People Aren't Meant to Be Fixed! (4 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 143

“Ah, you startled me!”

You could at least make some noise when you approach. My heart leaped so hard it felt like it shot up into the sky before crashing back to the ground, and I nearly dropped the book I was reading. If I hadn’t caught myself, the expensive and precious volume might have knocked over a glass of dessert or drink and spilled everything.

Though the book I was holding wasn’t some centuries-old rare tome, printed books are still extraordinarily precious objects in their own right.

I may not be an expert in that field, but whether it was when Ulrika was caring for me as a noble young lady with no relatives, when I later became emperor, or now in my current life reborn as the Crown Princess, printing technology has advanced little by little over time—yet creating a “book” still requires enormous manpower and money.

There are shops that sell books for commoners, but books remain strongly perceived as luxury items. Even though Jeff and Hecate are paying attention to cultural policies for the masses, making circulating books somewhat more affordable, there are still limits to who can actually access them.

Still, anyone with a steady income can save diligently for a few months and buy one.

In contrast, the books sought after by nobles remain exorbitantly expensive depending on their type and subject.

To put it simply, as part of their noblesse oblige, nobles pay far more for books and certain other items in exchange for standing above others and enjoying abundant power and wealth.

That money eventually circulates back and is used to fund support for the common people, so it wouldn’t be wrong to say that the loyal retainers I trained so well created a virtuous cycle.

When my father was the Late Emperor, wars were frequent, and the empire was in a chaotic transitional period. I was so busy quelling the noise arising from unifying various kingdoms and solidifying the foundation that I had no mental room left for anything else. It warmed my heart that Jeff and Hecate filled in the gaps I missed and set things right.

I only learned about all this a few years ago. Outwardly I acted indifferent, but inside I felt proud—those memories still come back to me.

Moreover, it won’t be long before I become emperor again, just like in my previous life. To reign wisely as a “benevolent ruler” from now on, I’ve gotten a sense of where I need to direct my attention.

Politics and institutions are inseparable, and balancing policies across every field while nurturing the nation is difficult, but in this life I want to become perfect—even if it wears me down completely.

“I was already a workaholic when I was the Late Emperor.”

My body is already itching to get started, so I’d better stay sharp at this reading session. Finishing my thoughts, I looked over at Beris, who was still staring straight at me with both hands cupping his cheeks.

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