Maou No Utsuwa

After the meeting, Princess Claudia returned to her room.

The loss of the Crown Prince contest became a decisive circumstance, but I can't feel the rush on his face. For the Princess Claudia, who has known for a long time that Deefreet has gone missing, this is the development she was expecting.

If there was a miscalculation, Square Uncle got wrapped up so quickly that he moved. It is impossible for Empress Claudia to understand why the previous Northern uncle who met Kamui made her feel at risk.

Just because you know best doesn't mean anything.

Princess Claudia's choice does not change that. It's just a little quicker to get things done.

"Kraw! What's going on!?

It was Prince Carl who came yelling into Princess Claudia's room. Formerly third in inheritance rights, he becomes a belly-up brother to Empress Claudia.

"Brother, what's wrong?

"What's wrong! I heard you! A demon king showed up in the north. Isn't that right!?

"Huh? You already know that story?

"I asked Theresa"

"Even though I'm still keeping it to myself. I have to be mad at Theresa later."

"I don't care about that. What happens in the north?

"I don't know the details, but could it be a battlefield?

"Where is that?

"That's..., my brother is going to rule..."

"Northern Border Territory!?

"Yes."

"So? What does the Empire do? Naturally, would you send an army of crusades?

"That's..."

"No way?"

"... my brother is against it. And everybody's in tune."

"Stupid!? What are you thinking, brother?

Prince Carl, who has already renounced his right to inheritance, is not entitled to participate in the venue of the meeting, and there is no one but Princess Claudia who will communicate its contents.

I don't know if Empress Claudia is talking bullshit.

"He said that fighting the kingdom is more important now than border territory. Only after it's over will we regain the periphery."

"What time is that?

"I don't get it. Military, because I'm an amateur. Wouldn't that be a long way ahead?

"... then what happens to my status as Grand Duke of the North!? Isn't that what you promised!?

The seat of the Grand Duke of the Quartet, which he promised instead of renouncing his inheritance rights. This promise has not yet disappeared. It is an important promise for Empress Claudia to attach support to herself from other princes and princesses.

"I haven't forgotten that. But my brother."

"My brother would have agreed to this. The royal family will rule the peripheral territories of the Quartet and confront the Fang Uncle family." to enhance the royal power. "

This is another lie Claudia lied about. Besides, Prince Carl is duped.

"That's right. My brother and my late sister agree on this. But because my sister died. My brother doesn't care anymore."

"Why?

"'Cause without my sister, I'm pretty sure my brother would be the future emperor. My brother must want to monopolize power."

"No... All right, all right. Let's talk directly to my brother."

"No!

"Why not? If you talk properly, even my brother will know it's for the royal family."

Here a miscalculation is created for the Empress Claudia. Prince Therese's relationship with Prince Carl is not bad. Empress Claudia, who was a Sophilia princess and had little contact with other princesses, did not know that.

"Oh, my brother's a terrible man."

"Scary...... Well, yeah, but you're gonna listen to me, right?

"That's my old brother. My brother is so scared."

Empress Claudia manages to keep Prince Carl in mind.

"What's up? Did you do something to piss me off?

But Prince Carl's reaction is one now.

"I'm not the one who pissed you off..., sister."

"... Klau, what are you talking about?

"I pissed off my brother, so my sister... My brother doesn't forgive those who have teeth that blood was connected."

"... is that supposed to happen? Wasn't he so sweet to Sophia?"

"Were you sweet?

This word of Prince Carl was also surprising to Princess Claudia.

"Don't Klau know? Really? Don't you know it's just coming to Kraw?"

"What, what do you mean?

"When I was little, my brother was very cute about my sister Sophia. That's what it feels like to put it in your eyes so that it doesn't hurt. What Klau doesn't know is that his siblings are born one after the other, and his brother is a little scared of his father. I stopped taking care of my siblings."

"... Brother Carl, what's up there?

"Me? That was tough on me."

"Oh, yeah."

So when Prince Carl decided he didn't like Prince Therese, he was an Empress Claudia who showed relief, but with the words that went on, he quickly became grumpy.

"As I do on my sister Sophia, I have to be nice to those down there. I was often told to grow up. I felt like I was being pushed, but, well, I wasn't told I was wrong."

…………

My brother, my sister Sophia.

"But!"

"What?"

"I have proof."

As an Empress Claudia, you can't back off easily. I talked to Prince Therese about making him guilty of innocence.

