Subaru wandered through the dark pavilion, searching for Priscilla. Although several people looked at him oddly, no one questioned him or attempted to stop him.
As he passed one of the impromptu rooms in the pavilion, he heard voices. "-And having secured the loyalty of Colonel Drake and launched a surprise offensive against General Piet-"
Subaru stopped and slightly pulled the curtain aside to peer into the room.
Inside, he found Priscilla, who stood surrounded by gray-haired men in uniform. Priscilla and the officers crowded around a large table that had an enormous map overflowing its surface. One of the Generals pointed to a spot on the map, "-Octavian's forces are now fighting to gain control of the Gorut province."
"And the garrison there is virtually nonexistent," Priscilla said in a chill voice.
"I'm afraid so, Princess," The officer apologized. "We weren't expecting any trouble in that district. We thought it was too far away from the Jungles for Octavian to easily threaten it."
"Except now that the Emperor is dying," A man that Subaru recognized as General Canae said with a sneer. "All the senior officers in the Empire are preparing for the new regime and making overtures to Octavian. Meanwhile, we sit here with a runaway princess, playing war games."
The echo from his words hadn 't even faded before Priscilla had a sword at his throat. She'd summoned the crimson weapon out of nowhere, and its blade appeared to be wreathed in flames.
"General Viers," Priscilla asked the other general in a clipped tone. "I believe that such language qualifies as 'gross insubordination' under the Vollachia Code of Military Justice. What is the penalty for such an offense?"
"Death," General Viers said mildly.
"I rather thought that it might be," Priscilla whispered, her eyes boring into the now trembling general who fought to back away from the sword's searing flames, but Priscilla gave him no room to maneuver. "Now, General Canae, tell me: Do you wish to continue your career serving the Vollachian throne, or shall I inform Colonel Ozzel that he has been granted an unexpected promotion?"
Canae swallowed hard. For a moment, pride and rage wrestled with fear and self-preservation in his eyes. Finally, he said: "Please forgive my foolish words, Princess," He muttered reluctantly. "These times have made us all a bit stressed. The Emperor knows that my loyalty to the crown is absolute."
Priscilla continued to hold her flaming sword at his throat. She glared at the towering man who openly glared back at her, but ultimately, Priscilla dismissed her sword back to the ether.
"We need more men in Gorut," Priscilla declared, once again bending over the map, dismissing Canae from consideration with the same casual efficiency that she had banished her sword. "Where can we find them?"
"Our manpower is becoming very strained, Princess," Viers admitted.
Priscilla pointed at the map. "Garkla is only a day's march from Gorut. How many men do we have there?"
"Several thousand," Viers admitted. "But weakening the garrison there is just inviting Lagunica to take advantage of the chaos-"
"That is not a realistic concern," Priscilla said flatly. "The Dragon Kingdom has bigger problems right now than to worry about us."
"But what's worse," Viers continued, "Is that due to Octavian's cowardly war in the shadows and his shameless reward of treachery in battle, we're not certain which men we can trust at this point. We might send a full legion to Gorut only to have it suddenly switch sides in battle."
"Should we be discussing this right now?" Canae asked pointedly, glaring at Subaru, who stood in the doorway. "We seem to have an uninvited audience."
Priscilla looked up and met Subaru 's gaze, her expression inscrutable. "That's enough for now," She said flatly. "We'll reconvene in three hours. At that time, I want suggestions for how we can reinforce Gorut."
"Princess," Viers said diffidently. "It's already very late. There may not be a way to send reinforcements to the province on such short notice. Perhaps we should focus on-"
"From Gorut, Octavian has a perfect staging ground to assault Garkla, Gairahal, and Rupgana," She grated. "He's eating the Empire one bite at a time. I will not give up Gorut this easily! Three hours, gentlemen. I want ideas. Dismissed!"
The generals obediently filed out of the tent. Several glanced at Subaru as they passed, their expressions ranging from curious to hostile.
In moments, Subaru and Priscilla were left alone.
Priscilla hovered over the map, her expression grim. "Subaru Natsuki," She said finally. "How did you find my brother?" She murmured.
"He seemed very nice," Subaru lied politely.
Priscilla snorted a laugh. "Did he? He must have liked you more than I expected."
Subaru walked over to stand on the other side of the table, and he studied the map. The map was by far the most elaborate that Subaru had ever seen. It depicted the entirety of Vollachia and the southern expanses of Lagunica and Kararagi. Altitude and terrain type were clearly delineated on the map, and small figurines in red and green stood indicated forces. The jungle occupying the center was much more poorly described, and a large group of green figurines stood within its borders.
