Chapter 34: Revolution Era - The Two Princesses
After the initial negotiations with republic figures including Maximilian Zidor and Nicolas Briso, we returned to our estate.
It was an informal meeting from the start, called abruptly due to their circumstances, and we didn't expect an immediate resolution since they needed to secure the approval of their National Assembly as they said.
According to the information sent by Christine, as soon as Maximilian Zidor returned to the capital Lumière, he and Nicolas Briso publicly denounced Benoit Revere and his close associates, effectively causing their downfall.
It seems 'The Incorruptible' couldn't tolerate the immorality of even fellow radicals who indulged in luxury and pleasure by selling humans to demons.
As a result, the moderates gained more influence as Christine and I had hoped, but we only achieved about half of our intended goal, due to Maximilian Zidor's stern fairness even within his own faction, earning him the citizens' praise.
Now, with what Christine has prepared, we must wait and hope that the seeds we've sown will bear fruit.
However, there was something I needed to take care of before we could fully join the Republic.
***
I exchanged greetings with Jessie and Sir Beaumont, whom I hadn't seen in a long time, and entered Eris' room.
...And immediately, I had to consider whether I should turn around and leave her room.
"Did you return~?"
Eris, lying on the bed reading a book and casually swinging her bare feet, seemed completely unconcerned.
"Hmm, Eris. Where is the dignity of a princess?"
"I left it behind when I escaped from the palace."
As I let out a sigh, Eris' leisurely moving feet suddenly stopped.
"Uh."
...? What's this all of a sudden?
"Waaaah!"
Eris burst into tears without warning.
I tried to figure out what I had done wrong but quickly gave up.
"...Why are you crying all of a sudden?"
"The story, it's just so sad..."
Really, this princess.
I was so dumbfounded that I strode over and snatched the book she was holding.
"No, wait! I'm at the climax!"
What is this... 'Romilo and Julien'?
Is this a novel?
I sighed lightly and handed the book back to Eris.
"Listen, Miss Artist. It's good to be sensitive, but let's have a chat for a moment."
"...Can't I just finish reading it first?"
Ah, my poor neck.
Fortunately, Eris caught my expression and slowly closed the book, and got up.
She just sat on the bed, looking up at me, but I guess I shouldn't expect too much from this free-spirited princess who seemed to have no weight in her soul.
I rubbed my forehead and spoke.
"There's a proposal from the Holy Church."
Eris visibly frowned.
"It seems your reputation has spread far. They want to invite you to the Holy Church to see if you qualify to be recognized as a saint."
"I’m not a saint or anything."
"Like I said before, it's about what people think. The Holy Church seems to find your abilities quite appealing."
Eris grumbled with what appeared to be the most disgusted expression I had ever seen.
"Nice words for recognizing a saint, but they're probably just planning to use my divine power to strengthen their authority."
"You're right. But being recognized as a saint by the Holy Church is an authority that cannot be ignored."
The religious authority of a saint could significantly mitigate the legitimacy issues of her being a commoner.
"And you understand, testing the sainthood of a foreign girl of unknown origin is quite a radical move by those pompous clerics. It means they're very interested in you, and rejecting them might not be received well."
Of course, for the Church, she’s an unknown foreigner, so they're even more eager to have her.
Once they bring her into the fold and make her a saint, they can use her as a pawn for the Church.
Unfortunately for them, there's a possibility of a scandal erupting later with the revelation that she’s actually a hidden royal.
"...Is your plan to put me on the throne still valid?"
"Yes. Right now, I haven't proposed it to the nobles, as it would upset the Republic we're negotiating with. But once King Louis disappears, the possibility of other countries contesting the throne of Francia increases. And then, you'll need to step in to weaken their justification."
After negotiating with the Republic, we also have to actively assert our influence in the revolutionary government, but Eris' ascension will not only weaken the pretext for foreign invasion but also strengthen the bond between the third estate and us.
"For your legitimacy and safety from the Church before that time, the status of a saint is necessary, in my opinion."
A girl with capabilities and influence enough to attract the Church's attention, blatantly ignoring them and using divine power? That directly undermines the authority of the Church.
Already embarrassed by the Republic's looting of their clerics, the Church would not stand idly by with such an easy target.
