3 bar menu

Chapter 77 Part 3 – The prelude to the ball. Alisa clashes against the Light Bat Tribe. Then, I reminisced about the night of 「Thunderbolt」.

I was visibly indignant and furious with steam coming out of my head.

「…… While Alisa-chan is sleeping, I’d like you to give me some final advice for tonight’s ball. Please. What should I do so that I can do well ……」

Hearing my mother’s request, I instantly calmed down as if I got doused with cold water.

Mother was pale and her hands were trembling as she gripped the hem of my dress. She was stout-hearted, so she didn’t show it on her face, but she still had not recovered from the trauma of the bullying that she experienced 14 years ago.

If it had been only her own pride that was shattered that night at the ball, she would have recovered long ago. But what was shattered was her simple-minded trust in others.

She was made to realize the wicked heart of humans and could no longer speak properly with other people. She blamed herself for not heeding Wendell’s warnings and falling for the sweet words of her parents-in-law, allowing the red nobles to tarnish the dress of her precious memories. She could not give up her dream of being a suitable spouse for a duke’s family, so she even threw away her bow, which was the foundation of her heart, and tried to adapt to the aristocratic society …… and yet she failed to do so …… and was abused by her parents-in-law …… and writhed in agony. It took her 10 years to finally start moving forward once again.

I got overwhelmed with emotions and stood in front of my mother who was sitting.

「Mother, please excuse me.」

Although it may be seen as disrespectful, I hugged her tightly.

Even if I think about it inside my heart, I will not say a word of comfort. Because father had already said that to her since a long time ago. So, I will convey my feelings through my actions. I will put my arms around her and convey to her how sad I am that she has been hurt and how angry I am at the outrageous bullying.

…… Truthfully, I tried to get revenge on the leaders of the bullying that happened 14 years ago.

I now have the power to do so.

I made the necessary preparations in secret and tried to get the House of Lords to expel them from being members. Thanks to the memories of the previous 「108 times」, I have a rough idea of the shady and underhanded deeds of the nobles. I have the charges against each of them recorded in my mind like a teacher’s grade book. After all, it was a standard for a ruthless queen to have a grasp on their weaknesses.

For the red nobles, who consider prestige and pride as paramount, being expelled from the House of Lords would be extremely damaging. Because it would be tantamount to branding them as unworthy of this community. It would be a verdict of their status demotion. It is such a heavy sentence that even the brazen and unscrupulous Vygod grandparents were utterly disheartened and despondent.

They would be the laughing stock of aristocratic society and their children’s engagement might even be dissolved. The order in which their names are called would also be pushed behind at official events.

Nobles put their lives on the line to join a higher community. The upper-class manners, culture, and extravagant hospitality that the nobles prides themselves on are like a diploma that shows that they are qualified to join the community.

…… Just making them be expelled might be considered lenient.

Actually, I can dig deeper into their sins and drive them to their downfall.

However, if the feudal lords resist to the bitter end, the collateral damage will be too great. There is no way those people with twisted personalities who bullied my mother would obediently abide by the rules.

Nobles have vast territories and are protected by their economic strength as they have an annual income of at least 10,000 gold coins (Approximately 720 million when converted to Japanese yen. It’s Scarlet’s duke family that has an unusually low income). This is equivalent to a small self-governing independent country. If they got cornered and they tried to break the huge shield and armor by force, the results would be terrible.

A long time ago, in times of war, the city was protected within its defensive walls. In some cases, the siege even lasted for years. It is so much more difficult to defeat an opponent who can be self-sufficient.

It’s out of the question to trample them by force, but even if we make full use of economic blockades and various other means, before the feudal lord at the top of the class pyramid is knocked down, a large number of the local people living in his fief will be sacrificed first. It is common knowledge that the truncation does not start from the top, but from the bottom. The local people could starve to death or become refugees.

The food situation is already at its worst due to the locust plague. The current public order in the kingdom is just barely maintained. With just one wrong step, the flames of social unrest and chaos will spread to other neighboring territories and the delicate balance of public order will collapse at once. In the worst case scenario, a riot would break out. The situation will not end with just the feudal lords being implicated.

It is not worth it to cause all this to happen just to settle a personal grudge. Implicating unrelated individuals in the surroundings to get back at an individual is a massacre under the pretense of justice. I am not that shameless. If I have even a shred of conscience, I would have nightmares if I had caused that to happen.

Besides, if you were to go that far, all the nobles of Hydrangea, including the royal family, will regard Duke Wilhelm’s family as an enemy. Because we would be regarded as an out-of-control factor who would not be restrained by morality and would put the kingdom and all its citizens in danger if it is for the sake of revenge.

…… Actually, since the Wilhelm family can mobilize the strength of the〈Lawless Crew〉, we also have the forbidden move of directly assassinating those feudal lords. However, I do not want to stain their hands with blood as much as possible. This is my own way of atonement for eradicating the village of the〈Lawless Crew〉in the previous 「108 times」. This time I want them to live happily in a world that is illuminated by light. Besides, the very existence of the〈Lawless Crew〉is considered as dangerous and there is a possibility of an anti-extremism movement. Therefore, I will use the power of the〈Lawless Crew〉only as a deterrent.

In the first place, if we carelessly blow off the head of a feudal lord, there is a possibility that a more outrageous idiot who relies on blood relationship will suddenly inherit the position without any proper education. Needless to say, it is the local people who will suffer.

The explanation got a bit long.

Anyway, that’s why the best way to punish only the people that had bullied my mother is to expel them from the House of Lords.

Father also agreed with me.

Or rather, I forcibly made him agree to it. He was thinking of a more gruesome retribution plan than the means I had given up since I thought of it as inhumane …… It’s not a good thing when a love warrior has both money and power. I’m glad I noticed it before the plan was put into motion. I can’t believe I have this crazy blood flowing in my veins. Even though I am such a pacifist.

To my convenience, the red nobles who were involved in the bullying are against the current king, so my interests were also aligned with those of the royal family. The groundwork is perfect. After all, we don’t know what kind of connections those nobles have. It would be troublesome if any political disputes arise later on. However, when the time came to execute the plan, it was none other than my mother who stopped us.

「Wendell, Scarlet, thank you. I’m grateful that you’re willing to go that far, but this is a problem I have to overcome on my own. If I continue to be spoiled by you, I will never change from the period when I withdrew from society. That would make me lose the right to call myself your wife and mother.」

…… I was deeply moved.

If I were standing in my mother’s position, I would surely say the same thing. We are definitely mother and daughter. Even if she is a little inept at manners, even if she is not good at waltz, even if she is laughed at, the pride of a true noblewoman burns brightly in my mother’s heart. In that case, I will do my best to support my mother so that she can overcome her trauma with pride in her heart.

Recalling my passionate determination at that time, I hugged my mother in the carriage and encouraged her.

「Don’t worry, mother. Please recall it. Those Scarlet-style intensive full-course training days …… Your efforts have become a part of your flesh and blood, no, it has become your sword and shield.」

I gave my mother special training for this ball.

I call this training, 「The ball is a battle of physical stamina」.

But it might have been a little unsatisfactory for my mother, who is accustomed to Melville’s merciless archery training.

In my arms, mother flinched and began to tremble.

I understand. Mother, you’re trembling with excitement, aren’t you? I guess it can’t be helped that you are eager to see the results.

This brings me back.

In the previous 「108 times」, I also trembled like this when I went to a battlefield disguised under the name of a friendly ball during the battle to become the successor to the Hydrangea throne.