Who the Hell are you?

\\ Could he be a substitute? A spy?

Of course no one would know... because none of us... even me who reincarnated never seen him face to face.

What was he doing here anyway? Who the hell are you Ambassador Lockhart?//

***

"Long Live the Crown Prince of Emperiza... may you and your kingdom thrive," Ambassador Lockhart said with a formal courtesy bow.

"Same to you and your nation, Kyria as well," the Crown Prince said as he foretold Lockhart to rise from his bow.

I raised my eyebrows as I inspected him. An Ambassador with shiny gemmed robes and a cape sewn of golden violet fabric. The sign of upper-class nobility. He is an ambassador. But why does that matter...

"I was told about your matters with financial trade issues, Your Majesty..." the Ambassador said, locking eyes with everyone in the room who were throwing him baffled stares.

Brown hair and green eyes...vs.

Blonde hair and brown eyes.

I kept on pondering... but I didn't let my emotions show a doubtful impression. Rebellion is a bigger deal. I looked over to my side and saw someone throwing me a look. I frowned...

Its that Bastard. Crown Prince of Emperiza.

Scars. Pain. Hatred.

How could I ever forget anything that you had made me suffer for!

I clenched my teeth and I looked away from my mortal enemy and focused back on my father. Hmph... me? lose? If it weren't for my father's death that day I wouldn't be here. My mission: Is to avenge my father!

...

I replaced my deadly glares into a soft look and did a small smile. Acting stupid around the Prince is unacceptable. I need to stay calm and pretend to look unaudacious.

"Please, we want your country's help with our trade with our Northern Territories," Crown prince Ares said.

"Help? Isn't Emperiza a country of pride? Why would such a prideful country like yours want help for? I heard trading were not of your issues at all," Ambassador Lockhart said with a certain tone in his voice.

"..." No one said anything.

Wow... this ambassador... really had a huge tongue did he not? How dare he shamelessly accuse our country in front of the Royalty...

This man... could get in a lot of trouble.

Is this the reason why I'd never seen his face on the court ever again? Because he has a sharp tongue.

"Of course not, every country has its own pride- it's just a hard time for us now, Ambassador Lockhart, please understand. We need aid-" Even the Crown Prince had a hard time getting along with him. How brazen is Ambassador Lockhart?

"Your Majesty, I understand what you need, but... it seems quite impossible for any kingdom to trade with such a poor economic territory. Especially of your Northern Territories," Ambassador Lockhard said with an innocent bright smile on his face.

Wow... how calm is he? I am still lacking that flaw of calming down. I have too much emotional walls to break me down. Right now I am battling with my own personal issues rather than staying calm.

"Ah... that- that matter will be discussed. Right now we are doing our best to keep the Northern Territories stabilized-" the Crown Prince said.

"Your majesty, isn't it a better decision to sell the place off?"

"What?"

...

Murmurs started between the crowds. I stood stupidly still as I watched the audience seat asking questions. I tugged on my father's sleeve like a helpless dog and asked:

"What's going on?"

"Bellrose, I think we might be able to win this case..."

"What?!" I squeal loudly. We are winning? How? Could this be it? The start of my plan? The Civil War? But... why do I feel strange?

"Sshhh..." My father put his finger to his lips and winked at me. I smiled back. That's great. Our ratings won't fall. Our ranks are still the same then.

...

"Your Majesty, the Northern Territories is of no benefit at all~ if you sell that place off- you could get a great economic boost towards your country."

"But that's not solving... what happens to the people of the North? We can be overpopulated..."

"Wealth? Or People?" the Ambassador said.

Ambassador Lockhart was right. If we sell off the Northern Territories then we could have a lot of economic status. But there are severe consequences for each one...

If we do sell the Northern Territories off... we could start a Civil War. Which is exactly what I am rooting for. In this case, the Royalty will lose value and power. This is exactly what I need to destroy that bastard.

That's not the issue here. The Civil War would start between us, tearing apart this country completely. Exactly what I need to take over this revenge. Tear the Royalty's power so that I could seek revenge and get away with the consequences.

Still, if we do tear their name down, our name of Crests and the Dukedom will also fall.

That's also a problem. We could paint another large target on our backs because my father is loyal to the Throne. The Civil War is a problem for us too.

Even if we didn't do that... the other way around is even harder for me to get revenge on. I need to pull down the Royalty's status. But in turn, I will also pull down our status too.

Hah~

Why am I realizing this just now!!!

...

"Isn't that a cause for Civil War? The Northerners will not agree..."

Then another huge argument started. But whatever the case... I need to win this by gaining the upper hand. I need my status.

People bickered against one and another. Civil War was going through everyone's mind. It's a war that will destroy us.

Even though the Northern Territories is quite poor and unevenly facilitated, it has a vast amount of land. Forty percent of our population live in the Northern Territories. If we get rid of that... we have a war against those forty percent.

The remaining sixty percent of us will decide whether to side with the Royalty or with the Northerners. I was pretty sure most of them want to be neutral to avoid conflict. And only twenty percent of the country will be willing to against the North.

That's not great numbers for both me or that bastard! We both lose money and power on our ways. But it is better this way. Revenge is Revenge.

I spared a questioning glance at Ambassador Lockhart. Does he really want to destroy our country that much? He must hate us. That's not good for me or that bastard either.

But is this how things turned out to be?

As long as I could remember, the things between Kyria and Emperiza were supposed to go smoothly in the future. No mention that Kyria wanted us to suffer through war.

I mean it's great that I have what I need for revenge... but this is getting suspicious. Does this Lockhart realize how much stupid brazen things he is telling our country?

I get it that it is our former enemy country and all but seriously? If he were to side against us I would still have a harder time getting revenge.

Whatever...

...

"Ambassador Lockhart do you want to start a Civil War conflict with us?" someone asked loudly. "Or does Emperiza and Kyria need to go to war again!"

"Oh no... I had no intentions of war..." Ambassador Lockhart said with a calm face. Seems like he prepared this.

"Then what do you want us to do!"

"Think about the alternative, your Majesty," Lockhart said with a steady smile as he faced the Crown Prince. "If you do not sell that Land off, then that region will have a hard time supporting itself. You need more money and more funding. How will you do that? If you do fund it, how will you support the rest of the country?"

He was right though. In my previous life, our country almost fell down because of this. We did not chose to sell the Northern Territories off and we paid the price.

But still... Ambassador Lockhart is everyone's enemy now. No matter whatever direction you are looking at.

Those numbers he is painting on everyone's back is... SCARRY...

Hopefully, I never get anywhere closer to this dangerous guy. My life would be over before I even got a chance to even touch the steps of my Revenge!

I wasn't told this man would be this scary. He must have been such a legendary Ambassador to even start talking to provoke us with Civil War. How dangerously brazen.

And his appearance was nothing closer to what I was told either.

Green eyes and Brown Hair with freckles... someone told me before. He was quite a timid and modest person.

Was that person lying?

Or was the golden blonde hair, and warm brown eyes an intruder?

Just who the hell are you? Ambassador Lockhart.

...