"I assume that the Vollachian forces are red?" Subaru asked mildly.
Priscilla sniffed and gave an abrupt nod.
"It seems like at least the numbers are in your favor," He said.
"So it would seem," Priscilla said in a grim voice. "But Octavian is not waging a sensible war. He is not meeting our forces in battle. He bribes, tricks, and blackmails their officers into serving his will and committing acts of sabotage and treachery. Not to mention, we have to deal with the undead legions."
Subaru gave Priscilla a strange look. "Rewarding that kind of treacherous behavior will make it difficult for him to have a stable reign, even if he does win. "
"Exactly!" Priscilla hissed, looking at the map with loathing. "I can't imagine what Octavian is thinking! If this goes much further, Octavian will win his throne only to endure rebellion after rebellion! This was common practice during the early days of the Empire until all the leaders of Vollachia mutually agreed to stop rewarding such behavior in the interests of stability. Thus far, outside of the Westfold, the public is firmly against Octavian and his methods, but he keeps winning with these cowardly tactics. Nothing impresses the Vollachian people more than victory. Even if we ultimately triumph on the battlefield, if Octavian succeeds in changing the rules of war in the south, we will be fighting for generations to put this genie back in the bottle."
She shook her head. "No. Octavian must fail. He must fail, and he must be destroyed. There is no other choice. He must be defeated not for the sake of my family but for the sake of the Empire itself."
Priscilla glanced at Subaru. "And for the sake of the other nations as well," She added in a more composed tone. "This type of chaos can not be contained. Left unchecked, it will engulf the entire continent."
Priscilla scowled at the map. "And our generals refuse to see this. Their counsel is always to dig in and wait while Octavian consolidates his gains!"
Subaru studied the map. A strange, unfamiliar surge of excitement bubbled up inside of him as he contemplated this game of armies and rulers.
"There are advantages to falling back," Subaru said, barely aware of what he was saying. "You shorten your supply lines while forcing your enemy to lengthen theirs. Smaller, well-known territories are much easier to defend with fortifications and ambushes. These provinces in the Eastlands," Subaru pointed on the map to the region between the Gandahar Jungle and the Crystal Palace, "Are densely populated and full of fortified points. No matter which targets Octavian tries to attack, there will be several armies nearby to come to the rescue and break the siege. If Octavian continues his push toward the Crystal Palace, you can make the march very expensive for him."
Subaru blinked. Wait. What the hell did I just say?
Priscilla gave him a strange look. "Hm. My brother always told me that in war, amateurs discuss tactics, but professionals focus on logistics,'" She murmured in surprise. "I wasn't aware that you had a military background, Subaru Natsuki. Were you ever formally trained?"
Subaru hesitated. "No," He said awkwardly. "I guess I sort of just… picked it up as I went along."
Priscilla returned her attention to the map. "A savant," She murmured. "That would be a real stroke of luck. I don't suppose that you have any suggestions for our situation in Gorut?"
Subaru studied the map for a moment.
All I know about war and tactics is what I learned from playing video games. I hope that I 'm not about to say something stupid.
"Well, first of all, it looks like the city here is a natural choke-point," he offered, pointing to a castle on the map that occupied a mountainous pass between the northern jungle and the eastern region.
"Yes. Morenth was built centuries ago just for that purpose," Priscilla muttered. "It was intended to keep some up-jumped traitor from the outer provinces from being able to penetrate into the eastern heartlands."
"How well fortified is it?"
"It's just like all Vollachian strongholds. The walls are seventy feet high and thirty feet thick," She said distractedly, pacing off distances between Garkla and Morenth with her fingers.
Subaru stared at Priscilla for a moment. Those are some seriously impressive fortifications!
"So… Morenth could stand if you had enough men there," Subaru observed.
"Which is precisely the problem, I don't," Priscilla snapped. Her body swayed for a moment as if she was feeling lightheaded or just completely exhausted. She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes, pulling herself together.
Subaru swallowed hard, trying not to let any concern show on his face.
Priscilla looks exhausted. She 's probably been running on short sleep ever since she came back to the Empire.
Not to mention the prospect of suddenly becoming an only child …
He flailed to find something helpful to say regarding the map, and unfamiliar words seemed to just flow out of him, "But as you said, there are whole armies in Garkla just waiting to march," Subaru reminded her. "They could reinforce Morenth before Octavian 's forces arrive. According to this map, Morenth is a natural trap. Octavian's armies will reach Morenth, but if you can reinforce it, they won't be able to take the city. And if they try to withdraw, your forces can charge out to engage them while their army is in disarray," He said with growing excitement. "And this river here, " He pointed at a river that wound past Morenth, leading into the Jungle. "If Octavian's forces try to retreat toward the jungle, your forces can raft down the river to harass the retreating column and set up ambushes ahead of them. They'd never make it back to the jungle alive! "
What the hell am I talking about?!
