It Seems Like I Fell into a Reverse Harem Game V3 C12.3

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Volume 3 Chapter 12.3

Deep in the night, the nobles’ movements were disquieting. Guided by torchlight, one carriage after another entered the Pacis Marquisate’s mansion. 

The person who had gathered them was the next prime minister, no, the current prime minister, Karant Pacis. 

Through a window whose curtains were halfway drawn, Karant was observing the line of carriages coming in back to back. She laughed and suddenly spoke up. 

“Aren’t you going to ask what’s so funny?”

“…”

There was one more person in the room. 

Sitting on a chair while sipping tea, Eclot slowly turned his gaze to Karant. Karant smirked and completely turned her back to the window. She leaned her back against the wall. 

“Look here, it’s no fun like this. There’s a reason I decided to listen to your request.”

Eclot put his tea cup down on the table and responded. 

“It does not matter if you do not.”

Karant frowned at the even response. 

“This is why you’re not popular with the women.”

“I have received many requests for my hand in marriage.”

Karant laughed.

“Those were because of your family name. And yet, you’ve got that pride. Like I said, loyal, old me will take you in if you want. It’s not so bad to marry a girl you’ve known for a long time.”

Eclot interlaced his fingers and leaned further back into his chair. 

“Nonsense.”

From the side, his face, which was cast in shadow by the yellow light of the lamp, was defined by thick, neat lines. Karant glanced at his face and returned her gaze to the window. 

“If you are not sure about this, quit now.”

“How can I pull out when you’re letting me join in on the fun? Opportunities to look down on these nobles who’re congregating here like ants don’t come by often.”

Karant smiled from ear to ear, like she was truly having fun.

***

“Ehem, the marchioness sure is late.”

“What is she doing, after calling us here like this…”

“Thank you for gathering.”

When Karant suddenly appeared from behind the curtains, one noble who had been complaining bit their tongue. Karant slowly looked at each of the gathered nobles with an expression that was neither welcoming nor stiff. 

“Greetings, Prime Minister.”

“Yeah.”

Karant sat at the head of the table and asked a question.

“You did not have any trouble getting here, did you? Since all you had to do was get on the carriage.”

“…”

“Th-That is so, hahaha.”

“We had no trouble, thanks to you…”

“Nevertheless, please refrain from calling us here late at night for personal matters, Prime Minister.”

It was Viscountess Evonto. Karant’s eyes flashed briefly as she looked at the viscountess. 

“Ah, is that so? Except for you, everyone seemed like they wanted me to call them here. Well, if you have nothing to say to me, you may leave, Viscountess.”

A look of surprise flashed across Viscountess Evonto’s face, but then, with a determined expression, she stood up from her seat. 

“If you have no other business with me, I will be on my way as you say.”

Karant grinned.

The woman who was suddenly called up from a faraway Podunk town to become the former marquis’s adopted daughter, only to receive the title of marchioness and now prime minister, was that kind of person. 

She loved being at the center of all kinds of unpleasantry and commotion, where people squandered their fortunes and dreamed up schemes. In a word, she was a born spectator. And so, the woman’s hometown had been an incredibly dull place to her. 

“Is there anyone else who wants to leave? If you have nothing to say to me, I do not have any business with you, so leave.”

“…”

The hall was quiet. Viscountess Evonto glanced at the nobles who were stuck to their seats one more time before making her leave without another moment’s hesitation. 

Karant was very amused that the person Eclot had told her to keep an eye on had escaped before the meeting even started. Of course, she didn’t even stop to think she might have played a part in it. 

The viscountess might be more useful than they’d thought. 

Karant had a general idea of why Eclot wanted her to keep an eye on the viscountess, but she didn’t have a passing interest in that. 

The emperor dressed this up as open-mindedness, but the woman was equally cold to and equally disinterested in everyone at the same time. In other words, whether or not she rose to a high position, she wouldn’t pose a threat. And she wouldn’t benefit anyone either. 

She and Eclot were like fire and water, but in the end, they understood each other on the point of integrity. 

