To you who survived (6)
After that, the war of nerves with Princess Selaha continued for a long time.
Even before the closing ceremony, they continued to harass me and criticize me, so I had no choice but to repeat the same thing over and over again.
“Princess Fenia is sad…”
“That is an action against Princess Fenia’s will.”
“I cannot tell lies to Princess Fenia.”
“I only follow Princess Fenia’s instructions.”
Fenia Fenia Fenia Fenia.
To the point where I wondered if this was really okay, I pushed Princess Fenia towards her with my shield and deflected all of Princess Selaha’s attempts to appease her until the end.
At this point, Princess Selaha, who is constantly trying to catch me, is so amazing.
Princess Selaha placed the lace fan she was carrying on the bench table, narrowed her eyes and pressed her temples.
He looks like he’s in pain. It seems like something is desperate, frustrating, and even gives a faint feeling, which is truly excellent acting. Well, since I even put down my heavenly pride for a moment, what can I do?
However, you should never let your guard down here.
This is what Princess Fenia has requested again and again. The moment I pass over it, my value becomes something that is not even worthy of devotion. Here, you must keep your perseverance until the end.
“I guess it will be difficult to convince you of your position. “It seems like you only listen to Fenia’s instructions.”
Princess Selaha spoke in a much calmer tone.
After about ten minutes of repeating the same story, it seemed like the conversation was finally making progress.
I nodded for a moment. Then Princess Selaha spoke with a sigh.
“Then I have no choice but to talk to Fenia myself.”
“…yes?”
“Didn’t you say you would follow Fenia’s instructions? “Shouldn’t I just persuade Fenia and make you cooperate with me?”
“Well… that… there is no logical flaw, but is that okay?”
That doesn’t work.
Princess Selaha spoke with a frown, as if her pride had been shattered by the tone that seemed to give up.
“You seem pretty confident. Are you sure that Fenia will cherish you until the end and not give you up? “I’m sorry, but it wouldn’t be a task to take you out of Fenia’s arms.”
“At such an important time as the competition for imperial power is coming to an end, he is not a person worthy of handing over someone from his own faction to the other party.”
“It depends on what the exchange conditions are. In any case, handing over you alone will not destroy the support of the Ross Taylor family. “As long as Tanya Rosstaylor, who is holding the position of head of the family right now, supports Fenia, it wouldn’t be a big surprise if just one of you changed your support.”
Before I could answer anything, Princess Selaha added.
“Aren’t you trying to drive a wedge between me and the Elphelan family anyway?”
This part was completely unexpected.
For now, I felt the need to keep my mouth shut.
“Why did you think I didn’t know? I noticed it a little late, but that bat from the Elphelan family was plotting something useless. “It looks like he’s planning to go over to Fenia and sell out my faction’s internal secrets… If he’s going to do that, he should have done it after I left the academy.”
“…”
“Well, from that bat guy’s point of view, he probably did it because he was anxious because he didn’t think he would have any more opportunities after this festival period, but… unfortunately, he made a wrong decision. “I know Fenia as well as she knows me.”
Princess Selaha smiled in an overbearing manner. Especially when dealing with Fenian or Persica, his attitude was more confident than usual.
“Fenia, that kid is not a traitor. I guess they just wanted to keep the strong support group called the Elphelan family away from me. Even if the Elphelan family tries to leave me and join Fenia, Fenia will not accept it. Poor idiots. “If he had just stayed quietly under me, he could have received at least one position and maintained his authority.”
“…”
“I don’t need those incompetent traitors. Withdrawing support from the Elphelan family may be somewhat damaging, but it is much better than carrying around such a rotten branch. “They will be abandoned by Fenia anyway, so they will be eliminated on their own.”
Selaha was right.
Princess Fenia has a benevolent attitude and hires all people regardless of social status… but she never hires traitors.
Just as she cut off Dune Grex, who betrayed the Elte Company and tried to join Fenia’s side, without hesitation, for her, a person who has experience stabbing someone in the back cannot even fall into the category of middle ground.
This is why he is always at odds with Lortel Kecheln, a byword for betrayal and trickery.
This is because Lortel Kecheln seems to completely deny all of Fenia’s ideals.
“If the lieutenant is tempted to that degree in the first place, there is no point in keeping him around. There is only one thing I want. Yes, that firm loyalty is towards me. If you need anything in the process, we’ll cover it. Loyalty to Fenia? Won’t that all be resolved once I complete the negotiations with Fenia? “I may have to lose some money in the process, but it’s worth it.”
“…Princess Selaha.”
“What?”
“Isn’t that why the host and guest have been converted?”
“…What did you mean by that?”
I thought for a while about how to explain coherently, then slowly opened my mouth.
“Rather than using me as a means to compete for imperial power, you are taking a loss in the competition for imperial power in order to bring me into your power. “Isn’t this a bit like a back and forth?”
