Chapter 160 - Chapter 22: "Fight! You Must Fight!"
Greetings! I am Violia Nico Fortesia!
About three months since the revolution.
By this time, most of the chaotic matters had been settled to some extent, and I have finally shifted the content of my work from 'cleanup after the revolution' to 'building a new nation'.
...Yes. it was much faster than I thought. I wonder if this is thanks to the understanding of the people.
Carol played a part in helping the people understand. Thanks to her blessing the establishment of the new kingdom, even the undecided part of the people began to follow the new country.
Relations with the Cathedral are good. By letting them see the Queen and the Saint having tea together, I have steadily stabilized my position!
...But there are inevitably remnants of the former royal family's side. Those people... I had them dealt with secretly.
Using the 'Knights directly under the Queen', that is.
Having become Queen, it's not as if I can cut ties with dirty work immediately.
I have no intention of stopping the production of leaves in the Bag Farm, and I have no intention of throwing away the comfort of the back alleys of Elsemarin.
...Therefore, I have secretly appointed those I can trust to connect me with such places as 'Knights directly under the Queen'.
Yes. I've hired both Doran and Chesta as my knights. Incidentally, I've made Giovan a merchant I trade with personally, and Keeb has been assigned to the kingdom's magic research lab while also being a knight directly under me. Furthermore, I tried to make the magic research lab uniform a cute dress, but I was scolded. It was no good. I'll secretly make him wear it when I invite him to my private room!
Also, I've put Lital in a civil servant role. He's convenient because there's no problem using him for public business. Since he has acquired education as a noble, his usability isn't bad.
Ah, by the way, I've made Chris the captain of the guards. After all, the soldiers who defected from the former royal family are acquaintances with Chris. It's natural that he's good at handling them. And since it's Chris, it's fine even if the handling is a bit rough. He's convenient, isn't he.
...So, my 'Knights' are active in the underground world of the kingdom, dealing with those who would harm the current kingdom.
This is where I differ from the former King.
It's foolish to push through while pretending not to see the dirty parts of the country. If there are dirty parts, you must go to know them even if you have to use dirty means yourself. And I think you can only truly run a country once you've brought even the dirty parts under your control.
Since the new castle is under construction, my private room is in one of the mansions in the noble district of the capital. The public office is a temporary assembly hall Onii-sama built near the castle under construction, so it's there.
...And tonight, I'll return to my private room and receive reports before resting.
"The ones we dealt with this time were those from a branch of House Hornbone. They were calling themselves the pro-former royal family faction and trying to gather comrades underground. We raided their meeting place and either killed or captured everyone."
"Oh, thank you for your hard work. As expected, there's nothing better than dealing with enemies."
"Yeah."
The one who came to report today was Doran. Someone comes every day on a rotating basis, but well, Doran's reports are quite solid, so I can feel at ease. Incidentally, the most unreliable reporter is, of course, Chesta. He sometimes comes to report while high. I really can't feel at ease.
"Then, please process the captured ones as usual. Please give my regards to Saki-sama."
"Yeah. ...Also, about another matter."
Oh. Today's report is a bit long. Usually, it's just a bit of small talk after this and then it's over...
"Some former nobles are making strange moves."
"Strange moves? It's not a counter-revolution, is it?"
If it's about people like the branch of House Hornbone who were crushed tonight, who want to kill me and restore the former kingdom, I understand. That's why Doran and the others are moving to deal with them.
But, 'making strange moves' is...?
"Apparently, there are those who are trying to curry favor with you."
"Curry favor...? Isn't that a regular occurrence?"
Naturally, as long as I am the Queen, I am the person with the most power in this country.
And strong power attracts those who want to snuggle up to that power. Especially the former nobles who have become accustomed to power are trying to snuggle up to me to live a good life.
Yes. Naturally, I'm not that soft.
