"All hail Her Excellency, the new Count!"

"All hail Countess Selena!"

"Glory to the Countess!"

Cheers and acclamation extolling Selena resound in the Vianden’s plaza.

"How do you feel?"

"It’s not bad, but nothing special. Dancing when things are what you expect them to be is a little weird, don’t you think?"

Selena waves to the people while conversing with Xanthippus behind her.

"The cruel feudal lords moved in secret to overtake the kingdom by killing all the royalty. The only surviving royalty, the youngest princess, led an army to put the evil feudal lords to death…… What a moving story."

"Be quiet now, I’m going to address the people."

When the crowd settles down, Selena begins to speak softly.

"We’ve experienced an incomparable tragedy――"

She starts with a dark, sinking voice.

"Vianden has lost its guide, I have lost my entire Saxon family."

The whole plaza goes silent.

"Brave soldiers worked hard to eliminate the evil, but what you are left with is a little 17-year old girl who could be overwhelmed by the anxiety."

Murmurs ripple throughout the populace.

"Furthermore, Vianden is a small territory. The country is weak and doesn’t have very much territory. Giant countries surround us on all sides and they could attack at any time……"

The consecutive pessimistic words unthinkable in a place where a coronation is held causes the people to stir.

Xanthippus watches the girl speak with a doubtful expression.

"In order for this faction to survive, we need unity more than anything. Nobles, soldiers, citizens, all of us need to come together and support this faction. If we don’t, our territories will be swallowed in no time."

Selena continues.

"Do you want to live like the Theocratic Nation of Niceaea and be ruled by Gods?"

"Don’t screw with me! Let us choose our own Gods to believe in!"

"Being like those lunatics, no thanks!"

Opposition erupts from the crowd.

"Then do you want to live as worthless outliers like the Holfort?"

"I’ve heard they’re being terribly exploited. Like I’ll become a military slave!"

"They’re savages, Holfort my ass!"

Dissenting opinions get expressed once again.

"Then we have no choice but to join forces. To survive, we will live for our own sakes!"

The tone of the plaza rises with Selena’s increase in passion.

"You must have some dissatisfaction in someone like me becoming Count. Even more so when it was a result of chaos. However, I ask that you all keep it in your hearts. Houses are about to go up in flames. This is no time for family members to fight amongst themselves."

"Khkh."

Tears well up in Selena’s eyes as she gazes at the citizens and soldiers.

Even though Xanthippus couldn’t hold back a chuckle, her expression doesn’t falter at all.

"This is no time for quarrelling!"

"Support the young countess!"

"We will help our countess!"

Selena wipes her tears with the sleeve of her extravagant outfit.

"Everyone…… I am truly thankful…… I will do my best!"

During the applause, some of the nobles under former Dousy faction appear to have mixed feelings.

They were the ones close to each of the princes.

"……why did this happen?"

"……hmmm."

The momentous upheaval threw off the calculations of the close aides who believed they would attain positions of power, and the power was taken by an unknown girl. There was no way they would not be upset.

"Uooooh――!! Hurray for the queen! All hail our young countess!!"

"Hurray for the beautiful countess!!"

Meanwhile, the masses and low-level knights welcome her with cheers.

Being so far from power to begin with, no real harm was done to them when the young countess ascended to the power, rather it can be said that this is an opportunity for them because existing vested interests have been overturned.

With the heroic story of avenging her brothers’ deaths coming into play, the young countess has become popular.

Having a maiden addresses the people in tears incites the crowd differently than a speech delivered by a phlegm-hacking arrogant old man.

There is an overwhelming majority of people in the latter category.

Those who hold complaints were swept away by the atmosphere and had to unwillingly give their praise.

"I will definitely turn this country into a strong and splendid one. Everyone, let us work hard together!"

Selena responds to the public with emphasized actions while descending the stage.

Loud applause and cheers echo throughout the capital.

The minute everybody disappears from sight, the girl’s flushed skin loses its color and her tears dry up.

"Wonderfully done, Milady."

"……"

Selena doesn’t say anything and simply tosses her cape to Xanthippus.

The large man hastily catches it and carefully sets it down.

"With that, we have most of the citizens’ support. Let us distribute the profits before the enthusiasm dies down. Let us hand out to the people half of what we confiscated from the feudal lords’ assets."

