The Crown Princess surveyed the situation alongside several experts who had accompanied her.
“Three kingdoms to the east—Burkhai, Caden, and Porland—all have suffered massive flood damage. Among them, Burkhai is, as expected, the worst off.”
“The most pressing need right now appears to be food and medicine. Beyond that, they’re also asking for additional manpower to restore order.”
“…It might be a good idea to prioritize securing clean water first.”
This is a surprisingly overlooked aspect during floods.
Contrary to what people might think, the first priority isn’t cozy shelters, dry clothes, warmth, or even food to fill empty stomachs—it’s clean drinking water. Without it, everything else falls apart.
Floodwaters turn all available water sources into muddy, disease-ridden swamps. And floating debris of unknown origin only makes it worse. Even established water supplies are destroyed in such disasters.
“Before we help Burkhai, let’s double-check the situation in the Empire. Are we absolutely sure there’s no further need for assistance in the eastern provinces?”
This was critical. Just because it rained heavily in the east doesn’t mean the Empire’s eastern regions escaped unscathed.
You can’t throw water on someone else’s house if your own is on fire.
In response to the Crown Princess’s query, an official from the Ministry of Internal Affairs bowed deeply and spoke.
“Yes, Your Highness Crown Princess. Although the eastern part of the Empire also suffered significant rain damage, we took swift action, so supporting the three kingdoms shouldn’t create major issues.”
“It needs to stay that way. We can’t focus on aiding foreign lands while neglecting our own people. If we do, our citizens will only harbor resentment and anger toward the Kingdom People.”
“I assure you, Your Highness, we will remain vigilant to prevent such an outcome.”
A short while later, the Crown Princess crossed the border into Burkhai’s territory.
This was the land where, until just half a year ago, the two sides were enemies, clashing in battle. But now, one side was asking for help—and the other had stepped up to offer it.
This shifting dynamic would shape the new order in the region in significant ways.
The Crown Princess felt confident her predictions were panning out.
“Crown Princess Your Highness.”
The Crown Prince of Burkhai approached from the border, the same individual who’d previously surrendered to the Empire.
“Greetings, Crown Prince. It’s a pleasure to see you again.”
Though normally she might have extended formal courtesies, the Crown Princess skipped them this time.
Moments like these called for clarity about who held the upper hand—and it wasn’t him.
Compassion can only go so far. And the fact remained that Burkhai had swallowed its pride and requested assistance.
So, they better endure it. Show their people they’re willing to humble themselves for their welfare—or face the alternative: instead of gifts, they’ll get swords.
“First, I wish to extend our deepest gratitude for the Emperor’s boundless compassion akin to divine mercy. Our King also praised His Majesty’s benevolence.”
“What is the King doing at this moment?”
“He’s touring the flooded areas, assessing the situation.”
Given that even the King himself was actively involved, the situation must indeed be dire. Or maybe… he simply didn’t want to abandon his post, or maybe he delegated the chore to his son to preserve a shred of dignity.
‘Perhaps he decided it wasn’t worth his pride to meet me himself, so he left it to the Crown Prince.’
Holding on to every last ounce of pride? The Crown Princess chuckled inwardly but quickly adopted a neutral smile. Ultimately, no amount of twisting things would change the current reality.
“The first wave of relief supplies is about to cross the border, Crown Prince.”
“Thank you very much, Your Highness. It will be invaluable.”
“Also, in preparation for unforeseen emergencies, we’ll establish two temporary camps near the border and inside your territory. This isn’t meant for military purposes—our only goal is to ensure these supplies reach the proper destinations.”
Placing entire legions both near the border and into their territory? For a nation like Burkhai, which had been recently stripped bare in defeat, this could send shivers down their spines.
Still, given the circumstances, the Crown Prince had no choice but to agree again.
Burkhai’s army had already taken heavy losses in their war with the Empire. Then came the catastrophic flood, wiping out even more survivors.
