The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent

Indeed, the Emperor of this world had no need to choose a different path.

Claire, while competent, didn’t act as though she knew the future in its entirety. Nor did she unconditionally push Alice as the next Emperor. Sure, she believed it was inevitable, but merely believing something and actively working to make it happen were two different things.

In other words, there was no "divine avatar descended from the heavens to monitor every move" next to the current Emperor.

I had certainly inserted myself into the Emperor’s life, boldly claiming to be his daughter and knowing far more than I should.

But even so, I wasn’t enough of a threat for the Emperor to treat me with extreme caution. Without the Masked Woman in this world, I wasn’t the same unhinged time-rewinder as before.

To the Emperor, I was simply a suspicious figure who seemed to possess an unusual amount of information—someone to be wary of, but not someone who could derail years of preparation for war.

The Emperor, though more cautious in this timeline, was still preparing for war. Troops were being stationed closer to the borders than in the previous timeline, and ships were being constructed with fervor.

War in this world was inevitable.

And when war broke out between Belvur and the Empire, Crowfield would be one of the first places to suffer.

“If war breaks out, this estate will undoubtedly be one of the most vulnerable,” I said.

No matter how persuasive I sounded, the Earl was still a noble who had spent his entire life entrenched in politics.

As an earl, he likely had his own faction and a network of subordinates. He must have been gathering intelligence of his own, possibly even noticing the Emperor’s suspicious movements.

Despite his indulgence in drugs and debauchery, his judgment hadn’t completely deteriorated—if it had, he wouldn’t have been able to maintain his estate.

“But does that give me a reason to side with an enemy nation?” the Earl said, his tone sharp. “No matter how different my political views may be, I have no intention of encouraging division within my country in the face of an external threat.”

An admirable sentiment—though the Emperor likely wouldn’t care. He had been more than willing to purge dissenters, removing royals and dukes from power.

With twelve ducal families in the Empire, reducing their numbers by a few wouldn’t seem like a loss to him.

If the Emperor sought to rule the world through sheer force, he couldn’t afford such recklessness. Even if he unified the world by strength, the resentment of those who lost their loved ones would linger. Rebellions would inevitably rise in occupied territories.

But the Emperor’s ultimate goal wasn’t mere conquest.

It was to usurp the goddess’s power.

To ascend to divinity. Once that was achieved, all the chaos he’d sown would be erased in a single stroke.

Still, it wasn’t something I could explain to the Earl.

“War will leave deep scars on the Empire and the world,” I said. “This estate will be dragged into the conflict, and the damage to you and your holdings will be substantial.”

The Earl remained silent, his expression tense as he listened.

“I’m not suggesting you oppose the Emperor’s forces directly. That would be foolish—standing against an army capable of crushing foreign militaries unilaterally is suicide. However...”

I let the silence linger for a moment before continuing.

“What happens after the Empire wins? After the Emperor’s forces dominate every battlefield and his dreadnought-class airships remain in his hands?”

The dreadnought was fearsome not because it was invincible, but because its weaknesses were obscure. Through my investigations, I’d discovered it had multiple vulnerabilities—mechanical components that, if damaged, could render the ship inoperable.

But those weaknesses couldn’t be exploited from the outside.

In World War I, battleships were terrifying because it was believed that only another battleship could counter one. It wasn’t until aircraft carriers, capable of deploying swarms of planes, came into prominence that battleships became obsolete. Until then, the only “efficient” way to deal with a battleship was to build one of equal caliber.

The role of battleships in that era was analogous to modern intercontinental ballistic missiles. Their construction was so significant that treaties were established to limit their proliferation, with nations employing every possible loophole to circumvent those restrictions.

The same principle applied here. The dreadnought was a game-changer, and its presence alone could dictate the outcome of wars. And I was one of the few who knew how to dismantle it.

The Earl’s expression remained stoic, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of intrigue. He might not have trusted me, but the seeds of doubt about the Emperor’s ultimate intentions were taking root.

I just needed to nurture them carefully.

In this world, only the Empire possesses the capability to produce aircraft. Although they export a limited number overseas, all such exports would cease the moment war breaks out.

Building naval artillery, let alone a dreadnought, is an extraordinarily complex endeavor. While the dreadnought sacrifices some defensive capabilities to remain airborne, no anti-aircraft weaponry in this world is powerful enough to bring it down. Their range and firepower are insufficient.

In short, while the Empire would sustain heavy losses in the war, the mere presence of a dreadnought in the Emperor’s hands post-war would serve as a significant deterrent.

“If absolute imperial authority falters, your position after the war could greatly improve, Earl. I’m not suggesting outright betrayal—just... a balancing of power,” I said.

Belvur would lose the war. Crowfield, though damaged, would be under the Empire’s protection as imperial territory. If the Emperor’s post-war losses were minimal, his authority would remain unshaken.

“And when I say I know the dreadnought’s weaknesses, I mean I know its internal structure as well.”

I didn’t explicitly claim to remember the blueprints—I wasn’t capable of memorizing something so intricate. But even that subtle implication was enough to change the Earl’s perspective on me.

“Is that insufficient reason to consider my information?”

Even if he didn’t believe me, I could always pass the intel to Charlotte. Granted, sabotaging the ship would require someone on the inside, which made the Earl far more capable of executing the plan than anyone else.

“And why would someone of the Grace family bring this information to me?” the Earl asked.

What should I say?

There was the option of seduction.

But would it really work? A man like the Earl must have encountered countless women who tried to climb the social ladder by using their charms, even without offering high-value information.

So, a different approach might be better.

“You’re aware of my nickname, so you must also know that I’ve built many connections since I was young,” I said slowly. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

“I merely wish to build relationships with those who show potential and maintain those connections over time.”

It was vague, but intentionally so—very much in line with noble rhetoric.

“Hmm.”

The Earl seemed to accept it well—or... wait, what?

The Earl, who had been keeping a cautious distance, suddenly took several steps closer, his expression shifting.

“I see,” he said.

Wait, hold on.

Did he misunderstand me?

“Are you saying you’re looking for someone worthy of claiming you?”

“....”

That’s not what I meant at all.

It seemed this man had taken my every word as a veiled attempt at seduction, even though I hadn’t made any such move.

“To claim something of great value, competition is inevitable. I understand.”

No, no, that’s not it.

And for the record, while Sylvia’s body and appearance might be beautiful, they weren’t so extraordinary that someone would risk everything for them.

...Or were they?

Or maybe this man’s judgment was just that impaired?

“By now, the two princesses should be dealing with the ‘criminals’ on this estate,” I said, trying to steer the conversation back on track.

“Is that why you came? To tell me about that as well?”

The Earl didn’t seem to take the bait, merely responding as if it were a continuation of the earlier discussion.

Thankfully, he hadn’t laid a hand on me. If he had, he would’ve either been shot or faced the consequences of me ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) rewinding time.

“I see. If there’s competition, then it’s best not to tarnish the prize. A flower should remain intact to retain its full fragrance when claimed,” he said with a smile.

“....”

Uh. Okay. Sure. Let’s just leave it at that.