Princess, You Must Start the Revolution!

Chapter 10: Undead, Dead-Dead (1)

At this point, joining the military was still quite a burden for me.

Although my background was gradually being established, there wasn’t anyone decisively backing me yet.

Objectively speaking, the benefits I would gain were extremely limited compared to the burdens I would have to bear.

No, seriously, just to avoid marriage, I would end up offending the king and earning disapproval from the mainstream noble factions? Wouldn’t that make me a completely unhinged woman?

Any woman with a properly functioning brain would never make such an extreme choice.

That’s right. Any ‘woman’ with a properly functioning brain.

"What? The princess?"

"That’s right. I may be on the younger side, but there are those even younger than me. More importantly, I am a recognized mage, which means I am more than qualified."

"W-Well, that may be true, but still, for the princess to enlist…"

"Why not? As a member of the royal family, I would be setting an example, and as the kingdom’s only life mage, I would be contributing to the nation. How many opportunities like this do you think exist?"

"Ah, no, that’s not…"

The recruitment officer before me was clearly showing his frustration, wondering why of all times I had to come to him with such a request.

He seemed to be deliberately making it obvious in hopes that I would feel embarrassed and leave on my own, but of course, I didn’t even blink at such tactics.

"While running a relief center in the slums, I realized that my magic could be used in a more meaningful and impactful way. After much thought about where that might be, I concluded that the military was the best place."

"Y-Your thoughts are certainly exemplary and commendable, Princess, but…"

"Right? Isn’t that right? Then hurry up and process my application. The western border is troubled by barbarians, the northwestern border by the undead, and the southwestern border by greenskins. I may have only recently gained recognition, but I am still a mage, so I’m sure there’s plenty I can do."

One fact I had recently come to understand was that when I smiled with this face, people tended to treat me more kindly and amicably.

This applied to everyone, from commoners to nobles, men and women, young and old alike.

It made me wonder if I was unwittingly turning into a femme fatale.

Not that I intended to use my looks as a tool, but the effect was so strong that I might end up enchanting people without realizing it.

For now, I was still young enough that my cuteness took precedence, but in five years, I might genuinely become bewitching.

"Princess, could you please reconsider?"

"No, I won’t. Please process my application. Since I’m a mage, the required procedures shouldn’t take too long."

Perhaps realizing that there was no immediate way to change my mind, the recruitment officer finally let out a deep sigh.

He had guided me straight to this office as soon as I entered the army headquarters, likely because he had heard of me. In the end, he surrendered to the storm that was me.

But this recruitment officer was merely the smallest of hurdles in my path. I had no choice but to steel myself for what was ahead.

It was obvious—before even considering my gender, I was a princess for whom the king was personally seeking a marriage match.

The idea of breaking through that obstacle head-on was never going to be easy.

Just as I had taken the first step outside after submitting my application—

"Princess, meeting you in front of the army headquarters is quite an unexpected yet pleasant coincidence."

"Ah, Count Muizlier. Indeed, what a surprising and delightful coincidence."

He was one of the people who had approached me after I officially became a mage.

Unlike Count Paul Montmorency, he was a married man with children.

Although he was also an heir of the Muizlier ducal family, he was quite different in many respects.

Well, plenty of married men kept mistresses, but it was safe to say that no lunatic would ever try to take a princess as one.

Because of that, I was able to treat him with relative ease, at least upon first impressions.

Even now, I didn’t instinctively feel the need to be as cautious as I usually was when dealing with people.

"Since we happened to meet like this, may I take this opportunity to hand you an invitation I was planning to deliver? It is an invitation to a banquet that will be held in a week. It may not be as prestigious as a royal banquet since it is hosted by my family, but I assure you that it will be an excellent setting for your debut in high society."

The way he took out the invitation made it clear that this was no spur-of-the-moment gesture.

The envelope was neatly sealed with his family crest, unmistakably prepared in advance for an official invitation.

"Normally, such things are rare, but since we’ve met like this, I’ll gladly accept."

"I appreciate your willingness to accept what might have seemed like an abrupt invitation. Then, I shall take my leave."

With that, Count Muizlier departed.

