Chapter 104 Negotiations

“Benefits?”

Van’s expression seemed puzzled.

“Yes, benefits. If I cooperate with you, what benefits do I get?”

“Before mentioning benefits, don’t you have any ideals of saving the kingdom when it’s in danger as a noble of the kingdom?”

“Well…you’re saying strange things now. Originally, if you weren’t scheming how to frame me for various crimes, how would you even end up here?”

I started to giggle. Really, I was laughing from the bottom of my heart.

“Also, originally, the chaos didn’t just start today. With their eye on the succession to the throne, nobles split into two parties…no, if you count the neutral ones, perhaps three. With this situation going on for as long as it has, it’s a miracle that this country is still intact.”

Although I don’t know how they managed it, I was thankful to the officials who were responsible for allowing this country to continue functioning.

If the faction wars were more intense than they currently are, it wasn’t difficult to imagine that the lives of people would be even more terrible.

If neighboring countries took advantage of this opportunity to attack us, it wouldn’t be anything unexpected.

And those who prevented the worst possible situation from happening deserved admiration for their methods.

Although it’s ridiculous to compare a country to a territory, if I were to use managing a territory as a metaphor, the leader would be me alone.

It’s exactly because I had no opposition that I could enforce many new policies with an iron fist; being in a ruler class with only oneself is not difficult.

On the other hand, if I were to run this country, anything I wanted to do would be opposed by enemy forces, while my own side might even lean towards the other side occasionally, until I might suspect that they weren’t even fully faithful to me.

Not only that, but you had to ensure your opponents around you didn’t try anything.

Under the current environment, aside from work there were plenty other things to fritter away at one’s energy levels.

And then, of course, the actual work itself was running the risk of “any misstep would turn into a crisis that would threaten the country itself”-a tightrope situation.

Ah, I should prepare some stomach medicine for my father…as I thought this, I gazed at Van.

“And you, who were one of the main causes of the country’s current state, are now able to talk about preventing that chaos and joining hands with me? Which one of your mouths is fibbing this time, hm?”

“I never did anything to endanger this country.”

“Hm, what a lack of self-awareness. Are you close with Sir Edward, by any chance?”

I giggled again. Was the laughter angering him? Van frowned.

“We are. We’re from the same academy, so that’s a given.”

“That’s not a given. That’s why I asked…that school is a microcosmic version of this country’s nobles and their society. You come together because your parents are in the same faction. Although I don’t know if you were chasing after Sir Edward or Yuri…but if you were together like that all the time, anyone would come to the same conclusion-‘Sir Van, and the pope backing up Sir Van, are in support of Sir Edward.”

In that case, me and Bern were really in danger.

Originally, because I was Sir Edward’s fiancee, Bern should have maintained his distance from him…what we didn’t expect was that Bern approached Edward or Yuri on his own.

Even if I’ve been marked by the shame of “having abandoned an arranged marriage” in the noble society, I understand even better my father’s wish for me to distance myself from them.

“You’re a part of what has increased the internal conflicts of this country. And even now you can still say you’re doing it for the country? Don’t make me laugh.”

Translator’s Note: I’m sorry, it’s another cliffhanger…