Chapter 2 - Two Sides of Living History
Rewind time to when a certain custom was taking place in Willeron Palace in the Kingdom of Natra.
“—So you must be the new assignments.”
Speaking magnanimously from the head of the table was Crown Prince Wein Salema Arbalest. His assistant, Ninym Ralei, stood at attention by his side. They gazed upon the two men now kneeling before Wein.
“You may greet His Royal Highness,” Ninym prompted.
One of the men responded nervously. “I am Clovis, the newest member of the esteemed palace guard. It’s an honor and privilege for me to stand before the countenance of His Royal Highness…!”
Clovis let out a quiet sigh, relieved he didn’t falter.
The man next to him began his own introduction. “I-I will be researching f-farming methods, and… My apologies! M-my name is S-Salomon…!”
You idiot, Clovis thought, face paling.
Salomon grew white as a sheet and bowed deeply. After all, he’d just messed up his introduction to the person essentially leading the country.
Wein, however, spoke in a gentle voice to put them at ease.
“I’ve already heard about you, Salomon. You’ve done agricultural research in Cavarin, correct? I read several of your reports… An investigation on the damaging effects of repeated cultivation on arid land and how to rectify the harm early on. I found it quite fascinating.”
“Th-thank you…!” Salomon trembled, either from nerves or happiness.
Wein turned to the man next to him. “Clovis, aren’t you the younger brother of one of our soldiers, Karlmann?”
“Huh? Do you know my brother…?!” Clovis jolted. Karlmann was a common soldier. Clovis never dreamed the crown prince would ever remember his name.
“He fought in the war against Marden back when I first became regent. How could I ever forget? I’m thrilled to see his younger brother has been compelled to join us.”
“I…I…I have no words…!” Tears welled up in his eyes, overcome with emotion.
Wein nodded at the two men. “People are the foundation of a nation. Especially now, when we’re progressing so rapidly. I look forward to your service.”
““Y-yes!””
No other politician to walk this planet was so great. Clovis and Salomon thought it was fate that they were blessed with an opportunity to serve him, as they bowed.
“—Ha! Hook, line, sinker!”
“Um…” Ninym sighed.
As soon as the audience was over, a mischievous smile had broken out across Wein’s face.
“Sheesh. To think you were an honorable ruler just moments ago.”
“My magnanimity is expensive stuff. I gotta use it sparingly,” Wein replied with a shrug and smile. “Another raging success! I love this ‘More Loyalty Meet-and-Greet’ plan!”
Wein had established several customs since becoming regent. One of them was an interview with Wein for prospective employees, regardless of job or rank. Recruitment itself was handled by the head of Human Resources, and the interview with Wein wouldn’t change their employment status, as long as it wasn’t a total flop.
As for why this custom existed in the first place—
“We have to protect our brand as the royal family! By talking to them, I can satisfy their desire for my approval and make them feel like they belong! Nothing like a loyal heart to shackle a vassal!”
So it was all part of a performance.
“You know, most people wouldn’t dare say that out loud, Wein,” Ninym said, offering her candid advice, but she couldn’t argue with the outcome.
Royal families were often cut off from the public. At best, people could hope to catch a distant glance at the royalty during ceremonies and festivals. Vassals working in the palace might have more opportunities to see the royal family, but only the highest in rank would be able to exchange words with them.
Hence this interview. Speaking to Wein, who was as close to a god as a mortal could be, was an emotional experience that motivated the masses.
“It’s not just to boost the vassals’ morale. It’s also a chance for me to memorize all my staff. I’m killing two birds with one stone.”
“Your memory remains amazing…”
“Of course. And I should put my skills to use, instead of wasting them, eh?”
Wein had been born with an excellent memory. Anyone who could remember almost every name in their army of several thousand was no average person. Including full-time and part-time staff, a few hundred people were working at the palace. Compared to his troops, it was nothing. Except Wein also remembered very specific details about his employees, down to their hometowns and their personal history.
“I’m pretty sure I can promise other royal families aren’t doing the same thing.”
“Well, I just don’t get why they don’t,” Wein said with a shrug. “The palace is the heart of a nation and our home. It’s like they don’t care if strangers are running around all over the place.”
Wein was right. The palace was the core of the nation. The royal family lived there, and other people of status stayed there on occasion. It housed treasures and national secrets. Obviously, that meant its employees needed to be upright citizens with perfect track records. They couldn’t have suspicious characters lurking around the place.
Of course, Wein couldn’t patrol its grounds, even though he could remember faces. But if he knew exactly who set foot in the palace, it might come in handy in an emergency. At least, that was his theory anyway.
“It’s not that they don’t care,” Ninym explained. “They just can’t remember all their employees. And you claim you can memorize several thousand of them? Must be some kind of kink.”
“It’s not! I use a simple trick!”
“What trick?”
“I just record their face, name, physique, voice, and mannerisms in my mental Rolodex! Anyone can remember a few hundred people that way!”
“So it is a kink.”
“Gah,” Wein groaned at his vassal’s harsh appraisal.
Ninym continued, “Even if other royalty could remember all their staff, I doubt many would try. I mean, they’ll need time in addition to a good memory.”
“I get it. We’ve seen a surge in these meetings recently. Any more, and it’s going be hard to find the time.”
“I wouldn’t have believed you if you told me this months ago. To think so many people would want to serve Natra.”
The Kingdom of Natra used to be a triple threat in the worst way: no money, no human capital, and no resources.
