Chapter 102

“It’s a shame we couldn’t kill more than two.”

Victoria’s question right after meeting her father.

The second princess, Siena, erased the smile she had been holding and turned to her sister. Surprisingly, her sister also had a calm expression.

‘Does she feel angry because I requested the execution…?’

It didn’t seem so.

Victoria wasn’t the type to feel regret after causing such a stir by saying something like, “We still need to spare their lives.” She must have known that it was impossible to resolve the issue without bloodshed. Honestly, eliminating two key figures and ending the matter was already a lenient decision.

What was her sister’s intention behind this?

‘Ah.’

Siena soon realized that her sister had no specific intention. She was just blurting out words swayed by a complex jumble of emotions.

So Siena casually changed the topic.

“What are you planning to do with the rest, sister?”

“The rest?”

“I mean the nobles who followed you. Haven’t they been under your maternal relatives’ management anyway? They have also benefited from the Wolphall family’s influence. …The people involved must be incredibly flustered right now, so how do you plan to control them from now on?”

“……”

It was a rather cruel question to ask her sister, who had just decided on the execution of her uncles.

Even from Siena’s perspective, she was already showing leniency. If she wanted to, she could have discussed specific methods of execution, but she chose not to.

Throwing out half-hearted words of comfort would only make both parties uncomfortable. Instead, exchanging political talk was the better option.

Siena could see her sister’s eyes slightly trembling. It was obvious that she was emotionally unsettled.

But Victoria soon calmed herself and began to speak.

“I’ll handle it on my own.”

“How?”

“……”

“At least, if you’re worried that I might absorb your followers, don’t be. I’m not much interested in factional politics anyway.”

She truly meant it.

Siena did lead a group of nobles under her command. They were mostly commercial nobles who used to follow Anais.

But currently, the concept of “Siena’s faction” within the state was weak. They just waited idly until Siena issued an order, then obediently followed it, passively. In return, what Siena threw at them wasn’t profit but bones.

“But sister, you’re different.”

The sister that Siena knew wasn’t someone who could independently engage in political activities.

Probably, she was very confused right now…

“I know, Siena.”

“Huh?”

“I just realized something. The number of people around me doesn’t prove the size of my capabilities… Of course, my reputation will be ruined because of this incident, and my base of power will become distressingly fragile.”

“So?”

“I’m planning to start all over from scratch. I won’t trust people who only talk about loyalty with their lips. Never.”

Could her sister pull it off? She seemed so stubborn.

Siena tilted her head in curiosity when, at that moment, Victoria faintly smiled. Smiling in such a situation.

“Of course, I’m not cunning like you, Siena.”

“……”

“But I can still do it. I’m more politically capable than you, I’m also equipped with outstanding might, and, unlike you, I don’t derive pleasure from tormenting others. With the help of my advisor, I’ll compensate for my shortcomings.”

“Sister, are you thinking of…”

“That’s right. I plan to ask Sir Alan for advice.”

Victoria replied as though she had been waiting for the opportunity.

Siena almost felt a twinge of irritation but refrained from making a snide comment.

If she really wanted to, she could have countered effortlessly. Why would Alan help her? Considering Siena herself owed a debt of gratitude to Alan, wasn’t it embarrassing to request help from him?

But for some reason, the words wouldn’t come out.

Just by looking at Victoria’s firm expression, Siena could sense a peculiar determination. And she also guessed that Victoria wasn’t seriously planning to ask Alan for advice at all.

‘Really sincere.’

Instead of replying with words, Siena slowly nodded.

And she fixed her gaze on her sister.

Though they were half-siblings, their appearances were quite different. Her sister was approximately half a head taller than Siena, with a magnificent figure. She always wore a military uniform and stayed away from the social scene, but with just a little bit of makeup, she could be admired anywhere for her beauty.

Additionally, even though she had taken a hit this time, she was still the eldest princess.

The loss of her political base wasn’t necessarily a disadvantage.

‘Anyway, the Wolphall family has been trying to counterbalance Alan.’

In a way, Victoria had gotten rid of cumbersome baggage. The people who badmouthed Alan to her ears or irritated Alan by hanging around him—those people were all gone now.

Siena suddenly began to feel a rising sense of crisis.

“I understand, sister.”

Today’s events are truly regrettable.

Siena added in a small voice.

