第５６８堀：やったね お姫様だよ (Part1)
Chapter 568: Hooray, I’m a Princess
Side: Samantha Huge, formerly of the Kingdom of Roday, second daughter of the Duke Huge family.
“...I am going to destroy August.”
The one who stands up after saying that is Cleena—my fellow student, a good friend, and a sister-wife who shares the same husband.
Back at the academy, she was indifferent to worldly affairs. Whether out of a lack of interest or an inability to process emotional shifts, she was hard to read. However, since becoming Yuki’s wife, she has been exposed to many worlds and new knowledge. While she remains quiet, the fluctuations in her emotions have become clear enough for us to perceive.
But right now, it is painfully obvious that the usually calm Cleena is furious. After all, she just stood up and declared she would destroy her own motherland. It would be difficult to find anyone who wouldn't be angry at that.
“Now, now, calm down, Cleena.”
“That’s right. Please, settle down.”
“This isn’t like you, Cleena.”
“Please, compose yourself, Cleena-san.”
Yuki, Ratz, Jessica, and I all spoke up, trying to soothe the Cleena who had risen to her feet.
“...Princess Inis broke her promise to us. She is trying to use me to manipulate Yuki and the others again. I cannot forgive this.”
Cleena’s anger stems from the report we received from Principal Popuri earlier. In short, we have been adopted into the royal family as princesses, intended to be used for political leverage.
Cleena had previously been used by Princess Inis of August during the Hifi Holy Kingdom incident. She had been so enraged back then that she nearly took her own life, but we stopped her. After discussions, we had extracted a promise that there would be no further political exploitation. Now that Cleena has been forced into the August royal family as a princess, that promise is effectively void.
We understand her anger, so we are trying to calm her down, but her fury is deeper than we anticipated, and she shows no sign of sitting back down.
“I understand why you feel you cannot forgive them. But even if you say you’ll destroy August, what will you do? Have you thought about the future? Are you thinking clearly, Cleena?”
At that moment, a cold remark from Eris, who had been sitting nearby, caused Cleena to sit down quietly.
“...I was rash. The citizens are innocent. I should only erase the royalty and their cronies. Is that right, Master Eris?”
“That is correct. However, your plan is still half-baked. You must also create pawns to seize control of August.”
“I see. Right, the ‘before you know it’ strategy. Yuki’s usual tactic.”
“Yes. That would be the best approach.”
They are casually discussing a terrifying plan to conquer August. Eris must also be furious that her younger sister-figure, Cleena, is being used so callously.
“No, no, wait a second, you two. I have no intention of doing anything so troublesome.”
“Then, should we destroy it?”
“I understand. So, a group of bandits will break into the royal castle and eliminate the royalty and everyone involved in the incident?”
“What is with that terrorist plot!? I’m not doing that! Move away from the idea of murder. Try to consider Princess Inis’s position in this, too.”
“There is no reason to show consideration for that lying princess.”
“Indeed. Using Cleena to try and move Yuki-san twice is unforgivable.”
Eris’s point is valid. Using Cleena’s position to threaten Yuki is unacceptable.
...However, as Yuki suggests, given the current situation, it is questionable whether Princess Inis even had a say in the matter. After all, Yuki’s position is no longer just that of a mercenary leader; he is a prince consort of a nation that controls trade across other continents. Even if his country is small, it is held in high regard by the major powers. Given the political background, this is likely a situation where Princess Inis couldn't intervene even if she wanted to honor her word.
The matter concerns the future of the country. It is sickening to think that personal happiness is disregarded, but it is a common occurrence.
“My position has been exposed. There’s no way the promise between Princess Inis and Cleena would take precedence. National interest comes first. That duty-bound Princess Inis is probably repenting as we speak.”
“...But if things stay like this, it will cause trouble for Yuki.”
“If you say that, then it’s the same for Samantha, who is also becoming a princess. There was never a promise that we wouldn’t be used by royalty in the future.”
Well, the Huge family has been well-served by things like the exclusive sales of video cameras, so it’s a bit late for that. Since Yuki turned the conversation to me, I should speak with the poise of a noble.
“Cleena-san. It is true that we made a promise with Princess Inis, but this situation is unavoidable.”
“So you’re saying I should forgive them?”
“No, you must not do something as lukewarm as forgiving them.”
“?”
“Eris-san, you understand what I mean by that, don’t you?”
“I see. Opportunities to become a princess do not come often. We should use this position to act in a way that benefits the national interest of Weed.”
“Yes, exactly. Since they have caused us so much trouble—the mediation with the Hifi Holy Kingdom, the breaking of promises—Cleena-san should now have considerable influence over the August royal family.”
“Mm. I understand. I will use this position to take revenge.”
“Rather than revenge, it is about generating profit, securing your position as a princess, and in turn, keeping the August royal family under your thumb. Usurping the throne might be a form of revenge, but you don’t intend to become queen, do you, Cleena-san?”
“Mm. I don’t want to be busy with national affairs like Seraria.”
“Hey now, that makes being a queen sound like a miserable job.”
“...Isn’t it?”
“...”
Seraria remains silent at Cleena’s retort. Well, unless you have a personality that allows you to do whatever you want as queen, working for the sake of the country and its people is a daily grind; it is hardly an easy job. That is the inherent duty of a noble, after all.
Besides, Seraria’s burden has increased recently. Yuki has been away from Weed.
“Ahem. It is natural for Seraria-sama to be busy, but well, Cleena and I are only princesses in name, so I don’t think we will be saddled with that much trouble.”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
“The root of this started because my Roday, and Cleena-san’s motherland of August, wanted to compete with Zilba and Enaria by recognizing Yuki-sama as a blood relative of the royal family. In other words...”
“They raised our status just to say they have the same kind of connection as Zilba and Enaria?”
“That is likely it. They are in a situation where they can’t exactly ask for a new daughter to be accepted now. It would be an admission that our marriage was a mistake, and an admission that they knew they had assigned someone of low status to him.”
“I see.”
Yes, that is the background behind the story of how Cleena and I became princesses.