Ch.289Revolutionary Princess NPC. (4)

“How many died?”

“Including the Knight Commander you just dealt with, twelve in total, sir. The rest have all been captured alive.”

“Hmm. So they do have the skills worthy of being called the Empire’s cleanup squad? Not bad.”

I killed only the Knight Commander and the knights around him, successfully capturing all the soldiers who had entered the back alley. Among the surest ways to completely break a leader’s will to fight is to have their most trusted elites “slaughtered” before their eyes first.

Setting aside the Knight Commander’s tactics or character, if their morale became unnecessarily strong, it would only increase casualties, so I prioritized killing them to break his fighting spirit. And originally, the difference in forces between our side and theirs was at most around 100 people, so subduing enemies whose morale had been broken wasn’t particularly difficult.

“…I could have handled it myself.”

“No. This knight is right. The viscount’s retainers could have been given a chance, but they weren’t. ‘It’s this country’s imperial family and me.’ The responsibility should rightfully be borne by me, a member of the imperial family.”

Mac, who had been dueling with the Knight Commander, approaches me and immediately takes out a handkerchief to wipe the blood from my gloves. Hmm, could it be he’s doing this because I got blood on my hands as his lord? This is honestly the first time I’ve received such treatment, and it’s a bit creepy.

“What should we do with the captured knights and soldiers?”

“Move them all to the main street. That man collapsed over there. He seems to have been the adjutant. Prepare to wake him immediately. And you, stop wiping my hands already.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s go.”

Dolph starts pulling Mac, who was still wiping my hands, and leads the other assassins to begin moving the soldiers to the main street. And after some time passes…

“…Princess Ragni.”

“My, it’s been a while, William. Since our drinking session two days ago, right?”

The real revolutionary group has appeared and made contact with us. It’s a bit amusing to see them bewildered by the sight of us having captured the viscount’s forces.

“…Was this, your doing?”

“My, why are you suddenly pretending not to know? This is what ‘you and I together’ planned two days ago, isn’t it?”

“…I, I did?”

Thanks to the revolutionary members behind him muttering, “Princess Ragni?” “The woman called the Blue Wisdom of the Imperial Family?” “What, was the rumor actually true?!”, the dumbfounded words of William, the leader who had pretended to be an executive, weren’t heard by them. Hmm, should I wink to send a signal in this situation?

“A-ahem!! Y-yes, that’s right. Th-thanks to you, we were able to easily subdue the viscount’s forces. I’m grateful.”

“Hehe. Yes, thanks to you throwing out information to act as bait, we were also able to prepare and fight in advance. Thank you, comrade?”

With my wink, the revolutionary leader finally regained some of his senses and began to play along with my words, albeit a bit awkwardly. The revolutionary members who had just arrived and those who had been hiding quietly in the back alleys came out and began to be surprised and delighted to hear the fact that “I, the imperial princess, and the revolutionary group are working together.” Hmm, then…

“William. I’d like you to fulfill the promise we made that day, if you don’t mind?”

“Hey, promise? Wh-what did I…”

“You said you would trust that I’m on your side. That if we subdued Viscount Hurk’s forces, who support the war, you would believe in me and follow me. You said you would declare that in front of everyone, remember?”

When I whisper seductively in his ear, close enough that those around us can’t hear, he blushes and steps back in surprise. Hmm, if Jack showed such a cute reaction like this, I’d be more comfortable too.

“A-ahem. D-did I say that? B-but, the viscount is still…”

“My. The viscount’s castle must be completely empty by now, right? Or is ‘the revolutionary group led by William’ unable to bring down an empty castle?”

This time I speak with a smile, loud enough for everyone to hear. The mood among the revolutionary members shifts from joy at the fact that I, a princess, am working with them, to one of burning determination.

“Hey, William!! The princess is right!! Let’s go!! Let’s bring down the viscount’s castle!!!”

“Yeah!! If not now when the viscount’s forces have been subdued, then when?!”

“Justice is on our side!! The will of the Imperial Family stands with our revolutionary group and the people!!!”

“”””Let’s go!!!””””

The revolutionary group, now filling the main street of the town. The common people who had suffered from the viscount’s tyranny and the war all began shouting and heading toward the viscount’s castle, led by William, the leader of the revolutionary group, who was still somewhat flustered. Hmm, when I saw him drinking, he seemed to have some wits about him. But he’s not good at improvising.

“Ugh…”

“Your Highness. The adjutant has regained consciousness.”

“Mm.”

Leaving behind the revolutionary group that had begun to move while shouting, I give my next instructions to Dolph and Mac to move ahead, then stand before the Knight Commander’s adjutant.

“Hello? I greeted you earlier, do you remember?”

“…Princess Ragni Bluemoon Ottoman.”

“Correct~”

I even clap my hands lightly with a smile, but the adjutant’s complexion only grows paler. I see, he thinks I’m going to execute all of them?

“Before you fainted, I heard the conversation you were having with the Knight Commander. Please, could you not forgive us with just the Knight Commander’s life and mine? The soldiers and knights…”

“They were only following your orders. So you’re asking for leniency for them, is that it?”

“…They were only following the orders of the viscount, the Knight Commander, and myself. Please.”

Clumsy hypocrisy. The man’s actions before entering the back alley and his actions now appear that way to my eyes. Therefore…

“No. Do you think the lives of the likes of you, the viscount, and the Knight Commander have any value to the imperial citizens and victims of tyranny who are suffering right now?”

