I Don’t Need a Guillotine for My Revolution

Chapter 82: Directory Government - Princess

A week has passed since my return to the capital, Lumiere.

During that time, I was busy dealing with the backlog of Commander-in-Chief duties and writing a report to submit as the representative of the Iberian Peninsula delegation.

In the end, Damien De Millbeau found an error in the documents submitted by his subordinates and used the excuse that he needed time to correct them, giving himself an extra day, but ironically, thanks to his late submission, I was able to work with some leeway.

If Damien had been as perfect as Desaix in his work and was just waiting for me, I probably wouldn't have had time to rest.

Of course, that doesn't mean I didn't chew Damien out.

Just as I had almost cleared the pile of work waiting for me and took a breather, Eris, who had finished her relief work and charity activities around Francia, returned to Lumiere.

"Welcome back, Saintess."

Bowing lightly and speaking politely to Eris, who was dressed in her usual white robe, she looked up at me for a moment beyond the veil and replied slowly.

"It's been a while, Marquis Lafayette."

After exchanging a brief glance with Jessie, the handmaiden who always follows Eris, and Sir Beaumont, I extended my hand, and Eris naturally placed her hand in mine.Eris entered the mansion and took off the veil she was wearing under her hood, handing it to Jessie.

Perhaps it was because she was nearing the end of her teens, but Eris's revealed face had lost much of its youthful appearance.

Come to think of it, Eris is now older than Christine, whom I met right after I regressed.

Maybe it's because I've always thought of her as a younger sister, but I feel strange.

"Oh, yes. The artifact you gave me was really useful. It was so nice to be cool even in the summer. Thank you again."

Eris said with a smile.

It seems the gift I gave her, remembering how she suffered from wearing thick clothes even in the summer, was satisfactory, but somehow she seems strangely polite...

"You seem to have calmed down a bit?"

If her unique playfulness and lightness had overshadowed her original mysterious appearance, the current Eris's attitude and appearance are intertwined, and she feels quite elegant.

But as soon as she heard my words, Eris's purple eyes filled with playfulness.

"Do you like this side of me?"

Oh dear.

"I wonder."

"Hmm~"

When I answered ambiguously on purpose, Eris covered her mouth with her hand and laughed playfully, then corrected her expression and opened her mouth again.

"I have to be a little careful now."

"I see."

Just as I treat her politely now, and she doesn't insist that I treat her casually, Eris's free-spiritedness is far from foolish indulgence.

Because this princess, who has been precocious since she was a girl, knows her position very well.

Still...

"...Just a little, so don't get your hopes up."

As she said that, Eris smiled playfully, which was typical of her, and I smiled slightly as well.

*

As I escorted Eris into the drawing-room, Christine and Count Anjou, waiting there already, rose from their seats.

"Countess Aquitaine, Count Anjou."

"Your Highness, Princess."

As Eris lifted the hem of her robe and curtsied slightly, Christine mirrored her gesture, and Count Anjou immediately knelt on one knee.

"I greet the Saintess, no, Princess Erisliste Lilianne De Francia!"

The atmosphere in the drawing-room instantly became awkward.

Well, yes. This is how it would normally be.

Even more so since Count Anjou is an elderly nobleman within the Central Party...

"Please rise, Count Anjou."

Eris said with an awkward smile, and Count Anjou rose from his seat.

"Ahem, ahem. I thought you were missing, but it is an honor to see you, Your Highness."

"Thank you, Count."

Eris gave a simple answer and sat down.

Tea was prepared, and Count Anjou spoke.

"It is truly surprising, Marquis Lafayette. To think that you were serving the Third Princess, who is also the Saintess."

"It was a coincidence."

I answered only that, but Count Anjou looked at me with a surprised look.

I let the Count's gaze pass over me and opened my mouth.

"As you know, the First Princess Cecilia, who became the Empress of the Germania Empire, is preparing for war by citing her claim to the Francia throne. However, Francia has not yet recovered from the damage of the civil war and the last war."

