My wife is an immortal black snake.

Page 43

"Mr. Yang Hao?"

"No, it's nothing, I'm just thinking about something."

"Is that so? Then regarding the upcoming reforms, I plan to do this..."

I'll... farm for a few years, develop my strength, and when my military power surpasses yours, I'll replace you...

Yang Hao sighed heavily. The fact that the emperor had his eye on him was putting a lot of pressure on him.

He decided to turn his stress into motivation and focus on his work first.

Meanwhile, Kosicche was also carrying out his work in his audience chamber.

The intense exercise last night resulted in her not being in a good mental state today... but not being in a good state is not good either, since there's actually nothing important to do today.

Aside from daily political affairs, decisions regarding upcoming business activities, and arrangements for the migration routes of the mobile cities after the autumn harvest, Kosiché is most concerned with the intelligence brought to him by the Scales who go out on missions.

"The Emperor's Imperial Guard... Sigh. They're here?"

“Yes. One squad of guards is heading to your city, sir, and the other is in Duke Nikolai’s city—the Emperor seems to be searching for something.” The Serpent Scales’ voice sounded somewhat distorted through the communicator. “We received information that they appear to be investigating some cult incident.”

"It's not directed at my husband?"

"Yes. Lord Yang Hao does not seem to be their target—but the direction the deep-sea hunters are heading from the east into Ursus seems to be your duchy, Lord Kosichä."

"Those coastal hunters...what is their purpose?"

"I don't know. We can't make contact with them. There are about 10 of them, and if we're not mistaken, they are all well-trained veterans. And they don't look like they're fleeing, but rather searching for a target."

"...I understand. That's fine. Continue gathering intelligence, focusing on the Deep Sea Hunters' team."

"Yes."

The news that the snake scales brought to Koschke was not good.

At least that's how it seemed to her. It was indeed a good thing that the emperor's guards were searching for clues about a cult—but the problem was, there were no cultists in my territory, so what were they doing searching here?

While Kosichrie didn't care about the emperor's actions—after all, it was for the strength and stability of Ursus—if this emperor really intended to steal the partner I'd finally found… I could easily find someone else, right? He's just an emperor, isn't he? Isn't my husband more capable than you?

...Of course, Koschitch is only thinking about it for now. As for those deep-sea hunters, they really pose no threat to her... Besides this information, what she cares about most right now is the expansion of the audience hall.

Thanks to the recent lull in work, Kosicche is finally able to expand the audience chamber.

She planned to add another throne here, a throne equal to her own. This throne might not be used often, but it would be proof of her love for him.

She hopes her husband will like the new chair that's coming soon.

Watching the craftsmen carrying materials coming in through the gate, Kosiché thought to himself, "Today's work is over."

Chapter 6 Reform Completed in June

"call..."

"Sir? Would you like to rest for a while?"

"Yes, but you don't need to go back. Just sit here for a bit..."

noon.

After finishing his work with Mr. Joseph and witnessing the progress of the national policy numbers move back a little further, Yang Hao left the administrative office wearily and, accompanied by Monica, went to a bench in the courtyard of the residential area.

He felt very hungry, but he was more concerned about the fatigue caused by mental stress than his hunger.

...

"Sir, please have this." Monica handed him a bottle of green beverage. It was good for restoring physical strength, but it couldn't relieve mental stress.

"Thank you... Monica? Could you prepare some food for me? Anything is fine; I need to work a bit more after I eat." At least it would make him feel better. With that thought in mind, Yang Hao took the drink and downed it in one gulp.

Yes. But please take care of your health...

Monica simply nodded in response to Yang Hao's request. Before leaving, she signaled to the snake scales that had been following them nearby to come and protect Yang Hao.

...

The reason Yang Hao was so concerned about mental pressure was that he had once again realized the limitations of human lifespan.

Unlike before, when Yang Hao couldn't find the method to immortality, he could fool himself with the excuse that "maybe I'll find it next time?" But now he not only found the method to immortality, but also knew how to do it—knowing these things actually increased his mental burden and made him even more mentally exhausted.

“Phew… After the first ninety days, it’ll be the next ninety days. The Pentagon, an administrative marvel, will take five years to build, and even if those schools start construction at the same time, it’ll still take several years… Then there’s the Four Seasons Hotel in the Gulag to suppress the mischievous devils… that’ll be several more years.” Yang Hao sat on a bench, looking at the bottle in his hand, sweating profusely as he muttered to himself. “Then research… that Wendigo scholar hasn’t arrived yet, but even if he does, some technological research starts in years… some decisions also… Damn, the more I think about it, the more annoyed I get. How many years do you have in a lifetime? I can’t spare the time for these things, I can’t focus my energy on my method of immortality…”

Through his conversation with Joseph, Yang Hao unlocked many useful events, resolutions, and national policy trees. However, all those additional things gained through his conversation with Mr. Joseph shared a common key factor:

He needs to be present [to work] in order for progress to proceed. In other words, when he decides to use those new gadgets to benefit his territory... he can't spare the time and energy to find something that can grant him immortality.

