“Who is the real villain here?”
On their way back to the capital after the latest demon subjugation, Crown Prince Arnold was sitting at a restaurant table, sighing deeply over a letter delivered to him. The contents of it were roughly in line with his expectations and he was regretting the fact his ideas were rejected.
This time, the subjugation was conducted close to the western border of the country. So close, in fact, that there were no large population centers that needed defending. And yet, the punitive force had still chosen to employ the strategy that Rion had used during the previous subjugation.
Their army had been split into many units that had been deployed across the operation area. All of them had been ordered to face demon group closest to them once noticed. This strategy had meant to not allow any damage to even a single town or city. However, the prince had had doubts about the plan itself. He had been of a mind that they had enough troops this time to set up enough defensive lines in the area without having to disperse the troops into smaller units.
However, many of the commanders had been overly fixated on imitating what Rion had managed to do and his opinion was not able to sway the final decision. The outcome of the fight had ultimately been good anyway, but Arnold still felt miserable for being talked into following the opinions of others.
The Crown Prince was sure that if Rion were to be here, he would manage to impose his own will. Or at least, if he had no support, he would see his plans through with his own means somehow to show everyone they were wrong.
When compared to Rion, Arnold had done nothing. He, the Crown Prince, couldn’t even control his own surroundings.
「Haa… Why did this happen?」
「Eh?」
Suddenly, Arnold heard a question that seemed to straight out give a voice to his feelings. It was Charlotte and she too was reading newly received letters.
「Ah, my apologies, highness. Just talking to myself aloud.」
Charlotte realized that she voiced her inner frustration from Arnold’s reaction.
「I see…」
「Does highness mind me joining at the table?」
「Not at all.」
Getting Arnold’s affirmation, Charlotte changed her seats. But that didn’t exactly mean she had something to discuss. She just focused her attention back on the letter that she had received.
She was finally alone with the Crown Prince, yet she ignored him completely. Something unthinkable in the past.
「What are you reading?」
This, in turn, piqued the Prince’s interest in the contents of the correspondence.
「A letter from Rion, highness. Now that I am leading his Clan Yellow force, I decided to ask what should I do. His reply just arrived.」
「Is that so…」
The Crown Prince was a little surprised by the fact that Charlotte had done the same thing as he. In fact, the similarity was superficial, since the girl’s motives were entirely different. She didn’t really care about the contents of the reply, what was important and enjoyable to her was the exchange of letters with Rion itself.
「He gave not a shred a military advice, just a description of their personalities.」
「Personalities?」
「For example – “The clan leader, Apollo, may seem coarse on the outside but he is proud and easy to offend, so be careful with him. But as long as you show that you’re relying on him, he will answer.” Or – “He is the type to get ahead of himself so be strict when the situation demands it.”」
「…He seems to have excellent grasp of his subordinates.」
「Undoubtedly. However, if he knows this much, I wonder why he acts that way?」
「Now that mentioned it…」
From the perspective of an outsider, the relationship between Rion and the Clan Heads, with the exception of Kiel perhaps, didn’t seem to be very harmonious. And the most recent scheme to separate them from him was hatched exactly because that was the case.
However, in the letter that Charlotte had received there were detailed descriptions of their personalities and best ways to treat them. Detailed enough to imply there should be no real discord between the two parties.
「What is he thinking, I wonder?」
「…I have no idea. By all rights, he should be resenting me, yet he still properly replies to all my letters. I am grateful, of course, but I wonder too.」
「…What did highness ask Rion about?」
Charlotte was perfectly aware of the fact that Rion held a grudge against Arnold. And because she very much wanted to avoid those kinds of serious subjects, she changed the topic.
「The strategy of the most recent subjugation. I had doubts, so I sought his opinion.」
「Did it differ from yours, highness?」
Looking at how dejected the Crown Prince was, Charlotte assumed that to be the case. She was wrong, though.
