I Planned a Su*cide Mission and Got Kicked Out of the Party

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Rose Caprice stood in front of the Hero’s empty tomb, dressed in a red uniform. Since the Hero’s corpse was absent, it was, of course, a vacant coffin. Rose indifferently recited his eulogy while wearing Harriet’s Glasses, once belonging to the Hero.

“… And because he died as the father of the heir who would later lead the Empire, I bury him as an example of royalty who could not fulfill his role in life. Moreover, I honor him as another Emperor who once ruled the Caprice Empire. He was Walter Hellhound, and also Walter Caprice.”

After removing the large crown from the head of the Emperor standing beside her, Anton Caprice, Rose placed it atop the golden circle depicted on the coffin. She thought there was little significance in honoring him as Emperor at this point.

What she found meaningful was that this officially made them husband and wife, though it would have been better had they been able to form that bond while alive; alas, her husband was already gone. Fortunately, the fact that his child was nestled in her womb allowed her to adopt Walter as her husband posthumously without any hindrance.

Everyone gathered for the Hero’s funeral was sobbing, mourning the loss of the Empire’s hero. After finishing Walter’s eulogy, Rose turned to her father. Anton Caprice opened the box he was holding, revealing a golden tiara. The moment she donned it, her position would change entirely from before.

“I am weary. Powerful enemies have arisen during my reign, plunging the Empire into a crisis of destruction. Fortunately, an unprecedented number of heroes have been born to support me in protecting the Empire, yet despite this, continuous turmoil causing the people to suffer is entirely my failing.”

As Anton Caprice’s dark hair and beard suggested, he was not originally a member of the Caprice royal family. It was he who imparted and taught Rose Caprice the essential qualities of a ruler. However, he, too, bore a burden exceeding his original responsibilities, and he truly believed it was time for him to lay down his crown.

“The Crown Princess has grown, and I can no longer be active on the front lines. I took pride in supporting the Imperial Army from behind, doing my utmost, but I now feel that the time has come. Today, I intend to formally abdicate the throne in favor of Crown Princess Rose Caprice. What is your wish, Crown Princess?”

Depending on culture, it would not be proper to decline what had already been decided for the sake of appearances in the customs of the Audrich family. Rose bowed her head toward her father and replied.

“I accept the throne, Your Majesty.”

“Then wear this upon your head.”

Anton lifted the tiara from the box and delicately placed it atop Rose’s bangs. Bowing her head as she received the crown, Rose met his gaze the moment it was laid upon her head.

To show respect for the new Empress, Anton Caprice slightly descended one step and bowed his head. Rose also deeply bent at the waist to pay her respects to the Emperor. After giving a fleeting glance at Walter’s coffin, she raised her voice to those still shrouded in sorrow.

“Listen! I am now the Empress of the Audrich Empire!”

“Long live His Majesty the Emperor! Long live His Majesty the Emperor!”

In an instant, the square was enveloped in cheers. From a distance, Margaret, watching the scene, turned to the Great Sage beside her.

“What do you think, kid?”

“The death of Walter Hellhound and the frontline retirement of the Iron Wall Crown Princess are despairing news for the people. They risk extinguishing the will to resist and completely demoralizing the Empire. However, if the Iron Wall is not retiring but ascending the throne, then it becomes a symbol of hope. It’s a masterstroke. While his death is tragic, what the Empire needs now isn’t despair but anger and hope.”

“I figured you might not be too fond of the situation.”

“But what can we do? She is all that the Empire has. No, she is the Empire itself. For it to endure now, we need an unprecedented strong imperial authority and an unprecedentedly united nation.”

“Yet you were the one who fiercely resisted attempts to unify the military command.”

“Back then, unification of the command system meant the loss of my military authority.”

Jenis shook her head.

“But the situation has changed. Uniting the Empire’s army now means I could hold all the command. In that case, having control over the Southern Army and Central Army would be advantageous for me under the royal family. If everyone sees through that, then why ask me such a question?”

Margaret gave a wry smile at Jenis’s words. The Elf Lord spoke with a bitter expression.

“It was your actions that strained a relationship that didn’t need to be tense by challenging the authority at the center, you little one. I understand your reasons for doing so, but forming a personal army of 40,000 without royal consent and recklessly merging surrounding territories could be construed as preparing for rebellion. Well, let’s call that just acceptable.”

“What about afterward?”

“Failing to improve relations with the Emperor and trying to seize the military power of the entire Empire solely by leveraging the recent Hero’s authority is dangerous. Even if Rose doesn’t do anything, your own impatience will drive you to the edge of a cliff. Take it easy. I know you have a solid purpose, but I can vividly see your anger and anxiety consuming you. This is serious advice for you. Please, take it easy, kid.”

In an instant, Jenis’s eyes erupted with anger. The Great Sage struck the ground with her staff and glared at Margaret.

“If Eramenia had acted properly, we wouldn’t have ended up in this situation.”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you saying I started this fight by challenging the royal authority? Princess, it all began when the Fairy Kingdom became crippled and could no longer pose any threat to the Demon King. It was inevitable to lose in the canyon. But if Eramenia had shown even the slightest military movement afterward and made an effort to intimidate the Demon King or at least had the minimal courage to overcome the fear of defeat and come through the canyon to meet me, we wouldn’t be in this state. Perhaps even he would still be alive with us. I wouldn’t be caught in this current anxiety either! Kid? Look back at your own shabby situation and ask yourself: who the real kid is, me or the 400-year-old Elf Lord?”

