I Have Become the Regent!

"Iris, there is something of great importance I must discuss with you."

His eyes were infinitely serious. It was the gaze of a man who had steeled himself for what was to come. Without thinking, I swallowed hard.

"...Speak as you will, Your Majesty."

Calian set a single seal upon the desk. At first glance it seemed ordinary, yet the more I looked, the more familiar its shape became. With a bitter expression, he continued.

"It is my imperial seal. A national treasure beyond compare, one that only the emperors of House Barshain across the ages have been permitted to hold."

Wait. Why is he showing this to me?

Calian was not the sort of man to boast. Besides, the empire was already his—what was there left to brag about? That would simply be teasing.

"Why show this to me? Surely... it is not what I am thinking...?"

Calian, must you really invoke such a cliché? If you die, the entire Barshain Empire falls—and I along with it!

Amid his bitter look, Calian let out a small, rueful laugh.

"It seems, Iris, that your guess is correct."

"Your Majesty!"

Tears slid down my cheeks and stained the floor of the office. I could not even say why I was crying. Calian was not my true father; he was merely a stepping stone, a piece of fate I needed to twist so that we would not die together. Or perhaps, somewhere in my heart, I had truly come to see him as a parent.

Yet my head still cannot make sense of it...

As the tears continued to fall without end, Calian gently wiped them away.

"Iris, while I am gone, I shall entrust Barshain to you."

......?

For a long moment I simply stared at him, dazed. He had spoken with the gravity of a man marching to his death, yet the actual words were... asking me to act as regent?

The gap between expectation and reality was so vast that I began to laugh like a madwoman.

"W-why are you laughing so?! Are you unwell?"

Seeing Calian's flustered face, all my earlier worries suddenly felt ridiculous. Who was worrying about whom? A Sword Master would not fall so easily, and Calian would surely command from the rear.

I wiped the tears that had burst forth and lifted the corners of my mouth.

"If you speak as though you are going to your death, of course I will misunderstand! I worried for nothing. Leave Barshain to me. While Father is away, I shall reshape the Barshain Empire itself!"

At my bold declaration, Calian roughly tousled my hair, grinning like a fool.

"Haha! It seems your father has caused an unnecessary misunderstanding and now feels sorry. Ah! There is one more thing."

While I wondered what else remained, he spoke again.

"The scale of the conflict is large, I hear... Would it be permissible for me to take the vassals—excluding Liana—along with Roclair?"

What was this now? Reading my expression, Calian explained.

"Even in an empire, Sword Masters ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and Expert knights are priceless assets. I will ensure none of them come to harm, so I hope they may lend their strength to the empire's cause. I trust that my beloved daughter will grant her father's request!"

Hmm. Understood. We are at war, and I know full well the power of Sword Masters and Expert knights. Even so...

If you take all the vassals as well, who exactly is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠going to guard me?

I let out a deep sigh.

"Very well. Why not take Liana along while you are at it?"

"I have heard from Roclair that Liana's skill is exceptional, yet it would be wasteful to bring a child who still lacks real combat experience."

I had spoken in jest, but Calian's reply sounded exactly like She is still a rookie, so I will not take her. Had she been a veteran, I would have used her to the fullest.

It almost sounds as if, were she a battle-hardened veteran, he would indeed take Liana too.

Without thinking, I pinched Calian's arm. A tiny groan escaped his lips.

"Father, it was a joke! How can you take it so literally!"

"Ahaha! Forgive your father his lack of flexibility. Now then, follow me."

Follow him? To the battlefield? It did not seem so...

"May this one inquire where exactly she is meant to follow you?"

"To the audience chamber. I have already informed every minister. Let us go at once."

Eh?

I followed Calian to the audience chamber. It was exactly as he had said. The ministers I had seen at the state council were there, along with many others, all standing in orderly rows at the attendant seats.

Because this was a grave occasion—the appointment of a regent—I had been forced to wear a tightly fitted dress instead of a comfortable one-piece. Calian, naturally, was exempt from such requirements.

Can Father not dress splendidly as well? He has me adorned so prettily while he...