「No, we are of the same mind.」
「Eh?」
「Furthermore, knowing that he agreed with me reassured me that I was right all along. And made the fact that I was not listened to all the more frustrating.」
「May that be the difference in sense of responsibility?」
「…Difference in sense of responsibility?」
This suggestion was something Arnold expected the least.
「Rion attempts to shoulder everything himself. That is why he is willing and able push through with his plans. Highness, however, is mindful of the responsibility of others. Which is why you do not try to force matters in a similar manner.」
「Do you really think so? If that is true, I risk turning into someone that shirks responsibility and pushes it on others.」
The prospect depressed Arnold even more, but Charlotte wasn’t finished.
「I do not think that attitude to be wrong, highness. Being like Rion, trying to carry everything on your shoulders is just sad, reckless. Too sad. Other people end up not being able to leave you be and… Ah, I am rambling, am I not?」
「Y-Yeah.」
It seemed that when it came to the subject of Rion, Charlotte ceased to be the Charlotte Arnold knew. He thought it wiser to remain silent about this, though. It would make for a very awkward conversation.
「Passing responsibility to other people means giving them authority. Is that quality not something a crown prince and the future king needs?」
「…Having it framed in this manner, it is a sentiment hard to disagree with.」
No king was able to run the whole government alone. They tended to have a huge number of subordinates. A necessarily huge number of subordinates. The crux of Charlotte’s argument was this difference in Arnold’s and Rion’s positions. And it did initially improve the Crown Prince’s mood.
「Which is why there is no need to worry about it, highness.」
「…However, is such a quality not necessary for Rion as well?」
Rion, after all, was a territory lord too. The scale might not be comparable to governing a whole country, but the basic principle was the same and entrusting things to subordinates was a must.
「Rather than necessary…」
Charlotte’s reply was quite vague but Arnold immediately saw the reason behind it. It wasn’t as if Rion was chronically unable to delegate, but the truth was quite hard for Charlotte to speak about.
「So that is the reason. He is not acknowledging his subordinates on purpose.」
「…I believe that to be the case.」
「Believe? Do you not understand how he thinks?」
「I can mostly understand what is he thinking of, but the way he gets there still eludes me.」
「…I think I can actually somehow understand him.」
「Eh!?」
Charlotte found this completely unexpected. From her perspective, those two looked like complete opposites. She thought there was no way the Prince would be able to understand Rion.
「He is trying to avoid having them involved, right?」
「…Involved in what, highness?」
「That is not something that should be explained in this place. But I believe the same reason prompted him to attempt saving Vincent from the execution on his own, without any outside help.」
「…Is that so.」
Invoking the case of Vincent helped Charlotte to understand. Trying to save a criminal from execution was a grave crime and a challenge to the Kingdom. It was completely normal for people attempting that to face the same punishment.
And Rion, presently, was trying to do something of a similar caliber. A plan that once realized would mean high treason.
It didn’t take much effort to figure out what he was aiming at.
「…I guess, highness, that the right question, in that case, is – how can we make him stop?」
Charlotte wanted to stop Rion, no matter what kind of revenge plan he had on his mind. She just didn’t want him to die.
「I talked to Ariel about this, you know.」
「Eh?」
「I told her not to let Rion be bound by such dark feelings. That Vincent would not wish it either. Whether she will heed my words, I know not, but I felt I had to say it.」
「Why do so much for Rion’s sake, highness?」
Rion had been, after all, Arnold’s bitter love rival. Charlotte couldn’t comprehend why the Crown Prince would show that much care about how the young Frey wished to live his life.
「I wonder? Honestly, I do not know myself. I feel it would be a waste to lose someone with such talent. To let him rot away on the shadowy paths when he could be walking in the light. Especially now, when he is no longer a valet.」
「…There are times, highness, when I think that the purpose of Vincent’s life was precisely to drag Rion out of the darkness. I will never say it to those two, of course, but I feel that Vincent was meant to live, and die, for Rion.」
「…That is neither a nice thing to say nor something I would agree with. And it does not make my sins any easier to forgive」
If Rion was someone bound by the chains of revenge, then Arnold was someone suffering from the chains of regret.
