The truth Eileen told me was so bitter it was hard to swallow. Unable to spit it out fiercely or let it slip away, I hovered in place, constantly squealing. I knew it was meant to be, but the moment I realized it was truly happening, my limbs gave out.
Divorce, divorce.
I collapsed onto the sofa, chewing and repeating the bitter words that lingered in my mouth. Pain flared beneath my tongue as I tried to spit them out. Still, the truth remained unchanged. Seeing Eileen's wet eyelashes flutter, I asked.
“Why are you crying?”
“I’m sorry, I’m sad.”
“Why you?”
Even so, we're strangers, and this is entirely someone else's business. I've never cried for anyone, and I wouldn't cry in this situation either. In fact, I don't have time to grieve. At the extremely cynical question, Eileen lowered her gaze and quivered her lips.
“He would have made that choice for the Princess.”
"The Queen and Noah all said the same thing. They said it was for my sake. But no one cared about my wishes. I didn't ask for it, so why would it be for my sake?"
It wasn't a question specifically directed at her. It was more like a monologue, a venting of anger. I already knew the answer. It was probably self-satisfaction. In fact, I'm no different. Why are the circumstances driving me to this point?
Eileen tried to calm me down by biting her lip hard.
“...Because he loves you, Princess.”
A pungent, bloody smell drifted through the gap between my locked lips. A sharp pain slowly eased the heightened emotions. My lips, bruised and crushed, burned, but my head suddenly grew cold.
"Eileen. Do you wish to be with a man who is a noble from a war-torn nation and a high-ranking military officer?"
She hung her head and couldn't easily answer my question. After a long silence, she completely avoided answering and changed the subject.
“Secretary Vincent Ford has requested an audience with you... Should I refuse?”
I nodded, indicating I would see Vincent. Vincent, who had come early and been waiting, quickly entered my room and greeted me with his characteristically expressionless face.
"I have something to tell you. Well, I think you've probably guessed it, judging by the things the Duke has secretly instructed me to do. He told me to buy corporate bonds, stocks, and gold in large quantities."
I quickly waved away the others in the room, indicating I wanted no one to listen. He held his coffee cup, his eyes downcast, and spoke in an extremely dry tone.
"I wish to tell you about the secrets of the Rotsilt family and the Ford family. The reason I am revealing this confidential information to you, Princess, was the decision of my insane partner, Mr. Noah Rotsilt."
Vincent's story was completely unexpected. It was so unexpected that I hadn't even noticed it while spending time with Noah.
I clutched my head as I listened to Vincent's lengthy story. The Knights of the Round Table, a coalition of thirteen families, including the Rotsilts, Fords, and other like-minded financial and business families, had formed. Led by these families, the capitalist powers began to wield unseen influence on the world. In short, they sought to establish a capitalist government that would control nations through capital.
Most countries on the Guiana continent suffered from persistent financial difficulties due to accelerated industrialization and war expenditures. Capitalists took a keen interest in this. They proposed that monarchs introduce a central banking system that would issue bonds secured by citizens' taxes to secure necessary foreign exchange and finances. Capitalists held board seats at major central banks around the world, which provided government funding and oversaw currency issuance, or as major investors, and could amass enormous wealth by collecting interest and fees. Frogen introduced a new system where the government would purchase bonds from private companies receiving state contracts, and enacted the Imperial Banking Act to control the capitalist-owned Frogen Central Bank. This likely explains why the Rotsilt and Ford families had long planned a regime change.
Long ago, a country that had abolished its central banking system suffered a foreign exchange crisis and recession due to its debts stemming from a long war with Medea. After the leader died of an unknown illness, the new leader revived the central bank. The Spencer family benefited greatly by supporting and closely cooperating with this power behind the scenes. There's a saying that in the future, only the King of Chess, the Four Kings of Trump, and the King of Medea will remain. Prioritizing the development of the atomic bomb was one of the benefits, but it was ultimately planned to be granted during the reign of Princess Diana, when she became Queen.
“Is development possible now?”
"Yes. The United States of Eugene of the New World also participated in the Lilith Plan to develop and possess an atomic bomb, and Dr. Benedict Rugen is secretly there. Whether it's completed or halted is up to Mr. Rotsilt... but ultimately, it will be up to the Princess. Many powers are currently focusing on it, so it may be completed soon."
