My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 95

“…Are we not going to proceed, Brother?”

Everyone in the conference room stared at Seri, who had drastically changed her demeanor, with a perplexed expression.

It seemed I had made a strong first impression, so I was truly relieved.

I was secretly anxious, wondering if she might stutter.

“Seri, what are you thinking?”

“I already made it clear, didn’t I? I intend to become the Emperor.”

“How can you…! With nothing to your name and no abilities! If you become the Emperor, the Empire will have no future!”

Chris shouted while pointing at her. Since she mentioned being Emperor, he had lost his composure and couldn’t calm down.

Nobles from the Crown Prince’s faction, observing him, began to speak up one by one.

“His Highness is right. How could a woman become Emperor? Such a thing has never happened in the Empire’s history!”

“Indeed, Chris would make a better Emperor than the incapable Princess Seri—”

“Just because it hasn’t happened doesn’t mean it won’t. I will be the precedent.”

She cut off the nobles who were disparaging her for trivial reasons, seemingly unwilling to hear their responses.

“What did you just say…?”

Since the princess’s words were outrageous, the nobles scoffed. Seeing their reaction, Seri scanned the table.

“I understand that everyone here sees me as weak because I’ve lived without showing any abilities. But do you really see me as nothing?”

…That’s bold!

The nobles, taken aback by her harsh language, fell silent.

“I am also a member of the noble Royal Family. Do not mistake my position. What do you think will happen when I become Emperor? I don’t think anyone here wants to be a fallen noble.”

The nobles exchanged nervous glances at her words.

Even if they were rotten, they were still caught up in the nuances of power.

Indeed, a strange pressure emanated from the Royal Family even with the slightest remark. Especially the expressions of the nobles, pondering how to respond to the transformed Seri, were quite the sight.

To bow down to Seri in front of Chris meant, willingly or not, acknowledging her as royalty.

It was more than reasonable for them to be infuriated.

“Princess Seri, people perceive you as incompetent because you have done nothing. Don’t you think what they say has merit?”

One of the marquesses at the table raised his hand to speak.

“Doing nothing was my way of survival. If I showed my abilities, Brother would feel threatened by me.”

“That’s nothing but a fallacy, isn’t it?”

“Isn’t it true that Chris, my brother, has also been a nuisance to others? Do I seem so oblivious to such things? Why engage in a futile struggle?”

“Then why do you plan to step into politics now? As you say, Princess Seri is no match for Crown Prince Chris. Wouldn’t it have been better to live a comfortable life under the Crown Prince without any worries? Why pursue power now?”

“Comfortable… Without worries… Living under surveillance 24/7 sounds quite cozy, doesn’t it? Marquess, how about you try it sometime?”

With her derisive comment, the marquess fell silent. He realized he had overstepped.

“During my two-month stay at Duke Tori’s residence, I discovered how sweet freedom can be. I can confidently call it the happiest time in my life.”

She shot me a glance, a peculiar smile gracing her lips. It felt oddly affectionate, and perhaps it wasn’t just my imagination.

Her gaze shifted back to the nobles seated around the table, and she spoke again.

“If anyone intends to take away my happiness again, I won’t stand for it. Even if it is you, Chris, my brother.”

“Y-you dare…!”

Chris’s face crumpled in anger. A fist trembling on the table betrayed his rage.

Watching him struggle with his fury was quite refreshing.

Yes, the truly incompetent one is you.

How dare you trifle with our princess! You brat!

“Is the criticism toward me sufficient? If anyone here still finds my presence unacceptable, please raise your hand.”

At Seri’s request, the nobles fell into silence.

Seri’s logical retort left them speechless.

Moreover, given their status above hers, they had to choose their words carefully.

Just as it seemed things would pass smoothly, a man with bleached hair raised his hand. It was Glair Todiah.

“I have two questions for you, Princess Seri.”

“Yes, please, Duke Todiah.”

“First, what is your reason for wanting to become Emperor? You say it’s for survival, but the throne, which you have shown little interest in until now, suddenly warrants such a decision. What exactly do you want to do?”

“What I want to…”

It was a sharp question, but one I had anticipated.

I glanced at the back of Seri’s head. She took a deep breath to steady her scattered thoughts, turning her head towards Todiah.

“To ensure that the Empire’s history does not end.”

Originally a reason for her to survive, it had to be altered to hold more persuasiveness.

“…What do you mean?”

“Everyone here understands that a being stronger than an S-Class Adventurer is called a ‘Hero.’ And I’m sure none of you are unaware that this Hero is Praus, standing behind me.”

The moment her name was mentioned, everyone in the conference room turned to look at me.

“Why bring that up…?” A noble asked cautiously.

“There is a saying left by the first Hero: When a Hero is born, the Demon King will also emerge.”

“Isn’t that just folklore?”

“It would be naive to dismiss it as mere folklore, as there is an absolute reason behind it.”

“An absolute reason?”

“Because the Hero, Praus, has directly told me. The Demon King has been born.”

“!”

The nobles’ eyes widened.

Though I wasn’t a true Hero, I had lied to boost her status.

