Anthony, Acting Duke of Cafeter.

Anthony Cafeter was the heir to one of the few remaining dukedoms in the Empire, ruling a noble family with a heavy burden on his shoulders. Due to the immense responsibilities and workloads, he had been preparing to take over the duchy since childhood, amassing countless hours of education and practical experience.

That was the case, until the Duke of Cafeter abruptly ditched his estate and galloped off to become a knight.

“Oh dear, that must have been quite awkward…”
“Well, it wasn’t too bad. I was a bit flustered at first, but I got used to it… Of course, even after all this time, there are still aspects I’m clueless about, so it’s all about learning on the job… Being a ‘deputy’ means I have to deal with some extra paperwork, too… haha.”

Maybe that’s why Anthony had dark circles under his eyes that were reminiscent of the ‘chief mage.’

In between his sentences, he occasionally frowned and rubbed his tired eyes.

“I came to see you because I heard you might be in touch with my father… the Duke.”
“Excuse me?”

“You wrote my father’s travelogues… and there are several accounts of him being spotted whenever you hosted events… So I thought if I found you, perhaps I could find my father, too.”
“Ah.”

Contrary to Anthony’s expectations, it wasn’t like I could signal the Duke of Cafeter just because I wanted to.

Sure, the Duke sometimes popped by out of the blue, but I couldn’t think of a single way to track him down. Well, maybe the Magic Tower might have a clue.

“Unfortunately, I also don’t have a way to contact Duke Cafeter.”
“Is that right? Sigh…”

Letting out a long sigh, Anthony squeezed his eyes shut, looking as if he was about to pop a vein.

Then, he spoke in a frustrated tone.

“I really hope my father comes back soon…”
“Hmm, I understand you’ve been running the estate well for nearly a decade… but is there a rush to find the Duke?”

“…The Empire is holding a qualifying inspection this year. I’ve been putting it off, but at this rate, the ‘Cafeter noble family’ will just be a relic in the heraldry. The Imperial Family and the Central Council are eagerly eyeing to centralize all the estates…”
“Ah, I see.”

“Of course, the Empire will buy the fiefs from the families for a fair price, and there are ways for Cafeter’s estates to become independent. However… the subjects of the estates probably don’t want independence, and the Empire won’t tolerate such nonsense. I… I don’t want my incompetence to lead to the end of my family’s legacy.”
“Well, given that the Duke expected to manage the duchy has been off gallivanting for ten years, I can imagine the Empire’s trust in the Cafeter family’s qualifications is shaky.”

“Nope.”
“What?”

“It’s not that. Even if my father had gone AWOL for a hundred years instead of ten, if a capable person had managed the estate and made it prosper, the Empire would’ve kept the dukedom. The Empire’s authority can’t overshadow the lives of the subjects. It’s solely my incompetence that got us here.”
“…….”

“I’m worse than my father. Lately, I’ve made even more blunders than when I first took over the estate. I’ve signed documents I can’t even recall doing, lost my cool with the administrators for no reason while we were slogging through tough times, and had communication screw-ups with the bureaucrats because I couldn’t read properly… Yes, I’m that incompetent.”

Duke Anthony Cafeter lamented, clutching his chest in self-reproach.

His tightly closed eyelids fluttered, revealing the toll it was taking on him.

“You’re sleep-deprived.”
“…What?”

“Memory loss, forgetfulness, spontaneous irritability, difficulty concentrating, excessive anxiety… these are all symptoms of a sleep deficit.”

This guy.

To anyone looking, he seemed like a diligent workaholic, burning the midnight oil every night.

“How are you sleeping lately?”
“…I’m getting enough. About four hours a night…”

“Huh.”

You’ve been surviving on four hours of sleep a day for ten years?

Even basic repetitive workers would crack under those conditions.

“Hey, Anthony.”
“…Yes.”

“You’re going to drop dead.”
You really will.

I know because I’ve been there.

People do.

If you work without sleep, you end up pushing up daisies!

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[The lion wiped his tears with the end of his tail and said, “When something dangerous happens, my heart races.”]
[“Must be a heart condition,” said the Tin Woodman.]
[“Maybe you’re right,” replied the lion.]