But now? They’d won wars and come to possess new territory, a gold mine, and an ice-free port. Wein’s reputation was on the rise, too. It was like the iced-over signboard marking that the kingdom had thawed, attracting those interested in making names for themselves.
“Plus, we secured a deal to trade with Patura in the tropical South. And they threw in something to sweeten the deal: its sailors and manufacturing techniques. I see more people on the horizon.”
“You know, we practically wrestled this out of their hands.”
“But we both agreed to the terms, so we’re good!” Wein insisted, claiming he hadn’t done anything wrong.
Ninym had on a wry smile. “Suuure. In any event, Natra is on the up-and-up.”
Wein nodded. “Definitely. We’ve got more funds, people, and resources! I’m on top of the world! I have nothing to fear! Our administration is just getting started! And they all lived happily ever after!”
“—It would be nice if things wrapped up so nicely.” Ninym suddenly produced three letters. “We have to think about how to handle these.”
“We sure as hell do!” Wein looked at the letters and clawed at his head.
These letters were from Prince Demetrio, Prince Bardloche, and Prince Manfred, all related to the coronation ceremony that Prince Demetrio had announced the other day.
“It’s no easy task. Who would have thought he would announce that out of the blue?”
“Guess they’re really backed into a corner,” Wein assumed.
Wein was aware that Demetrio’s faction was crumbling, out of the three Imperial princes vying for the throne. The incident in Mealtars had been the catalyst, so Wein wasn’t exactly uninvolved.
Despite this, the eldest prince had suddenly announced a coronation ceremony. This was only supposed to happen once he’d settled things with the other princes. It was going to raise a few eyebrows if he deviated off course, but Demetrio must have realized the only way to remain in the race for the throne was to steamroll his way through it, seeing that his power was waning.
This plan involved the letter now in Wein’s possession. Its contents were simple. It was an invitation to attend the upcoming ceremony.
“Demetrio is just that kind of guy. He still sends me this damn thing, even when he’s not over what happened in Mealtars.”
“He has either reflected on his actions or doesn’t care what other people think of him.”
He must have also sent invitations to other influential foreign leaders. Attending the coronation ceremony would mean accepting Demetrio as Emperor. The more attendants, the more it secured his authority on a global scale. The prince was going to use this to legitimize his position as Emperor and make a comeback.
“And the other two letters are from the other princes,” Ninym said, holding up the envelopes.
Their contents were very similar. In essence, they proposed forming an alliance to keep an eye on Demetrio, so Wein wouldn’t be tricked by the eldest prince’s antics.
“So they want to keep tabs on me. A totally different approach from Demetrio, it seems.”
“I imagine the princes think they can handle Prince Demetrio on their own, so they’re trying to limit any foreign powers from interfering with their plans. I mean, especially if you stepped in the ring—no one would know what would happen.”
“Hey. You make me sound like bad news.”
“I know.” Ninym ignored Wein yowling that she was so mean. “Basically, if we join forces with Prince Demetrio, we’d be ahead of the game in establishing friendly terms with the next Emperor. If we take the initiative in this difficult situation and embrace the eldest prince as the next ruler, he’ll owe us when he ascends to the throne.”
“If he becomes Emperor,” Wein interrupted. “Demetrio took one final gamble with this announcement. It would be amazing if everyone accepted his invite, but if no one shows up to his coronation? Well, everyone in the Empire will know he’s got no one backing him and no right to the throne. And there’s no coming back from that.”
“You have a point. And if you join forces with him, you’ll become the enemy of the other two princes. So if the eldest prince fails to become Emperor, all we’ll have to show for our efforts is the ire of their new ruler. That’s a major disadvantage.”
“Which I’d love to avoid, if nothing else.” Wein groaned.
Ninym gave him a fleeting glance. “The disadvantage of accepting the requests made by the younger princes is that Prince Demetrio will hate us. And if he becomes their new ruler, we’ll become his enemy. I guess if we accept their request, though, it’ll give us the chance to observe things in the Empire from a distance and allocate our resources elsewhere.”
“I’m being worked to the bone these days. Maybe I should just sit back and enjoy the show.”
“Or maybe I should bury you in a mountain of work.”
“Ninym! What do you think I am? A miracle worker?”
“No. A pack mule.”
“So I’m not even human to you…?!”
Ninym assured him it was a joke. “To be honest, I think doing nothing is an option. Joining hands with Demetrio would only end poorly.”
“No kidding.”
Allegedly, Prince Demetrio had lost half of the supporters in his faction, compared to its peak membership. In the past, the power behind the three factions had been evenly distributed, so it was a tragic fall from power. It was reckless that he was going up against the other princes by attempting to pull off this coronation ceremony.
“—Still,” Wein said, “it’s too early for us to come up with a plan.”
Ninym was in agreement. “Not all the cards are on the table yet.”
Prince Demetrio. Prince Bardloche. Prince Manfred.
Wein and Ninym knew there was someone else working in secret in the fight for the throne.
“—Pardon me.” Someone had knocked. An officer stuck his head through the door. “An emissary of Princess Lowellmina’s has just arrived.”
Wein and Ninym exchanged looks and nodded.
“I’ll be right there,” called out the prince.
The official retreated, and Wein stood up. “Seems our missing card has exquisite timing.”
“What will Lowa do?”
“Well, I know she’s not about to sit back and watch the show.”
They’d have their answer soon enough. Ninym and Wein headed to where the emissary was waiting for them.
“It’s been a while, Prince Regent.”