Like a demon controlling human disasters such as war, plague, and depression, everything seems to be completely subordinate to the plan of that power and moves according to the scenario.
Vincent added.
"From the perspective of capitalists, a nation is nothing more than a corporation with a monarch as its owner. The nations of the Guiana continent began issuing war bonds to the general public through banks to raise funds for war. To investors on the stock exchange, war is merely a gambling arena, with astronomical sums of money involved in winning or losing. The gains of war and economic depression are proportional to the interests of the relevant powers."
“Victory bonds are also their goal.”
The capitalist forces that pursue only profit, regardless of friend or foe, are the ones hosting this terrible game.
The key to victory in this war is capital power.
Frogen was a major player in the global gambling business and a vehicle for escalating the world war.
They intend to prolong the war, and by dropping the atomic bomb on the Frogen, who have become complacent after repeated victories, they intend to set an example. In that case, countries suffering from recession due to the prolonged war and the subsequent recovery from the damage will have no choice but to follow suit, keeping an eye on the capitalists and nuclear powers. The base of this plan was the United Kingdom of Medea. I asked Vincent.
"Do the monarchs of the great powers, allied with the capitalist forces, intend to stand by and watch as their villainous allies conquer and absorb other nations? They plan to divide it up later."
“That is the business proposition the capitalists make to the monarchs, the ideal deal of acquiring territory in the name of peace and justice, rather than getting your hands dirty and bloody.”
Mastiff, who will be crowned the new leader of Frogen, will commit atrocities at Noah's direction, enough to justify the atomic bombing. As the king on the chessboard, I will assume the role of monarch, representing that power and leading the international order. Thus, the era of capitalism will begin.
Armed with the knowledge, power, and capital of a bygone era, I was essentially holding the winning cards of a vast gambling table. But I was considering another approach.
If this trend continues, Frogen is destined for economic collapse due to massive inflation. Bringing that point forward, undermining the foundation of the plan, negotiating a ceasefire, and then using that opportunity to escape to the United States of Eugene. It was the best plan possible, without risking human lives. The goal was unremarkable and ordinary, but the path to ordinariness was always fraught with hardship and adversity. Therefore, unconventional methods were unavoidable. Vincent adjusted his tie as he spoke.
“I think the Duke has decided to tell the Princess this secret because you have capitalist tendencies.”
"...Yes."
"You're doing a great job, aren't you? Capital management, I mean. And it seems he has a lot of trust in the Princess."
Vincent smiled bitterly.
After Vincent left after our long, drawn-out conversation, I sat in a daze, lost in thought, constantly suppressing the countless feelings of doubt and anxiety that surged within me. Then, after a wide-awake night, I woke up to a morning no different from any other.
I was sitting in the living room, drinking Earl Grey tea and reading the newspaper, when there was a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
“Princess, I heard you woke up early, so I came.”
I turned around at the sound of a man's voice behind me, but nodded without any emotion.
“I didn’t sleep.”
“Me too. The Princess asked me to do it.”
Boaz hopped toward him, wagging his tail happily. Henry hugged his bushy neck and rubbed it, then thrust a bundle of papers in front of me.
"I've finished all the research on the New World countries you asked me to do. Isn't that fast?"
As I watched him standing next to Boaz, his tail wagging and his fancy bow tie around his neck, I had a fleeting thought that it looked like two dogs standing side by side.
“Yes, it’s fast.”
“I think the Princess is stingy with praise.”
He continued speaking, pointing to a section of the document while throwing a slight tantrum.
"The Eugene United States, in particular, is comprised of a diverse mix of immigrant ethnicities, including many Frogens who immigrated, fed up with the violent rule of Mayer III. A few years ago, they discovered mineral deposits and oil fields, and with their vast reserves of resources, they attracted capital and achieved rapid development. Buying a piece of land in the capital city will be a joy for your descendants."
“I’m not looking to buy bonds or land.”
Henry, who had been observing my expression for a while, finally spoke.
"I heard the news, Princess. Cheer up. And I'm not biased against divorce."
“Yes, thank you.”
I simply replied and gestured for him to leave.
Henry, with a sullen expression, patted Boaz's head a few times before leaving the room. I carefully looked through the documents he had left me. As befitting an elite, he had meticulously organized his data on the nations of the New World, and his analysis was so sophisticated that it felt like he possessed a visionary eye.