In this way, there is no doubt that Prince Carl will distrust the Empress Claudia, who tried to discredit her brother.

"... that it's evidence?

"Brother Carl, didn't you think it was strange up there? Why did you choose to do that when Brother Therese wasn't here?"

"... but it is clear from the investigation that the incident was arbitrary by the man who was the revolver of the kingdom"

"It's possible my brother's hands were spinning over that investigation."

"But."

"Who gained from the death of my sister? You just have to think about it."

"Klau...... Is that proof? Isn't this just speculation?"

"Yeah, but there's another one."

"What?"

"Mr. Deefreet is missing."

"What!? Is that possible?

"He said he's actually missing. What do you gain from the absence of Mr. Deefleet?

"... but it's also circumstantial evidence"

"Think about it a little bit, brother. I think we'll find out the truth."

"Right."

"But don't talk to Brother Therese. Brother Carl, when I'm gone, I don't know what to do."

"... that too, I'll think about it for a moment"

"Yeah."

Okay, I'm going back to my room.

"Ah."

"What? You still got something?

"What about Theresa?

"Klau...... I'll give you one piece of advice. It is better not to keep such subordinates at hand. Your reputation, the Lord, will only be lost."

"Ugh, yeah. Think about it"

"I don't think I need to think about it, but is that a relationship I've had since I was a kid? You can't make a decision right away."

"Yeah."

In the end, Prince Carl left the room without ending the conversation about the north, which should have been the main issue. But the same is true of Princess Claudia, who failed to fulfil her purpose.

"... Theresa, we're failing again"

I was going to trick Prince Carl into his own plot, but that's not going to work so far. It's a miscalculation by Princess Claudia, who didn't know that her younger brother and sister were close enough to have a sense of trust.

But the royal family has other siblings. My brothers and sisters know nothing of that fact or of Prince Therese.

◇ ◇ ◇

Empress Claudia's plot does not end simply by involving her siblings. Even Princess Claudia knows that nothing can work with that alone.

The next target was Zenlock, an advisor to the Kingsguard Knights.

"Long time no see. Looks like you're working inside."

"That's not true."

"No, honestly, I didn't expect Master Claudia to work so hard. A little, Noon missed Lady Claudia. My apologies."

"Yeah. Because I owe it to the people around me to help me. So long."

"But aren't you sure now?

"What?"

"Any more Crown Prince strife will only weaken the Empire. I think that the Emperor should, as soon as possible, lay down the next emperor's throne, and the Empire should be brought together in one."

"Wouldn't that be me?

"... with all due respect"

But I want to inherit my sister's will.

"I wonder if Master Sophia's will can be succeeded by His Royal Highness Prince Therese? If you think calmly now, there's no big difference between you two."

"No, I'm not. My sister and brother are not thinking the same thing."

"What does Master Claudia think is different?

"My brother doesn't look at the border. For the sake of the Empire, I believe it's okay to sacrifice the border territory."

"... that's not what I'm hearing. Have you heard that Her Royal Highness Lady Hildegand is struggling to protect the border?

"That's pre-construction. By doing so, he's cheating on the border."

"Hmm. But at the risk of losing Her Royal Highness Lady Hildegand in war. When it comes to pre-construction, I think it's a big price?

"Hildegand is just a pawn to my brother."

"Oh, it's not like Claudia, it's true."

"You mustn't give the throne to your brother. If someone who doesn't see people as human beings holds the throne, the empire will be in trouble."

"... who blew something into them?

Even so far, it is the strength of the Crowdia Empress in some ways that she does not consider to be her own idea.

"It was my sister who blew in."

"What? What does that mean?

Actually, I was talking to my sister just before she died.

"I didn't hear that!

"Because I needed to keep it to myself. If they find out about it, I'll be like my sister..."

This is where the battle is and Princess Claudia is in shapeless behavior.

"Master Claudia?

My sister was murdered.

"Everyone knows that."

The mastermind you killed is still alive.

"Hey, what is it?!?

"My sister was aware of that fact. Tell me that and ask for the rest. Never give the throne to my brother..."

Immediate acting. But for the Princess Claudia, who is always hiding her true nature, there is no such thing as acting to this extent.

"It means……. And do you have proof?

"No. So you can't be held guilty."

"So..."

"Yes, so I fought for the crown prince in grandeur and tried to stop my brother from taking the throne"

"... Could it be that the crown prince position has been decided?

"Not yet. But it's almost settled. Mr. Deefreet..."