Priscilla gave Subaru a strange look. "Your analysis is extremely on point," She complimented him. "Although, I fear that I am less optimistic. Even with all the advantages you describe, engaging in direct combat with the Undying would be perilous. The wyverns are all but useless against them, and without wyvern support, our legions are crippled."
"Wait. Why are the wyverns useless?" Subaru asked.
Priscilla sighed. "Sphinx has concocted some manner of deviltry to use against us. Smoke bombs launched by catapult. They cover the sky with a foul odor that seems to send the wyverns mad with pain. Even when we evade the smoke bombs, our own bombing runs are largely ineffective against the Undying."
"Um. Why aren't your bombing runs effective?"
Priscilla looked at him impatiently. "Because they are dead , Subaru Natsuki. They have no flesh to tear or blood to spill. Shrapnel is virtually useless against them. "
"Yeah. That makes sense. So… why are you using shrapnel?"
Priscilla paused. "I don't follow."
Subaru folded his arms across his chest. "Priscilla, everything that you just said is absolutely correct. Shrapnel bombs are close to useless against the undead. That doesn't mean that bombs are useless against them. Think. What are the undead afraid of? "
Priscilla frowned. "If you're about to say 'prayers,' I-" She said in a warning tone.
"Fire," Subaru cut her off. "The undead are afraid of fire. Your bombs throw shrapnel because shrapnel is incredibly effective against humans while fire really isn't. You'd need a ton of really hot fire to kill a human being. A person can get serious burns over their entire body and still survive.
"Now, you're right about shrapnel. Shrapnel is close to useless against the Undying. But the undead are just dried-up corpses and bones. They won't just char in a fire. They'll actually ignite. They'll burn like torches! And they'll spread the fire to others in their ranks. So make some new bombs. Instead of shrapnel, make bombs that throw pitch and Fire Crystals everywhere. The Fire Crystals will stick to the pitch, and entire regiments of the dead will go up in smoke."
Priscilla stared at him. "That's genius," She whispered, sounding surprised.
"And the spears your men use are terrible against these kinds of enemies," Subaru rambled on, barely aware that he was speaking out loud. "Piercing weapons like spears kill by trying to strike deep and hitting a vulnerable spot. Well, that doesn't work against the undead. They don't have organs to stab. Take away your men's spears and tell them to fight with blunt weapons: hammers, maces… hell, even smacking the undead with shields would be more effective than using a spear point. Those old bones have got to be brittle. They won't stand up to much blunt force trauma without breaking."
Priscilla frowned, considering his words, and then her eyes widened. "You're right! We've been using completely the wrong weapons against these foes! I'll correct this oversight immediately. But unfortunately, as far as Morenth is concerned, it doesn't solve the underlying problem. We need more men there. And sending more forces to Morenth invites the possibility of some of those units being traitors and further weakening our chances at holding the city. "
Subaru frowned and thought for a moment. "Maybe not," He said thoughtfully. "Do you need more officers ? "
Priscilla raised an eyebrow. "Are you volunteering?"
Subaru chuckled. "No. What I'm saying is that nobody bribes an entire unit. It's too expensive, and it increases the risk of accidentally bribing an honest man who will turn in all the conspirators."
Priscilla sighed, looking exhausted. "The way things are going these days, I think you might be looking for a long time in the Empire before you could find an honest man," She remarked bitterly.
Subaru gave her a sympathetic look. "My point is that Octavian's plan would be to bribe the officer in charge of a given unit and trust him to give out treacherous orders at the right time before the men under his command know what's going on and realize that they're being used."
"So?"
"So, break up some units," Subaru said with exaggerated patience. "If you're worried that the units in Garkla are compromised, then break them up! Take the men from those units and add them to the existing units under officers you think you can trust. Add twenty here and a hundred there. Create reinforced platoons and larger battalions. That way, even if some of the men you're moving are traitors, they won't be able to coordinate their efforts effectively. And if they do try anything, the loyal men in those units will see it and stop them. The traitors will either be killed or captured, and you can squeeze more names out of them."
Priscilla drummed her long fingernails on the map. "That… is actually rather brilliant," Priscilla said with a new tone of respect in her voice. She studied Garkla carefully. "We have thousands of men stationed in this fortress city. We send the orders to reform their structure and then march south to Morenth."
"I wouldn't do it that way," Subaru corrected.
Priscilla gave him a sharp look. Her face hardened in a displeased cast.