Seated before them was none other than Lowellmina’s attendant, Fyshe Blundell.
“I’ve heard you’ve been breaking ground not only in the East and West, but the Southern Sea as well, Your Highness. From human to human, I’m constantly impressed by your competence. I pray for your continued success from the bottom of my heart.”
Wein nodded after Fyshe gave her formal greeting.
“I’m glad to see you in good health, too, Lady Blundell. You’ve made the trip many times, but I imagine it never gets easier. We’ve prepared for your arrival, so I hope you rest after our meeting.”
“I appreciate your hospitality.”
Fyshe smiled at him, and Wein smiled back—not because they had to do so to seem polite. These were genuine. Memories of days past resurfaced in their minds.
“Come to think of it, it’s been two years since our first encounter, Prince.”
“That long ago, huh?”
They had met right as Wein took up the position of regent. It had been totally unexpected, but a necessity when King Owen fell ill. His first order of business had been a meeting with Fyshe, an Imperial ambassador at the time.
“Things sure have changed, haven’t they?” Wein asked.
“Yes. If you told me about the current situation with Natra or my job, I don’t think I would have believed you.”
“It’s been some time since you started serving Princess Lowellmina… I’m curious. What do you think of her, Lady Blundell?”
“She’s wonderful, of course,” Fyshe answered honestly without a moment’s hesitation. “You know I, too, was once in a role deemed unfit for a woman, as an ambassador. I was told I was accomplished, but I think spending time by Her Highness’s side had made me realize what real accomplishment is.”
“You think highly of her. I’ve only seen her twice since I became regent, but it seems like she just keeps getting better and better.”
“Precisely. I think you can say her position and current situation are perfect to let her shine.” Fyshe broke into a tiny smile and then placed a finger to her lips to indicate this was just between them. “Of course, she’s only human. So she does have her cute moments. She recently made a fuss over her outfit.”
“Yeah? I’m listening.”
“Unfortunately, I can’t say any more.”
Ninym listened to their conversation from behind.
I see, she thought. Of course, this was just Fyshe’s personal opinion of Lowellmina, so it wasn’t fact…but at the very least, it seemed they had established a solid relationship. And Lowellmina had sent her prized subordinate to this remote location.
There has to be a deeper meaning behind this, Wein, Ninym said with her eyes.
I know, Wein replied silently.
Lowellmina had played a very important hand here. She must have thought she had something to gain, and she planned to walk away with it.
“—So I hear you have a message from Princess Lowellmina.”
When Wein broached this topic, the air seemed to freeze over. It marked the end of their relaxed reception. The real discussion was right about to begin.
“I imagine you’re aware that Prince Demetrio of the Earthworld Empire has declared a coronation ceremony will take place,” Fyshe started, correcting her posture. “Princess Lowellmina has insisted for some time that the fight for succession could be solved through discussion. This announcement, however, was made without consulting the other two princes.”
“I bet Prince Bardloche and Prince Manfred are fighting it, huh?”
“I’m afraid so. All three princes are getting ready to mobilize their troops. Lowellmina is fearful that war might break out between them, after we’ve managed to avoid it for all this time.”
I doubt she’s actually afraid, Wein thought, but he kept it to himself.
Fyshe looked at him. “It’s evident that the princes will start a civil war for their own sakes, without considering the fate of the Empire. To resolve this as soon as possible, I’ve come to request your aid.”
“I see…”
Honestly, it wasn’t what Wein had been expecting. He was under the impression that Lowellmina would try to stop him from meddling in their affairs, like the other two princes had done. Never in a million years would he have thought she would disapprove of her brothers’ behavior and demand Wein’s aid.
I did think she might ask for my help…but not to stop chaos from breaking out. That can’t be the whole story.
The truth was, they had assumed the real fight would come after Demetrio’s coronation.
After all, it was inevitable that Demetrio would fail. Even if he used all the resources at his disposal, everyone knew his coronation wouldn’t go as planned, and he would be forced to leave the political sphere for good.
The problem was what came next. Without their leader, Demetrio’s faction would be pawns for the taking. Since the size of a faction correlated to its influence, they would be targeted by Bardloche, Manfred, and Lowellmina. It all came down to who would be the first one to seize them. That was the real fight.
…Lowa wouldn’t want foreign entities to meddle in this either. Ninym was thinking things over behind Wein. If she asks for help from the wrong person, they could invade the Empire at a later time. But if she’s here to request aid, that means she has no other options…
Or maybe her goal was something completely different.
Wein and Ninym tried to suss out Fyshe’s expression, but a calm smile stayed plastered on her face. They couldn’t get a good look into her real intentions.
“…What kind of help do you want exactly?” Wein asked, probing deeper.
Fyshe answered without missing a beat. “I imagine you’re very busy. Of course, I understand that you work for the good of Natra, which is why we only have one request. We would be so pleased if you could declare your support for the princess, who wants to resolve this in a peaceful manner.”
Ninym made mental notes. So they don’t want us to get too involved. Hence why they want us to “declare our support” in name alone.
The support of Natra would have meant nothing back when Wein had just become regent. But things were different now. Fyshe was right. Natra was only on center stage because of Wein’s efforts. Now it would make a world of difference to have them supporting Lowellmina.
As a request, it’s perfectly inoffensive, Ninym concluded.
—Wein sensed something was off, however. It seems like too small a favor after traveling so far.
He didn’t imagine they would ask for his troops, but it just seemed anticlimactic, considering Lowellmina had played the best card at her disposal—Fyshe.
