My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 94

Since the Crown Prince’s scolding, the meeting room had turned into a frozen battleground.

A heavy, tense silence filled the air.

It seemed like a clear provocation, yet Seri’s face and hands were slightly trembling.

It appeared she still struggled to face Chris. Maintaining her smile seemed to drain her mental strength, causing it to twist little by little.

Having been gaslit for so long by him, it seemed it would take a lot of time for her to overcome this.

While the royal family engaged in a silent power struggle, the nobles quietly observed, hesitant to speak.

Then it happened.

“Ah~! So you’re Praus?”

“……?”

I was suddenly pointed at by a white-haired woman.

Her voice was so loud it was almost painful to my ears.

What was she doing here?

Soro, a member of the White Light Corps.

After reaching S-Class Adventurer, she had joined the secret organization formed by the Emperor, becoming its leader.

Pursuing a shortcut hairstyle for her activities, she was usually so lively that she lacked social awareness, not sensing the situation at all.

Moreover, she had a strong emotional disposition, causing chaos whenever she got angry, to the point where people in the White Light Corps would sigh when her name came up.

Nevertheless, her position as the leader was due to her immense power.

She had a significant talent for Ice magic and was very skilled in martial arts, making her unbeatable within the White Light Corps.

“You’re the bold human who kidnapped Princess Seri, right?”

“……Who are you?”

I asked, even though I already knew.

“I asked first. Answer me.”

Why was this woman here instead of Ter? This was troublesome.

“Are you Praus or not?”

She spun around while pointing at me. I sighed.

“Yeah.”

“Great! I got it right.”

Soro clenched her fist.

“So, who are you?”

She said, getting close to me and whispering.

“My name is Soro. I can’t tell you more. If you know, I’ll have to kill you.”

High-ranking nobles likely knew about the White Light Corps. It was the Emperor’s secret direct unit.

“Ah, but I can tell you this.”

“?”

“If His Majesty the Emperor hadn’t ordered us, Praus would have had to face the Black Light Corps. You’re lucky.”

‘Is that so? That’s good to know.’

“Who could it be that’s so lucky?”

I was trying to give a mundane response today to avoid causing trouble, but my mouth wouldn’t allow it.

“What?”

Her eyebrows twitched.

Had I provoked Soro, a murderous intent began to leak out from her. My muscles tensed, and I felt my body stiffen.

“You’re that strong? His Majesty the Emperor showed mercy. What was that all about?”

‘No, I’m actually super weak.’

“I’ll at least be stronger than you.”

Couldn’t she give me an easy pass this one time? I didn’t come here to fight.

In the end, things seemed to get more complicated, but having spoken this much, I had to at least put on a show of bravado.

If I faltered here, the perception might form that ‘Even Praus can’t go against the White Light Corps.’

“You’re interesting. Say that again.”

She leaned in, her lips almost touching mine. Faced with her blatant hostility, I sighed.

“Hah, you sighed?”

“I said I’m stronger than you.”

I focused my gaze.

[Skill “Killing Intent” activated.]

“!”

Soro’s eyes widened as she sensed my killing intent. She retreated hastily, bewildered, looking at me.

“What are you…? Where does that power come from? What is that mana?!”

I could hear the nobles behind her holding their breath. They seemed to be mistaking a drop in air pressure for a lack of oxygen due to the pressure of my killing intent.

With a crackle!
Ice spikes formed in the air, ready to be launched at me. I grasped onto my revenge.

“Tell me now! What power is that?!”

What good was power to someone who couldn’t even feel mana?

If I were truly strong, would I be acting like this?

“If you want to spar, I’ll gladly oblige. But not today.”

Today, the one who was supposed to stand out wasn’t me, but Princess Seri.

I relaxed my eyes.

Finally, the nobles let out a long breath. Some had even collapsed in their seats. These were people who had never trained for combat.

Other guard knights seemed exhausted from our little power struggle, sweating profusely.

“Both of you calm down. We’re here for a noble meeting, not a contest of strength. If this continues, I’ll have to kick you out.”

A noble interjected to mediate between us. There was no need to say that; I hadn’t planned on fighting.

“Praus… Now I understand a bit why His Majesty the Emperor seems to be watching you closely.”

