"Look over there, it's the princess..."

"The Guardian is here too. I guess what was on the news is true."

"If the two of them are really on good terms, does that mean the relationship between the Church and the Imperial Family will improve again?"

"Who knows. If the princess becomes the emperor, maybe."

"Hey! Quiet down! The headmaster will be here soon! Everyone, be quiet!"

The voices of students, who had found something interesting to talk about, echoed throughout the auditorium as they chatted with friends they hadn’t seen in a while. The teachers tried to quiet them down, but with far more students than teachers, it was a losing battle. Some of the teachers were too busy watching the two people at the center of attention and whispering among themselves to properly manage the students. As a result, the auditorium, packed with students, buzzed with noise like a bustling marketplace.

"This happened because you flaunted your relationship without consulting me beforehand. You need to do something about it."

"You knew you needed to act too, didn’t you?"

"Even so, did you have to make such a bold declaration? It was too extreme."

"Aha..."

Stella shot a sharp look at Anya, who let out a small laugh as if she had nothing to say in response. Stella knew she needed to take action, just as Anya had said. Anya, who had promised to cooperate, had achieved her goal much faster and more decisively than Stella had anticipated. Although the Church's credibility had plummeted after the revelation that the Pope was possessed by a demon, the rumor that Anastasia would become the new Pope had started to restore some of that trust. The Church would eventually regain its place with time. However, Stella's own problems remained unresolved. The threat of assassins had disappeared, but only because she had left on a journey with the group. For a while, Stella stayed up nights worrying that the Guardian might betray her. It was only after a week of observing the Guardian's unchanged behavior that she felt reassured. Though she knew it was an unnecessary concern, it was a habit born from living in a royal family where betrayal and intrigue were commonplace.

"I have no idea what that wretched brother of mine might do next."

"...Is that so?"

"Yes. He's always been good at coming up with despicable, unexpected schemes."

Stella was certain that this was the reason her brother was still the undisputed first in line for the throne. She wasn’t sure exactly how he had managed it, having been pushed far down the line of succession early on... but it wasn’t as if a few members of the royal family had simply gone missing or been found with their limbs mangled for no reason.

"I'm sure he'll come up with something unexpected..."

Bang!

Stella’s words were interrupted as the doors to the auditorium burst open with a loud bang. Immediately afterward, the presumed culprits, a group of knights, stormed in like a wave, roughly pushing students aside.

"What, what’s going on?!"

"Ahh! Don’t push!"

"Where is the Second Princess, Stella Edelweiss?"

"She’s over there! Damn it, what are you doing?!"

The sudden appearance of these outsiders caused a different kind of commotion to break out in the auditorium.

"What do you think you’re doing?! This is an academy! I don’t know where you're from, but show some respect..."

"Apologies, teacher, but we are in the middle of official business. If you interfere, we will have no choice but to charge you with treason."

"W-what? Treason?"

The academy’s teachers, who had been about to intervene, were thrown into confusion by the word that had just come out of the knight’s mouth. It was a response they could never have anticipated.

"Stella Edelweiss. You are under arrest for attempted regicide."

"Y-your Highness. What on earth is going on...?!"

Even Anya seemed visibly shaken, unable to grasp the situation. ...I knew this would happen eventually, but they moved faster than I expected. Were they really that desperate? Or did they see me as that much of a threat? Stella had a good idea of who was behind these events, and she couldn’t help but sigh.

"What evidence do you have? I did no such thing."

"Of course we have evidence, my dear sister."

"..."

For a moment, Stella thought she had misheard. The voice she heard wasn’t one she expected in a place like this. When she turned to look in the direction of the voice, she saw a familiar and unpleasant face that made her expression harden.

"It’s been a while, dear brother. I never thought you’d show up here in person."

"It’s been a while, my beloved sister. I had no choice. When a serious crime like regicide is involved, how could I not come? As someone who loves his family, I couldn’t stay away."

"I didn’t do it."

"Well, that’s not for you to decide, is it?"

I expected as much, but still... He’s always been someone who enjoys trapping others.

"One of Father’s bodyguards saw someone who looked exactly like you trying to kill him."

"...May I speak to this bodyguard?"

"Sorry, but the rules don’t allow witnesses to meet the accused before the trial."

"Haa... You’re always the same, aren’t you, dear brother?"

"Not sure what you mean."

Stella's mind quickly deduced her brother’s intentions. ...He probably never intended to have a fair trial. He would have one of his subordinates provide false testimony, use that as a pretext to throw her into a trial, and prevent anyone from defending her by threatening them with treason charges.

"...I’m sorry, but I have no intention of participating in a trial to prove something I didn’t do."

That’s why, no matter what, she had to stand her ground here. Proving that you didn’t do something is far more difficult than proving that you did. Even if she were to be declared innocent, it would be years before that happened. By then, she could be assassinated, or even if she survived, her brother would already have ascended to the throne.

"I thought you might say that, my beloved sister."

"...Can you stop calling me that? It’s creepy."

"I’m afraid I can’t, my beloved sister. There’s nothing more unbearable than not being able to call my beloved sister ‘beloved.’"

He’s such a liar. He only says that to enjoy watching me cringe at the title.

"For you, my dear sister, I’ve found something interesting. Did you know that in the old days, nobles would settle disputes by joining forces with their allies and fighting their opponents?"

"And?"

"Surprisingly, that law is still in effect. ...Though, now that I’ve brought it to everyone’s attention, it’ll probably be repealed soon. What will you do?"

"..."

"I hope you see this as a final act of mercy toward someone who attempted to kill our father."

He was confident that he could win by any means and felt that if he didn’t act now, he would miss his chance. It was all too obvious. First, he made an impossible offer, and then he followed it up with something that seemed slightly more acceptable.

"It seems I have no choice. I accept."

But even if the choice was clear, Stella had no other option. Having her actions forcibly restricted through the use of power was the most troublesome outcome. Her brother was likely trying to maintain his reputation by appearing considerate, but at the same time, he was ensuring that he wouldn’t lose. He probably hadn’t even considered the possibility of a fair trial. His true intention was to establish his dominance by leveraging that outdated law and then legally beat her down.

"Fine. Then I give you three days to gather your allies, my dear sister. You’d better find some worthy companions."

"...And if I lose, what will happen to those who fight alongside me?"

"Well, they’ll likely be charged with treason as well."

I figured as much. Stella glanced around. As expected, none of the students or teachers dared to meet her gaze. Her brother had deliberately chosen the charge of treason, knowing that it would prevent anyone from helping her for fear of facing the same accusation. Of course, his team would be composed of elite soldiers... This underhanded method was something only her brother could come up with.