How to Survive as a Trash Extra Villain

Chapter 99

A civil war between two factions divided over turning Princess Anette into Tyrant Empress Anette!

‘…What’s going on?’

The Tyrant Empress Anette I knew was just that—tyrant.

Unyielding, unbending.

A resolute empress.

Unbreakable even if shattered a hundred times.

An iron woman.

‘Does the soul stone change even a person’s personality?

Since it’s the souls of past emperors, the original self would vanish entirely.

At best, emotional dregs might remain.

Like…’

Like…

‘…’

Someone came to mind.

Someone very close.

No, not just close.

‘It’s me.’

Martin.

I, who possessed the body of Martin, a trashy delinquent who took pleasure in evil deeds, am in the same situation, aren’t I…?

“Hey, so what’s the plan?”

Muller urged me.

Turning, I saw everyone looking at me.

If we enter, they’ll stop fighting and turn on us.

Should we wait for them to weaken each other?

But we don’t know what’ll happen to the hostages.

…In fact, it might already be too late.

“…Let’s go in.”

***

Long before Martin’s group reached the ritual site.

“Hey.”

“….”

“You dimwit Prince.”

“….”

“Get up.”

“…Ugh…”

“Now!”

“…The Princess?”

When Prince Kazaks came to, the surroundings were chaotic.

It was annoyingly noisy and disorientingly busy.

How did he know so well?

Because it was clear at a glance.

“Where are we?”

“On an altar, it seems.”

A massive altar towered, and at its top, Adela and Kazaks were bound.

“You woke up first, so tell me. Any information?”

“I just woke up too.”

“Useless, Princess.”

“Shut up, Prince.”

The conversation stopped.

In that brief moment, both thought,

‘Of all people, him.’

‘Of all people, her.’

No need to say, they’re sworn enemies.

‘If Martin were here, it’d be reassuring.’

‘If Muller or Shuga were here, we could’ve done something.’

But imagining things that aren’t here changes nothing.

The most infuriating part was that even cooperating, they might barely overcome this situation.

“…Truce, Princess.”

“What?”

“If you didn’t hear, I’ll say it again. Truce…”

“I said that out of disbelief.”

Prince Kazaks turned to look at Princess Adela.

Majestic golden eyes met frenzied golden eyes in the air.

“Disbelief?”

“If you didn’t hear, I’ll say it again. To propose such a thing to me, I spoke out of disbelief.”

Adela’s mad frenzy gleamed in her eyes, as if carving out Kazaks.

But Prince Kazaks, bearer of golden authority, had veins bulging on his forehead in anger.

“You crazy Princess… Can’t you grasp the situation?”

“Oh, I grasp it perfectly. But I’d rather die than join hands with you.”

Emotions flared.

A spark ignited, about to explode, but Kazaks and Adela stopped talking.

They didn’t want to cause a scene.

‘Stupid woman!’

But the suppressed rage burned hot in their hearts.

After cursing inwardly for a while, Kazaks suddenly recalled,

‘…Come to think of it, when did I start fighting her?’

Their first meeting was long ago, barely remembered.

The most recent memory was this: emerging from long seclusion, she suddenly received part of the Shadow Knights from Father.

Kazaks knew well how much chaos that caused in the imperial court.

‘The Shadow Knights… the Emperor’s sword!’

To grant that sword to a rival in the succession race, breaking the unspoken rule of non-interference!

Even the thought that the revered Emperor, hailed as a sage, might be senile crossed his mind.

Since then, Father declared complete neutrality, vowing never to interfere in the succession race.

‘But it was too late!’

Feeling threatened, Kazaks moved to check Adela.

She countered as if waiting, and their fierce struggle continued to this day.

“Hey, Princess Adela.”

“What?”

“Thinking we might die here, I got curious.”

“Hah! Curious? About me? How shameless.”

Anger surged, but he suppressed it and asked seriously,

“How did you get the Shadow Knights from Father?”

The response was mockery and scorn.

“Haha, who knows. Maybe that senile old man mistook me for my dead mother.”

“…That’s insolent.”

Adela had crossed a line.

Kazaks glared murderously, but she only glared back.

“I don’t understand you. Why are you so insane? Father, the Empire, every noble, and even the commoners. It’s like you were born to hate all of humanity…!”

“Oh, you know me quite well.”

“What’s the reason? You’ve killed dozens of nobles. Why did Father give you the Shadow Knights? Why does an honorable knight like the Black Knight follow a madwoman like you? I’m curious about all of it, but above all, why do you want to drown the Empire in blood?”

At those words, Princess Adela’s expression hardened.

That look… made me flinch.

No madness or anger was visible.

But it was more chilling than any expression I’d seen from her.

“You… dare ask me that…?”

“….”

“…Hah, I see. It seems the senile Emperor didn’t tell you the truth.”

The truth?

What does that mean?

‘Is there a secret in the imperial family I don’t know?’

There’s nothing I don’t know.

I even have detailed information on the other princes and princesses, who cower and beg for their lives, barely existing.

Especially about Adela, my rival in the succession race.

I know everything.

She was born, and my mother died during childbirth.

She lived a luxurious life in a separate palace, then joined a hunting tournament for amusement, gave reckless orders to a cherished knight, and caused his death.

Shocked, she secluded herself in the palace.

…Until a year ago, when she suddenly emerged to join the succession race.

‘Or is that information wrong?’

…I never doubted it.

It was information from Father, and every noble around me said the same.

But what if…

“Hey, Princess…”

“Prince, be quiet.”

“Hey, move it. This way.”

Amid the noisy bustle, something changed.