After reading the entire analysis report, I headed straight to the Queen's study. Inside the study, a refined and refined desk made of solid oak, exuding a sense of antiquity, resembled the "Resolve Desk" used by the President of the United States in my world. It was made from materials from the first ships to explore the New World. Sitting there, my mother, looking at me, resembled a beautiful sculpture, possessing restraint and dignity. With a graceful gesture, she lifted a single sheet of paper, facing me.
"They say the difference between a promise and destruction is a thin sheet of paper. Seeing a promise of eternity so easily broken makes me wonder if that saying is true."
I kept my mouth shut and looked back and forth between her hand holding the paper and her smiling face. The Queen's voice continued.
"My Princess, Captain Rotsilt has signed his divorce agreement and left. The condition was that he would not be deployed to the front lines."
I didn't even think to look into it closely.
Before I knew it, people were calling Noah "Captain" instead of "Count." I felt uncomfortable, as if they were dismissing him as nothing more or less than a member of Medea's army. When I didn't respond, the Queen spoke.
"This is the choice of the man you loved. It wasn't that desperate."
It was a kind tone, emphasizing that Noah hadn't chosen me. I wasn't foolish enough to fall for such slander, so I simply offered a dry comment.
“I see.”
The Queen, her hand resting under her chin, tilted her head. A mocking smile curled her red lips, as if she'd expected me to do the same. She continued speaking smoothly, as if encouraging me.
"Don't be sad about your failure. Love between a man and a woman is truly futile and vain. Everyone praises it as beautiful, but a closer look reveals its emptiness. It's more like an emotional deception, a perfunctory attempt to get what one wants."
“I know very well that this is a story from a fairy tale.”
The Queen's gaze softened even more at my submissive demeanor. She beckoned me closer, took my hand, and affectionately stroked its back. All of this was a secret request.
"You possess exceptional judgment and intelligence. My wonderful daughter, I supported you both materially and spiritually in the plan you proposed to me earlier because I trust you. I will be your only ally. The only person who can benefit from your exceptional abilities and talents is me, the most powerful person in this country."
“Yes, I know.”
"Yes, sign. I respect your opinion and will process it as a divorce by mutual consent."
She smiled beautifully. I slowly withdrew my hand and lifted my chin.
“But there is a condition.”
The Queen's gentle face sank coldly at the firm tone. Soon, she returned to her previous smile.
“Conditions?”
Divorce, divorce.
I collapsed onto the sofa, chewing and repeating the bitter words that lingered in my mouth. Pain flared beneath my tongue as I tried to spit them out. Still, the truth remained unchanged. Seeing Eileen's wet eyelashes flutter, I asked.
“Why are you crying?”
“I’m sorry, I’m sad.”
“Why you?”
Even so, we're strangers, and this is entirely someone else's business. I've never cried for anyone, and I wouldn't cry in this situation either. In fact, I don't have time to grieve. At the extremely cynical question, Eileen lowered her gaze and quivered her lips.
“He would have made that choice for the Princess.”
"The Queen and Noah all said the same thing. They said it was for my sake. But no one cared about my wishes. I didn't ask for it, so why would it be for my sake?"
It wasn't a question specifically directed at her. It was more like a monologue, a venting of anger. I already knew the answer. It was probably self-satisfaction. In fact, I'm no different. Why are the circumstances driving me to this point?
Eileen tried to calm me down by biting her lip hard.
“...Because he loves you, Princess.”
A pungent, bloody smell drifted through the gap between my locked lips. A sharp pain slowly eased the heightened emotions. My lips, bruised and crushed, burned, but my head suddenly grew cold.
"Eileen. Do you wish to be with a man who is a noble from a war-torn nation and a high-ranking military officer?"
She hung her head and couldn't easily answer my question. After a long silence, she completely avoided answering and changed the subject.
“Secretary Vincent Ford has requested an audience with you... Should I refuse?”
I nodded, indicating I would see Vincent. Vincent, who had come early and been waiting, quickly entered my room and greeted me with his characteristically expressionless face.
"I have something to tell you. Well, I think you've probably guessed it, judging by the things the Duke has secretly instructed me to do. He told me to buy corporate bonds, stocks, and gold in large quantities."
I quickly waved away the others in the room, indicating I wanted no one to listen. He held his coffee cup, his eyes downcast, and spoke in an extremely dry tone.
"I wish to tell you about the secrets of the Rotsilt family and the Ford family. The reason I am revealing this confidential information to you, Princess, was the decision of my insane partner, Mr. Noah Rotsilt."
