This is about Royal Elections

3 October 423

Today is the day where the Royal Election started and… I was incredibly calm. Way calmer than I would have expected myself to be in this kind of circumstance.

Sure, I had checked all possibilities that I knew I had to worry about, finding nothing worthy of concern, but I still felt too 'confident' about this peace of mind I've abandoned myself into. Maybe my brain just conceded that nothing here was logically stacked against me. Even a visit from Pandora would be countered if it actually happened. Nothing short of that could catch me off-guard and… and I arrived at the humongous room within the palace meant to host the event just in time to see the first rows of knights arrive and set themselves around.

I spotted Felix, the cat-eared young man waving at me and I returned the greeting with a nod and a smaller and briefer wave of hand. Soon enough, the main table, the one that was supposed to be occupied by the judges of this monumental situation, started to get filled with the various sages that were part of the general council behind the semi-democratic ruling of this country. We all shared cordial nods, with just a few allowing proper words to be let out. I sat down by the same chair that in the original timeline was occupied by Miklotov and I patiently waited for the room to start packing up with people, some being the nobles, diplomatic representatives and other knights that had to conclude some early day's duties before reaching the place.

Majima was resting on my lap, with both Alice and Beatrice having been told to remain by the office and standby in case the situation required the activation of some emergency plans. Having taken into account how any possible issue that compromised my state of mind and consciousness could cripple the communications with the Secret Service, I personally saw to give both girls the dossiers with the plan and the absolute authority to decide how to handle the matter in case I got caught by something or someone. I was prepared for the worst, which is why I betrayed no bad thoughts as I remained quiet during the whole wait. I didn't check any paper just yet, and I didn't speak with anyone in particular, merely replying to some comments from the Sages when I was called to answer some minuscule questions that weren't part of the election.

Crush and Fourier were the first ones to arrive with their entourages among the candidates. Fourier looked sheepish for some reason, and from the woman's annoyed look I could tell that she had to personally pull him out of his room since he had mentioned feeling nervous. And I knew that before this kind of ceremony the prince was prone to feel panicky towards his own importance within these situations. I spotted Wilhelm and I noticed that Fourier had picked the choice I offered him when I contacted this individual to act as his knight for the duration of the election.

I admit that when it came to pick a trustworthy individual, Felix would have been the best choice… but I wanted to give Fourier someone that was more capable of defending him rather than just offer support in case of an ambush against him and his entourage. Which is why I decided to play it safe and contact Halibel to serve that role. I was quite certain that he was weaker than Reinhard, but… then again, the only display of power I was aware about when it came to this guy was his performance in the Oboreru IF story. He was quite serious when it came to this kind of commitment, and I explained to him through a letter and then through a secret meeting how the election was going to mostly tilt in favor of Fourier and how he was the best choice to actually offer a proper normalization to the situation regarding demi-humans. He was still unsure about the matter, mentioning how he could trust my word over others.

I brought up his illness and how I would have been more than happy to personally pay for him to receive the proper medicine he needed to keep living for several decades. With the sweet flavor of idealism, I decided to plant some genuine facts to drive out a sense of personal need for him to accept this job.

Halibel was surprised by the news that I knew about his illness, and I just mentioned that I kept a watch over many interesting individuals, some people like Kararagi's Admirer. That seemed to be more than enough to get him to join this affair, taking the chance of sharing a conversation with Fourier and sparring with him twice. They might not be completely familiar with each other, but from the brief comments the demi-human spared me, he was happy with what he got as he had expected much worse than that. I knew he was going to have good skills to match up for a while with any trouble thrown at his 'official' boss, and that left me to believe it was up to Fourier to show himself as the competent leader he truly was.

With that out of the way, it was soon the turn of Priscilla and… she was incredibly calm herself. If in the original timeline the Sun Princess had maintained a strong, confident, and still guarded personality and composure, this version of her had the opportunity to study the court for almost a full year. She knew how the plots unfolded here in the capital and so was more certain of her steps within this lair of potential allies and enemies. Plus there was the whole discussion we had the last time we talked where she managed to put me in quite the difficult situation, one where I really needed to get through the matter with Satella and Crush to be prepared to sustain this other big complication.