Even with the Storm Witch, the last offensive, won with difficulty, was just a token gesture from the Germania Empire, deploying only a small number of troops.

But if they unite to grant the Empress the throne of Francia, it would be difficult, frankly, to stop them with the current power of the Republic.

"So, as a countermeasure, we looked for the Francia throne, which is their justification for war. If a legitimate royal family member ascends the throne, their claims lose their justification."

"So you were serving the Third Princess."

"That's right. The National Assembly will be held this time to prepare for the threat of the Germania Empire, and I intend to propose the formal enthronement of the Third Princess at that meeting."

"Oh..."

Count Anjou let out a low exclamation.

Even if he looks at me with eyes asking how many steps ahead I've moved, I can only be embarrassed.

"Then, does Her Highness the Princess agree with the Marquis's idea?"

Hearing Count Anjou's words, Eris nodded in a quite dignified manner.

"I will fulfill my responsibility as a princess of this country. However, there are some concerns."

"Please speak, Your Highness."

After my words, Eris hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"My mother was a courtesan. In terms of legitimacy, the Germania Empire clearly has the upper hand. Will they back down just because of that?"

"That part is not a big problem, Your Highness."

Christine answered Eris's question.

She unfolded the black fan she always carries and added, while fluttering it.

"Certainly, in terms of legitimacy alone, there is a slight disadvantage, but Her Highness the Princess is also a saint recognized by the Theocracy. We have received an answer from the Theocracy that they will support Her Highness as the legitimate heir to the Francia throne."

Attacking her legitimacy would be awkward even if she were just a saint, but openly disparaging a Papal-backed successor as illegitimate?

It's no different from saying that you're going to go against the Pope.

"Oh, that's great. No matter how desperate the Empire is, they can't ignore the legitimacy of a saint directly recognized and supported by the Theocracy."

"Count Anjou is right. There will not be many lords who will choose to oppose the Theocracy to crown the Empress."

Christine answered and turned her gaze to me.

"The issue of legitimacy that Her Highness the Princess was concerned about will be fully resolved by me and Countess Aquitaine. You don't have to worry about that."

"...I see. I'm a little surprised."

Eris was purely impressed by my words.

The outcome is good, but if you know the process or the inside story, it's not an entirely clean deal, so I didn't tell Eris about this plan in advance.

This is possible because we succeeded in stopping the religious persecution in Francia as requested by the Theocracy, and we also promised a generous donation.

From the Theocracy' point of view, it would be a great help to expand their authority if the saint they recognized ascended to the throne, so they agreed, pretending they couldn't help it.

Eris paused for a moment before speaking.

"Then, one more thing. The National Assembly... my enthronement..."

Eris hesitated briefly, choosing her words, then continued.

"Will they not accept it as the end of the revolution?"

"There is certainly such a concern."

I recalled the last moments of Maximilien Le Jidor.

He worried about the fate of the National Assembly even as he was dying.

He especially feared the revolution's collapse because of me, now that his former checks were gone.

"Once we decide to enthrone Her Highness the Princess, the Republic will come to an end and the kingdom will be revived. The important question is whether to deny their revolution and establish a system of rule under the Queen, or to enthrone Her Highness as Queen but continue the rule by the National Assembly."

"What I want is, of course, the latter."

Eris answered simply.

I knew she would say this.

"But I'm not sure if everyone will understand our intentions."

Eris said, looking slightly worried.

Perhaps if we say we will enthrone Eris as Queen, it will be easy to get the support of the Francia people.

Exhausted by civil war and war, the people are desperate for peace.

Looking at Eris's actions so far, she is a saint who, while hiding her identity, did not covet the throne, and only did good deeds for the Francia people during the civil war and revolution.

Eris's enthronement can be packaged as a sacrifice to sit on the throne she did not want, in order to save the Francia people from war.

From Eris's point of view, excluding me who knew in advance that Eris was a princess and prepared for it, that is the truth.

But that's just public opinion, and the National Assembly is a different story.

"As you said, as long as the Central Party and I are the leaders, the National Assembly will naturally doubt our intentions."

