The Reincarnated Count's Daughter Is the Strongest as She Is Loved by the Spirits, Though She Is Only Wishing for Regular Romance!

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Author Notes: 

I've been writing so much about murders and political struggles, but the setting is actually pretty mild, so I'd appreciate it if you read it with a warm and fuzzy feeling. Where did all the romance elements go? (;_;)

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It's a battlefield. A serious one. A national one.

But Jean-sama still has a smile on his face, and his tone is no different from when he's making small talk.

He's probably a capable person. As an emperor, as a noble, such a person is strong in politics.

If Eldred Prince hadn't complained about not coming to the tea party, I wouldn't have checked with Wiki-kun. And I wouldn't have acted so quickly. If I hadn't moved, the spirit kings wouldn't be here.

The poisonings would have occurred unnoticed, killing Bantock's faction and the prince, and the perpetrators would have remained unknown.

There's no forensic science in this world.

Jean-sama's plan would have succeeded. He might have intended to kill the Crown Prince as well.

If Jean-sama's plan had gone smoothly, he would have been the next emperor, even with blood on his hands.

The spirit kings have no interest in human ranks or power. As long as their realm isn't harmed, they don't care who becomes emperor.

"Did you decide to take action yourself? Don't blame me now. You've killed so many Bantock factions. Aren't you satisfied?"

"Is that your way?" 

Compared to Jean-sama, the Crown Prince still shows his emotions and isn't good at dealing with people.

Now, his eyes glaring at Jean-sama are filled with irritation and anger.

"My way?"

"Is it your way to kill those who stand in your way? You tried to kill Eldred too."

"Not me, him."

"You said my brother was part of the Bantock faction, right?"

"If it had continued as it was, he would have been. He was surrounded by Bantock's aides and held a tea party at Bantock's command."

Even the Crown Prince, by the time he's the same age as Jean-sama, will surely have grown more.

I don't expect justice or purity from an emperor.

Cunning, ruthlessness, and calculation are also necessary for an emperor. There may be times when you have to sacrifice your subordinates for the country.

But is this the way? Wasn't there another way?

"Andrew, you're smart enough to understand. Royals who can be manipulated are a hindrance. Sometimes an emperor must decide to cut off even family. If you can't, you'll end up like the General or your sister."

"I see, that makes sense."

Duke Powell said calmly, leaning on the table with his elbows.

"Then, I have a question for you, who wishes to be emperor. What will you do first when you become emperor?"

"...Huh?"

"The Crown Prince mentioned earlier that the central region is in a tough situation, right? If you become emperor, I want you to start your duties immediately. There are vacancies left by the Bantock faction. What will you do first?"

"...Depose my sister and the General, arrest them for monopolizing the emperor's throne, fill the Bantock faction's positions, and govern as before."

He was confident in his answers until now, but suddenly his eyes darted and he seemed flustered.

"So, becoming emperor is your goal."

My muttered words made Jean-sama glare at me.

"Being emperor is a means, not the end. You must understand that."

"How can you say you understand..."

"There's one thing I know. If you depose the emperor and the general without a proper reason, you won't get the people's support."

"The people? You can manipulate them with fabricated stories!"

Finally, Jean-sama showed his emotions. It seems he dislikes me.

Well, I'm the biggest reason his plan is falling apart.

"Then what will you do!"

"Let's see."

The Crown Prince, who was asked, looked thoughtful, touching his chin as he spoke.

"I'll let the emperor and the general be figureheads for a while. They'll take responsibility for the Spirit Forest debacle and the mass poisoning incident, retire but stay to transition their duties to their son. It will take about three years."

He said he'd make his parents figureheads.

Of course, he's royalty.

"I'll divide the country into four regions, each represented by one person, with the spirit kings' supervision. These four will assist in governing until I turn eighteen. For now, I'll ask the border lords or have them recommend someone, and Powell can handle the central region. The central region should utilize its geographical advantage as the nation's hub for trade. First, we'll focus on roads and logistics..."

"Oh, that's enough."

No one stopped him, so I did.

"Huh? I'm not finished."

"It's too long. You'd talk for an hour."

The older gentlemen chuckled.

A young Crown Prince passionately discussing the nation's future has greatly increased his favorability.

Raising favorability is essential for a ruler.

"Involving the border lords is a good idea."

"Indeed. We can't let them consolidate power. We must ask for their assistance."

The two dukes discussed this calmly, even though the border lords were right there.

"I'll defer retirement and send Cody."

"No, father should go..."

"I'll send my son too."

"What?!"

"I'm still the Minister of the Spirit Ministry, and my son is still a child..."

"You can resign as minister."

"That's..."

The three border lords seemed to agree with the Crown Prince's proposal.

Hang in there, father.

"I see. You're on Andrew's side."

"Excuse me?"

Why the sudden shift?

"Are you engaged to the Crown Prince?"

"No, we're not."

"Impossible."

Both the Crown Prince and I denied it, but it surprised everyone.

Why the accusation now?

"Then I'll state my criteria for a partner."

"A partner?"

Jean-sama seemed surprised.

He didn't know I wasn't interested in marrying royalty.

"First, they must not be royalty. No foreign royals either. And no one with a claim to the throne."

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

Voices of surprise came from all around.

Even Eldred Prince made a dumbfounded sound.

