Chapter 77

This is a continuation from the previous part, though the perspective is different.

"Sir Serian, the procedure has been completed."

"I see."

In the spacious office, the man referred to as Sir crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. The office was modest. Who would think that this room belonged to the man who governed the entire Kingdom of Marana? There was nothing unnecessary in the room.

This room was the office of Shinold Serian, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Marana. Although he had a mansion in the capital, Shinold Serian rarely returned home.

"And how did it end?"

"...She said she was set up."

Hearing these words from his subordinate, the Prime Minister's lips curved into a smile.

Even when she was put on the carriage, she didn't seem to doubt her destination, but she finally understood when the blade was thrust into her. From the very beginning, Carianne was just a pawn. While he acknowledged her beauty, her inner self was nothing but a mass of pride. If she had been a boy and studied imperial politics, things might have turned out differently. However, such education was unnecessary for a princess. Thus, she was merely a puppet who indulged in the illusion of moving politics with her half-baked knowledge. If she had been a bit less intelligent, it might have been better to keep her alive, but if she had gained experience and realized our intentions, it would have been disastrous. We should be grateful to Rubelia for providing the opportunity to eliminate Carianne.

"Even a rotten princess, but it's too late. The role of that princess is already over."

"But, Sir, what if the princess's perfume had worked as intended?"

The Prime Minister himself had given the order to use the perfume. Of course, he had considered what would happen if it worked. However, he also understood that the possibility was low. If she had the blessing of the goddess, she wouldn't be swayed by something so trivial. Still, if it had worked...

"In that case, I would have devised a plan to send both the princess and the crown prince to the underworld. If they could be swayed by something so trivial, they would be no different from the royal family here. They are unnecessary."

When he said this clearly, he could see his subordinate's expression stiffen. While he wasn't suited for intelligence work, this subordinate would never betray him. That's why he allowed him to have these private conversations.

"Are you afraid of me?"

"To be honest, yes. There's no need for you to go this far, Sir."

"That might be true. Indeed, my interest in Rubelia was purely out of curiosity."

Yes, he was curious. The Prime Minister's interest was in the girl, Lilian, who was housed in the Garuda Monastery. He was interested in the content of her statements. He learned about her by chance, from information brought by someone he knew who frequented Rubelia.

He had high expectations, as she was said to have captivated many men. He had her investigated. Her appearance was indeed beautiful. Using her beauty, she skillfully manipulated the heirs of high-ranking nobles who attended the academy. Her methods seemed calculated and deliberate. If she had been doing this intentionally, he would have considered her a valuable asset for Marana. However, she turned out to be just a girl.

What happened after that was beyond his knowledge. He thought she might have become a concubine to a count, but instead, she chose to collude with Rubelia's nobles and merchants for personal gain. Still, it didn't matter to the Prime Minister what happened to them.

Still, the Prime Minister stood up from his chair, unfolding his arms.

"She knew the future. While her statements might seem incoherent... they are not in the case of Marana."

In Rubelia, there were defense networks in various places, and regular monster hunts were conducted. Despite some inconsistencies, the threat was not yet imminent. Therefore, they shouldn't know about it yet.

However, the situation was different in Marana. Over the past few decades, the number of monsters had been increasing dramatically. Dozens of villages had already disappeared, and the threat was approaching the central regions. Despite repeated reports, the royal family did nothing.

That's why he decided to take action. Waiting for them to act was futile. They wouldn't recognize the threat until it was right in front of them. They didn't care about the suffering of the common people. Such rulers were unnecessary. His plans were already in motion. Everything was for the sake of changing this country.

"But why only our country..."

"I don't know. However, it's clear that our royal family is more corrupt than those of neighboring countries... perhaps that's why the goddess has abandoned us. But it doesn't matter."

The royal family of Marana had no real faith. The Prime Minister himself didn't believe in the goddess. There was no such thing as divine mercy. If there were, Marana wouldn't have become such a country.

In that sense, he was the opposite of Suvania. On the surface, he supported the country that appeared to be a religious state, but he considered it nothing more than a mysterious religious group.

Speaking of mysterious, the Crown Prince of Rubelia was also enigmatic. And the existence of the empire, which claimed to have received a blessing, was the same. If Lilian's knowledge of the future was correct, the world would eventually be overrun by monsters, not just Marana. Before that happens, at least...

He took a deep breath and looked up at the dark sky through the window.

"...How is the Emperor's condition?"

"His consciousness is already clouded, and it's only a matter of time."

"I see."

The preparations are complete. All that's left is to wait. There's no turning back now.

"If future generations learn of this, they will call me a demon."

Thank you always for reporting typos and errors!

I'm sorry for the many mistakes...