CHAPTER 101……..
The night before the banquet ended.
“The prince—no, I mean His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince summoned me?”
“To be exact, he came in person to the front of Your Highness’s palace.”
At Mullin’s words, I quietly set down the documents I had been reading. From the terrace window, I could see the entrance to the Princess’s Palace.
Sure enough, that distinct silver figure stood there. I rose to my feet quickly.
“Guide him to the parlor. Since it’s late, just bring tea.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
I quickly made my way to the parlor. After arriving, I sank into the sofa, lost in thought.
‘The reason he’s here is obvious.’
On the day of the Crown Prince’s investiture, I had given him a “gift.” He must have come to question my intentions.
All this time, even if Dmitri had wanted to speak to me, unavoidable circumstances had kept him from properly approaching me.
While Mullin went to guide Dmitri, Illia wheeled in a trolley, placing a teapot and cups filled with freshly brewed tea on the table.
She poured me a cup. I raised it and took a sip.
Before long, Dmitri arrived.
Standing beside Illia, he looked at me with cold, unreadable eyes.
I smiled brightly and rose to my feet.
“First Princess Lilien Sha Caliburg greets His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Dmitri Epsilon Caliburg. May the blessing of the Goddess Eridium be upon you. Please, take a seat.”
I gestured to the sofa across from me.
At the same time, Mullin and Illia bowed politely and withdrew, as if to wish us a pleasant time together.
Left alone, an uncomfortable silence lingered between us.
Dmitri stretched his long legs and seated himself across from me. Only after he sat did I also return to my seat.
“Have you been well? It’s oddly difficult to see your face these days.”
“Well, surely that’s because Your Highness has been so busy.”
I replied cheerfully. Dmitri frowned, staring intently at me.
“You already know why I’m here.”
“Hm, I wonder? For what reason would the Crown Prince personally grace my palace?”
I feigned ignorance.
Clack.
Dmitri set his teacup down and flicked his hand.
At his signal, Bael, who had accompanied him, hurried forward and presented something.
“I’m returning this.”
“….”
What he received from Bael was the orichalcum business rights I had handed over to him.
The documents were tossed almost carelessly onto the table. I arched my brows in a drooping curve.
“My, is this gift not to Your Highness’s taste?”
“You know that’s not what I mean.”
“But, in the future, once you ascend as Emperor, it will surely prove useful.”
“And why do you think that?”
“Because Your Highness has the power to make the Empire more prosperous. I do not yet have that authority. Thus, it is only right that this goes to you.”
At my words, Bael, listening nearby, muttered, “Princess…” His voice held hesitation. I only smiled more pitifully.
“And even if you were to return it to me, do you think the nobles would let it stand?”
“I’ll handle that myself.”
“No. What I mean is… among those nobles are Duke Alphe and Her Majesty the Empress. Do you think the Empress would ever agree with you?”
“That’s something we won’t know unless I try.”
Dmitri shook his head firmly, fixing his gaze on me.
See? This is why he won’t do.
‘He’s too honest. Even the goodwill I offer—he insists on returning it because he believes it’s all I have.’
The conflict between the Empress and Dmitri would begin here.
Suppressing the smile tugging at my lips, I forced my expression into one of sorrow.
Rather than hand the rejected documents back to Dmitri, I extended them to Bael.
‘He won’t take them anyway.’
“Please, Sir Bael, my arm is getting tired. Won’t you take these?”
“Ah—well, I—um…”
“You know I’m not the type to give and then take back like some shameless person.”
“….”
“You’ll accept them, won’t you? Sir Bael? And Crown Prince?”
“You…”
Dmitri clenched his fists tightly, his voice strained as though suppressing his temper. The veins around his temples bulged.
I gave a regretful smile.
“Even if you were to overcome Her Majesty’s opposition, I still wouldn’t accept it. I might even transfer it to someone else instead. Perhaps… to your maternal uncle.”
If Duke Alphe obtained it, his family’s power would only grow stronger—surely Dmitri knew that.
“…Ha.”
Dmitri let out a bitter laugh, pressing his fingers against his temple.
He knew all too well how much the Empress and Duke Alphe saw me as a thorn in their side, and could not hide his conflicted feelings.
At last, Dmitri ordered Bael to accept the papers. Reluctantly, Bael took them from me.
Dmitri rose slowly. Before leaving the parlor, he turned back to me.
“Whatever your scheme is, it doesn’t strike me as a wise one.”
“….”
“You’d do better to look after yourself than to spend all your time protecting others.”
Bang.
The door shut.
Left alone, I stared at the spot where he had stood, then lifted my teacup.
“So, he saw through me. As expected of Brother Dmitri.”
And yet, the fact that he still let himself be fooled by my ploys—that was so very like him.
‘He must have something to rely on, to act like that.’
Regardless, he was the undisputed heir to the throne.
As for me, the First Princess—powerless as I was now—no attack I launched against him could truly harm him.
But.
“Will the Empress be able to control Dmitri as he grows stronger?”
Dmitri, who pitied me? Who struggled to ignore me, yet still worried for me?
Even knowing something would benefit him, he had come to me only to insist on returning it.
The Empress would not be able to control him.
‘For now, she must be delighted that her son has become Crown Prince.’
But in time, an unseen rift would form between mother and son.
And once I slipped into that crack—victory in this struggle would be mine.
The Crown Prince’s investiture ended without incident.
Having disposed of the orichalcum matter, I could now devote myself more thoroughly to Hamptmack Territory, and was steadily drawing in profits from it.
And today…
“Your Highness.”
“Yes, Lady Rolobian.”
