We have been very busy this past week. The higher officials got taken out one after the other and while that means we don’t have to live in fear as much we are getting hounded around trying to find the culprit. I even got sent to the temple to ask if they have any idea what’s going on but the only thing they told me is a story about a champion rising when the people are in dire need of help. I questioned why that so-called champion didn’t appear 25 years ago since that’s when we needed one but they dismissed it saying that the Goddess can’t interfere like that and it would be more likely for a person to be born with the destiny of protecting the people. It doesn’t really make it much more believable because shouldn’t they have appeared about 15 years ago in that case?
Even after we finally had an eye witness things didn’t really clear up much more. The maid that saw the killer earlier today described them as white skinned, white haired, with red glowing eyes, wearing a black cloak and wielding a scythe. It feels like a monster straight from a fairy tale but what’s probably more eerie is that the maid said the monster saw her but didn’t do anything to her and just disappeared into thin air. It is interesting that so far the only people that died are nobles, even the 3 people that died shortly after as well were all nobles. There are so many commoners forced to work here but yet not a single one got so much as a scratch from whatever that is.
I’m on my way to my post now, I don’t understand why they put so much effort into this but I’m supposed to keep surveillance on the visiting princess of the Gairyn Kingdom and her followers. I understand watching out for her followers after the incident where they wiped the floor with us using only a single person but the princess herself was a commoner most of her life and her Talent is Magic which isn’t really powerful. Sure if you train it for a lifetime but commoners in the Gairyn Kingdom don’t need to do so. I thought about fleeing to the Gairyn Kingdom myself before but since I work in the castle my disappearance would be noticed quickly and that would be too big a risk for my husband and two kids.
I reach my post where the current shift is still guarding, “Shift’s over, go rest now.”
“Thank god. I don’t think I can take another double shift.”
I give her a pained smile, “You’re going to jinx yourself.”
She lets out a sigh and gives a short wave before leaving.
I take my position which is close enough to see and hear what’s going on with the guards in front of the princess’ room but also far enough to not provoke any hostility.
About an hour after I started my shift the princess’ room opens and she calls the captain and vice captain of her guards in. One of them is always on guard duty, it feels like they work even harder than we do, but because of that she has to call the other one before they both disappear into the room. It only takes another about half an hour for them to leave again and they seem to inform the guards outside the room about what happened.
“Her highness just informed us that she got contacted by the entity that has been going around killing the officials of this country. The entity brought the imperial princess to her highness and asked them to form an alliance for the sake of the commoners. The imperial princess was imprisoned for the past 13 years because of her Talent, so she asked her highness for protection as part of the condition for the alliance. Her highness accepted and they are now planning the details. We will increase the guards here until they are ready which should be tomorrow. We will make the shifts shorter but increase our numbers here just to make sure we have enough people but also so we are all ready for tomorrow. I want everyone to be ready but you don’t have to worry, her highness will make sure no one will get so much as a scratch using her magic tools.” The captain then looks at me before going into the room that was prepared for them, probably to inform the rest of the troops.
Why would they talk about something like this in front of me? They should know I have to report this. Is that their plan?
I leave my post and go to the throne room. Usually I would report to someone else but right now his Majesty the Emperor is the only person left with authority.
I enter the throne room and bow, “Your Majesty, I bring news from the surveillance of the princess.”
“Speak.” He doesn’t really look very interested.
“The princess’ guards talked about how she got contacted by the killer of our officials and they claim it brought the imperial princess along to discuss an alliance and they plan to make their move tomorrow.”
His face turns red with anger, “How do they know about that disgrace to my bloodline! Increase the guards in the throne room and confirm the whereabouts of that disgrace!”
“Yes, sir.”
I first went over to the guards barracks and informed them about the increase of guards in the throne room but also told them about what I heard including how I think that the imperial princess might be the champion sent to save us all. Some of the younger ones believed it rather easily but the older ones had a hard time. It’s understandable, we had hope before but it ended up being a false hope. This time I’m not that sure though. Not only did the captain know about the entity but she claimed it asked to help the commoners, us, with what it’s doing and the captain and vice captain could probably take out most of our forces in the castle by themselves if they wanted to.
After that I headed over to where the imperial princess was supposed to be held, they always told us that she can’t go out in public because she is sick but her room, if you can call it that, has the bare minimums if you’re generous. She definitely isn’t around anymore though and the heavy iron door got destroyed by what looks like a very sharp blade.