“…”
“It is not a wise decision to give up other political interests to forcefully bring me in when you do not have the full support of the Rosstaylor family.”
“…It’s noisy. What do you know to give me pointless advice? “The arrogant bastard raised his voice in someone’s face.”
Princess Selaha suddenly throws away all logic and raises her voice. Indeed, there were rumors that Oman was a man soaring through the sky.
“You don’t have to worry about what loss I have to endure to bring you into my power. If I say it that way, doesn’t it seem as if I have personal feelings for you and am forcing you to do it? Get your mind straight. “No matter how much he is a prince of the Ross-Taylor family, he is too self-conscious.”
“I know that Princess Selaha has no reason to have any personal feelings toward me. It’s the same for me too. “I’m definitely aware of that, so don’t worry too much.”
“…How dare you not have personal feelings for me?”
“…”
I’m tired…! I am a much more tired person than I ever imagined…!
“And don’t bring personal feelings into political discourse…! So vulgar…!”
“Well… it was Princess Selaha who mentioned it first…”
“It’s arrogant of you to keep talking back… you… And you never know when personal feelings will arise and disappear. It’s arrogant to be hastily confident. “It’s not good to say things like that carelessly.”
“So you’re saying I should have personal feelings for Princess Selaha…?”
“That’s what it says! Words! Why is it that Fenia is giving favor to a human who is so clogged up? This is truly deplorable…! Stop saying strange things! “I’m speechless because it’s so absurd!”
Is this the right attitude for a person who is trying his best to get out that trapped human…
In any case, since we can’t come this far and go over to Selaha’s forces, it is right to ignore this situation for now.
I was wondering what to do, but thankfully the other side sorted out the situation first.
“Anyway, I have to attend the closing ceremony, so I’ll let you go for now. Before that, I will meet with Fenia to discuss things, so don’t go see Abama until I return!”
“After the closing ceremony, he ordered us to play chess right away. No matter how much Princess Selaha’s instructions are, they cannot take precedence over Emperor Cloel’s royal orders…”
“Who told you not to go? I’m telling you to meet me first before you go…! “Why do you hate seeing my face so much?”
How can you happily meet someone who acts like they’ll eat you whenever they get the chance?
Princess Selaha seemed embarrassed even after saying this, so she quickly added.
“Anyway, the next time we meet, you will be my lieutenant.”
“…”
“Ever since I was very young, I have been good at grooming Fenia and taking away what I want. Do you think it would be any different for you?”
Princess Selaha seemed to have finally regained her composure and managed to control her heavy breathing and spoke in a relaxed voice.
“I’m sorry, but you are mine. Next time you will bow your heavy head. “You’re already starting to laugh, kuhuhu.”
“Absolutely not.”
Princess Fenia flatly refused.
The luxurious reception room of the imperial family’s residence.
Princess Selaha did not even attend the closing ceremony and ran to the royal residence for a month. Since the time allowed was not that much, we had to move quickly.
“…Did I hear wrong?”
“If Ed Ross-Taylor withdraws his support, it is obvious that Tanya Ross-Taylor, the student body president who currently serves as the head of the school, will also withdraw her support. If that happens, the risk is too great. “I can never pass up Ed Rothtaylor.”
“Haha… Fenia. As you know, I am a person who has consistently attacked the Ross Taylor family on public occasions. To think that the head of the Ross Taylor family could officially support me without saying anything…? There is no way the remaining forces of the Ross Taylor family would agree with such an opinion.”
“no. “Tanya Rothtaylor will stick to Ed Rothtaylor no matter the opposition.”
Fenia asserts:
Selaha is well aware of Princess Fenia’s personality of not saying things carelessly. It wasn’t easy to see him being so stern.
“In that case, the promise to expel the close associates of the Rose Palace, the promise that you will not directly reach out to the forces within the Imperial Knights, and the promise to stop blatant political checks on those who support me will not be enough. At least… I don’t know if you give up your rights as the holder of the imperial throne.”
Fenia knows.
Princess Selaha never gives up her rights as the holder of the imperial throne. Becoming an emperor is an ambition and dream she has lived with for half her life.
Putting forward a requirement that he give up his position as the emperor is simply an act of raising the stakes high to eliminate any room for compromise.
Of course, it is also an act that directly stimulates Selaha’s arrogant pride.
“Your head has grown a lot, Fenia. “I don’t recognize you.”
“But Selaha hasn’t changed at all compared to the past.”
“Why does that man follow an immature fool like you who has no idea about reality and just catches random clouds?”
“I guess he decided it was better than following the arrogant and self-righteous Selaha.”
“Haha… Talk back… Talk back… Really, since I came to Aken Island, this guy and that guy have been scratching my pride…”
Selaha smiled, but her lips were drooping.
