than-expected results.

‘Now… it's time to check the <Future Diary>.’

Although I hadn't checked it yet, I had a good feeling for some reason. A premonition that my <Future Diary>, which had been a headache for me until now, would gradually become more docile.

Well… good premonitions were usually wrong, so I wasn't getting my hopes up too much.

Chwarak—.

I opened the diary.

First, the nearest future.

The war with the monster army was three weeks away.

The preparations were perfect. The traps were perfect, and the fortresses in the south and north of the Monster Mountains were completed at the right time.

There were occasional attacks from monsters during the construction of the fortresses, but those were also repelled with minimal damage.

The use of the Madan had also developed in many ways, going beyond mere familiarity.

Jereuth and the Gryphon Knight Order were now able to throw and detonate the Madan from a relatively low altitude by repeating steep ascents and descents—

Their accuracy had also become tremendous, to the point where they could hit targets with the Madan from a considerable distance.

Of course, besides the use of the Madan, there had also been much progress in direct combat while riding gryphons.

That's right. The visible ‘preparations’ like this were perfect.

However, there was a minor problem, if you could call it that.

It was the inevitable ‘worry’ of the knights and soldiers.

That worry was… about their families.

The concern and worry that if they died on the battlefield, even if we won the war, it would be difficult for their families to survive.

As the war approached, that was slowly eating away at my army.

At least the knights had some savings, so they had fewer worries about their families. With that wealth, their families could somehow survive for a few years.

But the soldiers' situation was different. Most of the soldiers were men who supported a family of four or more on their own.

Although I was paying the soldiers a generous salary, when you looked at it, it was just enough for a single family to live without major difficulties.

In other words… if the head of the household died, it wouldn't be long before they were out on the streets again. Their wife, children, siblings, mother, or father.

What was certain was that neither the knights nor the soldiers were afraid of dying on the battlefield itself.

Their morale, bravery, and loyalty were high.

It was just that the worry about their families, that was something they couldn't help.

It's a saying that always comes up in the world I was originally from… the Republic of Korea.

The fox-like wife, the rabbit-like children—they endure their crappy work life by looking at them.

It seemed the mindset of a head of household was the same in this world.

Still, we marched out. The departure schedule had already been decided, and it couldn't be changed for something as trivial as the soldiers' family worries.

It would be fine.

We were perfectly prepared, so we would never lose.

At least I was perfectly prepared.

This was the end of the newly written nearest future.

‘Hmm… something feels off.’

The content wasn't bad. No, it was rather good. My future self had written that we were ‘perfectly prepared.’

I had never seen such a sentence before.

However, that didn't erase all the uneasiness. The source of this content ɪs novel•fire.net

‘The knights and soldiers going to war are worried about their families… Come to think of it, there was something like that in the <Future Diary> before. Was it a soldier named ‘Hans’? That soldier didn't flee and remained on the battlefield to buy even a little time for his siblings to escape.’

The content of the <Future Diary> from that time has changed and been erased, so it's gone.

But I remember it clearly. That even though the Knight Order and the main army were crushed by the monster army and most of the army deserted, there was a ‘foolish’ army that risked their remaining lives for their families.

Considering that, perhaps the worry and love for family are stronger than the fear of death.

‘So if I can eliminate the soldiers' worries about their families, then everything would truly be perfect.’

The only problem was—

‘How do I relieve that worry?’

The soldiers were not afraid of death itself.

They were just worried that when they died, their families would be out on the streets again.

In fact, even now, while I was doing my best and trying to develop the economy of the royal capital, there were still quite a few people wandering the streets.

Even in the royal capital, which had the most developed economy.

The situation in the provincial cities was no better, if not worse.

This was especially true for women and children. In this civilization at a medieval level, it was an unavoidable fate for the weak who did not have the protection and support of a strong man.

‘But it would be too absurd of a lie for me to tell the soldiers, 「“You will never die on the battlefield. So you don’t have to worry about your families. Because you won’t die!”」’

I know I won't die in this war. So I'm prepared to fight like a brute.

But everyone else's situation is different. They could die from a stray arrow, or perhaps be trampled to death in our own army's charge.

They could even die by being in the blast range of a Madan by mistake.

‘The diary said the soldiers weren't afraid of such deaths themselves. They were just worried about how their families would make a living if they died… ah.’

If they're worried about their families making a living when they die.

‘Then I just have to guarantee it for them. That even if you die, I will protect your families.’

A kind of ‘military death insurance.’

That seemed like it could be solved surprisingly simply.

‘The Plank Kingdom is growing rapidly, but it's still poor. So I can't just spend the budget recklessly. But… this is a national policy that is absolutely necessary.’

Compensation for the army that dedicated itself to protecting the nation.

That is something that must exist. Isn't that the reason why the morale of the army of the world's strongest superpower, the United States, is so high?

‘And also… in a way, this is a kind of investment. An investment to ensure that the children, the future of this kingdom, can grow up stably.’

Yes, let's think of it that way.

This isn't just insurance for soldiers.

It's also insurance for the future of this kingdom. Insurance for this kingdom where I have to live for decades to come.

Deureuk— seuk.

After finishing my thoughts, I took out a few sheets of paper.

One was an order for Olivia. An order with the content, 「“Devise a pension-style compensation policy for soldiers who died on the battlefield.”」

And the other was—

‘I think I'll need a speech.’

Before the ‘war on crime’ previously, I had gathered the army and gave a speech. To boost their morale.

I intend to do that in this war, the war against the monster army, as well.

