NOVPUBI tapped the call button on the laptop, initiating a connection to Princess Myrcella. To my surprise, she picked up almost immediately with no delay and hesitation.
With the advancements in technology, smartphones, laptops and computers now came equipped with a convenient feature which was video calling. This function allowed not just voice but also live visuals, enabling a more personal and face-to-face interaction through the screen.
Because of that, I wasn't just going to speak with her. I would also be able to see her.
And sure enough, the moment the connection was established, her camera lit up and her face appeared on the screen.
"Huh? Why'd you call? Is something wrong?" she asked with a casual tone, her expression relaxed. Judging from the faint steam wafting through the air and the slick sheen on her skin, she seemed to be enjoying herself in a warm bath. "And where have you even been? You've vanished for four whole months. I was beginning to worry, you know."
She had really just answered a video call... while she was still in the bath?
Not only that, but her camera was fully active. The image on my screen was dangerously vivid with her bare shoulders shimmered with moisture, her collarbones soft and defined, and the camera angle offered a teasing glimpse of the valley between her breasts. Droplets of water traced lazy paths down her flawless skin, sliding into the crevice below. Her complexion, pristine and pale like porcelain, carried the signature elegance of someone highborn.
"You're bathing, right? I can just call you back once you're done," I said, trying to sound polite while discreetly avoiding eye contact with her more exposed parts.
"Wait a moment. I'm almost finished anyway," she replied casually. Then, placing her phone against something to prop it up, she stood up from her seated position.
And with that motion, her full figure was revealed to me. She turned away just before I could see what was between her legs, but not fast enough to stop me from catching a glimpse of her perfectly rounded, snow-pale butt. Her skin glistened with water under the soft light, every curve accentuated with a gentle shine. It was impossible not to stare.
As if perfectly choreographed, two servants appeared silently at her sides and draped a towel robe over her body with practiced ease. Their movements were smooth and synchronized. They were clearly used to this routine. They didn't seem bothered at all, as though they'd done this countless times before.
After being wrapped in the robe, Myrcella calmly picked up her phone again.
"So, what is it?" she asked.
"Uh… well, now that you're done, I have a favor to ask," I began.
"What kind of favor?" she replied with a hint of curiosity.
"Are you completely dressed now?" I asked carefully. "Because I'm about to show your face to some people—specifically, the high priests."
Her brows lifted slightly. "The high priests? Why are you with them?"
"I'm in the middle of a negotiation, but it's not going well. They won't approve what I'm pushing for. That's why I need your help."
"Alright. I'll help you," she said without hesitation. "But you remember the favor I asked you for, don't you?"
"The one where I'm supposed to introduce myself to the King… as a husband candidate?"
As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt Rose's eyes lock onto me, her expression frozen, as if I had just dropped a revelation she hadn't expected in the slightest. I kept my gaze away from her.
"Yes," Myrcella replied. "I want you to present yourself as thoroughly as you can."
She didn't bring up anything regarding the Emperor. Given the political engagement between her and the Emperor—designed to solidify an alliance between Milham and Rodonia—it would've been risky for her to mention it, especially with the threats I'd thrown around earlier. She understood the consequences. I liked that about her. She was calculated, composed… as well as effective.
It made me wonder... just how far could she go in Milham's hierarchy once she truly seized power?
"Alright," I nodded. "I'll do it once the next term begins." 𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙥𝒖𝒃.𝒄𝒐𝒎
Her lips curled into a gentle smile. It was the kind of smile that said she was satisfied with that answer.
"Now then, you want me to speak to them, right? Turn me around so I can face them."
I rotated the laptop, positioning the screen toward the three high priests, ensuring they could see her clearly.
"I-It's truly Princess Myrcella…"
"We can't be too sure. It might be some kind of deception. There's no way to confirm if that's the real Princess or just an illusion projected by that device…"
"Y-Yeah, you're right…"
Their doubt lingered heavily in the air.
