#117. Attempting the “Empire” Once Again
I returned to my room from the office, pressing my cheek as I walked.
The slapped cheek was stinging, but compared to everything else, a single slap was a bargain.
After all, I had managed to get the king to agree to give me a grace period until I graduated from the academy.
With that thought, I opened the door—and there was a visitor inside.
“Blanche! I don’t think we had enough time to talk earlier, so I came to—oh my, what happened to your face?!”
It was the Sixth Princess, the very topic of conversation just moments ago.
She was the same age as me, but since I had been adopted, on paper she was my older sister: Langrisha Dre von Vandalin.
I couldn’t help but think that, no matter how cleverly I had lost my parents, they still sent a child my age as a hostage to the empire. A three-year-old hostage. Even in the empire, that was considered quite an audacious choice.
For me, though, already contemplating how I could exploit this injury, it was fortuitous.
I lowered my eyes in embarrassment, pressing my cheek again.
“Ah… this is…”
“How dare someone raise a hand against a princess of this country?”
The child was genuinely innocent. How many people in this kingdom could even touch someone of my status as a princess?
After all, I had been summoned to the king after dinner.
Surely it was obvious, even without asking—did the king really think it was acceptable to send such a child to the empire?
A thousand thoughts raced through my mind, but I decided to focus on the child in front of me.
If she couldn’t grasp my intent, I could simply provide the bridge to the correct conclusion.
“It’s not like that. I… I just spoke out of turn…”
Fortunately, the Sixth Princess was not unintelligent; she understood my hint immediately.
“Could it be… His Majesty did this?”
“I was only trying to correct a misunderstanding about the empire… Perhaps my tone was too arrogant…”
I had already noticed during dinner that the king was likely very kind to his own children.
Judging by the way the Sixth Princess’s face contorted, it seemed so.
“Oh my, His Majesty isn’t usually like this… I’ll speak to him myself. Why treat a child who has just returned after so long this way…”
Typical childlike behavior: believing that anyone good to her would be good to everyone.
But phrased differently, it meant that anyone who treated someone poorly might easily be assumed to be bad to me as well.
For someone like me, who wanted to sow discord in the royal family, this was perfect.
“Perhaps it’s because I’m not a biological child. I’ve been granted undue honor… Whatever treatment I receive, I have no right to complain.”
I lowered my head slightly, turning my face so the injury on my cheek was clearly visible.
Thanks to the slap, my cheek was likely swollen.
“What nonsense!”
The Sixth Princess jumped as if burned, her expression stern.
It was probably the innate desire of a well-raised child to be a good person that had been properly triggered.
No matter what she thought privately, there was only one thing she could say.
“Don’t think such strange thoughts. You have no idea how happy I am to see you.”
Of course, what else could I say? This child had come to me hoping to build a bond.
Since you’re not really a princess, no one can say it’s natural for you to be slapped or treated poorly.
“Are you serious?”
Hoping my eyes looked sufficiently moist, I raised my head slightly.
Whether it was my expression or something else, the Sixth Princess appeared entirely enraptured by her own feelings.
“Of course. You’re my precious little sister. My only little sister.”
Not a real sister, of course. I smiled weakly and lowered my gaze.
“Thank you so much. Being in the empire… it’s a bit lonely. It’s not really my country, after all… I even began to feel unwelcome in my homeland. But knowing that there’s at least one person who cares for me brings such relief…”
I made myself appear fragile, as if I had no one else to rely on.
The beauty strategy the Count of Grief had taught me over the past year was now being applied to a girl my own age.
“Of course. I’ll always be on your side.”
It seemed the count’s teachings were effective. To elicit such words within a few hours of meeting.
Of course, keeping this feeling would require more effort…
But still, the fact that a single slap and a few words could sway her heart was a significant advantage.
Feeling the gentle touch of the Sixth Princess comforting me, I thought about this.
Having sufficiently stirred the Sixth Princess’s emotions, I sent her away with the excuse that I was still exhausted from travel.
Since it was only the first day of my arrival, there would be plenty of time for future conversations, and the princess obediently left me alone.
After a quick wash and change of clothes, I lay on the bed, reflecting on the day’s gains.
On how successful the initial stage of my plan had been.
For the past half-year, I had been contemplating how best to handle the Lamore Kingdom.
Originally, my approach toward the kingdom was simple: stir domestic unrest so that there would be no room to focus on me.
The unrest would ideally involve a succession dispute.
I would pick a candidate who seemed likely to need my support, push them forward, place them on the throne, and in return, gain freedom.
Simple and straightforward.
But after the conversation with His Majesty, other thoughts began creeping in.
Perhaps this kingdom could serve as the proof I never received from the true empire.
I had invested nearly my entire life in turning my nation into an empire.
I had conquered the continent, crushed the seeds of rebellion, and once the country stabilized, proposed policies to improve the lives of the people, while tending to the barren northern territories.
The emperor had been wise, valuing talent everywhere. Thanks to this, the combined efforts of many talented individuals—including myself—had made the empire flourish.
Truly, it was a glory that seemed it could last a thousand years.
Yet, contrary to my expectations, the empire fell in less than a century.
Because of my daughter’s intent. Because of my own failings.
The hastily unified empire splintered rapidly, leaving only chaos.
The grudges my daughter, as the absolute ruler, had kept in check shattered the empire, and once the previously unified country fragmented, the borders became chaotic.
Amid the division, the drawn-out subsequent wars, driven by greed for more land, were merely an additional burden.
In short, the empire I had dedicated my life to building had vanished like a mirage, destroyed by the very heir I had raised.
Thus, there remained no proof of “Lee Baek-ryeon’s” life.
What I had created with my life had lasted less than a century—a fleeting brilliance.
I had wished in this life to live leisurely, having already done all I could in my previous life.
I had poured all my talents into it.
And I had even created an empire.
But after confirming that my successor had destroyed that empire, one question arose.
I had done all I could.
But had it truly been the best?
Could misdirected efforts have caused the opposite effect? Could my efforts even be considered rightly aimed?
Of course, it was impossible to know.
Perhaps, no matter what means I had employed, Yuhyeon would have ultimately destroyed the empire.
Or even if not Yuhyeon, the incompetent successor might still have led the empire to decline.
It may not all have been my fault.
Not knowing, I felt the urge to attempt it once again.
Knowing the problems, I would try again.
Expand the nation, maintain the expanded realm, stabilize the people. Attempt the “empire” once more.
Of course, I didn’t intend to replicate the path of the previous empire exactly.
The original empire had unified an entire continent, but with the Lertail Empire already on the Phalos continent, unification would be difficult.
My new plan was as follows:
The succession dispute and pushing a suitable candidate forward remained the same.
But instead of gaining freedom after installing a new king, I would secure the right to participate in the governance of the kingdom.
Once the successor I supported became king, I would take command of the army and strike the southern Kartian Kingdom.
After expanding the kingdom, I would oversee internal affairs. I had reached the pinnacle in both civil and military administration.
I was more than confident in my ability to make the country prosperous and strong.
If I attempted, once again, to create an “empire,” what would its outcome be?
I wanted to find out.
