NOVEL WEB Chapter 34: Revolutionary Period - The Two Princess.
Translated by – Mara Sov
༺ Revolutionary Period – The Two Princess. ༻
After the initial negotiations with Maximillien Le Jidor and the other representatives of the Republic, such as Nicolas Brisseau, we returned to our domain.
Given the nature of the meeting, it would be unreasonable to expect an immediate conclusion since they needed the consent of the National Assembly.
According to the information given by Christine, Jidor and Brisseau initiated an impeachment against Benoit Levier, condemning both him and his associates.
Jidor, ‘The Unbribable’ seemed to be unable to tolerate the hypocrisy within his own faction, such as the human trafficking and commerce with the demons.
As a result, the moderates have grown stronger, something that Christine and I hoped for, but with Jidor now acting with an iron fist, our goals were only halfway met, as his fairness was praised by all citizens.
Now, with the arrangements made by Christine, we would have to wait and hope those seeds would soon bear fruit.
However, there was a matter I needed to take care of before we could fully commit to the Republic.
–
After greeting Jessie and Sir Beaumont, whom I hadn’t seen in a while, I entered Eris’s room.
……And as soon as I did it, I seriously considered if I should simply turn around and leave.
“Oh, You’re back~!”
Eris was lying on her bed, reading a book while swinging her barefoot without a care in the world.
“Sigh-. Eris. Where is the dignity befitting a Princess?”
“Oh that, I threw that away when I escaped the Palace.”
The moment I sighed again, Eris’s feet stopped moving.
“Sob-.”
……? What’s with her now?
“Waaahhhh-!”
She started crying out of nowhere.
I tried to wrap my head around this random situation, but after a few seconds, I simply gave up understanding her.
“……Why are you crying now?”
“I…I can’t help it!…. This book is just…So sad….”
Seriously, what’s the deal with this Princess?
I was so dumbfounded that I walked over to her and quickly snatched her book.
“Nooooooo-! I was getting to the climax!”
What is this? …… Romillio and Jullienne?
So it’s a novel?
Seemingly exhausted already, another sigh escaped my mouth as I handed Eris her book.
“Look, you airhead bard. It’s nice to be sensitive and all that, but I need to talk to you for a moment.”
“……Can’t it wait until I finish the book?”
Ah, I think I just popped a vessel.
Fortunately, Eris saw my expression as she regretfully closed her book and got up.
Though she simply sat on her bed while looking at me…..I shouldn’t expect much from this free-spirited princess.
Rubbing my temples, I said.
“There has been a proposal from the Holy Theocracy.”
Eris grimaced.
“Your reputation seems to have grown quite a lot since the Holy Theocracy invited you to test whether you are worthy of being recognized as a Saint or not.”
“I’m not a saint.”
“Yes, yes, you said that before. But what is important is not how you see yourself, but how people see you. And for the Holy Theocracy, your gifts must seem very desirable.”
Eris seemed to have swallowed the most bitter lemon in the world as she grumbled.
“What Saint……They just want to use me to strengthen their authority……”
“Correct. However, if you are recognized as a Saint by the Holy Theocracy, no one will be able to ignore this authority.”
Her religious authority as a Saint would already solve many of our current problems.
“You must understand this, for those arrogant clergy to test the qualifications of a foreign girl of unknown origins is a very radical move. This means their interest in you is rather big, and refusing it won’t go well for you.”
Of course, from the Theocracy’s perspective, Eris is a nobody, so they would covet her without worry.
Once they bring her into the fold, they can make her a Saint and use her as their pawn.
Unfortunately for them, they would have a nasty surprise when they make her a Saint. Imagine their faces upon realizing her royal lineage.
“……Do you still plan on putting me on the Throne, Marquis?”
“I do. I’ve not made any moves for now since this could cause an unknown amount of chaos in the Republic. But once King Louis is gone, some foreign country will make a move for the Throne of Francia, and that is when you will step in and weaken their claim.”
After securing our ties with the Republic, we must seek to gain influence in their ranks, but when the time comes for Eris, her coronation will weaken the justification of invasion from foreign nations and also strengthen the bond between the Third Estate and us.
“For this moment we must ensure that the Theocracy will care for your security, this will only increase your legitimacy. That is why the status of a Saint is necessary.”
A young girl with enough talent and reputation to draw the Theocracy’s attention, and she ignores them while flaunting her Divine Powers? That would be a stain on the Theocracy’s reputation.