In fact, before my regression, Eris was exposed as a princess, branded a witch, and indirectly killed by them.
Eris was silent for a moment before speaking.
"May I share my thoughts?"
"Of course."
"If my ability is truly 'divine power,' then it's a gift from God. I wonder, what right do those who claim to serve God have to recognize or deny such a thing? It seems very... arrogant to me."
Eris' violet eyes were colder than usual as she spoke.
"Even if the status of a saint is necessary, the people of Francia whom I should be helping are suffering right now. As a princess, would it really be right for me to leave this land for my own benefit, to appease the Church and waste time? How would the title of a saint, gained in such a way, appear to the people of Francia who already despise the corrupt Church and its clerics?"
A girl revered as a saint, yet she claims not to believe in God.
She probably would have refused the Church's summons in the same way even before the regression.
I chuckled and raised my hands in surrender.
"Alright. You don't have to go to the Church, Eris."
Eris blinked slowly, then her face turned to one of complete surprise.
"...What? Just like that?"
"Yeah, but it's fine if the archbishop himself comes here to test your sainthood, right?"
"Wh-what?"
Eris stammered in confusion, but I didn't give her a chance to recover.
"You don't like the idea of leaving the suffering people of Francia behind to appease the Church by taking a sainthood test, right? So, if you can get the sainthood here, there's no problem."
"Um, no, but..."
Eris, still flustered, suddenly stood up.
"Is that even possible? How? Would that arrogant Church agree to something like that?"
Because I've prepared a valuable enough gift to summon a high-ranking priest from that arrogant Church.
Like a high-ranking demon from Abyss Corporation, stupidly waiting to be sent back.
"There's always a way."
"How, I mean, when?"
"About a week from now?"
Eris opened and closed her mouth in confusion, then her expression turned to one of incredulity.
"What, it's already been decided? You liar!"
"I haven't lied, Your Highness. It's true that the Church wanted to summon you for a sainthood test."
Eris sent me a look of immense distrust, so I shrugged nonchalantly in response.
"If I had told you from the start that the archbishop would come for the sainthood test, you would have refused."
"Ugh..."
Unable to refute, Eris sent a dissatisfied glance and then spat out a word.
"...This trickster."
I laughed in response.
"What's the surprise now?"
***
Germanian Empire's Capital, Germanburg
Kaiser* Otto II of the Germanian Empire stepped out onto the high balcony of the imperial palace.
His lifeless skin and the dark circles under his eyes were not fully concealed by makeup, but they wouldn't be visible to those below.
The Kaiser silently observed the saluting officers in front of the palace and, farther away, the lined-up troops looking up at the palace.
Then, with the support of the court mage, he amplified his voice with magic and began to speak.
"I believe you all are aware of the heinous rebellion that has occurred in the homeland of our beloved Kaiserin*, loved by all our imperial citizens."
Infantry armed with muskets, the Empire's prideful hussars, and numerous cavalry looked up at him, yet the Kaiser's face was not entirely satisfied.
"Go and suppress these insolent rebels as the honorable army of the Empire. Do not forget that this is an opportunity to show our immense strength to those who dare question the power of our Empire. I shall await the news of your victory."
“Heil Kaiser!”
In response to the soldiers' reply, Otto II ended his short speech and turned his back on the balcony.
"The soldiers must have been deeply moved by Your Majesty's speech."
Otto II, hearing these words from his empress, Kaiserin Cecilia, waved his hand wearily to dismiss everyone around him.
Once everyone had left and only the empress remained, Otto carelessly flung off his cumbersome emperor's cloak and slumped onto the sofa, burying his head in his hands.
"Thirty thousand, just thirty thousand. That's all the forces the lords have given in response to the command of their Kaiser."
"Your Majesty."
Cecilia knelt beside the troubled Otto, gently taking his hand in hers.
"It's all because of that damn Kingdom of Krafte. Because of that man, the prestige of our empire is in ruins."
"Your Majesty. Though the empire faces dark times now, if we bring Francia, who once humiliated the empire, under our influence, even the proud and disloyal archdukes will look up to Your Majesty's majesty."
"Ah, Cecilia. It's your homeland, yet you..."
