Chapter 284 - Struggle is the Soul's Sustenance
Repurpose official stationery into a threat letter and hand it off to a member. Have Paula deliver it to the stalkers watching the Lamreneis household, then slap it right in their faces. That’s all for tonight.
If no white flag is raised by morning, we seize their military shipment. The Intelligence Bureau members will handle the operation—they’re experts at covert actions.
As long as everyone wears masks during both the handoff and the raid, there’s no risk of being identified. Besides, vehicle hijacking is part of our regular training, so they’ll pull it off smoothly without any fuss.
Transport within the Royal Capital is usually safe, so the escort forces are just for show. Nothing short of a major incident could make this fail. It’s a sure win.
I’ll stay visible, of course—alibis matter. Tomorrow, I plan to wander around the city center. I’m always under surveillance from multiple factions. Normally I’d dodge them casually, but this time, I’ll generously let them feast their eyes on my beauty for free.
“Alright then, I’m counting on you. Just deliver the threat letter and don’t do anything else until morning.”
“Is there anything you’d like me to tell Paula-san?”
“She probably already knows, but if no white flag is raised by morning, she’s to report it immediately. Otherwise, tell her to keep a visible watch on the Lamreneis household—make sure they know they’re being watched. Keep it up until around the time the seizure’s done. After that… let’s see, Montrose Kitchen, was it? Meet there.”
“Isn’t that a high-end restaurant? Sounds great. Do you think the Lamreneis side might attack if we’re too obvious?”
“I doubt they’re that reckless. If they do show up, just play around with them a bit.”
“Understood. Then leave it to you, President.”
It’s incredibly reassuring. Having so many reliable members makes being the leader of an organization feel truly satisfying.
I head back to the fortress via the main road, careful not to alert any watchers, then sleep straight through until morning.
With the work delegated, I take my time—shower first thing, enjoy a leisurely breakfast. Still no contact. That means Lamreneis must’ve ignored the threat.
I step out into the city, ignoring the Duchess’s morning meetings, and stroll around as planned. Just like yesterday.
I visit several shops, then stop at a café when thirsty, sipping tea while reading a book.
During my break, I quietly sense magical presences around me and confirm multiple watchers. And the number keeps growing.
Without name tags, I can’t tell who’s who, but I’m guessing a mix: Rosmerta’s camp, her rivals, skilled operatives hired by the Adventurer Guild or Commerce Guild, maybe reporters or foreign agents. Quite the audience. I’m quite the celebrity.
There’s even tension between the watchers themselves—feels like a minor clash could break out at any moment. The chaos is amusing.
Even in Exembra I’m watched by several parties, but since I rarely visit the Royal Capital, the scrutiny here is especially intense. A lot of eyes on me.
Ah, right—I’m also a wanted fugitive. Still, I doubt anyone would attack me in broad daylight at a café.
Since I have no intention of causing trouble or acting suspiciously, I don’t need to worry about the watchers. In fact, they’ll serve perfectly as alibi witnesses. No civilians bother me—just a woman in sunglasses and a military-style coat—so I relax and enjoy my break.
Later, I stock up on long-lasting pastries from a popular Royal Capital confectioner, wrapping up the morning with the carefree demeanor of a tourist.
“...Time.”
According to schedule, the raid should be starting right about now.
It’ll probably take less than thirty seconds from attack to theft, so by now they should’ve finished and fled back to the fortress.
We’ve pre-arranged road closures along the escape route to avoid witnesses, so everything should’ve gone down quietly. Any surveillance on Rosmerta’s fortress would’ve been spotted by our Intelligence Bureau members. They wouldn’t have started without clearing the way.
After finishing lunch at the restaurant and returning to the fortress, my alibi should be solid enough.
I arrive at the restaurant slowly, watchers in tow, and am guided to a window seat—perfect for observation. Sipping a recommended fruit liqueur, I wonder what’s happening when Paula shows up.
“Tough work. Let’s order before we talk.”
“Yeah, I’m starving.”
We place our orders with the server who guided Paula, then eat the appetizers and bread as we speak.
