Klaus spoke calmly.
“I appreciate the Duke’s initiative. However, arbitrarily taking on double the burden could set a troublesome precedent for similar situations in the future.”
He looked meaningfully at Meckringer.
“Therefore, in principle, each family will contribute equally, but those with the capacity can voluntarily contribute additional funds. Families who make additional contributions will receive appropriate reciprocation in the name of the royal family. Is this compromise acceptable to all?”
Recognition from the royal family was a significant honor for noble families. The ministers, including the Duke, nodded in agreement.
“We will follow Your Highness’s directive.”
I was inwardly impressed.
Klaus was not outdone by experienced politicians. He managed to draw a consensus from all the ministers in front of such a large crowd.
Truly the male lead of a romance novel. The more I see, the more charming he appears.
After the state council meeting, I followed Klaus back to his room.
“Sigh…”
Klaus sank deeply into the sofa with a tired expression. The head butler quickly served a tea known for fatigue recovery.
“Muzel, have a seat too.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
I moved to the seat opposite Klaus. A fragrant cup of tea was also placed before me. I nodded to the butler in gratitude.
Once the butler left the room, only Klaus and I remained.
“I would like to hear your thoughts on observing the state council meeting.”
His voice lacked its usual strength. He must have been really tired.
Feeling it was impolite to be too candid initially, I gave a plausible response.
“The depth of discussion between Your Highness and the ministers in managing national affairs was very impressive.”
“Are you making fun of me?”
Klaus pressed his forehead with long fingers.
“Muzel. I won’t reprimand you, so speak honestly.”
“May I really do so?”
I asked cautiously. It’s always wise to tread carefully when a superior asks for an opinion.
Klaus withdrew his hand from his forehead and looked directly at me with his mysterious purple eyes.
“Yes. Speak your mind without any embellishment.”
Assured by his firmness, I felt more at ease.
“The meeting felt like a power struggle between factions. To put it more bluntly, it seemed like opposition for the sake of opposition.”
Klaus looked at me intently and slowly replied.
“Continue.”
“Duke Meckringer, at first glance, appeared to be fully loyal to the royal family, but it seemed he had his own agenda. And he didn’t bother to hide it.”
“What do you think his ultimate intent is?”
“Ultimately, it appears he wants to position himself above the royal family. It doesn’t necessarily mean rebellion but rather expecting the royal family to yield to his will.”
“Why do you think so?”
This is serious. The more I speak, the more questions Klaus throws at me. It’s almost like a pressure interview.
I hid my nervousness and spoke again.
“It’s because of the opinion he proposed today. If Your Highness had accepted the Duke’s supplement, the agenda would have essentially played out according to his will. Nobles might unconsciously consider his authority higher than yours.”
After finishing, I bowed my head.
“I apologize if my words were too harsh. Please consider it the rashness of someone newly appointed.”
“…….”
I felt Klaus’s gaze on me. He had been looking at me without averting his eyes since earlier.
What should I do?
After a while, he finally spoke.
“Quite sharp for just one council meeting, Muzel.”
Thankfully, he didn’t seem displeased.
“No need to apologize. Didn’t I tell you before? I won’t reprimand you.”
Only then did I slowly lift my head. Klaus’s lips faintly curled up.
Klaus spoke calmly.
“I agree that what you observed isn’t far from the truth. However, I consider such a situation to be a desirable phenomenon.”
“?”
I was puzzled. How could the situation, where Duke Meckringer and his followers were standing their ground against Klaus, be desirable?
Klaus crossed his long legs and placed his interlocked hands on his knee.
“Do you understand the nature of politics?”
“Honestly, I’m not very familiar with it.”
“That’s alright. It hasn’t been long since you’ve entered the palace.”
Klaus tilted his head slightly, a posture he took when he was most relaxed.
“Not all powerful royal authority is always right. As you said earlier, I acknowledge that even an emperor is not a perfect person.”
I was a bit touched that he remembered my words.
But then Klaus suddenly smiled, causing my heart to sink momentarily.
“The royal family and the nobility cooperate while also keeping each other in check. Even if it seems like opposition for the sake of opposition, such checks and balances can prevent more significant backlash.”
“Yes.”
“When the other party is willing to listen, we can discuss things more rationally. Politics is like human relationships. After all, it’s done by people.”
It might have been a bit too rowdy for a rational discussion, but if it was meant to show the other party ‘my toughness,’ then it’s not incomprehensible.
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
_____
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