episode_0005

Episode 5.

A few days after the sacred ceremony was completed successfully, the news that King Fehat and Carmel’s marriage had been decided was officially announced.

Nobles and ordinary people who do not frequent the royal palace are probably very curious about who this woman named Carmel is.

Even so, the king’s remarriage is an enormous event. Due to the mystique of Carmel, there will probably be a huge crowd on the wedding day.

As such, Fehat must also pay great attention to rituals.

Carmel’s taste is to be as grand as possible, as extravagant as possible. The development of the novel was to actually commit the absurd idea of paving the entire capital city of Luli with a silk road.

Of course, it wasn’t just money filled with extravagant tastes.

No sane subject would tolerate such a thing. Even in front of the queen, who was favored by the king, he could not help but rebuke after hearing such crazy words.

Through his remarks, Carmel attempted to select which of his subjects would interfere with his future tyranny.

The first person to be sacrificed in the novel is Zbaka, the Minister of Finance. He was an honest and loyal man.

I’ll have to make sure it doesn’t lead to that kind of result this time.

* * *

Regular meeting at the royal palace.

The subjects sitting at the long table looked as if they were at a loss for words when they saw the contents of the paper in front of them.

“So, are you saying this is a plan proposed by Carmel himself?”

“That’s right, Zbaka.”

Fehat was unable to face Zbaka’s astonished face directly. Still, I know it’s shameful.

“My Majesty. I am offended, but this is absolutely impossible. No matter how old or new, such an extravagant act has never been committed! This is… this…!”

Zbaka continued to shake his head violently as if he had heard something absurd. Actually, it’s not that absurd.

Carmel spoke to Zbaka with a creepy, cold smile.

“I can’t ignore that statement, Zbaka. This event has such important meaning. You lost your beloved queen early on, and at a time when His Majesty is congratulating you on finally overcoming your sorrow, you bring up the issue of money. I can’t help but doubt your loyalty, right?”

Saying that, Carmel affectionately placed her hand on Fehat’s thigh. It’s a bit enviable, but from a third party’s perspective, it’s absolutely disgusting.

“Mmm. Zbaka. Is it true?”

“Your Majesty, even your Majesty… no. Well, I just…”

…That idiot is steadily evolving, no, degenerating into a cancer group.

Zbaka urgently turned his attention to the surrounding subjects. As if asking someone to please join us.

As if living up to that expectation, a hand was raised. Upon checking the person’s face, Carmel’s face quickly became grim.

“Princess Sera…”

Of course, I was the one who raised my hand.

Without forgetting the smile on my face, I opened my mouth, looking at Fehat and Carmel in turn.

“I also agree with Finance Minister Zbaka’s opinion, father. This is too much. At this scale, we would have to collect additional taxes as we would not be able to rob the national treasury. Is it really right for my father to force sorrow on the poor people in commemoration of his escape from sorrow?”

Truly a straightforward argument. Zbaka was looking at me with reverential eyes, with his hands clasped together, as if a messenger of salvation had come down from heaven.

“Uh, um…”

Fehat glanced at Carmel’s gaze. Carmel looked very disappointed that there was nothing in front of her to chew on.

However, he soon adjusted his expression and launched a counterattack. With a fierce eye smile.

“ As expected, Princess Sera’s care for her people is amazing. I also want to imitate it. But, with such a beautiful heart, why doesn’t His Majesty understand your intentions? Your Majesty is hoping for such a grand event.”

Yes? As if saying this, Carmel winked at Fehat. Fehat nodded at Carmel’s gaze.

Yes, Carmel understands her greatest weapon.

Her incredible beauty made even me fall in love with her at first glance. And the devilish charm that captivates men.

Fehat, who is already completely immersed in it, will nod his head to anything Carmel says now. With the authority of the king.

If so, you must first break the spell on Fehat.

“The wise Majesty King Fehat Lustier. Is that really what your Majesty wants?”

