Characters:
Fahren von Fitzclarence (Looks like Dracule Mihawk from One Piece)
A game character who has a minor villain role as he doesn't want his son to get involved with the future saint. Of all the dukes, he has the most power and political influence, but his relationship with the empire is bad.
At the end of the game, he dies without accepting the future saint or his son as the next head.
Randy von Wimlet (Looks like Lambert from Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
One of the seven dukes of the empire. In the game, they are unimportant NPCs, a man with an optimistic attitude who always tries to lighten the mood by making a joke.
Myat von Luinberg (Looks like Max Walt from Seventh)
One of the seven dukes of the empire, an intelligent but unsociable man. He is a close friend of the Dukes Wimlet and Fitzclarence.
Evelyn von Exner (Looks like Formidable from Azure Lane)
A shy girl, Razel's classmate. She has problems speaking as she always ends up biting her tongue and has a secret that no one can know.
Celia von Algrand (Looks like Mujina from SSSS.DYNAZENON)
A classmate of Razel and Cid. She likes money a lot and wants to live a good life; she's not interested in who her husband is.
Others:
Silvers (Looks like Gunther from Silent War)
Lloyd (Looks like Paylor Sakaki)
Grendel (Looks like Cang Du)
Curtis (Looks like Matou Kariya)
_______________________
The Arklight Empire is one of the largest countries on the Ixion continent.
This is a fantasy world with swords and highly advanced magic, but it's not a fantasy world like any other. This world was actually one based on an Otome game with an RPG theme.
There were many events that shouldn't have happened a few weeks ago; those events affected the story to such an extent that there's no turning back even though it's still the game's prologue.
At this point, only time will tell if the course of the "game's story" and the world will see a tomorrow.
The imperial palace of the empire, in this place that is larger than a normal castle, an important meeting of a certain group of individuals was taking place.
It was a beautiful white room with a round glass table.
Around it were seven chairs.
These seven chairs were occupied by the seven great dukes.
Powerful aristocrats surpassed only by the imperial family.
"Well, to conclude this meeting, it would give me great pleasure to welcome, after nearly a decade of having that seat empty, the Duchess Rosenberg."
There was applause, but it felt very disheartened.
They were directed at a single woman among so many men.
"It is a joy, you have no idea, to once again be able to show my face before you."
Said a beautiful woman dressed in a manner befitting a lady and wife of an important man.
But she currently had no husband who cared about her appearance, as that man fled long ago and never returned. The woman, Barbara von Rosenberg, was the mother of the horrible villainess.
But a few weeks ago, an unexpected event occurred that ended with an even more unexpected result.
Thanks to that result, her house, ruined by debt and shame, can once again show its glory due to its savior, the next duke.
"What happened must have been terrible without a doubt, but I heard that you are gradually recovering what was lost; that's good."
"It undoubtedly is. Thank you for your kind words, Duke Wimlet."
Said Barbara, showing her beautiful smile. For a woman of 40 years old, her beauty and body are very well preserved; she looks as if she has just entered her 30s.
Her hair was very bright blonde, very long, but now it was tied in a swirl.
Her eyes were red like rubies, exactly like her daughter's.
Below her lips, she had a small mole that highlighted her feminine charm.
She was sitting in what was once her husband's seat. Normally, whenever there was a meeting, only six of them would appear; the last of the dukes would make excuses, like today, not to appear.
To Barbara's right and left were the other dukes.
Duke Carlyle played with his coffee.
While Duke Luinberg read a mystery book.
He was observed by Duke Mercury, who was curious about what he was reading.
The next seat belonged to Duke Fitzclarence, who was absent.
Laughing in a way that you couldn't tell if it was sarcastic or displeased, belonged to Duke Wimlet.
The last of them, Duke Granville, looked at Barbara in an evident and unpleasant manner.
She could feel his grotesque gaze.
"With this, our bimonthly meeting ends. We will see each other again soon; you may leave."
Everyone stood up.
"Huh, it's over already? I'm glad it's like that; honestly, this meeting was less boring than the others."
"It's because Fitzclarence-dono wasn't here to show off some of his inventions."
"I'm sure it's because his son was beaten by the new third prince; I wouldn't either."
Barbara stood up, about to leave.
"Excuse me, Duchess, would you allow me a moment of your time?"
She was stopped by Duke Granville.
"Yes? Gladly, what do you need?"