「How unlike of your highness to be lamenting the past misdeeds.」
「How unlike me indeed…」
The spirit and vigor that the Crown Prince used to be praised for by everyone, could be felt from him no longer. Something Arnold was very aware of himself.
「However, the current Prince Arnold, one who worries about the grief of others, is much more of a delight than his past self.」
「Eh?」
「As a person, of course. I would still pick Rion as a man, but we both can agree that as a person, he does have problems, right?」
As Charlotte was frankly declaring her feelings towards Rion with a truly worried face, she radiated so much charm that it eclipsed even her captivating looks.
「Charlotte….. I also think that the present you is most wonderful indeed.」
Which prompted the Prince to honestly say so.
「…A marriage between us is no longer possible, highness.」
「I know. I am now able to see things I was blind to before. I understand that you are here only because of your feelings for Rion.」
The brilliance of Ariel that the crown prince had fallen for had been brought about by her feelings towards Rion as well. It was a truism that women who had fallen in love tended to be at their most beautiful. If only past Arnold had known that falling for that kind of woman, was not necessarily a foolish thing…
◇◇◇
◇◇◇
The Crown Prince had grown, unlike someone who had shown no growth at all. That someone would be Maria, the protagonist, of course. It might have been true that she was originally an adult already and it would not be strange for her to display maturity unbefitting of her young age, but things didn’t turn out that way. Keeping in mind that she had been a university student in her former world, her current self, after nearly seventeen years in this world, was much older.
But even if she was not, her ever-selfish personality was not something that one could grow out of upon reaching adulthood.
「Just as I thought, it was really thanks to the Bandeaux Army.」
Having finally gained achievements in the devil subjugation that she had desired all along, Maria was in quite a good mood.
「Rather than the Bandeaux Army, was this actually not thanks to us?」
And so was Lancelot, finally able to show results demanded from the heir to a marquess house.
「If you really think that, we ought to crush that army here and now, no?」
Erwin too was satisfied, but he had not lost the sight of his main objective. He didn’t care about recognition, his one and only aim, as a person with an undisputed right to inherit House Windhill, was to crush those he deemed a threat. And that meant taking Rion’s strength away from him.
「We cannot do that yet. Our battles are about to get harsher.」
「…And you really think that the Bandeaux Army’s strength is necessary? I concur with Sir Lancelot, our personal power had the highest impact on the battlefield.」
This was not conceit. The clan forces were now more numerous and lead by five people excelling in magic. Their overall impact was incomparable to when they had been led by Rion alone.
「The upcoming battles will be different. Many lives will be lost.」
「…And they shall be disposed of then. I see.」
「Don’t underestimate the devils. The real battles are yet to start.」
Maria didn’t give Erwin a straight answer. She no longer needed to pretend to be a good person in front of those two, but old habits died hard.
「Speaking of that, could you tell us what is coming already? If the fighting is going to be as hard as you say, the earlier we start planning, the better.」
「You’re right on that. Fine then. I’ll tell you.」
「You have our undivided attention.」
Maria had always been hogging the knowledge for herself. Her pretext was that all the information she had would be rendered worthless if a corrupt government official leaked it to the enemy, but Lancelot and Erwin had seen through that lie a long time ago. They figured out there must have been something she couldn’t speak about, even if the reason eluded them so far.
So having her agree to reveal some of her hand came as a surprise to both of the boys.
「Our next stage will be a war.」
「…What?」
「A conventional war. The Kingdom of Merica is going to attack.」
「This is a joke, right? Why would Merica have a leeway to do such a thing?」
Even now Lancelot and Erwin were not aware that only their kingdom was being attacked by demons.
「I do not know. But they will come, soon.」
And Maria was equally oblivious. She had no way of knowing the situation of a country that wasn’t even playable in the game.