"What has Lord Deefleet done to you?

"I think he was killed."

"What!?

"He said he's gone missing. But is that possible? I can't believe my Western uncle's kid is missing."

"That's..., right"

"If Mr. Deefreet is gone, the Uncle House will be gone if you support me. In that case, the crown prince will no longer be his brother."

"... Really? What a bloody crown prince fight."

"Is that good?

"It's not good, but it's not like the same thing has never happened at all in the history of the Empire. The question is, what kind of reign does it look like?"

Zenlock's reaction was not what Empress Claudia had in mind. I had put my shoulders in the Empress Sophilia, but Zenlock is a minister of the Empire. I can kill my personal feelings and think about the interests of the whole empire.

Princess Claudia remembers in quite a hurry for this. But I can't pull any more if I've told you so many lies. We just have to convince Zenlock somehow.

"But if you do, I'll be killed next."

"Really? If you've already decided, don't you need anything more?

"Yes, I've done a lot of research. Same goes for my sister, but so is your father..."

"... no way"

"There are signs of pills being served. More powerful medicine than my sister was serving."

"... did they know?

"I asked my sister. I told you to be careful."

"Really..."

"I need your help. I don't want to die."

But what happened to Non?

"... my brother and sisters said they would cooperate. But there's no one to put it together."

"... Ko, in the Kingsguard, you want me to start a revolt?

Zenlock is not old enough to be told so far and not to look into anything. Her complexion turned bright blue.

"No, I'm not. Guilty. And to protect your father. I wouldn't call that a rebellion."

"But then,"

"This is what Mr. Zenlock said about what kind of reign to show. I will make sure to realize the ideals my sister aspired to. I'm going to do something people can be proud of."

…………

"Don't you regret Mr. Zenlock? Killed my sister."

"I regret that."

"Then work together, thinking it's an enemy. Please!"

"Shh, let me think, will you?"

"... ok. But I don't have much time. If I'm stumbling around, so am I."

"Including that, I think"

"... please"

◇ ◇ ◇

Another plot was underway as Empress Claudia pursued her diligent scheme. Another person has the same purpose.

"... I heard the story. But is that story true?

Lurking in your voice, and asking that question, is Diethardt Oppenheim. He is the son of the Western Uncle family and the brother of Deefreet.

"It's a hard place to say how far we should go."

"... talk to me from the beginning"

"I understand. It is only by chance that my merchant noticed it. We heard a quarrel as we went down the street to the next city for business."

You mean the streets down south from the Imperial Capital?

"Yes, you're right. We've heard from the Imperial Capital that it's a 20-day place."

"Why would my brother be in such a place?"

"We don't know that. But my husband said he only knew one thing."

"You know what? Let me ask you something."

"Do you know the name Serene Ericsson?

"... there is. You're a woman who was my brother's lover in the same year at Imperial College."

This much has been investigated by the Western House. It doesn't take a lot of effort. Those around Deefleet are descendants of the subordinate aristocracy of the Westerners. Almost everything I saw at the college was passed on through my parents' home to the Western Uncle family.

"Yes, it is. My husband said he was going to be there."

"I hear the relationship ended with college graduation, though?

"I haven't asked my husband that far. However, the southern border territories are in a difficult situation. I wondered if I could stay or not."

"Doesn't he have the consciousness of being a Western uncle?!?

Unexpectedly, Deethardt roughs up his voice. For Diethardt, who was raised as the heir to the Western Uncle family, Diefleet's actions made him feel irresponsible and unforgivable.

"That's not for me or anything."

"... so is that. Keep going. I heard a fight. After that."

"Yes, I thought we were being attacked by bandits, our people rushed off the scene. It seems rude, but it's not like the merchant style can do anything. I hope you understand."

"That's... right. I have no choice."

I can't even blame you for saying an apology first. Even though he felt uncomfortable, Diethardt decided to admit what the merchant had said.

"It may sound like an excuse, but we're going back to the city and telling the gendarmerie that fact right away"

"So?"

"We're not talking about how the gendarmerie moved. However, we have heard that there was no immediate exit from the city. I haven't heard much about it, so I thought I was curious."

"... you say the city's gendarmerie is one of them?

"That's it. But I'm pretty sure bandits are more responsive than usual."

"Uhm.... wait a minute. Isn't there nothing to prove that my brother was involved in that dispute now?

"That's the next day's story. Once we turn back, our merchants will follow the same streets the next day."

"You got bandits out there?

