Mastiff, who was sitting in the mansion's study, scoffed and muttered to himself as soon as he heard the news that Frogen and Lenin had divided up most of the cities in the Kingdom of Irene and that Medea and Francia had finally declared war.
“What on earth are you up to?”
Noah undoubtedly provided information on the military strength, internal affairs, and confidential information of the Lenin Federation and the Frogen Empire. However, they have so far responded passively, refraining from issuing mobilization orders and avoiding all-out war, only sending Allied reinforcements. This suggests that internally, they distrust Noah Rotsilt.
Mastiff, holding a whiskey glass, turned his turquoise eyes to the view of the capital city of Effenberg outside the window. Then, his gaze shifted to the clear, cloudless sky.
With information that Medea's atomic bomb development has failed, the Allied Forces are likely to win. If that happens, Noah Rotsilt, who has supported Medea to the end, may face death at the hands of Emperor Frogen. As the Allied Forces become increasingly on the defensive, his Frogen heritage becomes a weakness. Medea could even execute Noah, either to bolster public sentiment or to provoke Frogen. The mere fact that he married the true Princess, Diana, would raise all sorts of suspicions and ostracize him. Knowing Noah's origins will only further exacerbate this suspicion within the royal family. In other words, he's using everything he can and then discarding it.
"Wouldn't you abandon everything for a woman? Wouldn't you risk your life countless times? What on earth would you do? There's no way you could be that reckless and stupid."
Mastiff sensed that Noah's plans were going in a completely different direction than he'd envisioned, and he suspected he'd already lost the will to carry them out. Was he supposed to die just to make a bastard's daughter look like a proper Princess?
He had been reporting to his father, Emperor Meyer III of Frogen, that he planned to collaborate with Noah Rotsilt and use Princess Medea to seize control of Medea. He had arranged for him to return to Frogen at any time, but he remained there, professing an uncharacteristic dedication and service, and the Emperor began to have doubts. Mastiff would have been incomprehensible, but now he could vaguely understand Noah's thoughts: he didn't want to lose Diana, the precious thing he had.
"Actually, I didn't want that. It didn't matter whether you were a bad person or a murderer, I just wanted to know that you were precious..."
Mastiff's eyes narrowed even further as he recalled Ayla's voice. A sense of loss followed him, almost irritatingly. The memory of a once gentle, soft woman sharpened into a sharp edge, darting back at him at every opportunity. Having experienced the unbearable discomfort of his life, he understood. Therefore, he had to get Noah Rotsilt back. By any means necessary, by any forceful means. Mastiff didn't want to lose Noah Rotsilt. Revealing Diana's origins now would simply be buried. Mastiff stroked his chin, lost in thought.
After thinking it over, he passed the order on to the Marchioness of Rosalia Wales.
"Cut off Erita's finger in the concentration camp and deliver it to the Medea royal family."
The Marchioness relayed the "Princess's orders" to the executed head maid's younger sister, Inspector Colin, and told her to keep quiet about the incident and not mention it in her reports. In the past, Diana had separately provided compensation and consolation money to Inspector Colin, the head maid's younger sister, and her youngest sister, who ran a clinic in the countryside, and promised to provide full scholarships for the Colin family's children for life. Inspector Colin was also deeply grateful to her for sending Erita here and giving her a chance for revenge. She believed that the Princess had given her an important role, so she believed and followed the words of the Marchioness, whom she knew to be one of the Princess's close associates.
Waking up early in the morning, I lay in bed in a thin chemise, gazing up at the ornate, high ceiling that still felt unfamiliar. Milia brought me a newspaper, a report on Erita, and some fragrant coffee.
"Thank you."
“Is there anything else you need?”
"No."
I glanced over the report with a tired expression. Milia, who had put a sugar cube in my coffee, said,
"It seems she's been getting sick more often because she's been living in an unsanitary environment since she was born. Perhaps it's because the weather's gotten warmer, but she's now contracting dysentery."
“Did you send a doctor?”
“Yes, they prescribed IV fluids and antibiotics.”
“She needs to get well soon.”
She needs to live long enough in that cesspool. After skimming through the report, I opened the newspaper and picked up a cup of coffee.
“It seems like the situation in the invaded countries is very bad.”
At my words, Milia's brow furrowed sternly. She clenched her fists and raised her voice in indignation.
"It's said that Frogen ordered the extermination, indiscriminately killing prisoners and civilians of the Kingdom of Irene, and bombing civilian cities, killing countless people. They are worse than beasts."
I sighed deeply. Noah, a former Frogen officer, must have killed many in previous wars. He was a key figure in his country's victories and a hero on the front lines, lauded as such.
It is an ugly truth hidden behind the brilliant fame.