This is... a very fatal factor. According to the information Yang Hao has gathered so far, he needs a full 10 years for the Duchy of Kosiché to weather this economic crisis [assuming nothing goes wrong in between], and then he will need another 20 years or so, divided into five 5-year plans, to improve people's livelihoods, develop civilian and military industries, and research and develop high-tech industries.

In these 35 years, he could only spare a maximum of 5 months to carry out the preliminary work for his "immortality"... But the problem is, it takes about a month to travel from the Duchy of Kosiché to the nearest coast, doesn't it?

What can be done in the remaining four months? Even [String] might not be able to complete the collection, and sending Snake Scale and the others out would be pointless... Besides, he's already 28 years old. In 35 years, he'll be 63, a decrepit old man...

This is just too—

It's so annoying.

It's like having a cake in front of you, but being told that you either eat the hundred cakes first, or ignore the cakes and eat the cake, then wait for the bakery to go bankrupt and there will be no cakes left to eat.

This is far more infuriating and frustrating than simply telling someone they can't eat cake. And for Yang Hao, he's the owner of this bakery—he can't just eat the cake and watch his business go bankrupt; he has a responsibility to his shop, his wife, and his family...

Ugh...it's so painful!

He sighed heavily, and then, after being gently nudged, he came to his senses and found that the head maid had already prepared the meal and was now standing behind him.

“Sir, this is toast and the corresponding sauce,” Monica said, carrying the tray. “And this is—a cold dish to help you recover from your fatigue.”

"A cold dish? Hmm...it looks like pickled cucumbers?"

"I suppose so. But making these cucumbers does have the effect of relieving mental fatigue—when you were working with Mr. Joseph, your mental stress was constantly rising, wasn't it?"

"...Hmm. You can tell?"

“After all, I was your maid for a while.” Monica smiled, but after watching Yang Hao spread caviar on the toast and eat it, her smile turned serious. “Besides… I personally don’t want you to keep bottling up your mental stress. You need to find a way to release it.”

"But I don't want my mental stress to affect other people, not even my family... Business matters should be handled professionally, and personal matters should be handled privately... Even for you, Monica, if someone suddenly took their anger out on you for no reason because they were in a bad mood, wouldn't you feel good?"

“...Indeed. But if you can explain the reason clearly before getting angry with me, then I can personally tolerate it.” Monica finished speaking, then added quietly to herself: It’s not like I can’t handle that aspect either.

“But I don’t want that. You are a maid I trust, and I don’t want my maid to feel offended because of my own affairs… Oh well, that’s fine.”

Yang Hao helplessly gestured to Monica to stop asking questions. He could still handle the current mental pressure.

......

Meanwhile, after finishing his work, the Duke of Kosice began to envision his next steps.

"Hmm... if nothing unexpected happens, my husband has been handling most of the work lately... This won't do. Although it's his own choice, I can't let him do all the work..." She muttered to herself as she organized essential work information in the secret meeting room of the audience hall. "Sigh. But can I help? Thinking about it carefully, I don't have my dear husband's abilities. It seems that all I can do in his work is offer support and not cause any trouble?"

Koschke was very clear about her position. She knew that although she was very capable, her abilities were not as useful as her husband's.

Her ability is to live forever by replacing bodies. Then, combined with her wisdom and experience, she can effectively handle most political matters, thus ensuring the prosperity of the nation and race of Ursus.

but.

This doesn't mean that Koschke is capable of handling the work that her husband is in charge of.

She knew perfectly well that Yang Hao's abilities were far beyond her reach. The ability to simplistically categorize people's needs into a few numbers; the ability to promote emerging technologies without cost or obstruction from those who benefited from the old era; the ability to manipulate people like puppets, even to the point of having their every action clearly visible on a map...

Kosic was content, taking it all for granted. He willingly accepted that he was inferior to him.

Even if you remove the filter of him being her beloved husband, it's still the same—his "puppet stage" is just too powerful... Koschke has never been so grateful that he is her husband.

But then again.

"...My husband is very capable, but that's not a reason for me to push everything onto him. I need to see what I can do...I'm not the kind of woman who will sit back and reap the rewards."