Jenis unleashed her fury in near exasperation. But upon seeing the genuine hurt flicker across Margaret’s face, she immediately regretted her words and lowered her head.

“I apologize. I just…”

“No.”

Margaret bit her lip tightly and raised her hand.

“There is nothing wrong with what you said. It’s so correct that… I don’t even know why I thought I could give you advice. I’m truly sorry, Harker. Now, let’s just… withdraw.”

Margaret turned her back on Jenis and began to walk away. Jenis reached out to Margaret in a distressed manner.

“Wait, Princess! Please, hang on! What I meant to say was not—”

But Margaret’s sensitive ears had become too dulled by the shock within her heart to hear Jenis’s voice. After watching the Elf Lord disappear, Jenis sank her head in regret and self-reproach.

“You were a bit much just now.”

Just moments ago, Jeongjae approached Jenis after discussing various political issues with Duke Jeffrey. She sighed deeply and nodded.

“I, too… am a person with weak self-control. When I get angry, I tend to say harsh things. I’m sure I’ve even done that to my professor, but this time… I truly said something that could hurt that person. No matter what, I shouldn’t have said that to them…”

“It’s likely because you wanted to share the blame of Walter’s death with someone.”

Jeongjae expressed his opinion. After closing her eyes for a moment to ponder, Jenis opened them and nodded. Walter’s insistence on giving Jenis choices instead of issuing blanket orders left behind an indelible wound, tightly squeezing her heart.

“… I think you’re right. But that was just too cruel. It seemed like they wanted to expose what kind of person I was, as well. In fact, until recently, I was overly confident. I felt like I could cut through any problem with wisdom. But they forced me into a binary choice with no answers… and I made my decision without hesitation. I’ve rarely felt that kind of powerlessness in my life. Even when Violet killed my father, I still felt a sense of autonomy in my choices, but back then, I… myself…”

“There must have been a moment similar to this for Walter as well.”

Jeongjae recalled the expression on the Hero’s face as he looked at Jenis while she burned with anger. Walter Hellhound must have once dreamed of a rosy future, envisioning a scene where he overcame obstacles with his talents and abilities and achieved ultimate victory.

A savior who solves terrifying dilemmas or conundrums in ways no one could imagine. A great hero who would save all five people in the trolley dilemma. That was the direction Walter envisioned as a Hero, but at some point, he too would have discovered himself making the ruthless decision to kill one person to save four.

He wanted to teach Jenis that the world throws trials and tribulations that even the smartest of humans cannot resolve at will. As for Jeongjae, he thought it would have been ideal if Walter had imparted the lesson in a kinder and gentler manner, but the time given to Walter was too short, and Jenis’s self-esteem was too formidable.

Without extreme measures, breaking Jenis’s spirit and teaching her a lesson would have been challenging. In a way, Jeongjae almost expressed admiration for his deceased friend’s ruthlessness.

“Don’t hold onto too much guilt. Margaret treated you a bit harshly too. Sometimes, both of you can act without considering the feelings of the other. You both… are such huge figures. It’s often a disconnect for someone as ordinary as me.”

“Ordinary? You’re saying that about yourself, Professor?”

Jenis chuckled lightly. Jeongjae shrugged his shoulders.

“But I am really ordinary. At least, I lived like this for about 26 years.”

“If there’s one thing I firmly believed until I turned 20, it’s that great power comes from noble blood. We aren’t elves. We are just humans, not everyone among whom can be brilliant and great. A person’s abilities are influenced by surroundings, experiences, realizations, and many other things, but nothing is as absolute as innate bloodlines and talents. Just look at that new Emperor over there.”

“That makes my confidence plummet.”

“That’s why the world I wanted to create was an oligarchic empire ruled by aristocratic politicians. But now, I’m not so sure anymore. I’m struggling just to deal with what’s right in front of me. I no longer know what the right direction is.”

“I see.”

“You’re just an ordinary person, Professor. Until I met you, I’d never believed that an ordinary person could be great. Who exactly is needed for the Empire and its people right now?”

“Well…”

At Jeongjae’s words, Jenis pointed at herself.

“Is it an aristocratic ambitious person?”

Then the Great Sage extended her hand, pointing at the new Empress, who was greeting the crowd.

“Or a centralist hegemony person.”

Jenis’s finger shifted, pointing at Duke Sally Jeffrey, standing among the nobles.

“A realistic politician?”

And she turned her body to point at the spot where Margaret had vanished.

“A populist superstar? Or…”

Finally, Jenis raised her finger and pointed at the Grand Mage, Park Jeongjae, right in front of her.

“A citizen among citizens who knows how to remain an ordinary person even after gaining great power.”

“I guess I’ll know soon. But if what the world truly needs is my role, then I will now really face it head-on without looking away. However, before that…”

Jeongjae turned his gaze back toward the direction in which Margaret had disappeared.

“I’m worried she might be alone and crying somewhere. Would it be okay if I checked on her for a moment?”

“Go ahead.”

Jenis nodded. History was moving into a new era. Whether that era would become one of overcoming or one of darkness was something no one could yet predict.