Two Choices (4)

As night fell, the citizens of the capital city of Roverium Kingdom retreated into their homes, seeking refuge from the encroaching darkness.

Observing these people, Elizabeth turned her gaze to the Elemental Wizards belonging to the Imperial Family who stood behind her.

"Are you afraid?"

"Pardon me?"

"Those who would perish when the buildings collapse are innocent citizens."

"I am not afraid, Your Highness."

"Is that so?"

Elizabeth took a step closer, her expression unreadable.

"If humans are to be judged for their earthly sins in the afterlife..."

The Wizards listened intently.

"...then you should not hesitate to claim that it was the Imperial Family that ordered you to commit this transgression."

"Your Highness the Princess, we—"

"I have no intention of burdening you with this sin in the afterlife."

The Wizards fell silent.

"In that realm, there will be no Imperial Family, no Empire. There should be no loyalties to pledge."

With a serene smile, Princess Elizabeth turned away, delicately pinching the edge of her skirt as she descended the staircase.

Step-!!

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she noticed a wilting flower by the roadside. She approached it and gently crushed it beneath the heel of her high-heeled shoe.

"What a fascinating time… to be a villainess."

Only the night wind heard her words as it tousled her platinum hair.

* * * * *

'Would I be able to let it go...?'

Prince Inas, who had been quietly drinking wine in his room, sighed.

He had always been suspicious of Marquis Phyrgia's intentions, or more precisely, the intentions of the Elmark Empire.

The silver lining was that it seemed the Elmark Empire's aim was to make the Roverium Kingdom their vassal state.

Although prices of many things were rising considerably in the short term, they would gradually stabilize.

Prince Inas felt a bit of relief as it seemed that the situation was heading in the direction he had hoped.

"Isn't that cheap wine? It's not suitable for a prince of a kingdom."

"Cough…!"

Prince Inas coughed violently as he suddenly heard a woman's voice inside his quiet room.

Once his coughing fit eased, he tried to call his guards waiting outside the door.

"Do you not even have the courage to face a woman who doesn't even have a knife?"

"Y-you..."

The woman standing in front of him was Princess Elizabeth of the Ernes Empire, blessed by the God of Wisdom and known for her ability to predict the future.

Prince Inas glanced around his surroundings and out of the window upon seeing Elizabeth.

"How..."

"Don't worry. It's easier for you to hold me hostage than for me to hold you hostage."

Princess Elizabeth walked towards Prince Inas, sat down across from him, and poured herself a glass of wine from the bottle on the table.

After tasting it, she frowned and put the glass back on the table.

"If you're just looking to get drunk, this is good wine."

"What is the reason for your visit?"

"If we learn from history, the most classic yet effective method is beautiful words, isn't it?"

"Please don't joke around."

"Don't be so tense, Prince Inas. They say even a dog is relaxed in its own home."

Observing his tense expression and stiff shoulders, Princess Elizabeth continued.

"Inas Del Prussiam Roverium… Today, I've come to give you two choices."

"..."

"But before that, are you aware that the Elmark Empire is preparing for war?"

"...This is the first time I have heard of it. If you are trying to seduce me with lies, you should stop."

"While they are collecting the copper coins by getting change at the market, especially at a place that sells ingredients... They mainly bought wheat and barley."

"..."

"At a time when prices are rising rapidly, food ingredients will surely flood the market. From the people's point of view, it's nothing but an overheated buying frenzy. But even though all the citizens are scrambling to buy, does the amount that reached them even reach 10% of all the wheat in the market?"

Wheat and barley have the longest shelf life compared to other food ingredients and led to the least amount of waste when bought in bulk.

"Is that the only reason you believe the Elmark Empire is preparing for war?"

"… I know it's not enough. But I'm not here to convince you."

Princess Elizabeth tapped her glass with her slender fingers before resting her chin on her hand.

"We have no intention of playing along with the monopoly the Elmark Empire is orchestrating right now."

"…So, it means we'll simply become a vassal of the Elmark Empire?"

"That's right. If you become their vassal state, it won't matter if the balance of power shifts towards the Elmark Empire for a while."

"..."

"But since we know they are preparing for war, even though we have no intention of playing along with their monopoly game… At the same time, we also have no intention of handing you over to them quietly."

"Haha… If that's the case, it seems the one who has to make a choice isn't me, but the Ernes Empire."

"Do you really think so?"

Prince Inas couldn't help but gulp as he saw Elizabeth's face, which had been wearing a soft smile until now, turn expressionless.

However, her demeanor seemed to be an attempt to assert her authority, so he tried not to show his fear too much...

But then, out of nowhere, a violent shake rocked the room. Prince Inas quickly grabbed the table, his face filled with alarm.

Contrary to his expectation that the shaking would subside soon, the vibrations grew more intense rapidly.

Thud!

Countless books tumbled from the bookshelves.

Shatter!

The wine bottle and glasses on the table between him and Princess Elizabeth shattered into pieces as they hit the ground.

Realizing the need to evacuate immediately, Prince Inas instinctively leaped up and made a move to leave the room…

"..."

Prince Inas, in a moment of shock and disbelief, witnessed the building outside the window begin to collapse, taking the lives of potentially hundreds of his people with it.

The violent swaying of the building made it difficult for him to maintain his balance, but his eyes remained fixed on the window and the disaster unfolding outside.

