NOVEL WEB Book 2: Chapter 3
“NOOOOOOOO! WHY?! WHY CAN’T I WIN?!” screamed a voice that rippled through the open classroom.
In the room were three boys and a single girl, huddling around a large desk marked with geographic symbols and pawns to represent the positions of soldiers. These pieces were intended for tabletop military exercises.
“That makes thirty-two losses out of thirty-two… I thought I had the blood of our proud troops running through my veins! But it turns out I’m a total diiiiiiiiiisgrace…!” wailed one of the members—the heaviest boy out of their group of four, named Glen.
“Get a grip, Glen. You keep getting caught in the same way,” spoke the twiggy boy across from him. His name was Strang. “If you can’t win with force, you gotta consider other strategies. I mean, staying the course sounds good in theory, but you’re just being careless, especially if your stubbornness keeps you from improving. Plus, this inflexibility will cost you the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers.”
“Geez, I know! You think I can’t even count the lives of my comrades? You think I’m a beast?”
“Well, even an animal would learn after thirty losses, which makes you worse.”
Listening to their conversation, the third boy burst into laughter. Wein.
“Ha-ha-ha! He’s tearing you a new one, Glen. Is your lineage just for show?”
“Damn you, Wein! I won’t forgive anyone who dares insult me—much less my family!”
“Hey, hey, hey. I know you’re frustrated that you’re the family disappointment, but don’t take it out on me.”
“Ngh… You weasel! You’re having the time of your life humiliating me!”
“I’m having a blast!”
“You’re asking for it, aaaaaaaasshole!”
And that began their little scuffle.
From a short distance away, Ninym looked on with a smile at their day-to-day shenanigans at the Imperial military academy.
“This can only be settled with a duel! Let’s take this outside, Wein!”
“Seriously? You’re asking to duke it out because you can’t win a tabletop battle? And might I mention that’s your specialty? What happened to honor? What happened to pride?”
Strang interjected. “Uh-uh. Not so fast, Wein. It’s the most basic of tactics to circumvent your weaknesses and use your strengths to overcome the enemy. And ‘pride’ has more to do with victory than anything else.”
“Oh, didn’t think you’d use that argument. But if you’re calling this ‘strategy,’ I’m not obliged to approach it head-on.”
“You’re right.” Strang nodded before shaking his head dramatically. “Well, I can see why you’d shit your pants thinking about going up against Glen.”
“What?”
“I mean, he was the first one to make you eat dirt, even though you scored the highest in almost every class.”
“What did you just say about me?”
“I don’t blame you, man. It’s the most basic of tactics to steer clear of your weaknesses.”
“WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY ABOUT ME?!” Wein screeched. “What are you talking about, you little shit?! I’ve got no reason to be scared! Who told you that?! I could knock the hell out of Glen with one clean hit!”
“Bullshit! Your swordsmanship is so pathetic, you’ll never be a match for me! Even if you practiced for one hundred years!”
“Like hell! I was reckless before, but if I go all out, I’ll beat the living crap out of you!”
“Wein,” called out Ninym, who’d been observing quietly until then.
“What is it? You’re not gonna tell me to quit before I lose, are you?”
“Well, I wouldn’t stop you for that. I’d love to see him take you down a notch or two.”
“Then what?”
“Behind you.” Ninym pointed.
Along with the other two boys, Wein turned toward the door to the classroom and spotted a young girl who looked familiar.
She was a student at the academy, too, but he’d never interacted with her before. In fact, no one in that room had any connection with this girl.
“Can I help you?” Wein vocalized their thoughts.
Under their collective gaze, she answered, “I’m curious about you all. Will you let me observe you?”
Wein exchanged glances with the others.
“Watch us? I don’t think you’ll find us very interesting.”
“That’s not true at all.” With lithe steps, she came to stand in front of Wein. “I can see how you lot are the troublemakers of the school. The rumors were certainly accurate. I mean, even from this exchange, I can see you’re all very entertaining.”