When someone who didn’t put people on their guard or attract their hatred became the prime minister, people began to think. 

Everyone knew that behind Karant Pacis was Eclot Pacis. And they also knew that behind Eclot Pacis was Princess Yeldria. 

And so, they began feeling the princess’s shadow whenever they talked with Karant. 

And now, in the wake of Eclot exposing the true nature of the underground economy that the nobles had been silent about on the princess’s order, Karant was secretly summoning the nobles.

What did that mean? The nobles had no choice but to get onto the carriages. 

***

When I opened my eyes, it was dawn. It was already plenty bright outside the window. I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand because they felt dry, which is when I heard people talking outside. I must have awoken because of that. 

I tried to ignore the noise and go back to sleep, but I was wrenched out of my sleep. 

“Please come out! Please hear me out!”

“Settle down, will you? You’ll wake the kids.”

The awkward voice was Sieger’s. 

“Please call her out! I said, I have something to say!”

“How am I supposed to call someone out who’s not here? Like I said, she’s not, so what’s up with you all?”

“Don’t lie! We know she’s here!”

“Thank you! Madam! It’s all thanks to you. My daughter came back…!”

I sat up and stole a glance outside the window. About fifteen people were gathered in the yard and Sieger was blocking the door. 

A man fell to the ground, his body bent over. 

“Thank you so much! I was holding my sleeping daughter’s hand just now, this is… is like a dream! When the sun rises, I’m going to the garrison hand-in-hand with my daughter. They said that if we tell them all of the things that were done to us, they would fix things and support us! Thank you, thank you so much…!”

After him, everyone scrambled to get on their knees on the dirt at the same time. Their shouts came out in a jumble. 

“Thank you for providing us with food!”

“Thank you for driving out the bastards!”

“Thank you for helping us!”

Sieger put a hand to his forehead and turned around like he’d lost all will to stop them. 

I saw tears drip down his jaw even from inside the room. The sight upset me, so I faced away from the window and slid my back down the wall until I was sitting. 

I couldn’t see them anymore, but I still heard their voices. 

“Thank you! Thank you! Please show us your face just once and let us thank you! Madam!”

I laughed. I wasn’t sure when I had become “Madam” to them. 

“Who are you thanking? Go thank the sentries.”

Sieger said angrily, and silence hung in the air for a second. 

“But… but…”

Right then, a woman who was carrying her child on her back spoke up. 

“People are helping us. We’ve complained and reported and asked for help, but no one helped. Now, those people are helping us. No matter how hard I try to think of what’s different between then and now, the only difference is that she wasn’t here then and she is now, so what are we supposed to do…?!”

“My child… couldn’t come back. But they’re saying they’ll dig up all the bodies from the black market. They said they’d do whatever they can to find our families. That’s enough for me. I can wait. I can wait. And who knows, maybe they already escaped.”

“So, please come out…! Please accept my thanks, madam!”

The people stayed until the sun rose. And then they left, wiping their tears. The alleyway was in complete chaos, but they still had to move on, little by little. 

The door to the room opened, and my eyes met Sieger’s. He wasn’t surprised that I was awake. 

“The kids?”

“They’re still asleep.”

“That’s good. They would’ve been shocked if they’d been awake.”

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay. There wasn’t a problem to begin with.”

“For someone who’s okay, you were out like a log.”

I gave him an awkward smile, which Sieger returned before he slumped down next to me. We sat side by side with our backs to the wall for a while, neither of us saying a word.

Sunlight started streaming into the dark room. Just when I thought the day had truly begun…

“It’s over,”

he said, while raising his palm out toward me.

“No, this is just the beginning,”

I replied and gave him a high-five. We squeezed each other’s hand at the same time.

It was a decent start to the morning.

***

Ding!

Sieger’s status has changed.

Ding!

Motivation to climb the ranks: 8%

Yuriel yanked her blanket down. It had only been two days since she had had to shut herself in her chambers because of the gossipping, but already her whole body ached and it was getting hard to bear because her temper was flaring.

And just when all of this was happening, she had been woken up – right as she was about to fall asleep. So it was natural for her to feel angry.

