Chapter 74.1
Chapter 74.1
“Your Excellency, are you really not going to work?”
“No. Get out.”
“But even if you submit a leave of absence, you should discuss it with us first. You can’t just suddenly…”
“Get out.”
“Duke!”
No, he’s now the Minister of Defense and the Commander-in-Chief. The elderly Minister of Defense had thrown his resignation letter and retreated to his hometown as soon as he heard of the Duke’s victory.
He said he wanted to enjoy his retirement free from burdensome tasks. It was surprising how swiftly the old man moved. Naturally, the Duke Richard Aion became the next military commander.
To be the Commander-in-Chief at such a young age, not even thirty, was unprecedented in the empire’s history, except for the first founding emperor.
And now, Hughke, the adjutant and secretary to the illustrious Duke Aion, was pressing his furrowed brow with a sigh. The Duke, burdened with significant responsibilities and an overflow of work, had many aides, but Hughke was the one considered the Duke’s right-hand man.
Thin and bespectacled, he looked like a courtier in every sense of the word, but he had served under his elegant predator of a superior for over a decade.
He was known for his sharp mind, resourcefulness, and surprising sword skills and was a formidable figure within the military. He was a capable secretary—he handled both Richard’s military duties and family matters.
Hughke had always prided himself on serving Richard Aion Duke, a workaholic who was easy to serve.
Until the duke submitted a leave of absence and he saw him sprawled in his leather chair, counting dust in the air as if he were a teenager undergoing puberty.
What on earth happened on the battlefield? How did someone who was perfectly fine end up like this in just six months? A man obsessed with work, with no other hobbies, now behaving like a maniac?!
“This is a crucial time. The military is finally under Your Excellency’s complete control. Instead of consolidating power…”
“Hughke.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
Richard responded indifferently, trimming his nails, which he normally didn’t even glance at.
“The military is mine even without doing anything.”
It was an arrogant statement, but true. As the empire’s strongest knight, the Emperor’s sword, and his foremost vassal, who else but Richard could control the military?
It had been long predestined. Any objections about his age or the instability of his position (due to being unmarried, which was merely nominal) were now moot in the face of his overwhelming achievements.
Richard, the lionhearrt, had no real objections to the Senate’s advice, as he had vaguely expected to become the Commander-in-Chief upon marriage. Meeting Jasmine had only solidified that thought unconsciously.
Tch, a nail chipped. Richard furrowed his thick eyebrows.
Oh, not again.
“If you talk like that outside, it will cause big trouble.”
“Do you think I’m a child? The leave of absence has already been processed. Now, leave.”
When Richard waved him off like a fly, Hughke sighed deeply.
What’s with this belated teenage rebellion? Of course, he agreed Richard deserved a break. But a month or two, at most three, not a full year. There must be some internal change. He asked suspiciously.
“ Is there anything bothering you…?”
“Well, I haven’t been sleeping well lately.”
“Insomnia? Could it be post-war trauma?”
“If it were that, it would’ve happened long ago. It’s not my first time.”
Richard replied indifferently, covering his face with a book from his desk. Hughke, who had been racking his brain to reduce the leave period, glanced at the book’s title and rubbed his eyes.
Did I see that right? It’s a romance guidebook…
“Your Excellency, rest is good. But the aftermath of war requires a lot of work, and His Majesty will want you to command as usual. Public opinion is also at its peak…”
“Are you suggesting I use this time to strengthen my position in the Senate?”
When his master, turning a page, saw through his intentions, Hughke swallowed hard. Richard, noticing his ambitious aide, chuckled.
“Hughke, don’t be too anxious. Haste makes waste.”
“Yes…”
“You should trust your lord a bit more.”
Richard mumbled as he rested his chin on his hand, his face serene. Indeed, his social and professional achievements were at their peak. In the past, he might have felt a certain arrogant boredom, satisfied with how everything was progressing as planned.
The current results were not intentional but were unfolding faster than expected. This was something he would have appreciated before. Now, despite his calm exterior, he was a mess inside, as if he were on a battlefield.
“Yes, you shouldn’t be anxious.”
Anxiety and impatience are the main causes of failure. He had always known this. However, recently, he had lost his self-control. He had been growling and lashing out like a starving beast.
He hadn’t felt this way even in his teenage years; he felt like he had reverted to a child. He needed to be patient. Though he failed at it every moment, he had to keep trying.
Patience was the only weapon he had left.