"This guy truly lacks restraint," Arthur observed, shaking his head in pity as he looked at the old man.
Upon hearing Emperor Alex's question, Minister Julius quickly shook his head with a forced smile.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty," he said, bowing his head once more before raising it again.
"Truly, there are numerous concerns that trouble me, and I cannot help but seek your guidance," he added with a faint smile.
Emperor Alex remained silent, simply gazing at him, awaiting the purpose of his words.
Observing Emperor Alex's indifferent reaction, Julius felt a wave of humiliation wash over him.
"Damn! How dare you ignore me in front of so many people?!" Julius seethed with hatred, but he mastered himself well, maintaining a feigned smile.
"In this manner, Your Majesty," he said, taking a deep breath and beginning to explain.
"As we all know, Duke David currently watches over the border, vigilant against any moves from the Savaran Empire. However, one concern weighs heavily on my mind, Your Highness," he said, carefully scanning the gathering of nobles.
Then he turned his gaze back to Emperor Alex and continued, "I cannot help but notice that you have not taken decisive action to send any assistance to Duke David on the border."
"Do you have a reason for withholding aid, Your Highness?" Julius asked with a slight smile as he looked at Emperor Alex, seated on the throne.
He sensed that this question had the potential to undermine Emperor Alex's prestige in the presence of the attending nobles.
Since Emperor Alex had not taken any explicit actions that were visible to all, this question could easily sow doubt among those who were unaware of the situation.
"Hehehe! How will you respond, Emperor Alex?" Julius chuckled inwardly, finding today to be quite a satisfying day.
In his view, Kaiar Alex was unsuitable for the role of Emperor; instead, he believed that Prime Minister Diargan was more fitting for the position.
Julius then stole a quick glance at the elevated chair beside him, the seat reserved for the prime minister.
There, he saw a young man exuding a gentle and amiable aura.
He smiled at the man, exuding an air of pride in his work.
Catching the young man's glance, Diargan, who sat in the Prime Minister's seat, nodded slightly, seemingly content with the outcome.
"With this, I'll undoubtedly secure a prominent position once he ascends to become the new Balka Emperor. Hahaha!" Julius chuckled inwardly, his face glowing with the dream of attaining higher status.
Simultaneously, Arthur, who overheard this exchange, nodded subtly, recognizing the gravity of the question for Emperor Alex.
A failure to provide clear and detailed evidence could prove fatal for the Emperor, considering the presence of the Luvic nobles from the Balka Family's significant fiefdoms, both east and west, within the throne room, where the empire's reputation was at its zenith.
Arthur then shifted his gaze towards a person situated at the pinnacle of the throne room.
There stood a man of scholarly demeanor, wielding a hand fan in his right hand.
"The new Prime Minister in Emperor Alex's era, Diargan," Arthur mumbled to himself, his thoughts returning to Vivian's earlier explanation of the empire's power structure.
Indeed, Prime Minister Diargan was a true genius, surpassing the capabilities of an ordinary individual.
In a mere six years, he accomplished what took most individuals from the two regions, west and east, a significantly longer time to achieve.
Graduating at the young age of eighteen from the imperial school, where the most exceptional non-elemental talents were nurtured, Diargan's brilliance shone brightly.
By comparison, the average person completed their education and graduated at the age of twenty-five to twenty-eight.
Such exceptional achievements left no doubt about Diargan's brilliance, and even Arthur acknowledged the prodigious talent that resided within him.
Diargan himself held a significant position among the emerging rebels within the high cabinet of the empire, showcasing an impressive ability to influence such esteemed individuals.
Arthur withdrew his gaze, feeling a sense of pity within him.
"You are a thousand years too early to challenge Emperor Alex, Diargan." Arthur, adept at assessing a person's capabilities, could only sympathize with Diargan's boldness and arrogance in facing a formidable figure like Emperor Alex.
"If only you had been more cautious in your actions, perhaps you could have gained a slight advantage," he muttered to himself, considering the upcoming war and rebellion led by David.
Meanwhile, Emperor Alex responded to Julius' question with a cold smile.
"I see, so that was the question you wished to ask?" Emperor Alex adjusted his sitting position, and an overwhelming aura of intimidation immediately swept through the room.
Everyone present sensed an unusually strong presence of death, particularly the ordinary individuals who felt the weight of it pressing upon them.
Julius, feeling the weight of the overwhelming pressure, suddenly contorted his face into a look of sheer terror, as if he were under the intense gaze of a ferocious beast.
