Chapter 817

The Flight of the Chief Administrator.

I could understand the sentiment, but it was unacceptable.

My plan to stabilize the nation and delegate all administrative tasks to experts was about to go up in smoke.

This was problematic.

As the saying goes, “the right person in the right place.” People are most efficient when they focus on what they do best. What I do best isn’t running a country—it’s painting battlefields with blood.

In other words, being tied down to palace duties and stuck managing the nation was like using an aircraft carrier as a cruise ship.

No, maybe even worse.

In my original world, I had some talent for war and action games, but every time I played a game where I had to manage a country, city, or amusement park, it all went to hell.

The nation collapsed due to economic crises, famine, and war. Cities burned down in fires. Amusement parks? All the tourists died in accidents.

I doubted such things would happen here, but I knew I didn’t have the qualities to run a massive organization without issues.

So, I decided to focus on being the butcher of the battlefield and leave the administration, politics, and diplomacy to capable individuals. That was the best plan for Hestela.

And… the Chief Administrator who ran away? Ludwig handpicked him, so he must be exceptionally talented. Letting him go would be a waste.

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue, tapped the ash from my cigarette, and issued orders to handle the situation.

“First… there’s that woman among the people I brought, the one with the veil over her face. Have her take over the Chief Administrator’s duties. Emperor Leopold vouched for her, so she should be capable enough.”

Eleonora should be able to fill the Chief Administrator’s shoes. She may not have been a queen, but she was a queen consort. Surely, her years in the Panam Kingdom taught her more than just bearing princes.

Though she’s suspicious, there’s no better candidate. I’ll have to keep an eye on her, but she’s the best we’ve got.

[That’s a good judgment for you. Rather than leaving a suspicious person as an advisor, giving them a heavy responsibility makes it easier to catch their tail.]

Hersela agreed with me.

“What should we do about the fleeing Chief Administrator?”

“Find him and bring him back alive. I want to see what kind of person dares to throw a resignation letter at me and run away.”

While we’re at it, I’ll correct his grand delusion that he’ll find paradise by running away.

As long as I’m the Queen of Hestela, the word “voluntary resignation” won’t exist in my kingdom.

Even Emperor Leopold, who clearly hates his job, sticks to it out of a sense of duty. Duke Bien works so hard I’m worried he’ll die from overwork.

Even Floheta, clutching her neck and crying tears of blood, doesn’t abandon her responsibilities as the Tower Master.

In such a situation, how dare a mere administrator think of resigning and living the easy life?

Is acting as the Queen’s proxy too burdensome? Is it as burdensome as suddenly becoming a queen?

He was originally a civil servant managing a territory. I went from being a soldier on the frontlines to ruling a nation. My burden is a hundred, no, a thousand times heavier.

“If tracking him down is difficult, ask Judge Adamante for assistance.”

If Adamante takes charge, she’ll find him easily. Hunting down and capturing criminals is her specialty, after all.

“Just don’t say we’re tracking a criminal. Say we’re searching for a missing administrator. Otherwise, he’ll be dismembered or burned at the stake before he even reaches me.”

“…Understood. It will be done as you command.”

Shane nodded.

—

“Now that the Chief Administrator’s flight is handled… let’s move on to the next agenda.”

The teacup, which had been steaming with bergamot scent, was now empty and cold, but there were still many questions to ask.

The most important and core questions about governing this land as the capital of my nation.

First.

“While the Landenburg bloodline has been severed… that’s only the direct lineage. What about the collateral branches? Is there really no one left?”

One of the twelve knights’ direct bloodlines, the Landenburg family, was cut off with Ludwig’s death.

Ludwig’s two sons died fighting Or-han’s forces, and after losing his wife, Ludwig grew old alone without remarrying.

Since Ludwig and his sons died at Or-han’s hands, you could say Or-han wiped out one of the twelve knights’ families.