A group of people began to move out.

They seemed to be circling the altar, so… I strained my hearing to the max.

“Hurry up and prepare. The idiots will obviously resist.”

“It’s the end anyway, so we kill them, right?”

“Of course. They’ll consider it an honor.”

The information was limited.

But one thing stood out.

Even if everything else was missing, the core remained.

And the two who overheard it were masters of imperial intrigue.

“Internal conflict.”

“It’s a coup-level scale, no doubt.”

But the information was far too sparse.

If only they could get a few more fragments, they could accelerate the infighting with their silver tongues.

They looked around, but no one approached.

Some glanced their way, but turned away when their eyes met.

…This won’t do.

They needed bait.

Apparently reaching the same conclusion, Princess Adela said,

“We need bait, Prince.”

“How?”

“A chronic illness would work.”

“Princess, are you skilled in acting too?”

“Hah, what do you take me for? Just play along.”

“Fine.”

Adela stopped breathing.

Slowly, as time passed… her face paled, and she collapsed sideways.

At the same moment, Prince Kazaks shouted desperately,

“Hey! Is anyone there?! Please! Anyone! The Princess! My sister is about to die!”

***

It was a monarch’s chamber.

Swords, armor, books on politics and war theory, and bedding embroidered with the raven empire’s emblem proved it.

But the monarch sitting on the massive bed was just a fragile girl.

“….”

The girl clutched a pink teddy bear, staring down at it, deeply troubled and conflicted.

“…I am… an empress. So, I’ll have less time to see you.”

“Princess Anette.”

“Eek!”

Startled, Princess Anette tried to hide the teddy bear.

“Oh, it’s you.”

She sat back down, relieved.

A red knight stood at the door.

If Martin’s Black Knight armor symbolized robust strength, this red knight’s was sleek and agile, like a swift warrior.

“I told you to make some noise when you approach. You startle me.”

“My apologies. …More importantly, the time is nearing. Are you fully prepared?”

“…Yes.”

Anette drew a sword from her waist.

The blood-red blade shimmered.

“By drawing the blood of the two heirs of the traitor Hamerd.”

She turned and pointed to a red gem, carefully enshrined in a protective case.

“And letting it flow over the soul stone, right?”

“That’s correct.”

Anette sheathed her sword, smiling with relief.

“This will end it. In my generation.”

The past emperors of the Defardly Empire, sealed in the soul stone, would descend.

Then the Defardly Empire could be revived.

“…Are you alright?”

“Well, my shoulders have been a bit heavy.”

“….”

It was a heavy burden for a 17-year-old girl.

Born from inbreeding to preserve the bloodline, leading an organization dedicated to reviving an empire branded a war criminal 1,000 years ago.

“It’s a relief. This will repay the faith of my vassals who’ve waited so long.”

To Anette, reviving the Defardly Empire wasn’t that important.

She’d even questioned whether it was right to call for the revival of a war criminal nation.

But… her vassals, who had been kind to her since childhood, desired it.

“Princess, you are our dream!”

“We live only for Princess Anette!”

“Oh, how adorable. She’s prettier than my daughter!”

She embraced their belief to meet their expectations.

“I feel lighter! Whatever lies ahead.”

“Your Highness, actually… um…”

“…? What’s wrong?”

“…There’s something I haven’t told you.”

“….”

Like the knight families guarding the Cosmos Empire’s imperial family, such as Gilbert and Lina, the Defardly Empire had them too.

The red knight was not only a vassal but Anette’s closest friend.

“…I wasn’t sure if it was right to keep this hidden until now.”

“What is it…?”

Anette had never seen her friend hesitate like this.

And for good reason.

What the red knight was about to reveal would shatter the world surrounding Anette.

“Your Highness, the descent of the past emperors doesn’t end with that.”

“…Drawing the blood of Hamerd’s heirs isn’t the end?”

“One thousand.”

Thousand.

A unit for counting people.

Anette wasn’t naive enough to miss why it came up.

“…No way.”

“Yes. Only after the voluntary sacrifice of 1,000 people… does the ritual conclude.”

Voluntary human sacrifice?

That means the members of the Defardly Empire Liberation Army would sacrifice themselves!

The Liberation Army has just over 1,000 members.

Almost all of them would die!

“I… I wasn’t told.”

“…Everyone agreed to keep it from you.”

“Oh…!”

Anette’s legs gave out, and she collapsed.

“Your Highness!”

“What… what do I do…!”

“L-Let’s have some tea first.”

The red knight hurriedly offered a tray.

“It’s tea prepared by the Chancellor. He said it’s good for calming the mind and body, and insisted you drink it…”

“…Uncle Chancellor…”

The Chancellor was practically the de facto leader of the Liberation Army’s administration.

To Anette, he was like an uncle.

Anette and the red knight drank the tea the Chancellor prepared, trying to calm their turbulent emotions.

“Are you alright?”

“…Yes, better than before.”

They sat in silence.

Five minutes passed, perhaps.

Anette spoke.

“I have to say something.”

“…About the ritual?”

“Yes. There has to be another way. I already thought we shouldn’t trust those demon worshippers! There’s definitely another way! I believe it!”

The red knight smiled at Anette’s bold declaration.

“Yes, if Your Highness wishes, I will follow anything.”

“Yes! Thank you, always!”

And like a lie, both collapsed, their bodies going limp.

But their minds remained clear.

‘Huh?’

‘My body…!’

Then the door opened, and a man entered.

“U-Uncle…”

“Oh, Your Highness!”

It was the Chancellor.

“You drank all the tea I prepared!”