I returned to the throne room and informed the emperor about the disappearance of the imperial princess. He was furious again and mumbled something about ‘shouldn’t be a problem with enough meat shields’. He also told me that the surveillance of the princess isn’t necessary anymore and I’m part of the throne room guards now.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
I’m now in the guard barracks talking about how to proceed after updating everyone on the situation with the imperial princess.
“The imperial princess should be about 23 so it would match with what the temple told me.”
One of the older guards grumbles, “But what is someone that was locked up in a room for the past 13 supposed to do? Let alone fighting for someone else I doubt she can even fight for herself.”
Another one adds, “If you say that she is supposed to be the so-called champion for the people then what is the monster killing the officials supposed to be? It’s clearly not someone from our country because they would have appeared earlier if that was the case and you were part of the surveillance so you should know better than anyone that it can’t be anyone in the princess’ group.”
I think for a moment and then I remember something important, “Actually we don’t know. I heard that the infiltration group got teleported from the village, they operated in, to the castle of the Gairyn Kingdom using a teleportation circle and that the princess is very proficient with magic tools so while it is unlikely it isn’t impossible for her to use something similar to that.”
“But didn’t it take 3 people in order to activate that magic circle and a few hours to set it up? We would have noticed if they used something like that.”
“Yes but there were about 15 people teleported at that time and over a fair distance. I don’t know that much about magic but if it was only one person and a much shorter distance that should be possible. It would also explain how the monster kept appearing and disappearing in places.”
“But that would mean the princess is the monster, are you saying someone with the Magic Talent would be able to use something like a scythe, which isn’t even really considered a weapon, so proficiently?”
“You do realise who her mother is, right? If anything it’s less believable that she can’t use a weapon. The only reason the officials never thought about that is because of how much they are looking down on her, much like you are right now.”
“Whatever, we can come to a conclusion tomorrow once we see their conviction. I won’t follow anyone who can’t even stand up for themselves.”
Everyone seemed to agree with that and the talks for the night died down.
Most of the guards in the castle are now in the throne room when we hear marching coming into our direction. Soon after the doors to the throne room open and a woman we don’t recognise enters with the princess of the Gairyn Kingdom next to her and all of her troops behind them. The woman I don’t recognise wears a silver and gold looking armour like you’d imagine the knight of a fairy tale to wear and the princess has a scythe on her back.
Wait. A scythe? So are my speculations correct?
The unknown woman takes a step forward and starts speaking in a loud voice, “Father, this is your last chance, abdicate the throne and hand it over to me and this will all be over. Our country will not survive if we continue going forwards like this.”
So she is the imperial princess.
The emperor laughs in response, “Or what? Your Talent is useless! That’s the whole reason you were locked away! You are a stain on the royal bloodline!”
“My Talent isn’t useless, it’s the manifestation of the pleas from the commoners!”
The moment those words leave her mouth a bright beam of light shines down on her.
I start whispering to the guards next to me, “See! She can help us!” Similar sentiment is also coming from some of the other guards and I add, “The emperor plans to use us as a shield anyways, I’m going to take the risk, if you don’t just stay behind!”
The emperor looks very angry, “Guards! Kill them all!”
I start walking forward and it seems everyone else is following me. I stop in front of the imperial princess and kneel on one knee “All hail the Empress!” Everyone else seemed to have followed. We all turn around, now facing the emperor and shielding the princess.
The emperor gets up from his throne, “So be it!”
He starts casting a spell and we prepare for the worst. Moments later a warm light envelops us aside from the emperor and the princess is holding a tower shield and a sword. A giant fireball comes down centred on the princess but the moment it comes into contact with the light covering us it disappears into nothingness.
The emperor looks at the scene in shock and the princess steps forward. “Guards! Arrest him!”
I move towards the emperor who seems to be in shock because of what just happened. It’s quite understandable, even I myself am not really sure what exactly just happened. One of the captains of a troop other than mine follows me and we put the emperor in chains. It’s good we have those on hand since they are sealing away mana making it impossible to use spells.
Her imperial Majesty was true to her words. She and the princess announced an alliance the same day and sent guards to the Gairyn Kingdom to confirm the alliance as well as request aid. While waiting for the aid to arrive she also ordered for all the wealth of the nobles to be confiscated and she started building schools, orphanages, hospitals and other important infrastructure using that, as well as helping people who lost their house or similar to rebuild them. She also gave everyone the chance to resign their position and return to their families, which most did. I myself stayed, the conditions are pretty good. I get paid enough to support my family and she even paid out reparations which made it possible for my family to move to a bigger house and my husband and I started thinking about maybe having a third child, which wouldn’t have been possible before.