Chapter 212 – If It Works, It’s a Revolution (10)

“So, Dian. What are you going to do?”

The Second Princess asked once more.

“Will you come with me to the Capital?”

“No. I won’t,”

Dian declined.

“Why not?”

“I don’t have a reason to go.”

“Justification isn’t something you find—it’s something you create, Dian. Come with me to the Capital. Let’s kill the Third Prince and restore order to the chaos.”

The Second Princess said firmly.

“If we eliminate him, you and I will be hailed as the saviors of the Capital. We ride the momentum straight to the top.”

“Riding the momentum straight to the top… That’s just a pretty way of saying rebellion, isn’t it?”

The adjutant flinched, and the Second Princess shook her head.

“If it works, it’s a revolution.”

“Hm. Fair enough.”

Dian slowly nodded.

“If it succeeds, it’s a revolution. Then let me ask you—what’s the point? What do you plan to do after the revolution?”

“What do I plan to do?”

“Are you going to become Emperor? But Your Highness doesn’t have legitimate lineage. There’ll be no end of people ready to exploit that issue.”

“I’ll show no mercy to those who oppose me.”

Dian snorted.

“If you kill everyone who disagrees, how are you supposed to run an empire? Are you really going to decapitate every noble and bureaucrat from the conservative aristocratic assembly, just to govern this vast nation with whoever’s left?”

“That’s…”

“The Special Forces and the army aren’t nearly enough. So no, Your Highness can’t become Emperor. And even if you did, the blowback would be massive.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

The Second Princess asked, and Dian scratched his head.

“If you’re really set on being in charge, you’ll need a puppet on the throne. Isn’t that why you tried to lure in the Fourth Princess?”

The Second Princess was silently impressed by Dian’s sharp observation.

Feigning disinterest on the outside, yet he saw through it all.

So his decade in seclusion wasn’t spent in idleness.

Yes, Dian. You truly are fit to be my consort.

No one else could handle a woman like me.

# # # #

I just repeated what Nemara had told me back in the Black Forest, like a parrot.

Only someone like Nemara would be able to see the bigger picture. A guy like me? Even when I’m told, I can barely make sense of it.

Not that the Second Princess knew that—she just kept nodding along to everything I said.

“Everything you’ve said is right, Dian. Yes. That’s exactly the direction I’ve been planning to take. Based on the advice you gave me earlier.”

When did I ever give her advice? No clue.

But whatever. The bigger problem is that she keeps trying to drag me back to the Capital with her.

She wants to use me to get rid of the Third Prince’s group—and then probably eliminate the other princes and seize everything for herself.

Just thinking about getting tangled up in that makes my head ache.

I’m out.

She can go back to the Capital or not—her call. I’m going home.

“Well, I think it’s about time I head back.”

“Back where?”

“Home. I’ve got work tomorrow.”

“Then when do you plan to go to the Capital?”

“Huh? Definitely not today.”

“I see…”

# # # #

Dian said he was heading home. That he wasn’t going to the Capital today.

The adjutant leaned close and whispered to the Second Princess.

“Your Highness, I don’t think that man intends to help us. Perhaps the Third Prince’s involvement made him wary.”

“No, I don’t think that’s it. From what I know of Dian’s past, he’s not the kind to scare easily and back down.”

“Then how are we to interpret what he just said…?”

After a brief pause, the Second Princess spoke.

“I think I understand.”

“What do you mean?”

“Dian is waiting for the enemy to let down their guard.”

“Their guard? Ah!”

The adjutant’s eyes lit up in realization.

“Of course. Right now their vigilance and combat readiness are at their peak. If he heads to the Capital now, it’s practically walking into a fire.”

“Exactly. That’s why Dian intends to let today pass, then launch a surprise attack once the Third Prince’s group starts to relax.”

“Of course… I’ve been pushing him without understanding his strategy.”

As the adjutant reflected, the Second Princess formed a new thought.

Good. Dian’s plan is rational.

But there’s one problem.

There’s no telling where he’ll be until he makes his move.

Meanwhile, the Third Prince and his monster underlings are no doubt scouring the area for her.

If she moves carelessly, she could end up like earlier in the city.

“So, I’m heading home now. Are you all just going to stand here?”

At Dian’s words, the Second Princess smiled.

Of course, Dian. You mean to shelter us at your residence, don’t you?

“Very well. We’ll go to Dian’s house. We’ll impose on him for a while.”

“Uh? You’re coming to my place?”

“You know as well as I do—it’s the best option right now.”

“Hm. Right…”

# # # #

The Second Princess suddenly said she was coming to my house. What the hell?

After a brief moment of thought, I made my decision.

I’d let them stay for a while.