No matter how I looked at it, he must have had someone track my movements, learned that I had entered the army headquarters, and waited outside to give me the invitation.

The reason? Likely because he knew I was considering military enlistment as a way to counter the king’s marriage arrangements.

Technically, he had investigated me and extracted information through his contacts, but I wasn’t particularly upset or offended by it. If I had the resources, I would have done the same.

Besides, his reason for approaching me wasn’t obstructive or particularly unpleasant for me.

"Princess, the Muizlier family is undoubtedly a distinguished noble house, but they have recently been categorized as part of the aristocratic faction. I advise you to proceed with caution."

The lieutenant from the Royal Guard, who had been waiting nearby, spoke up.

Since the decision to enter the army and accept invitations was mine, he had stepped back for the moment.

Being a member of the Royal Guard, his loyalty to the king was absolute, which made him naturally wary of noble faction figures approaching me.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. I’ll be more careful."

"Not at all, Princess. I am merely fulfilling my duty as a member of the Royal Guard."

For now, my attempt to enlist had not yet been discovered by the Detached Palace’s guards.

Although I had visited the army headquarters, today was the first time I had actually met someone related to enlistment.

Before that, I had been here for matters related to my role as a mage, so my visit wasn’t necessarily suspicious.

After all, mages were considered the highest-priority force to be mobilized in times of war.

Even so, Count Muizlier approaching me suggested that he had heard somewhere that I had such intentions before I was officially recognized as a mage.

Just like that Cardinal Mazarin from before, he likely had the goal of pulling me into his faction to keep the king’s authority in check.

I was quite the attractive figure.

And that attraction wasn’t because of my fifteen-year-old appearance but rather the political value I held as a counterbalance to royal authority.

Other princes or princesses might have different attitudes toward the king, but I was in a particularly unique position where such loyalty was impossible.

Until I manifested magic at fourteen, I was treated more as a tool than a princess.

At the time, I had considered it relatively decent treatment, but after learning about the world outside the Detached Palace and acquiring more information, I realized that was far from the case.

More crucially, my mother’s treatment remained one of the most glaring weaknesses of the royal family.

Not only had they failed to inform me of her death, let alone hold a proper funeral, but there were also rumors that she had been poisoned to remove an unnecessary obstacle before I could grow up.

Whether those rumors were true or not, the fact that they existed at all meant that cooperating with the royal family would make me nothing but a fool.

The royal family had been trying to compensate for that by selecting the best possible marriage match, and one such candidate was Paul Henri of the Montmorency Ducal Family—who, on paper, was an excellent prospect.

However, my opposition to the marriage had driven me to the extreme choice of enlistment, making it obvious how others would perceive me.

Currently, not many people fully grasped the situation, so more people treated her like this Royal Guard officer.

However, no one knew what would happen later.

Fortunately, as the only life wizard in the kingdom who was already recognized as a mage, her status was too enticing for anyone harboring resentment to simply give up.

"You really went through with it in the end."

The next person she met was her mentor, Master Dúnedain.

Unlike Count Muizlier, whom she had met 'by chance,' she had informed Master Dúnedain of her intentions to enlist just before taking action, so he had rushed over to see her.

"Ah, Master Dúnedain. I had no choice. Still, I won’t neglect my efforts to become an even better wizard in the future."

"You must. Of course, since you are a princess, even as an officer, you won’t be sent to dangerous places. However, you must still build your skills just in case. In the worst situations, your own abilities are the best way to break through."

Fortunately, Master Dúnedain was not trying to use her or obstruct her enlistment.

Rather, he understood her choice and was giving her sincere advice.

This was an unusual case.

It wasn’t as if the masters of the Mage Tower had severed all political ties.

On the contrary, considering the state's financial support for the tower, the wizards holding the title of master were naturally far more involved in politics than other wizards.

Moreover, he wasn’t someone who would be unaware of what her enlistment signified, yet he still spoke to her this way.

Honestly, she was a little moved.

Although he had not encouraged her actions, meaning there wouldn’t be an overt crackdown from the royal family, and although his own power served as his greatest weapon and shield, he would undoubtedly still face pressure.

