Episode 77

Even though a major upheaval had occurred with the change of the emperor, the atmosphere in the imperial palace wasn’t as grim as one might expect.

Perhaps it was because so many people had been hoping for the ousting of Isaac II.

Even as an outsider, I could clearly sense this mood, so surely others were feeling it too.

“But this is just the beginning, not the end.”

Alexios, who would soon ascend the throne, responded to my musings. Dressed in the regal attire befitting an emperor, he looked somewhat awkward, a stark contrast to just yesterday.

“Though the Senate has acknowledged me, the citizen representatives will soon come to the palace to demand a Q&A session. My wife, Euphrosyne, is handling the senators well, so I can leave that to her. But the provinces… that’s another matter.”

The current state of the Byzantine Empire was far from ideal.

In this era, no state had perfected the form of absolute monarchy. The Byzantine Empire came close, but feudal structures still lingered.

Provincial leaders pledged loyalty to the emperor, but they expected rewards in return. Isaac II, however, was more interested in selling offices than properly managing the provinces.

With defeats in war and failed rebellions, who would willingly pay taxes under such circumstances?

Fortunately, we managed to oust Isaac II three years earlier than in the original timeline, preventing the situation from becoming irreparable.

Potential rebels and influential figures who might have broken away from the central government hadn’t yet taken action. Most were still testing the waters.

“Your Majesty, you should first work on addressing me with the proper respect.”

An emperor should speak with the authority befitting his position. Although Alexios, being of royal blood, was well-versed in etiquette, he found it difficult to speak formally with me.

“Ah… it’s just that addressing you informally feels a bit… you know, like how King Saul respected the prophet Samuel in the scriptures.”

“True, but I am to become your son-in-law. You must establish your imperial dignity.”

“Hmm, you’re right. I mean, you are right. I’ll have to speak like this from now on. By the way, didn’t you say you had something to discuss with me?”

“Yes. While I trust you will govern well, there is one matter that must be addressed.”

In modern evaluations, Alexios III is seen as a capable leader who could have revitalized the declining Byzantine Empire. However, he made one critical mistake: releasing Isaac II’s son, Alexios IV.

In the original history, Alexios IV, driven by revenge, brought in the Crusaders, promising them impossible terms and marching on Constantinople. This led to Alexios III being ousted and the Byzantine Empire effectively collapsing.

After this, the empire never regained its former glory.

To control the unpredictable Islamic forces of this era, the Byzantine Empire must remain stable. At the very least, it should recover to the strength it had during the Komnenos dynasty.

“Your Majesty, what are your plans for the former emperor?”

“Though he is my brother, he must be punished. I plan to put him on trial and make him pay for his crimes. Perhaps… he will be blinded.”

Traditionally, in Rome, those who were physically impaired were considered unfit to be emperor. Thus, deposed emperors were often blinded or had their noses cut off.

This much is acceptable.

“And what about Isaac II’s children?”

“I was thinking of confining them…”

“That won’t do. As harsh as it sounds, Isaac II’s son is a seed of discord.”

Even though the current European climate wouldn’t support sending Crusaders to Byzantium, Alexios IV had caused too much trouble. He could still find a way to weaken the empire in ways I couldn’t foresee.

Alexios sighed and nodded in agreement.

“Then it can’t be helped. For the future of the state, I’ll follow your advice.”

“Thank you. I’m confident you’ll handle the rest well.”

If someone is capable on their own, there’s no need for me to offer clumsy advice.

Indeed, Alexios shared his plans for financial stabilization and provincial management, which were far more rational than anything imaginable during Isaac II’s reign.

If only he had been emperor from the start, history might have taken a completely different turn.

As our discussion wrapped up, Alexios pushed aside the pile of parchments and took a moment to relax. After a brief pause, he changed the subject.

“Speaking of which, we should plan the wedding. Do you have any thoughts?”

“I imagine the princess has more thoughts on that than I do. After all, she’ll be leaving the place she’s known all her life.”

“I wonder about that. Couldn’t you just stay here and establish your position? As you know, I have no sons. You understand what that means, don’t you?”