She said politely.
Duke Granville was a short, hairy, and fat man.
Therefore, his obvious gaze directed at the duchess's body was very clear.
Even Duke Carlyle said as he left: "Control yourself a bit, pig."
Barbara's eyes were closed while he spoke.
"I know many unpleasant things have happened to you over these years, but if you had asked me for help, I would have gladly given it; we the dukes must be united, buhihi."
He laughed unpleasantly while trying to touch Barbara's hand.
"Thank you, it's a shame we didn't ask for your help earlier."
She said while apologizing; that apology made her breasts bounce for a moment; the duke showed an unpleasant face.
"Buhihi, next time you have problems, don't hesitate to consult me."
"I certainly will."
The duke said goodbye as he left.
When Barbara was alone, her eyes opened, showing her displeasure.
"'Welcome,' they say? Selfish bastards who only think about yourselves. I tried to ask for your help several times, and you all refused.
"Only two of them wrote to me with their reasons why they couldn't do it; I believed them. Even that grotesque pig, I believed him. I was willing to defile my body to reduce the debt, but..."
Barbara smiled in a way that seemed like that of a teenager. Even her cheeks blushed as she clasped her hands together and wiggled her hips amusingly.
"But a real man came to our house, saved us from that debt, and now he will be the next duke. Unlike you all, he is a true man."
Upon leaving the room, a servant was waiting for her.
He was a very old butler, with long gray hair tied in a bun.
His mustache and beard were very fine; his eyes were closed, and he had the crest of the Rosenberg Household engraved on his uniform.
Upon noticing his mistress, he greeted her.
"Welcome, milady; how did the meeting go, might I ask?"
The man was the right-hand man of the former duke and current head; he was Glenn Whiteberg.
"You're not missing anything. Just the typical meeting to show off how their territories are doing. I still remember how that man used to show off to Duke Fitzclarence, which was his reason for not showing up. But, it wasn't so unpleasant; seeing their surprised faces when they saw me was what entertained me so much."
The duchess walked down the hallway; behind her was her servant.
"It's still early for the next appointment; would you like to go somewhere until it's time for your next appointment?"
Now that the Rosenberg Household is no longer the empire's biggest debtor, they can receive loans again, but banks and lenders are distrustful of them because they can't believe what they read.
"I'd like to get some fresh air; I have to talk to many merchants today. The Rosenberg Household needs to regain its prestige before Razel-kun, the next head, has to take the reins. It would be embarrassing if by then we have no allies or vassals."
"Understood."
As they walked to take the elevator, in a corner, a group of men were talking among themselves; they fell silent as soon as they saw her; she greeted them.
The men did the same as Barbara entered the elevator and her servant pressed the button to go to the ground floor; she thought.
(I can't wait for summer vacation to see you again, Razel-kun ❤)
Barbara nibbled her lips while her fingers played with each other; if her servant had seen her, the face of an ecstatic woman would have left him surprised.
◇◇◇
"Hmph, who does that bitch think she is, coming here?"
"I know; this is really the worst."
"All we can do is bow our heads and smile like jesters."
The men speaking behind the duchess's back were part of the faction of the former third prince, Regulux.
After winning the duel, his punishment was that his faction was dismantled and his title as third in line to the throne was removed, despite being the future emperor as the main capture target.
All those who expected great things from Regulux, like those who invested in him, or those who served him faithfully, ended up being punished as well.
The punishment was to pay with their money for the engagement ceremony of the duchess's daughter with a nobody.
After paying the expenses, they were demoted in rank.
From knights to marquises, they were demoted for their stupidity.
The punishment was two ranks.
Those who were from knight or baron households ended up as commoners.
Being a commoner is bad enough to lose one's temper.
Everyone blamed the Rosenberg Household.
"If that face had just sunk..."
"If only they had never challenged the prince..."
It wasn't just that kind of comment; there were also those who were swindled by the former duke.
"How dare that woman come here? Even though her bastard husband swindled us and fled."
"The palace is being too permissive with those leeches."
Among those people was a short, thin man with long blackish-green hair covering one eye; his eye not covered by his hair was brown, and he had freckles on his face.
He was a count; his house was a place where children from different important families came to receive primary education.
But after what happened with Regulux, he was demoted to a simple baron.
He is now known as Baron Grin, a common, ordinary official.