I feel like they’re after something else…but I don’t have enough to work off of to make a judgment call.
He knew he wouldn’t get an answer, even if he racked his brain. So he switched gears.
It’ll be high risk and high return if I join the eldest prince. If I wait things out with the other princes, it’ll be no risk and no return. And if I support Lowellmina: low risk, low return.
Those were his three options. If only there was an option for no risk and high return. But of course, nothing that good ever happened in life.
Wein’s and Fyshe’s eyes met, gazes unwavering, hiding their intentions. They faced each other with expressions as calm as windless stretches of water.
For just how long did they sit in silence? The tension in the room was so thick, you could cut it with a knife.
Wein suddenly broke into a small smile. “I understand your request. If that’s the case, I’d like to give my full support.”
Fyshe beamed. “Thank you, Prince Regent! I’m certain Princess Lowellmina will be pleased by the news. I imagine her followers will feel the same!”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Wein nodded. “But I wouldn’t get too excited yet, Lady Blundell.”
“Huh…? What do you mean?”
“I only said I’d like to give my full support. I never said I would.”
“Wha—?” Fyshe’s eyes widened. She immediately went on high alert.
Wein faced her. “I empathize with Princess Lowellmina’s wishes to settle things peacefully, as the regent of an ally nation and a sensible human being. But I have very little information on the princess and her faction. So it got me thinking: Maybe Princess Lowellmina is only telling us what we want to hear, while intending to incite more chaos in the Empire.”
“H-Her Highness would never…!” Fyshe almost leaped to her feet, but Wein raised a hand to stop her.
“Of course, I want to believe Princess Lowellmina is after peace. But history shows countless examples of ‘benevolent rulers’ who became tyrants over time, right?”
“Right, but…”
Lowellmina was asking Wein to invest in her because he believed in her. Wein was saying that he couldn’t do that, because he didn’t believe her. They were at a standstill.
Of course, Wein didn’t plan to halt negotiations. It was part of his strategy to turn her down at this stage to see how she would react.
Fyshe had expected Wein to try and shake her, so she made a show of thinking hard before speaking like she was making a big decision.
“If that is the case, please let me make one humble proposal.”
“I’m listening.”
“—Would you come see the princess in the Imperial Capital?”
“Hm?” Wein murmured.
Fyshe continued, “I understand your concerns, Prince Regent. I don’t think I can persuade you to believe the princess, no matter what I say here. Therefore, it’s my humble opinion that you should see and hear Her Highness for yourself.”
“Huh… I guess a conversation with her would be the quickest way of clearing my doubts.” Wein nodded before flashing her a grin. “And the rest of the world would interpret this meeting as proof that I’m taking Lowellmina’s side… Is that what you’re after, Lady Blundell?”
“Who can say? I can’t speak for the rest of the world.” Fyshe had on a brazen smile.
Wein observed her and seemed to be having fun with this. “Okay. If it’s no trouble, I guess I’ll be paying Princess Lowellmina a visit in the capital.”
“Ah…!” A smile broke out across Fyshe’s face. “Her Highness will be pleased by your visit, Prince Regent. I shall report to my homeland right away.”
“I’ll start preparing for departure as soon as we receive an answer… Seems we’re going to shake on this with a smile, just like last time, Lady Blundell.”
“As a citizen of the Empire, I’m honored I could help foster a new friendship between our nations, Prince Regent.”
Sure enough, Wein and Fyshe shook hands with smiles on their faces. This was the moment that it was decided that the prince of the Kingdom of Natra would be going to the Empire.
“—Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Ninym asked Wein in his office after their meeting with Fyshe. “You said so yourself, Wein. If we go there to meet her, we won’t just be showing our support. We’ll look like we’re joining Lowa’s faction.”
“I’m not okay with it, but I had no choice,” Wein said with a shrug. “It would be ideal if we could make the next Emperor owe us a big favor, so we could form an alliance with them.”
It would really suck if Wein sided with the wrong person before this decision was made. The safest bet would be to step in after a new Emperor was already on the throne.
“But things aren’t ever that simple,” Ninym commented.
“Right. The Imperial princess doesn’t want to owe any favors to other nations. More than that, they would hate to follow through on promises when they’re Emperor.”
It was obvious enough in the letters from the younger princes. They wanted to settle internal matters internally. There wasn’t a single nation that didn’t operate in this way.
“Demetrio’s downfall is a given by this point,” Wein said, “and I’m expecting the battle for the throne to kick into high gear. I didn’t think there will be many opportunities for Natra to butt in before the new Emperor takes the throne, regardless of who wins.”
“Which is why you’re choosing Lowa.”
Demetrio was out of the equation. Baldroche and Manfred were rejecting all outside interference. This process of elimination left him with Lowellmina.
“And are you okay backing Lowa as Empress?”
“I could always pretend to support her, find her weaknesses, and switch teams to join the younger princes.”
“You’re a crook.”
“Please call me ‘clever.’”
“Crookedly clever.”
“Much better!”
“Is it…?” Ninym looked exhausted.
Wein ignored her. “I know my visit to the Imperial Capital will be interpreted as Natra joining Lowa’s cause. I really don’t know what’s going on in the Empire right now. I mean, it’s been ages since I’ve been there. I’ll choose who to really support after I check it out myself.”
“So you’re going to use this trip as a chance to investigate the Empire and its factions.”
