The Verdict
"What the hell is this?"
"P-please... just once, just once, hold my hand."
Clana reached out to me with a desperate expression on her face.
Looking at her like that, I couldn't help but recall the image from the Trial—Clana slamming her hands down on the desk until they were a mangled mess.
Come to think of it, her hands right now were just as wrecked as they had been then. Seeing the blood smeared on the floor and railing, it looked like she'd done the same thing during the Trial.
"What, trying to act all cute now?"
"I will. I'll act cute, so... please..."
I gritted my teeth, trying to stay cold toward her, but her trembling pleas shook my resolve.
Until now, the only time my heart had wavered like this during my villainous acts was in the early days of the first loop. It seemed seeing her broken in the Trial had a huge impact.
"Oh my, what are you two doing here?"
As I hesitated with those thoughts, a voice laced with amusement came from behind me.
"...Your Highness?"
I whipped around in surprise to find the First Princess standing there with a smile.
"Shall we talk for a moment?"
"...Yes."
I agreed to her request for a private word and turned coldly to Clana, who was scrambling to her feet behind me.
"Wait."
"Eep!"
Clana flinched and froze in place.
"...Pfft."
The First Princess, who'd been holding back her laughter, finally burst out laughing before gliding forward with light steps.
"So, what brings you here so suddenly? Didn't you say earlier there was nothing to discuss?"
"Well... after hearing her declaration of defeat with my own ears, I couldn't help but come praise you."
Once we reached a secluded corridor, the First Princess began speaking to me, who had been maintaining a calm expression.
"Frey... truthfully, I didn't have high expectations. Even for you, breaking down someone as tough as Clana seemed incredibly difficult."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. I even thought it would be great if I could interfere and hinder her somehow. But... pfft!"
For some reason, she burst into laughter again, placed a hand lightly on my shoulder, and whispered,
"To think you'd completely subjugate that weed-like Clana."
With her lips curling up, the First Princess continued.
"Seeing Clana, who used to glare at me with venomous eyes every time she presumptuously gave orders despite knowing her place, trembling like a puppy at your commands... it was simply delightful."
"...Thank you for the praise."
"So, with that in mind... how about becoming mine?"
"Yes, understo—wait, what did you just say?"
As I absentmindedly responded, then belatedly asked again, the First Princess placed her other hand on my shoulder too and spoke in a low voice.
"Exactly what I said. Become mine, Frey."
"What do you—"
"Lend me your strength so I can become Emperor."
She drew a little closer to me and said,
"Clana, who recently rose as a new threat to my brother, has been mentally unstable for the past few days, causing her to rapidly lose influence."
"Is... that so?"
"Yes. She's still not to be ignored thanks to what she's built up so far... but if I bring you to my side, I can easily absorb her forces."
"Just for that...?"
"'Just'? Have you forgotten your own status?"
She tapped the star-shaped brooch on my chest and whispered softly.
"If I pull you in, not only the Starlight family but the Moonlight family will fall into my lap too. Serena's utterly smitten with you."
"That's not necessarily—"
"With Clana's carefully gathered forces and both ducal houses backing me, I could actually challenge my brother. Am I wrong?"
As expected, the First Princess had a sharp mind for schemes. She'd kept a low profile, subservient to the First Prince, and now seized the moment to make her move.
But her benevolence stat was -90, and she'd already sold her soul to the Demon King. Without those facts, it would have been a tempting offer.
"Then... what can you offer me, Your Highness?"
"Heh..."
As I pondered and posed the question, she narrowed her eyes and whispered,
"Doesn't the position of Emperor's Consort appeal to you?"
"Pardon?"
"The highest seat a non-royal can attain."
I made a flustered face at her words, and she pulled back slightly, saying,
"Don't like it? Then, pretend this conversation never happened..."
"No, I was just caught off guard by the sudden proposal."
As I hurriedly calculated future plans while watching her, the First Princess spoke to me in a low voice.
"Think it over later. For now, let me give you a reward for making me so happy today."
"A reward?"
"Yes. I'll grant you one wish coupon you can use anytime."
With that, she slowly turned around and said,
"Contact me whenever. I'll fulfill it as long as it's within my power."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
"And if the consort position tempts you, feel free to reach out just the same."
With those final words, the First Princess quietly slipped away down the dim corridor.
Consort my ass...
I glared at her retreating figure and sank into thought.
...She assassinates her husbands before a year of marriage anyway.
The First Princess was someone who'd hidden her immense lust for power her whole life. Thus, she was capable of anything for power.
In the previous loop, everyone who married her died mysteriously within a year. Of course, all their wealth and power ended up in her hands.
And if she became Emperor, it led straight to a bad ending.
So, I'd just exploit her proposal to the fullest...
"Hm?"
Lost in thought, I felt a strange sensation from my chest.
"Tweet..."
Reaching in curiously, I found the canary from earlier huddled against my chest.
"Cold?"
I stroked the shivering bird, then noticed the night chill from the rain outside and realized it was trembling from the cold.
Come to think of it, that room earlier had a warming spell.
