Don’t you just hate it when you’re already feeling good and expect things to finally go on better than before, but then it actually hits you in the face and you just start to feel discouraged? You would say along the lines of: I can’t do this anymore. Or maybe: I’m not built for this kind of thing.

Loss of confidence, in short.

Nothing sucks more than that.

I had hoped that I would have more time, but in actuality, I would have way shorter time. I wanted to do a lot of things, and I intend to strive to achieve it.

After leaving Mother and the others, I hung around my room for a peace of mind. I wanted to go to one of the guest rooms, but the visitor was still around in the palace. So my room did just fine. The silence actually helped a little.

In any case, after I finished thinking, and the meeting with the envoy should be about done, I sent Vernon to tell father that I would like to talk. However, he would still need to check on the discovery of my mother and the others beforehand.

Some time after that, my father called for me and we met in his office.

“I learned from your mother… It’s terrible.” My father said as I sat down on the chair in front of his desk. “I should have noticed this way before. What to do…?”

“...” I watched him place a hand on his forehead. He was agonizing. “... Father, how did it go with the envoy?”

His brow knitted at my question. “You want to know about that now?”

“I want to know if he’s leaving already.”

“No, actually he’ll be staying in Wisteria for a few days.”

“What?” I was baffled. “Why? Did he want to stay for a vacation?”

“No… not exactly. He wanted to check the corpses of the beastmen and the elves to make sure they’re not truly demons.”

“Couldn’t it be just some reason so he could get a clearer picture of our situation?”

“Perhaps. But as long as he doesn’t know about you, I am fine with that. Besides, he would be hard pressed to investigate this, we also have eyes on him. And, I couldn’t just refuse his request.”

I guess. It wouldn’t look good to refuse a request from an ally nation. A request that essentially would not trouble the other party, and that would even help them. Refusing would only make us look more suspicious.

I sighed. “That’s fine as long as he’s watched. Well, that’s what I want to know.”

“That’s it? I expected something more from this meeting after what we learned. Still, what can we do about the more important matter? Should we tell our allies about this?”

“And push the empire to act earlier than it already is? I would prefer not, we’re no way ready.”

Or rather, I was not ready yet. Besides, we’re still at a danger level when it comes to food reserves. If war begins, we’ll have no comfortable amount of food. No food, dead. Logistics would be a nightmare.

“You don’t want us to alert our neighbors about this?”

“Don’t outright tell them, just do it in a more implicit way, be subtle. I don’t want for the empire to know instantly that we have seen through their plans of starving us out. Let’s take it slow and simple.”

“What are you planning on doing, my daughter? Honestly, how are you this calm and sensible in times like this?”

“The plan as a whole will not change. We only need to act a little quicker.”

“I see.”

“And I would like to go out sometime, into the city.”

“For what? It’s too risky with the Cardinal present.”

“The Cardinal does not threaten my life. He is of low concern.”

He mildly shook his head. “What do you intend to do there?”

“I want to speak personally with a group of people. Just one day, father.”

“Alright… Then what do you want me to do? We’re following your plan, so I can’t really act on my own on this.”

“Once I have set the foundations, I’m leaving things in our supervision. First, I would like a meeting with Uncle tomorrow.” The staff was already working at full power, and they said they should have everything ready tomorrow morning. “And after that, I wish that you take the lead in the operation of putting agents in our nobles’ houses.”

“To search for betrayers.”

“One reason, yes.”

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“You’re starting it, aren’t you?”

“As I mentioned, we need only act a little quicker. As for the other things that we may need to fight a war, it’s out of my expertise. I will leave such things to you, my father.”

“Mm, alright…”

“Then, that is all from me. May I take my leave?”

“Ah wait, Estelia. Your mother… um… when we talked, she was upset. Sad.”

“...”

“She hurts for you, Estelia. Try to be with your mother when you have a chance.” He rose from his seat and patted my head. “Please try to prevent her from shedding tears again, okay?”

Shedding tears? Did she cry…?

I took a deep breath as I lowered my head.

“Yes… Where is she?”

***

I entered the library. Father urged Mother to have a rest for now. She resisted at first, but in the end gave up and followed my father’s request. She should be somewhere around here. It took no time at all before I found her sitting on a couch by the window, reading a book.

It was the book of short stories I was reading.

Before all else, I spoke to my servants. “Go outside for now. Leave me be.”

And they did with no complaint. They must have sensed the mood.

After taking a deep breath, I approached her.

“... Mother.”

She turned towards me, her eyes faltered for a moment, but her lips lifted into a smile. “Estelia. What are you doing here?”

“... Nothing… It’s just…” I didn’t know how to say it — that I was here for her.

While I was thinking, my gaze ended up on the book.

“Oh, do you want this book? Sorry I took the time reading it.”

My mother said, and she closed the book, then proceeded to give it to me. But before she could, I stopped her.