He spoke with a meaningful tone before snapping his fingers. The dozens of ice crystals floating in the air shattered into powder, disappearing.

“…I’m intrigued.”

The serious expression she had just been wearing melted away as she looked at me like a curious cat. I felt a troublesome itch arising.

“I’m not interested.”

Soro would only be useful outside the Demon War.

I turned my back to her and stood next to Seri. I whispered to her.

“I messed up the atmosphere for no reason.”

“No, I think this is good.”

She looked around the room full of nobles.

“What?”

“This place is filled with nobles gathered together. The killing intent you just displayed was enough to make a strong impression on them. And since you are my guard knight, the other nobles will also notice that I have my own power.”

Seri whispered to me, smiling. Honestly, her smile was perfectly aimed at capturing hearts, and I felt a bit of a flutter.

“Thanks to you, I succeeded in establishing my presence in a different way. Hehe.”

Just as the briefly chaotic atmosphere began to settle again, Soro stood behind the Crown Prince.

It seemed she had come as the Crown Prince’s guard knight. Probably placed there by the Emperor to have someone report back to him directly.

“Huh? What’s wrong with the atmosphere here?”

Finally, the Crown Princes revealed themselves. The nobles bowed and greeted the princes.

The Crown Prince scanned the faces one by one before commanding the nobles.

“Alright, stop and take your seats.”

The nobles sat down in front of the name tags placed on the table. The lateness of the Crown Princes had them seated in their already-prepared spots.

However, there was no sign of Seri’s name on any of them.

“What do we do, Seri? There’s no place for you to sit here.”

As soon as the Crown Prince spoke, his noble followers began to chuckle at him.

“Well, isn’t that obvious? It’s unheard of for a woman to be involved in a noble meeting. I doubt even His Majesty the Emperor would allow this.”

“Of course not!”

Chris’s noble faction exaggeratedly raised their voices.

“Shouldn’t a hopeless princess who can’t keep up with the times enjoy a tea party with the ladies instead?”

They didn’t even forget to be contemptuous.

“We’re a bit late. My apologies, Your Highness.”

Finally, Duke Rexton made his appearance. He briefly greeted Chris, who was seated in the main seat, and took the seat next to him.

“Long time no see, Your Highness.”

It was the same for Todiah. True to his title as Duke, he sat right next to Chris.

Chris’s eyebrows twitched at Todiah’s arrival, but he concealed it as other nobles were present.

“Now, let’s proceed with the noble meeting—”

“What are you doing here, Princess Seri?”

Torii’s sudden outburst caught the nobles’ attention.

Polite language and honorifics.

As Duke Tori used honorifics for Seri, whispers erupted among the nobles.

The fact that a high-ranking duke addressed a princess with respect was interpreted as recognition of her as a potential future empress.

Understanding the implications, whispers spread among the nobles.

“Do take a seat.”

Torii nudged her to make a move.

This was something we had discussed beforehand. There wouldn’t be a seat for her in the noble meeting, so she must claim one from a noble.

Having already given her a ‘reason’ to take a noble seat, it wouldn’t be too hard for her to claim that spot.

Seri glanced at me. I subtly pushed her from an angle where others wouldn’t see.

“It’s okay. Go ahead.”

“Okay…!”

With confidence, Seri strode forward and halted before the seat beside Marquis Medis, in front of Count Hostis.

“I’d like you to make some room, Count Hostis?”

The count, who had previously snubbed her, gaped his mouth open several times. It was clear he hadn’t expected to be called out.

No matter how much a princess was sidelined, she was still royalty.

Counts and below couldn’t just disregard her.

Of course, even so, there were hardly any nobles willing to heed the words of a powerless Seri.

If only her words were taken seriously.

“Ah, Your Highness.”

“I asked you to move. Why are you looking for my brother? Oh~ Are you planning to ask for my brother to let you slide? That wouldn’t be bad. Go ahead.”

“No, I mean, that’s not… Ah, no.”

“What are you doing, Seri?”

Ultimately, the Crown Prince intervened.

“It’s customary for no women to attend noble meetings. Stop this nonsense at once and get out.”

“Don’t tell my sister to leave. Brother, you really are rude.”