“I can’t say how much snooping I’ll be able to do.” Wein crossed his arms with a wry smile. “After all, Natra has made a good name for itself since I’ve been regent. The Empire is going to be cautious. We’ve got to be as low-key as possible, even on our way there.”
“And this is Lowa we’re talking about. I’m guessing she’s already prepared a trap for you.”
Wein nodded. Lowellmina was ingenious and ambitious. She was a good friend of his, but that didn’t mean she’d show any reservation or mercy.
I still don’t know why the meeting felt so weird. Lowa’s real goal must be hiding behind my visit to the capital. An annoying friend I have, Wein thought. The princess was likely thinking the same thing.
“Whatever.” Wein released the tension in his shoulders. “If there’s a trap, I’ll just chew through it. Fortunately, the real battle begins once Demetrio is kicked out of the race. We have time.”
“Okay, but what if Prince Demetrio does win?”
“It’s not even worth thinking about that,” Wein said, brushing aside Ninym’s words of caution. “The only people on his team are slugs that missed their chance to jump ship and idiots who have no idea what’s happening. They might bolster their numbers, but none of them have the brains to get themselves out of the hole they’re in. Even if more of them joined his faction, they’d never make a comeback. And if they manage, I’ll eat a potato with my nose.”
“Oh, what a throwback.”
“Anyway, it’s impossible.”
Wein had to focus on the ensuing battle after Demetrio was out of the picture. How could he act in a way to get the best outcome for himself? Unlike Demetrio, the remaining three candidates and their factions couldn’t be discounted. This wouldn’t be an easy battle.
“—No matter what they’ve got in store for us, victory will be mine,” Wein declared. “Bardloche, Manfred, Lowellmina. I should keep a close eye on all three of them while we watch Demetrio go down in flames.”
Wein broke into a knowing smile, confident in his good judgment.
—And now, back to the present.
“I don’t think we ever imagined we’d land in the eldest prince’s camp when we set off for the Imperial Capital.”
“Why does this always haaaappen?!” Wein shrieked—loudly as humanly possible—cradling his head.
Prince Wein’s delegation had met up with Demetrio’s army. News spread through all camps like wildfire.
“Are you kidding me?! Natra is siding with Demetrio?!”
Leader of the militant faction, Prince Bardloche jumped out of his chair when he heard the news.
“Are you sure there hasn’t been some kind of mistake?! I’d understand if it was Lowellmina, but Demetrio?!”
“I’ve checked multiple times, but it’s true. Prince Wein is stationed with Prince Demetrio in Bellida.”
This was coming from his loyal subordinate. Bardloche had to accept this, even though it seemed impossible.
He groaned. “Hrm… If we’re talking about the prince from Natra…I don’t think he’d be fooling around or joining Demetrio on a whim.”
“Yes. I imagine it’s some political move. What should we do, Your Highness?”
Bardloche agonized for a moment before speaking. “…We’ll proceed with our plans. But keep a close eye on Demetrio’s army.”
“Understood.”
Bardloche watched out of the corner of his eye as his subordinate left to carry out these orders.
The prince murmured to himself, “Just what is that man thinking…?”
“Just what is he thinking?” wondered Prince Manfred out loud, moaning in frustration.
Though he was the youngest son, he was backed by new money, giving him enough of a boost to compete on a level playing field with the other princes.
“He’s a strategist. I knew he’d be scheming something when Bardloche and I asked him to keep his involvement to a minimum. But I don’t get it. It’s such a gamble to join Demetrio.” Manfred looked next to him. “What do you think, Strang?”
He laid eyes upon a young man who looked the part of an officer, standing beside him. His name was Strang, and he was both Manfred’s confidant and Wein’s friend.
“I agree, Your Highness. An alliance with Prince Demetrio will bring some serious challenges. But if they overcome these difficulties, the bond between Prince Demetrio and Prince Wein will be unbreakable.”
“So this risk brings a high return. Are you saying he’s doing this because he’s confident of winning?”
“Yes. Prince Wein is not a fan of gambling. An outsider might think he’s making a reckless bet, but this must be calculated. He has a way of ensuring his success in minute detail.” After saying that, Strang shrugged. “But Prince Wein has always been plagued by a strange stroke of luck. He might have been forced to work with Prince Demetrio due to unforeseen circumstances.”
“Unforeseen circumstances? Like what?”
“My apologies. That’s all I know.”
“Hmph…” Manfred contemplated this, and eventually he seemed to shake something off. “Well, it doesn’t matter. After all, Natra has now openly antagonized me and Bardloche. If that’s how it has to be, we have no choice but to take him down.”
“I have no idea what that man is after…”
Prince Demetrio fretted in a dimly lit room. Though he lacked principle and talent, he was supported by the conservative aristocrats, as the eldest son in line for the throne.
“Do you really think he came here to be my ally?”
The loyal servant answered, “Yes. We cannot afford to let our guard down, but I do believe his intention is to assist in your ascension to the throne.”
“But he conspired against me with the other princes in Mealtars and knocked me down a few pegs. Why would he want to join me this late in the game?”
It was true that Demetrio sent a letter to Natra requesting an alliance, but neither he nor a single member of his faction believed the prince of Natra would ever agree to it. They’d assumed he’d either observe the situation or join hands with Lowellmina. Never would he have dreamed that the prince of Natra would jump onboard Ship Demetrio.
Obviously, Demetrio was ecstatic. But a little voice in his head nagged at him, wondering what the reasoning behind it was.