Leaving the Academy now would be too dangerous.

The Second Princess is our Academy’s board chair.

If she dies, the Emperor’s faction—who’ve been waiting for a chance—might move to shut us down.

And too many people would suffer from her death.

Our faculty, our students… not to mention Nemara’s people who stabbed the Emperor in the back.

Can’t let that happen.

“Alright. Let’s go home.”

I led the Second Princess and her escort to my place.

The Dark Elves said they’d drop by the dorms to see Kirlin and split off.

When we arrived at the house, Olysia came to greet us.

“Didn’t you say you had a dinner with the faculty?”

“Something came up. Get a room ready for these two.”

Olysia squinted at the Second Princess and the adjutant behind me.

“Are they friends of yours?”

“Yeah. Give the lady one of the rooms on the second floor. And the guy can just sleep on the sofa.”

“Why do I get the sofa?”

The adjutant asked.

“Well, we’re out of rooms. Unless you’d rather share a bed with me?”

“Eek!?”

The adjutant backed away in a panic and flat-out refused, ending up with a blanket on the couch.

“Take turns washing up. Olysia, help the lady.”

“Yes, sir!”

# # # #

The Second Princess followed the young girl named Olysia to the bathroom.

Just like the rest of the house, the bath was incredibly clean and tidy.

This young girl must be quite the homemaker.

“You’re Olysia, right? Are you Dian’s maid?”

“Something like that.”

“What do you mean, ‘something like that’?”

“Well, I’m not exactly a maid. I’m family.”

“Family? Are you Dian’s daughter?”

The Second Princess’s guess made Olysia burst out laughing.

“No way. Lord Dian isn’t married.”

“Then what do you mean by family?”

While prepping the bath, Olysia briefly explained how Dian had taken her in.

“I see… A slave girl…”

So Dian had that side to him, too.

The more I learn, the more he draws me in.

“You can take your clothes off now—oh my!”

Olysia let out a startled cry at the sight of the burn scars covering the Second Princess’s body.

“Did I scare you?”

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s fine. Everyone reacts like that at first. Anyway…”

Settling into the bath, the Second Princess asked,

“Tell me more about Dian, won’t you?”

“Lord Dian? There’s really not much to tell.”

“Anything is fine. I want to know more about him.”

“Hm… do you like him or something?”

“Yes.”

The Second Princess answered so plainly that Olysia’s eyes widened.

“Ehh!?”

“Not romantic affection. I admire strength.”

“Is Lord Dian really that kind of person?”

“It’s hard to picture anyone else who fits.”

“Is that so? That’s kind of amazing.”

Olysia murmured.

“Everyone who gets to know Lord Dian ends up liking him.”

“Of course. That’s just the kind of person he is.”

As they bathed, Olysia shared stories with the Second Princess.

Mostly about the last ten years in Brunswell.

A distant neutral port city—run-down, but peaceful, unlike Kalvasar.

Just listening to Olysia talk, the Second Princess felt her stress begin to melt away.

So that’s it, Dian.

Now I understand, at least a little, why you left the Capital to live in a place like that.

# # # #

After the bath, Kaiden arrived at the house.

He’d heard from the Dark Elves that the Second Princess had come and rushed over.

“Good evening, Your Highness.”

“How have you been?”

Kaiden bowed his head.

“You came at the perfect time. Let’s see what’s happening in the Capital.”

“Understood.”

Kaiden immediately conjured an illusion in midair, prompting quiet admiration from the Second Princess and the adjutant.

A bird’s-eye view of the Capital from high above.

The first thing they saw was the half-collapsed spire, still spewing black smoke.

“That’s the spire the Third Prince was using, right?”

“Yes. Let’s take a closer look.”

Kaiden lowered the viewpoint to show the Capital in greater detail.

Exhausted mages were slumped everywhere after battling the fire, while palace guards and staff helped carry them away.

“What’s that?”

Near the wall, the illusion showed something strange clinging to it.

It looked like a giant lizard—but the problem was that it was human.

A human torso, with an abnormally thick and long tail attached to its rear.

“What the hell kind of monster is that?”

That wasn’t the only one—more bizarre figures could be seen moving about busily.

“Brought quite the party, didn’t he.”

“Look—someone’s approaching the drawbridge,”

The Second Princess pointed out.

Kaiden shifted the perspective toward the bridge.

Unlike the others, the ones coming in actually looked human—relatively speaking.

Even then, compared to normal people, they were obviously mutated.

They were escorting a certain individual in front and behind, arranged like guards leading a criminal.

The figure in the center was stumbling, clearly being led along.

As the illusion zoomed in, the Second Princess let out a scream.

“Mother!!”