After a moment's thought, I carefully cupped the canary in both hands and headed back to the room where I'd been hanging out with those trash friends earlier.
"You there—bring the Third Princess from the balcony to this room."
"Ah, yes!"
Arriving at the door, I ordered a nearby maid and stepped into the warm room.
......
"Doesn't the position of Emperor's Consort appeal to you?"
".......!"
Just before Frey entered the room, Clana—who had still been on the balcony—overheard the First Princess's words and froze in shock.
"No... no..."
She'd barely calmed her trembling hands and sent the canary back into Frey's clothes to spy secretly. To her, those words were like a bolt from the blue.
The fact that the forces she'd painstakingly built could crumble to nothing; rumors of her mental instability already spreading far and wide; and...
She's... reaching out to Frey...
Above all, the First Princess extending a hand to Frey hit Clana like a massive blow.
Even as a child, she'd broken off her engagement to Frey multiple times, and even in the previous loop, she'd never reached out to him until the very end.
"Th-this isn't right... this can't be..."
But the First Princess had reached out, and Frey had responded positively.
Because of that, Clana plunged into panic far worse than before.
In Rosewin's case, she could cancel the request or turn things around somehow, but with the First Princess, there was no way out.
Just moments ago, Clana had been desperately brainstorming ways to salvage the situation, but now something irreversible had happened.
"Ah......"
Watching through the canary's eyes as the First Princess clung to Frey with displays of affection, Clana stared blankly before her eyes went dead and she hung her head.
Of course, with rumors of her mental issues swirling lately, no one paid any mind to Clana's bizarre behavior.
"...Gasp."
Clana, her eyes lifeless as she buried herself in Frey's chest, suddenly jolted upright as a warm energy enveloped her body.
"Cold?"
"Uh, ugh..."
In Clana's vision—still linked to the canary—Frey appeared with worried eyes.
"Haaah..."
As Frey gently cupped her with both hands, Clana's chilled body fully felt his touch, flushing her face as she collapsed to the floor.
"W-warm..."
The initial fluster faded as pleasant warmth washed over her, and before she knew it, Clana curled up on the floor.
"...Better now?"
"Y-yes."
Having savored Frey's touch on her body for so long, Clana unwittingly replied when he asked with a concerned look.
"Tweet..."
"You look okay now."
Of course, the canary in Frey's hands could only chirp.
"Want some of this?"
Pitying the shivering canary with its eyes closed in his hand, Frey smiled and offered it some cookie crumbs from the desk.
Clana hesitated briefly while watching him, then cautiously began pecking at the crumbs he held out.
"You're cute, you know."
As she pecked at the crumbs like a bird eating seeds from Frey's palm for a good while, he stroked her and murmured softly, making her blush unwittingly.
"Lady Clana."
"Kyaa!?"
In the midst of it, the maid Frey had asked earlier appeared behind her and whispered, startling Clana to her feet.
"Wh-what is it?"
"Um... Lord Frey is looking for you."
"Y-yes?"
"He's waiting in that room over there..."
"Haaah..."
The maid looked at Clana with pity and spoke softly, while the startled Clana began trembling and whimpering.
It had happened right at the moment Frey gently stroked her.
"Ah, thank you for letting me know."
Clana belatedly schooled her expression, thanked her, and brushed past the stunned maid toward the room she'd indicated.
—Knock knock knock
"...Frey. It's me."
Stumbling from the lingering warmth wrapping her body, Clana barely made it to Frey's room and knocked.
—Creeeak...
The persistent warm sensation vanished, and the door slowly opened.
"Frey, I was wrong..."
"Quiet. Come inside."
Clana tried to apologize the instant she saw Frey, but his icy command made her bow her head and enter silently.
"Frey... about earlier."
"Earlier?"
"Yes, your request for reconciliation."
As Frey stared at her coldly for a long moment, Clana—pale as a ghost—desperately began speaking, grasping at straws.
"On second thought, I should accept it..."
"Too late."
But Frey cut her off before she could finish, and Clana squeezed her eyes shut, head bowed.
"That was your last chance. Any desire to mend things with you is completely gone now."
"Ah......."
"You hate me with a passion anyway, so I won't love you either. There, we're even."
With Frey's verdict delivered, Clana let out a dazed sound before her eyes went dead.
"Instead."
Gazing quietly down at her, Frey added briefly,
"I'll make you Emperor."
".....Pardon?"
As Clana's golden eyes met Frey's silver ones, the moon and stars appeared in the sky.
......
Meanwhile, at that moment.
"........Is this truly my power from now on?"
"Can't you tell? It's on another level from your moon mana."
A man stared blankly at the purple aura rising from his hand.
"Thank you... truly, thank you..."
"So, when do you start?"
"Within a few hours... I plan to."
The girl with ruby-red eyes watched him with interest, straightened her robe, and whispered,
"Then go wild."
"Thank you....."
The man bowed to her, then slowly rose as she vanished in the blink of an eye, muttering,
"Tonight... I'll tear you apart."
The man's eyes took in the ballroom where the party was in full swing.