The situation began to unfold smoothly, using Queen Andreas as the offering…
In a twist of fate, Athena, who had recklessly attacked a noble lady while seeking to request an investigation, was ultimately dismissed from the Investigative Office due to distrust. This matter passed by without consequence.
Of course, if possible, I wanted to reveal that the masterminds behind this incident were Athena and her accomplices. However, there was insufficient evidence, and if we cornered her too much, it could end up being a case of a mouse biting a cat. Thus, we decided to wrap things up at this point.
And then…
In front of us, having a difficult time meeting our gazes, was the flustered figure of the Queen.
“So, does this mean I’ve ended up as an apprentice to the Witch of Dragona Empire because of that previous ambush incident… all in pursuit of greater power?”
“…Uh, yeah… that’s it…”
The Queen answered hesitantly, her voice stumbling over the words. Seeing her like this, Vicer Andreas, who often worried the most about her, felt a mix of betrayal and disappointment and spoke to the Queen.
“How could you do that? You knew how much we worried about you all this time! You were there, witnessing it all, and yet how could you…!”
“…I’m sorry…”
“…Ugh…”
The Queen offered nothing more than a brief apology. Watching her, I couldn’t help but feel that there was something more lurking beneath the surface, but I couldn’t pry into that any deeper.
Regardless of the circumstances, the Queen’s matter was tied to the Dragona Empire… and my wife, Cazerose. The incident had escalated due to the witch from the Dragona Empire attacking Bohemia. In any case, the fact that her identity was tied to the Dragona Empire meant that digging further could put Cazerose in a difficult situation.
Even though I was displeased with the Queen’s actions, which were tantamount to deception towards our concerns, I couldn’t bring harm to my beloved wife.
Taking on the role of a representative for everyone present, I looked at the elder sister before me and spoke in a cold voice.
“…In any case, we’ll put this matter to rest here. There’s no denying that thanks to you, sister, we managed to avert a crisis, so that should be taken into account. Most importantly, I don’t wish for this matter to cause trouble for Cazerose.”
“..Thank you…”
“…”
The Queen showed a slight expression of relief at my words, while Cazerose wore a bitter face.
After concluding the situation, I looked at everyone present and said calmly.
“Anyhow, it seems that the variables in this conference have mostly vanished. There are reports that there are no longer assassins targeting us from Valenshtein’s side, and Athena’s matter has been resolved as well, so let’s all keep our spirits up until the very end of this meeting.”
“Yes, understood, Mr. Santana.”
“Haah… got it. For now, let’s focus on the task at hand…”
The others began to disperse after tidying up.
After everyone had left the room, it was only Cazerose and me remaining.
“…I’m sorry. Because of me, this happened… I should have been more careful…”
Cazerose apologized to me. While she hadn’t done anything wrong directly, the backdrop of this incident being in the Dragona Empire made her feel a substantial sense of responsibility.
Seeing my wife like this, I felt a bittersweet smile emerge as I gently stroked her head.
“There’s no need to apologize. As I said, this offered me some help despite everything. Besides, this incident unfolded without you even knowing, so there’s no reason for you to feel responsible.”
“Mr. Santana…”
Cazerose showed a deeper sense of relief in response to my words and embraced her, reaffirming my love for her.
*
Fortunately, the matter with the Queen concluded without major issues.
At this moment, the very person involved, Queen Andreas, felt an overwhelming desire to shrink away into a mousehole.
In a fortunate turn of events, she had somehow avoided a disastrous conclusion through a series of coincidences, yet her underlying desire was to avoid causing any trouble for her beloved Cazerose.
This fact came as a great embarrassment to her, who had engaged in such foolish acts due to her deep-seated inferiority complex and vanity.
Simultaneously, amidst such emotions, Queen Andreas had to acknowledge the reality.
No matter what she did, she could never surpass Santana.
‘…In the end, this is how it turned out. No matter what silly things I tried, I really can’t compete with my capable brother…’
Thus, with a profound sense of defeat, Queen Andreas set aside her long-held competitiveness towards her brother.
With that thought in mind, she hurriedly set off towards her next task.
‘It’s time to formally apologize once more here. That guy, Vicer, must have been anxious about La all this time…’
*
Following Athena’s failed attempt, the pace of the conference accelerated beyond compare.
While they did not formally politicize it, after their last attempt failed, the Lords of the Emperor’s faction and Athena could no longer haggle and were forced to accept their reality.
As the saying goes, ‘a reversal brings fortune,’ and in the wake of reckless attempts, the lengthy conference approached its conclusion, stabilizing the continent’s political landscape that had been tumultuous during each meeting.
As this war of pen and tongue was concluding, I found myself taking a break with Friedrich, who had been in perfect sync with me throughout.
“It seems we are finally seeing the end.”
“Indeed, I’m quite relieved. With this, I’ve safely reclaimed Palatinate, and you’ll be able to acquire many of Bohemia’s assets as you wished.”
“However… I must admit, I was a bit surprised. When Valenshtein nominated you as the next Emperor, I had thought you would firmly decline that position…”
In the original work, Anhalt had a hand in swaying him, yet Friedrich had shown some ambition towards the Emperor’s position.
His firm rejection of that role left a lasting impression on me.
Friedrich then smiled lightly and said,
“Heh heh… Don’t say such things, you know the Emperor’s position does not suit someone like me. Right now, I’m more than satisfied to return to my original place.”
“Well… if that’s your intention, there’s not much I can say.”
Again, Friedrich displayed clear indifference towards the title.
He then sipped his tea and spoke calmly.
“Anyhow, it’s a relief that peace has returned. While recovering from the damages will take time, at least we shouldn’t have any issues related to religion arising from this.”
“Indeed. I’ll continue to cooperate for future recovery efforts. I look forward to working with you, Your Highness.”
“Likewise, although I might merely be a puppet, if you need the assistance of a mere Elector, don’t hesitate to call. Our Palatinate will forever remain an ally of you and Bohemia.”
Friedrich looked at me with profound trust, and in return, I bestowed a smile befitting a friend.
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