The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent

"So, how is Sylvia doing?"

At the Emperor's question, Lucas's face showed an expression of peculiar bewilderment.

It wasn't that there was anything wrong with the Emperor's question. Rather, it was the memories that question brought up about his non-blood-related sister that felt so odd. Frankly, it left him wondering if he might have misunderstood something.

"Ho."

Noticing Lucas's expression, the Emperor leaned in slightly, observing him with a look of intense curiosity.

"Did something interesting happen?"

"Rather than calling it interesting..."

Lucas furrowed his brow slightly as he gathered his thoughts and then began his report, slowly.

"I think I saw a more... human side of Sylvia."

"What are you talking about? My daughter has always been human, has she not?" The Emperor smiled as he replied to Lucas's muttering.

Always expressionless, her face looked as if not a drop of blood would spill even if pricked. Of course, one would have to wonder if they could even manage to prick her. Sylvia sometimes didn’t even seem human.

And that impression hadn’t changed even when he’d seen her training at the academy.

The mock battlefield, clearly designed to crush the spirits of the noble class, was, in reality, an unbalanced field heavily skewed to one side.

No matter how much they positioned the trenches facing each other, it was rare for the ground between them to be a literal open wasteland.

Even with machine guns and tanks, it would be impossible to fully prevent the enemy from advancing. After all, machine guns can only fire in one direction at a time, and no matter how many enemies are swarming in from all directions, one cannot eliminate them all with scattered gunfire alone.

So, they build barricades between the trenches, launch an onslaught of artillery and mortars overhead, and create craters of all sizes in no-man’s land. It creates pockets of cover that both advancing allies and advancing enemies can use.

The attackers are fewer in number than the defenders. Even though one side has mostly long-range weapons, the bright daylight makes them too visible, and there is almost no cover along the way.

It was an outrageously unfair battlefield.

...But Sylvia led her side to victory. She obscured the vision of both sides—even her own—yet took down one enemy after another, tearing through the defensive line with precision and covering her close-combat allies flawlessly, ensuring everyone’s survival.

It wasn’t entirely clear why she did it. To zigzag in the face of armed opponents is just to give them more chances to hit you. In such situations, the key is to run straight at full speed, to reach the enemy a second faster.

Could it have been just to prove her ability?

“No matter what, it’s rare to see Sylvia nodding off, don’t you think?”

“Ho.”

The Emperor raised one side of his mouth in a smirk.

“Do you think she was genuinely asleep?”

"...."

Lucas gave it some serious thought.

"...Perhaps not."

It wasn’t certain. That behavior had seemed too convincing to be an act.

However, thinking it over, Lucas couldn’t dismiss the possibility that Sylvia could easily pull off such a performance.

"Were there any unusual circumstances then, any reason for Sylvia to act that way?"

"...."

After a brief pause, Lucas answered shortly.

"There was a tail."

"A tail?"

"It was Count Crowfield’s daughter."

"Ho."

The Emperor’s face lit up with genuine amusement, his interest clearly evident as he continued speaking.

"Did Sylvia have any dealings with the Count's daughter?"

"Once, during training..."

"I remember. She mentioned striking up a conversation with her during training to secure cooperation. How did Crowfield take it?"

“Crowfield... seemed rather unwilling, but ultimately complied with the instructions.”

"I see."

The Emperor paused in thought before speaking again.

"Then Sylvia would have known she was being followed, wouldn’t she?"

"Likely, yes. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have gone out so early in the morning. It’s likely she wanted to expose that clumsy tail under the cover of solitude."

"I agree."

The capital's nights were bright, with streetlights constantly on, and the occasional patrol by the city guard. Especially around the academy, with carriages coming and going, one could consider the area relatively safe.

But that didn’t mean it was without danger. While the main streets might be safe at night, the alleyways remained perilous. Few people would be around to help, and the patrols weren’t frequent.

So, if someone believed they were being followed and wanted to expose the tail, going out late at night wouldn’t have been a bad idea.

"Then isn’t the answer clear?"

"...Do you mean she was luring an attack?"

"Precisely."

Seeing the Emperor’s nod, Lucas pondered it deeply. Sylvia had appeared so vulnerable then that, had it been him, he could have easily—

“—Ah.”

"Exactly. If even you thought she seemed vulnerable enough to strike, what do you think the enemy would have thought?"

"...Certainly."

To expose a threat, Sylvia would need to be in enough danger to be harmed or killed. Only then would someone dare to attempt an assassination on the Empire’s princess.

