Chapter 92

Chapter 92:  The Empress's Test (4)

While I was out alone in the streets of Haman,

the atmosphere in the Imperial Palace wasn’t particularly pleasant.

That was because the palace was crowded with imperial retainers close to Archduke Eric.

Most of the retainers had paid their respects to the Northern Grand Duke’s daughter who had appeared in person.

Moreover, they praised her success in Old Luton and her beauty, trying to maintain a close relationship with her.

However, since she hadn’t yet revealed any concrete plan to revive Haman...

the spotlight, for now, had been secured by Tobang.

“Is it true that Artist Descent is really coming to the Imperial Palace, Lord Tobang?”

“To think the Archduke had kept him so carefully hidden… and now, we’ll finally get to see his work!”

Tobang’s move was to borrow the Haman City Hall.

He used the enormous network that he and Eric’s family possessed to win over the mayor of Haman.

While saving on venue costs, he poured a large sum into promotion and marketing.

“He even threw money on top of Roger’s methods.”

Echina stood alone with her arms crossed, looking displeased at the situation from the corridor of the detached palace.

Then, as if suppressing the intense mana of someone on the verge of becoming a high-ranking expert, she bit her lip.

“Should I just mobilize everything too?”

She also had more than enough connections.

On top of that, thanks to her excellent fencing reputation at the academy, she had considerable ties to the knights.

If she put her mind to it, she could mobilize thousands to Haman.

However, Echina decided to wait for now.

Because there was one man who said he would remain unshaken even in the face of Tobang’s overwhelming offensive and would prepare his own card.

And that patience was soon rewarded.

“Your Grace, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”

She approached as soon as she saw me arrive in the corridor.

Perhaps because I had walked quickly, her silk-like, sleek black hair swayed lightly.

“So, what did you go and prepare?”

With her hands behind her back, she bent slightly at the waist.

Then tilted her head from side to side, as if trying to guess just how amazing the thing I brought was.

She looked like a black cat checking on a fox that had returned to its territory.

“I didn’t really prepare anything.”

“What’s this then?”

Like a proper knight, Echina sharply pointed to the paper bag in my hand with a piercing gaze.

And with her sharp nose, she caught the faint scent of meat.

“I bought it on the street, thinking you might be hungry. You didn’t eat breakfast, did you?”

“Uh... I didn’t, but how did you know?”

I knew she often skipped breakfast to keep her body light for sparring.

“Then, shall we go in? I thought it would be nice to talk over a meal.”

“To where? The imperial physician’s room?”

Echina asked with round eyes.

Just this once, the sharp eyes of the Grand Duke’s house looked endearingly soft.

“Yes. I’m guessing he hasn’t eaten either.”

I had read it before in the imperial physician’s autobiography.

He, too, had skipped meals every day while caring for his patients.

That habit had continued into his sixties, and now he was known for always skipping breakfast.

“What is he thinking…”

Echina let out a short sigh.

Then, clutching the Luton Sword hanging at her waist, she followed behind me.

“Did the physician agree to meet us?”

“Of course. Do you know who asked him?”

Echina pointed toward the physician’s private consultation room at the end of the corridor.

Sure enough, the place was quite large—there were even patient rooms attached on either side.

The door to the consultation room was wide.

Moreover, it was always open, firmly wedged so it wouldn’t close.

A clear sign that any patient was welcome to enter freely.

Just this habit alone showed what a compassionate doctor he was.

Before we knew it, it was already afternoon, and the noontime sunlight poured into the consultation room.

At the warm desk inside the office sat a middle-aged man.

“You must be Lady Echina, the Grand Duke’s daughter.”

The physician, Mikhail, who had neatly trimmed white hair and was clean-shaven, greeted us.

“I heard you wanted to see me, so I’ve been waiting.”

“Yes, it’s been a while, Sir Mikhail.”

Echina’s expression remained as cold as ever.

However, having served her for a long time, I could tell by the subtle softness in her voice that the doctor before her was a truly kind man.