“It was nice to see you always nodding your head helplessly and being so obedient… I guess you felt a lot while attending Sylvania.”
“What is certain is that there is absolutely no way on my part to give up Ed Rothtaylor.”
“Penia. It’s not good to stimulate my ego. “Once I lose my temper, I will stop at nothing.”
“It’s strange to begin with.”
Princess Fenia was inwardly embarrassed when she saw Princess Selaha running to the reception room a month later.
I thought they were going to try to take Ed Ross Taylor, but I didn’t know it would be this serious.
Certainly, keeping Ed Rosstaylor in power brings many benefits, both politically and power-wise.
However, if it is only for political and philistine reasons… it does not explain the move to get Ed by giving up other political advantages.
“You’re trying to get your hands on Ed Rothtaylor by even conceding the power struggle within the imperial family’s internal institutions? “That is a damaging action, even considering his political position.”
“…”
“Is there a reason other than political reasons? What are you going to make Ed Rosstaylor do? “It’s so suspicious.”
“…I won’t ask you to do anything in particular.”
“lie.”
“It just bothers me.”
“What do you mean you’re worried about that?”
“Why are you asking such useless things? Even if there is another reason, do I have any obligation to tell you, Fenia?”
Princess Selaha narrowed her eyebrows and spoke to Princess Fenia.
“And do you really need to give a reason for wanting to take a man? “It would be nice if there was a political benefit in the process… but even if there is nothing like that, I just personally want to get my hands on that man, so what can I say if you ask me for a reason?”
“…”
“…Did I say something strange? “Why are you making that face, Fenia?”
“Uh… Sister Selaha. “Why don’t you think about what you said?”
Fenia finally noticed. Princess Selaha’s condition is different from usual.
He was someone who always spoke with dignity, mulling over what he wanted to say over and over again.
It was clear that such a person seemed strangely anxious and wanted to receive a definite answer.
As I said, Princess Fenia had at least expected that Princess Selaha would want to take Ed Rothtaylor.
However, it had no meaning at all between men and women and was simply a story related to political gain.
However… The moment Fenia felt uncomfortable with Selaha’s strangely urgent expression, she felt as if all the blood was draining from her body.
That Selaha…
Selaha Einir Cloel, who looked down and observed everything in the world with arrogant eyes…
“…” It
still remains vivid in Fenia’s memory.
Selaha was a tyrant who seemed to have been pictured since childhood. In Fenia’s memories, Selaha is the worst of evils who always treats everyone like a toy. He is a human being who is like a living witness to the theory of evil nature.
I did ask Ed Rosstaylor to do something, but…
no matter what… I never asked him to do something like this…!
“Selaha Sister… Could it be…”
“…Don’t ask too much details. “I’m a little embarrassed right now.”
That’s just embarrassing. I’ve never had my pride shattered this much in my entire life.
Seeing that Fenia could no longer continue speaking, Selaha herself was unable to continue speaking.
After a moment of silence, Selaha spoke again, unable to bear it any longer.
“What on earth is this? “The sight of those who are said to be heirs of the imperial throne, born of noble royal blood, fighting over a man… is too masculine, so where can I show it?”
“Selaha was the one who tried to take out people from other factions in the first place!”
“Anyway, this is a story that needs to be finalized tonight. This is a story that is not good for being prolonged for no reason. For you and me too. And… do you think I don’t have any more hidden cards? Rather, I am the one showing mercy. “You’d better accept it quickly when I offer it.”
Fenia could not understand what Selaha was saying. It was so unexpected that it was worth it.
“Today, Momma tried to get me and Ed Rosstaylor engaged. “It seems like they are still considering it very positively.”
“…I beg your pardon? “Who would believe such an outrageous lie?”
“You will be able to quickly grasp the facts. The important thing is that if I make up my mind and push forward, I can go ahead with the engagement even if I’m forced to do so without Abama’s support. “Abamama’s words are the laws of this empire.”
“…oh my god. “What is Ed Rosstaylor’s own opinion?”
“Does that matter?”
Selaha stuck out her head and smiled passionately.
“That man is mine.”
And then he adds in a whisper.
“Once you take your body and freedom, you can take your time and take your mind slowly. “It would be better to let it go before I take more violent measures.”
“…No matter how curious your sister was, I think it would be a huge burden for her to get engaged all at once. “Isn’t that right?”
“…Penia you…”
“I think you’re going crazy right now. “If you think about it calmly, you can see that a violent method like engagement is not easy even for Selaha.”
Fenia’s point was poking at a blind spot.
It wasn’t long before Selaha became aware of his unreasonable feelings of exclusivity toward Ed Ross-Taylor.
I can’t believe I’m swayed by these immediate emotions to decide on an engagement partner. If you’re in your right mind, you can’t do something like that.
It’s just a justification to control and shake up Fenia in order to attract Ed to their faction.
“You’re right, Fenia.”
