Uncanny silence and foreign hatred looked into every eye that tried to evade them.
It was like a stage after the curtain had lowered.
Things were a mess, no one dared speak, and everyone was deeply exhausted and longed to step down from the stage.
That included the emperor.
He glanced at Yuriel, who was terrified, and ordered that the corpse be removed. I followed Hess with my eyes as she was removed outside without even being loaded onto a stretcher first.
The emperor’s voice filled the hall.
“I would like to express my regrets to the dignitaries of every nation who gathered here today to celebrate this occasion alongside the empire. Despite this disgraceful incident, I promise you that, going forward, the empire will take the lead in ensuring peace for the inner palace and the continent. Let us end the cele-”
“Your Majesty.”
I walked in front of him and knelt on one knee.
“We must not hasten covering up our shame. If we cover this incident up without anyone taking responsibility, who would revere the empire? They will laugh at us, Your Majesty.”
“Then, what do you suggest we do?”
The emperor’s response was sharp. His eyes held the stern, unmistakable message not to escalate things any further.
But I couldn’t help but wonder.
Who exactly should be held responsible?
And the dead maid answered me.
Why aren’t you being punished even when you did wrong?
I had tried to fix things. I had thought I could take back all of the princess’s past mistakes. But it wasn’t as easy as I’d thought. What the princess had destroyed weren’t toy blocks that could be piled back up.
They were people.
She had destroyed that which couldn’t be reversed, and in the end, the pus-filled wounds had burst. One might ask, why now… But I knew.
It was because I had changed.
When the object of your hatred is no longer hateful. When the object of your burning hatred is no longer the person they used to be. When you learn that they’re a good person to someone other than you. The anger, resentment, jealousy, and loathing that wells up at that moment.
That was the starting point for everyone.
Hess hadn’t said anything, but I knew. Because the look she’d given me was familiar. She was another person who had lost something because of the princess.
That’s why it was necessary. Ruin.
The princess had to experience ruin once, carrying all of the mistakes of the past with her.
“Speak. What do you suggest we do?”
“Your Majesty.”
“Yes.”
“Even if I was innocent today, my past self, the one in everyone’s memories, was not.”
“…”
“Just because I am a princess, and this nation’s rightful heir, I cannot avoid taking responsibility for my crimes. Even if that were possible.”
Yes, like today, I might be able to narrowly avoid everyone’s hatred. From the moment she was born, the princess’s position had been that untouchable.
“Ria!”
However, it shouldn’t be that way. I – not the princess or anyone else – would not tolerate it.
“Therefore, Your Majesty. Please punish me.”
“…”
Without hesitation, I repeated,
“Please give me a punishment.”
I was going to be ruined here and now. No matter what.
And on the day I came back, no one would be able to drive me into a corner on account of the princess’s past mistakes.
The emperor looked into my eyes. Finally, he commanded,
“Lock the princess in the tower.”
I said,
“Gladly, Your Majesty.”
***
I felt sorry seeing the anxiety on his face.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
The maids cleaned up the bedding and moved a few clothes. Standing in the middle of the room which was progressively becoming more empty, I focused on the windows that were appearing one after another.
Ding!
Your Status has been updated.
You acquire the nickname: ‘The Enigmatic Second Princess’.
Some quests will be altered accordingly.
The special route ‘Yelfortz Enze Cecilia’ is ‘Locked’.
(You cannot receive the quest rewards even if you complete the quest!)
[Current Progress]
Fateful Encounters : 2/6
TIP/ Find a way to escape the ‘Locked’ state.
As everything was happening, the number of ‘Fateful Encounters’ with the emperor had increased to two.
The system window hadn’t appeared after Yuriel had been exiled from the palace.
Based on the current situation, they only hadn’t been showing for me. Yuriel had been progressing along without much difficulty.
What could be the reason?
Once Yuriel had returned to the palace, the system windows had begun showing up in front of me again. I wondered if it was a problem of distance.
Anyway…
Since the route opening, the original reward, had been locked, I supposed I wouldn’t have to be on my guard about their relationship at the moment. Let’s just keep an eye on them for now.
It happened then. An ear-splitting sound effect rang out.
Warning!
If you do two or more special routes simultaneously, you will get closer to the ‘Bad Ending’.
Will you resume the special route ‘Arken Dominat’? Y/N
Yuriel selected ‘N’. However.