"That's why. Bandits will not imitate what they continue to attack in the same place. I am afraid of ambushing the gendarmerie. We merchants know that."

"... I see. Is there such wisdom?"

"The day before yesterday, as a result of various explorations of the place where we heard a struggle"

"Are you the merchants?

"What happens after a fight, you can see how big the bandits are, etc. Exchange such information between merchants, avoid the path where too large a bandit appears, gather a number of merchants, increase the number of escorts, etc."

"A merchant thinks a lot more than you think, doesn't he?

"The cargo carried is the same as life for a merchant. Do everything you can to protect it. You can't do it without it."

"Um. So?

Even if you ask a number of questions, you won't be able to get to Deethardt, such as deciding if the merchant's answer is true. It is not the knowledge that Uncle Fang's son knows.

"What I gave you there was falling. I gave it to you after I cleaned it, but when I found it, the pattern part was bloody."

"Right..."

"I wonder if the number of those who were in contention will exceed twenty, in appearance. I don't know the enemy's side."

"You didn't have a body, did you?

"Yes. It's just..."

"Just what?

"There seemed to be some dragging marks going on up to those ahead. I was wondering if it was after I dragged the body..."

"Right..."

"How about that? We saw the seal engraved on the sword and gave it to you, but we didn't know if it belonged to Deafried."

"... it did belong to my brother. But why did you just look at the crest and think it belonged to your brother?

"Didn't I tell you yet? Our Chamber of Commerce has graduates from Imperial College. Besides, DearFleet's same grade."

"You said you knew?

"They always wore it. The most unique eyes of a merchant's son, I don't think anyone remembered them."

"I see. Who else would know about this?

"Only a limited number of people in our Chamber of Commerce"

"You didn't report to the Empire?

"My husband says there are some suspicions, so he says it's better to offer the official after he gets confirmation from the Western Uncle"

"What are the suspicions?

"That a bandit would purposefully imitate hiding a corpse. I wonder if I will miss the sword, which the bandits can see as expensive even in the eyes of amateurs. These two are contradictory in the first place. I don't know if you want to hide it or let me know."

"Right..."

"And..."

"Still got something?

"If you say this, you may buy discomfort..."

"I don't mind. Say it."

"I was wondering if it would be of some benefit to our Chamber of Commerce if it were to be of use to the Western Uncle..."

"What!?

"Again, did you buy discomfort"

"I mean unhappy...... Well, it doesn't feel good to be exploited."

I feel worse, but my suspicions of merchants are fading. The glaring demands had therefore dispelled the suspicion of how to do this from among the Diethardts.

"I'm sorry. I thought it was unique to merchants, and I was hoping you would forgive me."

"You want me to forgive you for shallowness?

"Merchants move by profit. For the aristocrats and knights it may be a thought to spit on, but for the merchants, on the contrary, do you call it pride…"

"I don't understand right away, but if you're a merchant, that's normal, right?

"Yes."

"Right. What is that interest you seek?

I was wondering if you could give me permission to do business in the western part of the empire.

This demand is a crack and a big one. It was not that easy to grant a commercial license to a new merchant because of his relationship with an existing merchant.

"... I can't answer that right away. There are many merchants I associate with. If we interrupt there, there will be a rush."

"Yes, just not so much. Our Chamber of Commerce is still a small Chamber of Commerce. We don't have enough strength to hang out with the big merchants."

"... so to speak, what kind of chamber is it?

"Yes. My name is the Deto Chamber of Commerce. We handle everything from daily necessities to groceries, weapons and slaves, so if you need anything, be sure to call us."

"From daily necessities, slaves?

"Well, whatever you can sell, that means."

"Right. All right. It's the Det Chamber of Commerce, let's remember."

"Thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me."

"Is that good? I just remember my name."

"That's enough. Credit should not be given in one day. Well, this time it was a weakness."

"Right...... I don't really understand the merchant's logic, but please do it again."

"Yes."

Where the merchant leaves the room without hesitation, his subordinate, who had refrained next door, calls out.

"Dear Diethardt..."

I need to talk to your father right away.

"To whom, Master Deefleet?

"Don't ask me what I know. I can only think of one person who can work for the city's gendarmerie without my brother."

"Again..."

"Let's hurry, we can't leave the Empire to our brother's enemies."

"Ha."

There are those who try to disturb the empire trying to wrap it up. Even if its purpose was very different, there is no doubt that it would harm the Empire.

The dance of the Empire is not over yet.