「…How serious will the situation be?」
「The capital will fall. There will be a considerable amount of casualties.」
「The capital?」
The fall of the capital would put the existence of the Kingdom itself at risk. Not a prospect Lancelot could take in calmly.
「How do we prevent that!?」
「It cannot be done, the city will fall. However, there is a method to win the war in spite of that.」
「…Cannot be done? That is the capital. The capital!」
Both Erwin and Lancelot reacted the same way. Their mothers were in the capital right now, they couldn’t allow a hostile assault unchallenged.
「We will just take it back. I know how to do it.」
「Are you really trying to tell me that it has to fall!?」
「Yes. And what of it?」
「That… Just what are you thinking?」
「Just have the people important to you escape in time. And make sure that the hindrances stay in there till the end.」
「Are you kidding…」
It was unclear who did Maria consider to be a hindrance, but neither of the youths had it in him to ask. They feared that the gravity of that knowledge would not allow them to remain silent.
「This is the moment to be thinking about our futures beyond the battle with the devils. And the future of this kingdom too.」
Maria was saying this because she realized that her marriage to Arnold was now next to impossible. After all, if things were going to plan, she would be informally acknowledged as his fiancee already. The next fastest ticket to the throne was to allow the current Queen die with the fall of the capital and immediately become a new one.
Given the reality of the situation, that far from her being acknowledged as a marriage prospect she was forced to watch her distance to Arnold grow instead, Maria could already see her ending. This position was beyond recovery, the best she could hope for was ending up as the wife of Lancelot.
And she was not satisfied with that.
For her, an otherworlder destined to obtain the highest position available for a woman, to fall so low as becoming a mere wife of a Marquess… It would be nice to be able to restart the game, but Maria wasn’t so naive to expect that to be possible.
That was why she started to think what to do instead. After all, if realizing her desires within the game was no longer possible, she would simply make them the reality once it had ended. She would be a queen, one way or another.
Which led to the “hindrances” she had mentioned previously. Not only the royal couple, but the whole royal family. Erwin and Lancelot chose wisely by not broaching the subject. They were not mentally ready to consider betraying the whole royal clan, all they wanted at this point was to inherit their Houses.
「…You are not going to try something stupid, are you?」
「Something stupid? Why would I? I just want to make the best use of my otherworldly knowledge.」
「That much is fine, but…」
「That knowledge is where my true worth lies. It would even allow creation of weapons stronger than magic.」
「…Stronger than magic?」
「Strong enough to overturn the world, to make it a place where bloodlines no longer matter.」
「…Maria?」
Maria’s thoughts were far too dangerous, even for Erwin and Lancelot. So dangerous, in fact, to make them wonder if she wasn’t the real hindrance here.
「A power that would make world domination trivial.」
「…Maria, do you truly wish to go so far?」
「Me? Not at all. All I wish is to be happily married to the person I love and spend the remainder of my days in luxury.」
She was very deliberate with her words. The emphasis on lack of interest in authority, but a desire for a life of opulence. Like a queen, for example. At the side of someone who would become a king thanks to obtaining her knowledge. And, obviously, there were only two viable candidates right now.
「This is a discussion for after the devil subjugation, no?」
Erwin reacted first, though not in a receptive manner. Fearing that Lancelot might start seeing him as a threat, he suggested shelving the subject for later.
「…That it is. Removing the devil threat comes first. But a war before that, eh?」
「It will happen roughly at the same time as the next subjugation. We will be dispatched to deal with the demons again and Merica will use that opening to attack.」
「We, eh? …Figures.」
Lancelot briefly pondered disposing of the Crown Prince, but instantly abandoned that thought. Not because of his feelings towards Arnold, he simply needed the royal’s power for the upcoming war. It would demand a symbol, a role Lancelot was not illustrious enough to fill.
「All things considered, Viscount’s Frey strength will be required to defend the capital, no?」
In the meantime, Erwin thought this was the right moment to get rid of Rion. And he dressed that idea in a rather sarcastic question.
