[Interlude] Last Will and Testament

After bestowing upon him the rank of baronet, I gave my order.

“You are to surrender to Arbor’s military.”

I commanded Huguenot to betray us.

“…Huh?”

Huguenot stood frozen, the title of baronet still new to his name, his expression one of utter disbelief.

“You must have received at least one offer to conspire with them, haven’t you?” I pressed.

“W-Well, yes…” Huguenot nodded, a flicker of guilt in his eyes. “But, of course, I refused.”

“Then tell them you’ve changed your mind. Tell them you will betray us, even now.”

“P-Please wait,” he stammered, his composure finally breaking. “What are you saying?”

“This is about the future of Restoration, and of this country.”

“And how does my betrayal accomplish that?”

His confusion was entirely understandable, so I decided to lay out the situation for him, piece by piece.

“As things stand, the very existence of our organization is in jeopardy,” I began. “If we do not make a game-changing move immediately, Restoration will collapse. On that point, you and I are in complete agreement. However, where you believed relying on Lord Amakawa was that move, I have an entirely different one in mind.”

“…And that is my betrayal?”

“It is one of the necessary steps. The true gambit is something else entirely. But first, let’s consider what Arbor sees as his primary obstacle: the fact that I, the first princess, possess the Regalia and have declared my ascension to the throne. He fears another king he must drag down.”

Arbor’s ambition was simple: to tear down the current royal family and elevate the ducal House of Arbor in its place. For him, the prospect of another monarch was an intolerable nuisance.

“So, if we were to remove that very source of his troubles, might we not be able to extract certain conditions from him?”

“…You intend to use the return of the Regalia as a bargaining chip?”

“Not just that. Having declared my ascension, Arbor must be desperate to prevent me from taking the throne. Therefore, the retraction of my claim should also serve as leverage. If we offer to prohibit any re-ascension on top of that, he may find the offer too attractive to refuse.”

“But… doesn’t he believe he can simply nullify your ascension with a vote at the coronation ceremony?” Huguenot countered, his face grim. “If he mobilizes all the nobles loyal to him, he could almost certainly secure the votes needed to overturn you coronation.”

He believed it was a worthless bargaining chip.

“I thought so as well,” I admitted. “But while poring over the Imperial House Law, I discovered an old rule concerning the voting method…”

I explained to him the provision for a secret ballot.

“…I see. Indeed, if the vote’s secrecy is guaranteed, nobles who secretly resent Arbor might well vote in your favor. That would open a genuine path to the throne for you, Christina-sama. The odds would still be against us, and there would be endless trouble in establishing the voting system, but…”

“That trouble is also a merit. The more we argue over the system, the more time we can buy. And if a system agreeable to both sides cannot be established, it gives us the pretext to reject the vote’s outcome entirely.”

“True. In that case, your voluntary retraction and a prohibition on re-ascension would be viable bargaining chips. However…”

“The problem is that buying time is also a demerit, is it not?” I finished for him. “With members liable to desert us at any moment, we don’t have the luxury of lengthy negotiations. We need to stabilize our position as quickly as possible.”

Yes, we were cornered. We couldn’t afford to simply wait for the coronation and contest the vote.

“…Yes.”

“That is why I believe it is better to use the withdrawal of my claim as bait to extract favorable terms now. It will be faster to explain to Arbor precisely what we are thinking and how troublesome this could become for him.”

“…And for that, you need me to betray you.”

“Fortunately, having just been stripped of your title gives you a very convincing reason to do so.”

“…To have planned that far ahead is frightening,” Huguenot murmured, looking at me as if I were some kind of monster. But it was no great matter.

“I’ve been formulating this plan since the moment I decided to strip you of your title. It was a blow to Restoration, but I knew it could be turned to our advantage. If you had been able to see past your reliance on Lord Amakawa, you might have conceived of it yourself.”

“…My perspective had narrowed from being cornered, you mean? That stings to hear.” For the first time, he looked genuinely abashed.

“There are three conditions I intend to extract from Arbor,” I stated plainly. “The return of the stolen Marquisate of Rodania, a prohibition on reinvasion for a set period, and the return of our prisoners of war.”

“Indeed, if we can secure those terms, we can rebuild. We can focus on accumulating our strength for a time… though we would also lose much in the process.”

“That’s right. And that is why I still need you to betray us. If we return the Regalia and my re-ascension is forbidden, it will be impossible to change the country’s future with the power of Restoration alone. So, we will change it from both the inside and the outside.”

With that, there should still be a way to alter the nation’s destiny, even without the Regalia.

“That is a perilous path…”

“Yours will be the most arduous of all. You will be branded a traitor, and Arbor is a deeply paranoid man. The simple motive of reclaiming your lost title may not be enough to earn even a sliver of his trust. But you must endure it. You must climb to a respectable position within the home kingdom’s government.”

“I likely won’t be able to advance unless I am seen as having sold my very soul,” he said, his voice heavy.

“You understand, then. But even that is not enough. If one wishes to gain something, a price must be paid.”

“…As I have already said. If there is anything I can offer, I will offer it all.”

“You will pay any price? You truly have that resolve?”

“Yes.”

He nodded without a moment’s hesitation, a firm, unwavering determination in his eyes. But it was still not enough. I could not entrust this role to someone with only a moderate level of conviction. I had to ascertain the true depth of his resolve.

However—

“Then I shall give you a gift befitting that resolve.”

