I strolled through the palace hallway with uneasy steps. Probably because I was feeling a bit anxious. I was heading to my father’s office with my servants. Uncle Meril had left, there was no need for him to be there. Incidentally, he didn’t want to get a negative impression that he was conspiring with me or something on everyone’s back.

Although that was true, he just didn’t want to make it obvious.

It was all up to me now. I’m just gonna try to lessen the damage as much as I can. Yes, maybe I can do that. Maybe, I can make it have no damage at all, emotionally speaking. This was just wishful thinking, but it could be manageable.

So, I’m just gonna calm down and take things slow.

Dammit! Why do I have to go through this kind of shit?

I arrived at the office. “Stay here,” I said to my servants.

Taking a deep breath, I knocked a couple of times on the door. In a few seconds, the door opened, it was Eleden who opened it. It would seem they were still working on something pretty sensitive not to allow servants to work here yet.

“Sister, what brings you here?”

“Business talks, brother.”

“Business?”

“May I come in?”

“Of course.”

I entered the room. From the corner of my eyes, I glanced at Eleden as he closed the door. I’m still thinking of how to properly proceed with this. Feelings will be hurt.

“Daughter, how are you?” my father asked with a smile from his desk.

“Father, are things going well?”

“Of course. Before that, take a seat first.”

I shook my head. “No. I’ll remain standing.”

He furrowed his brows inquisitively. “Is something wrong?”

“You have been keeping me out of the loop, father.”

He sighed. “So it’s about that.”

“I have been growing concerned about our state of affairs. I want to know what is going on.”

“Precisely what do you want to know?”

“I surmise everything is going well with the nobles. Is it?”

“Yes, it is. We already have a couple under arrest, while others are about to be.”

“I see. That is good. Why did you not share this information with me, father?”

Would have been nice to hear some good news about it.

“There is no need to tell you, especially that it’s going as planned.”

Really now? You just want me out. To not involve myself. Really, not telling the one who came up with the plan about how it’s going was just dangerous. The planner always had the full picture inside their mind, and telling them the situation is a wise way to keep things steering in the right direction and not go astray.

I was the planner. And when I was gone, they had gone off the path. Doing whatever they think is right. And that, to be honest, enraged me a little.

I dispensed with the soft facial expression. “A mistake.”

“Daughter, we are doing everything we can. And it’s going well. There is no need for you to get involved anymore.”

“It was my plan. But that is not what’s currently important. There is something else I would like an answer to.”

Father leaned back in his chair. “Certainly, what is it?”

“Is big brother Eleden aware of the entire plan?” I glanced at my brother as he stared at me with a small smile.

With a momentary pause, my father answered. “Yes, he is. I let him in.”

“As I thought. Considering that you two have been spending more time here together, even when Uncle Meril gives his report.”

“He has been a great help, Estelia. We should have let him help in the first place.”

“Sister, I’m doing everything I can to get the best result.”

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“I’m sure you do. But this goes against my instructions.”

Father nodded. “Yes, it is. But I’ve made my decision. Despite it against your past instructions.”

“Hm. Is Eleden doing something important that I should know about?”

My father appeared to hesitate, looking down at his desk. He sighed before responding. “Daughter, Eleden has been heading the merchants you pulled into our ranks.”

“I see.” I turned to face my dear brother. “And how was it, brother? Did you find it challenging?”

“... It was surprisingly easy. The merchants are quite cooperative.”

“Of course they would. They know the consequences of disobeying. Have you forgotten what we did to them?”

With narrow eyes, he answered. “... Of course not.”

“No matter what we order them, they will carry it out. Even if they have doubts. And that is why we have to be careful and responsible for what we say and order them.”

Our orders were absolute. One mistake could fuck up everything. We can’t just stupidly tell them what to do without considering short and long-term consequences.

“Therefore, I would like to know, what plan do you have for them?”

“What do you mean…?”

“A vision, an idea of what you’ll have them do. Intentions.”

“... Sister, I don’t think I should be telling you that. It’s a secret.”

“Not telling me? You think that’s alright? I am the root of this plan. I am the one who started all this, I countered every move the enemy has made against us. No one gets to tell me I have no right to know what they’ve been doing with my plans.”

This pissed me off. I swear if they do shit too much, I’ll take control, forcefully if I have to. I’m not dying because of anyone else’s mistake. I have died two times already. I like this life, I’m not fucking it up.

My stern response earned shocked and baffled expressions from the two. Didn’t expect your Estelia to talk like this?

“You have already gone against it once. I suggest you won’t do it again. Now, tell me, brother. What do you intend for the merchants?”

