My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 66

“I see you weren’t asleep.”

I said to Princess Seri, who was sitting by the sunlight streaming through the window.

Startled by my voice, she jumped up, and the garment draped over her shoulders slipped down.

“Uh, how did you get in?”

“I used Teleport. I have a talented magician… no, a disciple with me.”

I brushed Maria’s hair back as I spoke. While she looked displeased about helping the Imperial family, she ultimately chose to trust me and softened her stance.

“Magicians are rare talents, so you can’t just have one unless you’re nobility or from the royal family.”

“That’s only true for those affiliated with the Magic Guild. There are no issues with someone operating independently.”

The Magic Guild. A group formed to gather those with magical talent since childhood and teach them magic, ultimately dedicating themselves to the Empire.

This guild is affiliated with the royal family, so as she said, only those above nobility could personally have a magician.

However, exceptions were made for independently growing and operating magicians. It would be unreasonable to say it’s impossible for an individual to have one when they receive no support from the royal family.

Still, due to the stable income, capable magicians usually sought to attach themselves to nobility or the royal family, making it rare for them to operate independently.

Thus, many thought like her.

“…You seem to know more about the law than I expected.”

“If you don’t know, you’ll get taken advantage of. And our Maria is strong enough without needing to belong to the Magic Guild.”

The top magician of the Guild was the guild leader who had surpassed the eighth tier.

Although he was an elderly gentleman, among the magicians currently alive in the Empire, he was considered the strongest.

Maria was currently at the seventh tier.

For reference, Glair Todiah also belonged to the Magic Guild, and he had just recently broken through the sixth tier.

In the game, he was a magician close to the eighth tier, but considering the timeline was moved forward a few years from when the heroes originally met him, he was undoubtedly a formidable magician.

“Hee, hee…our Maria…”

While staring at the chuckling Maria, I cleared my throat.

“Anyway, I’m not here to harm you. I came to talk.”

“What could you possibly want to discuss with me?”

Her eyes were filled with suspicion.

“Princess Seri, I know a way for you to survive.”

“Huh?”

I glanced at the candle on the table. It flickered unsteadily as if it were about to go out at any moment.

“…Is there no personal magician? This room feels quite empty.”

“I just like it this way…”

Like it this way?

It’s still early spring, and winter hasn’t completely passed yet. How can you survive in this chill with just a single candle?

If you’re going to lie, do it right.

At that moment, what she was wearing was a garment made of goose fur, famous for being the warmest. And yet, she was still shivering from the cold.

“Speak clearly, Princess Seri. You’re not doing this because you actually want to. You’re in this miserable state because you have to be.”

“What, what did you just say?”

Though my tone was as it was, perhaps there was something that struck a nerve, as she could only let out an embarrassed grunt.

“Maria, raise the temperature in this room and cast soundproofing magic.”

“Yes.”

As Maria cast her spell, the room’s temperature shot up. I felt a little sweat forming.

Princess Seri’s expression also brightened—she looked more comfortable.

“You refuse to have guards or a personal magician because you’re afraid of being seen by your brothers, aren’t you?”

She had no personal guards, but that didn’t mean she was completely without protection. The knights guarding her were from Crown Prince Chris’s faction. They were likely there to keep an eye on her under the guise of protection.

“Plus, there’s the engagement preparation you’re dealing with lately, right? Thanks to Crown Prince Chris.”

When we had met two years ago, she had still been young, and discussions about an engagement were likely off the table.

However, Princess Seri was approaching the age of marriage, and Chris intended to use that to solidify his own power.

“You put your faith in Crown Prince Chris’s promise to protect you and agreed to marry someone from the Todiah family, didn’t you?”

Todiah was one of the foremost ducal families, loyal to the imperial family.

Is it any wonder that among the nobility, it was said that whoever Todiah supported could become emperor?

“H-how do you know all this? I heard it was supposed to be planned in secret…”

As she said, everything should have been proceeding in secrecy.

Other princes wouldn’t just sit back and watch her gaining power.

“That’s not important. What’s important is that I know about it, and I want to help you survive.”

“Survive…”

“First, continue the engagement with the Todiah family.”

For now, it made sense to maintain the engagement. If she suddenly expressed her resistance, the Crown Prince would perceive her as a nuisance.

While he wouldn’t kill her for the sake of expanding his own power, it was unknown what harm he might inflict.

If that harm were something she couldn’t withstand mentally, she could easily abandon everything at a critical juncture.

Such a scenario must absolutely not occur.

It was fine until the engagement was established. However, if the marriage were to happen, it would create problems.

The path for her to ascend to empress would become significantly more difficult.

In the game, there was a chance for the son of the Todiah family to become entangled with a daughter of another noble family, allowing an opportunity for a broken engagement. But with the timeline now pushed forward, it was uncertain whether that event would even occur.

If she accepted her current situation upon marriage and ceased to consider changing the Empire, she’d inevitably find herself in a bad ending.

Of course, she could overcome things through other events, but taking the easier path was generally better.

“Huh?”

“I’m saying to follow what Crown Prince Chris says. As long as you’re of use, neither he nor the other princes will touch you.”

“…And then what?”

“Wait for an opportunity to break the engagement. Until the ceremony, you are not truly a couple.”

“Wha, what do you mean?!”

Her voice raised.

It was late at night, and her voice was loud enough to be heard in the hallway, but thanks to the soundproofing magic, the noise wouldn’t escape.

