episode_0103

The eve was safely passed, and after one night, the day of the founding anniversary arrived.

Unlike the eve, where I participated as ‘Her Imperial Highness the Princess’s partner,’ the event on the founding anniversary day required me to participate as ‘William of the Hume County,’ so I had to handle the schedule separately from Elizabeth.

It’s not particularly strange, as I’m not officially her fiancé, so I can’t sit in the seats reserved for the Imperial Family.

There’s a subtle connection, but it’s an ambiguous relationship that’s not officially recognized.

So, unlike Elizabeth, who was busy greeting the aristocratic nobles before the ceremony, I didn’t have much to do this time.

Of course, I’ll be incredibly busy again in the evening when I become Her Imperial Highness the Princess’s partner again, but I’m grateful for the brief respite.

So, I was grateful for the small and precious rest I had under my parents’ wing, and I quietly blended in between my parents and older brother.

Or so I thought.

“I look forward to the boundless development of Princess Alexandrine, and next, Princess Victoria…”

“…?”

Until His Majesty the Emperor blatantly slighted the First Imperial Princess in his tedious speech.

The mention of Princess Alexandrine was only one line.

However, the mention of Elizabeth that followed immediately after was so long that he spent several minutes listing it.

“What is this…”

“Could there have been some kind of mistake…?”

“Who in their right mind would make such a mistake?”

Everyone expected that the content about Elizabeth, the suddenly appearing princess, would be long, but no one thought that the First Imperial Princess, who was practically solidifying her position as the Crown Princess, would be ignored.

Confusion spreads among the nobles.

“Oh, that idiot…”

“Honey, be patient for now, maybe it’ll be different at the end.”

“I don’t think so…”

The most important thing is that my father and mother openly showed signs of discomfort.

The fact that even the core family of the Emperor’s faction didn’t know about it means that it’s almost entirely His Majesty the Emperor’s unilateral decision.

Still, they waited, believing that there would be something at the very end.

“- That’s all.”

“Ha… This is a disaster.”

“That’s what I’m saying…”

Until the end, the name ‘Alexandrine’ did not appear again.

– …Clap clap clap!

The applause, which erupted three beats later than usual, was evidence of how embarrassed the nobles were, and the sight of my parents clapping their hands while looking at His Majesty the Emperor with worried faces was evidence that things were going awry.

“Honey.”

“I know.”

After the applause subsided and they confirmed that His Majesty the Emperor was descending from the platform, my parents looked at each other and nodded.

Then, my mother turned to us and gestured for us to come closer.

“What are your schedules after this?”

“I was planning to show my face at the banquet and return immediately.”

“I was planning to return right away…”

“William, what about you?”

“I’m scheduled to attend the evening banquet with Elizabeth.”

“Cancel all of your schedules.”

“……”

I didn’t have the courage to ask ‘Why?’

“Yes.”

My older brother and I nodded without complaint, as our parents seemed confused right now.

“Stay quietly at home.”

My mother left a quiet warning to us and then moved towards the Imperial Palace with my father.

My older brother and I, who were quietly watching that sight, took the rest of our family and left the Imperial Palace Square, where the event was held, a little early when our parents were out of sight.

_

“Your Majesty!”

After finishing the speech and heading to the Imperial Palace from the platform.

As expected, Count Hume and his wife were the first to come looking for Jim.

The expressions of the two people visible in the corner of my vision were of being unable to control their anger in front of Jim after a long time, and they were very angry.

“Count Hume, Countess Hume, what’s the matter?”

I know better than anyone why they are angry and why they came, but I pretended not to know and looked at my old friends with a brazen face.

“Your Majesty, no matter how much we ponder Your Majesty’s judgment, we do not know what Your Majesty intends.”

“That’s right, we are worried that you are acting too hastily.”

“Jim fully understands your concerns, but if you listen to the explanation, you will understand Jim’s actions as well.”

“Please tell us.”

“Everyone, step away.”

While calming the Count and Countess, who looked like they were about to die of frustration, Jim moved the servants and maids back and slowly approached the two.

“I can answer your questions as much as you want, but let’s talk quietly outside.”

“Yes…”

And as I whispered quietly, the fierce momentum of the two people subsided a little.

“Alright, ask away.”

“What is the intention of leaving the position of Crown Princess vacant and placing the two princesses in equal positions?”

“That’s right, it’s not like we’ve been hiding Princess Victoria all this time to torment her, is it?”

“That’s right, it may seem to you that Jim’s actions are ruining the actions he’s taken so far.”