“Seraya…”

“Now, I am speaking to you not as Your Majesty’s daughter, but as the first princess, and as someone who is qualified to participate in state affairs. For your majesty’s momentary joy, a farmer would work his entire life to spread barely touchable silk and pollute it on the dirt floor. Are you saying you really want that?”

The King looked straight into my face. Carmel continued to send signals next to me, but Fehat just looked at my face in silence.

Fehat, who had been thinking for a while, eventually spoke without coming to a conclusion.

“…We will discuss this matter again tomorrow.”

* * *

Rain is falling in the palace garden outside the window. The fresh smell of wet earth and grass seems to fill my heart.

The sight of beautifully trimmed trees and shrubs shaking in the rain was different from the usual static garden scenery.

As I was staring at it blankly for a moment, a maid came and delivered a message.

“Princess, His Majesty the King is calling you.”

“Your Majesty? Are you still in the office?”

“No, it’s boudoir.”

“I understand. Tell them I’ll be there soon.”

Fehat is calling me for business. It’s probably about what happened in the morning.

The King’s schedule was full today. It would have been enough to cool my head away from Carmel.

Hoping that Fehat had come to his senses, I put on a simple coat and left the room.

The family room that called me last time too. There, Fehat was waiting for me with a somewhat relieved look on his face.

“I have come as you have been called, Father. What is your business?”

“Mmm. Serah… It’s about the discussion we had this morning.”

Yes, you can do it.

No matter how beautiful Carmel is, there is a scale. I’m glad I finally came to my senses…

“As a father, this is a really sad story… but I hope he will be excused from regular meetings from now on.”

“…What?”

What is this idiot saying now?

It feels like someone hit me in the back with a Morning Star. This bastard’s condition is even worse than in the novel?

I barely regained my composure and spoke.

“Father. It is a matter stipulated in national law that the King’s immediate descendants attend regular meetings. No matter how much it is my father’s will, I cannot do that.”

“Yes, I know. But now is the time for you to find a partner and prepare to enjoy the happiness of a woman. It is a waste of time to discuss painful national affairs.”

“…Are you telling me to go to bridal class?”

It is an old custom of the Lustier Kingdom. A father may order a daughter who has reached marriageable age to give up external activities and focus on her studies as a priest. This is something that happens not only in the royal family but also in women’s homes.

We cannot complain that it is the height of patriarchal customs. This is not reality, but a fantasy kingdom somewhere on the edge of the Middle Ages. It’s natural that it’s worn out.

I calmed my pounding heart and used Princess Sera’s knowledge.

“No, father. Currently, I am the only heir to the throne of the Lustier Kingdom. You can’t order me to take bridal lessons in this situation.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. If you have an heir, you will soon have one.”

It took me a while to figure out what Fehat meant. So, Fehat is saying this now.

If he had a child with Carmel, he would dethrone first princess Serah as heir to the throne.

“Ha, haha…”

Maybe I looked down on Carmel a little.

The unexpected counterattack of a sacred ritual and the humiliation of showing raw breasts. Going through that, Carmel may have become even more venomous than in the novel. Fehat’s level of brainwashing had already far exceeded that of the beginning.

“Is that really your father’s will?”

“Then. This is what it means to be a king and a father. I hope you will obey.”

I smiled like an angel and spoke to Fehat.

“Okay, father. If that’s what my father wants, there’s nothing I can do. I will not attend the regular meeting tomorrow. Instead, I also need to mentally prepare, so could you please give me a few days to finish?”

“Okay, I understand. Thank you so much for understanding.”

Thank you so much.

I’m sorry, but I think this idiot will have to suffer a bit this time.

Of course, the one who must suffer the most is, of course, Carmel, the culprit of all of this. This time, I have no intention of ending it by showing my breasts.

Suppressing my heart pounding with anger, I began to race through my mind and come up with a plan to turn this situation around.