"I feel bad for causing trouble. Once I become an officer, I’ll be careful not to let anything tarnish my reputation as a wizard."

"With your temperament, there is no way you would do such a thing, so just act naturally."

The fact that he continued to speak this way suggested that the Mage Tower somewhat understood her position.

They likely acknowledged that her resentment toward the royal family was inevitable and that such drastic actions were justifiable.

"Thanks to you, I feel much lighter."

"What are you saying? It seems my time is up, so I’ll take my leave. I hope your next conversation goes well."

My conversation with him ended because I had arrived in front of the Lumière Order’s Grand Cathedral.  

Four towering spires stood at the corners of the main sanctuary, piercing the sky.  

Monks, recognizing the royal carriage escorted by guards, were already coming out to greet me.  

"Ah, you must be Master Dúnedain. It’s an honor to meet you. I am Jean Buchenie, a priest of the Lumière Order."  

"A pleasure, Priest Buchenie. Now that my conversation with the princess is over, I shall take my leave."  

Before Master Dúnedain could depart, the priest who had arrived specifically greeted him.  

Given the tense relationship between the Order and the Mage Tower, it wasn’t hard to guess his intentions.  

If it seemed like Master Dúnedain would accompany me inside, they would likely have tried to send him away beforehand.  

Fortunately, with Master Dúnedain leaving, their conversation ended with just a greeting.  

Then, as I stepped down from the carriage, Priest Buchenie bowed deeply and addressed me with even more formality.  

"We have been expecting you, Your Highness. I was beginning to wonder if I should seek you out instead."  

"You were expecting me? How did you know I would come?"  

"Did you not visit the Army Headquarters? Your Highness is a wise person, so I assumed you would come here immediately afterward. It is truly fortunate that you have arrived. Please, follow me."  

So, they were already keeping track of my movements everywhere.  

I smiled softly and followed Priest Buchenie into the Grand Cathedral.  

At the same time, I couldn’t help but think—my power was still barely a handful.  

The only reason they were so fixated on me was that I held a rather effective dagger in my hand.  

Not one that would be fatal, but one laced with a poison sharp enough to make anyone suffer if cut.  

"This place has a rather deep and secluded room."  

The cathedral was designed to appear grand, pristine, and truthful on the outside.  

At least within its walls, it gave off the impression that there were no secrets or deceptions.  

But, of course, the inside was entirely different.  

Before I knew it, the straight halls had twisted and turned like the unplanned expansion of an alleyway.  

Eventually, I was led to a secret chamber that looked almost like an interrogation room.  

The long mirror spanning one side of the wall only made it seem more so.  

"This is to prevent any important discussions from leaking outside. As Your Highness is well aware, the more crucial the words, the easier they are to spread, aren’t they?"  

Priest Buchenie was right.  

Any thoughts of mine that could influence the royal family spread far too easily.  

Not everyone knew, but those who mattered already did.  

However, whether what he had to say was truly so important as to require this level of secrecy was another matter.  

Perhaps they still saw me as just a young girl and were trying to intimidate me with an oppressive atmosphere before starting the conversation.  

"So, does this mean that anything said here will not leave this room?"  

"That is correct, Your Highness. You may speak freely here."  

"In that case, I will speak first. I intend for the royal family to walk a different path from what His Majesty proposes. If possible, I would like the Lumière Order to assist me in doing so."  

With the assumption that they already had such intentions, I deliberately made my ‘request’ while acting as though this was an opportune moment.  

They would likely think, ‘What an audacious and brazen girl,’ and that very shock would help shift control of the conversation into my hands.  

"…What do you mean by that?"  

Indeed, there was a faint trace of unhidden surprise in Priest Buchenie’s demeanor.  

And with his question, it became clear that I had gained the upper hand in our discussion.  

"Use me to keep the royal authority in check. I understand there must be royalists within the Order, so it won’t be easy. But I would like you to issue an official statement in support of my enlistment and service—nothing too provocative, just enough to be positive.  What do you think?"  

"…This is something that requires discussion. May we speak in more detail?"  

At his response, I flashed the brightest smile I could muster and nodded.