“No, mother. I’m not here for that.”

“Hm? Then, do you need something from me?”

“Um… I…” I slowly sat down beside her. “No… I don’t particularly need anything.”

Her smile softened. “Is that so?”

“... Yes…” I grew silent for a moment. “It’s good that you have taken the time to rest.”

“... Your father is quite an adamant one sometimes.”

“... Thank you, mother… for your help.”

“For what?”

I looked at her eyes before averting away. For some reason, I found it hard to look her in the eyes. “You know…”

“Hm…” She suddenly wrapped her arm around me and pulled me close, then she kissed me on the cheek. “You’re welcome.”

“...”

It was nice. This moment was so nice that I failed to notice immediately the moisture in my eyes. It was… embarrassing. Good thing she didn’t notice.

“Have you finished reading all the stories in this book, dear?”

“No.”

“Which part are you?”

“... I was about to start the fourth story.”

“Oh… Do you want me to read it to you?”

“...” I nodded.

“Alright. Lie down.”

She gently rested my head on her lap. She turned the pages on the book and began reading. As she did, she gently caressed my head. It was peaceful. I listened and savored her soothing touch and soothing voice. A pleasant warmth grew within my chest.

I closed my eyes as I listened.

Then I reached out for her hand and… grasped it tightly, pressing it to my cheek.

It was paradise.

***

It was morning. I didn’t completely wake up on the good side of the bed, but there were good on some other parts. Despite that, I had to smile when greeting my family. Sometimes showing that you’re stressed just stresses out everyone else. Mother was a special one, truly, her smile was still as bright as ever, despite the thing we discovered.

That was something I had to admire.

For now, I was to have a meeting with my uncle as discussed with my father. Surprising that he could be here before noon, despite being called on such a short notice.

I was in a guest room, waiting for him. Then came knockings on the door. Vernon went on to open it, allowing my uncle to enter.

“Estelia,” he sat in front of me. “What do you need from me all of a sudden?”

“I am in need of your immediate assistance. One that will require your expertise.”

He sighed. “Add another one on my plate? Very well, what is it?”

“I want to know about the major players in the market.”

“Whom do you refer to?”

“The merchants. Especially the biggest merchants in our capital city, ones whose reach expands all the way to the edge of our nation, or perhaps beyond.”

“That’s surprising. You seemed displeased. What did they do?”

“We discovered an affront to the crown, committed by these central figures in our market. We have determined which companies they are. I will need you to investigate them.”

“Which companies?”

I told him the names of three companies. The first was the one who mainly financed and supported the production of crops, one that also owns large farms all around Wisteria.

The second was the largest transportation company, one who handled the transportation of the goods, and one that would normally supply the guards.

Then the third was an arms dealing company. One who had under their wing the most number of smiths that crafts weapons they would sell on the streets. Adventurers, travelers, common people, all kinds of people buying from them. Even the crown was often a customer.

All in all, these three companies all did suspicious actions. It was pretty easy to discover once you knew where to look. Got to praise the competence of the staff.

“Those are major companies. Their heads are not to be trifled with, their wealth might even rival nobles outside the capital.”

“I don’t care. I want to learn everything about them. Their daily routines, their hobbies, their families, people they love and they hate.”

“We already have some information about them stored up.”

“Good, then give me updated ones in two days.”

“Two days?” His eyes widened in surprise. “That’s unreasonable.”

“Uncle, I do not request you to overwrite what you have on them. Just add on it, even just a little. Well, more precisely, I want you to figure out more about the crimes they have committed. Mera.”

Mera placed a pile of papers on the table in front of him.

“What’s this?”

“Things that we have discovered about their outrageous actions. They are already summarized, but that should give you an idea.”

“... Aren’t you rushing things a bit?”

“We don’t have much time, the details are in those documents.”

“... Two days… Is that an absolute deadline?”

“If you cannot learn much, then, a disappointment it may be, we’ll just have to do with what we have. But if you think you need an extension, feel free to ask.”

He groaned. “Will you give the extension, though?”

“Depends.”

“That is not reassuring.”

“Send the information you have about them to me today. Depending if it’s enough for me, I will need to ask for you to come with me and… meet them face to face.”

“What? Does this have something to do with that little shift in the plan that you mentioned?”

“Yes.”

“Are we really going on an arduous path now?”

“It’s more than arduous.”

“I see… Then I will act on this as soon as I’m gone.”

“There’s more. Prepare to deploy the agents.”

He sighed. “I had the feeling that you would order that today.”

“Your instincts are impressive indeed.”

“Give me a few days.”

“Very well.”

“Will that be all, princess?”

“... I think so. I’ll call you when something comes up.”

“You really need to be considerate to your uncle.”

I shrugged with a smile. “You’re free to go, uncle.”

“Hm. Once those agents are out there within their houses, Wisteria will certainly have a slight change in its state of affairs.”

“All for the greater good.”