“Just a guess, but Prince Wein might see this as his only chance to repair his relationship with Your Highness. The late Emperor was the one to establish the alliance between Natra and the Empire. It makes sense that Prince Wein would support the eldest son to secure the status as an ally.”
“Hm… So you’re saying he isn’t here to back me, but he’s here to maintain ties with the Empire…?” Demetrio made a face. He was having a hard time following.
He crossed his arms. The subordinate faced his liege, a serious look on his face.
“…Call this a wild delusion, but I’m starting to think he might have planned the incidents at Mealtars for this very reason.”
“What do you mean?”
“We all know that if you ascend to the throne with the support of other nations, you’ll inevitably have to form ties with them. I mean, even our faction wouldn’t have reached out to Natra if we weren’t in such a tough spot.”
“…So you’re saying he sent me spiraling in Mealtars because he realized I would set my sights on the throne and ask foreign nations for their cooperation?!”
“It’s only one possibility, of course, but…” The subordinate tried to insist it was just a theory, but Demetrio bought it.
After all, Wein had brought his small retinue to a faction on less than friendly terms with him. He would never do something so reckless unless he was sure he could take control of the situation.
“That monster…!”
Demetrio would have torn him limb from limb if he could. But doing so would mean losing the trust of the lords. Wein must have known that, too. Otherwise, he wouldn’t come sauntering into this place like he owned it.
“…I won’t let you steal the show,” Demetrio spat. “You may be planning to siphon all our resources, but don’t underestimate me. I’ll tear you apart with my teeth…!”
“—I imagine all the factions are thinking something along those lines.”
“It’s all an unfortunate misunderstanding, I sweeeeeaaaar!” Wein shrieked, unable to bear it, in the room assigned to him. “All of it! You’ve got the wrong idea! This should have never happened!”
“I can’t say I ever expected this either…” Ninym sighed next to him.
After their meeting with Fyshe, Lowellmina responded in the affirmative, and Wein was set to visit the Imperial Capital. The delegation immediately began preparing to set off for the Empire. If they were traveling to the West, they would have had to brush up on the culture and customs of the destination. But Natra was a longtime ally to the Empire. No such debrief was needed.
Preparations went smoothly, and the delegation was ready to depart with Wein as its representative. They were two days ahead of schedule and started off strong.
Wein and Lowellmina agreed that his visit and itinerary should be kept under wraps until he arrived in the capital. If Wein had announced he was coming over like old friends, other factions would stand in his way, considering the current climate in the Empire.
But this policy ended up backfiring. As the delegation approached the city of Bellida, they ran into a group of soldiers. When Wein saw them with the Imperial flag, he’d assumed Lowa had come to greet them.
When he saw another flag below it, however, his face paled.
It was Demetrio’s. Which meant the soldiers in front of them belonged to the eldest prince, deployed to secure his position as Emperor.
By the time the delegation noticed this, it was too late. They found themselves instantly surrounded by troops, and their identities revealed. They had to meet Demetrio himself.
“—So what brings you here?”
If this had been before Demetrio announced he’d be taking the throne, Wein could have just said Lowellmina had invited him to the capital. But Demetrio was in the middle of his biggest gamble yet. If he found out a foreign prince was meeting up with a rival faction, it was possible he’d go on a murderous rampage.
So Wein could say only one thing.
“We’re here to cooperate with you, Prince Demetrio—”
And that was the story of how Wein and his delegation got stationed with Demetrio’s army in Bellida.
“Nooooooooo! Why do these things keep happening to meeee?!”
“And with the eldest prince of all people. This really sucks, to be honest…” Ninym sighed.
Things might have panned out differently if they had bumped into Prince Bardloche or Prince Manfred. Of course, they just had to run into Prince Demetrio, a sinking ship with a sealed fate according to Wein.
“If only I didn’t let my guard down when I saw that Imperial flaaaag!”
Wein was stewing in his mood. He wasn’t going to cheer up anytime soon.
…I can’t leave him like this. Ninym understood why he would feel this way, however.
If time permitted, she would have let him writhe about until he got it out of his system, but they didn’t have that luxury.
She was determined to serve her duty as vassal. “Wein, let’s decide on a plan. What are we going to do?”
“I don’t wanna think about it for the next six months! I’m hibernating!”
“You’re not a bear.”
“Well, I’m gonna be a bear, starting today! Grrr!”
“So this situation is way over our heads…”
Ninym was used to kicking Wein’s butt into gear, but she couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so stubborn. The accident had left an impact on him. He was out of his element.
“I hear you, Wein, but it was an honest mistake. All we can do now is work out a solution.”
“—It was no mistake.”
Wein’s expression hardened, and Ninym’s eyes went unfocused.
It was no mistake.
His face looked irritated. Bitter, almost. And…slightly amused.
“None of this was a coincidence. It was all planned out. That’s why it’s so annoying.”
Wein sounded sure of himself, which made Ninym more confused.
“Wait. What do you mean, Wein?”
“Someone was working behind the scenes to get me to run into Demetrio and join his team. And I walked right into their trap.” Wein looked up. “They got me good… I never expected such a bold move so late in the game,” he mumbled through gritted teeth.
Ninym wasn’t following. “Why would anyone…? First things first, who would do something like this?”
“That’s obvious. There’s only one person who could pull this off. Someone who knows the travel route taken by our delegation, our schedule, and the factions’ locations in the Empire.”
