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Chapter 80 Part 4 – The women take a step forward with pride in their hearts. To protect, to fight, to compromise.

「That mother and elder brother of mine are parasites that corrode the tree that is Hydrangea. Because father is well aware of their character, he did not reveal your gender to any royalty other than me. If my mother and the others, who are driven by their emotions, knew your gender, their minds would get overtaken by their ambition to conquer the continent and they would try to force you to become my elder brother’s spouse. Once they attempt to force you, it would lead to an all-out war against Duke Wilhelm’s family. Far from fighting against the four great kingdoms, the royal family would end up getting destroyed in a civil war. I don’t want to fight a losing battle.」

Margaret sighed and I was greatly alarmed.

It would be very difficult for me to do anything in the future if this sharp and capable girl is more cautious than necessary against us.

「Margaret, I don’t think we have a chance of winning if we make an enemy of the royal family ……」

「You do have a chance of winning. That is, if you lift the ban on all means, including poisoning and assassination. It’s useless to hide it. Based on what I’ve heard from Sir Valentine regarding the battle against the demon dog Gallam and the subsequent increase in the strength of the Duke’s family, I have roughly grasped the extent of your military strength.」

Margaret instantly refuted my words. She’s like a military strategist. She hears 1 thing and understands 10 things. This is why this princess is so frightening. The nickname of the genius princess is not just for show.

「…… According to my simulation, there is more than a 70% chance that the royal family will lose. That’s the calculation I get even after I see things in a favorable light for the royal family. Duke Wilhelm’s family have several ways to break through the defenses of the royal castle and get to us. On the other hand, the only royal family’s pawns that can break through the defenses of the Duke’s residence are the Imperial Guard led by Sir Valentine. Furthermore, they do not want to seriously fight against you. The only way for the royal family to win is to surround the Duke’s residence with a large army in the beginning and successfully destroy it by a surprise attack.」

Margaret said that there was no way to win a head-on battle against us.
Hearing that, I could not do anything other than remaining silent.
Because it was exactly the same as the conclusion I had come to in secret.

Our side not only has the powerful individuals of father, mother, and Bradd, but also a group called the〈Lawless Crew〉, we could send assassins to every corner of the royal castle at the same time. And from my experience as the queen, I remember clearly how the castle is built, including the hidden passageways. I have already made a drawing based on my memory. As long as father can defeat the most difficult opponent, Matzo, our victory would be unshakable.

…… The queen’s faction has been eyeing me as an enemy, so I had to be prepared for the worst conflict. But why does the queen hate me? In the end, is it because I am the owner (as a male) of the Ruby, which makes me the successor of the True Emperor? Is that why she considers me a dangerous factor?
But Margaret said with self-deprecation that that’s not it.

「Scarlet, the problem is that you are the center of a new culture that is a fusion of the nobility and the middle class. You see, my mother and elder brother are jealous of you. That’s why they’re burning with a worthless sense of rivalry against you.」

As she sighed, Margaret told me the reason.
Hearing that, I blinked my eyes in surprise.

I don’t understand. It is true that as Rufus, I have spread the upper-class aristocratic culture to the middle class. And since I knew from my experience in the previous ‘108 times’ that there would be an unprecedented boom in aristocratic culture among the middle class, I started a new business that could supply furnishings, formal wear, etiquette courses, and everything in between. In terms of diplomacy, I was familiar with the cultures of the four great kingdoms and I knew their future histories. Even if I did nothing, a new culture would blossom on the continent by fusing the aristocratic culture that emphasizes splendid traditions with the middle class culture that emphasizes functionality and practicality. Such is the course of history. I just shrewdly barged in and took advantage of the best part of it.

Umm, I don’t think it’s a big deal to be the leader of a new culture.

In the first place, that new business is not in Hydrangea, but in other foreign kingdoms where the middle class is rapidly gaining power. I knew that the rise of the middle class in Hydrangea would occur a bit later, so I put it off. I don’t get why the queen and her faction are burning with rivalry against me.

Aah, I realized something and unintentionally raised my voice.

「…… I get it. Did they misunderstand that the invasion through culture done by the four great kingdoms was set up by me instead? That’s why the queen and her faction that’s standing on the side of the foreign kingdoms rushed to import the culture of the four great kingdoms into Hydrangea in an attempt to turn things around ……」

That makes sense then. The invisible war had already begun.

But upon hearing my words, Margaret gave a dry laugh.

「That’s not it. My mother and elder brother are not thinking of such advanced tactics. I told you earlier. It’s jealousy. They think that it is unacceptable that you, who are supposed to be their vassal, is the flag bearer of the new culture, disregarding them who are supposed to be the masters. They think that they should be the leading force of the times. They want to claim that what you are doing is nothing. That’s their only motive. For this purpose, they would calmly join hands with foreign kingdoms. The four kingdoms are taking advantage of this and manipulating the two of them.」

…… Yes? What did you just say?

It took a little while for Margaret’s words to sink into my head.

「W-Wait a minute. You’re lying, right ……!? The queen and her faction are messing around with the high society of Hydrangea for the sake of their silly pride!?」

In other words, for the sake of going against me, they twisted the customs of the imperial court, glorified the foreign kingdoms, and even showed contempt for Hydrangea. As a person who had worked as the queen, I was so shocked that it was like being hit with a hammer right on the head. They previously used to be more decent people, but money and power can bring people down to this level. They should not confuse the dignity of the royal family with their own selfish pride.

I can’t help but be taken aback.

「Their behavior is so pathetic and shameful that it makes you be at your wits’ end right. As their family, my father and I feel even more so.」

Margaret said with a bitter smile.

It does make me feel greatly perplexed.

For the sake of her petty pride, she would sell out the pride of her own kingdom to the foreign kingdoms. It would be a nightmare to have a prince who shares the same characteristics as such a queen that puts herself first as the next king. I can see a future in which he will abandon his duty as king, which is to devote himself selflessly for the stability and development of Hydrangea, and will simply be absorbed in wielding power. He might act like a child and suddenly confiscate everything that I own or sell me along with the ruby to one of the four great kingdoms. Hydrangea would be on a path to ruin.

My reign as queen was much better. It has long been established that the ultimate goal of the four great kingdoms is the annexation of Hydrangea. Moreover, the queen and her faction are clearly hostile toward me. This is like playing chess with a monkey. I can’t even have a proper discussion with them, let alone read through their thoughts. The future is too bleak. Okay, let’s get ready to flee Hydrangea before the kingdom is overthrown.