Chapter 392: Secret Talk at the Dominion
Cole, the capital of the Cornix Dominion.
At its center was the royal castle.
Standing on its balcony is a girl.
Her age is around early to mid-teens.
She has shoulder-length fluffy brown hair and her dress is of good quality.
Her name is Marianne von Cornix.
The Daughter of the King who rules this country, in other words, the princess.
She had stayed in the United Kingdom as a hostage for many years and only a few know of her existence.
However, when the United Kingdom attacked the Empire, she was allowed to return to the Dominion.
Although the King was pleased with the return of his only daughter, Marianne soon grew distant toward her father.
Marianne, who grew up in the United Kingdom, did not like the corrupted system of the Dominion. She has been outspoken about the suffering of the citizens and even suggested concrete policies to improve their lives to the King.
Eventually, the King stopped spending his time with his daughter who he thought was indoctrinated by the United Kingdom. The real reason however is that he doesnt want his daughter toment on how he runs the country.
Still, Marianne continues to voice her opinions. Even when her father refused to meet her, she wrote letters to him.
Her single wish is to make this country better.
However, her father did not listen.
Thats why Marianne turned to rely on nobles she regarded as reliable.
Even in the Dominion, there are still a few decent groups of nobles.
Through them, she increased her allies. However, even with her allies, the King could still safely ignore her.
After all, even if she has the title of a princess, she doesnt hold that much influence.
Even so, she continues to thread on this narrow path and have this meeting.
You are.Vermillion?
..indeed.
Appearing in front of her is the masked Mia standing on the balcony.
Through a reliable noble, Marianne sent a message that she wanted to meet Vermillion.
Thinking about it normally, such a person wouldnte out to meet her.
The Chivalrous Thief who has been hostile toward the Dominion would never ept an invitation from its princess, she thought.
However, Vermillion came.
After all, she is the ally of the people.
It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Marianne von Cornix.unfortunately, I am the princess of this country.
I know about you. And how you helped the citizens as well.
Mia tries not to talk much to not reveal her identity.
She devoted all her focus to not end her sentence with the usual something and continues.
What do you want? Make it short.
..a week from now, I am going to defect to the Empire.
..you want an escort?
The Empire has taken care of that. After that, the Empire will probably start an invasion using me as their justification. It cant be helped. This country can not be changed from within..but it would be wrong to harm the citizens in order to change that.
I agree.
Thank you. Thats why Id like to use my defection as a chance and bring as many people to the Empire as possible. Id like your help to gather the citizens who wish to migrate to the Empire and bring them to Marquis Percival at the border.
if it is only you then it would be one thing but I dont think that the Empire will allow such arge number of people to cross its border.
Right now, the person governing the Empires northern part is Prince Leonards older brother, Prince Arnold. The other day, he allowed the use of the Holy Sword to prevent a flood in the north. That person probably doesnt care about his own reputation. He may be a strange person but he surely cares about the people. I think that he will ept our people.
.
Because Mia knows the person himself, she is seriously wondering if Al would go so far for the people.
During the rebellion in the Imperial Capital, Al gave it his all.
Because it was something that directly connected with himself and his younger brother.
However, this time it is different.
He has no obligation to ept the Dominions citizens. The Empire only needs the princess. If they have to choose one over another then the Empire would choose the princess over the citizens of the Dominion.
The princess can demand the Empire to ept some refugees but how many of them would be epted.
Mia ispletely clueless about that.
After all, many already want to escape to the Empire.
And therger the scale, the harder for them to be epted.
so I have to believe that the Empire will not harm the citizens.
The Empire probably will not harm our people. However, the aristocrats here are different. They see everyone else as stepping stones. In the event of war, they might order their soldiers to plunder the people.
.
It was her own country that she has no trust in.
Although that is a big spection, it holds a certain degree of persuasiveness.
Behind the mask, Mia frowns.
If the Dominions government knows that the princess is trying to defect, they would try to stop her with all their might.
She will have to flee from the entirety of the Dominions military.
.I cant do it by myself.
You cant do it even with the help of Marquis Percival?
Guarding the citizens is no problem. But once the armyes out, we have nothing to stop them. Someone needs to stall their movement.
I will do it.
Such a thing is easy to say but if the Empire doesnt want to ept the citizens then having Mia, who knows Al personally there, will help.
She needs one more person.
If there is someone who can act as a decoy for them.
That role, I will take it.
From behind.
Mia frowned at the sudden appearance of the man.
She had no idea when he got so close to her.
You are?
Vater. Harassing the Dominion is my specialty.
The other Chivalrous Thief.
What did youe here for?
I came to offer my help. Also, the princess was being monitored you know?
Eh!?
Marianne is surprised and hurriedly looks around.
Mia also looks around but she doesnt feel any gazes on her.
Dont worry. I already deployed some illusions. But it seems that the King is already suspicious.
..you want us to trust you?
I dont think that you have no other choice though?
why do you want to be the decoy? You might die
.my daughter is here in the Dominion. As a father, I want to do what I can for her.
With that sincere answer, Mia doesnt think that he is lying.
Marianne seems to share her opinion.
.the minimum condition for our sess is to prevent the army from leaving the city.
No problem. But there should be other pursuers from outside the city as well.
I will do something about that myself.
good. Then lets disband. And princess, if you want to make a move then you better do it quick.
However, it will take time to let the citizens know
Once they ept your people, the Empire will have to ept the rest. They are not so stupid to not know that.
The princesss job is to make the Empire ept herself along with her people.
If that is aplished then they should be able to do something about it afterward.
Vaters advice is to focus on moving the people first.
The people monitoring the princess are skilled.
Its clear that the other side is on guard against her.
Thenwe will do it in 3 days.
Okay. I will do what I can. Lets meet again at Marquis Percivals territory.
Yes.Vater.you should be careful too.
If someone strong enough for me to be on guard againstes out then that should entertain me for a while.
Saying so, Vater disappeared.
Hearing such self-important parting words, Mia whispers to herself.
Just who does he think he is..?
Did you say something?
Its nothing.very well, lets move ording to n.
With that said, Mia also parted ways with Marianne.