The First Domino
The simplest way to deal with Perlin right now was straightforward.
Kill her.
However, I didn't. The reason was simple.
Because, like any typical ropan heroine, the web of connections surrounding Perlin was far too intricate. That was her true weapon.
The Crown Prince. The Tower Master. The Crown Prince of Gartrina. The nobles who backed her. And the countless other ties scattered throughout the original story.
At this moment they remained still. But if Perlin died, everything would change.
The instant she fell, they would all move at once.
Minor connections could be ignored, but if the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince of Gartrina, the Empire's Tower Master, and several nobles in the capital—who still held real power—acted together, the resulting chaos would be beyond words.
Even the Hero, who seemed to have lost interest, might react unpredictably if Perlin died. So killing her outright carried too much risk.
Dealing with Perlin had to wait until her connections were neutralized one by one, her power stripped away, and her limbs severed. Only then could the Empire's turmoil be kept to a minimum.
That was why the first move mattered most.
A bold, unmistakable strike that would also serve as a signal to her other supporters. One that, once it toppled, would let the rest fall on their own.
I had to make that move.
I rose slowly from my chair. A single name surfaced in my mind.
“Adjutant Raylin.”
The adjutant waiting outside entered at once.
“Yes, Marshal.”
“Summon Palace Steward Kayan.”
Raylin's expression froze for a moment.
“……You mean Steward Kayan, sir?”
“Yes.”
It was an open secret within the palace that Steward Kayan belonged to Perlin. He owed her a considerable debt, which was precisely why I was calling him now.
“He may not respond even if summoned.”
Raylin added the warning carefully.
“He will.”
“……”
“In the end, he is someone who still cares for the imperial family.”
Raylin bowed and left the office. I sat back down and gazed out the window.
Steward Kayan entered the reception room that evening.
He was an ordinary-looking middle-aged man—neither tall nor short, with no particularly imposing presence. His hair was neatly combed back, his expression restrained. Having managed the palace's internal affairs for many years, he wore the face of someone who never revealed his emotions first.
“I was told you summoned me, Marshal.”
His voice was calm. Neither curiosity nor wariness showed—only courtesy.
“Sit.”
At my invitation he took his seat slowly. I studied him for a moment. What I sensed from him was not the sly ease of a veteran schemer, but a quiet, disciplined composure.
“Sorry for calling a busy man.”
“Not at all. If it is your summons, Marshal, I must answer—even if late.”
No edge in his tone, yet no flattery either. Not bad.
“Then let's skip the pleasantries and get to the point.”
“Yes, please speak.”
No need to dance around it.
“What do you think of the current state of the imperial family, Steward?”
Kayan's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly. He did not answer at once. After a brief pause he spoke in a measured voice.
“……May I ask which aspect you are referring to?”
“Not political alignments. The safety and stability of the imperial family.”
His expression shifted.
“I'd like your honest assessment.”
Kayan hesitated for a long time before finally replying.
“……I believe it is beginning to waver.”
“In what way?”
“His Majesty the Emperor is still battling his illness, and His Highness the Crown Prince…… appears to believe the time for decisive action has not yet come. In the meantime, I think imperial procedures are being swayed by personal connections.”
“Personal connections.”
“……Yes.”
He never spoke Perlin's name, yet it was obvious whom he meant.
Interesting. This man was widely regarded as one of Perlin's people, yet when asked about the imperial family he openly acknowledged her flaws.
“Then let me ask something else.”
I paused, then continued.
“Why did you become Perlin Claire's man, Steward?”
Kayan's body stiffened slightly. Yet he met my gaze directly.
“I do not consider myself Lady Claire's man, Marshal.”
“……”
“However, I judged that placing a capable person in the position of Crown Princess candidate would benefit the imperial family, so I have been assisting her.”
“Capable, you said.”
“Yes.”
“Steward.”
I looked straight at him.
“Has that judgment not changed even now?”
Kayan closed his mouth. For a long while he could not answer.
He already knew. Perlin Claire's path was gradually diverging from what it should be.
At first she must have succeeded in many things by leveraging her knowledge of the original story. Knowing the major events in advance would have made that simple. After all, that had been one of the main appeals of the original tale—'Trying to seduce the protagonist but ending up seducing the Crown Prince instead.' The heroine using her foreknowledge to steer events successfully. Those successes had built her faction and given her this level of influence.
Yet the butterfly effect had slowly eroded that advantage. The knowledge Perlin relied upon had become useless and was now more likely to cause harm, but she remained unaware and continued making flawed decisions. That was precisely why I had been careful not to lean too heavily on the original story myself.
“……In truth, I am no longer certain.”
At last he answered, his voice low. He had kept his eyes lowered for some time before slowly lifting his head.
Finally he spoke again.
“Marshal.”
His tone was more cautious than before.
“What is it?”
“You…… seem to have changed somewhat.”
Silence settled over the reception room.
This man had witnessed the daily life of the imperial palace for over a decade. He had watched the Crown Prince grow up, seen Perlin Claire enter the capital, and observed Arsens Berhardt as well. That was why I offered no excuses.
“I have changed.”
“……”
“My purpose, however, remains the same.”
“And what is that?”
“To uphold the Empire.”
Kayan studied me for a long moment. He drew a quiet breath.
“……I see. Perhaps you have not changed after all, Marshal.”
He lowered his gaze to the table, then raised it again.
“Marshal, there is one thing I would like to say.”
His tone grew even more respectful.
“Speak.”
“I believe you remember the attack that occurred in the capital several years ago.”
I did. It had been an important episode in the original story.
An assault had taken place inside the palace grounds. Perlin, newly arrived in the capital, had felt guilty for failing to prevent it and had thrown herself into saving people. Even then she had acted like a protagonist. During the chaos, Kayan's young son had been unable to evacuate, and Perlin had personally found and rescued him. That incident had been one of the key moments that gradually increased her influence within the capital.
“Because of that, I owe Lady Claire a debt.”
The Steward's voice remained calm.
“I believed she would be of help to the imperial family, so I assisted her. But as I am only human, I cannot claim that my debt regarding my son played no part in that judgment.”
Of course. The debt he owed Perlin was undeniably heavy. Owing his son's life was something no father could forget.
“Steward.”
“Yes, Marshal.”
I kept my tone as gentle as possible.
“I understand why you take that debt seriously. It was a matter of your child's life, so it is only natural you cannot forget it.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“However, Steward.”
I met his eyes directly.
“The seat you occupy was not prepared so you could repay a personal debt to your son.”
He was both a father and the Palace Steward.
“You yourself just said the imperial family is shaking—that its procedures are being swayed by personal connections.”
Kayan could not answer.
“That personal connection includes your own debt, yet you seem to be pretending otherwise.”
I lifted the teacup slowly and continued.
“So let me offer you one piece of advice.”
I took a sip of the now-cold tea and held his gaze.
“Do not weigh your personal debt against the Empire's future.”
“……”
“If you do, you may find yourself on that very scale.”
By then, regret would come too late.