Chapter 45 - Let's Work on Something Together
Chapter 45 - Let's Work on Something Together
"Sigh...... what should I do."
Deep within the Imperial Palace, in a private library where thousands of grimoires filled the walls, Camilla clutched her head.
Normally, she would have been researching black magic or high-level offensive magic that threatened the safety of the Empire, but right now, miscellaneous books about human psychology and physical reactions were piled up in front of her.
The reason she was agonizing over this was because of this.
"How can I naturally embrace Edric and feel his heartbeat?"
Ever since receiving advice from the Prince, Camilla had been agonizing over how to feel Edric's heartbeat.
Camilla had imagined countless scenarios.
However...
"Should I ask to borrow Edric's embrace naturally? ...No, that's too perverted from the start! Rejected!"
The method Camilla was thinking of to feel his heartbeat was to be held in his arms.
Like the romance novels she had read, being held in a man's arms and feeling his heartbeat against his chest... that was the method she had conceived.
The problem was... no matter what scenario she imagined, she couldn't think of a way to be held in Edric's arms in a normal way.
If it became known that the Princess had asked someone who already had a fiancée to lend her his embrace, her reputation in high society would be ruined.
"There must be another way. A natural way that isn't perverted..."
Camilla fanned herself with her hand, her face flushing just from the imagination.
At first, she had even thought about giving up. But the look of conviction in her brother, Prince Leopold's eyes, would not be forgotten.
'It is because you haven't clashed 'hearts' with the other person yet. It is because you don't know if it's love or not.'
That remark about needing to clash hearts—the words her brother said—would not leave Camilla's mind.
She began rummaging through the magic books in the library, feeling as if she were clutching at straws.
She thought that perhaps there might be a spell among them that would allow her to naturally check a heartbeat.
"What about this red book?"
In the midst of this, she opened a magic book in the corner.
It was a very old book, and it was written as follows.
The title 『Magic Resonance and Fatigue Recovery Through Physical Contact』 caught her eye.
"If it's this... I can naturally use the excuse of helping Edric recover from fatigue after work...!"
She began turning the pages, filled with hope.
However, the more she turned them, the more her eyes were filled with astonishment.
Because the book was written like this:
[ For the perfect effect, you must remove all clothing and press skin against skin ]
Along with that text, the book continued below, stating that if this magic was performed together, a joyful sex life between a married couple would be guaranteed.
"Th... there is such a profane magic book!?"
Even while saying that, she continued to read the book.
And finally, startled by the various sexual positions that popped up at the end, Camilla screamed and threw the book away.
"Kyaaaah!!!"
Thud-!
"Your Highness the Princess! What is the matter? Are you hurt anywhere!"
The maid who had been waiting outside rushed in, startled.
But Camilla waved her hand wildly with a face that had turned beet red.
"N, nothing. You may leave."
"Yes... I understand. Your Highness the Princess."
In the end, Camilla returned to the Imperial Palace that day without finding a proper 'excuse for skinship.'
Upon returning to the Imperial Palace, a servant said to Camilla.
"Your Highness the Princess, His Majesty is calling for you."
"His Majesty? ...I understand. I will go immediately."
Camilla felt a premonition that there would be something important, given that he had called for her so suddenly.
When she arrived at the Emperor's secret reception room, the Emperor dismissed everyone and made it so that only the two of them, the Princess and himself, were present.
"Father, your complexion does not look good. Is something the matter?"
"Yes... Camilla, I need some of your help."
Emperor Theodore greeted his daughter with a much more serious and heavy expression than usual.
On his desk in the office, reports from the 'Elheim' territory, an autonomous region of elves in the west of the Empire, were piled up like a mountain.
"This is... a report from the Elheim territory... Has something happened in the elves' territory?"
"Yes, something has happened... a very big problem..."
The Emperor spoke with a worried expression.
"Recently, the clashes between the imperial citizens and the elves have been unusual. The friction is frequent, and the emotional rift has deepened, so if things go wrong, the alliance that has lasted for hundreds of years could be shaken."
"To that extent..."
The Elheim territory was also where the Magic Tower was located, so Camilla often received news from there.
However, she herself did not know that it was serious enough for the Emperor to express such worry.
The Emperor let out a deep sigh and continued.
"Borrow the guise of visiting the Magic Tower and go to Elheim naturally. Grasp the reality of the situation there, and if possible, I want you to resolve the root cause."
At the Emperor's words, Camilla had several questions.
She understood that there was a problem in Elheim.
But why was he telling her this?
"I understand that such matters should be handled by the Imperial Department of Rites. Father."
