FSW Chapter 24

"But Your Majesty!"

"Though I am no knight, I well know their principle that failing to protect what must be protected is no different from defeat."

"..."

"To abandon protection out of fear of loss—what absurd talk."

At the Emperor's sharp rebuke, they shut their mouths tight. Not because they agreed. Because they realized that arguing wouldn't change the situation one bit.

As the assembly fell silent, the Emperor issued consecutive orders.

"Dispatch a new expedition force to prepare for attacks, and increase military provisions by 20% for additional support."

"Furthermore, deploy half the imperial forces to the border as first priority, but do not conscript soldiers from individual territories. You shall focus primarily on protecting your domain residents. We'll announce the general mobilization after observing future developments."

The reason for not pouring out all forces immediately was because they'd resolved themselves for a prolonged war. Neither the Emperor nor the ministers actually believed war would break out right away.

Currently, within the Wind Empire, a brutal succession war raged. The succession war was an ancient custom unique to the Wind Empire—literally a fight among heirs. They grew up in a thoroughly survival-of-the-fittest world where the last person standing after killing their siblings was selected as heir.

Therefore, the moment they were born into the imperial family, their fate was one of two things. Die, or become the empire's master. Though justified under the pretext of preventing divided power, it was quite a barbaric method. Not only was such a vicious succession war ongoing, but fleeing citizens had transformed into raiders, causing harm to neighboring countries.

With such turmoil both inside and outside the country, waging war immediately would be reckless. However, the reason ministers worried about war was because Wind's current emperor, Hvahn, was violent beyond rational calculation.

To put it more bluntly, he wasn't in his right mind. When Hvahn turned 16, he personally killed all his siblings with his own hands, took even the previous emperor's head, and ascended the throne at a young age. He was so belligerent that since his ascension, provocations large and small had continued ceaselessly. The current outrageous demand was an extension of that.

But contrary to their concerns, war would break out two years from now, so the Emperor's choice was correct. She wanted to tell the trembling ministers that, but without being able to reveal the basis for such certainty, it was impossible.

The Emperor finally gave a last order to Sir Summerset, who stood tall on the left side of the meeting room—the Commander of the First Imperial Knight Order and Captain of the Royal Guard.

"The Guard Captain will take command. If an official declaration of war arrives, after that, entrust it to the Prince."

"I obey your command."

"Yes."

Though this was Aiden's first deployment order, he showed not even a hint of agitation. While the person involved was so calm, it was actually Nishina who became gloomy.

She'd known he'd go to war, but seeing him receive the order directly unsettled her. Even knowing this was the path for him to receive support from all people and recognition from Father, she wasn't happy. The result would be glorious, but the process would be a thorny road.

Even if she couldn't pave a flower path, she wanted to clear away the thorns. But I have no way to...

Her head spun at the realization. Separate from the situation not allowing it, she only now understood that she lacked even the power to help him.

Not just because of her position as Princess, but she couldn't help him with military force either. Her sword skills were terrible, and she'd never learned tactics that would be useful on the battlefield.

Being unable due to lack of ability versus having ability but not using it—that was the difference between heaven and earth. While Brother struggled on the battlefield, she'd have to remain powerless, unable to help at all. The very idea of remaining powerless for his sake was arrogant nonsense to begin with. Falling into self-recrimination only briefly, Nishina quickly changed her thinking.

'I'll secretly build my strength from now on.'

Even if she couldn't help him directly, when war broke out, people who starved and fell ill would inevitably appear as a natural consequence. Helping them would lead to helping him. And as she built her strength that way, perhaps she could be of great help to him when he became Emperor in the future.

The problems her ability would bring—she just had to hide it until he ascended as Emperor, no, until before he was appointed Crown Prince. Even accepting the worst-case risk of discovery, Nishina resolved to build her strength.

While Nishina made that decision, the meeting moved to the second agenda. It was an agenda no less important than the previous one.

"Regarding the delegation the Rain Kingdom planned to dispatch... instead of sending an envoy, the King says she'll visit personally."

The reason was that she felt bad about not attending the Empress's funeral.

"Since the King is visiting personally, we should replace the person in charge of hosting."

At the Prime Minister's words, Marquis Graham, who'd been assigned hosting duties originally, couldn't hide his disappointment. Though his face was plastered with regret, he soon nodded in understanding.

It was courtesy for at least a ducal house or higher to host royalty—or if circumstances allowed, the imperial family. A minister who'd been watching the deflated Marquis carefully offered an opinion.

"Since the King is the late Empress's sibling, how about having His Imperial Highness the Prince, her blood relative, handle the hosting?"

The Rain Kingdom's King, Rebecca, was Empress Kiyonné's full sister. In other words, Aiden was her nephew. In the original work, she appeared under the name of his family and psychologically manipulated the solitary Aiden, claiming to be the only family on his side. Her seeming to genuinely care for him and even helping with the rebellion didn't seem bad.