“No, break the engagement? Do you realize what would happen if Crown Prince Chris finds out about this—what would happen to you and me?!”

“…Is that so? Now that I think about it, I never asked you this question.”

“A question?”

Looking at the flustered Princess Seri, I asked directly.

“Princess Seri, do you have any thoughts on becoming empress?”

“Y-yes?!”

She raised her voice, then quickly covered her mouth.

I understood her reaction.

Being asked if she wanted to become empress before her four brothers was something no sane person would bring up.

Going up against princes with established powerful factions only sounded like a death wish.

“Don’t say such nonsense! I-I don’t want to die.”

“Princess Seri Aiter Pretéum.”

I called her full name in a serious tone.

“The only way for you to survive is to become the empress.”

Technically, it was about preventing human extinction.

Regardless, if humanity were to go extinct, she’d meet her end as well, so the outcome remained the same in my eyes.

“What do you mean…?”

“As long as you stay next to Crown Prince Chris, you’ll have immediate safety. But I can assure you, one day you will die.”

I affirmed.

“What are you talking about? Did you suddenly show up just to deceive me?”

“I’m not deceiving you. I’m merely stating the facts.”

“Facts? Don’t make me laugh! What do you know about me? Two years ago, you told me to pretend to be incompetent if I wanted to survive.”

“And as a result, you’re here, still alive.”

“But the way the emperor and empress view me has worsened since then! A child of the imperial family being so incompetent lowers their authority and has even led me to be locked in this corner room…!”

Princess Seri clenched her fists, trembling as if she had faced countless humiliations over the last two years.

Honestly, her treatment was indeed worse than that of a noble’s illegitimate child. It was truly too much to ask her to understand that.

But now was the time for her to bear with it.

“I hate you. I shouldn’t have listened to your words!”

As I heard her voice trembling with tears, I stepped a little closer and called her name in a calm, quiet tone.

“Princess Seri.”

“….”

“If you have any thought of becoming empress, I will, no… we will support you.”

“W-what do you mean?”

“You must have already heard the rumors about our strength. The imperial family is the quickest to gather information.”

“Why would you go that far for me? I’m the youngest and timid, unexperienced and immature… and…?”

I shut her mouth as she rambled on.

“Enough with the self-criticism. You are capable.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

She glared at me, pushing my hand away.

She’s pretty strong! Is it just the royal blood that sets them apart?

According to the game’s official setting, those with royal blood possessed excellent swordsmanship and magic talents.

Thus, princes could handle considerable swordplay, and they were capable of using magic, even if not at a high tier.

Princesses, having been excluded since childhood, had not had the chance to grow, but she certainly felt stronger than me.

“If you were truly incompetent, I wouldn’t have suggested pretending. I believe you could lead the Empire more wisely than anyone.”

I grabbed her hand with the other hand, not letting go as I spoke.

“….Why me specifically? Wisdom alone can’t lead an empire. Your other brothers excel in swordsmanship, magic, economy, politics, strategy, and more. But I haven’t properly learned any of that.”

All the better.

Not having learned anything meant there would be no preconceived notions about what she learned.

In fact, the different way of thinking she possessed was due to that discrimination.

“Why are you risking your life for me?”

“I like you.”

At that moment, I absentmindedly spoke my thoughts.

“W-wait, what?!”

It was perhaps the most flustered I’ve ever seen her.

“Isn’t that enough of a reason?”

“W-what does that even mean?!”

What does it mean? It means I literally like your way of thinking.

“…I know you’re going through hardship, but I hope you can endure a little longer.”

I patted her shoulder twice in a comforting gesture.

“I’ll occasionally visit this place… and I hope we can have various talks every time.”

“W-what kind of talks?!”

Her face turned red.

“And if anything dangerous or urgent comes up, write it down on this and tear it.”

I handed her a Transmission Magic Scroll.

When written on and torn, the message would appear on the magic scroll the recipient possesses.

“Even if you don’t write anything, simply tearing it will send a signal, and I will come immediately.”

Caring for the princess, one of the key players leading to a happy ending, ultimately fell into my hands.

“This should ease your anxiety a little, right?”

“Y-yes…”

“Then today’s discussion ends here. Come visit again.”

“I-I’ll see you next time…”

As I looked at the mumbling Princess Seri in surprise, I placed my hand on Maria’s shoulder.

“Let’s go.”

“…. ‘Teleport.'”

With Maria’s magic, we instantly arrived in front of our home in Secul.

“Master.”

“Hmm?”

“Why did you say such things to her?”

Maria said glumly, her cheeks puffed out. What’s gotten into her?

I would’ve explained that it was because the princess was friendly toward other races.

“I think those at the top should have the right mindset. I merely thought that Princess Seri is the most suitable person for that.”

“Is that really all there is to it?”

What? Saying it like that makes it sound like I had some sort of plan with Princess Seri.

What misunderstanding is she having?

“That’s all. What else could there be?”

“……Never mind then.”

With somewhere between a frown and a pout, Maria left me and headed inside the house.

What’s wrong with her…?

*

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Palace, Princess Seri’s room.

Princess Seri lay face down on the bed, her face buried in the pillow. Between her disheveled golden hair, her bright red ears peeked out.

‘Could it be that I got a love confession from Praus?’

A strange misconception began to brew about how she’d put Praus in an awkward position.