Father will appoint the regent and immediately lead the knights to the front lines. Everyone will overlook his attire. And if anyone dares complain, we can simply have their heads.

That was how it stood.

The moment Calian and I entered the audience chamber, the master of ceremonies cried out.

"His Majesty Calian Barshain, the sun that shines brightest upon the empire, enters!"

At the call, every minister knelt on one knee and bowed his head in perfect unison. Their disciplined motion was worthy of an honor guard, as though they had rehearsed it for years.

Calian ascended the dais and seated himself upon the throne. He rested his chin upon his hand in a posture more arrogant than any other.

The master of ceremonies continued.

"We shall now commence the regent appointment ceremony! Her Highness Princess Iris Barshain, please step forward!"

At his words I walked toward Calian with confident, measured steps.

Click. Click.

Only the sound of my shoes echoed through the vast chamber. A heavy, profound silence pressed down on everything.

I halted beneath the throne and met Calian's gaze. He looked down at me with warm eyes.

With a faint smile, Calian spoke.

Calian rose slowly from the throne and crossed the silent audience chamber to stand before me.

"I now bestow upon you my seal, the proof of your regency."

He took my hand, placed the seal within it, and whispered into my ear.

"Once more I say it. I entrust the Barshain Empire to you."

"Leave it to me. But you must return safely, understand?"

"I do. Neither I nor any of my vassals shall come to harm."

After a brief embrace, Calian strode out of the audience chamber, taking Roclair, Karl, Dias, and Jack with him.

Once I confirmed he had truly gone, I walked step by step toward the throne that only the emperor could occupy. Its red base adorned with gold was unmistakably a seat of authority. Calian's warmth still lingered upon it.

One by one, the ministers opened their mouths in unison.

"We greet Your Highness the Regent!"

After exchanging a glance with the master of ceremonies, I spoke slowly.

A faint tremor ran through the ministers. It was so slight it was barely visible, yet I saw it.

This... is power?

It tasted sweeter than honey. No wonder men would commit coups to seize the highest seat. Even a former deep-sea exploration agent like me could almost understand their feelings.

If only the workload were not so monstrous. Ugh...

Merely thinking about it made my body revolt. As expected, my true calling is to remain hidden in a corner, hunting for treasures beneath the sea.

To the ministers who stood frozen in terror, I spoke again.

"Truthfully, every one of you here has lived far longer than I. You must possess far broader vision. I am still too young to fully comprehend the documents you review."

"Then...?"

One minister managed to speak, though his lips trembled violently.

"I shall respect your autonomy above all. However, every department must submit a weekly summary report to me. I will judge them accordingly—rewarding those who perform well and delivering a small punishment to those who do not."

"If I may ask cautiously... what manner of punishment do you mean...?"

I had been thinking in terms of carrot and stick, but I had not yet decided on any specific punishment...

Then a brilliant idea came to me.

"Hmm... No. I have changed my mind. A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠truly terrifying punishment awaits, so all of you must exert your utmost to become the empire's strength. With that, the regent's inauguration is concluded. Return to your duties. Unless, of course, you wish to receive that terrifying punishment."

"Y-yes!!"

The moment my stern warning fell, the officials—faces drained of all color—hurried from the audience chamber. Watching them, I continued my thoughts.

Would a bunny-girl outfit be better, or a maid uniform?

I have no particular taste for dressing up middle-aged men, but when else would I get such a chance?

Sigh. Just imagining it feels rather strange.

While my imagination ran wild, Liana appeared.

"Your Highness, until Sir Roclair returns, I shall guard you!"

"I entrust myself to you, Liana."

Yet why did I feel this inexplicable sense of unease?

It did not take long to discover the reason.

"It seems... we will be alone together for quite some time. With His Majesty gone, and Sir Roclair as well."

"I-is that so?"

Suddenly Liana burst into tears.

"Aah...! At last, I can have Her Highness all to myself!"

Our sweet Liana... at this rate, you are genuinely beginning to frighten me...

Soon her shoulders began to quiver.

"I shall guard you twenty-four hours a day! This is for Your Highness's safety, so any refusal will be refused!"

"W-wait...! Do you not harbor some other motive toward me right now...?"