Ding!

Motivation to climb the ranks: 89%

Thinking she had seen wrong, she rubbed her eyes.

Motivation to climb the ranks: 9%

“…”

Yuriel was a little put off, but her temper got the best of her and she yanked the blanket back over herself.

***

The palace was bustling at the break of dawn. It hadn’t been that way the day before, or even two days before.

Appeals had been flooding in throughout the night until there was a small mountain of them. Finally, early in the morning, the news reached even the emperor.

And those appeals all said the same thing.

Bring charges against Princess Yuriel.

The princess is not worthy of representing our great empire in the negotiations.

But it is ridiculous for the emperor to personally intervene in the matter.

We need someone who can uphold the dignity of the empire.

We need someone who can show the empire’s strength to the Rothschild Empire.

Return the real princess, Princess Yeldria, to us.

The princess already washed herself of her sins when she humbly requested a punishment, therefore we of the noble houses demand the princess’s immediate return.

The officials who gathered at the emperor’s palace afterward similarly voiced their condemnation, as one. When these few nobles made a fuss, veins bulging in their necks, others who hadn’t been informed of the plan showed their agreement out of their own judgment.

The emperor realized right away that there was a mastermind, but it was past the time of being silent and treating the nobles’ complaints like they were unfounded. Princess Yuriel’s seat beside the emperor had been empty for several days.

The emperor, who was hoping to bring things to an end by having Yuriel keep to her chambers, pinned Karant to his left with a sharp look. Karant sensed his gaze and smirked in his direction.

“Your Majesty. What shall we do?”

If the princess returned, it wouldn’t be as easy for Yuriel to solidify her position as a princess. Yuriel couldn’t win against Yeldria. Everyone was thinking it. And it was a fact.

Even as this was happening, new appeals were continuing to pile up slowly but surely.

The emperor’s apprehension only lasted for a moment. His response was decided from the beginning.

***

When I entered the tower, I was greeted by a sight I had never seen before. I blinked.

God was sleeping in my bed, with the sun shining on him through the window. 

I took a few spontaneous steps toward him.

His black hair was splayed out on the white sheets like thread, and his closed eyes and supine form were the image of peace. His foot peeking out of the sheets was white and beautiful.

He was motionless even as I moved in front of the window, standing over him so the light didn’t reach his face. It was like he was really asleep.

“…”

I carefully sat next to him without asking for his permission. The bed dipped slightly, causing some of God’s hair to fall onto his forehead. I gently tucked the hair behind his ear.

I contemplated the line of his forehead and the bridge of his nose, and murmured,

“…I’m back.”

For some reason, the thought crossed my mind. If only he was human too. Though in reality, I knew that he only looked peaceful because he didn’t even need to breathe.

***

That night. The tower was peaceful as always, and the maid had entered my room to light the lamp. Just as I was thinking it was noisy outside, the door was flung open.

I saw the figure’s shoes first.

After that came the elegant walk, the straight back, the stubborn mouth, the dry cheeks and deep-set eyes.

The person who now regarded me with eyes like a deep, blue lake at dawn was none other than Eclot. Ever dependable, dignified and silent – one of my people.

The cold wind from outside that he brought with him grazed my ankles.

“You’re…”

He got down on one knee.

“Your Highness.”

***

The next day, an imperial edict was posted.

[The first servant of the heavens, Yelfortz Enze Cecilia, addresses the people.

Although the princess’s crime was great, by confessing her sins of her own will, she has set an example to the citizens and officials. Moreover, the noble houses have proposed that the princess fulfill her duty as a member of the royal household to welcome the foreign delegation. For these reasons, I declare her sentence lifted.

Princess Yeldria Viotte Cecilia will return from her six-month confinement and fulfill her duties as a member of the royal household. Year 389 Month 1 Day 12 of the Ate Calendar.]

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Translator’s note: I’m so sorry for the lateness T.T I’ve been busy studying for a grad school exam and will be for the next couple weeks. i’ll be back sept 17!!! again, so so sorry about the irregular schedule

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