Thanks to that, I became Ludwig’s adopted daughter and inherited the Landenburg territory. Would it be too unfilial to call it a legacy left by my adoptive and biological fathers working together?

In any case, the direct Landenburg bloodline was definitely severed.

If there had been a secret illegitimate child, Ludwig would have asked me to protect his family’s heir instead of telling me to inherit Landenburg.

But what about the collateral branches?

If the bloodline dates back 800 years, there should be a significant number of collateral families unless they practiced incest for generations.

Of course, it seems the collateral branches were controlled to prevent the twelve knights’ bloodline from spreading too widely.

After the Median family’s descent from Rotholandus became widely known, no one claimed to be a collateral branch of the Median family and approached me.

Still, it’s hard to believe there are no collateral families at all.

If they had rebelled against the royal family, they might have been wiped out entirely, but…

Landenburg was a border lord and elector who lived comfortably for generations, so that doesn’t seem to be the case.

I stared sharply at Shane, pressing him with my reasoning.

“Well, it’s possible they were all wiped out by bad luck. But… honestly, if that were the case, the previous border lord wouldn’t have grown old quietly without leaving any heirs, right?”

Even if Ludwig was an unparalleled family man… could the head of an 800-year-old great house so irresponsibly sever the twelve knights’ bloodline?

I don’t think so.

Even if the Landenburg line was cut off, the bloodline of their ancestor, one of the twelve knights—likely Berengar—would still exist. Ludwig could have grown old as a lonely man without guilt.

“Right?”

“…….”

Shane avoided my gaze, sweating as he struggled to answer.

I patiently waited for him to organize his thoughts and respond.

After a moment.

“…Forgive my rudeness, Your Majesty. I never imagined you would be so insightful.”

So, I was right. He sighed lightly, admitting I was more astute than he thought.

“People often make that mistake. They think I’m a brute because of my combat style and behavior, assuming I’m as dumb as a monkey. How laughable.”

I smiled arrogantly, like a villainous noblewoman seeking revenge, showing off that I’m more of a brainy type than a musclehead.

[You’re full of lies. That wasn’t your idea—it was that crazy sorceress who tipped you off.]

Of course, Hersela, who knew the whole truth, saw through my act.

As she snarked, the speculation about the Landenburg collateral branches surviving wasn’t my idea—it was Ophelia’s.

She said she knew the nobles’ habits well and that Ludwig wouldn’t risk the twelve knights’ bloodline being severed without some insurance.

Shane’s reaction confirmed Ophelia’s theory was correct.

“I won’t forgive your rudeness in keeping this from me. I can guess the reason.”

The survival of a collateral bloodline would only be a hindrance to me now.

With me, who shares no blood with Landenburg, becoming Ludwig’s adopted daughter and claiming this land as the capital of a new nation…

If a legitimate bloodline heir suddenly appeared, the succession rights to the Landenburg territory would become very ambiguous.

If I were as ruthless as other nobles, I would have hunted them down and wiped them out before their identity was revealed.

…In other words, I have no such intentions.

“I have no plans to harm them. I can swear to Goddess Astraea if needed.”

It was the honest truth.

Ophelia advised me to find them and silence them permanently, but…

I thought it wouldn’t be bad to return the rule of Landenburg to its rightful heir after my death.

“So, answer me. Who is this surviving collateral bloodline you’re protecting?”

Perhaps he believed the saint’s oath, or maybe he couldn’t withstand my sharpening gaze.

Shane sighed deeply, hesitating like a sinner in a confessional, and finally revealed their identity.

“Well, you see… the Chief Administrator who fled…? He’s the last surviving head of the collateral bloodline.”

“What?”

I dropped my cigarette in shock.

That bastard was that bastard? It was literally beyond imagination.

“No, what the….”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

The Chief Administrator or whatever. Claiming the Queen’s proxy role was too burdensome was just an excuse—he was actually afraid I’d kill him and ran away.

How absurd. Truly.