---

“What did you just say?”

In the training ground.

Ian, the second prince, doubted his ears.

The report from his subordinate stating, “Admiral Bianca was defeated.” made no sense at all.

Could it be that he misheard “defeated” as “sank”?

“····The Clendor-class battleship···· has been sunk.”

But it wasn’t a misunderstanding.

Apparently, the strongest warship of Clendor had indeed sunk.

Ian let out a hollow laugh.

“····That can’t be true. What kind of nonsense····.”

“······.”

But it was still hard to accept.

Not just anything, the Clendor battleship, boasting the world’s strongest technology, had sunk.

Could that even be possible?

Wasn’t it physically impossible?

“I need to check this myself.”

Ian set aside his training spear and put on his coat.

Once he arrived at the port, Ian went straight to find the princess.

To hear the full story behind the event.

“It’s simple. The Empire flawlessly performed the escort role of the rescue ship, completely sinking the Clendor battleship acting as a pirate ship.”

And the princess’s answer was very concise.

With an expression as if it were natural for the Empire to defeat Clendor, she briefly explained the circumstances of the incident with an expressionless face.

“···Do you think I can accept that answer?”

However, what Ian wanted to hear was not that.

There had to be a reason for this ridiculous outcome.

But once again, the princess’s response was absurd.

“Is there a reason? It’s just that the Empire’s battleship was stronger than Clendor’s.”

“······.”

Ian’s body began to tremble with anger.

He found the princess, calmly sipping tea, utterly disgusting.

Surely, she had resorted to some underhanded means to concoct this scheme, yet her nonchalance infuriated him.

“I will conduct an investigation.”

Thus, Ian declared that he would investigate.

Since it was an incident involving the sinking of Clendor’s largest battleship, he stated he needed ample evidence to accept it, vowing to search through Ed’s battleship and interrogate his subordinates thoroughly.

The princess smirked, her lips curling up slightly as she replied.

“Are you suspecting the Empire right now? No matter how much Clendor has the command of the exploration, I can’t accept a search of the flagship at will. It’s quite an offense.”

“An offense? Did you just say offense? The flagship of the maritime power has sunk! How could it be an offense to thoroughly investigate the circumstances behind it!”

“···Puhuh. Didn’t I say there’s no need to investigate? It’s just that the Empire’s battleship was stronger.”

The princess provocatively teased Ian, her eyes narrowed with a hint of mischievousness.

Eventually, the princess spoke.

“All right. How about this: If any problems are found with the Empire during Clendor’s investigation, I will take full responsibility. However, if Clendor finds nothing after the investigation, then you’ll have to take responsibility for this matter. Do you agree?”

“······.”

Ian hesitated to respond.

Something felt off.

As if he were being caught in the princess’s scheme.

“Very well. However, to uncover the truth, I will be using the ‘Confession’ and ‘Memory Visualization’ spells.”

Thus, Ian took a somewhat rigid stance.

He declared his intention to employ spells in his investigation against foreign soldiers.

“Very well then.”

However, the princess didn’t back down.

She instructed without asking or debating.

At this point, he had no choice but to accept the princess’s proposal.

There was no way to retreat now.

“····Then as soon as the Empire’s battleship returns, I will begin the investigation.”

Ian said this and immediately turned away.

To summon the ‘Rebellion Investigation Team’ from his home country.

Their investigative skills surpassed that of any other group.

With even a tiny clue, they would surely uncover the truth.

‘Well, that was something.’

Meanwhile, the princess wore a sly smile as she watched Ian walk away.

He had fallen into her trap by responding vaguely and teasingly.

Now she had obtained a justification to place the blame on Clendor.

The princess began to contemplate how she would use this leverage while smirking.

***

In Bianca’s private quarters.

After about three hours of sleep, Bianca sprang awake with a hot breath.

Was it a fever, or was her body’s heat not subsiding even after sufficient rest?

Or could it be that Edgar Fix appeared even in her dreams?

What on earth was wrong with her head that she dreamed such nonsensical fantasies?

“I’m insane. I’m out of my mind.”

Bianca scolded herself.

She was thinking of the commander who sank Clendor’s battleship in such a way.

