Chapter 66

Caesar’s father was rather indecisive.

Whenever difficulties arose, he couldn’t shake off Duke Valer’s outstretched hand. After getting Valer’s help, he couldn’t refuse what Valer asked for.

As Caesar became the crown prince, he rose to power with Peresca’s support and barely managed to balance his power with Valer, but it was not enough to overthrow Valer’s prestige.

“And Caesar inherited the mess.”

The day after the emperor’s funeral, the hastily prepared coronation ceremony passed like a storm.

As I sighed heavily, Agoth asked why, and I told her this long and tedious story behind the scenes.

“I thought if he was the emperor, he could do everything he wanted, but it seems that is not the case.”

“Well, in which world can one do as one pleases?”

Now Caesar is the king who sits on the throne of thorns.

It’s not good to resent someone who has already died, but I really hate the former emperor’s incompetence.

‘I think he did try to side with Caesar later on.’

He must’ve tried to increase Caesar’s power as he praised my achievement in subjugating the monsters.

But it was too late to press Valer. Even in those days, he seemed to have asked Count Brande for help in his affair.

“But it’s a pity for them that Caesar has also grown his power to some extent… Otherwise, he would’ve been played by Valer now.”

Perhaps, as soon as the emperor died, Valer would have filled the imperial palace with his people.

Furthermore, a few years later, he might have pulled Caesar out and tried to put the empress’s son, Prince Fran, on the throne.

… Mm, that’s terrifying.

As I was sighing again, Bessie approached me as soon as she came in and started to fuss.

“Oh, my lady! You’re in trouble!”

“Huh? B-Bessie?! What is it?!”

“How long will you call His Majesty by name?! No matter how close you are, you can’t do that anymore!”

“Who cares? I can swear at him when he’s not present.”

“Oh my God! No, no!”

Mmm.

Well, that makes me think, too.

Now I really have to be careful about his title.

But it’s strange for me to use honorifics to Caesar, and to treat Caesar with respect- Ugh, just thinking about it feels awkward.

“By the way, what’s going on, Bessie?”

“Oh, dear me. A visitor has come to see you.”

“A visitor?”

“Yes. Miss Evergreen is in the parlor.”

“Rowena?”

Ugh, what is this ominous feeling?

When Hamilton or Rowena comes to visit me, they usually come with a tedious mission.

I looked at Agoth, weeping at the ominous feeling. Agoth looked at me with pity and shook her head.

It’s hopeless.

I let out a deep sigh.

***

As I entered the parlor, Rowena, who was sitting on the sofa, got up and greeted me.

“Long time no see, Princess.”

“What’s up, Rowena?”

When I sat down, Rowena followed me and continued to speak, “It’s a devastating time, so I stopped by to ask how you are doing.”

“Well, rather than me, I’m worried about Cae- His Majesty’s safety.”

Now I think I should be careful about the title in front of others, so I quickly corrected my words.

As if it was awkward, Rowena also raised her eyebrows.

“He’s fine… or so he claimed.”

“That’s a very worrisome word.”

“As the time has come, he doesn’t want to worry you.”

It was a time of anxiety, even if everything was sitting on a flat surface.

And amid that time, he rose to the throne when the empress’s power was in full swing.

Caesar himself, as well as those around him, must be worried and anxious.

“Are things very bad?”

“Actually, yes. Valer has already taken over the advisory council and is starting to intervene in personnel affairs.”

Advisory council.

It was a kind of torture institution made up of great aristocrats.

“I’m having a headache.”

“Yes. Fortunately, Duke Peresca is working hard.”

Currently, the advisory council was moving towards a bipartisan system of Valer and Peresca. There would probably be more tension than ever.

“However, some aristocrats who do not want to miss this time are roasting His Majesty without notice…”

Rowena’s voice quieted down near the end.

I felt like I knew the meaning of her swallowed words.

“His Majesty is about to explode.”

“Well, everything’s happening in a flash.”

Ugh. We let out a long moan at the same time.

In fact, there’s only one way to quickly and easily overcome this troubling situation.

The method I used 500 years ago.

A purge.

Because there are times when a prince must inevitably instill fear in his subordinates.

‘Of course, this is a method that should be left as last resort.’

As the effect is large and fast, the side effects are also large. It is something that requires commitment.

The problem is that the wick to protect Caesar’s resolve is quite short.

“Well… No matter how much His Majesty’s temperament is… He has good judgment, so it shouldn’t escalate to the worst.”

“Is that so?”

“… Let’s… believe him.”

What else can we do? We must believe him.

Rowena and I sighed at the same time.

“Well, aside from these issues… I came here to ask you a favor.”

Mmm, as expected.

She couldn’t have come just to say hello.

I asked with a bitter smile, “What is it?”

“Actually, His Majesty wants to appoint Young Duke Leonard Peresca as captain of the imperial bodyguards.”