The Theocracy simply cannot allow such an opportunity such as Eris to pass by, especially when the Republic already undermined its authority by plundering the First Estate.
In fact, in my past life, they exposed Eris’s secret and even branded her as a witch, as if to ensure that if they couldn’t get their hands on her, no one else could.
Eris, who had been silent for a while, said.
“May I share my thoughts about this?”
“By all means.”
“If my gift truly is ‘Divine Power’, then it’s something given to me by God. I wonder what right those who claim to serve God have to acknowledge or deny me. This all seems very……arrogant of them.”
Eris’s mystical eyes were colder than usual as she continued.
“Even if the recognition as a Saint is necessary, the people of Francia whom I should be helping are suffering right now. As a princess, do you think it would be correct to simply leave them, and to appease the Theocracy for my own benefit? Moreover, how would the people think of such a saintly status when they already despise the Theocracy and its corrupt clergy?”
A girl who is revered as a Saint, yet claims to not believe in God.
She probably said the same in my past life and didn’t heed the Theocracy’s summons.
With a chuckle, I raised my hands in a mock surrender.
“Alright. If that’s how you feel, there’s no need for you to obey the Theocracy, Eris.”
She blinked, her expression was one of complete surprise.
“……Really? Just like that?”
“Yes. But are you fine if an archbishop comes here to test you then?”
“S-Sure?”
Eris stuttered in confusion, but I didn’t plan on giving her a chance to recover as I continued.
“You don’t like the idea of leaving the people of Francia behind, while you appease the Theocracy by taking their test, right? So there should be no problem if you can obtain sainthood here.”
“W-Well, yes, but……”
Jumping to her feet, Eris questioned me in a frustrated voice.
“Would that even be possible? How? When? Why would the Theocracy even agree to such a thing?”
Well, of course, they would agree, after all, I prepared such an amazing gift for them, a gift that would even attract a high priest here.
Such an amazing gift the demon in my dungeon turned out to be.
“Life finds a way.”
“What does that even mean?!”
“They should be here in a week or so?”
Eris opened and closed her mouth like a fish before her face turned incredulous.
“W-what? You have already decided! Y-You Liar! Cheater! Swindler!”
“I haven’t lied, Your Highness. The Holy Theocracy indeed wanted to summon you for the test of sainthood.”
“Ugh……”
Unable to come up with a retort, Eris looked at me, pouted, and spat a single word.
“……Liar.”
With a kind smile, I said.
“Tell me something new.”
–
Germanbourg, The Capital of the Germania Empire.
The Emperor of Germania, Kaiser Otto II stepped out onto the lofty balcony of his grand palace.
His makeup couldn’t fully conceal the decaying skin or the dark circles under his eyes, but at this distance, those below him wouldn’t notice.
The Kaiser silently surveyed the officers who saluted him in front of the troops, as they stood in front of his palace.
Then, with the support of his court mage, he opened his mouth, his voice echoing with the help of magic.
“You are all aware of the heinous rebellion that has occurred in the homeland of our beloved Kaiserin.”
Countless soldiers armed with muskets, the infantry, the cavalry, and even the Empire’s pride – The hussars looked up to him, but the Kaiser wasn’t satisfied.
“Advance, my valiant warriors, and purge that realm of those despicable insurgents. Let this campaign be a testament to the doubters of our Empire’s dominion, a demonstration of our indomitable prowess! Your Kaiser awaits your triumphant return.”
“Heil Kaiser!”
At the soldier’s response, Kaiser Otto II concluded his speech and turned away from the balcony.
“Those men were moved by your speech, Your Majesty.”
Hearing the words of his Kaiserin, Cecilia, Otto II dismissed his subjects.
Once everyone had left, only he and his Kaiserin remained as Otto tossed his impractical Imperial cloak aside and slumped onto the sofa, clutching his head.
“Thirty thousand. A mere thirty thousand men. That was all the forces the Lords have provided at this Kaiser’s command.”
“Your Majesty.”
Cecilia knelt beside her Kaiser, taking his hand in hers.
“It’s all because of that cursed King of Kraft, that mongrel. Because of him, the Empire’s prestige is in shambles.”
“Your Majesty. Although we are undergoing trying times, should we bring the Kingdom of Francia under our heel, even the arrogant and disloyal Grand Dukes will heed Your Majesty’s words.”
“Ah, my dear Cecilia, your homeland is in chaos, and yet you……”
“The moment I came to this Empire, I had forsaken my identity as a Princess of Francia. I am now Your Majesty’s Kaiserin.”