However, this time it's not a speech to boost morale. It's a speech to relieve the worries of the knights and soldiers about their families.

It might seem a bit strange to be writing a speech for the war against the monster army, which will be in about five or six months, already.

Still, I intend to write it in advance from now.

Because…

‘I have a feeling that this speech is the last preparation I need to make before this war begins. Before I smell the scent of blood on the battlefield and break a sweat… the last peaceful preparation I can make in the royal castle.’

***

Olivia's office.

Ssk—.

Olivia very politely, as if a believer handling a holy scripture, placed a single sheet of paper on her desk.

It was the ‘King's order’ that an official had brought to Olivia a little while ago.

Olivia carefully looked at the King's order on the desk and thought.

‘An order to… organize a budget for the families of knights and soldiers who died on the battlefield.’

The King had described it as a ‘pension-type insurance.’ An explanation about it was also in the order, but Olivia still didn't completely understand it.

‘It’s content that’s hard to understand from a common-sense perspective.’

Knights and soldiers, they were the King's property. Property used to maintain power and protect the kingdom.

That was common sense and the law. The knights and soldiers knew that too.

That's why when the King said, 「“Fight, risking your lives.”」—they just accepted it.

‘That’s why most kings don't care whether knights and soldiers die or not. Unless their power is endangered by the loss of military strength.’

But King Leonardo was different. He was trying to compensate even for the deaths of his knights and soldiers.

‘Why on earth? His Majesty King Leonardo is someone who dislikes waste. If it’s simply to raise the army's morale, is there a need for their morale to be any higher than it already is?’

Although Olivia was not a military person, she was well aware that the army's morale was tremendous. To the extent that even the drunkards on the street knew about it.

‘Of course, if His Majesty ordered it, I just have to follow, but I'm curious. For my King to order the allocation of such a large amount of money, and right before a war at that…’

In the midst of her thoughts.

Olivia suddenly felt a drop of sweat run down her face. That single drop of sweat ran past her chin, down her neck, and into the shadow of her clothes.

‘Could it be… His Majesty is making an investment? An investment in the future of the kingdom?’

Most of the current kingdom's army were the heads of their households.

In other words, they were the ones who fed their respective families.

What would happen if such a head of household died in the war?

‘The family that soldier was responsible for would instantly become poor. Then the women and children of that house would have to live the rest of their lives as someone's servants. Or they would have a high probability of falling into crime. Either committing crimes or being involved in them.’

The King might have been concerned about that.

About the next generation, which must take responsibility for the kingdom's future, losing its momentum.

About the future of this kingdom losing its momentum.

‘His Majesty himself had to stand on his own without any help from the previous king… so he must be more concerned about the children. Come to think of it, didn't they say Knight Yoanna, whom His Majesty brought himself, was a child who used to be a pickpocket on the streets?’

Once her thoughts reached this point, Olivia became certain.

The King was concerned about the future of the kingdom. The war he was currently preparing for, he was not worried about it in the slightest.

Brrr—.

For some reason, Olivia felt a shiver run down her spine. The icy expression on her perpetually cold face softened faintly, and her cheeks turned reddish.

Her body also tensed as if she were holding something back.

After a moment of that.

“Hmm…”

Realizing it was still work hours, Olivia composed herself with a light deep breath.

Then she continued the thoughts she was having earlier.

‘If His Majesty is worried and thinking about the future of this kingdom, he is missing the most important part. The part about… an ‘heir’.’

King Leonardo was strong. Beyond his power, the man himself was strong, and he had strong charm as a man.

His charisma was needless to say. Flowing from his superhuman appearance, the gaze of the boy who was gradually becoming a king had a weight that not only women but even men had to acknowledge.

‘But what if such a king suddenly passes away…’

It might be a disrespectful thought. To think that a young and healthy king, who hadn't even married yet, would suddenly die.

But King Leonardo had a past history. It was a fact known only to the high-ranking officials, but the King had once suddenly collapsed and hovered on the brink of death.

‘Even if he doesn't suddenly pass away, if he leaves a mediocre heir, he will quickly make enemies. Even the vassals will be disappointed in a mediocre heir and turn their backs on him.’

After thinking for a long time.

Deureuk—.

Olivia stood up from her chair and went to the mirror. Olivia, who rarely looked in the mirror, always checked her appearance before going for an audience with the King.

“…”

Olivia began to apply makeup to give life to her face, which was whiter than snow—in a way, similar to that of a dead person.

‘I can produce the heir of a great king. I can raise them too. The only women His Majesty keeps close are Elly and Knight Yoanna, so compared to those two, I am clearly much better.’

There were no selfish motives. I can declare that there is not a single selfish motive.

Just as the King does, I am simply worried about the future of the kingdom. It doesn't matter if I can't reveal myself as the heir's mother.

I am just that pure.

It is truly a pure intention.

Though she thought so, Olivia was already taking out perfume.

It was a perfume named ‘Succubus's Kiss’ that she had bought from a merchant for some reason someday.

“…It is truly just a pure intention. It is not my greed. Nor is it selfish. Yes, this is purely because I am worried about the kingdom. It is by no means because I want the King's affection.”

‘I can tell His Majesty that since we don’t know what might happen to him in the war, he should leave me with the seed of an heir for the future, and he will accept.’

While Olivia was brainwashing herself by talking to herself.

Knock knock—.

—Olivia-unni, are you still in your room?

At the sound from outside, Olivia's hand, which was about to spray the ‘Succubus's Kiss,’ flinched.

Like a thief caught trying to steal a valuable item.