An unknown bug has occurred!
You are automatically granted the special route ‘Arken Dominat’.
Warning!
If you do two or more special routes simultaneously, you will get closer to the ‘Bad Ending’.
Will you resume the special route ‘Arken Dominat’? Y/N
She selected ‘N’ again.
An unknown bug has occurred!
You are automatically granted the special route ‘Arken Dominat’.
Warning!
If you do two or more special routes simultaneously, you will get closer to the ‘Bad Ending’.
Will you resume the special route ‘Arken Dominat’? Y/N
An unknown bug has occurred!
.
.
.
.
Yuriel eventually pressed ‘Y’. After that, the window didn’t appear again.
I couldn’t help but feel chills because of the system window repeating itself over and over. If you were really playing a game, you could report the bug or start a ‘new game’ but…
The reality of this place was that you couldn’t return spilled water to the cup, even though it pretended to be a game.
The stat ‘Dignity’ is created.
The stat ‘Public Approval’ is created.
Dignity increases by 50.
Eloquence increases by 10.
Public Approval decreases by 30.
-Current Public Approval: -30
How exactly had this ‘system’ window come to be?
I wondered what reason and what result had started all of this. As I was, there was no way for me to know, but I was still curious.
Before Yuriel became ‘Yuriel’ and I became the ‘Princess’.
What I hadn’t wanted to think about, what I had thought was coincidence and misfortune – the start of these bizarre events.
If I knew that, I wondered if I would be able to find a way to return as well.
“Your Highness.”
At that moment, someone grabbed my hand.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Are you upset?”
“…Pardon?”
After a while, I turned to face him. Nadricka hesitated but once our eyes met, he laughed.
“More than being upset.”
“What then?”
“I believe in Your Highness’s decision. And I will follow that decision, whatever it is.”
“But?”
“But… I will miss you.”
I said quietly,
“Me too.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
We held hands. And for a brief moment, we stared at each other without speaking. Like we had promised each other beforehand.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t say that.”
“…Don’t let your eyes wander either.”
“You definitely shouldn’t say things like that.”
“Why can’t I?”
“Because Your Highness already knows that I won’t.”
“Still, I want to say it.”
Nadricka laughed again. Then, I buried my face in his chest.
“But, it was necessary.”
“I know.”
“I don’t regret it.”
“Of course.”
He patted my back. After a while, I raised my head from his chest. As soon as I did, Nadricka started speaking.
“You have someplace to go last, don’t you?”
“…”
“You can go.”
“Shall we go together?”
Nadricka let out a quiet laugh and shook his head.
“The two of you have things to talk about in private.”
“Not exactly… and he’s still unconscious.”
“But I still don’t think it’s right for me to go with you.”
“Then is this it?”
“That’s a scary thought. I will wait until the day that Your Highness returns. Just come.”
“Okay, I’ll see you then.”
“…Yes. I will see you then.”
Right on time, a maid with an unfamiliar face reported that all of my things were packed.
“I’ll come back.”
I patted his cheek, then stood on my tiptoes to kiss his lips.
I thought that he might cry, but until I left the room, Nadricka saw me off with a tranquil smile on his face.
I was in the empty corridor with a couple of maids who were carrying my things when I heard footsteps behind me. Before I had the chance to turn around, someone hugged me from behind. I felt the person’s face with my hands.
“Daisy?”
I could feel my back getting wet.
“Are you crying?”
“Your Highness… I’m sorry.”
I gently stroked Daisy’s head. Then, I turned around and hugged her.
“What do you have to be sorry for?”
“I should have looked into it more closely. I should have… I didn’t know that Hess, no, that that person was a bad person… And Yuriel too-.”
“Daisy, you’ll have to watch your words from now on. You have to be careful about saying that name.”
Daisy pressed her lips tightly together. She looked upset. I let out a small sigh.
“While I’m gone, you can’t treat other people like you treated me. Understand?”
“Your Highness, I…”
“I’m not trying to scold you.”
I tightened my arms around Daisy and laughed.
“Thank you for always seeing me as I am. I’ll come back safely, so don’t cause any trouble and be good.”
“Your Highness…”
I never saw such large teardrops before in my life. Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, Daisy wailed loudly.
“Am I going somewhere to die?”
I was only joking, but Daisy cried for a long time after hearing my words.