Subaru shrugged and gave her a half smile. "I'm just saying it's strategically unwise to give away your plan before you have to," He apologized. "Order the units to march south as-is. Octavian will certainly hear about it. If he does have treacherous units in his employ, he 'll be overjoyed. He'll think that you're playing right into his hands. Then , when the men arrive at Morenth, you can order their units broken up. Once they 're in Morenth, they'll have no opportunity to warn Octavian that the situation has changed. He'll march up to the city expecting the men he subverted to create an opportunity for him, and it just won't happen. His forces will be trapped there, unable to retreat and forced to fight a siege at a sizable disadvantage."
Priscilla gave a surprisingly wolfish grin. "Genius!"
Subaru studied the map for a moment. "Maybe we can make this work even better. Do you know anyone in Garkla or that general area who you're certain is in Octavian 's pay?"
Priscilla glanced around to ensure they weren 't being overheard despite the room being empty. She lowered her voice. "Yes," She said. "General Casca is a known traitor. We discovered the evidence just tonight, but we haven't had a chance to take action yet. The order for his arrest and execution will go out with tomorrow's missives."
"I have a better idea," Subaru smirked. "Order Casca to lead the column to Morenth."
Priscilla started to grin. "He'll report to his master that he's now in the perfect position to deliver Morenth to him."
"And he'll be sure to bring all the officers he can trust to support his treachery with him," Subaru added. "As soon as they arrive in Morenth, you can arrest all the officers until you can sort the innocent from the guilty, and their men will be integrated into other units. Octavian will have to send the bulk of his forces to Morenth. After all, this is a golden opportunity for him, the stepping throne to him seizing the Crystal Palace, and he won't want to miss it. But once they all arrive at Morenth, there is no way that they can leave. You'll hold the bulk of his army captive and completely shut down his war machine. Then it'll be your turn to go on the offensive for a change and retake some of the captured territories!"
Priscilla looked at Subaru, and her eyes glittered. "That is a brilliant strategy!" She cried out. "Truly masterful! You must have been a Vollachian general in a prior life."
Subaru shrugged. "I don't know about that," He said deprecatingly.
Priscilla beamed as she walked to the room 's entrance and pulled aside the drape. "You," She imperiously commanded a passing functionary in plain brown clothes. "Wine. Arcian Red. Now."
The man seemed startled at being roped into this assignment. "Yes, Princess!" The man immediately snapped a salute, but Priscilla had already turned away and let the drape fall back.
"For the first time in weeks, I feel hope welling up inside of me again," Priscilla said with a weary smile, returning to the table. "This is a brilliant tactic, but you are correct. It will only force a stalemate. It will not win a war by itself. We must be prepared to take action immediately afterward to consolidate our gains." She considered the map gravely for a moment. "If we send men here and take back the Urgit province," She pointed, "Then Octavian's troops in Gorut would be cut off from his stronghold. And from that position, we could waylay any reinforcements coming to their aid."
"Maybe," Subaru studied the map. "Something is weird about all this. Octavian… He isn't fighting this war like a normal general. He's focusing on disrupting chains of command and subversion. He's acting more like a spymaster or a terrorist. What is this guy's background?"
Priscilla sniffed. "Octavian is the bastard-born and unacknowledged son of our eldest brother. His claim to the Vollachias name is a stain on the family. If he even is the child of our late brother and not simply a pretender. "
Subaru scratched his chin. "So, no tactical training?"
"We don't know," Priscilla admitted. "We believed that Octavian was dead until he resurfaced a few months ago. There's no way to know where he may have been or what he might have done in the past decade." She shook her head in disgust. "Another reason that knave must never gain the throne. Can you imagine? A spymaster sitting on the Imperial throne?"
Subaru cocked his head. "That's a bad thing?"
Priscilla gave him a steady look. "We do not elevate spies and assassins as part of the government. This is the Empire, Subaru Natsuki. Not Gusteko."
Subaru carefully hid a smile. "I see. For all we know, maybe Octavian isn't even the one calling the shots. It feels like maybe Sphinx is really the one in charge. I've never met the woman, but given what I know of her, this feels like the kind of campaign she'd devise."
"If Octavian is Sphinx's pawn, then he has done even more to disgrace the family name than I suspected," Priscilla said ominously, "Justice will be swift."
The functionary darted in, carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses. He differentially placed them on the table and walked out, bowing the whole way.
Priscilla stared at Subaru expectantly.
Subaru frowned. "What?" He asked, feeling put on the spot.
Priscilla started to smile. "Some days, I forget that you're so new to this world, Subaru Natsuki," She murmured, taking the corkscrew and opening the bottle with practiced skill.
