Chapter 61: The Princesses’ Struggle
In Belfast Castle, within the royal family’s exclusive drawing room, Cornelia’s business-like voice continued to resound.
“Rudolph, how did the recall of House Dora go?”
“Yes! The head of House Dora responded to our request immediately. However, only one other house accepted…”
“I see, less than twenty percent… After fifteen years, I suppose it can’t be helped, but…”
Few would readily agree if, after fifteen years, they were told to come and die for the country’s revival. Conversely, Cornelia was very grateful to those who did accept, but reality was cruel. She also felt frustrated that the disparity in military strength wasn’t closing at all.
“What should we do? Marquis, how is the Hunter recruitment progressing?”
“That too is not progressing favorably. Thanks to Prince Rui, we were able to significantly raise the quest fees, so the numbers have increased somewhat, but we’d likely be fortunate to gather an additional two hundred.”
Currently, they were running around everywhere striving to bolster their forces, but the total number of soldiers, which was nineteen hundred, had only increased to about twenty-one hundred. Moreover, one hundred of those were due to the Elixirs Rui used. While it sounds good to say they gathered a hundred in the short period of four days, these were mainly Hunters from Lestall who gathered because of the increased rewards. The Hunters of Belfast had already been conscripted. The current situation was that they couldn’t gather any more.
“It would be good if we could contract with some mercenary group…”
“That would likely be impossible. Mercenary groups gather information thoroughly. We are trying to contact them, but while they might side with the enemy, they probably wouldn’t join our side.”
“If you are making attempts, then that is good. Even if the results are harsh, miracles won’t happen unless we act.”
Then, she returned her gaze to Rudolph.
“How is Mary doing?”
“Yes! It seems the response from the southern region isn’t bad; a letter arrived stating we can expect some. However, it seems about a hundred will be the limit.”
“Is that so! That’s good. As long as we can turn things around, even a little. The more we increase our numbers, the easier it will become to gather more.”
Indeed, if their numbers swelled not to a point of certain defeat, but to where people thought, ‘With this many, we might at least be able to defend,’ it would make a significant difference in how easily they could gather more thereafter. If they could have reached a point where it could be said there was a possibility of success, they wouldn’t have faced so many refusals. Her target was not Hunters, but the former Belfast Army. They were strong—the soldiers reputed to be the most powerful in Belfast’s history. She believed that getting even one more of them to return was crucial to raising their odds of winning.
“Ah, if only Grandfather were here… I can’t come up with any more solutions on my own…”
Cornelia’s grandfather had supported Royce, who ascended the throne at a young age, but he had been killed in a war about two years before the country was surrendered. Marquis Arbane, who had served in the army with him at that time, bowed deeply to her.
“I apologize. I, who so disgracefully fell into a trap, have caused you such concern. You who survived and continued to resist are far more admirable than I…”
“Princess-sama… For your generous words, I am most grateful!”
Although he raised his face, the Marquis closed his eyes tightly, overcome with regret.
Just then, the door opened unannounced.
“I’m back! Ah, honestly!! They’re absolutely useless!! I never thought I’d be rejected by three of them!! Count families, worrying about their ‘livelihoods’ during a national crisis?!”
Yunon raised her voice as soon as she returned. However, at her outburst, everyone turned to her with surprised expressions.
“I know, I know! It was my bad. But I tried my best, and it was still no use!”
“That’s not it. You, how many places did you visit?”
“As planned, twelve in total, from knightly houses and so on. What, do you think I was slacking off!?”
At her words, cries of joy erupted, “Ooh!” At the unexpected reaction, Yunon gave them a dubious look, “Huh?”
“Eighty percent of the houses Rudolph visited refused, you know. Yunon, you did very well.”
“Indeed, the Princess-sama going herself must have made a significant difference!”
“Whaaaaat!? Which ones were they!! I’ll go give them a piece of my mind!”
Yunon was stopped by her older sister, told to wait, and made to sit down. They synchronized their information. Although they were making some progress, the situation wasn’t favorable. They discussed how it was currently necessary to make their numbers appear larger, prioritizing quantity over quality, but they lacked the means to do so.
“Ughhh… That’s right. Indeed. But if neither Lestall nor the Hunters are viable options, then we’re at a complete loss, aren’t we? No, if all we need to do is falsify the numbers…”
“Yunon, do you have a good idea!?”
Although she had an idea, Yunon pursed her lips, openly showing her displeasure as if hesitant to voice it.
“Have civilians disguise themselves as Hunters. After all, the state can issue as many Hunter IDs as we need…”
“That is…” Cornelia trailed off.
To give them Hunter IDs means to designate them as targets for slaughter. And not as actual combatants, but merely as a superficial show of force.
“I know it’s inhumane!!” Yunon exclaimed. “But we have no other choice but to recruit people from among the citizenry who are willing to fight with us!”
“In that case, let us gather all the relatives of the Belfast nobility,” Marquis Arbane proposed. “Our families are fated to be executed after the war if we lose. If we frame it as a measure to increase our chances of victory, the resistance should not be too severe.”
“But that is…”
Marquis Arbane, his eyes bloodshot yet filled with a powerful light, stared intently at the two princesses. Seeing the determination in his gaze, the eyes of both princesses began to well with tears.
“…Older Sister probably can’t bring herself to say something like this, so I will,” Yunon said. “Please, I implore you, Marquis Arbane.”
Tears streamed down her face as she bowed deeply, very deeply, to the Marquis.
“I understand,” the Marquis declared. “However, there is no need to be overcome with grief. We have Prince Rui with us! That young man is on a level far beyond what the word ‘prodigy’ can encompass. It is truly divine providence! I have not the slightest intention of losing!!!”
He raised his voice, his bloodshot red eyes glinting as he gave a fierce, broad grin. The two princesses, their tear ducts having burst, smiled through their tears and murmured, ”
To Cornelia, who wore the expression of a maiden in love, the Princess declared, “I have a complaint, you know. I want to be with him more.”
“If that’s the case, then so do I! Ah, I wonder what Rui-sama is doing right now…”
The Princess’s attendant knelt before Cornelia and requested permission to speak.
Cornelia nodded, and Chinatsu, allowing a slight smile to grace her lips, began to speak.
“As for Prince Rui, I hear he’s currently developing Magic Tools with Count Stahl! There’s a report from the Count’s attendant that even at this stage, something incredible is being made!”
“Oh my! Already, is it!?”
“Fufu, as expected of him… He’s my hero for a reason, you know.”
“He is not yours!”
“Oh no, I’ll make him mine. I won’t yield on this, you know.”
The princesses argued, as if to say that what Rudolph had said was of no consequence.
The Marquis, who was listening beside them to the report from the Princess’s attendant, also let his cheeks soften. “I must certainly go and ask Count Stahl about this,” he remarked.
In their shadow, Rudolph wore a troubled expression.