When Anastasia came out, I didn't see anything new about her entourage. Ricardo was clearly her knight, with the triplette being the reserve option in case of trouble. The real issue I might have with an individual like her? She was really into the few luxuries I have recreated in this world. It all started with comfy pillows, then warm baths and showers… and finally other stuff that just appealed to her greedy self. While that doesn't sound much as a serious problem, it actually became one the moment she realized that I was the one behind this kind of stuff and, in a logic I couldn't exactly blame her for coming up with, she realized that 'owning' me meant having a steady 'source of luxury' for her to keep gaining from. At this point, I was definitely sure she had been partly taken over by that artificial spirit that Echidna created a long while ago and that meant her greed was at least double compared to the last time we genuinely spoke with each other. The few other interactions were through letters since her business was constantly expanding and she couldn't spare much of a presence to deal with her clients as she tended to in the past.

Felt followed next, and I had to hold a smile for two main reasons: first, I noticed the irked look Felt had on her face as she tried to keep herself from murdering anything or anyone around her as she failed to ignore how girly the dress was. It wasn't even that much 'pompous' as she lamented about when she had the chance to first see it and demanded my judgment if she should have worn it or not. In the end, logic prevailed over preference, and I was surprised by how she was still so composed about it. The second element, and perhaps the one that had me incredibly amused was the annoyed look on Reinhard's face. I remember him approaching me with the interest of leaving Felt's entry as the last one to… exalt her introduction to the Election, but I reminded him of how stupid that sounded if her name had been published within the pamphlets that were prepared for the event itself.

That seemed to still sting him from the looks of it, and it was quite the reaction that got me the most amused for the time being. It was the last brief entertainment I got as I waited for the last candidate to come forth. When I first saw Emilia, I noticed how calm she was, with just a few hints of nervousness on her expression as she spearheaded her entourage.

And just with a single look at the other members of that ground, I knew something was terribly wrong. My first hint about this circumstance was the presence of a maid that, in this very predicament, shouldn't be around and serving Roswaal due to how there wasn't any function at the manor that required three maids. Frederica was staring all around, clearly tense at the presence of so many people, and holding her lips shut out of instinct as she wasn't sure if revealing any hints of her demi-human nature. Maybe it was because of inexperience with the capital's current view of her race, or the fact that she was just this secretive when in an environment she wasn't accustomed with. Still, I couldn't find any telling element that could motivate her sudden return at the clown's service and her presence here… except for the short individual walking beside Roswaal himself.

The girl had a neutral look on her face, and I almost got her mistaken for an earlier memory I had of Alice, back to when I first found her. Yet this version wasn't Alice. Far from it. All the other copies of Lewes Meyer were supposedly stuck in Sanctuary at this point of the timeline, which should technically prevent this individual to be there. I was so confused by this that I felt my core grow cold the moment I noticed a glint coming straight from this copy's eyes.

Curiosity. Amusement. Interest. Fascination. Desire for… knowledge.

A shiver went down my spine as I tried to motivate this sense of familiarity I felt from that copy. I could tell that something about her was tied to Echidna… and yet I was also wrong since I could tell that it was actually Echidna. But… that didn't make any sense no matter how much I spent trying to understand.

By all means the Witch of Greed should have still been in her 'limbo' situation when it came to life and death. Yet I could tell she was there and… that means she got Roswaal to force through the Sanctuary's arc by… a lot. Like really a lot.

I tried to imagine how this was possible as Barusu had yet to gain that degree of maturity to give moral support to Emilia without making things too weird for her to understand. And I had a couple of clues about what really happened. Either Echidna decided to put Subaru together with Emilia to face her troubled past or… character development for my surrogate cousin was trashed due to Echidna using Barusu as the key to conclude the trials.

The reason why the NEET couldn't go through the trials in the original timeline was tied to the fact he could remember all deaths that preceded that moment. He couldn't accomplish the test because it meant going through all loops again and getting to experience the aftermath beyond the loops. In this timeline? He died just once and, even though a traumatic experience, he was the tough kid that could get through this kind of stuff at least once.