“I won’t make another mistake like this again, I’ll become worthy of Your Highness, I’ll be perfect as your hands and feet. Really, I will, I promise,”
Daisy swore, earnestly. She was still hiccupping, her tears only just barely stopped. She didn’t need to go that far. Nevertheless, I nodded without saying anything.
And when I turned around, I discovered Eclot waiting for me with a blank look on his face. He hadn’t yet fixed his rumpled appearance.
“I knew you’d come.”
“Your Highness, why…”
“Let’s move somewhere else for a moment. I have something to tell you.”
Once I had dismissed the servants and we were alone, Eclot raised his voice, unable to hold himself back any longer. I had never seen him speak so quickly.
“Why? Why did you do it? Why…”
“Because I was the only one who could take responsibility.”
“…That is not an acceptable reason.”
“Is that so… But I was never a good enough person for you to treat me so. You should know.”
“What does that matter? I-”
“I don’t want to be someone the people who serve me need to be ashamed of.”
“It is no less than half a year!”
Incarceration for half a year in the west tower that had been closed off due to its age. To be honest, it didn’t feel real. But whatever the case, it was the cross I had decided to bear.
“Why are you angry? This is not like you.”
I couldn’t tell if Eclot’s conscience pricked him, or if he was disappointed.
“There is something you have to do for me in the meantime.”
“…”
“You will obey me even if you are not pleased with me, correct?”
“What do you mean… It is not like that.”
This time, it was unmistakable. I had caught him off guard. I smiled quietly like a painting.
“First things first, do not do that again.”
“What…”
“You brandished your sword in a place where possession of a weapon was prohibited. That’s enough for someone, someday to take issue with you. Did you not cripple the geezer’s grandson?”
“The House of Dominat committed treason.”
“I don’t know, the truth isn’t that important. Duke Dominat will probably turn in his title of nobility and step down from his position as premier. His private army will be taken away, and a portion of his assets will be retrieved into the national treasury. And that will be the end of it.”
“Why?”
“Did you not see as well? How they cut off the tail of the snake. His Majesty will no doubt approve the deal. From the start, the grandson acted alone, and His Majesty is not one to go out of his way to make a move against the duke without reason. His priority is his safety.”
“…”
“Moreover, no matter how I look at it, it seems His Majesty deduced Yuriel’s identity. But he didn’t remove Yuriel from his sight, nor did he make her into a royal. He simply let her be. Are those not the actions of the typical authority figure who dislikes it when things become complicated?”
He was taken with Yuriel, but he wasn’t brave enough to take his half-sibling as his concubine. Of course, a completely different person was in Yuriel’s body, but the only person who knew that was me.
“You knew?”
“…The duke is probably greeting His Majesty by now.”
“…”
“Find the headquarters of the ‘drug’ dealings.”
I handed him a note that had been folded in half twice.
“This is the location that I know of. It could be a temporary base that changes locations, but this is the only place I know of. The person in charge of the branch was a man, though he wasn’t the head of the snake. …He also appeared to be connected to the slave traffickers.”
Eclot took the note and firmly tucked it into his breast pocket.
“You must do this secretly.”
“Understood.”
“I can’t stand by and watch them cut off the snake’s tail. Moreover, this could become my weakness. So I need the information to come into my possession before anyone else. Can you make it so this becomes the first act I carry out when I come back?”
“I will remember it well.”
“…”
I took my time and examined his stiff face. Actually, I had one more thing to say.
“But what kind of person is Karant Pacis?”
“Pardon?”
Eclot was briefly speechless.
“She seems to have a different disposition from you, am I right?”
“…She has a carefree personality, but she has an upright character.”
“If you say so, it must be true.”
“But why are you bringing up Karant…”
“Well, that’s because she’s going to be the next premier.”
“…Pardon?”
I smiled.
“Turn things upside down. We can’t have people getting too comfortable while I’m gone.”
“However-.”
“She’s a marquess, so she has the right to take his place. Because of what happened to the duke, it will be impossible to leave the position empty for long.”
“That child is not yet ready to take on such a heavy responsibility-.”
“All I want is for her to make some ripples in the stagnant water, so don’t worry too much. And I think Karant will do a fine job.”
“That is… true, but…”
“It is fine even if it cannot be. So try nominating her.”
Eclot bowed his head, no longer hesitant.
“I will do so, Your Highness.”
He was like me. He would keep his word.