The former nobles are those who were with the former royal family. In other words, they are a bunch of incompetents. I won't heavily utilize people who don't even work for a silly reason like 'because they are snuggling up to me enthusiastically'. I'll have the incompetents take positions suitable for incompetents.
Or rather, I've abolished the system of nobility! Having 'authority' that acts all high and mighty despite not being a King is nothing but a hindrance!
In this new country, I've set the social status system to 'the King and everyone else, and sometimes slaves'. I don't need nobles. I'm the one who runs this country. I have no positions to give to incompetents who just want to suck sweet nectar while meddling from the side!
...And, well, that's how I've been acting all along.
When a former noble comes snuggling up while showing off the useless foil of 'having been a noble in the previous kingdom', I throw them into the outdoors, a cesspool, or a jail cell with a single word: 'disrespect'. Or if they go too far, I ask Doran and the others to throw them into a coffin.
...But, this time is different, isn't it?
"Yeah. Well, it would be fine to deal with them, but if left alone, the next bunch will just keep popping up. I thought I should report it."
"Oh. That sounds serious. So, what do you mean by 'making strange moves' and 'trying to curry favor'?"
When I asked that to Doran, who was being unusually hesitant... Doran said while looking a bit troubled.
"There are many people trying to establish a marital relationship with you."
"...The balls..."
"Few know they will fall off."
Ah, that's right... the fact that my blood is poison is top-secret information. It's my greatest weapon. I have no reason to make it public.
But... because I'm keeping that hidden, it's becoming a bit of a pain...
"Some might even think it's no problem even if they can't have children with you. As long as they can get the connection of being the husband and his family. If anything, they might be thinking it would be best if the next King could be someone from the husband's house."
"What a bothersome bunch..."
I understand why Doran hesitated to report. It's a rather raw story.
But it's natural that people like this would appear now that I've become the sole power. Yes. I should have anticipated this more...
"...Do you have any plans for marriage yourself?"
"I don't. Yes. Or rather, I don't intend to."
When I answered honestly, Doran gave me a slightly surprised look.
"Well, it's natural, isn't it? Even if I found a gentleman I'd want to choose as a partner, I can't exactly have his balls fall off... and there's no particular reason to marry a guy whose balls are fine to fall off."
When I answered even more honestly, Doran had a complex look.
"So, if an heir is needed, I'm thinking of Onii-sama's child. That shouldn't be a problem."
"...Then, there's no need to have a child. Even so, you won't marry?"
"Yes. There's no particular meaning in it. Marrying just to ward off pests is..."
Rather, it's not a good idea to create unnecessary ties, so it's better not to marry. Yes.
Otherwise, beings like nobles would be born again. That would be putting the cart before the horse.
"...Does that mean you're staying faithful to Prince Dactor?"
"Ha?"
"He was your fiancé, after all. That guy."
...As I was replying, he went off in a bit of a wild direction. I have a sense of déjà vu with this exchange... Ah, right, I had an exchange like this with Giovan before. Then the answer is already decided and easy.
"Well, if you say I'm thinking of him, that's true. I want to find him quickly and kill him."
"I see. That makes sense. But, you can stay faithful while killing him."
...He says such complex things. He's as nasty as Giovan.
"Don't worry, I don't have a shred of faithfulness to give him. Incidentally, I have no life to offer him either."
Even though I answered like that, Doran still has a look as if he's not quite convinced... well, I don't mind if he suspects on his own, but I'd like him not to cause any actual harm. Yes.
"Well, that's how it is. I don't intend to have a partner. I don't think I'll particularly announce it, but..."
"...But, at this rate, marriage proposals will definitely flood in. For now, it's limited to former nobles, but before long, marriage proposals will come from royalty of other countries too."
"Ah, I hadn't thought of that..."
Thinking about it carefully, a country ruled by a single woman must be quite a delicious bait from the perspective of other countries.
Taking advantage of the fact that I'm a single woman, other countries might aim for an act of invasion using marriage as a means.