So that was a possibility. A frustrating once since it meant that Emilia didn't get the chance of facing her past, remember what Pandora sealed away and give her the chance to grow from it instead of being left clueless about what happened to the forest and why her powers lashed out this horribly.

This was a shocking revelation, but not one that fully alarmed me as I had spare plans to use against this kind of threat. Echidna might have been quite powerful in the past, but taking into account the last time I visited the manor and how many days had to have passed for her return to unfold, I could tell the woman was far from having full control of that body's magic. I could still remember that she originally needed years to get through the limitations imposed by the body as her soul had to fully connect to it.

Right now, if she tried something bad and dangerous, I could act before she had the chance to go through with her plans and, hopefully, eliminate her soul at once by killing that body. I would, of course, have to go through Roswaal first and… that was going to be ugly. I wasn't technically as magically-gifted as the clown, but I had the creativity to make up with my weaknesses and turn things against him if things got too ugly.

Instead of allowing myself to be frozen by this development, I decided to muster as much seriousness as I could as I was finally called the beginning of this important session and the introduction of the candidates by turn. I didn't use any boisterous tone, nor I added anything that would have made this first step too elegant to the eyes of many. Despite Roswaal having gone through and introduced himself as Emilia's knight, he didn't go through the steps of his original counterpart by 'making a display' of Puck's defenses by attacking Emilia out of nowhere. A change that, albeit minor, was still worthy of consideration since it meant that this decision was shot down either by Roswaal himself or Echidna.

Fourier spoke first, and I felt tense as he spared me a nervous look before mustering up all the bravery he had in his body.

"My name is Fourier Lugnica, and I would have been the King by now if not by my father's and my decision on the circumstance regarding the inheritance," The blond introduced himself strongly, taking an unorthodox approach as he tried to establish a basis of the reason why he was a candidate and why he hadn't been selected as a King instead of allowing these elections to happen. "The reason why I felt the need to agree to this situation isn't one of personal unwillingness to pursue the throne, but a strong desire of mine to provide this kingdom with a king they know and can trust upon. It's been so many years since a king had the chance to steep to this point, to look around and… see the faces of his subjects up and this closely. To know their plights, to understand those and think of ways of helping this kingdom to stand up and be once more a proud nation, not just within its institutions, but also within the people that makes Lugnica this great country."

There was a brief pause, and I saw him finally bring forth a small smile. He was gaining confidence, but I doubted he was going to push himself for long. Speeches were tedious, especially when you were supposed to keep a solid composure for that long. I had years of studying, while Fourier could only count on what I taught him in the matter of a year at best. I knew his limits, and he was well-aware about not risking himself in this first impression he was giving.

"I will not lose myself in a long speech. I wish to formally recognize that my claim stands equally in strength and integrity to my fellow candidates, so I will not detain any long time with my words and just say that, regardless of the outcome of this election, I shall continue to fight for the interests of my subjects just as many of my families were eager to do before meeting their demise at the horrible sickness that decimated the royal house."

A nod, he backed away from the stand and he was greeted with a standing ovation at his strong first step into this tough competition. He smiled, nodding at many, but mostly focusing on those of his entourage as Crusch took this opportunity to bring herself close to the stand and prepare herself for the speech. Once the loudness of the reaction had settled, it was time for her to shine and show what she had prepared for this event. I didn't ask her to look at her papers over this situation, so I was really curious to know what she had in store for everyone here.

"My name is Crush Karsten, Duchess Karsten and current candidate to the Royal Throne of the Kingdom of Lugnica," The woman started with a curt, decisive and confident voice. Not arrogant or pompous, but formal and prepared. "And I believe these titles would matter just for those that have witnessed my actions, made expectations of my ascension to Dukedom and due to my pedigree. Just like Prince Fourier, I believe that the kingdom of Lugnica is in dire need of being reformed in a modern state. We've been stuck with good traditions, but also bad traditions. Those that prevented us to stand proud and mighty before the other nations. It's about time we actually try to intervene and reverse this decline. Which is why I wish to announce my pledge in this candidacy… and in an alliance with Prince Fourier for the betterment of our nation."