“Your Majesty, that’s precisely why I cannot stay here.”

Surely, Alexios, with his sharp mind, had considered what I was implying. Yet, his suggestion revealed his reluctance to let me go, perhaps also reflecting his desire to keep his beloved daughter close.

“True, you’re not a Roman. But what does that matter? You’re destined to unite the Orthodox and Catholic churches, to become the center of Christian civilization. If you were to rise in Rome, the citizens would welcome you with open arms.”

“That might be fine, but having a non-Roman as their emperor is a different story.”

While nationalism hadn’t fully taken root in the Middle Ages, exceptions existed. Even Zeno, considered the first Byzantine emperor, faced issues due to his Isaurian heritage.

Moreover, I was born in France, with no ties to Byzantium. Despite being a Christian leader, my roots in Catholicism could be a stumbling block.

Staying here and becoming emperor could provoke significant backlash.

“Your reasoning is sound. But that’s the standard for ordinary people. If you stay and deliver God’s word, making this nation great again, I assure you, the citizens will line up to make you the next emperor.”

Alexios wasn’t entirely wrong. If I truly helped him restore Byzantium to its former glory, my origins wouldn’t matter.

But that’s a possibility. If the new emperor doesn’t bring dramatic change, the blame might unjustly fall on me.

I calmly explained why I needed to return to my domain.

“Your Majesty, because I’m not the usual case, I must keep my distance for now.”

“Hmm?”

“No matter how divinely inspired I am, the country won’t change overnight.”

“That’s true.”

Any policy takes time to show results.

“Even if you redistribute Isaac II’s wealth, lower taxes, and stabilize the provinces, it will take at least a year. During that time, I shouldn’t be by your side.”

“Ah… I see what you’re getting at.”

Finally understanding my point, Alexios nodded slowly.

“Indeed, it might not be wise for you to appear too involved in governance right now.”

“Yes. Some might suspect you orchestrated Isaac II’s downfall with my help. In fact, there are probably already conspiracy theories circulating.”

Though the rebellion was executed cleanly, its very smoothness led some to suspect it was staged. Of course, what coup isn’t orchestrated to some degree? But my divine guidance must remain above suspicion.

I must maintain an image of being aloof from politics.

“Politics is difficult. Balancing public opinion while dealing with such nonsense…”

“To truly be a great politician, one must be able to sway public opinion to their will.”

“Yes, I’ll work on that. In any case, I understand why you can’t be by my side for now. But since you said ‘for now,’ does that mean you plan to return?”

“It would be a lie to say I don’t. I’m sure you also wish to keep your daughter close.”

To be honest, I’m a bit worried too. How will the princess, who has lived her entire life in Constantinople, adapt to my domain?

The gap between Constantinople and a French provincial estate in this era is vast. It’s like comparing Seoul to a remote countryside.

If I take her away and she struggles to adapt, falling ill or worse, it would be unfortunate. Resentment could build, even if it’s unintentional.

“I suppose I should discuss this with the princess.”

It seemed unlikely, but if she started crying and insisting she couldn’t possibly live in a backwater like Western Europe, things could get complicated.

Even if she didn’t voice her complaints, it was clear she might have some, so I figured it was best to smooth things over in advance.

However, there was one major obstacle…

‘How on earth do you comfort a woman?’

In my past life, I was a gaming addict, and now, as a revered prophet, I had no clue how to handle women.

I considered asking Fatima, but I suspected her answer would be predictable and a waste of time.

She’d probably just say that anyone who didn’t see the honor in being with me deserved to lose their head.

After racking my brain for a while, I turned to Alexios one last time before leaving.

“By the way, Your Majesty.”

“Hmm? Is there something else?”

“Do you know what might please the princess?”

Alexios looked up and stared at me intently.

With a peculiar smile, he replied, “Haha, I see you’re just a man like any other. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything. You just need to show up.”

“Thank you.”

I wasn’t entirely sure he understood my question, but I nodded and left the room.

The sound of his chuckling behind me felt oddly ominous today.