Princess, You Must Start the Revolution!

Chapter 7: The Forget-Me-Not Princess (6)

Thus, the number of people I treated on the first day alone reached a staggering fifty-two.  

After treating the last patient, I was so dizzy that I could barely stand, so I had to rely on the careful support of a guard to reach the carriage.  

From the beginning, excluding meals and the breaks I took in between, I had spent nearly ten hours solely on treatment.  

It wasn't just about using magic; no matter what kind of work it was, focusing so intensely for such a long time would naturally exhaust both body and mind.  

As a result, I inevitably had to stay in bed the next day.  

No matter how much talent I had or how strong my motivation was to push that talent to its limits, there was no way to overcome the limitations of being human.  

"You pushed yourself too hard from the start. It’s not uncommon for those who, like Your Highness, let their enthusiasm get ahead of them and overuse their magic, only to end up in this state. You just need to recognize your magical limits and be more cautious."  

As Master Dúnedain said, it wasn’t unusual or special for me to collapse like this.  

I suppose it was similar to the muscle pain one experiences after excessive exercise.  

And since I had practically worked myself to the point of collapse, I was simply feeling that "muscle pain" in an extreme way.  

"If I get used to it, I’ll get better, right?"  

"…That’s true, but Your Highness, please, don’t overdo it."  

Don't overdo it?  

No, I was someone desperately trying to escape from the swamp of an arranged marriage as soon as possible, a fate I couldn’t even bear to imagine.  

Telling someone like me not to push myself was meaningless.  

So, the next day, I overworked myself again.  

The only difference from the first time was that, even though I collapsed afterward, I was still able to read books.  

And, of course, after collapsing a second time, I went back to the relief center the next day.  

Then I collapsed a third time, and the day after that, I returned to the relief center once more.  

"The term 'Forget-Me-Not Princess' is being heard quite often."  

It was the captain of the guards who always accompanied me to the relief center who brought this up.  

Since he was responsible not only for my security but also for the safety of the relief center, he seemed to come across various rumors.  

"'Forget-Me-Not Princess'? Is it because of the forget-me-nots blooming around the relief center?"  

"That’s the basic reason, but it’s mainly because the forget-me-nots bloom even more vibrantly whenever Your Highness visits. They truly become more radiant, and at the same time, their scent grows stronger."  

It wasn’t as dramatic as when I first manifested my magic and made forget-me-nots bloom in the middle of a snowy winter, but it was still notable that the flowers always flourished whenever I came to the relief center.  

From the people's perspective, it was only natural to associate forget-me-nots as my defining symbol.  

Well, I had no reason to dislike that.  

No matter how great a person is, the way they are remembered by others is important.  

As a princess operating a relief center in the slums, having a beautiful flower like the forget-me-not as my representative image was certainly not a disadvantage.  

"People who knew my mother used to say that she resembled a forget-me-not."  

"Ah…"  

The captain sighed.  

By now, everyone knew that despite having built a solid position for myself and continually proving my abilities, I still had not been allowed to meet my mother.  

Why was that?  

If I had still been just a princess in name only, existing solely for an arranged marriage a few months ago, it would have made sense.  

But as of now, I was the sole individual in the kingdom with my unique abilities.  

Naturally, my mother’s treatment should have changed as well—from a mere consort in name to someone receiving proper recognition.  

Yet, things had not progressed that way at all.  

It wasn’t as if I hadn’t carefully probed the possibility, but rather than receiving a negative response, I hadn’t received any proper answer at all.  

"Well, since I still can’t see my mother, I might as well let the forget-me-nots bloom as much as they like. It’s my own little act of defiance."  

"…I see."  

Most of the guards assigned to protect me at the Detached Palace held favorable feelings toward me.  

Some were even my fervent supporters, and the rest at least harbored a basic level of sympathy for my situation.  

Because of that, the captain—who commanded my guards—was also quite sympathetic and friendly toward me.  

However, despite this, I had to remember that, as a member of the Royal Guard, his loyalty ultimately lay with my father, His Majesty.  

So, this level of interaction was just right.  

"Well then, today and in the future, I’ll be counting on you, Captain."  

"Of course, Your Highness. I will ensure that nothing happens to you."  

Regardless of their personal thoughts, it was hopeful that I was gradually earning the support of those around me.  

Especially considering that I was only fifteen years old and hadn’t even resorted to using feminine charm, making it all the more significant.  

On top of that, by diligently running the relief center, I was steadily proving my magical abilities.  

Each time I visited, I treated dozens of patients.  

With every visit, the number of patients I healed increased.  

And I was gradually adapting to the aftereffects, allowing me to become more active even on my rest days.  

In short, as my magical prowess was being proven, I was slowly drawing people in through my background, abilities, and actions.  

Of course, even so, among my many siblings, there was hardly anyone with less influence than me.  

In other words, I still had a long way to go.  

"You always work so hard, Your Highness."  

"It’s nothing, Doctor. After all, I’m only seeing a little over seventy patients a day at this point. Compared to the doctors and nurses who treat and care for hundreds, their efforts are far greater."  

"No, not at all. So then, what brings you to seek me out separately?"  

Since it wasn’t something that could be accomplished hastily, I had decided to focus on earning the people's support first rather than trying to sway nobles or the Royal Guard.  

This was the slums, and while the poor of Pélancia had almost no political influence, gaining their goodwill by helping them could still garner me the support of citizens who did have some degree of influence.  

"While treating patients, I started to think something was a little strange. Every patient who comes in is coughing so much that they can barely speak, and yet, the number of such patients never seems to decrease."  

"Ah, well, that can’t be helped. Most of those patients work in dye factories."  

Dye factories and lung disease… That was an easy combination to understand.  