And that actually got a frown out of me. I did expect them to band together soon but not this soon. It wasn't like there was going to be a drawback out of this, but someone was definitely going to understand that an alliance had been formed prior to the official beginning of these elections. That was actually going to be a problem.

It was Priscilla's turn and… she didn't invest much in formal speeches. In fact, while it was still delivered in a formal tone, I could still perceive a degree of cockiness in some of the assumptions she was making in this circumstance.

"This kingdom, this nation- Lugnica is a gem among the other countries in this world. Culture, knowledge, military history, I could go on with how superior this kingdom is compared to others, but I would be dishonest in not bringing up the many flaws that demands a true ruler to fix. A body without a head is a mindless being. It doesn't think, it doesn't understand and it just stands still as it tries and fails to grasp at its situation. We've been crippled for almost a century now, and that can't be allowed to stand. I can't allow this to stand, which is why I've taken it upon myself to show you the right way through this crisis, and to bring an end to the infamy of the issues that have for so long ruined our nation."

As she concluded this speech, I felt her eyes on me and I saw a mirthful grin on her face as she regarded me with personal pride and interest.

Did you like it?

I wanted to sigh at that puppy-like behavior, knowing full well that Priscilla put that effort out just for me rather than herself. I could see her being more crude and direct if things had gone differently and… I had to admit I was fine with this. I really wasn't planning to create any escalations and that was a good way to do that. By promoting good behavior… through treats?

Nodding at her just once seemed to satisfy the woman and I was finally urged to look at… Anastasia. The girl gave a speech similar to her original one. Really direct, blunt and… surprisingly effective despite the main message and drive of her candidacy being personal greed over the acquisition of this nation to treat it as a treasure to have and… ignore. What really got me nervous was the way she just spared me a devious look while mentioning her preference in luxury. It didn't help when the staring quadrupled when the triplette joined her effort of looking at me. Really unsettling, and really nerve-wracking.

Nonetheless, I was spared by a fair bit of it as one of the guards attached to Captain Marcus' group reached my seat from behind to deliver a message from the commander himself. Someone big and very annoyed was trying to get through into the room and things were escalating quickly. I didn't need to listen to the full description to realize who the guard was talking about and I quickly ordered the giving of guest clearance to the man so he could enter and be present for the occasion.

Rom was definitely relieved that he was allowed in without seeing him smack people and things around. I was happy too since I wouldn't have to work the damage control of that crazy circumstance. Felt looked relieved and mouthed two words I quickly recognized as a 'thank you'. Little hope for her intervention to be less crass that I expected it to be.

She proved me incredibly wrong. Just not the way I expected for it to develop the very moment she was given the chance to speak.

"My name is… Felt. I was a thief, I still am an Orphan and, from what I've been told, my father was nobility," The little blonde spoke up with a rough and annoyed tone. Her words gained some frowns and surprised looks, but she didn't pause. She just didn't care about their reactions as she was talking. "I know many are already looking bad at me. It wouldn't be the first time I got that kind of treatment. And I know this will not be the last time this happens. Which is why I think I have to reveal a tiny secret about myself: I don't care."

There was quite the tension in the room at that comment, people already murmuring about what was going on while Reinhard tried but failed to calm Felt down as she grasped at that fierce fire she had unleashed and used it to drive some more words out in the world.

"I don't care about what you think, I don't care how you see me, I don't care how you expect me to be through my upbringing. An ignorant? I'm not. A troublesome brat? At times. But a royal scapegoat for you rich people to exploit? Never. If I really have to go through this kind of madness, then I prefer to be a legitimate Queen that got there on my own. Not because of bribery, not because of connections, not because of recommendations- I will be there by my own strength and the one given to me by those that have seen and experienced what is to live in the slums. What is it to live at the edge, to make just enough each day to not suffer hunger or some sickness. This is my promise, to myself, to those that understand my ambition and… those that care enough to grasp at this topic. Thank you."