“Aren’t you tired? Should we… perhaps end today’s lesson here?”
It was the day I learned Astronoan from Lady Rolobian. Smiling, I shook my head.
“Shall we?”
I closed the Astronoan book with relief, rolling my shoulders.
I had been learning Astronoan from Viante Rolobian for five years now.
I could have taken on a formal tutor, but most of those had ties to the Empress.
Unwilling to risk it, I politely declined the Empress’s recommendations and instead insisted on Lady Rolobian as my teacher.
She accepted gladly, since she owed me a debt.
Now, I was fluent enough to converse easily with Astronoan natives.
Viante nibbled a cookie her maid had brought and spoke admiringly.
“You truly are amazing. To master Astronoan completely in just five years! The letters and tones are so complicated, I myself got confused while teaching you. But you always kept up so well—I think you must have a natural gift for languages.”
“No, it was only possible because you were such a good role model.”
“O-oh… th-thank you, Your Highness…”
Flushing deeply, Viante fanned her face.
As we chatted idly, she suddenly recalled something.
“Your Highness, the Founding Day is coming up, isn’t it?”
“Ah, has it already?”
I widened my eyes, glancing at the calendar, forgetting even the cookie in my hand.
‘Oh no—it’s true. Only 18 days left until the Founding Day?’
I had completely forgotten, caught up in everything else.
Seeing me flustered, Viante fidgeted.
“Um… if it pleases Your Highness, would you like to join us at the festival after the eve celebrations?”
“The eve celebrations?”
“Yes! Of course, after the fireworks are launched.”
On the eve of Founding Day, the imperial family ascended the stage and lit the beacon fire—a prayer to the Goddess who blessed the Empire.
All royals were required to attend, and from a week before the eve, were forbidden from going out except with temple priests.
“Once the beacon is lit, Your Highness will be free again, right? If you have no other plans, why not enjoy the festival with us? Lady Grisila and Lady Mirsova will be there too. It will be wonderful if you join.”
“Shall I?”
When I agreed, Viante’s face brightened with joy.
“Then we’ve even decided on a dress code! I’ll hurry home and send you the catalog right away.”
“All right, then.”
“Yes! Then I’ll take my leave now!”
Like someone chased, Viante hurried out of the palace.
“I was going to see her off.”
Well, too late now.
I chuckled and was about to leave the classroom myself when—
Thud thud thud!
The sound of someone running hard echoed outside the door.
The urgency was so fierce, I froze with my hand on the doorknob.
The footsteps stopped right in front of the classroom. I swallowed nervously.
“Wh-who’s there…?”
“Your Highness!”
“Ilia…?”
“Yes, it’s me, Ilia! If your lesson is over, may I come in?”
“O-oh, yes, come in.”
I opened the door quickly, stepping back as Ilia rushed inside.
She slammed the door shut and glanced around wildly.
“Good, no eavesdroppers, no danger. Perfect.”
“Ilia?”
What on earth…?
Before I could ask further, Ilia strode over, pushed me back into my chair, and murmured darkly.
“Your Highness, do you know what I just heard?”
“W-what did you hear…?”
“Well, listen! I was on my way to pick up the laundry, when I bumped into Sir Bishop rushing to the Emperor’s palace.”
“Mm, and?”
“He dropped all the documents he was carrying, so I helped him pick them up—”
Ah, Sir Reynold again. Always rushing and colliding with people.
I clicked my tongue inwardly. Ilia continued.
“Your Highness knows, right? Founding Day is soon. The documents were full of details on preparations for the eve festival—supplies, budgets, all of it. That’s when I thought, ah! It really is almost Founding Day.”
“And then?”
Ilia huffed out her nose.
“And then—I realized, they must be planning to choose one of the Emperor’s children, excluding Their Majesties, to light the beacon this year!”
“…?”
I frowned deeply.
‘Choose someone? To light the beacon…?’
The Founding Day was the Empire’s most sacred event. Traditionally, the Emperor always performed the lighting of the beacon, honoring the Goddess Eridium.
Never had it been done by one of the Emperor’s children.
Not even in my previous life.
‘Didn’t the Emperor himself light the fire when I was 18?’
There had never been talk of choosing among the children.
“It’s strange, isn’t it, Your Highness? To have the Emperor’s children light the beacon. There’s no precedent.”
“That’s true…”
“So I thought—since it’s such a weighty matter, the temple priests must be involved. Apparently, they’ll be visiting the palace soon.”
“The priests…?”
Ilia nodded.
“Yes. Of course they must have a say. And do you know who’s among the envoys?”
No way…
“Pope Maridris…?”
“Exactly! He’s coming in person!”
I gaped, all composure forgotten.
‘Why would that busy man come here?!’
Then suddenly, a thought struck me.
I could hear the Goddess’s voice now.
And the only one who knew this—was Pope Maridris.
“….”
At once, I understood why the future had shifted. My surprise gave way to a sly smile.
‘Well, well…’
“Heh.”
“Your Highness?”
“Oh my, Ilia. I suddenly feel so very cheerful.”
“Uh… what?”
Ilia looked at me like I was crazy.
Normally, I’d have noticed her stare and suppressed my grin.
But the laughter kept slipping out. Smirking wickedly, I gazed out the window.
“Ilia.”
“Y-yes?”
“About those documents Sir Reynold dropped. You’re certain you saw that Pope Maridris himself will be coming?”
“Yes, absolutely! I saw it clearly.”
“I see.”
I rose, looking down at her.
“So when exactly is His Holiness Pope Maridris scheduled to arrive at the palace?”