Subaru flushed. "Oh. Sorry."
"Not at all," Priscilla said, calmly pouring the wine into two glasses. "In fact, it's refreshing. Ever since returning to the Empire, it seems a daily necessity for me to remind everyone that my gender doesn't render me a complete invalid, inadequate for any activity beyond the producing of sons."
Priscilla gestured to a glass, and Subaru took it.
"That does sound very stupid," Subaru agreed. "Any regrets about coming back here?" He sniffed the wine. It had a rich, fruity aroma.
Priscilla didn 't answer right away. She stared into the dark crimson wine in her glass.
"My brother needed me. All other concerns were secondary," Priscilla murmured. She glanced up at Subaru. "This war is not the end. It's just the beginning. With all the chaos spreading across the continent, one might almost believe that it was the work of some dark mastermind seeking to spread discontent and revolution throughout the world."
Subaru raised an eyebrow. "I don't think that I'm that pessimistic yet. "
Priscilla sighed. "Regardless, it's clear that worse danger is on the horizon."
"Maybe. But if all this is only the beginning, I'm not sure I want to see what comes next."
Priscilla sniffed. "Our choices are either to stand tall, rally what forces we may, face the future and conquer it, or to hide in the dark like small children and live in fear of the day when it overtakes us. Needless to say, I choose the former. And I hope that you will assist me. "
Subaru sighed. "Emilia and I were hoping to disappear after all this was over," He murmured, almost to himself. "…Find someplace quiet and out of the way where no one would find us and just… raise our family."
Priscilla gave him a strange look. "You don't really believe that, do you? "
Subaru bristled. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Subaru Natsuki," She said incredulously. "Did you truly believe for a single solitary moment that the world would simply forget about you? Ignore you? You have reshaped the face of the continent in a matter of months! To the rulers of the four nations, you are an enduring threat to their regime, and they will not accept your 'solemn promise' that you will keep your nose out of their business in the future. I would also remind you that three nations already consider you a wanted criminal."
"Wait. Three?"
Priscilla nodded and sipped her wine. "Kararagi has already declared you a thief and rebel for stealing all those slaves."
Subaru made a face. "Well. That's probably better than 'witch.'"
"Not very much, actually," Priscilla remarked. "Kararagi does not currently recognize a charge of 'witchcraft.' 'Rebel' and 'traitor' are the most egregious charges that they can indict on."
"Of course they are," Subaru sighed.
Priscilla stared into her glass and gently swirled it. "I'd like to remind you that, as of right now, Vollachia is the only nation in the world that has not marked you for death. It is possible that you might be able to redeem your name with one of the other nations if you swore your eternal loyalty to them. After all, a powerful asset is always counted more carefully than a former threat. But regardless, at the moment, Vollachia is your only safe haven. I 'd suggest that you make your decisions carefully in order to maintain that situation."
Subaru 's eyes darkened. "Is that a threat?"
Priscilla looked completely unperturbed. "No. Not the one you think it is anyway," She said, sipping her wine. "My point is that you have currently expressed loyalty to none of the four nations. That means that as far as politicians are concerned, you remain a threat to all of them. I doubt that you 'd relish bringing a new spirit of cooperation to the continent, specifically if it came in the form of a unified effort to hunt you down and kill you at any cost."
Subaru digested that. "And what do you suggest?"
"You need to start making friends," Priscilla said.
Subaru looked offended. "I have friends! And they 're not with me purely out of political calculation!"
"Yes, yes," Priscilla said with a yawn. "I've met them. The clever slum girl and the big demi-human with rocks in his biceps and rocks in his head. How charming."
"Don't push it, Priscilla," Subaru said, his voice like ice.
Priscilla glared at him, and the pair locked eyes.
Priscilla didn 't back down. "My point , " She said in a frigid tone, "Or at least the point that I was trying to make before you started flexing your muscles is that you have no resources and no base of support. Even if we include the Sword Saint in your list of allies, you find yourself lacking anyone with actual political capital to assist you in any matter of substance. At the end of the day, you need to live inside one of the four nations. You 'll never remain anonymous for long, and having a good relationship with the rulers of your nation is generally preferable to having a bad one. "
Subaru mulled that over.
Priscilla sipped her wine. "Regardless, my advice to you remains the same: Choose a side and do so quickly. Otherwise, I fear you run the risk of being left with no allies at all."
Priscilla pursed her lips and steeled herself. She took a deep breath and downed her wine in a single gulp.
Subaru raised an eyebrow at Priscilla 's drinking. They hadn't spent much time together but had attended several of the same functions. Usually, he'd known Priscilla to drink her wine with dainty sips, not chug it.
