Chapter 13
“Do you have a good idea?”
“Hmm… I’m not sure if it’s possible, but how about giving them a test?”
“What kind of test?”
“A personality test? Or whatever you want to call it. Anyway, something like that. The empire has psychologists and philosophers, right? We could work with them to create a test paper. Then gather everyone in one place and have them take the test simultaneously.”
“Is that really possible?”
“Instead of giving fixed answers, we ask questions and let them choose from options like good, very good, bad, very bad, or average. Then the test creators analyze the results and produce a report. We just have to check that.”
Maynus nodded at my suggestion.
I wasn’t sure if this could be done here, but it was worth trying. From what Maynus said, there seemed to be hundreds of applicants.
How could Marten and Maynus possibly interview them all?
“…That sounds like a good idea.”
“Oh, really?”
I was glad my experience was helpful. This medieval world was definitely behind modern society in many ways, so such ideas were praised as brilliant.
Sell chicken? I don’t think they even have chicken here. Haha. I was daydreaming with newfound confidence.
“We should get started right away. Making the test paper and having them take the test would be faster than meeting all those people. Can you help with this?”
“Of course.”
He answered seriously.
“Maynus is the one who hired me, and I am…”
A slave to capitalism. I swallowed the rest and smiled.
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Maynus put me straight to work. It was making the test paper, and I felt hopeful it would turn out well. Haha. Maynus announced the test widely.
A personality test.
Who would have thought this could be possible in this world?
It took only a week to create and organize the test questions. Maynus spared no expense hiring famous scholars and psychologists. They gave the test a new name.
[The Veloce Test]
Haha, how embarrassing…
It felt like discovering a new planet and naming it. Anyway, it was fascinating. At least my name would be recorded in Jeremias family history.
The day of the test arrived.
People found the test itself fascinating, and some were displeased, but everyone took it. The emperor supported the test, so no one could refuse.
I looked forward to the results.
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The emperor called Maynus on the day of the Veloce Test. When I first told the emperor about the idea, he was interested and supported it, and now he had summoned Maynus.
Maynus looked at his cousin’s face, whom he hadn’t seen for a long time.
“Long time no see, Maynus.”
“Long time no see, Your Majesty. How have you been?”
The emperor nodded with a smile.
“Lately, I’ve been admiring your handling of the shipbuilding project again. I heard you devised a new test? I entrusted this project to you because I knew you wouldn’t be swayed by outside pressure.”
“…”
Maynus, who had only taken on a dumped task, was not much moved.
“Actually, Jeremias has enough money, so I didn’t think you’d take bribes.”
“Ah.”
Maynus gave a perfunctory response. The emperor, who had shifted all difficult tasks to Maynus with that excuse, wasn’t seen in a good light.
In the past, the emperor had pushed Maynus to marry Veloce to maintain ties with the saint Ellice. There were other reasons too. The emperor chuckled.
“But I heard someone played a big role in this. Lady Veloce devised the Veloce Test, right?”
“That’s right.”
Maynus agreed.
“It’s all thanks to me. I ordered you to marry Lady Veloce, so this could happen!”
That was a stretch. Maynus snorted. The emperor’s subtle gaze suggested he wanted something. Maynus sighed deeply. Why did it have to be with the imperial family? It would have been better if she were a complete outsider.
Maynus shook his head.
“What else do you want? Get to the point.”
“Hm.”
The emperor stroked his chin.
“I don’t want anything. I’m just curious because of the rumors. People say you and Lady Veloce might get married soon.”
“Huh?”
“Actually, it makes sense. You’re unmarried, and you allowed Lady Veloce to stay. It’s a natural rumor.”
“That’s not true. It could damage Veloce’s reputation. And she and I aren’t like that.”
Maynus said coldly.
The emperor was, simply put, at the top of noble society. And noble society valued individual honor above all. Rumors like that about Veloce were a bad sign for her.
“Are you really not involved? Then why did you let her stay?”
“Because I couldn’t throw out my fiancée Veloce and her baby in this cold winter. By the way, have you heard about Artemio’s inhumane behavior?”
“…What happened?”
“They kicked Veloce and the baby out on a snowy day. It was after Lady Ellice died. That’s like killing a newborn weak baby.”
“Did that happen? Hmm… You’re right.”
“Does the Artemio Count family have any responsibilities in the imperial projects? If so, it would be better to relieve them. How can someone with that character serve the country?”
Maynus nodded, and the emperor agreed. Though quiet now, after the snow stops and winter ends, the social scene would surely bring this issue up.
“Artemio made a huge mistake.”
They would be condemned among nobles. The emperor might abandon Artemio to avoid scandal.
“But Artemio is a saintly family. If they fall, the temple will object.”
The temple’s power was already weakened, and the chancellor was on edge. They wanted to avoid stirring up trouble.
“Let’s think of a solution.”
“What are they responsible for?”
“Not a huge task, but not small either. They’re in charge of establishing a large national healing center.”
The emperor sighed. He had only called Maynus out of curiosity about Veloce, but he felt like he had gotten a new problem.
“How about entrusting that to Veloce? She’s Artemio’s daughter, so the temple won’t object. And since she’s caring for Lady Ellice’s child, they won’t mind past issues.”
“Oh. That makes sense. Very well, do that.”
The emperor nodded. He looked at Maynus oddly. Maynus usually didn’t care about things not his own. If there were no problems for himself or his family, he wouldn’t bat an eye no matter who danced or sang nearby.
But Maynus was unusually attentive to Veloce. The emperor’s interest in her was rising.
“I want to see Lady Veloce. Can she come to the palace with you?”
Maynus studied the emperor’s intention. But the emperor’s smiling face showed no malice.
‘Would this help Veloce?’
Veloce had asked Marten if Delerone could inherit the dukedom Alexand was promised. It would be better to ask the emperor directly…
“Very well.”
Maynus agreed readily after calculations.
“Really?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. You’re not the kind to harm loyal citizens.”
“That’s true.”
The emperor nodded. Wait a minute.
“Are you saying if I were that kind of person, you wouldn’t have shown her?”
Maynus answered naturally.
“Yes.”
The emperor clicked his tongue.
Maynus didn’t know yet, but Veloce already held a special meaning for him. How that would develop, no one could guess.
