Virgin Knight Who Is the Frontier Lord in the Gender Switched World - Chapter 232

In the conference room.

While sipping tea, I urged my beloved sister to proceed with the matter at hand.

With a nod, Valiere handed over the letter.

“An invitation from the Emperor has arrived, Nee-san.”

The seal on the letter was indeed a match for the Emperor’s crest.

After briefly examining the contents of the letter handed to me by Valiere, I returned it to her.

The letter was written in a polite tone, and it was clear that it bore no ill will.

“You may accept the invitation,” I suggested.

“Will I be killed?” she asked, her usual jittery self, as always.

I smiled nervously and reassured her.

“I don’t know what you’re misunderstanding, but the Emperor is definitely fond of you. He appreciates you punishing his enemies on his behalf.”

Before betraying the empire and fleeing, if I could enjoy the tragedy of my enemies from a VIP seat, I would have no complaints.

In fact, Valiere should find an ally in him.

How far he would cooperate, I didn’t know, but I hoped to establish talks through Valiere, as if letting her “usurp the throne” more amicably.

I had no particular desire to kill the Emperor myself.

It would be better to arrange things discreetly.

“Faust has also been invited, hasn’t he?”

“Is it poor timing? He should be monitoring Seora to prevent her escape—”

“A short absence won’t matter.”

It’s not like there aren’t other surveillance personnel.

The “Knights of the Raging Boar,” led by Duke Temeraire, were also present.

Moreover, Faust would be needed in the battle Valiere was about to face.

I persuaded him, then turned to look at him, sitting in the room.

“Faust. Will you attend as Valiere’s fiancé?”

“That’s fine… Is it a dinner party?”

“Any concerns?”

Faust seemed hesitant.

“I heard the Emperor has anorexia. It seems like it will be a bland dinner party.”

“That’s right. I’ve heard he eats nothing but bread and soup.”

But the content should be rich.

Like a soup simmered for so long that the vegetables have dissolved.

Faust raised a finger.

“There’s something I’m concerned about.”

“What is it?”

“It’s about the battle with the Citizens’ Council. Are you planning to leave everything to Valiere? Wouldn’t it be better to have assistance from Anastasia-sama?”

Indeed, Faust’s point was valid.

Valiere was staring at me intensely.

She seemed to want help.

But that was not an option.

“Valiere, having more than one brain only leads to confusion. If Sabine and Lady Berlichingen are functioning properly, there’s no reason for me to intervene. Even if I gave orders, they clearly wouldn’t listen. They are your subordinates, not mine.”

I didn’t mean to be cruel.

Sabine, though malicious, was doing her job well.

And with the robber knight Lady Berlichingen as her assistant, I was not needed.

Valiere would surely defeat the Citizens’ Council and win the price negotiations.

I believed that.

As I was thinking—

“Ah, I won’t help, but I can lend you Duchess Astarte.”

“Eh?”

Valiere looked slightly displeased, but it was a good idea.

More arms for violence are always better.

“She wants to field-test the new weapons we acquired. If it’s rough work, she will be useful.”

“Will she cooperate with me willingly? I thought she disliked me.”

“Valiere,”

I gently tapped my sister’s shoulder.

My sister does not understand her own greatness.

“You are now a distinguished elector who has defeated the Elector of Mainz. You far surpass me and Astarte in renown. Astarte will definitely not dislike you now.”

In fact, I was even impressed by how far her kindness had gone.

Astarte now fully acknowledges Valiere.

She probably won’t say it to Valiere herself, though.

“Be confident, my sister.”

Still, whether Astarte would follow Valiere’s commands was another issue.

She was prone to acting on her own.

Trust was one thing, but that was the problem. Sabine and Lady Berlichingen weren’t really listening either.

One more problematic person wouldn’t make much of a difference.

Just think of it as having an extra hand to throw a punch.

“Yes, Nee-sama.”

Valiere looked at me with sparkling eyes, but I couldn’t bring myself to say more.

Then Faust spoke up again.

“If Duchess Astarte is willing to help, that’s reassuring. Could we also use the people from Nahid?”

“Are you thinking of using assassins?”

It was a good thought.

Looking at my sister, she was shaking her head vigorously.

Using assassination against civilians was too underhanded.

“Is that bad?”

“That’s bad! If even one person is assassinated, it will lead to a cycle of retaliation! Don’t you understand that I want to resolve this quietly, very quietly?”

“No, the opposite. I thought about having them as guards to prevent assassinations.”

Ah, that was it.

Indeed, that might be necessary.

With the Emperor’s interest in Valiere, there was no reason to keep the assassination guild idle.

Personally, I didn’t mind if they did assassinate someone.

“Fine, take them. I’ll talk to Astarte and Nahid.”

“Eh…”

I saw the utterly disheartened look on Valiere’s face.

She was my sister, who had never needed to know how to use daggers and poison.

But this time, it was unavoidable.

It was a good opportunity for her to learn their uses, as her sister thought.

“Anything else?”

“No, that’s all. Let’s meet with the Emperor before the Citizens’ Council makes their move.”

Faust nodded firmly.

He slapped his knees and stood up.

“By the way, Val-sama,”

“What is it, Faust?”

“This Faust has a very bad premonition about this matter. This won’t settle down easily. I asked for the cooperation of Duchess Astarte and the people from Nahid just in case, but I still feel it’s not enough.”

Hmm.

Faust’s intuition often proved correct.

“Not enough, you think?”

“I have a feeling it’s not. Well, we’ll see if meeting the Emperor will fill that gap.”

Saying this, Faust smiled cheerfully.

Well, it should be fine.

In the worst case, I could just send Faust in to overturn the negotiation table.

I could only laugh at that thought.