“‘Entertaining,’ huh.” Wein’s mouth twisted. “Well, anyone who thinks that as their first impression is either a rotten asshole or an idiot with a false sense of superiority. What do you think?”
In spite of this verbal assault, she flashed a smile. Her demeanor was as far from faltering as possible. “Agreed. Well, I guess I should add that I’m actually superior to you.”
“…I see. You’re a fun one.” Wein grinned and offered his hand. “I’m Wein. A worthless commoner.”
“Lowa Felbis. The insignificant daughter of a noble family in the countryside.”
Wein Salema Arbalest and Lowellmina Earthworld.
And this was how two members of royalty spent time together, hiding behind their false identities.
The banquet to welcome and entertain the envoys went off without a hitch from start to finish. It wasn’t surprising, since the Kingdom of Natra and the Empire were on good terms, with compatible values.
And the purpose of the diplomatic visit was to discuss the potential union of the crown prince and Imperial Princess. It was an auspicious occasion.
No one in attendance was in the mood to stir up any unnecessary trouble.
Of course, that wasn’t the only reason this banquet was going swimmingly. As the hosts, the Kingdom staffers had put in significant effort to prevent any trivial offenses. By dipping liberally into their dwindling supply of time and money, they were meticulous in perfecting every detail—from carefully selecting those in attendance to the proper cuisine, cutlery, and tablecloths.
Of particular note were the dishes, which had been chosen based on Wein and Ninym’s input.
“I must admit my surprise that we’re able to enjoy Imperial cuisine in your kingdom.” Princess Lowellmina smiled from her seat as the guest of honor, speaking to Wein, who was sitting directly across from her.
“I thought you might long for a taste of home after a long journey. For tonight, I imagined it might suit your palate better than our traditional fare.”
“I appreciate your consideration, Prince Wein.”
These genteel interactions between the two most important people in the room were one of the reasons for the relaxed mood, allowing the room to buzz with comfortable conversation among the attendees.
“Wow. I’ve heard the rumors, but Princess Lowellmina is absolutely lovely.”
“Well, let me just say that Prince Wein is as magnanimous as I’ve heard from others. I am in complete admiration for his marvelous work in His Royal Majesty’s stead.”
“And it appears their conversation is flowing. I imagine they will make a splendid couple once they tie the knot.”
“Indeed… By the way, I appreciate that you’ve considered our party’s fatigue when preparing this feast. But I must admit I’m disappointed that I missed out on a chance to sample your traditional flavors.”
“Not to worry. We thought this might be the case and prepared our local cuisine, too. I’ll have them bring it out.”
The party was continuing with no trouble at all—well, on the surface.
Now what do we have here? Wein thought as he spoke with Lowellmina.
He remembered something that happened before the soiree.
“ISSA TRAP! Like, a thousand peeeeeeeeercent!” whined Wein, slumped in his chair in the office, looking like the world would end at any moment. “Any possibility that we can pretend this is all a dream?!”
“Nope.”
“I kneeeeeeeew it!” With his hands clutching his skull, Wein slammed his head into his desk.
Next to him, Ninym had on a troubled expression. “To think Lowa was the Imperial Princess… I investigated the backgrounds of your friends, but I guess I fell for misinformation. That’s on me.”
After their sudden reunion, Wein had managed to keep it together to welcome the head of the delegation, Princess Lowellmina. At the moment, she was taking a quick break in the room prepared for her.
Following this was the scheduled banquet, where Wein was expected to formally welcome the princess and establish their connection.
Keyword: expected.
“An aristocrat in the countryside? Oh, come on! Lying when you’re a part of the most powerful family in the whole friggin’ Empire! If you’ve got blue blood, just attend school without hiding it!”
“Wein. That could be said about you, too,” Ninym interrupted with composure, but he wailed nonetheless.
“Oh, why’d things turn out like this…? All I wanted to do was marry an imperial princess and sail into the sunset to live out my lazy days…”
“That’s not necessarily out of the question yet. This doesn’t change the fact that the Imperial Princess came to Natra to discuss your hand in marriage… The only twist is that she’s Lowa.”