“Then why…”

“Jim thought of one thing while looking at the recent events.”

Squinting his eyes and lowering his voice even further, Jim carefully whispered to the two people, bringing his face closer.

“There are more rats hiding in the Empire than I thought.”

“Rats… There may be some, but not enough to run rampant.”

“Ha… Do you really think so?”

What the Hume Count and Countess are saying is not wrong.

Because they are still suppressing their breath under the strong imperial power.

But that is too short-sighted of a thought.

“The chaos that occurred in your family when Jim showed William some favor, and the noble forces that openly interfered with William’s actions that Jim is condoning, and even this time, they were fighting a war of nerves in the Imperial Palace, is this really not running rampant?”

“That’s…”

The eyes of the Count and Countess trembled.

They must have realized that the actions of the rats are not as optimistic as they said.

“Jim and you have already heard the cries of the rats, so are they really unable to run rampant? The guys who are always plotting to stab us in the heart when we are careless?”

Those rats are always ready to bare their teeth.

To bite at any moment if their territory is in danger of shrinking, or if we are careless.

“That’s why I’m thinking of wiping out the noble faction this time and solidifying Alexandrine’s position.”

“You don’t mean, the reason why you revealed Elizabeth that child early on is…”

“Yes, Jim is thinking of using that child as bait to lure out the nobles who are dissatisfied with the current power structure.”

“Are you out of your mind?”

“Of course.”

Jim stared at Countess Hume with serious eyes and nodded.

The Countess had an expression that she really wanted to say a lot, but she shut her mouth tightly even though she was dissatisfied after seeing Jim’s expression.

Jim carefully grabbed the hands of the two people.

“Helen, Frederick.”

And he spoke as an old friend of Helen and Frederick, not as an emperor.

“Please, I hope you can help me with this, not for me, but for our kids.”

“……”

Helen, whose hands were held, looked at me with trembling eyes and gently bit her lip.

“… Frederica, honestly, I don’t like this method, it feels like we’re passing on what we have to do to the children, it’s even unpleasant.”

“I understand that feeling too.”

“But, I can’t let the sacrifice that Elizabeth, that child, has endured at a young age be in vain.”

“Yeah.”

“So, we’re only helping once.”

“… Thank you.”

I bowed my head deeply with a worried face to the two people who were standing with dissatisfied and complaining faces.

Then Frederick, who had been quiet, carefully chimed in and said.

“Please end it before any harm comes to the two children, this is the condition for our cooperation with Your Majesty.”

“I promise.”

Even if the two didn’t say it, that’s what I was thinking, so I, and Jim, readily nodded and accepted the conditions of the Count and Countess.

Then, the two people with slightly relieved faces subtly pulled their hands away and took a step back.

“So, what role does Your Majesty want us to play?”

“Just create a situation where you support Alexandrine and oppose Jim.”

“That much is easy.”

“And, I’m sorry to say this right after you said you would help…”

“Yes?”

“It seems like we’ll have to use not only you, but also your son in this plan…”

“……”

Countess Hume’s eyes widen like a full moon.

And she trembled her eyelids as if she had been hit in the back of the head, and the vitality slowly disappeared from her clear eyes, then she slightly raised the corners of her mouth and calmly said to her husband.

“Honey, I don’t think it’s a bad idea for us to just change masters.”

“Wife, that’s treason, calm down a little… And we have to think about Princess Victoria too.”

“Hmph…”

The eyes of the Countess, who was held back by Count Hume to prevent her from doing anything foolish, were like those of blasphemous traitors.

I felt a chill down my spine for the first time in a long time.

Perhaps the last time I felt that moment was when Jim’s brother, who was about to have his head cut off on the guillotine, was cursing Jim.

I could feel a similar spirit in Countess Hume now to my brother who had lost his mind at that time.

“Even if you look at me like that, the plan won’t change…”

“Ugh…!”

When Jim mustered up the courage to say that he had no intention of changing the plan, the Countess stomped her feet and got angry.

If that action wasn’t just an action to suppress her anger to avoid committing treason against Jim, it would have felt cute, but knowing the hidden meaning, that action felt like a guillotine.

“Just try hurting our son, I really won’t stand still then.”

“I understand.”

Fortunately, Countess Hume suppressed her rebellious heart and conditionally allowed William, that child, to be used in the plan.

“Hoo…”

Jim let out a sigh of relief and subtly rubbed his sweat-soaked palms on his dress.

I was really relieved that I was able to safely overcome the most dangerous and difficult part of this plan.