“How did you deliver the threat letter?”
“Straight up, front door. Rang the bell at that big mansion, handed it to the maid who answered. Told her to make sure the master gets it. With how unsettling the content is, no servant would dare hide it.”
“What happened afterward? I figured they might report it to security.”
“They’re the shady ones here. Even if they panicked, they’d probably go crying to their boss behind closed doors instead of making a public report. Or maybe they’re just overconfident, thinking we wouldn’t pull anything drastic in the Royal Capital. Either way, if there’s any reaction, it’ll come later.”
Seems like Paula’s right. They’re probably not taking it too seriously. He’s a privileged noble who rose in the Royal Capital, after all—likely doesn’t grasp the real threat posed by Exembra’s Three Great Families.
“Well, I never expected them to wave a white flag right away.”
I take a sip of the newly arrived potage soup—pretty good.
“Nah, they’ll start waving them soon enough. Around noon, the mansion got all hectic. Oh, this is delicious!”
“So the raid news reached them. I hope it serves as a good lesson, though I doubt it’ll stick.”
Everything should proceed as planned now. Viscount Lamreneis is under the upper echelons of the kingdom’s thumb. With no time to meddle with Charlotte, our goal is already achieved.
“In the end, we missed the chance to meet Charlotte.”
“If we’d shown up now, they’d know we were behind it. We acted on our own anyway, and making her feel weirdly grateful wouldn’t help. No choice but to wait for her back in Exembra.”
After thoroughly enjoying the fish course and other dishes, we head outside. The watchers, forced to watch us eat, must be starving by now.
I stride back to the fortress, shoulders back, and enter the warehouse where people are gathered. Inside, four large trucks—clearly the stolen ones—sit with their cargo beds open. Equipment is being unloaded and inspected.
The members who delivered the vehicles must’ve already left, as I don’t see them around.
“Oh, Yukarinowe. You’re back. Paula-san, hello.”
“Long time no see. Rosmerta-sama seems to be doing well.”
She must’ve been out of my sight until now. I feel like I’ve been ambushed.
“Hehe, thanks to you both, tonight should be quite entertaining.”
“We’re off now, but you can handle the rest, right?”
“We’re already moving, so no worries. And here—additional intel on that previous matter. Handle it carefully.”
Probably the thick envelope about recruiting pirates—a ridiculous request, but any scrap of information helps. I take the bulky envelope from Rosmerta’s secretary.
“Yeah, I’ll look at it back at headquarters. Well then, I’ll grab the luggage in the guest room and head out. Paula, by the way, where are the vehicles?”
“I told them to bring it over here.”
“They’re parked in Warehouse No. 2 across the way.”
The secretary answers, and Paula heads off, apparently having left her belongings in the vehicle.
“I’ll drop by the spring tournament, so let’s meet again then.”
“We’ll both be busy, so that might be the next time we see each other in person. Anyway, if anything comes up, just write.”
“Yes, and if I need to ask a favor, I won’t hesitate to write—separately from just catching up.”
“Ugh… I don’t mind writing, but whether I accept depends on what it is.”
She probably already has something in mind. The fact she’s not saying it now suggests it’s not finalized, or there’s some reason she can’t speak of it yet.
Either way, if she wants to hire me, it’ll come down to the pay. And if it’s something unpleasant, I’ll just say no. I’ve turned down plenty of party invitations before when I knew annoying people would be there.
“My Lady, it’s time.”
“Oh, right. Before I leave, remember the items I bought at the auction have arrived. Don’t forget them. I left them in your room.”
“I’ll make sure to thank you for that. See you later.”
I leave the warehouse and head straight to the guest room I’d been using, picking up a small wine-red box on the table I don’t recognize. A little excitement stirs.
“This it?”
I open the palm-sized box to find a black ring case inside. Opening that reveals a simple ring glowing with a metallic red sheen.
I take it out, confirm the serial number 001, and slide it onto my left middle finger. It fits perfectly.
“This is getting me hyped.”
The thrill of owning a rare item! The joy of wearing it!