"Are you sure?"

Xanthippus raises his head in surprise.

"Money is valuable, but right now we need to let the citizens dance for a while. During the time they are dancing, the nobles can’t make a move. We will use that to reorganize ourselves."

"You’re practically using the people as tools."

Selena grins as she folds her legs again, not denying or affirming the man’s statement.

"I recommend strengthening the army first. Visible results are needed to be produced when the citizens are elated."

"Understood, Your Milady. Considering how they’re feeling, we should get many men when recruiting for soldiers."

Selena unfolds the map of the south eastern Thedas in the count’s room which has now become her room.

"Next is information. Send out all the scouts we have. We will obviously send them to Dioral, Holfort, Niceaea, Orlais…… and Venetian. Also send some to the southern feudal lord Ferelden’s base of operation, Redcliffe."

Orlais’s political change was widely transmitted to various nations but none of them, not even Niceaea, did anything about it.

***

University of Orlais.

Selena who recently became a countess and led a large faction of nobles delivers a simple speech to the assembling students.

"If the area an average farmer can manage is wheat-…ow ow ow." A branch from a tree is thrown at Selene's body.

"If you aren’t feeling well, shouldn’t you stop your boring speech? If you’re speaking in the public area, it’s actually a bother."

The heiress of the falling Doucy family, Clarice de Dousy yells. She was the one who threw the branch.

Selena looks like she’s in a tight spot and about to cry. As she is not my type, I will just ignore by hiding behind the pole.

"What’s the big fuss here?"

Jilk, the new Margrave, the head of Chalons faction walks furiously towards the crowd.

A look of relief washed over Selena’s face as she sees Jilk, while Clarice turns away awkwardly.

"What’s the big fuss?"

"No, it’s nothing."

I’m sure Selena would act innocently.

"That’s right, Clarice…… was it? What happened?"

Being interrogated harshly by her former fiance, the girl falters for a split second before clearing her throat once and standing up boldly.

"The countess didn’t seem to be feeling well, so I suggested that she take a break."

"That sounds serious."

He then announces,

"Let’s end the charade here, now I have something to announce to everyone."

Everyone directs their attention to Jilk.

Clarice does the same.

This girl…… now that I look at her again, she’s actually really pretty, and makes me crave her despite looks like a delinquent.

"After you graduate and start looking for a job, you can’t enroll in class anymore."

"From now onwards, those who treat Countess Selena accordingly will receive a letter of recommendation from me."

The students grow lively.

Those who try to sell themselves to the feudal lord without any sort of connections won’t even be entertained, whereas if you have a letter of recommendation, they’ll at the very least schedule a time to meet.

The students who have been acting reserved around Clarice until now gather around Selena.

Descendants of high class nobles like Gretel and Clarice can rely on their own family in the worst case scenario, but there are an overwhelming number of students who can’t.

If their future jobs can be guaranteed, they wouldn’t do something as foolish as opposing a rising aristocrat like Selena.

I purposely walk past the crowd closing in at Clarice.

She follows me from behind. 

When we are further from the crowd, she calls me.

"Mister Hiro!"

When I turn around, she grabs the edge of her dress and curtsies elegantly.

"What a pleasure and honor it is to meet you. My father sends his utmost gratitude for the incident at the ball."

So he was at the ball after all.

"My father has already returned to his territory so I will thank you as a representative of the household of Margrave Lothair de Doucy."

She is far cry from the delinquent I saw when her betrothal to Jilk was cancelled.

"I am also a responsible citizen of Orlais. Taking down an enemy of the country is part of my duties, please tell him that it wasn’t that big of a deal."

Clarice knits her eyebrows at my somewhat savage response.

Unlike the hypocrite Selena, Clarice is still just an innocent kid, so she feels a sense of discomfort unless spoken to in a rather polite tone.

"After today’s lesson is over, would you like to accompany me to a meal to deepen the relationship of our households?"

How did it come to this from the conversation we had?

"Yes, why not."

However, my mouth moved before I could think about it.

It can’t be helped, so I bring myself close to the girl’s ear.

"Students are restricted from any excursions except on weekends though. I’ll treat this as a special interview so please keep it confidential."

"Yes, thank you for your consideration."

The girl’s still young, but her breasts are moderately big and her body is fairly developed.

I’ll gladly accept this opportunity.