“Which is the biggest problem of them all!” Wein shouted. “Remember what happened after she joined our group at the military academy? We ended up in one risky situation after the next.”
“Oh, I could never forget. Mobilizing villagers to suppress bandits. Impeaching corrupt bureaucrats. Seizing smuggled goods from crooked merchants to sell off ourselves… Now that I think about it, we seriously went through some stuff.”
“Yeah, all thanks to Lowa!”
Upon joining their little clique, Lowa would find and bring every problem that had the potential for their group to intervene. At the time, he’d wondered how she managed to sniff out these situations, but in hindsight, Wein guessed she’d collected information from all over the place by leveraging her position as a princess.
“I mean, these tasks were obviously super dangerous! But Glen and Strang always went along with her! That’s why we were constantly on the verge of getting expelled.”
“I remember you were the most into it.”
“……” Wein averted his gaze.
Ninym clamped both hands to his cheeks so he had no choice but to meet her eyes.
“Well, like, she’d suggest things like swapping the painting of a creepy aristocrat with a counterfeit to humiliate him! Which sounds like so much fun! Like, duh! Of course, I’d be up for it!”
“And I was the one who had to suffer while cleaning up your messes. Oh, just thinking about it is getting me riled up.”
“Okay, back on topic,” Wein forcibly commanded. “Moving on. To Lowa, conspiring comes as naturally as breathing. There’s no way that she came here just to talk. She’s got something brewing. No question about it.”
“I have no objections. And I guess this means your original hypothesis was correct.” Ninym stretched out his cheeks. “Our newest piece of information is that Lowa is the princess. Other than that, the situation hasn’t changed. Her motives are still up in the air. We need to do some more digging to find out what’s on her mind.”
“How long is the envoy staying?”
“Two weeks. That’s the plan.”
“Which is long enough to suggest they’re definitely scheming…” Wein lamented, down in the dumps.
Ninym’s profile was marked with caution. “She must have something in mind. As host, you’ll be entertaining at several events. It shouldn’t be difficult to make contact.”
“Except finding out her true motives will be harder than boiling the ocean…”
“Well, in the near future, there’s no doubt she’ll be gorged on food.”
“Guess I should hope that will make her loose-lipped.”
Ninym shrugged. “You can’t just hope for a slip of the tongue. You need to extract it out of her. It’s almost time.”
Wein nodded and rose to head toward the banquet hall with Ninym.
Which brings us to the next scene. Wein sat in front of Lowellmina.
Guess I’ve got no choice but to draw it out of her.
Based on her behavior, Lowellmina didn’t seem the type to let loose in formal settings as she did at the academy. Wein had no problem with that. It enabled him to use his princely authority to corner her.
“Princess Lowellmina, may I ask if you were the one who suggested this visit?”
“Yes. You might tease me for acting in a way unbefitting of an unmarried princess, but I wished to meet you in person, Prince Wein.”
“I would never. To speak to a beautiful woman is the highest honor for any man… But I’m afraid I’m the prince of a minor, remote nation. Why did you want to meet me?”
“My. You’re selling yourself short,” Lowellmina replied, all smiles. “After all, we’ve heard the news of you leading your nation in the stead of your ill father to victory against Marden. As a member of the Imperial family and as a woman, I must admit this piqued my interest.”
“I worry I may disappoint you. What do you think? Have I met the expectations of the Empire?”
“Ah, yes, well… I wouldn’t say you’ve met them exactly,” she teased mischievously. “After all, you’ve far exceeded them.”
“Well, well. You’ve got me.” Wein tried to cover his embarrassment with a wry grin, which drew out another faint smile from Lowellmina.
“My older brothers advised me not to come, but I knew this was the right choice.”
“Ah. Were you met with opposition?”
“Oh, like you wouldn’t even believe. But when I heard you were searching for a princess, I couldn’t help myself… To be honest, my brothers were the ones who lent me their people to act as my envoys. I told them a smaller number would have sufficed, but they insisted it was dangerous. Wouldn’t you agree that they’re being overprotective?”
