"It’s the same with this Saxon family. Being afraid of great nobles, afraid of the church, like a frail little mouse…… living that way is boring, don’t you think? That’s why I will recreate it. This country, the people, and everything else."
Selena talks like a passionate girl who is obsessed about her dreams.
"I have to take advantage of the time when Orlais is in disarray due to the mysterious defeat in south western Dioral to make military preparations. I would have liked to go further and invade, but I might be getting ahead of myself if I suddenly face something out of this world. What a shame it is that I don’t have a wonder reconnaissance to pee what was going on there."
"Nonsense……"
Helbrandt, while being overpowered mentally, fumbles around his waist until he finds the short sword he has for self-defense.
He waits until the moment Selena looks away, then stands up and thrusts the dagger before her.
"It seems your mother did not get pregnant with father’s seed, rather she received a child from the devil! I won’t let you do as you please. I won’t hand this country or its people to a demonic child like you!"
Selena has a tiny build at roughly 150 cm in height and has no experience in martial arts.
She should not be able to do anything against a man with a knife no matter how clever she is.
"What a surprise."
Selena exaggerates her reaction by putting a hand to her mouth.
"You should have surprise attacked me before babbling on. It would have been better to have your monologue with my corpse."
Helbrandt inches toward the door.
"So dear brother, you knew that as well. I totally agree with you. ……but-"
The girl smiles once again.
"I was under the impression that I am already talking to the dead."
The short sword falls to the floor with a clang.
Helbrandt collapses without picking up the weapon.
"My dear brother, it’s not a good idea to partake in sweets offered by other competitor during a battle for inheritance, you know?"
Selena puts away the leftover sweets in a pocket.
"Y-…… you b-…… p-poisoned…… ghghgh……"
"It’s only a numbing agent. If I poisoned you to death, I would become a criminal."
She reaches down to retrieve the short sword and then raises it.
"Thank you for listening to me talk. I’ve always wanted to try doing this, except I felt embarrassed when doing it with a living person."
Without hesitation, she brings the knife down.
"Ga…… go…… gigh……"
The drug even numbs his vocal chords so he couldn’t scream.
"I will guide this family and its vassals. My dear brother, please go to sleep peacefully."
She swings the knife down again, this time hitting his heart.
After one final twitch, Helbrandt never moves again.
"That probably looks too clean."
The girl wounds the body in several places in addition to the stab to the heart, flips over the table, and then breaks a flower vase against the door.
"What was that sound? Milady!?"
As expected, the sound leaks out and prompts knocks on the door from the guards.
Selena continues to noisily make a mess of the room.
"Milord! Open the door, Milord! Hey, break it down!"
Selena flings open the window and stabs her brother in the heart once again.
Not long after, the door was broken with a mallet and guards rushed in.
"Noooooooo, dear brother!! Oh, my dear brother!"
The heiress falls down to her brother’s dead body and cries.
"Milady? What is this!?"
"Milady, what on earth happened here!?"
"An intruder suddenly climbed in from the window…… my dear brother protected me and fought but his sword was stolen…… aah, how did things turn out this way!?"
The guards check Helbrandt’s breath to confirm his death.
"Give chase out the window! Don’t let them get away!"
"With this, all the successors are dead…… Saxon is finished……"
In the chaos, Selena returns to her own room escorted by the guards.
"Rather than worry about me, pursue the person who killed my dear brothers! They definitely won’t target someone without succession rights like me."
"We can’t leave Milady alone."
A large man stands beside the hesitant guard.
"Milady will be protected by us, her personal army. Please rest assured and fulfill your duties."
Xanthippus stands around Selenana with a few other men.
Satisfied with the strong-looking men, the guards left.
"That was weak. You were walking across a tightrope."
Selena nods before tossing the sweets to Xanthippus.
"How would I know? I only went to buy it, I’m no expert in poisons."
She leans back in her chair and crosses her legs.
When the man’s gaze falls to her slender limbs, her eyes narrow menacingly.
"So, how is it going on your side?"
"Excellent. Rumors of a raid have been leaked to the gathered feudal lords. Meanwhile, rumors of the feudal lords rebelling have been leaked to the knights."
The unusual situation where the heirs to the position have all died put the army and feudal lords at maximum tension.
Any kind of trigger would set off an explosion.
And that trigger was already prepared.
"Wait! A suspicious person ran!"
"That one was holding a sword!"
"That guy must be the offender, after him!"
The guards’ voices can be heard outside the window.
"As planned, that guy will run to the post station where the feudal lords are and commit suicide."
There is no room to doubt a man who ran away from the palace with a blood-stained sword.
"Your desire, it was to make your family happy right? If you do a good job, I will grant your wish."
Selena quietly closes the window.
"Is everything going the way you want?" Xanthippus asks.
"So far, yes. This is only the start though. I have no time to rest."
A strong light is reflected in the eyes of the girl who folds her arms on the desk.
***
Now on my bed, surrounded by several girls. Myla and Irijina have slept in another room as they must have adequate rest for the next day's teaching job.
Sitting and lying on my large bed are Suzy, Claire, Lucy, and Reina.
Claire is reciting the reports in the paper held by her.
Everyone is naked.
"All male heirs of the Saxon family died mysteriously including the sons of the late count and their cousins. Selena is the only surviving member. Margrave of Chalons died and his son, Jilk became the new head. They made a report to council that the House of Dousy orchestrated the assassination. Principality of Fanoss threatened Council of Heralds to punish the House of Dousy."
Suzy sarcastically voices up, "That's really fishy. Everybody died and Selena suddenly became the only inheritor of the family. Coincidentally, Jilk then became the leader of the Chalons faction. Saxon, the largest vassal under the House of Dousy suddenly rebelled against their master."
Lucy says, "But for a young girl of our age to plan such an elaborate scheme.. it's impossible."
Reina replies, "You can't rule out that possibility. That woman really gives off a nasty vibe."
Claire adds, "And Margrave Mantillon had been weird since the defeat in Hyuutia. Not only did he no longer attend the Orlais council of heralds, the house of Mantillon is the culprit of various disturbances in the past 1 year."
Putting a blank paper on the mattress, Reina writes several circles on it using a pencil.
"Montbelliard faction is with us. Saxon is taking over vassals who were former Doucy. Chalons faction joins with Saxon and former Doucy vassals. A lot of rumours say that nobles of Haine faction have joined them. The head of Doucy, Lothair de Doucy in his thirties is comparatively young. Clarice's father would be hard pressed. Margrave Mantillon de Haine and Etienne de Chevin are well known conspiring to take down the house of Montfort. Laurent de Ghislain, the head of Ghislain faction is unknown in his stance. So, Doucy faction swallowed by Saxon, joined with Chalons, Haine and Chevin, supported by Fanoss are undermining the house of Montfort. Doucy, losing their vassals left and right has become weak and has no choice other than to hold on to Montfort."
Reina explains in great logical clarity with her sketches on that paper.
Everyone nods.
Reina is even a much better teacher than Myla.
However, Suzy criticizes,
"That depends on whether Selena is a monster or not."
Indeed, the girl who has completely seduced a crown prince and a head of the largest faction must be something else. If she indeed is the mastermind behind the recent deaths and attack at the Montfort banquet last week, Selena must be a monster.