"Yes, normally that would be the case..."
"Normally... could it be?"
At the Emperor's bitter reply, Camilla immediately grasped the situation.
Finding a solution through her, rather than through the official route, meant that there was a problem with the standard route.
"The interests of the people in the Department of Rites are connected, aren't they?"
"It is not just the Department of Rites. It appears that the merchant guilds of the Capital are also connected."
"I see."
Camilla began to see the situation.
The various magic materials that come out of the elf territory are important magic materials that the Empire cannot do without.
Some of them were herbs where 1g was worth similar to a commoner's annual income.
Naturally, countless interests would be connected, and that would also be connected to the nobles working in the Imperial administration.
If she were to entrust the investigation to such people, the truth would be covered up, and it was obvious that it would only further fuel the elves' anger.
"I have ended up making an apologetic request to you."
"It is fine. Father, this is why the Imperial family exists."
"Yes, thank you. My daughter, I am truly proud to be your father."
Having grasped the situation, Camilla fell into thought for a moment.
Where should she start to solve this problem?
First, visit the Magic Tower to see the Tower Master, and then go find the Lord to ask for the ledgers...
But she would have to check countless ledgers, so who should check them?
She didn't think she could trust the people from the Ministry of Finance either...
While she was thinking that, a brilliant idea flashed through Camilla's mind as Edric's face appeared in her head.
"Father. I don't think I can do it alone. Please allow me to take a competent talent who can assist me and handle administrative tasks."
"Of course, you should do that. So, who do you need?"
Camilla smiled.
She continued speaking while thinking of him.
"For this task, I need a talent who has loyalty to the Empire, can be trusted, and also has abundant knowledge of finance."
"Is there such an excellent talent?"
"There is exactly one, Father. With Brother."
"With Leopold... Ah."
The Emperor understood Camilla's words.
And Camilla wore a smile as if she were a villainess plotting a conspiracy.
"So... are you saying I have to be dispatched to the western Elheim territory? And with Her Highness the Princess..."
"............"
"...Alone with Camilla-nim?"
"Yes, that is how it turned out. Edric."
I, who had been summoned to the Princess's office, asked while sweating profusely.
In fact, ever since the 'Attempted Slap Incident' last time, I had been avoiding Camilla because I was scared of her.
But to think it would end in a checkmate like this... I was afraid.
I wanted to run away.
Watching me like that, Camilla smiled elegantly and said.
"It is for government affairs, so don't make such a scared face, Edric. Am I going to eat you? Or... are you still holding onto what happened back then?"
Camilla approached me one step with a captivating smile.
I felt like I would suffer something scarier than being eaten if I got swept up by her, but I answered while pretending to be as calm as possible.
"I, I am not holding onto it at all. Haha... But for me, who must assist His Highness the Prince... suddenly the Elheim territory?"
"The western Elheim territory where the elves live, how much do you know about the situation there?"
The moment I heard that question, a strong alarm bell rang in my head.
If Camilla was asking about the Elf territory with such a serious expression, there was only one thing worth talking about.
'Don't tell me... the Elf Civil War incident!'
In the original work, this incident was the episode that was the signal flare for the Empire's downfall.
The Elf territory was suffering great damage due to human meddling, and the good-for-nothing Prince, who had been focusing on his love life, tried to suppress it with force.
In the end, the elves, disappointed in the Empire, escaped in large numbers, and the Empire's wizard power entered the path of destruction—a development without dreams or hope.
"... I know a little. There are rumors that the elves' dissatisfaction has reached a critical point recently. I heard that the tyranny of human merchants and the exploitation by officials are severe."
"That is correct. Currently, Elheim is like a volcano on the verge of eruption. However, those bastards in the Department of Rites are omitting reports and only filling their own pockets."
Camilla approached me closer with a cold smile.
A subtle fragrance tickled the tip of my nose. She poked my chest lightly with her finger and whispered.
"So, Edric... work on a task with me."
"A... task?"
"Yes, His Majesty the Emperor has ordered me. To resolve this matter."
"I lack the ability. Camilla-nim."
"Where else is there someone with such high administrative ability while having loyalty to the Imperial family like Edric, that you say such things?"
"Th... that is too much praise. Camilla-nim."
"They say even humility is a disease if it's excessive. For your information, this task has been approved by His Majesty the Emperor and Brother. I will not accept a refusal."
I felt my spine chill and realized.
Ah... my peaceful rest is over...
"... I will follow your orders, Camilla-nim."
At my answer, Camilla smiled brightly as if she were satisfied.
Her smile somehow looked more dangerous than usual.