Wein replied as if troubled. “As an older brother myself, I’m afraid I must side with the imperial princes.”
“Ah, yes, you have a younger sister.”
“My pride and joy. I shall introduce you two as early as tomorrow.”
In the back of his mind, Wein ruminated on Lowellmina’s words.
Everything could be attributed to her recklessness, if this matter was analyzed in a straightforward manner. In the throes of puberty, Lowellmina had been wooed by a foreign prince and forcibly invited herself to his castle, traveling abroad with her delegation.
—At least, that’s the cover story she used to get her way.
Of course, Wein didn’t believe her story for a millisecond.
Except for one thing. It was extremely likely that her envoys were the subordinates of her brothers, seeing that she wouldn’t have had enough people reporting to her directly. Even though she was imperial royalty, she was still a young girl and the youngest of five, after all.
If she’s intentionally offering me this information, that could only mean…
Their conversation continued as the gears turned in his head.
“That said, Natra is far colder in the winter than I’d expected.”
“It must come as quite a shock. After all, our steep mountains and harsh weather are all we have that the Empire lacks. Well, we’re still at the beginning of winter.”
“It gets colder than this?”
“In the middle of winter, windblown trees often freeze solid in the snow. That’s winter in Natra for you.”
This was enough for a troubled look to wash over her face, triggering a new idea in Wein’s mind.
“Aha! If it interests you, I can send you our traditional garb. I know imperial attire is sturdy and beautifully designed, but it may not offer you respite from the weather in Natra.”
“I appreciate your kindness. You’re correct in observing that our clothing hasn’t been enough to keep out the wind—to our dismay.”
With that, Lowellmina gave a playful wink. “And am I right to assume you’ll choose something that’ll look good on me?”
“Oh dear. As a man, I can’t refuse this request. It appears I must go all out.”
“Hee-hee-hee. I look forward to it.”
After that, the pair continued to talk of inconsequential subjects until it was time for Wein to give his closing remarks. When he brought the banquet to an end, it was already late in the evening.
To welcome a foreign guest of honor, the exclusive suite set aside for Lowellmina was prepared to a degree of perfection that even the Imperial Princess could appreciate.
It wasn’t showy or resplendent, but it was spotless from corner to corner. On the walls hung tasteful pieces of antique art. Through the window, the starlight softly illuminated the room as if in a dream, and just outside, the light of scattered bonfires flickered in the dark night.
She imagined her time in this room would be quiet but comfortable. Just as Lowellmina came to this conclusion, a knock sounded at the door.
When she granted entry, an attendant entered the room.
“I apologize for interrupting your rest, Princess Lowellmina. A gift from Prince Wein,” the attendant explained, signaling the trunks outside the door.
Each was large enough for a person to fit inside. Three in total.
“We’ve done a thorough investigation. They contain clothes.”
“Oh, I didn’t think they would arrive this quickly. Please bring them inside.”
“Understood.” The attendant called for a few other servants to complete her request. “Would you like to try a few of them on?”
“No, I’ll do that tomorrow. Please leave me for now.”
“Of course.”
After shooing everyone out of the room, Lowellmina was alone once again—but she didn’t shut her mouth, speaking to the trunks of clothing.
“—All right, you can come out now.”
The trunk lurched and lifted the lid of its own accord.
“Phew.” A boy inhaled sharply, shoving layers of clothing aside to emerge out of the box.
It was Wein.
“Dang it! I wanted to prank her. How’d she find out?”
Another lid creaked open to reveal Ninym. “Of course she would. It’s so obvious.”
“Maybe next time, I’ll use a rope to break and enter through the window.”
“Great, and I’ll be in charge of sawing the rope in two.”
“Um, Miss Ninym? Why so bloodthirsty?”
Listening to their lively exchange, Lowellmina chuckled, joining in on their conversation. “Hee-hee-hee. It’s like you two are back at the academy.”