「Oh, you’re right. Rion’s presence is aaabsolutely necessary.」
In the end, Rion’s existence was the thing Maria currently feared the most as she had no clue how to deal with the man.
And thus, Rion was yet again about to be dragged onto the scene by a plot. A plot instigated by none other than the Protagonist. The Protagonist that was utterly vile, instead of virtuous. Which only showed how much the story had deviated from its original track.
A fact that both Maria and Rion were still oblivious to.
thanks for the chap. are you gonna post another??
btw, im refreshing your site every 5 mins waitng for update. . . so pleeaaseee . . . T.T
No double release, sorry!
hahaha. . . I see! Thanks for the update tho. . . It’s heating up!
thats sad 🙁 you mentioned that the chapter piling up, so maybe next week 3 at once ?) thanks pretty much
U asked the question we all wanted to ask hehehe . thanks for that eliasnov
Okay the game story line is seriously screwed. I bet RIon has already figured it out and will be able to take away Maria’s thought process. Thank you for the chapter. 🙂 Hopefully it’s a double today.
BTW.
I feel that Enori and Co got a lot of flack for missing out on some chapters not being released on time. You got relax on this. How many read different stories online and don’t know when the next chapter is going to be released. At least with this group they keep an open dialogue and apologize for when they have had a malfunction or what have you. Would you rather not know what happens or just idle and wait for weeks or months for another chapter like some other sites with no notice. At least with this site they tell you and try to correct it for the next release date.
Well so far no one is complaining about that. Most of us should understand that already
Wow i can wait to see Maria co come back to capital and see Rion already become a king
So. Just to make sure were all on the same page here. Rions gonna save the capital. Right?
…sure
Hmm, not sure…
If it was a typical Isekai story I’d say ‘of course’ but here…
I guess it would depend on weather in the game the fall of the capital was unavoidable / a fixed story element. Because if so Rion’s plans and the letter to the King won’t matter.
The only thing we know for sure is that Rion can’t die – the world won’t allow it as it needs him.
I’m not sure though if the royal family will die though exactly because above fact.If the royal fimily dies he will be public enemy no.1 and be hunted by all nobles + the royal army. In which case he can’t be of use to to the world / in the fight.
What do you think would happen though if the king and queen decide that their relation to Rion is not a secret they should take to the grave when they hear about the impending invasion?
yeah more more. you said you have 3 chapters in reserve. so…. pretty please??
Gee, many thanks for the update! Keep up the good work!!
Now, about the story. I’m starting to doubt this ‘war’ Maria spoken of. Who was it that come to visit Rion again? That prince? Wasn’t that Merica’s prince?
This is huge shit coming over…
It was another country’s prince. But Rion has already anticipated the invasion and was made to send the info to the capital.
Thanks for the chapter
Whenever they’re going to release more or not. The problem is i just wondering what kind of excuse they’re going to use to drag rion again and rion expression when the order come XD
Thank’s for the chapter ! Much thanks for your work ?
His parents might die, but Rion is sure to overturn whatever she is planning. if she is planning to make guns, rion will stop her. The one thing she hasn’t accounted for was the existence of another reincarnator, and a superior one at that. Can’t change the contents of the soul. you can be given the body of a hero, but that doesn’t make one a hero.
This maria person is getting more and more stupid as time goes by.
uhuh… well Rion saw it through … anyway meh he will be famed again for the defending capital and repelling the attack from Kingdom of Merica….. owo
Hohoho, little did she know that Rion already sent the king suggestions on how to deal with the possibility of Merica’s invasion. If Rion does gets summoned to the capital to defend it, and he wins, I hope the king and queen would consider that as proof that his eyes were not bringer of bad luck and acknowledge him as their real son.
I don’t know why but i want to see Rion killed both king and queen when he know they are his parent. I want the see the sastification
Lol i was thiking the same maria and co would hear “the capital is under attack!”, just to come back and see that rion has save the capital and is being call a hero.