A time of war. Born into a nation steeped in militarism, imperialism, and totalitarianism, a soldier was forced to follow orders. Noah murdered the guards who had strangled me in an attempt to save me, right before my eyes. I had brought the disaster upon myself, and I simply overlooked their deaths, believing I had contributed to their misfortune.
"What a disgusting rationalization to justify the crime committed by the man you love. People shouldn't kill others in the first place."
Something deep within me rebuked me. I knew it was a sin and a mistake, yet I feared that Noah would be condemned and ostracized. Had he been a Medea officer, I wouldn't have pondered such things. I would have simply followed the praise of others, ignoring the dark truth and boasting about his exceptional abilities and accomplishments. Suddenly, Celine's words from the past came back to me like an auditory hallucination.
“There’s no use knowing.”
It was better not to know. Seeing something, pretending not to see it, hearing something, pretending not to hear it. For a moment, my stomach churned, and nausea washed over me.
Those who stand atop a mountain of corpses are either revered as great men or are sharply divided into historical sinners. What difference does it make? A moral standard? A difference in providing cause or justification? My thoughts were tangled in an ethical dilemma and confusion. As if reading my thoughts, Milia spoke in a calm voice.
"They say every death in this world carries the same sorrow. It feels like everyone in this age is committing a sin. A war where the state is the main agent and commits murder."
Into the Queen's office, Baroness Mason entered, her face slightly pale, stood up straight, and reported the gruesome truth.
"Erita's index finger was reportedly cut off. Judging by the sharp blade, it was likely the work of a guard. The finger was missing and could not be sutured, so they treated it and disposed of it. And..."
Baroness Mason, who had been hesitating slightly with her head down and her gaze tilted, added with difficulty.
“They sent Erita’s severed finger to the palace.”
The Queen's complexion visibly worsened at the shocking revelation. She wrinkled her nose with the ferocity of a wild beast, crumpled the papers on her desk, and asked.
“Who ordered this?”
“Only those chosen by Princess Diana are allowed to approach her.”
"Diana. I didn't know she was so cruel to me. I didn't think she was the type of person to cross the line."
This was a clear provocation and deception. How dare you test my patience? A rage, mixed with a soft sigh, burst out. The Queen was holding back with remarkable patience. Like a dam on the verge of overflowing, she teetered precariously on the edge of reason and composure. Her eyes were seething with utmost fury, but the air surrounding her was instead cooling and chilling.
“What about Diana and Noah?”
“It seems like they meet secretly so as not to attract attention, even though they haven’t specifically restricted or prohibited their meetings.”
The Queen nervously tapped her delicate fingers on the table. Since Diana's true identity as a Princess was revealed, the controversy over interference from the upper echelons of the royal family and her right to succeed has intensified.
"Yes, that's why I didn't want to create controversy or cause a stir in the first place. Since she hasn't taken the initiative to declare divorce or renounce her right to the throne, and hasn't shown any position, it's not easy to force a divorce or coerce her into it."
Diana clearly won't stay still. Next, it'll be an arm or a leg. She'll force Erita to offer help, somehow, to use it as evidence that the royal family turned a blind eye to and covered up the false Princess's crimes.
A normal woman blinded by love would have long ago revealed her illegitimate birth and offered to give up her crown. But Diana was anything but ordinary. Rather than rushing recklessly, she knew when to be cautious. She possessed a clear sense of purpose, but never demanded what she wanted. She knew full well that in a situation where both sides were pulling at the same time, the one holding on more desperately would most likely fall prey to inertia. The Baroness offered her advice.
"It seems impossible to maintain the Princess's marital status any longer. As the war continues, perceptions of the Frogens will become increasingly extreme. Count Noah Rotsilt may become a target of ostracism simply because he is of Frogen descent. We need a clear justification and trust to remain here."
"Now, even the royal family can't avoid criticism. While contributing to the success of the release plan would certainly be a way to gain recognition, he himself knows it would also mean losing his own usefulness. The disappearance of Dr. Rugen's grandson is proof of this."
The reason why she cooperated positively but did not give everything.
The Queen, who had been lost in thought with her eyes closed, slowly lifted her eyelids. The reason he, a brilliant officer of Frogen origin, cooperated here was also Diana. Diana's obedient acceptance of the title of Princess and the fulfillment of her duties were also part of the reason.
"I can't completely trust Noah Rotsilt. He's one of those capitalists who's driven solely by profit."
The Queen knew well that love was impermanent, and that the fickleness of human hearts was ever-changing, subject to circumstances and trials. Diana might become a monstrous monster, resembling her past foolish self, who had staked her life on something that would inevitably change, and her father, who had been unyielding in his reckless pursuit of means. She couldn't allow Diana to make the same mistake she had, of losing something so precious.
Ultimately, the only solution was to induce her to file for divorce on her own initiative and to give her a reason to stay. The Queen also adopted Diana's approach.
He and Diana are taking each other hostage.