“Can you believe this, Ninym? The Imperial Princess is laughing at us.”
“By clowning around, at that. In my humble opinion, that’s a small price to pay.”
“Good point.”
Lowellmina burst into laughter, and when she finally caught her breath, she looked at Ninym.
“I had a chance to greet Wein earlier, but not you. It’s been a while, Ninym. I’m glad to see you’re still by his side.”
“And I am pleased to see you in good health, Lowa. Or would you prefer Princess Lowellmina?”
“Oh, don’t get all formal with me. We’re good friends.” Lowellmina took both of Ninym’s hands in hers. “Just call me Lowa.”
“All right. When we’re in private.”
Lowellmina nodded and took the pair in. “You haven’t changed at all.”
“Oh, we have. For example, I’ve gotten taller and waaaaay more handsome, and Ninym has gotten bigger everywhere other than her boobs…Wait, Ninym! Put that fist down! It was just a playful jab.”
“Which means it’s time for me to throw my straight punch, right?”
“…Lowa, help!”
“Hmm? Erm… Hey, Wein, do I look any different?”
“Your butt got bigger, I think.”
“Ninym, give him all you’ve got.”
“Got it.”
“What?! Don’t tell me my silver tongue is ineffective!”
Just as Wein found himself in a real bind, the door to the room clicked open timidly.
“Princess Lowellmina? I heard a voice and—what?!”
It was the attendant who’d delivered the trunks of clothes, eyes wide in surprise upon catching a glimpse at Wein and Ninym. Their faces were just as shocked.
“Ambassador Blundell?”
Standing on the other side of the door was Fyshe Blundell, the former ambassador who’d been stationed in Natra and dismissed after losing in a battle of wits against Wein. There was no questioning her identity.
“Excellent timing, Fyshe. Please stand guard outside. If anyone comes, tell them I’ve retired for the evening.”
“Yes, ah, no, but the Prince…”
“Fyshe,” Lowellmina warned, flashing her steely gaze on the confused attendant.
She swallowed her response and bowed with reverence. “…Understood. I’ll be right outside the door. Please call if you need anything.”
“I’m counting on you.”
When Fyshe slipped back through the door, Lowellmina looked at Wein.
“Surprised?”
“Yeah.” Wein nodded. “But it all makes sense now. I was wondering how Ambassador Talem managed to broach the subject of marriage with the Imperial Princess, but now I get it. It was all through Ambassador Blundell…his predecessor.”
“That’s right. She switched from the diplomatic corps to serving at my side. Thanks to a certain someone, she’d been forced to work a menial job, and I managed to talk her into becoming my attendant.”
“Feel free to thank me at any time.”
“I’ll forget your insolence from earlier.”
“Yay.”
“But I won’t,” Ninym chirped.
“Nooo.”
Her fist sunk into his cheek.
“Well, let’s sit down before we continue our chat.”
“Yes, let’s. Ninym?”
Ninym responded to the call by making her way to the unopened third trunk, popping it open to dig inside to fetch wine and a set of glasses.
“You’re prepared. Who’s it made by?” Lowellmina asked.
“Remember when we swapped out a bottle of wine when we were switching the paintings of that aristocrat? It’s the very same bottle.”
“…Didn’t you tell me it was broken in transport?”
“If we break it tonight after we polish it off, there won’t be a difference.”
“…You really haven’t changed.”
The three sat around the table, pouring wine into glasses placed in front of each person.
“A toast,” Wein suggested.
“For what?”
Wein grinned. “To our reunion, of course.”
His sonorous voice reverberated across the room.
“Hard to believe you’re the Imperial Princess, Lowa,” Wein started, attempting to get the ball rolling. “Did you know about me and Ninym from the very beginning?”
“Of course.” Lowellmina nodded. “I mean, you were pretending to be commoners, but it’s not as if you went to great lengths to hide your true identities.”
“Eh, I was officially studying abroad in the Empire as the crown prince, so I guess it’d be obvious if you tracked my movements. Plus, I used my real name, since it would be a pain in the ass to change it.”
