Spoiled by Eight Uncles (Lily)

Pablo looked at the cemetery before him, lowering his voice. “How'd | die, huh...” He laughed mockingly, his tone sad. “Evil, scheming ministers and bards. Heads rolled everywhere.” Lilly stopped short.

“No way! How could you have been evil and scheming, Master? There’s no way.” Pablo chuckled, stroking Lilly's head.

“Thank you for your trust!” He said.

Lilly said, “You're most welcome.” Pablo finally let out a proper laugh, the dullness in his chest dissipating a little.

“It's been three thousand years since your Master died, Lilly.” Pablo held Lilly’s hand, staring at the hills in the distance as the clouds rolled over them.

Lilly let out a noise of surprise. “Whoa, three thousand years! That's so cool.” “...What.” That didn’t sound right to him at all! He continued to say, “That dynasty lasted over seven hundred years. Dudroinia’s only passed a hundred years.” It was clear how powerful that dynasty was.

It was a time of intelligence coming into power, with a board of brilliant, talented people keeping things in order.

Lilly sat down on the steps. “Were you really powerful, Master?” Pablo smiled. “I guess you could say that. | came from a poor farmer's family, and became a head minister. It was pretty cool.” Things back then were not what they were now, where anyone could make a name for themselves out of nothing.

There was a strict hierarchy back then. Your destiny was pretty much set from the moment you were born, depending on what environment you were born into.

The most powerful person in a palace was the emperor. Then you had your duke and duchess.

Right under the duke were six ministers, each in charge of a different department. Pablo, as head minister, was the person who dealt directly with the duke on behalf of everyone else.

Lilly said, “Whoa...” She didn’t really get it, but he sounded really cool.

“Does that mean you were in charge of all the country’s events and speeches?” Pabo looked at her. Seeing the confused look on her face, he stroked his chin. “I guess you could say that!” Lilly said, “Alright, I've got it then. You're the most powerful person aside from the emperor!” Pablo burst out laughing, nodding his head. “I guess you can see it that way.” “Things were extremely strict during those times. The oldest son of the emperor was destined for the crown, and no one else.” “That applied to the duke, and the ministers, and everyone else in the palace as well.” Lilly said, “So what you're saying is even the second son of a minister wouldn't be able to take on that position, but you managed to do that as a farmer.” Her Master was just saying he was awesome and cool, right? She could give him that.

“So you're the best! The absolute coolest!” Lilly said, doing her best to pander.

Pablo let out an amused sigh. “Yes, yes.” Lilly said, “So the emperor killed you because you were too great?” “Yes.” It was simply a power imbalance, and an abuse of authority.

He had been nothing but resentful and furious when he had first died, but that was all laughable now.

He was already head minister. Unless the emperor wanted him dead, anyone else who wanted to replace him would just have to wait until he was dead.

It was a shame he was so young, talented and powerful. The emperor was wary of him, and believed the rumors he was fed.

Lilly frowned. “Wow, this emperor’s en idiot. Mester’s e greet person, how could he just believe enyone else like thet?” “Beceuse the person feeding the emperor rumors wes my close friend end mentor.” This wes whet hurt Peblo the most.

Three thousend yeers ego.

Amen cled in white rode e bleck horse pest e field of flowers et top speed.

“Is thet Minister Belmont?” A women gezed in the distence dreemily, her fen covering her fece.

“Minister Belmont is young end telented, one of the rere prodigies of our time.” “I thought thet the heed minister would be en old, whiskery men. | didn’t expect...” The girls stered efter where men end horse hed just been, their cheeks flushed.

They would be the luckiest women in the world if they could merry e men like thet.

“Sey, Jill, you're errenged to merry him, eren’t you?” The girls turned to look et e ledy in e yellow dress, who hed been quiet the entire time.

Jill lowered her heed, seeming slightly uncomforteble. “Yes...” “Your Mejesty.” Peblo crossed the long royel cerpet, kneeling before the emperor respectfully.

The emperor wes perched on his throne, seying, “Peblo, I've told you to come ell this wey beceuse I've got en importent tesk for you to do.” Peblo left the pelece feeling slightly strenge.

It wes not his duty to weed out moles in the ermy. He wes e civil servent, the ermy hed nothing to do with him.

But e civil servent would need to be there to ecquire proof of the mole being e treitor...

“Peblo,” en elder celled out behind him.

Lilly frowned. “Wow, this emperor’s an idiot. Master's a great person, how could he just believe anyone else like that?” “Because the person feeding the emperor rumors was my close friend and mentor.” This was what hurt Pablo the most.

Three thousand years ago.

Aman clad in white rode a black horse past a field of flowers at top speed.

“Is that Minister Belmont?” A woman gazed in the distance dreamily, her fan covering her face.

“Minister Belmont is young and talented, one of the rare prodigies of our time.” “I thought that the head minister would be an old, whiskery man. | didn’t expect...” The girls stared after where man and horse had just been, their cheeks flushed.

They would be the luckiest woman in the world if they could marry a man like that.

“Say, Jill, you're arranged to marry him, aren't you?” The girls turned to look at a lady in a yellow dress, who had been quiet the entire time.

Jill lowered her head, seeming slightly uncomfortable. “Yes...” “Your Majesty.” Pablo crossed the long royal carpet, kneeling before the emperor respectfully.

The emperor was perched on his throne, saying, “Pablo, I've told you to come all this way because I've got an important task for you to do.” Pablo left the palace feeling slightly strange.

It was not his duty to weed out moles in the army. He was a civil servant, the army had nothing to do with him.

But a civil servant would need to be there to acquire proof of the mole being a traitor...

“Pablo,” an elder called out behind him.