Ability is one thing... but it doesn't mean that ability equals responsibility.

Yang Hao possesses this ability, but that does not mean he has the responsibility to be accountable for his entire territory or the entire land of Ursus.

So Kosiché's idea was to use an "exchange" to get her husband to provide more help while she could do things he liked for him.

Of course, this doesn't refer to nightlife every night. That's a different matter.

But what can I exchange for? No...

Do I really understand what he wants?

Kosichrie suddenly realized that she didn't understand her husband at all, so much so that she didn't know how to make him happier.

Although she thought she had a long time to get to know her husband... upon closer reflection, wasn't that a bit too arrogant?

“...I seem to be...no, I’m definitely still viewing my husband through the lens of an immortal being.” Kosiché frowned, sitting on the sofa, looking at the intelligence and plans laid out on the table in front of him, muttering to himself. “...Even though he hasn’t taken any action related to immortality yet...how could I presume to think I would have a long time to understand him?”

...Kosiché realized that Yang Hao was still a short-lived mortal.

His will was not like that of an immortal being, eternally aged, or unchanging. He was still a short-lived mortal... Naturally, the transformation in his thinking would be faster and more intense than he had anticipated.

He might be fine this month, and seem quite cheerful when he talks. But what about next month?

What if next month, he's dissatisfied with the actual results from the Gauls and gets sullen? Kosicé certainly won't, because I've lived long enough that I don't care about such "minor" mistakes...

And what about my husband? My husband is even deepening his relationship with Monica and Paul the Serpent. He doesn't see them with the perspective that an immortal should have. He's still just a mortal... He can only see the people around him through the lens of the mortal world.

He'll be bothered by small mistakes, he'll be bothered by the departure of someone close to him, he'll become depressed or even change his personality drastically because of it... So where does your confidence come from that you think you'll have a long time to get to know him?

If he changes now and no longer likes the food he used to eat, will I still be able to know what he used to like to eat?

If he chooses to forget the past because the blow is too great, will I still have the chance to find out what kind of life he lived in the past?

What if he dies soon? When I'm grieving, will I still be able to recall his whole being, his soul, and everything he did?

......

Koschke gained a deeper understanding of his past arrogance—an arrogance he shouldn't have shown towards his partner. Fortunately, it wasn't too late to recognize the seriousness of the problem.

“…Let’s ask her properly tonight.” Kosichelle breathed a sigh of relief, after all, she could solve this problem. “We don’t really know each other that well. Although we’re husband and wife… in reality, we’re not like a truly intimate couple who know each other inside and out.”

...

And then again.

Kosichello did hope to use this opportunity to strengthen her relationship with her husband.

To avoid the trouble that little blood demon might cause her when it comes.

...... ......

at the same time.

It is about 20 to 40 days' journey to the Duchy of Kosiché.

The leader of the deep-sea hunters is leading her trusted followers on a trek through dangerous wilderness.

Just half an hour ago, they encountered a swarm of Originium worms and hordes of pests. After easily annihilating them all with their weapons, they nearly lost their way.

Fortunately, the leader knew how to orient themselves and knew where their target was. But the problem was, the leader hadn't told them what their exact goal was, besides finding a way for the deep-sea hunters to survive.

Is it a monster? Or an ordinary person? Is the goal to kill it, or something else?

“Sonia. Can we really find a way to save our people?” A deep-sea hunter wielding a strange battle axe asked the leader calmly. “Everyone came here because they believed in your prophecy. But… this is too far inland.”

"...Believe me, our target is Ursus." The deep-sea hunter known as Sonia shook her head. "If we don't find them...we'll all die in the deep sea sooner or later, along with those monsters and the minions of those madmen."

"...We believe you."

"Just keep on your way."

...

The deep-sea hunters continue their journey.

Not far away, Duke Kosiché's serpent scales were also watching the arrival of these uninvited guests.

Chapter 102

On the afternoon of the 6th.

After Yang Hao finished his work, had a brief chat with Miss Teresa the Pony from Kazimierz about [future compensation], and returned empty-handed... he felt his frustration growing even stronger.

For no other reason than that through today's work, he realized once again that human life has its limits, and an ordinary person simply doesn't have that much time to deal with so many trivial matters!

"Phew... I have to, I have to figure out what can be done simultaneously, and what must be done one at a time, and what's urgent..."

Here we must mention the three major benefits that Yang Hao's [Puppet Stage] brings him—namely, the differences in national policy trees, resolutions, and events.

He can only select one [National Policy] at a time and let it accumulate progress little by little over a long period of time. Only after completing the prerequisite National Policy can he unlock the next National Policy and bring new effects.