“…You can’t possibly mean…”
Wein nodded. “Good one, Lowa. Her trap wasn’t waiting for us in the capital. Her trap was her invitation for us to visit her there—”
“The Kingdom of Natra has gotten too large,” Lowellmina said between sips of black tea in a room of the Imperial Palace. “Natra used to be an important public road connecting the East and West. Though we want to unite the entire continent, the Empire never laid a hand on it because we were on friendly terms and we knew we had enough power to conquer Natra at any time.”
Lowellmina continued, “But ever since Wein became regent, Natra has flourished, gained territory, and grown friendly with the West. Such circumstances don’t bode well for the Empire.”
“Though they aren’t on the same level as us when it comes to military power, I assume?” Fyshe asked from beside the princess.
“At the moment, yes,” Lowellmina replied without hesitation. “As long as Wein is in good health, I can only imagine Natra will continue to prosper. By the time I become Empress, there is a possibility that Wein will be reigning over the West.”
“That’s…”
One might laugh off the idea of a prince from a small kingdom ruling over half the continent one day, but Fyshe wasn’t about to laugh. In fact, she couldn’t bring herself to even smile. After all, she’d witnessed Wein working his magic firsthand.
“So you hatched this plan to shrink some of his power, huh—by forcing Prince Wein onto Prince Demetrio’s sinking ship.”
Wein had predicted Demetrio would drop out of the race and Bardloche, Manfred, and Lowellmina would fight for the former members of the eldest prince’s faction. But Lowellmina had thought a little farther ahead. She was certain she would lose this battle among the three remaining siblings.
Her main platform was that the inheritance issue should be resolved through words. To this end, she had no public army or open displays of force, unlike her brothers. If the younger two brothers were scrimmaging to win over Demetrio’s supporters, Lowellmina knew it would be hard for her to butt in. And she was certain Bardloche and Manfred would make use of their forces.
She’d been struck with a stroke of evil genius when considering this situation: to bring Wein and Demetrio together and make them go head-to-head with Bardloche and Manfred.
“Demetrio had no hope of winning against the other brothers on his own. But the outcome will be different if Wein is on his side.”
“Demetrio and Wein versus Bardloche and Manfred… The losing side will sustain major casualties, obviously, but the victors will be dealt damage, too. I guess we’re swooping in when all parties have exhausted themselves.” Fyshe nodded in agreement. “But I do have one question about your strategy. Do you believe Prince Wein will really join Prince Demetrio’s side?”
“He will.” Lowellmina sounded so confident. “It’s in Wein’s nature. When life hands him losses, he always turns them into gains. When placed on a sinking ship, he’ll try to steer it to the nearest harbor instead of jumping overboard.”
Lowellmina had gotten acquainted with Wein’s character during their days at the military academy. In her eyes, she was stating the obvious.
“And if he manages to avoid Prince Demetrio and reaches the capital safely?”
“Should that time come, I’ll ask to become his fianc e again,” Lowellmina replied with a grin. “His visit would indicate his allegiance to my faction, so I imagine Wein will think it’s a good opportunity to deepen our relations. If I’m honest, it would be better if we married after I took the throne, but if I can put him on a leash, that would be enough of a benefit for me… Well, not that any of this will happen.”
Lowellmina continued, “Fyshe. You suggested you don’t know who will win, but I think I do.”
“Who do you think will come out on top?”
“Wein will win.” Her tone was heavy with conviction. As long as Demetrio had Wein, he would win. In her heart, the outcome of the battle was already decided. “My plan will be a success when Wein and Demetrio defeat Bardloche and Manfred without putting Demetrio on the throne.”
After that happened, Lowellmina’s next two goals were to absorb Demetrio’s faction and destabilize the authority created by Wein. Of course, this wouldn’t take Wein down, but she could impede his progress. She wouldn’t allow his kingdom to flourish more before she became Empress.
Obviously, these were challenging conditions to fulfill. In addition to taking down Bardloche and Manfred, Lowellmina would have to defeat Wein.
“He’s a tough enemy to take down.”
The scheme was laid, but she was up against Wein. He was a beast with strategy, both kind and cruel. She would have to make an enemy out of him, and she would have to win.
“No need to lose heart, Your Highness,” Fyshe said, reading her master’s mind. “We’ve made the first move. As we speak, the two parties must be confused. And Prince Wein and Prince Demetrio aren’t even true allies yet. Even Prince Wein must have his hands tied.”
Fyshe was right. Wein had been put aboard Demetrio’s sinking ship, which limited his movements. He was in a tight spot, no doubt. Lowellmina’s side had the advantage.
But there was a little voice in her mind, either fearful of Wein’s shadow or—
“Excuse me!” A messenger burst in. “A delegation from Natra led by Princess Falanya has just arrived!”
““What ?!”” Lowellmina and Fyshe yelped in surprise.
“Falanya should be arriving in the capital right about now,” Wein murmured.
He’d finally calmed down, either sick of complaining or just plain exhausted.
“That’s the silver lining. I really didn’t think we’d need backup,” Ninym replied, thinking back to before they left Natra. “You had Princess Falanya follow us to the capital from a short distance behind… I thought you were just being too cautious. Did you know this was going to happen?”
“I would have run away if I had.”
Well, yeah. Ninym grimaced.
“I did think they might send trouble our way. I mean, they were insistent that I come to the capital. Plus, the Empire is already in a volatile state with the fight for succession and all.”
That was why Wein had played one of his cards—Falanya. If nothing happened to him, the siblings would get to Lowellmina’s place together, which would reinforce the closeness of their two nations.