Not many were pleased with that discussion. A vocal minority of the nobles seemed fairly enraged by this discussion, already calling her the 'Brat Princess' and other less-modest terms, but there was also a peculiar majority that seemed more positively stunned than the previous reaction. It wasn't her words themselves that drove them to grow pulled at that speech, but the passion and the emotions imbued within each letter. She was so blunt that it was impossible for anyone to doubt her genuine interest in fixing things for those that were the least favored by this society.

But with this over, it was now the turn of the last candidate that arrived in the room and… it really got troublesome really soon.

The half-elf stepped forward and sighed silently before starting her speech. "My name is Emilia and-"

"You shouldn't be there!"

Emilia paused in shock at that interjection and I felt surprised as I recognized that the voice was coming from somewhere near to where I was sitting. A look to the left and I remembered one thing I hadn't addressed properly, but that I thought I had solved through the pamphlets. I was deadly wrong from what was going on.

Bordeaux wasn't exactly keen on this particular candidate, an emotion I knew was spread with other sages, with only the familiar elder being the one that spoke out about this opinion. I was surprised he hadn't remembered to moderate himself as per the laws of this election, specifically the ones meant to be entertained by the judges/sages.

"I-I don't understand-"

"It's that simple, witch. You somehow cheated your way into this competition and-"

CRACK

A blink, and I felt my mind pulled away from that upsetting scene as I felt both the loud noise of wood creak and snap, and the unpleasant pain of Majima biting at the wrist of my right hand. A quick look down and I noticed that my fingers had pushed onto the wood of the table and almost shredded it in that tight hold I had it pressured into.

I was surprised by this situation, but I was quick to recollect my thoughts and remember in which situation we were in. I was angry- no, furious since this wasn't something I had wanted to see unfolding now of all times. Of all things I could have been less prepared about to prevent was this bout of stupid racism. It was stupid, terribly so.

"P-Prime Minister-" Bordeaux looked angry, but his irritation was tempered by surprise and fright at what just happened.

"Sage Zellgef, I assume you had the capacity to read and accept that the position you're currently invested in, as judge of this Royal Election, doesn't come without limitations regarding terms, manners, and opinions being expressed within these sessions," I remarked sternly, interrupting the man before he had the chance to mount a response. "You have a duty as a judge here to make sure this process is as objective and devoid of inequality among the candidates as you, just like the rest of this esteemed council, serves as a neutral and impartial tool of decision to proclaim our next king."

"But she-"

"Is a young lady that was interrupted in a moment that was important to her. Important to those that back her up, and that support her views on her candidacy," I interjected again, allowing some of my personal annoyance to flare up. "Someone, that I wish to finally establish once and for all is not the entity our kingdom remembers for infamy. That this individual is just an individual that was unfortunate to share just a few physical correlations with the entity in question and nothing more."

…

"Which is why, since your opinion has led to represent a thought that isn't shared by this council as a whole, to bring forth apologies to the slighted party and to humbly concede her a moment to recover and to request a recess if needed."

That last bit actually surprised many, with Emilia looking absolutely confused by how that moment of disadvantage turned in a positive one where she was allowed to recollect her words and thoughts, and then try again without any further interruption. She stared up at me, her expression a little shy and a little thankful but still determined.

"P-Prime Minister Bukharin… I believe I can go forward after this… unfortunate situation," The young woman conceded with a nod. "And I accept your request for… forgiveness. I understand that these intense feelings aren't… driven by direct knowledge of me as the person or as the representative of my camp."

I nodded back. "Then please, resume this speech. There shan't be more interjections to your introduction."

Without much hesitation holding her back, Emilia finally spoke up and… she pretty much followed the same line as in the original timeline. The only major differences being that she stopped to agree to the points raised by Fourier, but highlighted how she doubted his good will was going to be enough to solve the problems his family had left developing until this very point. A fair affirmation that even the blond had to agree to much to his chagrin. As much as it was hurting him to accept how his ancestors were behind some cases of negligence towards the kingdom, Fourier had to concede to this as it was the truth. And he had to play around it by the next meeting for this event.

