My title had changed in a grandiose way, but surprisingly, my life hadn’t altered all that much.
I already wielded absolute power long before ascending the throne.
The parliament obeyed my words, the administration executed policies according to my will, and the bureaucrats were trained to possess the skills and knowledge I deemed necessary.
What difference would an official title make?
‘I had more power than most kings even before this.’
I still wore my military uniform as usual.
The crown was meant for ceremonies, so I hardly ever had to carry it around.
The only real difference was that people now addressed me as Your Majesty instead of Your Excellency.
Oh, and I had an extra star on my epaulet.
As the sovereign ruler, I was considered the supreme commander, which meant I now bore five stars.
Other than that… perhaps the biggest change was finally being able to experience some aspects of modern civilization again?
Like the ultimate secret weapon of 21st-century South Korean TV—marriage counseling shows.
Chuup, chuup.
“How is it, Your Majesty?”
“You want us to touch you more? Please, do as you wish. We are your women, after all.”
“…That’s a bit…”
“Oh my, but I’m serious. Even if you milk me like a cow, I’ll gladly accept it if it pleases you.”
Of course, calling what we were doing a healthy conversation to resolve a marital dispute was a stretch.
Not just by modern standards, but even by the norms of this medieval fantasy world.
The doors to the newly designated royal bedchamber were firmly shut, but if anyone happened to peek inside, they would be utterly shocked by what they saw.
I was sitting proudly on the bed, while Camilla knelt beneath me.
The Saint, meanwhile, leaned against me from the side, pressing her voluptuous body against mine.
The scene looked like a one-sided punishment or an act of venting frustration.
But the fact that none of us were wearing a single thread of clothing—and that Camilla’s head was moving so enthusiastically—made it crystal clear what was actually happening.
Yes.
To put it simply—we were having sex.
A threesome, to be exact.
…Who would’ve thought that my first act in the imperial bed would be with both a Viscountess and a Saint at the same time?
“Has your anger subsided even a little?”
“…A little.”
“I’m relieved. I was worried that Your Majesty might resent us forever.”
It had been a full week since the coronation.
For seven whole days, these two had fully used their bodies to atone for how they had taken advantage of me.
Well, even though I acted like I was just going along with it, deep down, I had been looking forward to it.
From every position I had ever imagined to slightly more unconventional acts and even some embarrassing services—I had thrown all my responsibilities aside and indulged in pleasure from dusk till dawn.
Until there wasn’t a shred of lust left in my mind.
Eat, sleep, and fuck.
At some point, I wondered—was this what they called a paradise of debauchery?
“Is there anything else you’d like to try?”
“Maybe this time, you could put it—”
“Enough with the weird talk. Let’s wrap this up. The sun is already high in the sky.”
As much as I wanted to keep going, it was time to clean up and return to work.
Not only was my stamina running low, but if I slacked off any longer, the backlog of tasks would be unbearable.
I had just founded this empire—it wouldn’t do to ruin it like Ming China under Emperor Wanli.
Switching to a more authoritative tone, fitting for a ruler, I gave my orders.
The two women smacked their lips in disappointment but obediently nodded.
They fetched clean clothes from the wardrobe, carefully wiping down my body and buttoning my garments.
Their gentle touch was oddly pleasant.
“You must be hungry. Would you like to eat something before you go? I can make a sandwich quickly.”
“Or perhaps… my breast milk instead—”
“Ahem.”
Don’t tempt me right before I head to work.
If you’re still unsatisfied, we can continue tonight.
“Welcome, Your—no, Your Majesty.”
The moment I stepped into the audience chamber—once belonging to Carl VII but now mine—my officials all knelt in greeting.
A strange sight.
Just days ago, these same men were joking around and speaking casually with me.
Now, they addressed me with the utmost reverence.
I knew this was the proper etiquette, yet it still felt… odd.
“Have you been well, Your Majesty?”
“Unfortunately, not at all. I’ve been exercising my hips every day so vigorously that my muscles are sore.”
“Haha! That must be quite enjoyable.”
The men who understood the innuendo chuckled.
Those still unmarried, however, looked puzzled.
Don’t worry.
Once you get married, you’ll understand exactly what I mean.
As I took my seat at the head of the chamber, Camilla and the Saint sat to my left and right, occupying the next highest positions.
The officials stood in order of rank and department, following the same protocol as in the previous kingdom.
“Let’s start with the reports. Anything unusual to note?”
“There has been much discussion about Your Majesty taking the Saint as Empress. Many are questioning if this is truly acceptable.”
“Some even wonder if you will face divine punishment for lying with the Goddess’ representative.”