Eleden glanced at father, hesitant. Father, after a sigh, nodded.

Eleden turned his eyes back to me. “I have a plan of asking for cooperation with another nation, to help each other in this time of crisis.”

I frowned, apparently displeased. “Which?”

“Myra.”

Of course I already knew that…

“I won’t allow that.”

“What? Why?”

“It goes against the very purpose of this plan.”

“You doubt Myra?”

“Of course. I can’t allow a leak. They can’t be trusted. There could be traitors among them, working for the empire.”

Eleden’s face turned stern. “They are people of honor and chivalry—”

“And we are supposed to be people of mercy and love. Yet despite that, here we are! With traitors in our ranks.”

Eleden had nothing to answer that. Because even we have traitors from high places. Anyone can become a traitor, no matter what image the country shows to everyone else.

“So we’ll just leave them be when we know they could be falling to the same schemes as us?”

“Yes, leave them be. I’d prefer not to make the empire do more drastic measures.”

“That’s selfishness.”

“Selfishness?!” That again? Fuck!

“We can help them and save more lives.”

“Wisteria will fall before Myra ever will. We are the first of targets. Don’t you understand that, brother? Tornridge will send their primary force to eradicate us as fast as possible. Myra will fare better than us.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Millions will die, that is the worst-case scenario. If we make a mistake, Wisteria will fall. And once we die, they’ll go after the isolated Myra.” Although I expect millions of deaths, no matter the scenario. “This is one of our chances of surviving this. And perhaps we can even drive the empire back.”

Best-case scenario was for the empire to retreat and cancel their plans of invasion for maybe several years. But I’ll just topple them before that. Won’t be the first I get to destroy a government.

“We can help them prepare for the worse.”

Dammit, brother!

I took a deep breath, trying to keep myself calm before speaking to my brother in a softer tone. “Brother, you know how many I have to be concerned with? We had the beastmen and elves that tried to kill me. We’ve taken care of them, but there is still an elf on the loose out there. And we have invaders to prepare against.”

All enemies were so powerful. That weighs a lot, and sometimes I just wanna pull my hair in frustration. Knowing they exist, threats to me, makes me mad.

“I know why you’re trying to do this, brother. It’s for Lillie, isn’t it?”

Once I asked that, he clenched his trousers and avoided my eyes. However, he didn’t reply. But the way he was, it was for certain it was all for Lillie.

“I understand you, brother. Truly. But I’m sorry, in our current position, we can’t take any more risks. Not yet, at least.”

“I still want to help where I can.”

“Lillie is safer in Myra compared to us. We need to put ourselves, our people, our home first.” I took a few steps towards Eleden, attempting to reach out for his hand. “I hope you can understand, brother.”

However, before I got close, he stepped back away from me. I paused and slowly retracted my hands. He still avoided my eyes.

With furrowed brows, I shifted my gaze towards my father. “Father, you are the leader of the entire operation. Make your decision now on this matter.”

“To allow the plan of collaborating with other nations or not?”

“Yes.”

“This will need some thinking.”

I shook my head. “What is there to think about? Stick to the plan, as what it has originally been.”

Father looked at me, then to Eleden. If he made a choice here, he’ll be picking which side he’ll take. The crown prince, or me.

“As much as I dislike not helping our allies, I am more convinced of Estelia.”

“Father!” Eleden’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“For now, we can’t do anything for our allies. Isn’t that right, Estelia?”

“Yes.”

“Then does that mean once we are ready, only then can we help our allies?”

“Of course, once we have made sure we can survive an outright confrontation with the empire.”

That’s a lie, of course. The moment we are ready will probably be the time the empire attacks us.

“Then,” he shifted his eyes to Eleden. “My son, we’ll assist Myra once we are in a more stable state. Be patient. As Estelia said, the empire is more aggressive with us. We are the first target. Myra will have more time to prepare themselves.”

Once the empire attacks us, Myra will definitely reinforce their own defenses. As allies, they may try to help us, and send some forces. But how much? Likely won’t be a lot, they have their own lands to defend. And the empire knows this, so they’ll likely prepare a force to hold Myra back, while their main force wrecks Wisteria.

Eleden averted his eyes, and for a brief moment glanced towards me. “I understand, father.”

“We need to talk after this.”

“Yes.”

“As for you, Estelia. Is this all that you came here for?”

“Yes, father.” I glanced at Eleden. Looking at him saddened me. “Brother—”

“If you’re done, sister, you may leave. Father and I still have something to discuss.”

I bit my lip before stepping back. “Thank you for the time, father. And I apologize.”

And with that, I left the room.