“Huuuh?!”

I mean, wait.

You’re supposed to catch people off guard, but this is so unexpected!

“My brother doesn’t even belong to the imperial bodyguards. And now he’s suddenly becoming the captain?”

“Since the imperial bodyguards are directly under the emperor, the appointment of His Majesty takes priority. And impossible for the advisory council to intervene.”

“But there will be opposition. Is it worth pushing against the headwind?”

“Yes. I, too, think it is a necessary confrontation.”

“Why?”

“His Majesty will need someone to stop him when he’s about to explode.”

Oh, is that a necessity?

I was convinced at once.

“Yeah, I think we need it.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

“But I don’t know if my brother will agree.”

If the position was important to Leonard, he would have gone straight to the imperial bodyguards without going through the Red Knights because he had enough skills to do that.

Still, he joined the Red Knights because he thought it was more worth putting his heart into it.

“Yes, we are concerned about that, too. That’s why I came to ask you for help.”

“You’re telling me to persuade my brother.”

“Doesn’t he listen to you the most? Well, both of them.”

Does the ‘two’ here refer to Leonard and Caesar?

How did I ever become the helm of two men? A master’s work is really heavy.

“I’m telling you, I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to convince him.”

“That’s enough. Thank you very much.” Rowena nodded in greeting.

“Then I will excuse myself. I have an appointment with the cavalry commander, Duke Garmal.”

“You must be busy.”

“It’s such a time.”

Rowena stood up and smiled bitterly. There appeared to be a dark shadow under her eyes, seen through her glasses.

I see. It’s such a time.

Time of upheaval.

‘It must be difficult for Caesar and I to live like we used to.’

I will no longer be able to call him ‘Caesar’.

It made me sad to think so. In the meantime, I thought of the time when he’d wanted me to call his name in the past.

I guess I fell in love with his name. Very much, too.

***

On my way back from training with the trainees of the White Knights, I ran into Horio in the hallway.

Horio, who found me, flinched. But of course, he approached me and shamelessly raised his chin.

His conscience is really small.

“Are you heading back now?”

“Yes. You look busy.”

“Well, it’s the time.”

“I hear that everywhere I go these days.”

“Anyway, it must have been difficult for you to visit our knights because something unpleasant happened. Thank you so much for continuing to come regardless.”

Horio smirked and condescended. Oh, I hate to see you.

“I didn’t do anything wrong. Why would I have a hard time?”

“Well, there are many other things. Since you have His Majesty’s trust, you will be embarrassed to enter and leave the imperial castle.”

“Oh my. Did I lose his trust? I didn’t know that either.”

“You were pushed out of your seat. Well, of course, a better husband would appear for you.”

“I didn’t know that being His Majesty’s wife was proof of trust,” I said with a bright smile towards Horio.

“Why don’t you try to challenge that position too? You seem to be interested in the position of power.”

“W-What?!” Horio frowned at my words.

“What kind of rude-!”

“Oh, of course I’m joking. Sir Horio cannot be a crown princess.”

“Cough, you’re making a bad joke, Princess.” Horio, whose ears were red, coughed and pressed me. 

To such Horio, I kept smiling. “I know. I made a mistake. You don’t have the confidence to be empress.”

“… Princess!” Eventually, Horio exploded.

At that moment, I looked at Horio with a smile on my face.

“Sir.”

Despite his tone, his neck shrank his neck reflexively at my word. He seemed intimidated enough even though I hadn’t done much.

“You tend to lose things, so you better be careful.”

“Well, what happened at that time was enough to suspect the young duke…”

“You have to take care of everything. Your things. Your bodies. Because once you lose it, there’s no way you’ll come back.”

“Body-” Horio’s face turned white and he visibly gulped and swallowed. Maybe it reminded him of the possibility of losing his head.

“P-Princess. Are you threatening me now?”

“What? What wrong did you do? Why would I threaten you?”

“Of course, I didn’t do anything wrong.” Horio said, licking his parched lips.

“That’s right. I was talking about those people with problems. Those who claimed to have done nothing wrong were caught off guard, and then SNAP!”

I opened my eyes wide and spoke like a threat, and Horio flinched.

“And that’s how their heads fall off, right?” As I spoke my last words, I smiled again.

Horio had nothing to say.

Maybe that little mind was busy by now, thinking if I knew something. But if I knew, why didn’t I mention it, or perhaps I didn’t know anything after all?

This is why people cannot live by sin.

“Everyone has to be careful. It’s probably because it’s time,” I smiled broadly as I said those words that seem to be in full swing these days.

On the other hand, it was quite enjoyable to see Horio getting paler.

Maybe he won’t be able to sleep for a while because he feels uncomfortable.

It was delightful to imagine Horio waking up from a nightmare at dawn and stuttering to check his head, so I began to walk past the hallway, humming.