"From the moment I came to this country, I ceased to be a princess of Francia. I am now your woman and that of the empire."
Cecilia replied with a gentle smile upon hearing Otto's words, which moved the emperor to tears as he embraced her.
"Oh, my beloved Cecilia. Only you understand me. I can only rely on you..."
***
After comforting her husband for a while, Cecilia elegantly stepped into the hallway, where a general, adorned with medals, awaited her, promptly saluting.
"Greetings, Kaiserin."
"Duke Leopold."
"Your command, Kaiserin."
Cecilia, a princess from Francia, historically an arch-enemy of the empire, smiled slyly at the impeccably respectful manner shown towards her.
"I presume you're aware of the situation, Duke Leopold."
"Of course, Kaiserin."
"The empire's thirty thousand, the Northern Union Kingdom's ten thousand. Though just enough to make a show, combined with King Louis's army, it's sufficient to sweep away the disorganized and weary rebels of Francia."
"You are correct, Kaiserin."
After hearing Duke Leopold's formal reply, Cecilia's eyes sparkled as she smiled elegantly and then spoke.
"That would be problematic. Duke, I need you to... ensure the empire's forces remain intact while shifting the damage onto King Louis's army. A discord due to longstanding grudges between the two nations should provide enough justification."
Duke Leopold paused to look at Cecilia, then bowed his head in agreement.
"As per the Kaiserin's orders."
"I shall await the good news, Duke."
Duke Leopold saluted Cecilia and turned to leave.
He would understand what she meant by that; she expected news not of victory, but of her foolish and incompetent older brother's demise.
Cecilia, born a princess of Francia, was named Cecilia.
The war between the Germanian Empire and the Kingdom of Francia ended nominally in Francia's victory, and her father was hailed as the 'Knight King,' celebrated as a great sovereign.
However, in reality, that war marked the decline of knights and cold weapons, with Francia barely securing victory relying on a single irregular, the Blue Knight.
The empire's first deployment of gunpowder weaponry inflicted severe damage on the Francia army, particularly devastating while Francia's knights were engaged with the empire's knights and lacking strong mage support.
If not for the Blue Knight, the victory would have belonged to the empire.
But ultimately, both nations, unable to bear the losses, sought an end to the war, and as a gesture of peace between the two countries, she, then a young first princess, was married to the imperial prince.
Cecilia walked slowly down the corridor, offering a pretentiously kind smile to the Germanians who bowed to her with the utmost respect.
For Cecilia, hailing from a nation historically considered an archenemy, maintaining her position was never easy.
Especially since a great king, hailed as a genius, had emerged in Krafte, one of the empire's archduchies, dealing yet another defeat to the empire.
She endured countless days.
She gained the emperor's trust after consoling and coaxing a pitiful emperor, who, ridiculing an archduchy's challenge as arrogance, faced a crushing defeat, lost his confidence, and sunk into a life reliant on alcohol.
Having abandoned everything from Francia and acting entirely like a citizen of the Germanian Empire, Cecilia, who supported the incompetent emperor, finally reached a position more respected than the emperor himself, effectively ruling the empire in his stead.
Cecilia tried to recall the faces of her incompetent brothers she had seen long ago, but failed.
At least she had easy access to the portrait of her father, celebrated as the 'Knight King', so she could clearly remember the face hailed as great in her homeland.
Her father, who threw her, a child, into the heart of the enemy territory under the pretext of preventing conflict between the countries, never showed much interest in her.
Cecilia twisted her lips into a sneer.
As other nations entered the era of gunpowder following the same war, her foolish father, dubbing gunpowder weapons inefficient and advocating for more knight training, shrouded the future of her homeland in dark clouds.
Francia, nearing a rebellion's overthrow, was left in the hands of her foolish father and incompetent brothers.
The simple citizens of that pathetic homeland would be happier under her wise rule.
Thus, deploying the empire's forces to that tattered kingdom should happen only after the demise of her incompetent brothers.
Kaiserin of the Germanian Empire and Queen of the Kingdom of Francia.
Cecilia rolled this delightful title on her tongue, smiling at the thought.
{TN: Kaiser: It's actually a German word for emperor.
Kaiserin: It's a German word for the wife of the emperor or empress. }
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