Vincent's story was completely unexpected. It was so unexpected that I hadn't even noticed it while spending time with Noah.
I clutched my head as I listened to Vincent's lengthy story. The Knights of the Round Table, a coalition of thirteen families, including the Rotsilts, Fords, and other like-minded financial and business families, had formed. Led by these families, the capitalist powers began to wield unseen influence on the world. In short, they sought to establish a capitalist government that would control nations through capital.
Most countries on the Guiana continent suffered from persistent financial difficulties due to accelerated industrialization and war expenditures. Capitalists took a keen interest in this. They proposed that monarchs introduce a central banking system that would issue bonds secured by citizens' taxes to secure necessary foreign exchange and finances. Capitalists held board seats at major central banks around the world, which provided government funding and oversaw currency issuance, or as major investors, and could amass enormous wealth by collecting interest and fees. Frogen introduced a new system where the government would purchase bonds from private companies receiving state contracts, and enacted the Imperial Banking Act to control the capitalist-owned Frogen Central Bank. This likely explains why the Rotsilt and Ford families had long planned a regime change.
Long ago, a country that had abolished its central banking system suffered a foreign exchange crisis and recession due to its debts stemming from a long war with Medea. After the leader died of an unknown illness, the new leader revived the central bank. The Spencer family benefited greatly by supporting and closely cooperating with this power behind the scenes. There's a saying that in the future, only the King of Chess, the Four Kings of Trump, and the King of Medea will remain. Prioritizing the development of the atomic bomb was one of the benefits, but it was ultimately planned to be granted during the reign of Princess Diana, when she became Queen.
“Is development possible now?”
"Yes. The United States of Eugene of the New World also participated in the Lilith Plan to develop and possess an atomic bomb, and Dr. Benedict Rugen is secretly there. Whether it's completed or halted is up to Mr. Rotsilt... but ultimately, it will be up to the Princess. Many powers are currently focusing on it, so it may be completed soon."
Like a demon controlling human disasters such as war, plague, and depression, everything seems to be completely subordinate to the plan of that power and moves according to the scenario.
Vincent added.
"From the perspective of capitalists, a nation is nothing more than a corporation with a monarch as its owner. The nations of the Guiana continent began issuing war bonds to the general public through banks to raise funds for war. To investors on the stock exchange, war is merely a gambling arena, with astronomical sums of money involved in winning or losing. The gains of war and economic depression are proportional to the interests of the relevant powers."
“Victory bonds are also their goal.”
The capitalist forces that pursue only profit, regardless of friend or foe, are the ones hosting this terrible game.
The key to victory in this war is capital power.
Frogen was a major player in the global gambling business and a vehicle for escalating the world war.
They intend to prolong the war, and by dropping the atomic bomb on the Frogen, who have become complacent after repeated victories, they intend to set an example. In that case, countries suffering from recession due to the prolonged war and the subsequent recovery from the damage will have no choice but to follow suit, keeping an eye on the capitalists and nuclear powers. The base of this plan was the United Kingdom of Medea. I asked Vincent.
"Do the monarchs of the great powers, allied with the capitalist forces, intend to stand by and watch as their villainous allies conquer and absorb other nations? They plan to divide it up later."
“That is the business proposition the capitalists make to the monarchs, the ideal deal of acquiring territory in the name of peace and justice, rather than getting your hands dirty and bloody.”
Mastiff, who will be crowned the new leader of Frogen, will commit atrocities at Noah's direction, enough to justify the atomic bombing. As the king on the chessboard, I will assume the role of monarch, representing that power and leading the international order. Thus, the era of capitalism will begin.
Armed with the knowledge, power, and capital of a bygone era, I was essentially holding the winning cards of a vast gambling table. But I was considering another approach.
If this trend continues, Frogen is destined for economic collapse due to massive inflation. Bringing that point forward, undermining the foundation of the plan, negotiating a ceasefire, and then using that opportunity to escape to the United States of Eugene. It was the best plan possible, without risking human lives. The goal was unremarkable and ordinary, but the path to ordinariness was always fraught with hardship and adversity. Therefore, unconventional methods were unavoidable. Vincent adjusted his tie as he spoke.
“I think the Duke has decided to tell the Princess this secret because you have capitalist tendencies.”
"...Yes."