It’s the one and only thing I’ve ever chased as a fan of a celebrity. No wonder I’m excited.
The exploits of Berliza’s Fourth Princess, known across the continent as 『Akki』, regularly grace the covers of magazines.
A princess who defeats evil yet bears the ironic title of 『Akki』, she’s a wildly popular superstar, adored across the continent for her outrageous deeds and stunning beauty.
I’d love to meet her someday, though I suspect I’d be on the receiving end of her justice. She’s apparently a formidable fighter, and part of me wants to test my strength against hers—but going all out? That feels a bit intimidating.
“...Oops, Paula’s waiting.”
I’ll save daydreaming for bedtime or bath time.
I quickly pack up and meet up with her.
On the way back, Paula, still awake from the night before, forces me to drive for hours. By the time we reach Exembra, I’m oddly exhausted. Must be catching up to me—lack of sleep and all.
Stepping out of the car in the underground parking lot of the Kikyo Society Headquarters, I stretch widely. Finally here.
“Alright! Time to tell everyone about Charlotte’s popularity drama!”
“Don’t go overboard. I’m heading back to my room to rest.”
I did want to see everyone again after so long, but the urge to sleep wins out.
The others who returned earlier must’ve already reported what happened in Donditch. As for the Royal Capital events, Paula will no doubt spin them into an entertaining story, while the Intelligence Bureau members will submit a full, detailed report later.
I hand over the pastries I bought as souvenirs, then take the elevator in the Living Wing up to my room. I usually take the stairs, but today I don’t even have the energy for that.
“Ah… tired.”
The moment I enter my room, all tension melts away.
I toss my travel bag aside, toss important documents onto the desk, then shed my coat and collapse onto the sofa.
I should go to bed, but I can’t muster the energy. I hate to admit it, but I’m unusually sloppy—rare for me. Maybe I need a proper break to recharge.
Lying there, dazed, I notice the document envelope sticking out from the desk. I haven’t checked the contents yet, but if Rosmerta said to handle it carefully, it must be important.
I’m in no mood to work. But if I leave it alone, I won’t sleep well.
“Ugh, fine. Let’s get it over with.”
Just need to see what’s inside. If it’s urgent, I’ll pass it on. If not, I’ll deal with it tomorrow.
As I slowly push myself up, I feel the ring on my left middle finger. 『Akki’s Ring』.
“Can’t keep wearing this as-is.”
Given my tendency to punch incredibly hard objects into pieces, I usually avoid rings. Can’t be careless, even outside combat or training—accidents happen.
But it feels wrong to just lock it away. It’s a precious keepsake—might as well wear it.
I stand and head to the back room, opening the drawer where I keep prototype accessories.
“...This should work.”
I pick a super-thin screw chain, thread the ring onto it, then put it around my neck and check in the mirror.
“Yeah, perfect.”
Hidden under my clothes, it won’t get damaged. The chain might scratch the ring over time, but that’s a small price to pay.
Feeling better now, I return to check the documents.
Back in the office, I pull the papers from the envelope and skim through them.
“...Impressive. Only someone with real power could gather intelligence like this.”
The first thing that grabs me is the pirate ship’s blueprints. Originally a warship, this would’ve been top-secret military data. Even if it’s from a fallen nation, obtaining this is no small feat.
We’re still in the planning phase for recruiting the pirates. If possible, I’d prefer to settle it through negotiation alone. The terms we can offer are quite generous—but expecting them to cooperate easily would be naive.
Outlaws dealing with outlaws—ultimately, strength speaks loudest. Still, storming their island base would be far better than boarding their ship. But if we can’t locate their hideout, a ship raid might become necessary.
Once the snow melts further, I’ll send members to the area to investigate both the pirate situation and how best to take control of the port town.
Now things are getting interesting. I think… my energy’s coming back.
She acted like a proper leader this time, but Yukari was mostly in charge of drawing attention while leaving the dirty work to others.
Feeling frustrated? Might be starting to.
Next time, a side episode continues—“The Illegal Guild”!
The den of evil grows ever more chaotic.