Since Camilla had led the plan to enthrone me, the Saint had mostly played a supporting role.
Though she had done a great deal behind the scenes, her involvement wasn’t widely recognized.
Because of this, people were confused when she suddenly appeared at the coronation and declared herself my wife.
There was also the long-standing belief that Saints lived their entire lives as virgins.
They had assumed the same would apply to her.
Well, considering that the so-called god had been dead to humanity for ages, what meaning did divine punishment even hold?
“If that’s the issue, I’ll take care of it myself,” the Saint interjected.
“Saint—no, Your Majesty the Empress?”
“If I prove to the public that our marriage does not defy the will of the Goddess, that should settle things, shouldn’t it?”
Since she had offered to handle public opinion herself, the controversy would soon fade.
She simply needed to gather an audience, perform a miracle or two, and say a few persuasive words.
People would accept it without issue—unless the rumors were being deliberately spread by someone.
But if it was merely a misunderstanding, this solution would be more than enough.
“Good. That won’t be a problem, then. What’s next?”
“Ah, yes! The administration has requested additional funds.
They are in the process of rewriting official documents to match the new imperial system, but they are short on ink and paper.”
“Take what you need from the former royal treasury. Have the estimated costs placed on my desk for review later.”
The reorganization of the government system seemed to be progressing smoothly.
Given the sheer size of the new empire, it would take some time, but as long as no major obstacles arose, it would eventually be completed.
“We are also accelerating the construction plans for the new imperial palace.
Architects have been commissioned for the project, and the blueprints should be ready in two years.”
“But… can we truly afford to build it immediately, Your Majesty? The nation’s finances are still strained.”
“Some expenditures are unavoidable for the sake of dignity and authority. But don’t worry, I have no intention of constructing it right away.”
Beyond that, there were also discussions regarding the construction of a new imperial palace, meant to serve as the long-term residence of the ruling dynasty.
“And how are the officers from the Revolutionary Army faring?”
“They are being highly valued by the military, as they have proven both their competence and loyalty. All those at the rank of general or higher have been placed in key positions, so there is no need for concern.”
“That’s good, but don’t focus only on our faction when making appointments.
If the favoritism becomes too blatant, others might start harboring dangerous thoughts.”
“In that case, we will distribute the vacant positions left by the purged Riudolph loyalists accordingly.”
“Do that.”
Personnel management within the military—the core of my power—was yet another issue that required careful handling.
As I continued listening to reports and giving directives, time passed quickly.
Eventually, the mountain of documents brought by my officials dwindled, leaving only a few pages remaining.
It was then that a thought crossed my mind—something I had completely forgotten about.
“By the way, what happened to my parents? I was told they were invited to the coronation.”
“Are you referring to Baron and Baroness Royten? Well… We sent an escort unit along with the invitation, but…”
Major General Holtman trailed off.
Previously a subordinate of the retired General Albrecht, he now served as the overall commander of my military forces.
And yet, despite his usual composure, he looked visibly uneasy.
All I did was invite my parents to the capital for the coronation.
What the hell happened?
“Why are you hesitating? Speak clearly.”
“M-My deepest apologies, Your Majesty. Upon hearing the news, Baron Royten was so shocked that he fainted on the spot. He was in no condition to travel.”
Fainted?
Was the fact that his second son had become Emperor really that overwhelming?
…Now that I think about it, I suppose it is a shocking development.
There are plenty of stories about children leaving home and finding success—but how often does one take over an entire nation?
Especially considering that we hadn’t even exchanged letters for fifteen years.
“A shame. Prepare some good medicinal herbs and send them to him. He’s not young anymore—he needs to take care of his health.”
“Understood.”
With that, it seemed we had addressed all urgent matters for the day.
Considering I had just handled an entire week’s worth of work in one sitting, the overall volume was surprisingly manageable.
Of course, there were still troublesome issues to deal with, like selecting officials to rebuild and disguise the Holy See’s Goddess Corpse Repository or terminating contracts with the merchant guilds that had previously handled wartime supplies.
But those were things I could deal with later, at a slower pace.
For a newly established empire, this wasn’t bad at all.
Clearly, inheriting the existing national system had been the right move.
Since we had rebranded the government rather than rebuilding it from the ground up, all the operational knowledge and infrastructure had remained intact.
Unlike Joseon, which had spent decades struggling to build an entirely new foundation, this approach was far more efficient.
There was no risk of administrative collapse ruining the economy or causing suffering among the people.
Which meant…
“It’s about time we moved forward.”
“What do you mean, Your Majesty?”
With that, I came to a decision.
“An execution.”
It was time to clean up the remnants of the fallen royal family.