"To avoid such troublesome matters, I think it would be better to just publicly state that you have a specific partner."
"Eeeeh..."
How should I put it, everything is unexpected. Truly.
"...How about Keeb or Lital?"
Eh?! That's truly unexpected!
"Keeb is no good. That boy is going to be properly happy in a decent place."
So I'll quickly put a stop to that. Yes. Keeb is going to be properly happy! It's decided! It's already decided!
"And Lital is a bit too pure. It would be pitiful to drag him further into this side..."
"Then how about Chesta?"
"Just because he's not pure doesn't mean he's okay."
"I suppose so."
If you know that, don't ask in the first place! Don't laugh! I'll throw you!
"You're not going to say Giovan or yourself next, are you?"
"I won't go that far. Both Giovan and I know our place. We're not the type to serve as the Queen's husband. We don't want trouble either."
"I'm relieved."
"...That guy might say something like 'a mistress is fine'... but in the end, the trouble will outweigh it. He's the type who can substitute gold and freedom for love, but conversely, he can also substitute love for gold and freedom."
Ah, I could easily imagine that. Yes. In the first place, whether as a husband or a mistress, if the disadvantage outweighs the profit, Giovan will absolutely not do it...
"...Well, regardless of us, you should think about how you'll handle yourself. Trouble will surely come before long."
"When that time comes, I'll have you deal with them one by one."
"Even royalty of other countries? That's a heavy burden. It's not worth it."
Ah—... that's right! That's it!
If it's about things inside this country, it's one thing, but when it comes to things outside the country, it's just too troublesome!
Ah, truly, troublesome... it's troublesome! Ah—! It's troublesome—!
Now.
From the next day, trouble immediately arrived.
...Yes. That's right.
The old nobles came snuggling up!
For now, I chased away all the nobles who came snuggling up. It's hard to chase them away elegantly. If this were a place with no people, I would have chased them away from this world, but since it's in public, I can't exactly say goodbye-bye to them from this world, so I had quite a hard time. Ohohoho.
...Even so, nobles really love turning their coats! Even nobles who were holding up the 'anti-revolution' banner until just the other day are now eagerly looking for a chance to snuggle up to me. I understand the feeling of wanting to snuggle up to the strong or those in power, but isn't it a bit too much?
"...Becoming a King brings such hardships too."
Come to think of it, I was also being pulled here and there by all sorts of people until my engagement with Dactor-sama was decided. Of course, by a bunch of good-for-nothings aiming for House Fortesia's fortune.
"Y-Yes! Violia-sama! There are definitely many more people who will try to curry favor with you! It seems remnants of House Clarino are also aiming, and I'm very worried..."
Lital, who is often by my side during the day, was more worried about the marriage stuff than Doran. I wonder if this boy is the most worried of all.
But, 'remnants of House Clarino are also aiming', doesn't that include you, Lital...? Do you understand your own position...? You were a branch of House Clarino, weren't you...?
"As for House Clarino, I'll just have Chris keep them quiet. As for the others, I'll just keep them quiet as they come."
"I think it will take quite a bit of effort..."
Ugh... effort is unavoidable. I've given up on that.
However, I have no intention of getting a partner, so I have no choice but to make another excuse. Hmm, how many years can I use the excuse that I'm too busy for a partner? At most one year? In one year, the kingdom will have stabilized to some extent through my skill... and considering that's the limit, the nobles who want to get ahead of that are already moving now...
...I've decided.
I've come up with a brilliant idea.
A way to choose both subjects and a partner 'as I please'. In other words, a way to choose 'no one is needed'!
In short, if I just make it so that 'there was no one worthy of marriage'...
"I'll hold a Martial Arts Tournament! The winner will get the right to propose to me!"
"I understand! I'll do my best!"
"By the way, the final match will be a duel between me and the one who makes it to the semi-finals!"
Lital has a face as if 'it's all over', but I don't give a damn—!