With the introduction over, I delivered one last speech about the modality of this elections, bringing back the rules as I tried to remind everyone that there were some strict rules and punishments connected to this circumstance, and that it was going to be a process that was meant to be wrapped up by the end of the year. And as the first session turned to an end, I realized that, as the main element of this council of judges and sages, I had to personally apologize to Emilia by person. It was a necessity to avoid any issues… but it also meant being close to Echidna and… that wasn't going to be fun.

I really hate surprises like this one. And I bet the Witch of Greed knew of this to orchestrate this masterful attempt at giving me a panic attack.

Afterthoughts: Long chapter compared to usual, I hope this big event surprised you with new developments, new threats and… what does Echidna want out of this? Why would she put herself at risk by coming in the capital of all places, right in front of MC? The answers of these questions shall be provided in the next episode!

P.S. Considering how long it's going to take for this story to end, I believe I've plenty of time to consider what to do after this one. I've forwarded the Mushoku Tensei idea, but recently I've thought about going for a Prillya fanfic that is styled similarly to another of my works 'The New Principal' (which is in FFN dot Net). Both are interesting, but I've noticed that people are already starting to overflow the market of MT with SIs and… and I have a different idea of how to make a story out of the plot. Something something 'similar to this story' something something.

P.P.S. And yes, I'm sticking with Lewes Meyer instead of Ryuzu Meyer since I didn't want to disrupt that continuity of terminology.

And after this… I've heard people asking for Fem Fourier and Barusu. For now I can give you an omake about Fem Fourier, one that might start a mini-series of Omakes about this plotline.

Omake 21: His Queen and Her Prime Minister (1)

Veneranda was not amused.

While there were plenty of circumstances that would have drawn her into that state of annoyance on a daily basis, I could tell from just a glance that this was the prelude to a bigger and uglier mood from her part. I didn't blame her, but I really felt unsure how to handle this matter myself.

It all started a couple of days after the end of the Royal Election. With her confirmation as the newest ruler, many good things happened as her reign started on a positive note. All contenders had peacefully conceded their official defeat and had pushed their support behind the young Queen into restoring the Kingdom to its former glory. New laws were prepared, moderate reforms were planned out and… and I found myself 'courted' by the queen herself.

While it was true that we had been hanging around and exploring dating as secretly as possible, I wasn't exactly expecting this to become a little more visible when she became the ruler. Maybe it was because she suddenly couldn't contain herself in enjoying the greater amount of free time she got after winning the election, or maybe the blonde just wanted to strike this point to the public instead of keeping it secret. I discussed this with her and Veneranda seemed really unsure of this topic herself, so much that I doubted that she was really planning something that complex.

The real trigger of this behavior could actually match with the actions taken by the young queen, and I should have expected this to actually escalate if left untouched for too long.

Since the current ruler was a queen, many nobles saw an opportunity to rule as kings. A lot of them. Many of which I had enough dirt to make disappear as soon as their intentions became clear. Sadly, that didn't cut through the majority of them, and Veneranda was left to handle a group of irritating old men trying to coerce her into an arranged marriage. The solution? Not bothering handling them.

Yet this solution wasn't a good one. At least in the long-term scope of the circumstance. The pressure was piling up to an upsetting degree and, after just a few days of this charade unfolding, an ultimatum was presented by the courtroom.

"As the main representative of this esteemed group of devoted noblemen that have assembled here today, I, Victorian Sutton, demand your hand in marriage, Queen Veneranda."

The prick was a young man, around my age. Blond hair, green eyes, he looked as prickish as he could be in that circumstance, both physically and personally. He was confident, so confident, and so sure that the support he had on himself would have been enough to sway a positive outcome out of this matter. From the unamused look on Veneranda's face, that was the bleakest hope they could have in that moment.

"And so you believe that I, the Queen of Lugnica, should submit to these demands… on what basis?"

"The fact that the kingdom requires a stable union that can produce a strong and healthy heir to it pushes this claim beyond most of the more important concerns. In fact, I believe you have considered this yourself… except towards the worst kind of people that could take that holy seat you've been bestowed."