But this entranced feeling would not easily leave her.

The sight of his collarbone peeking between his tattered shirt.

The beautifully arched white neck.

The prominent Adam’s apple in the middle of his neck.

The sharp jawline and red lips.

The striking nose and captivating gaze that seemed to draw everything in.

Every detail of his appearance was still vivid in her mind.

She still felt the touch of his hand brushing her hair and the sensation was fresh.

The area where his hand touched her forehead felt sensitive and ticklish.

“······.”

At the same time, her face flushed.

Come to think of it, she had shown him her naked body.

At the moment when she trembled at his not-so-subtle threats,

Didn’t the blanket she wrapped around herself slip, exposing her body?

But he hadn’t panicked at all, simply picked up the blanket again and wrapped it around her.

As he tightly knotted the blanket so it wouldn’t unravel, she could still vividly hear the sound of his breath that echoed in her ears.

Her head felt foggy, and her lower abdomen was burning.

“····Damn it.”

At this point, she had no choice but to admit it.

That she was enchanted by him.

Yet separate from these feelings, she despised how she had taken a liking to her enemy commander.

It made her feel foolish and ashamed.

Perhaps that’s why she felt tears welling up and her mind was in chaos.

She needed to boil over this emotion soon.

‘····Right. It was intentional. That cunning bastard.’

Then, a rather plausible excuse came to mind.

What if he was deliberately attempting to seduce her?

Noblemen rarely showed kindness like that.

And it made sense because most noblemen she had seen were too busy boasting about their own excellence.

Proving their abilities, getting recognition, and then bragging about it was what most of them did.

Of course, that wasn’t necessarily bad.

Proving one’s qualities as a leader.

Proving one’s qualities as a warrior.

Proving one’s worth as a man was indeed an honorable act.

The problem, however, was that they were so engrossed in such pursuits that they couldn’t fathom the hearts of women.

Leon and Ian were just like that, so consumed with proving their capabilities to gain power.

For them, their subordinates and citizens were merely tools to build their accomplishments.

‘Edgar Fix must be··· surely one of those types, too.’

As a result, he would be no different from Ian or Leon.

Men who could use and discard people as mere tools for honor and advancement at any time.

He too would fall under that category, just possessing exceptional talents and looks.

With her thoughts organized, the heat coursing through her body began to subside slowly.

Now was the time to stand tall as the empress of Clendor.

-Swish.

So, Bianca untied the blanket.

She changed into clothes opposite her and stepped outside of her quarters.

Outside her lodgings stood Empire soldiers on guard.

“···Where are all my soldiers?”

Bianca then asked a soldier about the location of her subordinates.

The soldier pointed towards Building C, explaining that four were in each four-person room.

“Thank you. Well then, I’d like to take my subordinates to the deck for a moment, please guide me.”

Bianca then requested guidance, as she wanted to gather all her subordinates on the deck.

However, the soldier looked troubled as he replied.

“····I need to get permission first. I will report to the captain and return.”

The soldier said that and turned his back.

He was going to report to Ed.

“How dare you show your back to me?”

But then, Bianca’s cold voice pierced the soldier’s ears.

As the soldier turned back with a slightly stiff expression, Bianca glared at him furiously.

“Are you looking down on us? Although we lost in training, I still hold the command of the expedition team. Moreover, as fellow expedition members, we have the freedom to make independent decisions and move accordingly. If an issue arises because you failed to report, I will take responsibility, so guide me to gather my subordinates immediately.”

In the miserable state of being looked after after being defeated by the enemy fleet.

However, she couldn’t let that diminish her spirit.

Bianca deliberately raised her voice to ensure her nearby subordinates could hear her as she reprimanded the guard.

Then, the guard, realizing that Bianca was the princess of a nation, began to guide her obediently.

“P-Please follow me.”

Thus, Bianca toured the entirety of Building C.

She gathered all her subordinates, who were immersed in a sense of powerlessness, and called them to the vast deck.

It was raining on the deck, and their clothes might get wet, but Bianca didn’t care.

Amidst the tumultuous waves crashing violently, she lined her subordinates up neatly and began to give a speech.

 

---