Their working conditions must have been abysmal, and their wages were likely just as bad—or barely any better.  

But such treatment wasn’t particularly unusual here.  

It was simply a reflection of Pélancia’s precarious economic structure, where waves of unemployed people from rural areas flooded into the capital, providing an almost unlimited labor supply.  

"I think I need to take a look at the site myself."  

However, that didn’t mean I could intervene right away.  

Even as a royal princess, I lacked the background and power to influence administrative matters.  

And most of my so-called political supporters were precisely those who owned these factories.  

Minor nobles barely maintaining a factory or two near the capital.  

Those who had amassed wealth by running multiple factories and then bought themselves noble titles.  

They were the members of the Consortium formed for the Tulip Investment—or rather, the Tulip Speculation.  

Having multiplied their wealth under my guidance, they had quickly become my ardent supporters.  

Of course, just as they had pledged loyalty swiftly, they could also abandon me just as quickly.  

But that day had not yet come.  

"Are you planning to go yourself?"  

"I’ve finally built up enough stamina that I don’t need to collapse after using magic anymore. See? I’m even getting muscles on my arms now."

"Your Highness, even if it's just your arm, you shouldn't expose your skin so carelessly…"  

"Well, in any case, I can count on you, right?"  

The muscles I was building weren’t a result of managing my magic but rather the outcome of my efforts to make my body strong enough to endure its usage.  

Of course, it wasn’t just because I had gained some muscle that I decided to visit a place other than the relief center.  

It was obvious that unless something was done about the factory conditions, there would be a never-ending stream of patients.  

To prevent this relief center from becoming a futile effort—like pouring water into a bottomless jar—the environment needed to be improved.  

And to do that, I first had to understand exactly what the conditions were like.  

There was no way to grasp everything just by hearing or reading about it.  

"Understood, Your Highness. I will find a suitable location and plan the security measures."  

Even if we chose an appropriate location, they were all likely to be the same.  

And as for security, if the Royal Guard stepped in directly, the police force would eagerly cooperate, so it wouldn’t be much of an issue.  

The slum environment posed some challenges, but at present, I was practically revered as a saint among the poor.  

Most of the patients I treated had lung conditions, but there were also those with other injuries.  

Among them, the ones that left a particular impression on me were the patients with gunshot wounds.  

Even in the capital of Pélancia, a major kingdom, gunshot victims were showing up at the relief center—despite this being the slums.  

Under normal circumstances, they would have been treated as criminals and turned away.  

After all, the relief center was meant to help good people, not criminals.  

But I wasn’t like that.  

For one, it wasn’t confirmed that they were criminals.  

And more importantly, treating such physical injuries was a crucial part of proving my magical abilities.  

Of course, outwardly, I maintained the stance that these were innocent citizens caught up in fights involving criminals.  

As that fact spread, people began to revere me even more—not just as a princess who built a relief center in the slums but as someone who even healed those suspected of crimes.  

In just a few months, opposing me had become almost akin to a death sentence—at least within the slums.  

Given that situation, selecting a factory to visit and planning the security measures didn’t take much time.  

"Haha, I am truly honored that Your Highness is visiting in person."  

The factory I chose to visit belonged to a baron—one who held the second-largest share in the Tulip Consortium after me.  

There was no way the captain of the guard had chosen it randomly, which meant that, at least for now, this baron was clearly identified as part of "my faction."  

"Not at all. You’ve made the largest investment in the consortium and are running the most successful and largest factory in the capital. It was only a matter of time before I visited."  

"You flatter me, Your Highness. It is also an honor to finally witness in person why the world calls you the 'Forget-Me-Not Princess.'"  

He said that because, upon my arrival, a few forget-me-nots had bloomed in the soil near the factory.  

I hadn’t even consciously tried, yet it happened again.  

At this rate, "Forget-Me-Not Princess" wasn’t just a title; the forget-me-not itself was becoming synonymous with me.  

"Shall we take a look around?"  

"I will personally guide you. The smell is quite strong, so please make sure to use your handkerchief."  

As he said, the stench from the dye factory was overwhelming.  

Even I, who had grown somewhat accustomed to the odors of the slums, had no choice but to cover my nose and mouth with my handkerchief just to breathe.  

At least mine was of royal quality, unlike the workers, who had only poor-quality rags wrapped around their faces.  

And since they had to use both hands for work, they couldn't even cover their mouths properly.  

"Quite… impressive."  

"Haha, the smell may be strong, but the profits from this factory are quite substantial. Even those Demigarden folks use our dyes for their textiles."  

Meanwhile, the baron was proudly boasting about the profits his factory generated.  

All while his workers—most of whom looked half-dead—glanced at us warily, and even the commoner-born guards accompanying me had grim expressions.  

Yet, whether he was oblivious or simply didn’t care, he continued to praise his own factory.  

Well, what could I do?  

I simply nodded and responded appropriately.  

After all, among my supporters, this man had the most wealth and political influence.  

Besides, I hadn’t come here to fix the factory conditions immediately—I was here to assess the reality of the situation.  

"It was enlightening. So, this is how it operates."  

"I worry that we may have shown you an embarrassing sight. Perhaps Your Highness found it all rather trivial."  

"No, not at all. Though, I do have one request."  

"A request? Please, just say the word, Your Highness."  

I deliberately avoided mentioning things like working conditions or welfare.  

After all, this man was still one of my strongest supporters.  

Among my limited political assets, he held a significant portion.  

"I want any workers in poor health to be sent directly to my relief center. Without any reduction in their wages or other penalties. You understand the importance of compassion and generosity, don’t you?"  

"But of course, Your Highness. There was no need to make a request—it will be done."  

For now, solidifying my reputation and securing my influence was the most important thing.