"..."

Ruuuuuummbbllleeee-!!

The deafening rumble of the collapsing structure was accompanied by screams of the people caught in the disaster.

The shockwave from the collapsing building created a powerful gust of wind that shattered the window of the room where both, Prince Inas and Princess Elizabeth were.

Amidst the chaos and destruction, Princess Elizabeth remained seated, her expression unchanged.

She calmly addressed Prince Inas, her words, like a dagger to his heart.

"How can we allow our enemy to eat a meal that we cannot eat?"

Overwhelmed by the horror of what had just occurred, Prince Inas couldn't contain his emotions any longer.

He jumped up from his seat, his hands trembling as he grabbed Princess Elizabeth by the nape of her neck.

His grip was strong, and he realized the fragility of her neck, but his anger and despair drove him to this desperate act.

"D-do you know what you have just done?!?!?!"

"We knew that at the very least a few hundred people would die."

Princess Elizabeth replied calmly.

"W-why…!"

"Are you trying to bring in some old-fashioned moral theory that only served as a good sleep remedy?"

In the face of her unwavering confidence, Prince Inas found himself powerless.

His hands tightened around her neck, but he was unable to do anything more.

Princess Elizabeth continued to speak, her voice cutting through his rage.

"Inas Del Prussiam Roverium. Didn't I tell you? I am here today to give you two choices."

Even in this dire situation, Princess Elizabeth's demeanor remained haughty and composed.

She had orchestrated this disaster, and now she was orchestrating the narrative that would follow.

"You now have only two choices. First is to say that the earthquake that just happened was our work. The second one is to announce that it was the work of the Elmark Empire that wanted to put the blame on us."

Prince Inas was torn between his anger, grief, and the choices laid out before him. It was the moment of reckoning, and the consequences of his decision would be profound.

"Even in this situation, you are still shamelessly...!"

"If you want to surrender yourself to the hatred you feel, you may do so."

"..."

"However, do you really think that in this era of consolidating Imperial power, we would hand over the pretext for war to a mere prince from a vassal state? If you don't understand my words, do as you please. You can stoke the flames of hatred that have already been burning in the hearts of your people and direct them towards us."

"..."

"Identify the enemy and let your people carry the banner of liberation in the name of freedom. If that's the case, we will sacrifice you to fulfill your designated role faithfully, which is to serve as the justification for the Elmark Empire to wage war."

Prince Inas' hand, which had been gripping Princess Elizabeth's neck, trembled and fell helplessly.

"We understand that the method we've chosen is ruthless. But we believed that other methods wouldn't properly convey our sincerity."

"If the Ernes Empire truly desires war..."

"You're amusing."

With a cynical smile on her face, Princess Elizabeth rose to her feet.

Then, towering over the kneeling and frustrated Prince Inas, she spoke at length.

"How long do you think the Empire of Ernes has existed? There were times when the nobles despised the Emperor out of boredom. There were times when they were heavily taxed, and times when we barely survived because of Brutein's help."

"..."

"After enduring all those years, we're now on the verge of establishing complete Imperial authority! Do you honestly believe it's a mere act on our part given the circumstances?"

"..."

"Hundreds of lives? What a laughable number. The lives we've sacrificed until now to build this staircase are countless. In other words, we've risked everything the Imperial Family has achieved over the years to be here with you alone."

Each word from Princess Elizabeth momentarily lightened the burden on Prince Inas' shoulders. But at the same time, it added to the weight pressing down on his weary frame.

With that, Prince Inas began to weep.

Struggling with pain and agony, he spoke with a voice that seemed on the verge of breaking into a cry.

"Why... Why are you doing this to me?"

Why are you forcing me into these choices?

In response, Princess Elizabeth wiped the cynical smile from her face and gently cradled Prince Inas' head with a compassionate smile.

"Even if history records you as the greatest villain, how could I say these words to you if you hadn't resolved to sacrifice for your own country..."

"..."

"Inas Del Prussiam Roverium. You are forced to make this choice because you are you. I will not blame you if you dismiss my words as the whispers of a witch and label us as evil. But if you are able to bear this heavy burden on your shoulders, I urge you to do so, lest you want to push the Roverium Kingdom into the flames of war."

Prince Inas was taken aback by Princess Elizabeth's words.

How could she know about this situation? But he decided not to question her for now.

He simply let out a mournful cry and allowed himself to be comforted in her embrace.

Even though their relationship was not friendly, even though she came from the Empire that had subjugated their kingdom for so long, at this moment, Princess Elizabeth understood his troubles.

And that was enough for Prince Inas. He just wanted to be comforted.

"It's okay..."

Princess Elizabeth, much like his mother used to do, ran her hands through his hair.

"Kings, generals, soldiers, fathers… they are all allowed to cry freely within the shelter of a woman's skirt. Do not be ashamed, and let your tears paint my skirt. There is no one here to witness your vulnerability."

Perhaps her words touched his heart, as Prince Inas wept even more, as if he hadn't cried in a very long time.

His tears flowed incessantly, gently staining Princess Elizabeth's skirt.

"Your Highness the Prince! Are you alright!"

When the soldiers finally entered the room, all that remained was Prince Inas, wiping the traces of tears from his weary face, and the lingering scent of comfort that Princess Elizabeth had provided.