I Favor the Villainess

The only time I was depressed was the day Master Claire left me.

It was a shock that Master Claire had left herself, but I'm not good enough to give up to despair just because of that.

I started acting to get Master Claire back.

"... well, did Claire choose to perish herself"

It was Master Sein who said so.

It is the royal palace that I came first.

The revolutionary government first revived the royal family in order to demonstrate the legitimacy of its own administration.

Master Sein was approved by the Revolutionary Government as heir to the former King of Roseille, and vice versa, the Royal Family gave the Revolutionary Government the banner of brocade.

It is believed that the thoughts of the entire royal palace worked harder for this than Master Sein himself.

It is unlikely, by nature, to give legitimacy to the revolutionary forces that originally thought bitterly of the arbitrariness of the nobles, but still aspire to overthrow the nobility, which is the political foundation.

The royal family was in a hurry because they got information that the Imperial Army was marching near the border between the kingdom and the empire.

If we are caught in a state of civil strife, so to speak, the balance with the empire that was originally antagonizing us could fall apart.

It seems that the Royal Family gave the Brocade flag to the Revolutionary Government with the aim of early convergence of civil strife and giving the Imperial Army a gap.

Well for that reason, Master Sein is now on a somewhat unstable foundation called the Revolutionary Government, but he was waiting for his official reign as the next king.

"Master Claire is not like any other vicious nobleman. You're not supposed to be executed here."

I asked Lady Sayne to do as she saw fit and to plead for the life of Claire.

Although it is not possible for a civilian to be allowed to see it, as a result of Sein's special teasing, we are able to talk straight away.

"... you are right. But I have to say, it's hard."

Master Sein answered my plea with a bitter face.

"... Whatever Claire individual may be, it makes no difference that she is the son of the iconic Dollar-François of aristocratic politics. If I forgive you, the revolutionary government will not forgive you."

"Oh no..."

"... If it is normal, the king's words may even be the voice of a crane, but now the royal family has barely enough power to keep its shape. Now it's the revolutionary government that's essentially in control of this country"

Perhaps the king's reign will be lost, Master Sain said.

"But behind that revolutionary force, there is the Nah Empire. Does Master Sein know about that?

"… the perception is slightly different"

My words, Master Sein, were mildly denied.

"... it is true that the revolutionary forces are under the influence of the Nah Empire. But that's just a group of suras. Ara and Irvine, the flags of the revolution, rather strongly reject the colours of the empire"

"But!"

"... well, listen. Do you know that the revolutionary government is now providing rations to the people?

"Yes."

"... that's possible because the imperial forces within the revolutionary government are supplying supplies. It would be the end of the line if the people starved in an effort to force the imperial forces out."

You mean it's hard to replace anything in the lives of the people?

I guess it's more important for Master Sein that the people don't starve than it is that the country belongs to whom.

"... Arla and the others aren't letting Suras go wild either. I'm just using it temporarily."

When the time comes, a party of the Empire will be eliminated from the revolutionary forces, says Lady Sein.

"... most importantly, there's very little I can do right now. I became the next king, but a decorative puppet. I want to do something about Claire..."

"... Really?"

I guess Master Sein is fighting the times, too.

There was a royal expression on its face that was in the transitional period of time, whilst mourning its own powerlessness.

I'm not the only one fighting.

"... I'm sorry I couldn't help you"

"No, I said I couldn't. Excuse me."

I couldn't eat any more, and I quit the royal palace.

One, that one came off.

"But not yet"

◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆

My next visit was to the monastery of the Spirit Church.

"Hey, Ray. Nice of you to come."

"Long time no see, Ray"

It was from Master Yu and Misha that I visited.

Master Yu is still under house arrest here by the royal family.

The ostensible reason for this is the treatment of disturbances caused by heterosexual diseases, but in fact it is in the form of the Seine-like sect, the current largest force of the royal family.

Master Sein himself will not want it, but it is the political difficulty that cannot be so simple.

I haven't seen you in a long time. Master Yu didn't seem to care about his own misadventure, and he looked good and healthy.

Speaking of, Misha looked so good in her monastic clothes that she thought she might have been a nun originally, and it seemed so natural to be at Yu-sama's side.

"The reason you're here is largely predictable. You mean Claire, right?

"Yes."

I nodded at Master Yu's inquiry.

"I want to do something about it, too, but like Brother Sein, there's not much I can do."

Master Yu said so and frowned sorry.

"You can say that the royal family has diminished its power and the power of the Church is increasing in relative terms. It's time for war, and many civilians come to church. The voice of the Church can't be ignored by the revolutionary forces."

"Then -!"

"But"

and Master Yu blocked my words.

"But now it is Cardinal Lilly who holds the power of the Church - more importantly, the Suras and the Empire behind it"

There's not much I can do, Master Yu said unwillingly.

"Suras and the Empire are just fine. I guess I've been aiming for the winning strengths until this situation. I had reached out to the Church as well as the revolutionary forces"

"Master Sein seems to be optimistic, but if we stay put, the Revolutionary Government may take over the Empire."

Both Master Yu and Misha seem to have a sense of crisis about the status quo.

"Can't you advise Master Sein from you?

"I've done it many times. But apparently my voice hasn't reached Brother Sein. My brother's perception of the situation is a little sweet because the people around him don't give me accurate information."

Otherwise, that brilliant brother can't be silent, Master Yu says.

"I'll keep calling Claire's plea for help even on mine, but honestly, I want you to think it's ineffective. Dollars and Claires are symbolic of aristocratic politics. From the Revolutionary Forces, you'll want to be the first person to do it, and for the Empire, you'll be the leader in beating the noble forces."

"I'm sorry, Ray"

To the words of the two of us, I felt darkened.

Still, you two are acting up.

Now that's all I have to do.

"Really? Ok. Best regards,"

I followed the monastery.

◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆

Afterwards, I tried to save Master Claire by relying on all kinds of things, but all of them ended up empty-handed.

Suras, the imperial forces were deeply rooted in this country, and the answer was a "difficult" word wherever it was called.

On my own, how helpless.

The temper of "saving Master Claire and showing it", which I strongly thought at first, gradually wears off as well.

I don't want to give up.

But the status quo doesn't allow it.

I ran all over the king's capital with the thought of spitting blood.

"... I wonder if this is what Lady Claire looked like when she was making a compromise between the nobles and the people"

I still feel like I was watching it somewhere else HR as I watched Lady Claire do it day by day.

At the end of the day, it will be resolved.

That's how Claire's safety is ensured by Dollar and me.

"Dear Claire..."

I feel the illusion that even though it's only been a few days since I've been able to see you, I haven't seen you for months.

No one has ever been next door as usual.

My chest was going to rip when I thought of that.

"... I want to see you, Master Claire"

That's how I had my days of disappointment, and one day I finally got information about where Master Claire is now.

I decided to go to the last resort.