"Princess, I implore you to please reconsider! I have dedicated my entire life to the developnt of this nation!"
Inside the grand hall of the palace, which was used exclusively by the royalty, a council of ministers was watching a man kneeling on the ground in front of a girl.
"Spare the platitudes, Lord Hadrien. The evidence against you is overwhelming. Embezzlent, extortion, and the exploitation of our subjects in the western provinces. These are not re rumors."
The princess in question was sitting on the grand throne of the Souvell Empire, only allowed to be touched when a royal would exercise his or her authority. The decisions taken from this throne would be under extre scrutiny by the whole nation, making this seat also called the throne of thorns and fla.
However, nobody questioned the judgnt of the youngest princess. They had no chance to. Out of nowhere, Princess Seraphina had collected indisputable evidence against Count Hadrien about his extortion.
It was an open secret known only to a few, but nobody said anything because his tributes and bribes were always enough to let it slip by, and he minded his own business without trying to ss with the political landscape too much.
Simply put, he was ta enough to make bothering him a hassle nobody wanted to go through.
But this all changed suddenly when the princess began making strange movents two weeks ago. Since then, she started to attend and call etings regarding national affairs and kept herself busy researching various topics. She stopped going to tea parties organized by young nobles and beca cold to many of her friends.
The nobles were skeptical of the involvent of another major player in these already ssy politics, but her actions only benefited the nation. She had joined the faction of the second prince, who was the leading candidate for the throne.
There were also those who didn't stop their criticisms and worked in the shadows against her. Well, such people had a rather miserable end. Count Hadrien was one such person.
"If I rember correctly, your province is currently going through a famine, right? You look rather... healthy, for living in such a place." Seraphina comnted on the obese and chubby size of the count, mocking him for looking like this in a place that lacked food.
"Your people, whom you so generously service, are out on the streets looking like the undead. Riots and theft have beco commonplace, and rchants protect their bread more than their gold. Yet you, you shalessly have the nerve to say you're contributing to this nation.
You disgust till the end. Your cris are equivalent to treason in this country. As such, I shall play the role of the diator of justice personally."
"Treason?! Your Highness, this is too much!" Count Hadrien shouted with desperation and fear. The whole council, who were watching silently, were also shocked at the declaration by the princess. The accusation of treason was the heaviest cri a noble could commit. It was not a word which could be thrown around lightly.
The punishnt was the execution of the noble and the stripping of the family of their noble rights.
"Your Highness, treason is not the cri-" An elderly minister tried speaking up, but he was imdiately interrupted.
"Silence. Knights, restrain Hadrien."
The royal knights moved without a second thought, they were trained to obey the royalty no matter what anyone said. Within seconds, Hadrien was pinned down, unable to move under the might of rank 4 Crafted Experts.
Seraphina stepped down from the throne, with a knight handing her a sword. It was luxuriously decorated, suited for the royalty of an empire.
*step* *step* *step*
The princess slowly walked over to the Count, commanding attention from the entire hall. They knew that the princess was acting differently these days, but everyone was agape at the drastic event happening right now. She was personally going to execute soone.
"Your Highness Seraphina, please, have rcy." Hadrien begged for his life, but the princess's eyes were indifferent. She looked upon him as if looking at a filthy bug. Finally, she stood right in front of the kneeling noble, towering over him despite her small stature.
*SWISH*
The sword strike was clean. The corrupt noble was beheaded, and Seraphina's beautiful blue dress was stained with red. Her visage showed no hesitation, instilling a chill upon all the ministers gathered to witness this mont.
With a bloodied sword in her hands, she looked around with cold eyes, as if daring anyone to question her action. Nobody did. No one wanted to make an enemy of such a terrifying princess.
"Now that is over, I'll be heading back to my quarters." Seraphina announced and left the hall while handing the bloody sword back to the knight. As soon as she was out, she saw the one person whom she did not want to deal with right now.
"You gave quite a performance, youngest."
"Greetings, Second Prince."
"Oh, you're too formal, Seraphina, call Big Brother Julian like you used to."
In front of the princess was a man who exuded regality. A confident, friendly deanor that gave this man charisma, and a handso face to match all those qualities, he looked like the perfect prince of fairy tales. But just like all mbers of royalty, behind that mask was hidden a master manipulator with burning ambitions for the throne. He had no love for his family mbers, just usefulness.
This man was standing outside the hall, watching the whole show without interrupting. He was also quite surprised when his little sister decided on such a brutal and rash action, but he knew that she must've had her reasons. She better have her reasons, for what she had done was no small thing.
"Forgive , but we are in a formal setting, Second Prince."
"Oh, whatever. Still, you must already know why I'm here right in front of you, don't you?"
Of course, Seraphina knew why he was waiting for her. It was to explain her actions. Condemning a noble of treason was a very significant use of authority, and since she belonged to the Second Prince's faction, she had to explain her actions to him.
"Hadrien presented himself as a neutral force, but he was secretly colluding with the first prince's faction. His tributes were also significantly more towards the nobles of that faction."
"Then imprisoning him would've been enough, why did you accuse him of such a cri and execute him?" The prince asked in a kind voice which held no warmth. Seraphina was extrely careful with her words because this man was crucial for her survival.
"I needed to display your power, Second Prince. More specifically, I needed to show the power our faction has now since I joined. I am a mber of the royal family, with legally the sa authorities as you. I am one of your greatest assets in this fight for the throne.
By executing Hadrien, I gave the impression to the other nobles that I was brutal and rciless, so they would be highly alert and be extra careful in their actions now. This also sent the ssage that even though my way of doing things is not suited to the throne, I would be a great weapon to you if you beca the Emperor.
I know that you have been staying lowkey, but prince..."
Seraphina looked straight into the eyes of the prince, startling him with her coldness, and continued,
"You cannot win the throne by staying inside the shadows forever. Power is aningless if people don't even know you have it."
Saying that, she walked off towards her room, exhausted from today's ordeal.
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