The problem was that it wasn't family affection or a guardian's love, but thorough calculation as a nation's king. While she helped with the rebellion, she'd been planning to betray him the moment he succeeded. She'd schemed to join hands with Wind's emperor and divide up storm-ravaged Snow.

Though Aiden, who distrusted her from the start, subdued her with overwhelming force, this caused him to feel disillusionment with humanity again. Especially with the concept of 'family.'

To attach such a black-hearted woman to Aiden!

Absolutely unacceptable. But separate from Nishina's jumping alarm, the discussion proceeded smoothly in an unwanted direction. The Emperor, who'd been looking at the Prince with skeptical eyes, asked reluctantly.

"Can you handle it?"

"Yes. Please entrust it to me."

"You must prepare without deficiency."

"I will do my utmost."

Though displeased about entrusting major matters to Aiden consecutively, trusting his ability seemed to be another story. Having smoothly delegated the work to him, Dargan withdrew his gaze. It seemed he intended to conclude the discussion there.

'It can't end like this!'

Anxiety reaching its peak, Nishina completely forgot she had no speaking rights and shot her hand up high.

"Excuse me!"

The ministers' gazes fixed on Nishina in an instant. Wiping her sweat-dampened palms on her pants, Nishina carefully began.

"I, I also want to help Brother."

"...Shina, you?"

The Emperor asked back, sounding puzzled. Since it was so rare for her to step forward wanting to do something, he seemed even more doubtful.

"Yes! Since Her Majesty the King is a woman, if I, also a woman, assist, we can provide more attentive hospitality."

For an excuse made up on the spot, it was plausible. Contrary to Nishina sending applause to her own remarkable quick thinking, Aiden's face hardened terribly. He seemed very displeased with this proposal.

"Help is not neces—"

"I must help!"

Cold sweat trickled down Nishina's back after daring to cut off Aiden's words. Even without looking, she could tell his face was rotting with displeasure.

Still, she couldn't back down here. When she looked up at the Emperor with desperate eyes, his brow furrowed slightly. He seemed worried.

"It will be hard work."

"I'm all right. It's merely an assistive role to Brother."

As always soft toward her, the Emperor couldn't refuse those desperate eyes. After brief silence, approval fell.

"Very well, if that is your wish, I permit it."

"Thank you!"

Joy spread across Nishina's face. Enough to make even the Emperor smile warmly.

However, her bright smile withered rapidly the moment it met Aiden's gaze. Because his expression was tremendously chilling.

Instantly deflated, Nishina quietly erased her smile.

'Um, somehow I feel an icy stare from the side...'

Nishina deliberately avoided his gaze. If she'd had the courage to meet that ice-cold stare, she probably would have been commuting to his office daily. She'd become so uncomfortable with other things that she didn't even think about the chair's discomfort, but still had absolutely no intention of retracting her decision.

Thus Nishina endured the lengthy meeting while facing rigidly forward as if wearing a neck brace.

After the blood-draining meeting ended, the place she rushed to without even eating lunch was the lake within the palace grounds. The place where Nishina had gone boating with her mother before.

Just one season had changed, yet the scenery felt unfamiliar. The duck family and willows remained the same, but lush greenery filled the earth and summer-loving hydrangeas bloomed everywhere. Flowers reflecting brilliant light each tempted with their own fragrance. But right now, Nishina had no interest in flowers.

Heading straight to the lakeside, Nishina plopped down roughly on the grass. Moisture-laden grass blades stuck to her ankles. At this rate, grass stains would settle into the precious dress hem Joy had personally selected. However, Nishina didn't care at all. After looking around the deserted lakeside area, she began talking to herself toward the lake's surface.

"...Are you there?"

If anyone saw, they'd have dragged Nishina to the imperial physician. Shouting, "Her Imperial Highness must have injured her head!"

Quite fortunately, the only thing watching Nishina was a duck swimming leisurely. But simultaneously unfortunately, the water's surface showed no movement.

"Spirit?"

Nishina called again in a louder voice, but still the surface remained calm.

'I even sent Hilton away and came alone just in case...'

Should she take a boat to the middle? To do that, she'd have to call an attendant to bring out a boat.

'Should I just dive in?'

Even considering such extreme thoughts, Nishina shook her head. No matter how deserted it was, if she pulled such a stunt, things would escalate irreversibly. More importantly, she couldn't swim.

"If you're there, won't you please come out just once!"

Putting full force into her belly, she shouted powerfully. An echo seemed to rise over the quiet lake.

If maximum volume didn't work, it likely meant not that they couldn't hear, but that they were ignoring her. They'd said once abilities manifested, there was no regression, so there was no reason they wouldn't be visible to her.

As expected, they must have been hurt when she ignored them then. She wanted to apologize, even if belatedly...

Having lost even the opportunity, Nishina rose listlessly.

Regrettable, but she was about to return to the palace just like this.