Chapter 15: Seeds of anxiety
Now, His Majesty, Her Majesty the Queen, His Highness Auglia, and I were gathered in the salon, all looking somber as we read a letter from my father, the Emperor of the Faithnum Empire.
I had known all along that there were spies in this country, and my actions had likely drawn their attention.
“…Therefore, as the wedding ceremony between the imperial princess and the crown prince has not yet been completed, it is suggested that there must be some flaw in the second imperial princess. A request has been made to exchange her with the third imperial princess, who is deemed more suitable for marriage… Ridiculous! We cannot let Claire be married before the country is stabilized!”
“Please, try to calm down.”
His Majesty, who is always gentle and calm, raised his voice.
I had indeed come here as a bride, but I had not yet officially tied the knot. The reason for this was due to the ongoing post-war chaos and the disarray within the palace departments.
I am certainly engaged to His Highness Auglia, but the reason for these deceptive claims could be due to technological innovations such as sericulture and paper-making factories, along with accompanying maps, illustrations, notes, and books.
The more visible I am in the palace, the easier it is for spies to keep track of my movements. I had let my guard down and forgotten about that.
However, before I tie the knot, I want to make even the slightest positive impact on this nation. Wars may result in victories and defeats, but they also leave lasting wounds.
We need to create more job opportunities, allocate resources, slowly introduce medicine and education, and establish schools. This country boasts strong trade and agriculture, and there are many literate citizens, so there’s no need to worry about that aspect. We also need to rebuild the reserves that were depleted during the war.
As a result, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the palace’s requirements. However, if information is recorded on wooden documents, not only is the information limited, but there is also limited space to store it. It’s understandable that this presents a challenge.
My father never gave much thought to my abilities or education. He married me, the least suitable candidate by societal standards, to a victorious country simply because women are expected to be beautiful and men are expected to rise through the ranks.
He thought I was going to die.
But as soon as he realized my abilities could be put to use, this opportunity presented itself. It’s too early to rule out the possibility of this being a strategic marriage, and the timing is just too convenient.
Just as the department was beginning to make progress. Despite my lack of experience, we were exploring new avenues such as sericulture, papermaking, trade with foreign countries, agriculture, fishing, negotiations with merchants, and mapping.
With the ability to make paper, we could transcribe and sell books imported from other countries, and also begin training doctors.
Is it wrong to introduce these complex issues and stifle progress by bringing in new ideas? Would my life have been better if I lived a miserable existence where my opinions didn’t matter?
I was on the verge of retreating, but His Highness Auglia hugged me from the side.
“I only want Claire. What’s the point of living if I can’t make that wish come true?”
His Highness declared his intentions with such conviction, I couldn’t help but get emotional. I, too, had no desire for anyone other than His Highness, but my composure was shattered by the next words from His Majesty.
“——If we don’t receive a satisfactory response to our request within the next month, we are considering declaring war. The reason being the disrespectful treatment of our princess… Damn, perhaps we should have arranged a marriage ceremony, even if it was just for show?”
“Claire is a valuable asset to our country and a repository of knowledge. We cannot celebrate without genuine emotions… Not yet, at least.”
“Your Highness…!”
But I couldn’t bear the thought of a war breaking out because of me.
Additionally, Baratonia Kingdom won the war last year because they took advantage of the Faithnum Empire’s weakened state after a previous war that lasted six months.
It has been one year since the war ended. Food and soldiers have not fully recovered yet. If we lose, we will become a vassal state again and be used as mere pawns.
I couldn’t allow that to happen. I frantically searched for a solution.
“Your Majesty, I request three days to formulate a solid plan. I promise to present it to you within that time frame.”
I stood tall and spoke with conviction.
This is not the time to be submissive.