After defeating the Black Dragon, they had come to mistakenly define me as a Hero, and I planned to exploit this information to our advantage.

“The Demon King has been born. Is that true, Praus?”

“It is true.”

The birth of the Demon King signifies not just the emergence of a demon with the qualities of a Demon King but also that the hierarchy of the Demon World has been firmly established, with the top spot already designated.

Once the hierarchy is established, it remains until the top ranker dies. That was the law of the Demon World.

They understood that reckless battles would be counterproductive.

“Then… what about the Empire?”

“Indeed. The Empire appears peaceful at a glance, but that is far from reality. We must prepare for the Second Demon War.”

At the mention of the Demon War after the Demon King, the nobles sighed in despair. Some were visibly terrified.

“However, why is it said that the current Hero is only Praus? Wasn’t the first Hero three in number?”

This generation’s Heroes are also three. They just haven’t matured yet.

Soon, those who would grow strong underneath me and act as barriers against invading commanders would blossom.

So, you don’t need to worry about that. Just continue to bolster your military power so your territory residents don’t perish.

“Yet, there’s one question. If that’s the case, shouldn’t the one with the most significant power, Crown Prince Chris, be informed about this? Why hide it, Praus?”

Under Todiah’s inquiry, I glanced at Chris. That guy better suck up to the Emperor.

“Chris can’t be trusted. He has no understanding of the usefulness of other races.”

“The usefulness of other races?”

“I’ll take that explanation, Praus.”

Seri continued the discussion.

“I observed the other races and realized they should not be kept as slaves. They hold great potential to contribute to the Empire’s future defense. Praus agrees with this as well.”

“But they have lost their homes and fallen into slavery. Not to mention their resentment towards the Empire. If we liberate the slaves, what if they rebel?”

“I’ve also considered that possibility. But I believe it’s unnecessary to worry about it. There’s already a ’precedent’ that everyone knows about.”

Seri’s words turned Todiah’s gaze toward Tori.

“…Is that so?”

“In Aus Territory, numerous other races have been liberated from slavery and have adapted to life in the Empire. Some have even formed families with their own kind. I believe by liberating them from slavery and restoring their lost rights while helping them adjust to life in the Empire, they would be more than willing to support us.”

Her insights stemmed from her experience living in Aus Territory.

Bringing her to Aus Territory wasn’t solely for her convenience in studying and boosting her self-esteem.

I wanted her to see how other races and humans coexist as well.

I thought that simply observing the atmosphere of Aus Territory, where she already comprehended the usefulness of other races, would lead to several realizations for her.

“…”

I suddenly glanced at Urka, with her striking pink hair. Standing behind Duke Tori, she pressed her lips tight. The corners of her eyes were glistening.

With a face close to tears, she matched my gaze.

Is this what you meant by that scene?

…It seemed to ask.

If she took one step forward, the scene that other races had longed for would become visible, and it was easy to feel overwhelmed by emotion.

“That is why I want to become Emperor, to mediate internally, ensuring the Empire’s long history does not end and to suppress the external threats of the Demon Tribe.”

“Hmm. The intent is good. One could say it’s a wise answer. However, it seems like Crown Prince Chris is more suited for such a position.”

“Indeed, you could think that way since I have shown nothing thus far, but I possess something that Chris, my brother, could never attain.”

“…Is it Praus?”

This was the moment when what I had built thus far began to shine. My very existence had become persuasive enough that even Todiah couldn’t contest it.

“Right… You mean the other races are that capable? But can it really go as you wish?”

Just when things seemed to flow well, the Crown Prince cut in with cold water.

“Other races deeply resent humans. Do you think they will follow your thoughts? They certainly will not. Liberating them from slavery poses too great a risk and could even become a threat to the Empire. Have you not considered that?”

His words weren’t entirely incorrect. However, he overlooked one key fact: there exists a ‘common enemy’ in the form of the Demon Tribe, regardless of whether humans or other races dislike each other.

No matter how much they may hate us, they must cooperate. There can be no future for the Human World as long as the demon threat persists.

“I believe forming alliances against a common enemy carries much lower risks than becoming enemies with a Hero, Brother.”

“…”

“And if I become Emperor, it is something I will inevitably carry forward. I can offer them the ‘appropriate compensation’ and ‘responsibility’ for the painful times they experienced.”

Hearing Seri speak, the nobles seemed to reevaluate their perception of her and murmured in admiration.

“Is that really Princess Seri?”

“Not bad at all…”

Having gone through another round of back-and-forth with Chris, Seri faced Todiah again.

“Would that answer suffice, Duke Todiah?”

“That was a satisfying answer.”

“What is your second question then?”

Todiah’s gaze shifted from Seri to Chris.

“…Declaring your intention to become Emperor in this assembly of nobles, rather than in private, could be seen as a declaration of war. Is there a specific reason you chose to make this announcement here?”

Without a hint of hesitation, she replied.

“I’m just tired of being sneaky behind the scenes. And yes, this is indeed a declaration of war against you, Crown Prince Chris.”

Seri smirked as she provoked him.

“T-this insolent girl…”

It was now no longer a predator and prey situation, but rather a battle between two predators.