Turtles, Teapots, and the Northern Plot
Communicating from the center to the north was incredibly easy. But reaching out from the north to the center required formal reports without exception. Even Estella, known as the north's staff, was no exception.
I have to get to the center right now. Everything happening was utterly irrational. If they'd only learned sooner about the barrier being erected, would things have been different? She finally understood why they'd kept shoving her relentlessly to the front lines.
If they'd known about the barrier, I would've moved long ago. With the front lines desperately needing a barrier, putting it up toward the center? The very attempt was enough to brand them as traitors. She never dreamed they'd spout nonsense about dismantling the walls and sealing the borders afterward.
The Grand Duke isn't even the king—how could he seal the borders? Declaring independence without consulting the imperial center? That was straight-up rebellion. How long did they think they could hide it?
They'd first tried using carrier pigeons, but judged it too easy to detect.
Better to move fast myself. Estella resolved to head to the center personally. Teleportation was tricky in the north's unique environment, where mana didn't gather well. She borrowed a horse, aiming for the shortest route.
The moment she took her first step toward the center.
"Lady Estella, where might you be off to?"
"...Black Mane?"
"I asked where you're going."
She hit a roadblock right from the start.
"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be guarding the front?"
"The front lines are fluid, ever-changing, as His Grace the Grand Duke teaches."
"Is it right to keep calling it the 'front lines' when you knew I was heading to the center?"
She'd suppressed her presence as much as possible. By the time she noticed the knights, she was already surrounded.
How the hell did this happen? Her moonlit hair trembled. This was beyond imagination. Calling it carelessness felt ridiculous. Who could've predicted being encircled by knights from what she thought was her home base?
"We don't know the details. We were just ordered to escort Lady Estella back to the mansion safely."
"Insane! Is Preon out of his mind? Does that even make sense?"
"As I said, we don't know. Could you come this way, please?"
They were thoroughly prepared, too. From tools to disrupt mana gathering, to mana-suppressing chains and all sorts of gear.
"...Treason."
The word she'd desperately held back slipped from Estella's lips the moment she saw it.
"What you're doing is blatant treason. Do you know that? Or are you doing this knowing full well?"
"We don't know."
"His Grace the Grand Duke has always been dissatisfied with the center. Why listen to those cowardly weaklings who won't spill a drop of blood?"
"That's the north's role! The north guards the front, the center protects the empire. Don't you understand that distinction?"
"If that's the case, why not let the north handle the front lines, the north itself—everything?"
Absurd. If they were going to do that, the north should've been self-sufficient from the start. The north constantly relied on central aid. Harsh conditions made crops hard to grow, complicating food supplies. The center always attended to it, ensuring no one starved.
But now, how could they possibly go independent? Take all they could from the center and then shut their mouths? Did they think the center would just sit idly by?
As Estella's mind grew tangled, the Black Mane Knights slowly closed in.
"The current center is too weak. To build a strong nation, we need someone strong, resolute, and cold-blooded at the top."
"...The Northern Grand Duke?"
"Haha, do I really need to spell it out?"
The Black Mane Knights figured the mage before them was like a fish on the hook. A mage without magic was just a civilian—what could she do?
The moment that thought crossed their minds.
Boom!
A massive smokescreen erupted with a powerful shockwave.
"Kuh!"
"Gah!"
It instantly repelled all the Black Mane Knights. Mages always prepared for the worst—her emergency self-defense tools shone here.
Now! Estella bolted. Having caught clear signs of treason, she burned with the mission to inform the center. She vowed to deliver the news no matter what.
"Damn it! Report it first!"
"Report while chasing! She won't last long anyway!"
"How far can a mage run?!"
With the knights hot on her tail, spewing mana in a terrifying pursuit, she ran and ran. Days blurred by. Physical limits slowed her, mana bottomed out.
A single misstep, and they'd grab her by the scruff.
"You held out a long time. Four days of running."
"Using every dirty trick, crossing half the north."
In that desperate moment.
"Huff, huff, huff."
Thud.
Estella encountered someone utterly unexpected. Golden blond hair and red eyes—the mark of Bellos Empire royalty.
"C-Crown Prince?"
The prime cause of the empire's recent upheavals. Crown Prince Bellon Bellos.
The instant she confirmed it, tension drained away.
Oh no, I can't—my mind's...
Thud.
Estella's vision faded to black.
Crawl, crawl.
Crawl, crawl.
Turtles are slow on land not from laziness, but their body structure. Heavy shells add weight, and their legs bend under the plastron—like humans crawling on all fours. Pushing off slowly like that, speed was impossible.
"Seeing it up close, humans could totally be designed like turtles."
"Thanks to Your Highness, I'm glad to finally grasp what a turtle feels like."
"Never seen one?"
"I have, but circumstances make me forget often."
"What if I have you raise turtles in the palace? I'll even assign servants to manage them."
"...That would be the highest honor."
Paban and I watched the turtles crawling before us. Or rather.
"Gaaah! My arms! My legs!"
"W-Who the hell... how dare you do this...!"
"Do you think you can harm the Black Mane Knights of the north and live?!"
"You'll pay! Aren't you afraid of divine punishment?!"
"Know what happens if we die here! Restore us now!"
I glanced at the Black Mane Knights. Snowy terrain must restrict them—their defiant snapping couldn't hide their glacial escape speed.
"Turtles must hate winter."
"I agree."