“…And what might that be?”

“The Regalia. And my head.”

If those at the top do not show their resolve first, those below will not follow. So, I will show mine.

“…!”

The look on Huguenot’s face turned to stone.

“With a gift this substantial, surely even Arbor will be convinced, don’t you think?” I continued calmly. “He might even prepare a suitable post for you. You could perhaps even reclaim your lost ducal title.”

“…………Are you testing me?”

“Of course. This is not a role I can entrust to just anyone. Within Restoration, I believe there is no one but you who can fulfill it.”

“…”

He stood trembling, and I could not know what thoughts were racing through his mind.

I held his gaze, unwavering.

“But I cannot entrust this to you if your resolve is half-hearted. That is why I must ascertain it now. I must know how far you are willing to go for the sake of this kingdom.”

(Can you bear the karma of a vassal who offers up the life of royalty as the price of betrayal?)

“…But what if my betrayal accomplishes nothing…?”

“Then the man named Gustave Huguenot, and the ducal House of Huguenot, will be passed down in this kingdom’s history as symbols of eternal dishonor.”

“!” His head snapped up. “That is not what I meant! I am saying that Your Highness’s life will be wasted! Do not think for a moment that I spoke out of concern for myself!” he shouted, his breath ragged.

“It is rare for you to show such emotion. No… perhaps that hasn’t been the case recently. You have been quite vocal since our organization was cornered.”

It’s strange. We haven’t spent that many years together, yet I feel as if I’ve known him for a very long time.

“…When your own life is on the line, how can you be so detached?” Huguenot pleaded, his expression desperate. “After death, you won’t know what becomes of you! Does it not matter if your life is thrown away for nothing? Should you not be searching for a way to live? To sort this out yourself?”

“If such a path existed,” I replied softly, “I would have found it and plunged ahead long ago.”

I thought, and thought, and thought it over. This was the option I deemed best. To change the present for the long-term future of the kingdom, I saw no other way.

“…! In that case, my head…!”

“Fool,” I cut him off. “What Arbor finds to be an eyesore is the royal family. What would happen if you offered your head?”

He would be pleased, of course, but it would be a truly pointless death. It is because it is my head that it holds value as a bargaining chip.

“…………Are you truly certain?” he asked, his face a mask of terrible conflict. “We do not know how you will be remembered. You could go down in history as a witch who brought chaos to the country.”

“What of it?” I answered, my voice steady. “The future of the country is what matters, is it not?”

I am Christina Beltrum. My answer does not change.

Then… something shifted.

Huguenot suddenly stood, moved to stand before me, and then—he knelt.

“I pledge my lifelong loyalty to Your Highness Christina-sama, master of this kingdom,” he declared, his head bowed to the floor. “I shall bear any dishonor as proof of my fealty. Please, command me as you will.”

He had made his choice.

“I see. Then I entrust the Regalia and my head to you. Defect to Arbor’s side, and see that you do it well.”

I think, in that moment, a smile must have been playing on my lips.

◇ ◇ ◇

After that, I had Huguenot select the members of Restoration most likely to desert. Forcing half-loyal nobles  to stay would only be counterproductive; it was better to have them “betray” us together, as part of Huguenot’s faction.

Conversely, I confided the full plan to the two people I was certain would never betray us: Vanessa and Alfred. I knew Flora, Roanna, and Celia-sensei were equally loyal, but I kept the truth from them. Had they known, they would no longer have been able to act as they always had. Above all, I needed to ensure this plan never reached Lord Amakawa. I could not, and would not, involve him. I did not want his life to be disrupted any more than it already had been. That, I admit, was my own selfishness.

So, on the surface, I tried to spend my days peacefully. As I did, the members who would remain with Restoration solidified. Then, I shared the plan with those in the upper echelons whom I deemed trustworthy, first and foremost among them being Count Albert. I would need him to lead Restoration in Huguenot’s stead.

It was also a stroke of good fortune that the fathers of Saiki Rei’s fiancée, Rosa Dandy, and Murakumo Kouta’s lover, Mikaela Belmont, chose to remain with us. Saiki Rei and Murakumo Kouta have become irreplaceable friends to Hiroaki-sama, and they are necessary for his sake. While I cannot force them, I want Hiroaki-sama and his friends to stay with Restoration.

Huguenot skillfully circulated the information and secured a meeting with Arbor. The effect of my “gift” must have been significant, as he was apparently promised the position of Minister of Internal Affairs. Thanks to his efforts, I was able to extract the conditions I had aimed for. Without him, it would not have been possible. His feelings, his pledge of loyalty to me—they are genuine.

And just as planned, Huguenot betrayed me, handing me and the Regalia over to Arbor. I also arranged for Alfred to return to the home kingdom’s government. As the King’s Sword, it was proper for him to be at my father’s side, and I knew he could coordinate with Huguenot from there.

It was a blessing in disguise that I was able to speak with Arbor more frankly than I had expected. Perhaps it was because he had regained the Regalia and had me in his custody, giving him some peace of mind. Or perhaps it was simply the absence of prying eyes. Whatever the reason, he listened to my words with surprising honesty. I do not know how much truly resonated with him, but I hope that man does not wish to reign over others out of simple vanity.

And what I was most grateful for was that he agreed to my final condition.

I want Flora to live her own life. That condition is everything I, as her older sister, can leave for her.

So, I have no more regrets.

I…