"It's really unpleasant. Very, very unpleasant to see that woman strutting around here as if nothing happened. At the very least, she should apologize to those who were swindled and demoted; that vulgar fat ass of hers must be good for something."
He said, and the others around him nodded.
"Ohoho, you can really tell you're very hurt; you look like a couple of little kids crying over a spilled ice cream."
Turning to see who was mocking them, Baron Grin said.
"Don't bother us now, Viscount Clover."
A tall, overweight man with brown eyes and brown hair, combed to the sides and a curled mustache that looked like a cat's tail, laughed at his co-workers.
"I'm sorry, but your frustration is very funny."
"If you were in our place, you'd be like this too."
"Maybe, most likely it's true, but I'm not. Ohoho, I'm on the crown prince's side; I'm also an important diplomat, so I don't have to worry about such trifles."
"..."
"If you'll excuse me, gentlemen, I'm late to catch my ship to the Holy Kingdom."
Viscount Clover also walked towards the elevator. His large belly bounced much more than Barbara's breasts.
Baron Grin slammed his fist against the wall while still hearing his colleague's laughter.
"Damn it! Damn it all! Damn the Rosenberg's!"
"... Because of you, my family abandoned me. I hate you, I hate you so much. I will take revenge on you until it's the last thing I do!"
The baron's visible eye showed his resolve to harm a house newly freed from its darkness.
◇◇◇
A secret meeting was taking place in a dark room illuminated only by some magical holograms.
"The report, at once."
Said one of them.
"Yes."
Replied a mysterious hooded figure.
"Over the past few weeks, our secret bases and laboratories have been attacked by a mysterious figure; by now, you should already know, but that figure is..."
"Licht."
Some alleged.
"Correct. That mysterious Licht has destroyed and killed our members, both low-level and us, the high executives."
"How many of us have we lost?"
"..."
"What's wrong, say it?"
"18."
"I see it as very few; nothing serious."
"... You're wrong."
"What do you mean?"
The one giving the report was sweating because he didn't want to speak.
"18 is the number of high executives like us that remain."
"What do you mean!?"
"That's why the others aren't here..."
"Hey, hey, this isn't funny."
"I wish it were, but it isn't..."
"Our number as high executives of the Black Crows was 119. But, over the weeks; cardinals, marquises, and wealthy merchants have been killed."
"The internal executives, who are our second or third in command, out of a total of 235, only 14 remain."
"..."
One of them shouted.
"This must be a damn joke!"
"How has this happened?!"
"Don't we know who that damn guy is?!"
"I'm afraid not. Information about his identity is unknown; we have no clues, much less suspects."
"All we know is that he randomly appears at different hideouts and kills everyone."
"This is very—!"
"Silence."
Said a very deep and hoarse voice.
Everyone's hooded gazes focused on the figure in the center.
He was the most mysterious person of all; he wore a mask even though everyone else only hid their faces with their hoods.
"It doesn't matter if we lose many; our goal has always been one and the same. To take over this country from the shadows."
Everyone swallowed saliva.
"B-But leader. It won't do us any good if we die."
"A black body can emerge from anywhere; even if I die, one of you will take the reins of my position. As long as this country has the lawless city, the palace will always be controlled."
Everyone smiled upon hearing that.
"No matter if it's to satisfy their vice, lust, ambition, or bloodlust. Humans are creatures that can be manipulated. For that reason, Volg."
"?!"
Of all the hooded figures, only one had never raised his gaze.
"Were you sleeping?"
"O-Of course not! I was just resting my eyes because of the undercover work I have to do!"
"It doesn't matter. How is that work going?"
"Nothing. I can't find out anything important."
"It's okay. I authorize you to be violent."
"Really?! You agree with that?"
"We must not waste more time. We need to know where 'it' is hidden and gain more power. After all, the Ideal Empire has also started to move. Do you understand?"
"Yes, yes. Don't worry, leader. I'll deliver that to you soon."
"Good, the meeting is over; disperse."
All the mysterious figures disappeared one by one, except for three of them.
"Is that really okay, leader?"
"Do you doubt me, Olgren?"
"Of course not; it just seems very hasty to me."
"It doesn't matter; that person knows where it's hidden. We must obtain it before the palace does."
"Volg, don't fail us."
The two figures disappeared, leaving one.
"As if I would. I'll take that 'screaming kid' with me since he says he's bored."
A wicked smile appeared on his face.