"Most importantly, they must have all spirit beasts."

"Someone who won't bore her, quick-witted enough to keep up with her, and capable of protecting her with power, status, and wealth."

"...Chris-oniisama."

'So... you plan to remain single for life?'

Wait. Why is Ruri saying that?

Ruri shares some responsibility for this.

Look, everyone is too stunned to comment.

"If we were initially moving for the Crown Prince to become emperor, that's true. I didn't expect Jean-sama to seek the throne after recommending Andrew's succession."

Earl Corquette's words were met with nods from the other two border lords.

"Norland supports the Crown Prince's ascension. I've seen the exchanges between Dalimore and Jean-sama. I can't serve someone who will discard nobles as easily."

"If you use people, you must do so without them realizing. Leaving loose ends will come back to haunt you."

"As expected of Duke Goodfellow, scary."

"Not as much as Duke Powell."

These gentlemen get along well.

"Jean, why did you do this?"

The visual-kei duke, or rather Duke Rampling, said with a groan of frustration.

"Why? As someone forgotten and confined, what else could I do?"

"You could have consulted us. We could have bridged to these people!"

"You have everything. How could you understand!"

Jean-sama distanced himself from Duke Rampling, shouting bitterly.

"At the academy, everyone avoided me, fearing the emperor and Bantock faction. Even you only visited occasionally. You have parents' love, friends, status. I must have seemed pitiable."

"Jean?!"

"I'm the rightful heir. Why should my sister's child become emperor? I only purged the Bantock faction who tried to assassinate me. I had no intention of harming other nobles. They acted on their own."

There were other ways. Even if confined, he met with Duke Rampling and Earl Dalimore.

He could have formed allies and acted like we did.

But Jean-sama couldn't trust anyone.

Even now, he's standing alone.

"I..."

'Wait.'

Amber stopped me from speaking.

'You shouldn't bear this burden. Let the adults handle it. Also, I don't recognize Jean as the representative of my territory.'

"What? I raise spirits properly. Dalimore destroyed the Spirit Forest."

Jean-sama didn't expect to be denied by the Spirit King.

His face turned pale as he approached Amber.

'I know. I punished and forgave him. But you knew it was the Spirit Forest, didn't you? Knowing and doing nothing is a sin.'

"What..."

'Spirits communicate with humans. That means they understand human language. That's why you isolated them in another room when meeting those people. Mature spirit beasts can hear their master's instructions even if they're a bit far. From the next room, they can hear everything.'

Wait. That's just voice, right?

Not bath peeking, right?

'Don't worry. Spirits prioritize their master's instructions. They won't share secrets without reason. But anything regarding the Spirit King's Forest is different.'

"..."

Amber extended her hand, and Jean-sama's wind spirit landed on it.

'The other two spirits have been with you for a long time. Since you didn't destroy the forest this time, they can stay. But you'll never gain new spirits. ...Oh, Powell knew too.'

"...Yes."

Straightening his back, Duke Powell sat properly and bowed.

'I hear you opposed the forest destruction and were sent away. You care for your spirit beasts well.'

Amber's smile seemed to acknowledge Duke Powell's fondness for spirit beasts.

'Who becomes emperor is for humans to decide. But Jean, you are banned from approaching Aaron's Falls.'

The emperor's representative meeting the Spirit King would strengthen their influence. Bonds with the border lords

 meeting other Spirit Kings would also grow stronger.

And now, an emperor who can't meet the Spirit Kings wouldn't be accepted.

Suddenly, there was a knock, and the guard who left earlier returned.

"What did you find?"

Under everyone's scrutiny, he spoke with a pale face.

"Two servants committed suicide at the end of the hallway, and the poison they consumed matched the poison found in Duke Goodfellow's cups. Also... among their belongings was a bracelet worn by Nicodemus sect members."

"What?!"

So the Nicodemus sect tried to kill my friends and their families?

"Also, among the dead nobles, there was one with a diamond-shaped mark on their hand!"

"Pendrils' people?!"

"I knew Bantock's faction wasn't interested in spirits, but they were connected to Pendrils?"

Scary. A faction trying to ally with the prince involved countries and religions hostile to spirits?

What would have happened if we hadn't noticed this time?

"Ruri... did you know?"

'Somewhat. It's hard to get information since they don't have spirits.'

'That's why we showed up.'

Suoh nudged Ruri, who looked apologetic, and ruffled my hair.

'Don't dwell on bad thoughts.'

"Bantock's faction killed by Dalimore's faction, Jean-sama trying to exploit it, Nicodemus sect targeting spirit-raising nobles, and Pendrils infiltrating Bantock's faction?"

It's too complex.

More than a three-way struggle.

'Power's peak. Any gap will be exploited.'

'Let's set aside complicated matters for now. I dislike men who attempt to assassinate children. Jean is out.'

Nodding at Jade's words, I agreed wholeheartedly.

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Author Notes: 

While watching everyone's predictions for the emperor with a smile, I'm nervous that you might think, "Is this the ending?" Many suggested Dia for emperor, but I couldn't envision her having a human romantic relationship in that scenario (;_;)

The next epilogue will conclude the first chapter. The second chapter will shift focus to romance. I haven't forgotten about the Nicodemus sect either. Please look forward to Dia's adventures at ten years old.

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