“Ugh…”

If the leader is a criminal, then all those under him are also criminals. Whether it was against their will or by choice, ultimately, turning a blind eye is also a crime. And following them is also a crime. At the very least, in the Empire, such people are called bandit leaders and bandits. “Criminals.”

“You abandoned your duty to protect your territory and its people, and even while supporting the pro-war faction, you tried to maintain a peaceful daily life by staying in your territory. None of you deserve forgiveness.”

I raised my voice so that not only the adjutant but also the knights and soldiers who were beginning to open their eyes, and the other common people who hadn’t followed the revolutionary group, could hear clearly.

“You retainers turned a blind eye to the viscount’s tyranny, and how many citizens were injured and killed because of that? How many people from your territory did you forcibly drag to the battlefield under the ridiculous pretext of ‘recapturing me here’ by following the chancellor’s orders without thinking? Do you know how many they are, what their names are, whose children they are?!”

“…I have no excuse.”

It’s not something that can be ended simply as their fault. Even in my words, just by the fact that I am here… I could be called the same kind of criminal. But even so, I must put on this “heroic act” of judging them. That is my responsibility.

“No excuse! Sorry!! Can your light and weightless apologies and forgiveness heal anyone’s wounds?! In the first place, the person you should be apologizing to isn’t me, is it?!!”

I swing my arms as if performing in a play. I display what is happening now to the citizens watching from around, who recognize me as [Ragni Bluemoon Ottoman].

“You who live off the taxes of the people! You send the people to the battlefield, and yet you yourselves remain in the territory!! Aren’t you ashamed?! And then, to try to brand as ‘traitors’ those who raised their voices against your actions!! I, Ragni Bluemoon, the legitimate heir to the imperial family, can never forgive you!!!”

I will not forgive. With those words, I roughly draw the sword at my waist and place it against the adjutant’s neck. I stand before them as an “executioner” who could cut him down or drop the sword at any moment.

“Now, say it again. Knight Commander’s adjutant. I don’t even know your name, but who are the people you should truly be asking forgiveness from! You who have oppressed and taken from other people’s families, who should you apologize to and beg for forgiveness?!!”

As if the sword was heavy and wavered, I slightly cut his neck, causing a small line of blood to flow from the adjutant’s neck, making the surrounding citizens let out shrill screams and the bound soldiers swallow dry saliva. Now, it’s about time…

“Th-the people I should ask forgiveness from…!! Are the citizens!! Ugh, I’m sorry!! Princess, please. This traitor’s head…!!!”

“No, don’t!!!”

Into the heavily settled “heroic act,” the intruder I’ve been waiting for finally appears. Yes, it’s not just the citizens and people you should be apologizing to.

“D-don’t kill my dad!! M-my dad just… wanted to be a knight who protects everyone…!!!”

“Miller?!! Wh-why are you here?!!”

The adjutant’s child. The Knight Commander was the third son of a noble family, and from what I learned, his family and children lived together in the viscount’s castle and he had committed wrongdoings, but the adjutant is of common birth and quite close to white on the gray scale. Therefore, all his actions were merely “a weak man’s clumsy hypocrisy.” So, this heroic act…

“Princess!! Please don’t kill my dad!! M-my dad was originally going to go to war too!!! B-but our family doesn’t have a mother, so it’s just me!! That’s why dad couldn’t go to war!! Please spare my dad!!!”

“Ugh!! Y-Your Highness!! My daughter is a commoner and young with little education!! Please show mercy…!!!”

Evil people must not remain. If evil people remain, I truly must kill them all with my own hands. That’s why I killed the Knight Commander, who was “evil,” without the people knowing. And I spared the adjutant for my purpose.

The citizens’ attention is focused on the girl crying and blocking her father, the knight kneeling and beginning to cry, and me looking at them coldly. That gaze is 5 parts sympathy, 3 parts understanding, 2 parts anger. Not bad. Finally, the climax.

“You, your name.”

“…Knight Glau. I am of common birth, without a family name.”

I ask for a name I already know. I ask about an origin I already know. I overlay his “background” with falsehoods.

“Knight Glau. You too had someone to protect, right? But just because you had someone to protect doesn’t mean that a knight who should protect the people can ignore others. At least, while I’ve been in this country, there has been no such law.”

“That’s right…!! So, please punish only me…!!”

“But if I punish you here, your daughter will someday become ‘the same victim’ to those who make the same mistakes as you.”

“!!!”

After withdrawing my sword since the child kept blocking it and might get hurt, I raised my voice.

“Knight Glau! And soldiers here, I will give you one last chance for atonement!! The lord who once promoted even capable commoners!! But who has now become corrupt, oppressing the people and committing atrocities, the lord you allowed to become ruined!! Swear loyalty to me, Ragni Bluemoon, a member of the imperial family, and atone by punishing him with your own hands!!! This is an imperial command!!!”

I swing my sword flamboyantly so it doesn’t touch the child but is still clearly visible, cutting the bindings to free the adjutant. And then…

“Imperial command… I will follow the words of Princess Ragni Bluemoon Ottoman, who has given us a chance to atone!!!”

“””We will follow!!!”””

[Skill: One Who Stands Above.]

[Effect of One Who Stands Above: One born to stand above cannot be less capable than those below. Steals the stats of humans subjugated to oneself. (Takes 50 percent of the subjugated target’s stats.) [Current number of targets: 1,117.]]

I felt my already light sword and body become as light as a feather.

‘Winning the hearts of the people is easy.’