In the first place, all records of their enrollment were supposed to have been wiped from the face of the earth upon their return to Natra. Wein had no idea what happened after they left.
“I was more concerned that you’d find me out. Especially because your network of spies in the Empire is expansive.”
Ninym groaned, vexed that she’d been unable to expose the identity of the girl who was close to her master.
“To tell you the truth, I would have confided in you if you were upfront with me. That’s why I asked Ninym if you were actually commoners once.”
“I remember that.”
“Right. And you said yes.” Lowellmina faced her. “—Ninym Ralei. Why would you lie to your dear friend?”
For a second, her glare was dreadful enough to make blood curdle. Off with your head if you dare give me an excuse, it silently expressed.
But Ninym was unfazed. “Why, I didn’t lie at all.”
As the one working at the side of the crown prince, she was familiar with being on the receiving end of pressure.
“It was just a mistake,” Ninym declared with pride. “If we’re friends, you’ll forgive me, right? Your Imperial Highness, Princess Lowellmina Earthworld.”
They stared each other down for a few more seconds before Lowellmina broke into a wide smile.
“Of course, Ninym. Oh, I love that about you. May I give you a hug?”
“You always try to pick fights with potential playmates. I think you really ought to do something about that… Hey. Don’t hug me before I’ve given my consent.”
“It’s part of my personality.” Lowellmina squeezed Ninym with all her might.
Wein shrugged as he watched the duo. “Talk about a royal pain in the ass.”
You’re one to talk, Ninym communicated via glare, which he pretended affected him less than a gentle breeze.
“Right. I haven’t expressed my appreciation to you. For figuring out my intentions and responding appropriately.”
“Oh, you mean at the banquet.”
They were referring to Lowellmina telling Wein at the soiree that the envoys belonged to her brothers. It had been code for My brothers’ eyes are everywhere, meaning it would be difficult to meet behind closed doors unless he was proactive.
When Wein realized this, he’d prepared trunks with secret openings and snuck into Lowellmina’s room with Ninym.
“No thanks needed. But now that you’ve called us here, you have to be honest with us. Tell me the real reason why you came all the way to Natra under the guise of a potential union.”
“Yes, of course.” Lowellmina nodded.
“Wein, let me be frank in my proposal. Do you want to steal the Empire with me?”
Silence fell on them.
The trio exchanged glances, which tangled together in an intricate web and sprayed sparks through the still air.
Wein was the one who finally spoke up. “Lowa, are you suggesting we oust the three princes and put you on the throne?”
“Precisely.”
“…Geez, you’re asking for the impossible.”
“Am I?” Lowellmina feigned ignorance.
Wein turned to look at her and shook his head. “I’m assuming you know the amount of power that we possess as a nation. You can search high and low, but you’ll never find enough strength for us to go against the Empire.”
“Sure. If the Empire unleashed its full might, it could erase this kingdom from the face of the continent. But,” Lowellmina continued, “that’s a big ‘if.’ I’m sure you’ve heard of our internal state. With this battle between brothers for the throne, the Empire cannot function at its full capacity.”
“…” Wein didn’t reply, but his face said he knew this to be true.
“Allow me to recount the events leading up to this moment. I’ll start from the very beginning. The catalyst for this situation was our late father becoming ill. That’s the Earthworld Emperor,” Lowellmina started. “His condition was serious enough to cloud his consciousness and left him unable to stand or speak. Performing his administrative duties was out of the question, which meant it was only reasonable to find a representative to act in his stead. But the Emperor had yet to announce a successor, and the palace fell into complete chaos.”
It was here that Ninym chimed in.
“…This has bothered me for some time. Why didn’t he name a successor? I’ve heard a number of rumors, but I can’t tell which one is true.”
“Hmm, I’ve never asked him directly, so I can only speculate. This should be taken with a grain of salt, but…I wonder if it has something to do with the events leading up to his ascent to the throne.”
Ninym tilted her head quizzically. “And that would be…?”