‘Of course, his reputation is already well-known throughout the Empire.’

He was the one who injected himself with a contagious disease that was widespread at the time, just to research a vaccine.

Thanks to that, his popularity rivaled that of war heroes.

“But I believe this is my first time seeing your companion. Might he be your fiancé…?”

The physician adjusted his monocle as he asked.

At this, Echina responded with an utterly indifferent expression.

“No. He’s a business partner.”

“I see. It’s just that many couples visit before their weddings.”

The elderly doctor chuckled softly and nodded.

The Grand Duke’s daughter kept her impassive expression as the conversation continued.

But—

‘Hmm…?’

When I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye—

I had the feeling that her ears had turned faintly red.

However, it was quickly hidden as Echina brushed her bangs to the side and looked at me.

“Go on and tell him.”

“Understood.”

I turned to face Sir Mikhail, the imperial physician.

And I began to tell him something rather curious.

“In fact, I came to ask you a question.”

“Feel free to ask anything.”

Both the physician and Echina looked at me with serious eyes.

They were clearly curious about what business had brought me all the way here.

However—

What I brought up was shockingly ordinary.

“Have you had breakfast?”

While others were busy planning large-scale art exhibitions,

I had brought up breakfast out of nowhere.

“No, I haven’t.”

Fortunately, the physician didn’t get upset over such a trivial question.

Rather, he seemed intrigued that someone who had come all the way from Nord would bring up something as mundane as breakfast.

“If you haven’t eaten, please try this.”

I handed him a freshly made sandwich from the paper bag.

At that, the imperial physician raised his snow-white eyebrows and asked,

“You packed this for me?”

“Yes, that’s right. I figured you probably hadn’t eaten.”

Mikhail examined the sandwich I gave him as if dissecting it.

Then he took a big bite and chewed it with clear enjoyment.

“How is the taste?”

“Excellent. All the ingredients are fresh, and the nutrients are well balanced.”

The physician gave me a wide smile.

It was a compassionate smile, befitting a man who had saved hundreds of thousands of lives in the Empire.

‘The Saint is known for her beautiful smile too, but this man is practically in a category of his own.’

“If all the citizens ate this every morning, do you think they could live healthier lives?”

Mimicking his smile, I asked the question with a look as pure as the sky.

Perhaps sensing a disconnect, Echina looked at me with a blank expression in contrast.

“Of course. As you can see, this sandwich has a rich variety of colors. Humans are naturally healthier when they consume a wide range of colored foods.”

As expected, the physician’s way of looking at food was different.

He evaluated the sandwich—of which he’d taken a big bite—as if it were a work of art.

“Just as I thought.”

Satisfied, I handed him a cup of coffee.

Then, from my jacket, I took out a drawing I had prepared in advance—of a sandwich and a cup of coffee.

“In fact, I’ve been planning a little ‘campaign’ for the health of the citizens.”

The health of the citizens.

Naturally, that was the top priority for a physician like Mikhail, and he immediately showed interest.

“A health campaign, you say?”

“Yes. It’s nothing grand. Just something simple to encourage people not to skip meals…”

“Even if you’re busy—don’t skip breakfast!!”

I showed him a napkin with a neatly written slogan in fountain pen.

Below the phrase was my own drawing of a sandwich and a cup of coffee.

“‘Don’t skip breakfast,’ huh… That’s quite a thoughtful message.”

“Exactly. Now that the Empire has entered a golden age after the war, work is important, but I believe we should take care of our health as well.”

In the near future,

the eastern region of the Empire would face a glut of pork—a surplus due to lack of consumption.

To resolve that, one noble launched a campaign promoting bacon as a breakfast food.

Thanks to that, the culture of including bacon at breakfast took root in the East.

However, that campaign, while successful, had also drawn criticism from none other than Sir Mikhail.

Bacon, after all, was extremely salty and high in fat, making it unhealthy.