Despite this, he gritted his teeth and steeled his resolve.
In response, Emperor Alex took a deep breath and gazed intently at Julius as he delivered his reply with an air of nonchalance.
"What concern is it of yours, Minister Julius?" His calm and unpredictable response left everyone in disbelief, their eyes widening upon hearing those words.
However, Emperor Alex simply leaned his head back in a casual manner and proceeded to explain.
"That is my response to your inquiry," he said, sporting a faint smile as he playfully locked eyes with Julius.
Julius' face contorted into an expression of displeasure, and his body trembled with anger, feeling like he was being toyed with.
"Your Majesty, I implore you to take this matter seriously," he said, taking a deep breath and raising his voice slightly.
Upon hearing Julius' tone and witnessing his exaggerated behavior towards the Emperor, the butler standing beside Emperor Alex immediately shot a sharp look in Julius' direction.
Immediately, an exceedingly powerful aura enveloped Julius, making him feel as though hundreds of kilograms of weight had suddenly been dropped onto his body.
"Ugh!" Julius found himself lying on his back, in a dreadful state, with a terrified expression etched on his face.
"How dare you show such disrespect to His Majesty?!" The butler's voice was as cold as ice.
Realizing that he might face dire consequences if this continued, Julius desperately looked up at Diargan, his expression pleading for help.
"Help me!" he mouthed the words, his voice unable to emerge from his mouth.
Recognizing that the situation was spiraling beyond his expectations, Diargan stood up from his chair and bowed his head respectfully to Emperor Alex.
"My apologies for the interruption, Your Majesty," he said, lowering himself and offering an apology.
"Oh, does the prime minister have something to say?" Emperor Alex glanced at Diargan with an air of nonchalance.
Diargan, adept at playing his part, took a deep breath before speaking, "Indeed, Your Majesty, my concern lies with the lack of information regarding Your Majesty's assistance to the border, which has left some of us hesitating."
"Could you please provide a clear explanation?" He regarded Emperor Alex with a respectful gaze, as if this question emanated from the depths of his heart, voicing the doubts held by the nobles present.
Though not all the Luvic nobles present shared this particular concern, Diargan skillfully shaped the atmosphere in a way that left no room for any weak points in his demeanor.
Arthur nodded subtly, recognizing Diargan's cleverness in framing his question to Emperor Alex using the inclusive term "us," signifying everyone present.
Emperor Alex remained unruffled and responded with a small smile while nodding, "Very well, since the prime minister has intervened directly, I shall provide you and all present with a direct explanation."
"As you are aware, the border region is indeed tense, with the looming prospect of an unforeseen war. To ensure the safety of the border, I personally summoned Duke Asvold to lead the defense efforts," he elucidated, providing a detailed account of the situation.
"And the reason why I refrained from sending troops and informing you was to prevent this sensitive information from reaching the hidden eyes within the empire," Emperor Alex explained with a mysterious smile before falling silent.
Instantly, everyone comprehended his point, and their doubts, sown by Diargan, evaporated in an instant.
"Indeed, His Majesty's foresight is remarkable," praised a Luvic noble leader with admiration.
"That's right! Just as we expected from our Emperor!"
"This rationale is indeed sound, as leaked information could significantly impact the forthcoming war!"
The Luvic noble leaders conversed with each other, showering Emperor Alex with generous praise for his insightful thinking.
Meanwhile, Arthur chuckled inwardly at the straightforward response and admired Emperor Alex's shrewdness.
"It seems you've encountered quite the challenge this time." Arthur crossed his arms, curious to observe Diargan's reaction, who now wore a displeased expression.
"You are indeed incredibly wise, Your Highness," Diargan responded with utmost politeness, swiftly concealing his annoyance.
With a deep bow of apology, Diargan uttered, "I'm sorry, Your Highness, the Emperor."
Following his words, Diargan settled into his seat with poise, elegantly fanning his face.
Julius, on the other hand, was thoroughly taken aback by Diargan's swift change in demeanor.
His eyes widened with panic as he observed the unfolding scene before him.
Regrettably, Diargan appeared entirely indifferent to Julius's existence, not sparing him even a passing glance.
"You!" Julius couldn't believe what he was witnessing and gritted his teeth at Diargan's dismissive attitude.
Struggling to maintain his composure, he looked up at Emperor Alex, but to his dismay, the Emperor appeared entirely unconcerned about him!
"Damn! This time, I'm truly in dire straits!" He cursed inwardly.
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