“He had many brothers, which placed him far down the line of succession. But he couldn’t give up on his aspirations for the throne. Only when he demonstrated his abilities was he recognized as a worthy heir. He always said adversity makes or breaks you.”
Wein snorted. “I see. The point is that he never forgot his own struggles, and he pushed his sons to follow his path.”
“That’s about the gist of it.” Lowellmina gave a wry smile. “I honestly think he meant to make the eldest son his successor in his heart. But my oldest brother would rest on his laurels, refusing to pull himself together, no matter how many times he was admonished. Because of that, he may have refrained from stating his decision in order to try and rouse his firstborn son to action.”
“But he was conked out by the illness before that could happen.”
“Right. It would have been a different story if my oldest brother had realized the errors of his ways, unified the palace, and put the other two in their place. But in reality, the younger pair seized the opportunity to secretly chip away at his political authority while the eldest became overwhelmed by his duties. Controlling the palace took a backseat for him.”
“But the Emperor gained consciousness once more after that, right?” Ninym commented.
Lowellmina nodded. Even Natra had received word that the Emperor had recovered.
“The whole palace let out a sigh of relief when they heard the news. Of course, they were comforted by his improving health, but they hoped it might bring a conclusion to the fight over the throne. He actually called for all his children, me included.”
Lowellmina shook her head.
“But all that awaited us was a scolding. He expressed his disappointment in his eldest son for failing to unite the palace and in the two others for not managing to oust their brother. He announced that he would be returning to his official duties and that no one was worthy of becoming his successor.”
Ninym sighed. “How foolish. He had a chance to name an heir and put an end to this mess, but he allowed his emotions to get the better of him. And then he passed away, inviting them to continue their fight… My sympathies to the subjects of the Empire.”
Wein shrugged. “I can see why he might have felt that way. I mean, a strong leader is indispensable, especially to an empire facing rapid expansion. If these brothers of yours are overwhelmed by the troubles in their own palace, it’d be hard to rely on them to deal with foreign relations… Personally, I think you all should shove any old person on the throne at this point.”
“Agreed.” Lowellmina raised her hand. “And I think I should take that very seat, which brings us full circle. Will you help me out?”
“……Ninym.”
“There’s no mention in Imperial law that the daughter of an Emperor cannot take the throne. She has every right to inherit it. That said, all the successors have been male until this point, and there is a belief among the Empire’s people that this tradition should continue on.”
“I know no one of influence within the Empire that will support me. Everyone is courting one of my three brothers—and taking no notice of me. That’s why I had to call upon old friends. Don’t you think this will be entertaining?”
“Totally.”
“WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIN,” warned Ninym in a shrill voice, her glare boring into Wein as he nodded eagerly.
“I know, I know. Back at the academy, I could participate in this ordeal, but I’m the crown prince of Natra. Based on that alone, I can’t agree to this proposal.”
“Are you saying no? You could be the husband of a future Empress, you know.”
“Ha-ha-ha, that’s some punishmentOW!” Wein rubbed at his bruised shin.
Lowellmina watched him from her periphery. “Well, I never assumed you would agree from the outset. Anyway, we’ve talked enough. Shall we call it a night?”
“Meaning you’ve got more tricks up your sleeve to get me to join you.”
“Naturally. I’m not so eccentric that I would travel all the way to the northernmost point of the continent empty-handed.”
Wein grinned. “Nice. Looking forward to tomorrow, Lowa.”
Lowellmina flashed a composed smile. “Prepare to be wowed.”
Ninym sighed. “I knew you two were one and the same…”
How long had it been since this clandestine meeting in the room began?
Fyshe Blundell fidgeted as she kept guard outside the door, unable to relax.
She’d heard Lowellmina had been friends with Wein and Ninym at the academy and allegedly they’d been close with one another. But that was back in their school days. Now, they each had a separate position to fulfill, which meant their friendship wouldn’t necessarily hold up. Plus, they were two people of the opposite sex and of marrying age, which doubled her concerns.