The few left were wielding shovels to battle the floods instead of swords.
Even if the Empire had marched an army, there’d be no way Burkhai could resist. On the contrary, its citizens might even prefer joining the Empire over staying under Burkhai’s rule.
“…”
Of course, rationally accepting a situation and emotionally embracing it are two very different things. Despite his outward calm, it was no easy feat for the Crown Prince, who’d already endured the humiliation of surrendering personally.
‘I should ease the tension a bit here.’
The Crown Princess slowed her horse, matching pace with the Crown Prince of Burkhai, showing the others that their positions were, in a way, equal.
“How are your two younger siblings holding up?”
“…Ah, I see they are faring well?”
“Are you worried about them?”
“Not at all. I’m fully confident the Empire treats its guests impeccably. If anything, my only concern is whether they’re being more of a bother than anything else.”
The Crown Princess smiled and assured him they were fine. She’d met Burkhai’s prince and princess before; as royalty, they naturally received the Empire’s attention.
They were treated well, naturally, with the hope that, once they returned to Burkhai, they’d become pro-Empire voices among the nobility.
With such perfect timing, the Crown Princess decided to take action. She stationed herself near the King of Burkhai’s temporary residence, often leading a group of Empire’s representatives or accompanied by the Crown Prince himself, touring flooded regions and spreading the Emperor’s compassion far and wide.
Of course, her presence here wasn’t solely about disaster relief. She was strategically gathering intelligence from the east. Among those seeking her audience were many nobles eager to place themselves under the Empire’s protection.
She spread a clear message: the Empire has a keen interest in the east. And for those aligning with its goals, there would certainly be rewards.
After all, it’s wise to bow when resistance is futile.
“Your Highness, do you intend to remain in Burkhai indefinitely?”
When asked this one day by her guards, the Crown Princess didn’t hesitate for a second, nodding. While Caden and Porland were equally affected by the floods, she lingered only in Burkhai.
Everyone wondered why, but she kept her reasons to herself.
‘Let the rumors fly. That’s the whole point.’
Despite all kingdoms suffering similar damages, the Crown Princess stayed exclusively in Burkhai.
Hearing this, Porland would likely grow restless. They’d probably conclude that Burkhai had surrendered entirely to the Empire, fearing their position was jeopardized.
Humans don’t care too much about distant rivals excelling them, but when it’s their neighbor doing better, they grow wary.
Porland understands how a closer alliance with the Empire weakens their standing. Still, they can’t retreat to old ways now.
They’d have no choice but to embrace and welcome the Empire’s influence even more deeply.
And Caden wouldn’t be far behind. Watching Burkhai and Porland jump the bandwagon, they’d inevitably scramble to secure their place among the top ranks of imperial favor.
Nobody likes finishing last.
While rivals can succeed, they’d never tolerate being the absolute bottom.
Chuckling softly to herself over a cup of tea, the Crown Princess recalled a previous exchange with someone.
“Prince Kael, which side should we pressure more?”
“Porland.”
“Really? I expected you’d say Burkhai.”
“Burkhai is already on the back foot. If we push them further, they’d have nowhere left to retreat—they’d charge straight at us.”
Kael’s faint smile made the situation seem eerily unsettling.
“But what if someone intervenes and offers help just as we’re pushing them to the edge? Wouldn’t the gratefulness linger for a long time?”
“In that case, just draw a line and step back. Just intervene before anyone truly falls off the edge—that’ll be enough.”
So consistent. It’s almost like there’s some deep-seated resentment toward the east.
Of course, the Crown Princess understood such a strategy was optimal. Still, her curiosity got the better of her, so she asked for the reason.
“Why, Prince Kael, are you showing more effort toward the east than I anticipated?”
“Very troublesome things are sprouting rapidly in the Empire’s west. Isn’t that why Your Highness personally traveled here?”
In response, the Crown Princess simply smiled silently.