But things had happened to him. Wein was now with Demetrio’s faction, and Falanya was heading to Lowellmina’s place alone.
“Lowa wants Demetrio to take down the representative of Natra—me—and damage our reputation. But if another member of the royal family—Falanya—visits her, we can show the world that Natra is interested in solving this in a sensible way, even if we did ‘support’ Demetrio.”
“So the damage to our reputations will be minimal, even if we lose here.”
“It won’t fix the root of our problems, but it’s the next best thing compared to doing nothing,” Wein continued. “If Lowa goes along with my sneak attack, it’ll be a whole different story.”
I can’t believe they would respond so fast…!
Princess Falanya had arrived in the Imperial Capital.
Fyshe couldn’t conceal her surprise when she’d heard the report.
They wouldn’t have come so quickly if Wein had requested for his sister to make her way to the palace after stumbling across Demetrio’s army. Wein had to have sniffed out something about the princess’s plan during the meeting in Natra.
It’s all my fault… Fyshe thought. Maybe she’d given it away with her line of reasoning, her expressions, movements, tone of voice… Whatever the reason, it was evident the prince had perceived something. Fyshe bit her lip, vexed that Wein had bested her once again.
She turned to her master to apologize for her failure…and practically jumped out of her skin. After all, Lowellmina was smiling, even though she’d just been dealt a counterblow.
“You certainly know how to stir things up, Wein.”
“‘Stir things up’…?” Fyshe blinked, not following.
“He’s sent Princess Falanya, hoping it will lessen the blow to Natra’s reputation once he loses. His countermove is not for a victory but in anticipation of defeat. You might say he’s taken a defensive measure.”
Lowellmina went on, “Princess Falanya is a valuable player for Wein. Employing her means that he was on guard, but he couldn’t suss out what we were planning. Fyshe, you need not worry that you failed. In fact, this works in our favor. Wein’s been cornered by Demetrio, and we have an impressive catch like Falanya. You’ve done well.”
“Th-thank you! I don’t deserve your praise.”
“—However.” Lowellmina had a glint in her eyes.
Fyshe’s breath instinctively caught in her throat.
“Wein might change tactics to a more aggressive approach if I’m too greedy.”
“Too greedy? What in the world do you…?”
“The two of them have claim to the throne in Natra. One candidate is with Demetrio, and the other, with me. If I win and Demetrio loses, Wein’s power will wane. At the same time, it will bolster Princess Falanya. If she manages to do something here that’s in the best interest of Natra, even more so… What do you think will happen if the two are on a level playing field?”
Fyshe understood what Lowellmina was trying to say.
“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of helping Princess Falanya succeed and incite a rivalry between them in Natra?!”
The tiny kingdom was united under Wein. He could travel abroad only because his country was so stable. But Wein was just a prince—not even a king.
What would happen if there was a faction behind Princess Falanya that made their kingdom less than stable?
“They might be on good terms, but they’re royalty. A war between factions will break out if they’re equally fit to rule Natra. Of course, the princess’s supporters can’t dream of taking down Wein without something substantial. But it might be enough to halt their progress.”
“P-please wait. If Princess Falanya succeeds here and Prince Wein wins this battle…”
“The older brother will be owed a favor from the next Emperor, and the younger sister will return to her kingdom with something to show for herself. Natra will enjoy a metaphorical spring—and a long one, at that.”
Fyshe audibly gulped.
Wein must have realized this. As Lowellmina had said, the prince had intentionally sent Falanya as part of his plan.
In other words, Wein was sending them the following message:
“Splendid job. I lost the first round. I’m in a pinch here. I miiiight lose at this rate. So—let’s up the stakes.”
How is he even human…?!
They had thought Wein would go on the defensive, since he’d been backed into a corner. He’d shown them exactly where to bite so he could catch them off guard and go for the jugular.
As Lowellmina had said earlier, he changed his losses into gains. It was absolute madness, but Fyshe knew someone like Prince Wein could pull it off.
“…I understand the situation. What do you plan to do, Your Highness?”
Fyshe already knew what her master’s answer would be.
“I’ll be as greedy as possible.” Lowellmina grinned. “The fight for the throne will continue to accelerate. Natra won’t have many chances to meddle with our affairs. If he wants to up the stakes, I won’t let this opportunity escape.”
“………”
I can see fire, Fyshe thought. In both Prince Wein and Princess Lowellmina. When two flames collided, one of them would swallow the other. All Fyshe could do as a vassal was to ensure that her master’s flame burned bigger and brighter.
“Okay, Fyshe. Let’s give a warm welcome to Princess Falanya. And please tell the others I’ve authorized you to pull together a list of information and some technical knowledge. We’ll need to choose one that’ll make an appropriate gift for Princess Falanya.”
“Yes!” Fyshe nodded at her lady’s orders.
…Well, Lowellmina thought about the dear friend who was with Demetrio. I imagine Wein must know I’m going to do this.
In fact, Wein was thinking, Lowa will go along with my game, but this is all I can say with certainty on the matter.
The real battle is starting now, Lowellmina thought.
A tough opponent, plus three Imperial princes already onstage, Wein mused.
However—
But—
—Victory will be mine, of course, Wein thought.
—Victory will be mine, obviously, Lowellmina believed.
The crown prince of Natra, Wein Salema Arbalest.
The Second Imperial Princess of the Earthworld Empire, Lowellmina Earthworld.
Behind the scenes of the blood feud among the Imperial princes, two tacticians were declaring a war that would never make it into the history books.
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