Ten turtle-knights total. All seemed confident in their skills. They channeled mana into swords impressively.
Paban, what the hell? Why's he so strong? The moment he moved, it was over clean. One-handed greatsword swings sent ten knees flying skyward. Maces and spears launched arms like fireworks.
If Arbeda specialized in magic, Paban was pure melee. Like a one-man army—solidified my resolve to beat the second prince more.
What was he thinking, sending these guys? And they had an alliance with the empire, too. Dispatch them, and if they didn't return? Empire breaks the pact, dooms itself?
Definitely needs ongoing beatings. Muttering inwardly.
"The Black Mane Knights—I recall they're the Grand Duke's right-hand men."
"Yes! We're his limbs! Restore us now!"
"Paban, one turtle's too chatty."
Stab! Thwack!
"Grrruuuh...."
"Your Highness, I made the teapots."
"Turtles and teapots, perfect."
I shifted gaze to the villainess collapsed in the snow.
A villainess chased by the Northern Grand Duke's knights. Fleeing for crimes, or some circumstance? I'd normally ask outright, but she was out cold.
Still, that didn't mean no intel.
"...His Grace planned to lock Estella at the front lines."
"Why?"
"Because she tried contacting the center."
"Why block contact?"
"The north... dreams of independence."
"Ah."
The last surviving turtle spilled the full truth. The rest sadly became teapots.
"...So you'll let me live?"
"Won't kill you as a teapot in return."
"...!!!"
Hearing that, the turtle suddenly crawled frantically, even scarfing dirt. Clearly attempting magehood in desperation.
But that takes more than a day's dirt. Pity he didn't know.
Later, they were all eating dirt mid-crawl, plotting counterattacks. Fitting for independence plotters—versatile attempts.
"Independence without even telling the parents?"
"...."
Paban clamped his mouth shut. Silence screaming he knew exactly what I meant.
"Ugh, uhm...."
Perfect timing—the villainess stirred.
Too many questions. I skipped the fluff, stabbing straight to the point as she came to.
"Is the north plotting rebellion?"
Such a north chasing and caging this villainess. Name later—priority first.
"...Yes."
"I see."
The north dreamed of rebellion. Near 99% sure, now 100% confirmed by her.
But why's she the villainess? She's not.
The north blocked her central trip to hide their independence plot. How's a whistleblower a villainess?
From the protagonist's view? Mirne needed quiet independence, aid to Maselin Kingdom. Interfering makes her the novel's villainess?
Opposite position to protagonist?
Ha. Conclusion quick.
The Villainess Ring wasn't for actual villainesses.
Finds characters opposing the protagonist... like my ally navigator.
Worth the doom-reduction reward. Feeling the ring's true power.
"Name?"
"Estella Naib."
"Reason for reporting treason signs to the center?"
"Because it's a grave sin. The north is blatantly wrong now."
Chatting with the villainess—no, Estella—gave the north's rundown.
Acting like a real king, huh. But a king mooching off rich suckers. And not poor either—monster hunts and rare resources paid big.
Yet kept taking central aid without reciprocating.
"Separate diplomacy too?"
"Treating north and empire apart... already advancing with Maselin Kingdom."
"Ha."
Appointed Northern Grand Duke, but lived like Northern Boss. Beyond Eastern Duke's dantian scrap—crossed the line.
"Piran-de."
Screeeech!
I summoned the carrier pigeon instantly. Fiery red feathers—like a phoenix? My savage pigeon, Piran-de, violent to all but me.
"Tell the palace: time for a big cleanup."
Tied the missive to its ankle, launched skyward.
If too much trash, call more people. Simple rule—time to execute.
Screeeech!
Piran-de liked the crown prince's handsomeness. Perfect looks, fire aura like hers. Wanted to stay by his side forever, but lately separated too much. Infuriating.
All she wanted: play and eat beside master lifelong. Why so many obstacles?
En route with those thoughts.
Squawk.
A white pigeon flew parallel-ish. One from master's room once. Arrogant intruder, left a feather while she slept.
Screeeech!
Piran-de couldn't tolerate. Already pissed, daring fly before her eyes? Die.
Snap!
Claws tore the white pigeon's neck instantly. Trophy in tow, straight to palace.
Screeech!
Bonus: brag to master later.
"Hope it reaches the Lomfer Church safely."
Mana travel risky, humans too variable. Best: carrier pigeon.
Northern Grand Duke pondered his pigeon to Lomfer Holy Kingdom, calmly assessing north.
"Declare independence, activate barrier, secure northern borders."
Clash with central forces? Unlikely. Empire lacked quick-response troops anyway.
Plus.
"That soft crown prince—would he even fiercely resist independence?"
Born weak, might just yield. Current empire too feeble.
Strong resolve to prosper, swallow weaklings easily.
Empire lacks ambition. If me, I'd use that to get Mirne...
Still, solo risky. Borrowed a bit from Lomfer Church—no, Holy Kingdom. Just a tad. Minimize variables.
"Going smoothly."
Satisfied with smooth northern independence—right then.
"Your Grace! Knights chasing Estella—all found as corpses!"
"What?!"
Unimaginable news hit. All dead? Escaped her?
Knights shaken off, Estella reaches center?
Someone intervened? Impossible alone.
Who? Grand Duke panicked briefly, then calmed.
Even if Estella escaped to center, plans unchanged.
"Just accelerates the timeline."
Full central purge.
"Prepare now."
No more hesitation—time to move.