A smile rose to my lips as I remembered the time I spent with him. It was just one day, a few hours at most. But in the course of those few hours, he stole my heart. I wasn’t someone who fell in love at first sight; he had just made a deep impression on me.
Our day together remained vividly etched in my memory. He never lied, and he was always sincere. Knowing full well the disconnect between people’s inner thoughts and their spoken words because of Heart Realm, I found his sincerity incredibly comforting.
I’m sorry.
How much easier would things have been if I apologized to him? No, I had no right. And now I’d probably never get the chance.
Thank you.
I wanted to express my gratitude, but even that would never happen.
I love you.
Just how happy would I have been if I could be straightforward with my feelings? For me, that joy was so far out of reach. Being honest with my feelings was a luxury I could never afford. That was why I’d been so jealous of Barbara—she could wear her heart on her sleeve and proclaim her love far and wide.
“Please wait until everything is over,” I murmured under my breath, “I can free you then.”
Upon returning to my chambers, I returned the hidden door to its normal state.
I suppose I should sleep soon.
It was then that a voice called out to me.
“Pardon my entry!”
“…I thought I told the royal guard outside to not let anyone in.”
“Well, I didn’t enter through the front door, so…”
Tommy’s lack of remorse was amusing.
“I see,” I said. “Answer me this: Did you tell anyone about the hidden door?”
“No, I didn’t,” he replied, eyes vacant.
So he was watching me.
“Then forget about it. If you ever see the hidden doors again, forget about them immediately and tell no one.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
I clapped my hands, and the light returned to his eyes. “What brings you here?”
He tilted his head in confusion. “Huh? Was I daydreaming just now?”
Of course he’s confused. I just erased his memory.
“You were. Was there something bothering you?”
“N-no. Sorry about that. I’m here to report on House Radford.”
“So you are. How goes it?”
“The region’s very peaceful. I doubt there’ll be anyone rebelling anytime soon—though there’s concern spreading among the citizens that they will be forced to bear House Radford’s sins.”
“How far has this fear spread? Has it reached the entire region or just certain towns? Does it seem to be a significant problem, or is it just a rumor?”
“It’s spread throughout the entire region, but it’s mostly regarded as a rumor.”
“I see. Continue to closely monitor their reactions, especially for any gatherings that were not present before. People loyal to the Radfords may incite a riot.”
“Ah, that’s true. I’ll tighten up surveillance just in case. To put it bluntly, the general public still doesn’t know you’ve acquired the Radford region. They know nothing of your actions or future plans. So if they come to feel as if things were better before, they might lean toward supporting House Radford… We should stay wary on behalf of Norman and the other officials fighting for our cause out there.”
“Indeed. But the greater threat here would be someone spreading fear intentionally.”
“What do you mean, Your Majesty?”
“Isn’t it possible that someone from House Radford is behind the rumors?”
We’d already identified all individuals connected to the house. If needed, we could investigate their activities and movements again.
“Please reassess the matter,” I told him. “I dread the idea that someone connected to the Radfords is stirring the pot in the hopes of reinstating their family.”
The citizens seeking to put the Radfords back in power would be bad enough, let alone if some schemer was backing them all the way. Things could escalate quickly. If the Radfords were outwardly involved, they’d have to consider everyone’s opinions, and the process could take longer. But if someone was working behind the scenes, fanning the flames of public outrage against me, things would move fast—and that sort of fire would be hard to put out. I would have only two choices then: surrender or quell the situation by eliminating the leader of the revolt.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Will do.”
“How is the regional government?”
“The officials who support House Radford have been shirking their duties. But since we did all that work singling out the essential tasks, the government is still functioning normally. We’ve got Norman and the other loyal officials to thank for that.”
“In your opinion, do you think they will be able to maintain the status quo for now?”
“I don’t know much about governance, but they didn’t seem too stressed, so I think it’ll be fine. I’ve brought over Norman’s report in case you want to review it.”
“Got it. I’ll read it later.”