Fly in the moment there’s an emergency… Fyshe kept telling herself.
She had originally been a diplomat, of course, meaning she honestly had no knowledge of the martial arts. As Lowellmina’s attendant, she tried to learn basic forms of self-defense, but the only thing that came from that was Fyshe realizing the shortcomings of her own athleticism.
Her chest was especially a problem. In her diplomat days, her ample assets could be weaponized, but now, they swayed too much when she moved around, making them painfully sensitive. They always got in the way.
Won’t they do me a solid and get a little smaller? she complained internally.
The aide beyond the door would have clicked her tongue in annoyance if she could hear Fyshe’s thoughts.
The ex-ambassador suddenly felt the door open behind her and whipped around to see Wein and Ninym leave the room with Lowellmina seeing them off.
“A productive evening, Princess.”
“I had a splendid time.”
Wein courteously took Lowellmina’s hand. “I would speak with you longer if I could. Alas, it’s time for even the stars to make their way to bed. I take my leave.”
“I look forward to tomorrow and hope no one questions you on your return. Take care.”
“No need to worry. There is no one more knowledgeable of the layout of this palace.” Wein let go of Lowellmina’s hand and glanced at Fyshe. “See you around, Lady Blundell.”
“Ah… Y-yes.” Fyshe gave a flustered bow.
She may have been the ambassador before, but she was nothing more than a simple attendant now, meaning she was in no position to expect the crown prince to address her directly. But that was Wein—generosity and all.
And with Ninym by his side, Wein took his leave.
Lowellmina called out to her attendant, who watched the pair leave. “Fyshe, any issues during our meeting?”
“No, none at all.”
“I see. Well then, come on in.”
“Yes.” Fyshe surveilled the area once more just to be safe before setting foot in the room. “How did the proceedings go, Your Imperial Highness?”
“Just splendid,” Lowellmina replied. “All according to our scheme. I told him my plan was to take the throne.”
“Wonderful. In that case…”
“We’ll follow through with our little plan and continue our discussions… All to fulfill my true motive.”
A look of anxiety spread across Fyshe’s profile. After all, she knew the weight of the princess’s actual intentions.
“…Will Prince Wein find out?” she asked.
Though she’d framed it as a question, Fyshe already knew the answer, even before hearing Lowellmina’s reply.
And the princess had come to the same conclusion.
Lowellmina flashed a composed smile.
“—It’s all a bluff,” Wein drawled as he sauntered through the empty palace hallway.
Lowellmina had come under the guise of discussing a potential union with Wein.
Her true motive was apparently to get Wein to help her take the throne.
Which was also a lie. He could tell there was a hidden third intention she was keeping from them.
“And your proof?” asked Ninym, walking beside him, unfazed because she’d sensed the same thing.
“It’s impossible that she has no supporters in the Empire. I mean, she’s an unmarried Imperial Princess, for crying out loud. And she has a legitimate claim to the throne. There’s gotta be hordes of people taking advantage of the chaos to butter her up.”
“Well, maybe she can’t find anyone useful. Anyone wanting to make it big would have sided with one of the princes.”
“And the first place that she went to find backing was Natra? Please. There’s no point to that. We’re eons away from catching up to the Empire—militarily and politically.”
It wasn’t unusual for trouble to arise over who would become the next ruler. If a civil conversation wasn’t enough to resolve a succession crisis, the next logical step was to use military force.
But Natra wasn’t anything more than an ally to the Empire. It had no power to intervene in its internal politics. They could push for Lowellmina, but it’d be difficult for them to make any headway.
On the other hand, forcibly silencing the three princes was just as unreasonable. There was an obvious difference in strength between Natra and Earthworld. Even if the princes split the power of the Empire into three, Wein knew he’d never stand a chance.
There was no way Lowa wouldn’t have realized this.
“In that case, it’s an even bigger mystery why she’d pay us a visit.”
“Yeah. But I found a few leads during our chat.” Wein grinned. “Leave it to me. I’ll expose everything.”