But Lady Crowfield, whether out of fear or caution, hadn’t made a move against Sylvia.

"Since Sylvia wasn’t attacked, what did she do afterward?"

"She took a carriage to a nearby area to complete a small task and then returned. She gave the payment, a Marmaros, to some friends she met early the next morning."

Sylvia, who arrived later with her friends, easily completed her task and handed over the Marmaros reward to her companions.

"Then, it seems fair to conclude that the task was meant to throw off the suspicions of her follower. One must have a reason to be out at such a time."

"But the observer didn’t entirely dismiss their doubts."

"That’s not our concern. Sylvia would have known you were tailing her too."

Lucas nodded at the Emperor’s remark.

It was an order, so he had kept his presence hidden, observing Sylvia from spots where an average person wouldn’t have noticed him. But Lucas didn’t believe for a second that Sylvia would be unaware. Even in those seemingly careless moments, if Lucas had swung his blade, Sylvia would have dodged it without issue.

"Then we should look into why Sylvia seems to be involving Lady Crowfield."

"...Isn’t it because she’s wary?"

"Perhaps."

The Emperor thought for a few seconds, then spoke slowly.

"Sylvia is emotional. Though she doesn’t show it openly, she has a clear sense of what she likes and dislikes. She’s already set her sights on Alice as the future ruler. That’s not a bad thing. I did consider Sylvia as an option, but if she remains loyal to Alice, either outcome would suit the Empire. In fact, it may even be preferable."

"Indeed, that is true."

A reluctant ruler wouldn’t be beneficial to the country. Perhaps having someone Sylvia respected as emperor would be better.

"So, who would most likely oppose Sylvia if she were to put her sister on the throne?"

"Well, naturally—"

The Emperor’s other children weren’t a concern. Those carefree individuals would probably flee at the mere suggestion of being given the throne, Lucas included.

Nor was there another sibling of Alice’s bloodline.

"Wouldn’t it be families with potential for rebellion?"

"Correct. That’s why I had Count Crowfield assassinated."

There were other names on the list of those to be purged, but the Emperor had not acted on them since. Sylvia's apparent disapproval had stopped him each time.

He hadn’t ceded control entirely to her, but when it came to such matters, letting Sylvia handle things directly was the best approach.

After all, she had alternative methods. And with Sylvia’s counsel, matters often unfolded exactly as she predicted.

As if she could see the future.

No, perhaps she truly could. It was so accurate that he sometimes wondered if she wasn’t returning from glimpses of the future.

Testing that theory was tempting, but too risky. For now, letting Lucas monitor her was enough.

"Do you think she sees potential in the young lady?"

"Potential for what?"

"For reformation," the Emperor said with a mischievous grin, as if he had thought of a particularly amusing joke.

"Not in the current Countess of Crowfield, but the young lady might lead the family as an ally to the throne. If she supports Alice as the future Empress, wouldn’t that be valuable?"

"Ah..."

That would explain Sylvia’s actions.

If Lady Crowfield had attacked Sylvia, she would have sealed her fate, likely meeting the same end as her father.

"That does make sense."

Lucas’s response made the Emperor shrug slightly.

"Well, it’s just our speculation. Sylvia is emotional yet so unfathomable that we can barely guess what’s going on in her mind."

The Emperor looked at Lucas thoughtfully. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"Which is why we continue observing her, trying to grasp her true intentions."

"Understood. However..."

Lucas looked at the Emperor, his expression unusually serious.

"And... what about the matter of the goddess?"

"We’re still investigating. The prophecy is vague. So far, we have no proof linking Sylvia to any deity."

"Is that so?"

"And what would you prefer?" The Emperor asked with a smile, as if he were speaking to his own son.

"Would you like it if Sylvia were a goddess?"

"Not really."

Lucas grimaced openly.

"She’s better off as just my sister, don’t you think? Swinging a blade at a goddess every chance I get—that’s a one-way ticket to hell, isn’t it?"

"Indeed. I couldn’t agree more." The Emperor chuckled, giving a playful shrug.

***

Anyway, isn

’t that prophecy book utterly worthless?

I dusted off my notebook, filled with my in-game knowledge, and considered my options.

The prophecy book doesn’t even mention me.

...If it’s based on the in-game prophecy, then it’s just useless firewood at this point, isn’t it?

"...."

Well, it doesn’t matter. The important thing now is whether Mia Crowfield will talk about me to others or keep her mouth shut.

I closed the notebook with a feeling of unease.