She wasn’t expressing regret to console her sister. She said it was regrettable because the future events to unfold truly were so. While she found the fall of the Wolphall family quite entertaining earlier, she wasn’t enjoying it now.

Not at all.

“Thank you, Siena.”

Victoria calmly replied, then turned her back. Siena kept her gaze fixed on her retreating figure for a while.

**

A few hours after parting with Siena.

Victoria headed toward a secluded building within the imperial palace grounds.

It was normally a space designated for foreign embassy delegations’ escorts. But today, it was being used for a special purpose.

The members of the Wolphall family, who had suffered a terrible fate in the Grand Hall, were currently being held here under investigation. Considering their ties to the imperial family, they were not treated with great respect. They were just kept quietly away for disposal.

But it seemed like the detained parties thought otherwise.

“Your Highness Victoria! Start by treating my brother Hayden, please!”

A bold request from her second maternal uncle, Ian.

Victoria dryly informed him, addressing his worn-out appearance.

“There will be no treatment.”

“Your Highness! I saw it with my own eyes. That wicked Alan Medoff crushed my brother’s shoulders with the Morning Star. His bones… they shattered! Both of them! The pain must be immense.”

“Of course, it must be severe.”

“Summon the saintess immediately and begin the treatment. We can sort out the rest later.”

How could he make such a demand when it was all over?

Victoria sighed and looked at Ian Wolphall’s determined face. His expression was distorted by anger and confusion, but he seemed completely clueless about the impending death that awaited him. Likely because he was detained in the palace instead of a prison.

It was Victoria’s responsibility, as a niece, to dispel that misunderstanding.

Victoria deliberately hardened her expression before speaking. She had to inform her uncles of the truth while they were still under these delusions.

“Your Highness… I understand the situation is grim…”

“Uncle.”

“Yes?”

“Let me repeat, there will be no treatment given. I cannot afford to summon a saintess for your healing… On the off chance, since Uncle Hayden is still an active military officer, we can provide morphine through a military hospital.”

“Morphine? Are you joking? This isn’t the time for jests!”

“I’m not joking. I only wish to reduce his pain before executing him.”

“Executing?”

Ian Wolphall’s face froze for a moment. His elder uncle Hayden, who had been groaning in pain, stared blankly in her direction.

Without showing concern, Victoria continued her explanation.

“I won’t get into specifics. Let me only tell you both that you will take full responsibility. Handling it this way will limit the damage to the fewest possible victims. Do you really wish to further expose these sins?”

“Your Highness, what crime have I committed…? It’s all a trap…”

“Don’t frame this as a political attack. The more you protest, the harder it becomes for you.”

It was essentially a submissive directive to die willingly.

This wasn’t something Victoria was keen to do.

She could easily shift the blame to others. There was no real necessity to follow the formality of having the uncles confess and accept punishment, even if it would enhance appearances.

She had come herself for two reasons.

“I must preserve the others.”

She truly wanted to execute only two and save the rest.

Of course, the rest of her maternal relatives couldn’t escape entirely unscathed. Those found guilty would face exile or hard labor. What Victoria had in mind now was a military factory that manufactured ship anchors. The work was tough but relatively safe.

There was another reason.

“I must face what I’ve done.”

Ultimately, these people had reached this ruinous state because she had trusted them too much.

Had she noticed a few years ago, perhaps she could have ended it all with just a forced retirement and a suspension.

Trusting kin wasn’t a sin, but failing to recognize their transgressions was a problem. Incompetence was a sin for the princess closest to the throne.

She wouldn’t repeat such mistakes in the future.

This was why Victoria faced Ian Wolphall, reaffirming her resolve.

“Please have mercy.”

“I’m sorry, but this is the most mercy I can offer. I hope you help me protect the other members of the family. It’s also an opportunity to make up for the many sins committed under your leadership.”

“Your Highness!”

“The longer you delay, the more people will bear responsibility. Someone else may already be confessing to new offenses right now.”

With that, Victoria stood up.

Hayden and Ian weakly looked at her, as if hoping for some last-minute rescue. But Victoria didn’t indulge their hope; she firmly shook her head.

“Your Highness.”

“It’s impossible.”

Victoria immediately left.

…

Contrary to Victoria’s hopes, her uncles continued to deny their crimes until the end.

However, the outcome remained unchanged.

Two days later, the Emperor officially announced the Wolphall family’s corruption throughout the state and, by imperial decree, set the execution date for the Hayden brothers.

No one raised any objections.

---