Fenia has definitely become much sharper than when she was younger.
I had to admit that she was not the type of person who was manipulated by Selaha and had her dolls taken away from her as a child.
“But you just scratched my pride by pointing out so clearly.”
However, what Fenia did not expect was that Selaha’s sky-high pride was far outside the scope of normal thinking.
“… Sister Selaha?”
“If it gets that far, there’s nothing we can’t do about getting engaged. Why do you think it seems to be going too violently? But if you think about it carefully, what’s wrong with getting engaged? If a problem arises later, you can just break off the engagement.”
“…Don’t lose your temper, Sister Selaha.”
“I am very calm now. However, things that get on my nerves keep happening over and over again, so my head gets hot.”
Selaha’s voice definitely became calmer.
However, just because the voice has become calmer, there is no guarantee that the inside will also be calm.
“You shouldn’t have provoked me.”
“I didn’t know I would end up saying this, but if I push things forward like that, it might lead to something bad.”
“What does that mean? “I wonder if there is someone who would threaten the first princess of this glorious Cloel Empire?”
“…I won’t go into detail, but the human relationships built around Ed Rothtaylor are more complicated than you might think.”
Fenia is not as familiar with Ed’s personal relationships as Belle or Ziggs.
But at least if Ed was kidnapped and engaged like that… it reminds me of some people who wouldn’t sit still.
Since each and every one of them is a human being that cannot be easily seen, from Selaha’s point of view, it has a great potential to become the handshake of all handshakes.
“From my perspective, it would not be good if things escalated, so I would recommend not doing such a thing.”
“Don’t tell me to do this or that. Fenia. “Just because your support group has increased recently… Do you feel like you’ve achieved something by being loyal to that guy…?”
“Sister Selaha…”
“Loyalty is like a reed before the wind. Right now, I’m acting like I’ll follow you for the rest of my life, but I shouldn’t forget that my heart could break at any time. “If you grew up with first-hand experience of the Rose Palace’s dirty secret tactics and conspiracies, you would know that, right?”
Princess Selaha stretched out her upper body and whispered in Princess Fenia’s ear.
“Loyalty changes so easily that you wonder if it can be like this.”
“…”
“And twisting and breaking people’s hearts like that is my specialty.”
I had to admit that fact.
Princess Selaha is a ruler and has a charisma that captivates her subjects.
He always makes confident decisions and wears an elegance that seems to know his nobility.
It’s not something you learn, it’s something you have to be born with. That is the emperor’s timber.
Even that arrogant temperament is ultimately a by-product of being a ruler.
Those who follow Selaha kiss her shoe soles with joy.
“…”
Fenia couldn’t answer Selaha’s words right away.
Selaha has already tried to break Ed’s loyalty several times, but has failed. This is just something to shake up Fenia.
However, there was no way Fenia knew the entire process.
It’s just a strange feeling of anxiety rising.
Anyway, the opponent is Ed Ross Taylor. The story with Fenia is already over. I was determined that I would never be appeased by Selaha, and I was confident that no matter what I would do, I would not break her tenacity.
However, Ed is Ed, but Selahah is also Selahah.
She is a girl who has lived a life that has been plundered from everything she thought would remain forever and taken as she pleases.
Many of his subjects, who had pledged loyalty until the end in the face of any ordeal, were lured by Selaha’s vision and charisma. And when its abilities and uses were exhausted, it was abandoned like a devoted partner by Selaha, who lost interest.
Fenia already knows this from extensive experience.
A sense of loss for what was taken away. The empty space is painfully felt to the extent that it is on a completely different level than when it never existed.
Since he is the younger brother of Princess Selaha, who grew up plundering other people’s property, he knows much better.
And it was only then that he began to realize the strange peace and security he felt while under Ed Rosstaylor’s command.
I know that it is too late to realize it after losing it.
His relationship with Ed Rosstaylor was not always smooth.
Rather, it is not strange if Ed Rosstaylor harbors a grudge against Princess Fenia. This is because the relationship between Ed and Fenia began as an enemy.
In fact, it is strange that they are being so cooperative with Fenia. The relationship between Fenia and Ed was actually supported by Ed’s understanding.
The moment you realize that you can lose, the anxiety that comes over you becomes uncontrollable.
Initially, the plan was to use Ed to shake up Selaha’s power.
“It looks like you’ve worked your ass off to cause a wedge between the Elphelan family and me, Fenia.”
However, Selaha’s attitude, as if he had seen through even that, imprints a new possibility in Fenia’s mind.
“I’m sorry, but it’s a big mistake to think you’ll fall for such a lame plan.”
It is a big mistake to think that everything will go as you think.
Leaving that message behind, Princess Selaha stood up and left the reception room.
“…”
Princess Fenia, who was left behind, sat alone for a while without even moving.
There was only silence in the reception room.