I guess Rion will get control over his army again and be able to successfully defend the capital? I hope he ensures that certain nobles and members of royalty happen to perish during this incursion. On another note I hope that Rion is able to kill not only Maria, Lancelot and Erwin, but also Arnold. It really seems like the story is hinting that Arnold might be forgiven, but I feel like this ending would ruin the story.
See Maria, this is why we can’t have nice things.
Thanks for the chapter!
Thanks for the chapter! ?
Fucking Maria, just a simple death won’t be enough for your end, she need to be in absolute despair first before she die. BTW, thanks for the translation
I don’t think the capital will fall since Rion sent that letter telling them how to defend the capital earlier
Thanks for the chapter~
All these cliffs keep killing me T_T
Thanks for the chapter though~~~!
i think the world have already discard maria has protagonist and remplace her by rion so maria can be killed now
Thank you for the chapter, this has quickly become one of my favorite reads. I’m thankful it’s being translated.
Thank you very much! <3
“「I told her not to let Rion be bound by such dark feelings. That Vincent would not wish it either. Whether she will heed my words, I know not, but I felt I had to say it.
Why do so much for Rion’s sake, highness?”
Are you kidding me? In the first place this is like someone who murdered the one you love telling you to let go of your feelings of hate for him, coupled with some idiot saying that it’s because the murderer cares so much for you. I could somehow accept someone else saying it, maybe a mentor figure; but not the target of the grudge himself. What the hell? If this really ends up with Rion reconciling with the Crown Prince over this inane stuff I will rage and rate this novel two stars because I can’t actually do much else.
I do wonder how the will of the world fares, we know that Vincent was killed by plot and there was nothing Rion could do to save him, even Ariel married him because plot said so (I mean, they love each other but plot said she would marry a far land lord and thats exactly what happened).
But then again Maria didnt slack at all in the academy arc… Here Maria has been slacking off and the demons are stronger, they are even losing protagonism as the people believe Ryon is the hero and not Maria and her followers. But even so, they have been winning which is the general outline of the game plot
So I wonder, it seems that the world makes the general outline plot come true. That means the capital WILL fall, no matter if Rion is there to defend it or if they are prepared, but then there is the omnious lines at the end “Which only showed how much the story had deviated from its original track. A fact that both Maria and Rion were still oblivious to. “. So the story right now its not the same, even with the world will there, will the world just side with Rion or enter a major chaotic state since it doesnt know how to proceed without its original story?
can they just kill this bitch already
It will be a glorious moment when Arnold fucking dies.
Hopefully when the game world recognizes Rion as the heir to the throne, Arnold will die and so will the King and Queen. Because fuck them all, Rion got butt fucked because of that bitch Queen and the King cares so little about him that he refuses to tell him that he’s their son and pushes him to the side. Fuck them all.
and lets hope that Maria’s only future chances of raising an army is by being raped by orcs every day.
Thanks
$5 bucks on the fact plot armor is off already slay that hoe maria
thanks so much for the chapter!
I do hope Charlotte can be accepted as Rion’s concubine though. I like her quite a bit.
Thanks for the chapter… Maria go to get rape by a Orc
Hmm… I think I found another flaw in Maria other than some of the more obvious ones. Maria, while having knowledge of future events from the game, doesn’t try to find out the causes of the events. While soon on the other hand is finding information all on his own. Heck, sometimes it even comes to him. But yea, if Maria had tried to create a network of information she might be able to show some worth.
Whoops Rion was auto corrected to soon.
Can’t wait to read the moment, where she is sold as slave, seriously.
Welcome back to the battlefield Rion, say don’t you think it’s about time the loan troops get returned?
Thanks for the chapter 🙂
Thanks for the chapter!
This is why otoge players aren’t reincarnated into heroine. If they have bad intention, the world will come to an end. They need to be reincarnated as a villain so they can think of a solutions how to survive and fix things.
Reasons why most web novel are reincarnated as a villain tho.