Priscilla drew herself up and squared her shoulders as if preparing for battle. "This is… not the way that I had planned this," She admitted.
Subaru made a face. "I… guess we've finished beating around the bush then?"
"I never had much patience for pretense," Priscilla admitted, "Although right now…"
"Can I ask? Was this your idea or Vincent's?"
Priscilla considered the question gravely. "That's a…. slightly complicated question. When I first arrived in Vollachia, I was overjoyed to reunite with my brother after all these years. I told him all that I had accomplished and my plans to seize the throne of Lagunica with your assistance. It only made sense for a Vollachias to be chosen as queen of the northern nation.
"But then Vincent explained his situation to me. He was dying and had only weeks remaining at best. I was his only heir and soon to be the first reigning Empress in our history. Vincent reminded me of our nation's… peculiarities and convinced me that I had no hope of holding the throne without a husband at my side. And since I had already chosen a suitable partner…" She trailed off.
Subaru squinted at her. "Wait. He 'convinced' you that you couldn't hold the throne? What the hell happened to the Priscilla who thought that her luck was invincible and that failure for her was an impossibility?"
Priscilla sighed. She looked utterly exhausted. "She spent the past few weeks watching her brother slowly die from a coward's attack. She felt the eternal Empire crumbling beneath her feet. She endured day after day of Generals and Ministers trying to convince her to get out of the war room and focus on more suitable tasks such as finding a husband."
Subaru looked at her sympathetically. "Priscilla. Do you really want to do this? "
Priscilla sighed. "It hardly matters now. We have no choice, neither of us. Our engagement will be announced within hours."
Subaru blinked. "Wait a second… Did Vincent insist on the engagement being announced before I left to stop me from backing out or to stop you from backing out? "
Priscilla hesitated.
Subaru shook his head and slapped his forehead. "Wow! This guy is a real piece of work! "
"Subaru, that's my brother that you're speaking of," She said sternly.
"Come on, Priscilla!" Subaru demanded. "You wouldn't stand for this kind of crap from anybody else! He's forcing you to do this because he doesn't believe that you can hold the throne by yourself. If I had suggested this arrangement, you would have hit the ceiling! So why are you just going along with this?"
"And how would you suggest I stop it?" Priscilla asked bitterly.
"You're about to be Empress!"
"And our engagement will be announced while my brother is still Emperor," Priscilla snapped.
"So we break it later!"
"And leave me publicly humiliated and unable to muster even a shadow of support," She said grimly.
Subaru gave her a hard look. "Priscilla, do you want to be Empress? "
"Spare me the rhetoric."
"I'm serious. Are you going to be Empress, or are you just keeping your brother's seat warm for him?"
Priscilla looked outraged. "You go too far, you-"
"Power doesn't split two ways," Subaru said flatly. "Someone is going to be ruling the Empire. The only question is whether it will be an Empress or a ghost."
"I don't have the power yet," Priscilla hissed.
"I know that. But what will you do once you have it? What is your 'vision' for Vollachia?"
Priscilla studied him gravely for a moment and then began to pace. "The Empire needs to reform," She said at once.
"Meaning?"
"Meaning that we do a lot of profoundly stupid things in the Empire," Priscilla said flatly. "We have more farmland than any other kingdom, but the majority of our people suffer from food scarcity. Women are forbidden by both law and custom to engage in any form of productive activity except for the kholops and the very poorest plebeians. And that is simply a concession to desperation!
"Almost 90% of our economy is geared toward the military. Is that because we are preparing for a war of global conquest? No. We're preparing to attack ourselves! Even when the civil war ends, Vollachia will remain at war with itself, with different factions attacking one another for the most foolish of reasons. Vollachia wastes enormous resources every year in a desperate attempt to conquer itself! And all of this due to some farcical belief that waging war against our own people for the most puerile of reasons somehow makes us stronger!"
"And you want to change all this?"
"Of course I do!" Priscilla snorted. "The Empire can not be allowed to devolve into a backwater while the rest of the world leaves us behind!"
"Then I have good news for you, Priscilla. The Patricians are all going to hate you," Subaru said in a friendly voice.
Priscilla glowered at him. "And why is that good news? " She asked in a warning tone.
"Because it means you don't need to waste time placating them."
Priscilla frowned.
"If those are really going to be your policies as Empress, then I can assure you that no matter how closely you try to be a model of 'traditional Vollachian womanhood,' the Patricians will still want to burn you at a stake. So, if you can't win them over, write them off. People need an enemy. It's a truism that I've found on multiple worlds. So if the Patricians want to be your avowed enemy, get up in front of the people, call out the Patricians for their greed and excesses, and say, 'They're to blame for all of this! I'm trying to make things better, but they won't let me! Help me rein in the Patricians, and I'll raise the standard of living for kholops and Plebeians across the Empire.'"