"You're doing a great job, aren't you? Capital management, I mean. And it seems he has a lot of trust in the Princess."
Vincent smiled bitterly.
***
After Vincent left after our long, drawn-out conversation, I sat in a daze, lost in thought, constantly suppressing the countless feelings of doubt and anxiety that surged within me. Then, after a wide-awake night, I woke up to a morning no different from any other.
I was sitting in the living room, drinking Earl Grey tea and reading the newspaper, when there was a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
“Princess, I heard you woke up early, so I came.”
I turned around at the sound of a man's voice behind me, but nodded without any emotion.
“I didn’t sleep.”
“Me too. The Princess asked me to do it.”
Boaz hopped toward him, wagging his tail happily. Henry hugged his bushy neck and rubbed it, then thrust a bundle of papers in front of me.
"I've finished all the research on the New World countries you asked me to do. Isn't that fast?"
As I watched him standing next to Boaz, his tail wagging and his fancy bow tie around his neck, I had a fleeting thought that it looked like two dogs standing side by side.
“Yes, it’s fast.”
“I think the Princess is stingy with praise.”
He continued speaking, pointing to a section of the document while throwing a slight tantrum.
"The Eugene United States, in particular, is comprised of a diverse mix of immigrant ethnicities, including many Frogens who immigrated, fed up with the violent rule of Mayer III. A few years ago, they discovered mineral deposits and oil fields, and with their vast reserves of resources, they attracted capital and achieved rapid development. Buying a piece of land in the capital city will be a joy for your descendants."
“I’m not looking to buy bonds or land.”
Henry, who had been observing my expression for a while, finally spoke.
"I heard the news, Princess. Cheer up. And I'm not biased against divorce."
“Yes, thank you.”
I simply replied and gestured for him to leave.
Henry, with a sullen expression, patted Boaz's head a few times before leaving the room. I carefully looked through the documents he had left me. As befitting an elite, he had meticulously organized his data on the nations of the New World, and his analysis was so sophisticated that it felt like he possessed a visionary eye.
After reading the entire analysis report, I headed straight to the Queen's study. Inside the study, a refined and refined desk made of solid oak, exuding a sense of antiquity, resembled the "Resolve Desk" used by the President of the United States in my world. It was made from materials from the first ships to explore the New World. Sitting there, my mother, looking at me, resembled a beautiful sculpture, possessing restraint and dignity. With a graceful gesture, she lifted a single sheet of paper, facing me.
"They say the difference between a promise and destruction is a thin sheet of paper. Seeing a promise of eternity so easily broken makes me wonder if that saying is true."
I kept my mouth shut and looked back and forth between her hand holding the paper and her smiling face. The Queen's voice continued.
"My Princess, Captain Rotsilt has signed his divorce agreement and left. The condition was that he would not be deployed to the front lines."
I didn't even think to look into it closely.
Before I knew it, people were calling Noah "Captain" instead of "Count." I felt uncomfortable, as if they were dismissing him as nothing more or less than a member of Medea's army. When I didn't respond, the Queen spoke.
"This is the choice of the man you loved. It wasn't that desperate."
It was a kind tone, emphasizing that Noah hadn't chosen me. I wasn't foolish enough to fall for such slander, so I simply offered a dry comment.
“I see.”
The Queen, her hand resting under her chin, tilted her head. A mocking smile curled her red lips, as if she'd expected me to do the same. She continued speaking smoothly, as if encouraging me.
"Don't be sad about your failure. Love between a man and a woman is truly futile and vain. Everyone praises it as beautiful, but a closer look reveals its emptiness. It's more like an emotional deception, a perfunctory attempt to get what one wants."
“I know very well that this is a story from a fairy tale.”
The Queen's gaze softened even more at my submissive demeanor. She beckoned me closer, took my hand, and affectionately stroked its back. All of this was a secret request.
"You possess exceptional judgment and intelligence. My wonderful daughter, I supported you both materially and spiritually in the plan you proposed to me earlier because I trust you. I will be your only ally. The only person who can benefit from your exceptional abilities and talents is me, the most powerful person in this country."
“Yes, I know.”
"Yes, sign. I respect your opinion and will process it as a divorce by mutual consent."
She smiled beautifully. I slowly withdrew my hand and lifted my chin.
“But there is a condition.”
The Queen's gentle face sank coldly at the firm tone. Soon, she returned to her previous smile.
“Conditions?”
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