“We have no choice but to use Noah Rotsilt in the war by joining the Allied Forces.”
“What on earth are you up to?”
Noah undoubtedly provided information on the military strength, internal affairs, and confidential information of the Lenin Federation and the Frogen Empire. However, they have so far responded passively, refraining from issuing mobilization orders and avoiding all-out war, only sending Allied reinforcements. This suggests that internally, they distrust Noah Rotsilt.
Mastiff, holding a whiskey glass, turned his turquoise eyes to the view of the capital city of Effenberg outside the window. Then, his gaze shifted to the clear, cloudless sky.
With information that Medea's atomic bomb development has failed, the Allied Forces are likely to win. If that happens, Noah Rotsilt, who has supported Medea to the end, may face death at the hands of Emperor Frogen. As the Allied Forces become increasingly on the defensive, his Frogen heritage becomes a weakness. Medea could even execute Noah, either to bolster public sentiment or to provoke Frogen. The mere fact that he married the true Princess, Diana, would raise all sorts of suspicions and ostracize him. Knowing Noah's origins will only further exacerbate this suspicion within the royal family. In other words, he's using everything he can and then discarding it.
"Wouldn't you abandon everything for a woman? Wouldn't you risk your life countless times? What on earth would you do? There's no way you could be that reckless and stupid."
Mastiff sensed that Noah's plans were going in a completely different direction than he'd envisioned, and he suspected he'd already lost the will to carry them out. Was he supposed to die just to make a bastard's daughter look like a proper Princess?
He had been reporting to his father, Emperor Meyer III of Frogen, that he planned to collaborate with Noah Rotsilt and use Princess Medea to seize control of Medea. He had arranged for him to return to Frogen at any time, but he remained there, professing an uncharacteristic dedication and service, and the Emperor began to have doubts. Mastiff would have been incomprehensible, but now he could vaguely understand Noah's thoughts: he didn't want to lose Diana, the precious thing he had.
"Actually, I didn't want that. It didn't matter whether you were a bad person or a murderer, I just wanted to know that you were precious..."
Mastiff's eyes narrowed even further as he recalled Ayla's voice. A sense of loss followed him, almost irritatingly. The memory of a once gentle, soft woman sharpened into a sharp edge, darting back at him at every opportunity. Having experienced the unbearable discomfort of his life, he understood. Therefore, he had to get Noah Rotsilt back. By any means necessary, by any forceful means. Mastiff didn't want to lose Noah Rotsilt. Revealing Diana's origins now would simply be buried. Mastiff stroked his chin, lost in thought.
After thinking it over, he passed the order on to the Marchioness of Rosalia Wales.
"Cut off Erita's finger in the concentration camp and deliver it to the Medea royal family."
The Marchioness relayed the "Princess's orders" to the executed head maid's younger sister, Inspector Colin, and told her to keep quiet about the incident and not mention it in her reports. In the past, Diana had separately provided compensation and consolation money to Inspector Colin, the head maid's younger sister, and her youngest sister, who ran a clinic in the countryside, and promised to provide full scholarships for the Colin family's children for life. Inspector Colin was also deeply grateful to her for sending Erita here and giving her a chance for revenge. She believed that the Princess had given her an important role, so she believed and followed the words of the Marchioness, whom she knew to be one of the Princess's close associates.
***
Waking up early in the morning, I lay in bed in a thin chemise, gazing up at the ornate, high ceiling that still felt unfamiliar. Milia brought me a newspaper, a report on Erita, and some fragrant coffee.
"Thank you."
“Is there anything else you need?”
"No."
I glanced over the report with a tired expression. Milia, who had put a sugar cube in my coffee, said,
"It seems she's been getting sick more often because she's been living in an unsanitary environment since she was born. Perhaps it's because the weather's gotten warmer, but she's now contracting dysentery."
“Did you send a doctor?”
“Yes, they prescribed IV fluids and antibiotics.”
“She needs to get well soon.”
She needs to live long enough in that cesspool. After skimming through the report, I opened the newspaper and picked up a cup of coffee.
[Pursuant to the military alliance's war participation clause, we hereby issue an official declaration of war against the United Kingdom of Medea, the Third Republic of Francia, and the Progen Empire.]
At my words, Milia's brow furrowed sternly. She clenched her fists and raised her voice in indignation.
"It's said that Frogen ordered the extermination, indiscriminately killing prisoners and civilians of the Kingdom of Irene, and bombing civilian cities, killing countless people. They are worse than beasts."
I sighed deeply. Noah, a former Frogen officer, must have killed many in previous wars. He was a key figure in his country's victories and a hero on the front lines, lauded as such.
It is an ugly truth hidden behind the brilliant fame.
A time of war. Born into a nation steeped in militarism, imperialism, and totalitarianism, a soldier was forced to follow orders. Noah murdered the guards who had strangled me in an attempt to save me, right before my eyes. I had brought the disaster upon myself, and I simply overlooked their deaths, believing I had contributed to their misfortune.