Cecilia’s words, coupled with a kind smile brought the exhausted Emperor to tears, as he embraced his Empress.
“Ohh-. My Beloved Cecilia. Only you can understand me. This Kaiser can only rely on you……”
–
After soothing her husband for a while, Cecilia walked into a corridor in an unmatched posture, where a general adorned with numerous medals awaited her, showing his respects.
“Greetings, Kaiserin.”
“Grand Duke Leopold.”
“At your service, Kaiserin.”
The deference shown by this general to an Empress hailed from the rival Kingdom of Francia was impeccable, prompting a small smile from Cecilia.
“I trust you understand the severity of the situation, Grand Duke.”
“Indeed, Kaiserin.”
“The Empire has 30,000, the Northern Alliance 10,000, though this is merely a token effort, it’s more than enough for King Louis to sweep away the rebels of Francia.”
“Your wisdom is sound, Kaiserin.”
Cecilia’s eyes twinkled as she continued to hear the polite response of the Grand Duke.
“However, that will not suffice. Grand Duke, please ensure that the Empire’s army remains intact while you magnify King Louis’s losses. Use the discord born from the old grudge between our nations as your justification, should you need one.”
The Grand Duke looked at Cecilia for a moment, but he soon bowed his head in acknowledgment.
“By your will, Kaiserin.”
“Marvelous. I shall await for good news, Grand Duke.”
With a last salute, the Grand Duke Leopold turned his back.
That should be enough for him to comprehend her intentions.
What Cecilia referred to when she said ‘good news’ was not the announcement of victory, but the demise of her incompetent and foolish elder brother.
During her stay in Francia, she was known as Princess Cecilia.
Because the war against the Germania Empire ended in Francia’s victory, her father became known as the great ‘Knight King’.
However, in truth, that war marked the decline of the golden age of Knights, with Francia barely claiming victory due to the monster known as the ‘Blue Knight’.
The Empire’s first deployment of hot weapons inflicted severe losses on Francia’s army since they lacked any form of magical support, as they engaged the Empire’s Knights.
Had it not been for that monster known as the ‘Blue Knight’, the Empire would have been victorious.
In the end, due to severe losses on both sides, the nations chose to end the war, and she, a young princess, was married off to the Empire’s Crown Prince as a symbol of peace between the two nations.
Her standing as a princess of an enemy nation made things rather difficult for her.
By another cruel twist of fate, one of Germania’s vassal kingdoms, the Kingdom of Kraft saw the rise of a genius king, who brought another bitter defeat to the Empire.
Truly, she endured countless hardships.
Because of its arrogance, the Empire suffered defeat after defeat by a mere vassal Kingdom, which led the Emperor to wallow in his depression and encounter the devil in the bottle, whom she had to comfort until she gained his trust.
After leaving behind her life in Francia, she supported the unworthy Emperor as a true subject of the Empire, and eventually, she became more respected than the Emperor himself, effectively ruling the Estate in his stead.
Cecilia tried to recall the faces of her incompetent brothers but failed to remember their features.
At the very least, she had a portrait of her father, the one praised as the ‘Knight King’, so she could always remember the face of someone from her homeland.
Her father, the man who sacrificed her to the enemy under the pretense of a peace offering never showed any concern towards her.
Cecilia’s lips twisted into a sneer.
While other nations embraced modernity, her foolish father abhorred modern weapons, insisting on training more Knights and condemning the future of his nation.
Left in the hands of such a foolish father and his incompetent sons, her homeland was now on the brink of collapse at the hands of these rebels.
The pitiful citizens of her old homeland would be much better off under her rule.
That’s why she would only order the full commitment of the Empire’s forces only after her brother’s death.
She would become the Kaiserin of the Germania Empire and the Queen of the Kingdom of Francia.
Cecilia savored the delightful sound those tiles had, as she smiled.
TL Note:
- Kaiser and Kaiserin are the respective titles of the Emperor and Empress of Germania.
- Hussar is a type of light cavalry that was very popular during the 15th and 16th centuries.
- The Grand Duke Leopold can also be translated as Archduke.
- I want a pretzel.
I choose to not translate Kaiserin to Empress, as this should give the Germania Empire a more distinct feel, and maybe that’s what the author wanted since he even put that HAIL KAISER! in….I forgot the name of our letters…..Ah fuck it he didn’t put it in squiggles ok?
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