Queen Maker (7)
Rayden Gartrina's crown prince tried to speak but stopped himself.
It was best to end things here.
“That concludes our discussion, Your Highness. I will close the communication.”
I gestured to the operator. The blue light of the magic tool faded.
“Erase all records of this transmission.”
“……Yes, General.”
At my order, the operator immediately shredded every record.
I made certain the communication soldiers understood the need for absolute silence, then left the room. In my mind I replayed the conversation with Crown Prince Rayden.
‘The Gartrina royal family will vanish on that day.’
I had meant every word.
Of course, eliminating the Gartrina royal house would not be simple. The diplomatic repercussions would be enormous.
Still, the cost would be far smaller than what the Gartrina family would pay for trying to destabilize the empire. If persuasion failed, they would be cut away.
After all, that was the simplest and most efficient path.
Instead of returning to my office, I headed for the library.
Gartrina would be severed, and Perlin would collapse. A vacancy would remain.
It was time for the Queen to move.
#
Sunlight streamed between the tall bookshelves. A girl sat there with an open book.
When I entered, she slowly lifted her head. Her eyes behind the glasses were calm.
“General Berhardt.”
“Princess. Good day.”
She rose and offered a brief bow.
“What brings you here today?”
I returned the greeting and answered at once.
“It is time for you to act.”
Her fingers paused on the page. A moment later she closed the book.
“You are aware that Perlin Claire’s position is weakening.”
“Yes. I know.”
“You must also have guessed that this shift originated with me.”
The princess nodded. No surprise showed on her face. She had always watched the currents of the capital from her place in the shadows.
“So you came to ask me to press her further?”
“No.”
I explained the situation plainly.
“Perlin Claire will fall regardless. Even without interference, she will bring herself down.”
“Then…?”
“I want Your Highness to fill the power vacuum she leaves behind.”
“Perlin’s seat?”
“Yes. Power does not vanish. When she collapses, someone must claim what she held. I hope that person is you.”
Of course, the weight of such words was heavy for a girl who had lived her entire life in the imperial shadow. I was asking her to step into the light. Yet if she wished to sit upon the throne, this was a step she would have to take.
“You will leave the method to me?”
“I will. Do you require advice?”
She remained silent for a moment. Her gaze drifted above the shelves, measuring something unseen.
At last she spoke.
“No. I should not rely on help from the start.”
A fine answer.
“Then I trust you.”
“It feels… rather heavy.”
She smiled faintly.
“Set your mind at ease.”
This was a board I had already prepared. If she could not manage even this much, then my judgment had been mistaken.
#
A few days later the imperial harvest banquet was held in the grand hall of the main palace.
Most high nobles residing in the capital and the leading ladies of society attended. The crown prince was present as well. Perlin was there too.
Her attire was even more lavish than usual, as though she wished to prove she remained untouched.
I stood in a corner and observed the scene.
It was a brilliant gathering, yet the space around the crown prince and Perlin was noticeably less crowded than before. Several familiar faces were absent, and those empty spots stood out sharply amid the splendor.
After roughly an hour, a ripple of movement passed through the hall.
“Hm?” “What is this?” “Surely not…”
All eyes turned toward the entrance.
Luen Nathaniel walked in.
She rarely appeared at imperial functions. High society had long since forgotten her; many nobles had even forgotten that a princess named Luen Nathaniel existed at all.
Today she opened the doors of the grand hall herself.
She had removed her usual glasses. Instead of her customary black dress she wore formal imperial attire, the crest of the imperial house embroidered on her shoulder.
The girl who had lived in the shadow of the imperial family now stood openly as one of its members.
She moved silently to her seat. The crowd parted before her, and the ripple of surprise spread. Only after she took her place did the hall settle.
Then the commotion surged again.
I had crossed the floor and stopped at the seat beside her. Every gaze followed.
I offered a light bow.
“Princess Luen.”
“General Berhardt.”
She answered briefly.
I stood at her side and surveyed the room. Several faces had gone rigid; I could see them clearly even from a distance.
Excellent.
Their expressions were deeply satisfying.
Soon the scheduled remarks began. Normally only the crown prince and a few other imperial family members spoke briefly. Today, however, the princess rose slowly from her seat.
Every eye turned to her once more, including the crown prince’s.
She walked to the dais with unhurried steps and offered her greeting.
“I offer my sincere thanks to everyone who has joined us at the imperial harvest banquet. I am the First Princess, Luen Nathaniel.”
Applause followed. She waited until it faded before continuing.
“Today we celebrate the harvest of the year. The empire has again produced abundant fruit.”
She paused to steady her breath. This was her first time speaking at such an event; tension was natural.
“When I see such abundance, I cannot help but think of the roots from which it grew. Good fruit requires strong roots. When roots shake, abundance is lost.”
Her gaze swept the hall.
“I believe the Nathaniel Empire is no different.”
The hall fell silent.
“If the empire is to reap its harvest, its roots must remain firm. Should outside hands reach those roots, the weakened foundation will wither before the year ends. Therefore we must protect the roots of the empire.”
She nodded once, finishing.
“Only then can we gather abundant fruit again next year, and the year after. I hope we all continue to strive toward that end. Thank you.”
Applause rose once more as she descended. For a brief moment her eyes met mine. I gave a short nod.
She had been nervous, yet the speech was more than adequate.
She had not performed any grand feat, but she had succeeded in planting the knowledge that a new axis of power had appeared within the imperial family.
“……”
Silence lingered among the nobles.
Until now the throne had only one figure beside it: Crown Prince Leon. There had been no choice. Now Princess Luen had entered the game—not alone, but supported by Arsens Berhardt.
The seasoned nobles understood exactly what that meant.
A crack had appeared in the crown prince’s previously absolute claim to succession.
I turned my head and looked at Leon. His face carried many emotions.
He stared at his sister for a long time before his gaze shifted to me.
I met his eyes, inclined my head, and offered a small smile. Then I remained at the princess’s side for the rest of the banquet.
“How does it feel to stand at the starting line, Princess?”
She looked flustered for a moment, then whispered quietly.
“It is tense, but I also feel anticipation. As for my brother… well, there is nothing to be done.”
An honest answer.
Since she had spoken truthfully, I would answer that expectation in kind.
Now it was time to take the throne.