Talleyrand, claiming to be the successor of Maximilien Le Jidor, and the Revolutionary Party is likely to perceive our actions as an attempt to return to the old regime.

Nicolas Brisseau and the Liberal Party have been relatively friendly with us since the early days of the Republic, but only to keep the relatively strong radicals in check.

Now that Christine and I have almost taken over the National Assembly, we cannot rule out the possibility that the Revolutionary Party and the Liberal Party will join hands and try to stop us.

"Hmm, Princess Highness is not lacking in character or love for the people, and now that this country is about to find its place, the foolish ones..."

Count Anjou clicked his tongue, and I smiled.

Of course, the nobles of the Central Party would mostly react this way.

The nobles would prefer serving a legitimate authority figure like a Queen rather than Presidents, who are commoners.

Especially if the person who will become Queen is someone deserving of everyone's love and respect.

Count Anjou stroked his chin and opened his mouth.

"What about forcing it through? Now our forces are not small, and if Marquis Lafayette, Countess Aquitaine, the Central Party, and I work together, I think it will be possible."

As Count Anjou said, if we try, it is possible.

Since the Republic is in danger of destruction by the war with the Germania Empire, we can push through by accusing those who resist of being collaborators with the Germania Empire.

But looking at how my actions, fueled by anger at Christine's injury, were perceived, this is not a path I want to choose.

Above all, if that were the case, wouldn't I betray my oath to protect them as long as I didn't betray the revolution?

The words I uttered in front of the person dying while keeping his beliefs until the end were not just comfort or hypocrisy, but a determination that I engraved on myself.

Besides.

"Count Anjou, I revealed that I am a princess not to return you to the old order."

"Ahem, I apologize, Your Highness."

Count Anjou coughed and was embarrassed by Eris's cold gaze.

Even if I tried, Eris would never want a throne taken by such means.

While Count Anjou was embarrassed and drinking tea, Christine opened her mouth.

"The important thing is to prevent our actions from being seen as an attempt to overthrow the revolution. Even if public opinion is divided, winning over lawmakers one by one makes it possible, though cumbersome."

If it's Christine, it will be possible to persuade other lawmakers in the parliament to some extent.

The problem is that it takes time and money...

"That's realistic. However, while we proceed, the Germania Empire will steadily prepare for war. The longer it drags on, the worse for us."

I don't think that their Empress, no matter how capable she is, would have moved the lords with words alone.

She must have promised benefits as Queen of Francia. If Eris is enthroned and Cecilia's chances decrease, most lords will withdraw war support.

But if we drag it out too long, the lords will have spent their assets and completed sufficient war preparations.

Then we cannot ignore the possibility that they will receive some other appropriate compensation or even decide to participate in the war with the intention of destroying Francia.

If they've already spent the money, they have to get something to reduce the loss.

Then Eris, after listening quietly and drinking tea, put down her teacup and spoke.

"I have a suggestion."

"Please speak, Your Highness."

"The Germania Empire, a country that elects its emperor by election, right?"

"Yes. The emperor is elected by electors. Recently, it's become a formality to approve the current emperor's family..."

"Let's have the people elect the king by election."

"What?"

For a moment, I, Count Anjou, and even Christine had blank faces.

"Even if it's an election, it's just to put Her Highness the Princess on the throne."

"Not just me, but also accepting other heirs to the throne. For example, the Empress of the Germania Empire, who is preparing for war."

"It would be possible, but what's the point..."

Of course, Francia won't choose the Germania Empress over Eris, so what's the point?

Besides, we were discussing the problem of getting the support of the National Assembly, so what's this sudden nonsense?

As I was thinking that, Eris opened her mouth again.

"The elected king would have a term, like lawmakers. At the term's end, there's a re-election. To keep the throne, the king needs public trust, making the National Assembly more accepting..."

Eris, her playful purple eyes shining, raised her index finger and brought it to her lips, smiling.

"Even if enthronement is possible in the next election, if the Empress denies the election and starts war, how will the Empire's electors, who value voting legitimacy, react?"