"If this was truly an illusion, High Priest Sendron, then how would I be able to hear and respond to your words in real time?" Her voice, clear and elegant, cut through their uncertainty like a knife.
"She… She spoke to me…" Sendron's expression was one of utter disbelief, his mouth slightly agape and his eyes wide in shock.
"No! Don't let it fool you! This must be some elaborate trick!"
"Enough, both of you." Vertigan's voice snapped like a whip, silencing the two at once. "Can't you see that we're in the presence of the Princess? As high priests of this kingdom, at least try to act with some respect."
That single statement was enough to silence the two bickering High Priests. Their mouths snapped shut.
"Thank you, High Priest Vertigan," said Princess Myrcella. "Now then… Leon—well, Mr. Faust—approached you with the intent of reaching a negotiation, didn't he? But from what I gather, you're not very willing to accept his proposal."
"That's correct, Princess," Vertigan replied, his voice low and thoughtful. "Though I find myself intrigued by the promise of change, I couldn't simply trust that such a drastic shift would lead to a future better than the life I've spent years preserving. That's precisely why I asked him to bring forth some kind of formal agreement—one that comes directly from the King himself."
The Princess tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing just a touch. "And what if I being here was supposed to be enough? Would that satisfy your concerns, I wonder?"
A stillness filled the air. Vertigan didn't respond immediately. His gaze dropped to the polished floor, as though searching for strength in the marble below. Finally, he exhaled slowly and spoke.
"I'm sorry, Princess. But no… without the King's direct involvement, even your presence wouldn't be sufficient."
"I see…" Myrcella muttered under her breath, the corners of her lips tightening. "Well, I suppose I'll have to speak to my father about this. Though truthfully, I already know what he's going to say. With the Kingdom's economy thriving thanks to the influx of merchants and traders brought in by our efforts at modernization, he wouldn't hesitate to dismantle centuries of heritage if it meant lining his coffers even further."
She wasn't bluffing. Every word she said hit like a hammer of truth. Right now, the only real foundation propping up the Kingdom was my company. The king had practically handed Milham a monopoly, and with Leonamon's expansion looming, it was clear he wouldn't blink before trampling over tradition if it meant drawing in even more influence.
High Priest Vertigan seemed to recognize the weight behind her words. His shoulders sagged slightly as a long, resigned sigh escaped him.
"I cannot—will not—allow the legacy of our Goddess Jeanne to be tossed away like yesterday's relic," he said firmly. "Master Faust… you swear that if we agree to this modernization, the essence of our heritage will still live on?"
"That's my promise," I replied without hesitation.
He shut his eyes, as if weighing the weight of generations on his shoulders. Then, slowly, he looked up and met my gaze.
"Then I accept."
"Vertigan!" one of the others shouted in disbelief.
"You two—shut your mouths," Vertigan snapped, his patience clearly worn thin. His voice echoed through the chamber like a slap. "If we don't accept this now, everything we've been trying to protect will crumble beneath the King's feet anyway. We hold no power in the grand scheme of things. Our choices are limited."
The other two clenched their jaws in silent fury, but their resistance faltered. Reality had caught up with them, and it was undeniable now that modernization was coming. Whether they liked it or not, the Holy City would never be the same again.
***
"Thank you for helping me today, Princess," I said sincerely through the screen of the laptop.
"It's nothing," she replied with a gentle smile. "Honestly, I'm just glad I could support you in this. Though... it is disappointing that the other two High Priests still haven't signed the agreement."
She was right. Their signatures were still absent, despite them giving vague promises that they would consider it. But that word—consider—was just a smokescreen. It could mean months. Years, even. A drawn-out stall to dodge modernization as long as they possibly could.
"You've sent the letters to their homes, haven't you, Rose?" I asked.
"I did," Rose answered calmly, eyes focused ahead as the carriage rolled through the cobblestone road.
"Well, they'll be writing me back tomorrow. Mark my words," I said confidently. "They won't get the chance to drag this out any longer than it already has."