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As I explained the importance of sleep, Anthony argued that it was nonsense.

“Ha, but my father handled everything perfectly without sleep. He pulled several all-nighters preparing for events and was always full of energy; it’s just that I’m a lazy bum—”
“Isn’t Duke Cafeter a superhuman?”

“I’m a knight before I’m a nobleman.”
“Just because you practice swordplay and bulk up doesn’t mean your mind will be in top shape.”

“But…”
“First, get some good sleep. For a few days. Same time every day. At least eight hours.”

It’s common sense that you can’t do anything well without sufficient sleep. The idea that “eating well and sleeping well is good for your health” is timeless.

The issue arises when many people view ‘health’ and ‘mind’ separately.

Even in the 21st century, amidst advances in sleep medicine, there are still many who confidently proclaim, “You can sleep four hours and still ace your studies to get into college.” Many fail to differentiate between concentration and sincerity.

Sure, sincerity is a virtue….

But virtues don’t guarantee effectiveness.

“Well, I’m healthy. I get regular blessings from the Bishop Priest of Cafeter… and I always have potions from the alchemy shop stashed.”
“And you’ll really feel it one day.”

In my past life, I was like Anthony—thinking, “I’m healthy enough, I’ll manage,” then keeling over from burnout. Caffeine and taurine won’t save your life.

Once more, let’s state the obvious.

People die when they don’t sleep.

“Well, I’ll think about it, but first I need to handle some urgent matters of the estate… and if I can find time, maybe sleep a little more…”
“…….”

“Besides, I’m the lord of the estate, right? If I clock out later than the bureaucrats, that’s just shirking responsibility… Everyone’s in this together, and I feel it’s a time for effort, but, honestly, my skills are lacking, so please don’t worry too much about my health…”
“…….”

“Oh, and if you get a chance to reach my father, please tell him to return to the estate ASAP. I beg you…”
“…Duke Cafeter mentioned that you, Anthony, have sufficient capabilities to rule the estate.”

“Haha… My father overestimates, as all parents see their kids as budding geniuses.”

Well.

I haven’t interacted with Duke Cafeter often, but the Duke I know isn’t one to exaggerate assessments.

If anything, he could never be a Don Quixote.

He sees reality exactly how it is, which is why he’s traveled half the world and set sail for the stars in search of bigger and deeper truths.

So, his opinion of his son isn’t too far-fetched.

“Phew… I see.”

However, it’d be overstepping to offer more unsolicited advice.

Eventually, I nodded.

“If I have the chance to see Duke Cafeter, I’ll be sure to pass on your message.”
“Yes! Thank you!”

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[“But that’s not right; the king of beasts mustn’t be a coward.”]

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The territory of Cafeter. The bedroom of Anthony, Acting Duke of Cafeter.

Seated on his bed with a few papers scattered on his nightstand, Anthony finished his work and summoned his servant.

“In exactly four hours… wait, I’m running a bit late. Wake me up in three hours.”
“Yes, understood.”

The servant nodded, as though this was a routine order.

Once the servant exited the bedroom, Anthony lay back, closed his eyes, and attempted to sleep, replaying in a dreamlike haze the conversation he’d had with Homeros that day.

– “A man dies without sleep. Sleep deeply for several days. At the same time each day. At least eight hours.”

He was fully aware of his sleep deprivation.

His head felt foggy all day long, he could suddenly doze off while walking, and his head constantly ached.

But he was the lord’s deputy.

If he let his work slack merely because he was sleep-deprived, the load on the bureaucrats working below him would multiply drastically. An overburdened bureaucrat would mean mismanagement in administration, and ultimately, the duchy would collapse and be swallowed by the Empire.

Therefore.

Even if it meant keeling over one day.

He had to stay awake.

– “For the subjects to enjoy a restful night, the lord must always remain awake. That’s the responsibility of a ruler.”

He had seen it. Anthony had seen it.

Ever since Anthony’s mother, the Duchess of Cafeter, lost her life to a monstrous incursion…

Duke Cafeter had kept vigil each night with wide-open eyes.

For years.

Not for one single day, nor a single hour, did he ever lay his head down to rest.