Seri, unperturbed, took a deep breath—whether it was a sigh or not—and positioned herself, leaning over the table.

“Count Hostis is a supporter of Duke Rexton, right?”

“…Y-yes, that’s true.”

Hostis, who was caught off guard by her sudden question, steadied his trembling voice.

“Then you are certain about transactions involving money. Right?”

“What do you mean?”

“What do you mean, what? If you’re going to stab someone in the back, you better stab another faction’s back, not mess with ours.”

“B-Backstab?”

“Count Hostis, you’ve been embezzling thousands of gold from the Rexton Trading Company for years now, haven’t you?”

“W-What?!”

At her words, the nobles began to murmur. Hostis, trying to maintain his composure, shouted.

“Wha-What are you saying?! Are you trying to frame me just because I didn’t move?!”

“That can be cleared up with an investigation. Isn’t that right, Duke Rexton?”

I had just given her a hint.

The information was known only to those who had played the game.

I had carefully selected items that would cause a divide between the factions.

Because for Rexton, who would go insane at the mention of embezzlement, it would mean an execution.

“…If that’s true, the Hostis family will be finished today.”

“Ah, no! That will never happen!”

“Duke Rexton, if you allow me to let Count Hostis take my place, I believe I could also shed light on other corruption cases. What do you think?”

“…Can you take responsibility for your words, Princess Seri?”

“I can. Praus.”

She called me. I leisurely stepped to her side.

“Please.”

She tapped my shoulder. I approached Count Hostis and whispered.

“True Word.”

[Skill “True Word” activated.]

Hostis fell into a daze, his eyes becoming lifeless as he stared blankly into space.

“Done. Princess Seri.”

“Thank you.”

I took a couple of steps back. Princess Seri stood before the Count once more.

“Count Hostis, how much money have you embezzled over the years?”

“3,821 gold and 31 kilograms of gold bars.”

Having answered Princess Seri’s question, Hostis lowered his head weakly, and the room fell into silence.

He lifted his head as if coming out of a daze, sensing the unusual atmosphere, and surveyed his surroundings.

“You… did you really embezzle!?”

Rexton shouted. Hostis, who flinched at his anger, shook his head vigorously.

“Y-Yes?! No, I didn’t!”

“Didn’t you just say you embezzled gold and gold bars?!”

“Ah… no! It’s a misunderstanding!”

It was indeed a misunderstanding, but what he said was undeniably true.

Desperate, he glanced around, but no one came to his rescue— not even the Crown Prince.

It was clear that Rexton was a figure even the Crown Prince had to be cautious of.

For a moment, Rexton’s gaze landed on me. It was a questioning look of what I did, but I merely shrugged.

“…Shut up and stand up. We will determine if this is true or false after this meeting. If you’re innocent, there should be no issue having the investigation, right?”

Count Hostis ultimately had no choice but to forfeit his seat to Princess Seri due to Rexton’s outburst.

As she watched him bite his lower lip hard while backing away, Seri couldn’t help but chuckle.

“So, you could have just bowed out graciously. But look at what holding out accomplished?”

“Princess Seri…!”

He ground his teeth in frustration. However, Seri ignored him and fixed her gaze on the Crown Prince.

“Well then… I seem to have found my seat? Does that mean I can continue participating in the meeting? O. Ra. Bu. Ni?”

“Seri, you…!”

Everyone in the room was bewildered by the sudden change in the princess. Even Duke Tori, who had educated her, was surprised.

The only one unfazed was me.

I knew better than anyone that she possessed a relentless determination to achieve her goals, no matter the means.

“Oh, and while we’re at it, I’d like to say a word in this gathering of nobles.”

Clearing her throat a few times, she looked Chris straight in the eye as if declaring war and spoke.

“I will become the Emperor.”

As soon as the word ‘Emperor’ reached their ears, gasps filled the air.

“I shall strive from today onwards to steal the succession rights from my brother Chris and catch His Majesty’s eye.”

“Are you serious, Seri!!”

The Crown Prince indignantly stood up, panting heavily. As everyone looked at her, she calmly stood up as well.

“I am serious, Brother. I will become the Emperor.”

With this, the first thread of a happy ending had been woven.