Priscilla stared at Subaru in shock.
Subaru shrugged. "Find support in places where the Patricians don't expect, and you can bring them to heel."
"You're talking about starting a new civil war as soon as we finish this one," Priscilla said in an icy voice.
"You just said that Vollachia always attacks itself!"
"Not like this!" Priscilla snapped. "If I did what you're suggesting, the Patricians and their armies would join Octavian en masse. They'd march on the Crystal Palace without any meaningful resistance. Even if we waited until Octavian was dead and the war was over, they would just find a new figurehead."
"But if you can get the lower classes behind you-"
"Your plan is optimistic to the point of delusional, Subaru Natsuki," Priscilla said shortly.
"No, listen. We-"
"No. You listen," Priscilla hissed. "I know exactly how little you want to go through with this engagement! I don't care for the situation either! But this is not Lagunica, where you so easily sowed the seeds of revolution. This is the Empire! And you can't change the political reality simply by wishing it away!
"First of all, the Patricians hold all of the power in the Empire. They control the military, they control the Senate, they control the economy. Even if, by some miracle, we did convince the Plebeians and kholops to unite and support me, all that they could do would be to arrange a general strike. And a strike would hurt the Plebeians and kholops much more than the Patricians who have the resources to endure the shutdown! The Patricians would just need to wait a few weeks until everyone gave up, and then the entire world would see me as impotent."
"Priscilla, we-"
"Two," Priscilla cut him off, "The Vollachian disdain for women is baked too deep into the culture for us to overcome it by simply bribing the people with desirable policies. The Empire is staunchly traditionalist, and new ideas are often viewed as threatening. No matter how well you talk or what you promise, you'll never convince the Plebeians and kholops to follow a woman. Moreover, the kholops are universally terrified of the Patricians. They know that if they agree to help you, their masters will retaliate savagely. They wouldn't take the risk no matter what you promised them. On top of that, you overestimate your appeal to them. Hero or not, you are a foreigner, and the Patricians will have little difficulty convincing the people that you are a threat."
"Don't be so sure of that."
"Three," Priscilla ignored him. "The kholops and the Plebeians are carefully controlled to avoid the possibility of any sort of coordinated uprising such as you describe. The Arcani have worked hard for generations to ensure that no organization of kholops or Plebeians ever cut across lines of Patrician authority. There is no organization that speaks for the Plebeians or kholops in multiple districts. We'd need to make deals with the kholops and Plebeians of each district one by one. They lack any form of political infrastructure to effectively challenge the Patricians, and we could spend our entire rule attempting to build one just in the hopes of someday taking advantage of it.
"Four, the Plebeians and the kholops don't really care who holds the power in the Empire. They gain and lose comparatively little compared to the Patricians, regardless of who is in or out of power. Your argument that we would improve their living standards would sound like a transparent lie to purchase their support."
Priscilla glared at Subaru. "I could go on, but I think that I 've made my point. Did you really think that I hadn 't already looked for every solution to this problem? Did you honestly believe that you, who has experienced the Empire and all of its political complexities for mere days, would come up with a plan that I had overlooked? "
Subaru made a face. "Alright. Alright. I'm sorry."
Priscilla slumped. "We need to deal with the reality. If I'm to hold the throne, then paradoxically, I need to give it up to you , " She said bitterly. She gave Subaru a sharp glance and drew herself up. "Understand, Subaru Natsuki, I expect to be your equal in all political matters. No matter the public perception, you will treat me as a partner, not a consort and not a woman living in your shadow. "
Subaru snorted. "I don't really want any of this power, so that 's an easy promise to make."
They were both silent for a moment.
Subaru made a face. "Priscilla," Subaru said. "You know that I'm already married. Or, I will be as soon as this mess with Emilia 's memories gets cleared up."
"I am aware," She replied, seemingly not at all taken aback by his statement. "Your minions told me this during our travels. I have no objection to having her in your harem. I naturally expect to be first in all matters, but I am not by nature a jealous woman."
Subaru just stared at her.
Priscilla 's brow knitted together. "What is it?"
"Sorry, just… I wasn't expecting that reaction," Subaru said awkwardly. "I couldn't picture you being willing to share any man under any circumstances."
