I wake up after a good night’s rest. The morning light shines down upon the room illuminating the dark walls and Isabella beside me. I get up and get dressed as quietly as possible in order not to wake her up.

Looking at her hands my back tingles, I have never had my back touched by another person. It feels too personal and vulnerable. Luca is waiting for me outside when I am done, he bows and follows behind me on my way to morning court.

“Do you think today will be different from yesterday?”

I sit down upon the throne within the courtroom. All the nobles of the court pay their respects to me before morning court begins. The court is split into three tables: The high nobles, the low nobles, and the petty nobles.

High nobles were landed elite who possessed prestigious titles such as archduke, duke, or count. The low nobles were all other nobles holding landed titles but were of lower rank than that of a count. The largest group was the petty nobles, these nobles held little to no land and their titles were mostly honorary.

Each table brings up issues and a list is created by a scribe. Once the issues of the day are listed the entire court voted on the important issues. The people of the court give passionate speeches for or against the policy in question. I merely watch the entire process. There is only one item I want ratified today: The national academy.

Most educational institutions are in control of the church and that doesn’t sit well with me. Creating an academy, even if just for the military, would allow me to take a small bit of control back from the church.

The issue of the national academy comes up.

“The idea of a national academy is preposterous! The church has done well to teach Arrians how to read, write, and understand philosophy. Why do we need an academy?” Giovanni gives an impassionate speech. I am fairly certain that he has a strong voting block within the court, he merely needs to convince a few people to side with him.

“Arrian military strategy is the most detailed and tested in the world. We should standardize these teachings. The current state of the army is bad. Some generals are good while others are absolutely atrocious.” A random noble argues. While everything he says is true his speech is rather dull and doesn’t evoke any kind of feelings.

I don’t even need to see the results to know the proposal will fail. I had hoped not to have to do this but I guess I have no choice. The only way for a failed proposal to pass is if I actively support it.

While it wasn’t commonly used it was a power I held. All nobility in Arria were merely subjects managing my estates and assisting in running the behemoth that is Arria. “The vote is 43 to 37, the national academy doesn’t pass.”

“Wait a moment.” I open my mouth. The entire room falls silent. While it isn’t uncommon for me to put in my opinion on matters I have never done anything like this before. “I believe this proposal has merit, allow me to look into it and bring it up at another date.”

“Of course, your majesty.” The scribe bows before beginning the next proposal. While I didn’t push through the reform the entire room knows that was merely to give them face. There will be no second vote on the matter, I will merely bring up the finished proposal and implement it without any vote.

The room fills with whispers as people glance at Giovanni. Nobody had expected me to take a policy against his stance on the issue. Especially when this stance is against the church. I ponder how much these people actually know about me. Perhaps I am merely a puppet to them, some figure head. Aside from this issue the rest of the court passes peacefully.

I walk into my study and begin designing the budget for the national academy, it will be the first of its kind and should not be cut short of any of the grandeur it deserves. It will be the gem of my reign.

I hear two knocks on my door and I call the person in. Looking up I see Isabella entering the study. “I heard about what happened earlier today...” My mood begins to drop, she clearly has a problem.

“And?”

“Y-you humiliated my father.”

“Did I? Let me ask you, my Empress, who is the emperor? Is it your father or your husband? I merely took a suggestion given to me by the low nobles.” I look up at her before looking back down towards the ledgers.

“But did you have to completely ignore him the entire court?!” She yells, I stare at my ledger but instead of words and numbers all I see is red. Did I treat her wrongly? I didn’t want this marriage, I was humiliated by Giovanni in this matter but does she care? I hardly did anything to him but humiliate him.

“Are you done? If you are you can leave, I am currently busy.” All I am seeing at this moment is red, I need to calm down before I do anything I will regret.

“You didn’t have to completely ignore all of his suggestions, he is my father and his suggestions weren’t bad.” She says before walking out the door, it is the most emotion I have sensed from her and in the end it was anger at me.

“Michael, are you alright?”

I hear Luca’s voice, he rarely calls my name. He must be worried and I do not blame him, I feel absolutely horrid. “It is nothing, ensure that nobody bothers me for the rest of the day. I have a lot of work to do.”

Funny that on my day of triumph I feel nothing but anger and defeat.