"What a disgusting rationalization to justify the crime committed by the man you love. People shouldn't kill others in the first place."
Something deep within me rebuked me. I knew it was a sin and a mistake, yet I feared that Noah would be condemned and ostracized. Had he been a Medea officer, I wouldn't have pondered such things. I would have simply followed the praise of others, ignoring the dark truth and boasting about his exceptional abilities and accomplishments. Suddenly, Celine's words from the past came back to me like an auditory hallucination.
“There’s no use knowing.”
It was better not to know. Seeing something, pretending not to see it, hearing something, pretending not to hear it. For a moment, my stomach churned, and nausea washed over me.
Those who stand atop a mountain of corpses are either revered as great men or are sharply divided into historical sinners. What difference does it make? A moral standard? A difference in providing cause or justification? My thoughts were tangled in an ethical dilemma and confusion. As if reading my thoughts, Milia spoke in a calm voice.
"They say every death in this world carries the same sorrow. It feels like everyone in this age is committing a sin. A war where the state is the main agent and commits murder."
***
Into the Queen's office, Baroness Mason entered, her face slightly pale, stood up straight, and reported the gruesome truth.
"Erita's index finger was reportedly cut off. Judging by the sharp blade, it was likely the work of a guard. The finger was missing and could not be sutured, so they treated it and disposed of it. And..."
Baroness Mason, who had been hesitating slightly with her head down and her gaze tilted, added with difficulty.
“They sent Erita’s severed finger to the palace.”
The Queen's complexion visibly worsened at the shocking revelation. She wrinkled her nose with the ferocity of a wild beast, crumpled the papers on her desk, and asked.
“Who ordered this?”
“Only those chosen by Princess Diana are allowed to approach her.”
"Diana. I didn't know she was so cruel to me. I didn't think she was the type of person to cross the line."
This was a clear provocation and deception. How dare you test my patience? A rage, mixed with a soft sigh, burst out. The Queen was holding back with remarkable patience. Like a dam on the verge of overflowing, she teetered precariously on the edge of reason and composure. Her eyes were seething with utmost fury, but the air surrounding her was instead cooling and chilling.
“What about Diana and Noah?”
“It seems like they meet secretly so as not to attract attention, even though they haven’t specifically restricted or prohibited their meetings.”
The Queen nervously tapped her delicate fingers on the table. Since Diana's true identity as a Princess was revealed, the controversy over interference from the upper echelons of the royal family and her right to succeed has intensified.
"Yes, that's why I didn't want to create controversy or cause a stir in the first place. Since she hasn't taken the initiative to declare divorce or renounce her right to the throne, and hasn't shown any position, it's not easy to force a divorce or coerce her into it."
Diana clearly won't stay still. Next, it'll be an arm or a leg. She'll force Erita to offer help, somehow, to use it as evidence that the royal family turned a blind eye to and covered up the false Princess's crimes.
A normal woman blinded by love would have long ago revealed her illegitimate birth and offered to give up her crown. But Diana was anything but ordinary. Rather than rushing recklessly, she knew when to be cautious. She possessed a clear sense of purpose, but never demanded what she wanted. She knew full well that in a situation where both sides were pulling at the same time, the one holding on more desperately would most likely fall prey to inertia. The Baroness offered her advice.
"It seems impossible to maintain the Princess's marital status any longer. As the war continues, perceptions of the Frogens will become increasingly extreme. Count Noah Rotsilt may become a target of ostracism simply because he is of Frogen descent. We need a clear justification and trust to remain here."
"Now, even the royal family can't avoid criticism. While contributing to the success of the release plan would certainly be a way to gain recognition, he himself knows it would also mean losing his own usefulness. The disappearance of Dr. Rugen's grandson is proof of this."
The reason why she cooperated positively but did not give everything.
The Queen, who had been lost in thought with her eyes closed, slowly lifted her eyelids. The reason he, a brilliant officer of Frogen origin, cooperated here was also Diana. Diana's obedient acceptance of the title of Princess and the fulfillment of her duties were also part of the reason.
"I can't completely trust Noah Rotsilt. He's one of those capitalists who's driven solely by profit."
The Queen knew well that love was impermanent, and that the fickleness of human hearts was ever-changing, subject to circumstances and trials. Diana might become a monstrous monster, resembling her past foolish self, who had staked her life on something that would inevitably change, and her father, who had been unyielding in his reckless pursuit of means. She couldn't allow Diana to make the same mistake she had, of losing something so precious.
Ultimately, the only solution was to induce her to file for divorce on her own initiative and to give her a reason to stay. The Queen also adopted Diana's approach.
He and Diana are taking each other hostage.
“We have no choice but to use Noah Rotsilt in the war by joining the Allied Forces.”
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