Priscilla poured herself another glass of wine and then drained it just as quickly. "There's nothing noteworthy about this," She said flatly. "Harems are a time-honored tradition in the Empire. My brother and I were both born to Father's concubines. It is simply an effective means of ensuring that the most fit, the most worthy, produce as many high-quality children as possible. It's…"
Priscilla closed her eyes and fumed. "I hate this place, " She admitted in a whisper, starting to pour herself another glass of wine. "I never wanted to come back here …"
Subaru quickly took the bottle from her trembling hand.
Priscilla whirled on him, her eyes flashing, but Subaru poured the wine into a glass and differentially held it out to her.
Priscilla stared at the glass. Then she accepted it and raised it to her lips. This time, Priscilla took a smaller, more poised sip.
Priscilla sighed. "Under normal circumstances, I'd like to make some concession to romance and claim that you've stolen my heart," She continued in a matter-of-fact tone. "But given everything we're dealing with, I hope you'll forgive me if I skip that."
Subaru chuckled. "Don't worry. I never thought that you loved me."
"No. I respect you," Priscilla corrected. "In many ways, that's better than love."
Subaru frowned. "I don't think I entirely followed that."
"Emotions are fickle," Priscilla said shortly. "Respect is something that lasts. And as Empress, I wish to build something that lasts…"
Subaru frowned, processing that.
"Understand me," Priscilla continued in a brusque tone. "I'm not making any grand claims of infatuation. While I do hope that genuine affection may grow between us in time, that is hardly the point of all this. I know that you love the half-elf, and I'm more than willing to tolerate it. Frankly, it would be a larger political liability in Vollachia if you didn't amass a harem," She said bitterly. "Regardless, I do need your help. I need a powerful political ally to guarantee my survival as Empress. I also need to find a man that I respect to aid me in securing my dynasty. You need a secure refuge, seeing as how you've managed to turn nearly the entire world against you. Together, we can restore order to the Empire and bring stability back to the continent."
Subaru had a pained look on his face.
Priscilla sighed. "Lagunica is about to endure a civil war. Gusteko and Vollachia are already in the throes of a civil war. I doubt that Kararagi will long keep out of this mess. There must be a pillar of stability for the continent, a standard around which we can all come together to rebuild this world."
"And you think that you're that pillar?" Subaru asked, carefully keeping the skepticism out of his voice.
"Of course. I am the daughter of a hundred generations of warlords," Priscilla said matter-of-factly. "I have studied military strategy and statecraft since I could first tie my shoes. I firmly intend to put this continent back in order."
"Under you," Subaru said flatly.
"That is the natural place for the people of this continent," Priscilla said, unphased by his comment. "As far as I know, I will soon be the last surviving member of the Vollachias bloodline. Ensuring the new foundation of my dynasty is a matter of great importance for me. For this, I require a suitable partner, and I've only met two men in my life whom I'm capable of regarding as equals. And soon… there will be only one left."
She let the words hang there for a moment.
Subaru didn 't know what to say. "Priscilla-"
"Will you agree?"
Subaru grimaced. "You realize that Emilia won't be happy with this!" He hedged.
"I'm sure that we'll all manage," Priscilla said calmly. "I doubt that you and I will need to spend much time together except for formal occasions and ensuring that I… produce heirs as quickly as possible. A few nights a year is a very small matter in the grand scheme of things. Most marriages endure far worse. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if the elf and I eventually… became friends. It was actually a fairly common occurrence in my father's harem."
"Really?" That surprised Subaru.
Priscilla chuckled. "Men always think that if you leave two women alone in the same room, we'll immediately start inventing reasons to kill each other. The reality is that women are far more practical than you give us credit for. We rarely start conflicts for spite's sake alone. It simply spreads misery to everyone with nothing of value to be gained. Mistake me not, Subaru Natsuki; your wife will not thank you for this decision, but I can assure you, she will understand. She will know that you made a sacrifice to save her, " Priscilla said with absolute confidence.
Subaru sighed. "I sure hope so," He said in defeat.
"So. Do we have an agreement?" Priscilla extended her hand.
Subaru hesitated and then sighed. He took her hand and shook it.
"Princess," Morin entered the room with a bow.
"Morin," Priscilla said in a neutral tone.
Morin 's lined face was graver than usual. "His Majesty asks that you attend him," The old man murmured. "Please… come quickly."
Priscilla 's eyes widened and she darted out of the room, moving so fast that she didn't properly put her wine glass on the table. Before she had vanished down the hall, the glass fell to the floor, shattering and spilling its wine.
Morin took a moment to steady himself as Priscilla nearly knocked him over in her flight. "His Majesty also asks to speak to you once again just as soon as he is through conferring with the princess," The old man murmured.
Subaru nodded, kneeling down to pick up the broken wine glass off the floor.