MVS 5

Chapter: 5

For Sieta, who had never even received a proper education, it was enough to drive her completely insane.

She was only barely managing to follow along by clinging to the memories from her previous life. If she didn’t even have those, all the words being thrown around from every direction would have sounded like an alien language.

But then, at the very next agenda item—

‘…Huh?’

She felt a strange sense of familiarity.

Her eyes widened.

“The Kingdom of Romancia has been provoking us by encroaching on our border.”

At those unmistakable words, an earthquake seemed to strike Sieta’s pupils.

Of course, border provocations between neighboring countries weren’t unusual.

And yet, the reason Sieta was so shaken was simple.

‘This…’

In the original story, when the female lead and the male lead listed Rosiate’s crimes one by one—

This was one of the charges.

The accusation was that the utterly cruel Rosiate had massacred the innocent royal family of the Kingdom of Romancia, and demanded punishment.

There were others too—civilian massacres and more. The evil deeds Rosiate committed for her own benefit were strung together neatly, like sweet potato vines, and presented before the military tribunal.

And after being defeated by the female and male leads, Rosiate was handed over to that tribunal, tried, given a one-sided unfavorable verdict…

And then, just like that, she was sent to the guillotine.

Whether those accusations were true or not—

If the protagonists could use it as a flaw to bring her down, that meant Rosiate had handled it badly enough to deserve it.

‘Wait. If that’s the case…’

Then maybe—

Before Rosiate made a mistake that would get her executed by the protagonists…

She could eliminate that seed in advance.

‘If we just don’t give them a legitimate reason to rise up in the first place, isn’t that enough?’

Sieta’s golden eyes shimmered as her worries deepened, unaware that Rosiate was silently watching her.

She continued thinking.

Of course, stopping the female and male leads would also cause… big problems.

Namely—

Rosiate, who already held overwhelming imperial authority, would become even more unstoppable.

If Sieta made one wrong move, Rosiate might get annoyed and chop her head off in an instant.

So the best possible option for Sieta was—

‘Escape, but… as carefully as possible.’

Don’t side with the male or female lead.

Don’t openly side with Rosiate either.

‘Let the two sides fight…’

And I’ll slip out!

How? That was easy. In this era, there were two perfectly legal ways to emigrate.

Marriage. Or studying abroad.

Wouldn’t it be a problem if the empire’s only heir ran away?

With Rosiate’s personality, she’d adopt someone if she had to—she wouldn’t let the throne pass to some random place.

So—

“Is there any need to concern ourselves with that? They were the ones who touched the border first. Just sweep them away.”

While Sieta was lost in her thoughts, Rosiate’s lazy command regarding the Kingdom of Romancia fell into the meeting hall.

Sieta’s face turned deathly pale.

‘Damn it!’

This makes us the direct target of the male and female leads!

And if that were the only problem, it would’ve been bad enough.

But while Sieta was panicking internally, Rosiate was already deciding where to invest.

“As for the investment location, it should obviously be a place rich in copper.”

This investment plan, too—

Would become the first step toward Rosiate’s massive failure and downfall.

Unable to hide her turmoil, Sieta squeezed her eyes shut and muttered inwardly,

‘Why is it that whenever I attend a meeting, landmines start exploding everywhere?’

She held that perfectly reasonable question in her head—

Then quickly corrected herself.

At least…

It was better than walking straight into hell without even realizing it, or having any chance to change it.

Sieta had to make a choice now.

‘And right now…’

This was still an era where collective punishment existed.

If she stood by and watched Rosiate’s rampage, there was a high chance Sieta herself would be dragged down too.

Sieta shut her eyes tightly, horrified.

Even if she somehow avoided Rosiate and escaped execution—

What would happen if the female and male leads defeated Rosiate?

‘What do you think happens? We get completely ruined, that’s what.’

And Sieta was Rosiate’s only legitimate daughter.

What did that mean?

If the story followed the original—if the female and male leads overthrew Rosiate’s faction and took over the Sican Empire—

Then Sieta, as the emperor’s daughter, would inevitably be an obstacle.

‘Ha…’

Of all times, of all circumstances… why did I have to be born into such a trash situation?

Even while lamenting, Sieta desperately racked her brain, trying to create the best possible outcome.

And then—

As she was squeezing her brain dry, she met the eyes of Rosiate—

Who was smiling brightly and staring at her intently.

‘…What?’

Sieta immediately lowered her gaze.

Then cautiously lifted her head again—

Rosiate was still focusing all her attention on her.

Sieta briefly made a dumbfounded expression, then hurriedly corrected it.

‘I’m seriously screwed, aren’t I?’

The reason Rosiate was suddenly paying attention to the princess she’d ignored and locked away in a separate palace for six years—

Was obvious.

‘It must be because of the blue tiger.’

This was driving her crazy.

She had planned to grow up quietly and run away, but now this variable appeared.

Even so, Sieta opened her mouth in as calm a tone as she could manage.

“I have an idea.”

Until now, the princess who had sat silently beside the emperor like background decoration finally spoke.

In that instant—

All eyes in the room turned to Sieta.

No one had ever dared to object to an investment location personally chosen by Rosiate.

Yes.

Up until just moments ago, that was the case.

“I have an idea.”

In the meeting hall, where a young yet remarkably composed voice rang out—

Rosiate, with a faint tremble in her hand,

Looked at her young daughter…

Who was pointing at a different investment location.

“Oh?”

In the silent meeting hall, where no one dared challenge Rosiate…

Sieta stared straight at her, unable even to wipe away the cold sweat beading on her skin.

At her daughter’s statement, Rosiate smiled with extreme benevolence and spoke.

“Then let us hear why you think that.”

Gulp.

The sound of someone swallowing echoed unusually loud.

She was smiling gracefully.

But Sieta quickly noticed the signs.

The smiling face.

But eyes that did not smile.

Fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.

‘That…’

Those were Rosiate’s tells when she was displeased.

Ignorance would have been bliss.

But now that things had come this far, Sieta couldn’t back down.

She began in as calm a tone as possible and spoke evenly.

“Iron is stronger than copper.”

At Sieta’s absurdly random remark, the nobles made awkward expressions.

Their faces clearly said, What does that have to do with investment?

Seeing that, Sieta hurriedly continued.

“The place I pointed to produces iron. The location Your Majesty chose is mainly rich in copper.”

That much was true.

And Rosiate had chosen that land not because of copper—

But because she was certain gold would be found nearby.

‘But for at least the next ten years, iron will rise higher in value than gold.’

This was part of the original story, so Sieta could state her opinione without hesitation.

“Until now, copper has been used as a necessity. But if magic could be infused into iron?”

At those words, the hall began to murmur.

“Magic… into iron?”

Sieta locked her gaze solely on Rosiate, as if no one else existed in the room, and continued.

“If iron can be infused with magic, its value will skyrocket. So wouldn’t it be better… to buy it now, while it’s cheap?”

The idea that iron could replace copper and become far more valuable left people visibly shaken.

Sieta knew herself that her reasoning was flimsy.

At this point in time, it probably sounded like nonsense.

And yet, no one immediately refuted her.

Perhaps—

Because Sieta was the one who had captured the blue tiger.