“Very well. I apologize for disturbing you so late.” Having finished his report, Tommy made his retreat.
“Tommy, do you know about Étoile?” I asked, stopping him.
“If I’m not mistaken, it’s the new show tent that opened in the capital.”
I knew he’d have heard about it. “Keep an eye on it… Let me know if you notice any suspicious movements or activities.”
“I will. It’s quite suspicious for them to establish themselves in the royal capital at a time like this.”
“Quite right. We’ve been controlling the flow of information, but the public must know something happened, seeing as I did not marry. It’s odd that they’ve put down roots during the unrest.”
As I spoke, I thought back to the conversation I had with Alicia earlier. Although we discussed the same tent, Alicia and I saw it very differently. Alicia’s world was a gentle one. That was probably why I wanted to experience the world through her eyes. Like her, I wanted to see it as a gentle and beautiful place.
“I agree. I’ll be monitoring them right away.”
“Thanks.”
✦ ✦ ✦
“Damn it… Damn it!”
Unable to hide his frustration, Nate slammed his fists on the table. Ted flinched at the loud sound.
“That brat… It’s only been a few days since she took the throne, and she’s already acting so high and mighty! Don’t you agree, Ted?!”
“Right you are, Nate. Good grief, it’s outrageous that an impostor sees herself as the real ruler.”
Ted nodded solemnly. It was only three days ago that they had spent the night drinking together. The situation had drastically changed within those few days.
I don’t want to admit it, but she got the better of us, Ted thought.
They assumed they could belittle and dismiss her, but the result was disastrous, and now she was giving them orders. It had been a humiliating meeting for Nate and Ted, and now the two were burning with determination. They wanted to insult Luxeria and drive her from the throne.
“Hmph. The Doll Princess should act like a doll and keep quiet,” muttered Nate, a sinister gleam in his eyes. “Is there a way we can silence her—have her endure her own disgrace?” His tone was terribly foreboding.
“What if we seek aid from the Great Five? I imagine they’d be equally pleased to see the brat gone.”
“The Great Five, eh? Seeking their assistance won’t be easy… No, wait.” Nate contemplated for a moment. “I have an idea! Thank you, Ted. You can return now—I would like to get started immediately.”
Nate had a complacent, cheerful smile on his face, as he usually did when dreaming up some devious plan. Ted had seen that expression enough to know that, just as he said, he truly did have a cunning plan in mind.
“Yes, sir.” Ted obediently left the mansion.
✦ ✦ ✦
A few days later, he was once again summoned to Nate’s residence.
“I managed to get them in safely… Now we can bring down that doll!” Nate exclaimed.
“Who have you brought?” asked Ted.
“The Radfords.”
Ted frowned. Why House Radford? Moreover, how did Nate reach them when they’ve supposedly gone missing?
“Master Nate… Word has it that Lord Radford committed treason.”
“That is precisely why I’ve invited them. The bureaucrats associated with House Radford have harbored suspicions toward the royal family due to the marquess’s sudden punishment. It was rather easy to rope them in.”
Ted understood immediately. Nate hadn’t reached the Radfords themselves but the bureaucrats associated with them. In that case, it would be a lot easier to recruit them without the Radford family present.
“Remarkable as usual, Nate, but may I ask why you chose to involve the bureaucrats?”
“That doll is making grandiose claims about reforming the government… But what if the bureaucrats she needs weren’t there?”
“The government wouldn’t be able to function.”
“Precisely. And by exploiting that weakness to incite her, I intend to seize her power.”
“I see. What exactly do you plan to do with the Radford-aligned bureaucrats?”
“Once I have secured control of the kingdom, I will grant them suitable status. I’ll be able to lord over them that way.”
Do you really intend to grant them status? Ted swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue. He realized that whether or not Nate kept his promise wouldn’t affect him personally.
“How wonderful! I cannot wait to see her in a panic!” Nate cried.
“Ha ha ha, me too,” Ted said.
The two of them looked at each other and laughed.