I had a hint of what he was trying to say, and yet I decided against pushing for details after being deigned with an unwarranted glare that truly confirmed my suspicions on what he meant with 'worst people'. Plus, he had failed to notice that he literally said to his queen that she didn't conquer the seat she was in and that she had been 'lucky' about it. In the past Veneranda would have gone over it, but after some years of learning how to see through the lines… she was well-aware of the mistake, and that was only adding to her growing frustration over this unplanned development.

"Nobles have for so long reigned this land and commoners are there to just listen and follow."

Oh dear, he is one of those people.

"Which is why the first request as your husband shall be to remove John Bukharin from his role as Prime Minister and replace him with someone that deserves that high rank position. Someone from my family would suffice."

...Is he inflating these matters on purpose?

I could tell that he wasn't that dumb to put me in this circumstance, but then I could see something in his eyes glinting and… and then I realized. He wanted me to act and do something stupid against him. Something that could be humiliating for him, but even more for me. And… that actually gave me an idea to solve this pest and Veneranda's ever-increasing frustration about him and his pals.

"I suppose her Majesty has the chance to enact a response to these bold claims, Lord Sutton. After all, it's by royal decree that this country is ruled."

"But of course. Why, do you have any suggestions… Bukharin?"

I smiled, hiding away most of the morbid amusement that was stacking against this jerk. "I don't have a suggestion, rather I have something of a response that her Majesty should go forth… since Lord Sutton has just challenged her in a competition over the monarchy."

There was a lengthy pause at that. Everyone was surprised, with the pretending self-centered bastard being the most confused about this. Meanwhile the queen gave me a fascinated look and it didn't take long for her to inquire over this revelation.

"A challenge? And I suppose this is urged by anything in particular that wasn't within his words?"

"I would say the slights that were indirectly, subtly, and pathetically injected within his speech are more than satisfactory for your Majesty to take offence and urge a duel to establish justice within this case of treason."

"T-Treason? Our objective is-"

"Unimportant. It's the method used to address it, the unnecessary poison and the demanding tone which was improper to your rank within the kingdom's hierarchy. Alas, your majesty isn't one that shall ignore the ridiculous claim that her duty was given to her, especially since she fought fiercely for it," I interrupted with a serious tone. "Regardless of that, this is a battle to not only determine the legitimacy of Queen Veneranda's rule, but to also determine if Lord Sutton and the group of nobles he has introduced himself as their leader of are to be branded as conspirators for high treason."

"Which is rewarded with either death or life in prison," The blonde commented with a quiet tone, gaining the attention of the worried nobles as they realized how bad their situation had shifted just by the way some elements were addressed. "John, be a dear… can you fetch me my sword?"

There was a brief effort to protest this escalation, but the moment Veneranda understood how much control she had on the matter, she decided to press onto it and… she got what she wanted. Some stress-relief through dueling and beating the crap out of her opponent. I soon learned that Victorian was unaware of the fact that Veneranda had trained under Wilhelm van Astrea. He was also unaware of how furious the woman really was at what she had just finished listening to.

And the queen was merciless in delivering a non-deadly fight to the guy. He wasn't prepared to get his nose broken twice, his groin kicked five times, his arms and legs twisted unpleasantly… and then healed and broken once again. It was ruthless, but it didn't kill anyone. Only maimed a newly-branded head-conspirator as his groaning form together with the rest of the group was hailed to a dungeon cell and prepared to stand for trial.

Just as I felt relieved that this was over, my mood went neutral as soon as I found Veneranda approaching me.

"Prime Minister John Bukharin, I, Queen Veneranda the First of Lugnica, demand a-"

"Nice cup of tea?" I interrupted with a small smile, gaining a frown out of her at that interjection. "Because, your majesty, you should know by the laws of this land that a King can't demand a duel from their Prime Ministers. It has been established that a relationship of at least formal cordiality exists within the two figures, and a duel would break that rule."

Her mouth opened, then closed. Then she scowled. "I'll have you eventually."

I chuckled. "Keep trying. I'm sure you will succeed… by the way, how would you like your cup of tea?"

…

"The usual."

I nodded and checked on the kitchens to prepare a cup for the queen myself.

After all, it was the least I could do after turning her down while she was that hyped.