In the future, Mikhail would recall how, even if it had been a commercial success, he had deeply disapproved of that campaign—because for him, the health of the people came first.

As a result, bacon never took hold in the imperial capital, where Sir Mikhail resided.

Such was the extent of his influence in the capital.

‘Which means, if I want to convince him, I need to choose a food that’s relatively “healthy.”’

“I understand. Then, for the breakfast campaign’s promotional food, I’ll go with the sandwich.”

Mikhail smiled gently and gave his recommendation to do just that.

However, he wasn’t a man who had reached his position through kindness alone.

“May I ask what the Northern Grand Duke’s House’s reason is for planning such a campaign?”

The physician was asking about my intention behind seeking his advice.

As if suspecting I might be using public health as an excuse to pursue personal gain.

As expected from the man who, in the future, would harshly condemn the bacon campaign.

“I heard that you’re currently in charge of improving the public image of the city of Haman.”

Within Mikhail’s kind smile, a sharp edge briefly flickered.

“It’s a great plan, but when I consider your intent and the reward you stand to gain from it, I find this sandwich hard to swallow.”

Mikhail, who had been enjoying the food just moments ago, now placed it back into the paper bag.

Then he brushed off the crumbs on his hands.

However, his hands soon stopped in mid-air.

“That’s correct. I received a royal command from Her Majesty the Empress to improve the city’s image.”

Even when my true intentions had been exposed, I faced him directly.

“That’s why I personally visited the city and spent time with the people living there.”

“You mean you conducted a field investigation?”

In response to Mikhail’s question, I gestured elegantly toward the sandwich.

“Bringing just this one thing doesn’t prove that you understand the people’s lives and hardships.”

The physician let out a short sigh, looking slightly disappointed.

But upon hearing what I said next, he raised his eyebrows, apparently surprised.

“That’s right. I spent a long time talking with Miss Remy, the restaurant owner, and the warehouse foremen.”

As though he’d just heard a name he never expected to come from my mouth.

“Did you say Miss Remy?”

“Yes. She owns the restaurant next to the warehouse. She was very kind.”

I gave an awkward smile, like a young man trying to sound modest.

“Though, she insisted that pasta must have cream, and ended up giving me a food bomb full of affection.”

“Haha, Haman folk take great pride in their cuisine. Say the wrong thing, and you might get food-assaulted.”

Mikhail’s expression began to brighten once more.

And beside him, Echina let out a short breath as her gentle eyes blinked slowly.

“Well now, to know the restaurant lady’s nickname… You must’ve really done your homework on the lives of Haman’s citizens.”

“This whole campaign may have started from Her Majesty the Empress’s command, but ultimately, it’s for the people.”

Only then did Mikhail seem to truly acknowledge me, as he removed his monocle.

As he wiped the lens, he returned to his gentle grandfatherly demeanor.

“Very well, Roger. I feel reassured now.”

Sir Mikhail, the physician who had been knighted for his medical achievements.

He rose slightly from his chair.

Then, taking the napkin I had handed him, he pulled out his pen.

“I’ll support the campaign too.”

The Empire’s top physician was now joining the campaign.

At those words, a spring-like warmth bloomed on Echina’s face as she listened silently nearby.

“Is that true, Sir Mikhail?”

“Yes, Your Grace. Campaigns with such a good cause deserve even more support.”

The physician began writing a phrase on the napkin with elegant handwriting—

as if he were writing down treatment notes for a patient.

“Even a light breakfast provides a solid start to the day.”

The moment the legendary doctor who once saved the world left his signature on the promotional illustration I had drawn—

I bowed my head in gratitude.

Hiding my sly smile like a conniving courtier.

And it seemed Echina was starting to catch on to that expression of mine, as she gazed at the back of my head with a curious look in her eyes.

“If you ever need an interview, just let me know.”

“Funny you should say that—I’m currently preparing a collaboration with Gold Morning.”

Lifting my head, I rubbed my hands together with a bright-eyed grin.

“If you could offer just a few words there, the public would trust us even more—”

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