A major historical turning point.
The event that would later be etched in the history of the western continent began with the same morning as always.

It's your job to do something about it. I'm not sure why I hired you. It's not that I can't do it. It's about getting my men to do their job.

　Piraeus, the capital of the Roserian Kingdom.
　In a room in the chalk castle that rises in the center of the castle, the high-pitched shouting of a woman echoes again today.
　The two guards, who remained steadfastly standing outside the room, heard the tantrum of the room's owner through the thick oak door, and sighed deeply again today as they lightly aligned their death lines.
　The two men never disliked the master of the room.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a great deal more information on this topic.
　It's a good thing that you're able to have a good time with them. It's a good idea to have a good time with them.
(I'm not in a good mood today... no, not today either...?)
　Such thoughts came to the man's mind and he smiled bitterly.
　In fact, he couldn't think of a day when the owner of this room was in a good mood.
　When was the last time she came to the room with a big smile on her face, with her first big job in charge?
　In such a room, for the past few months, a scene has been repeating itself almost daily.


But, Sir Lecter. "But Lord Lecter, we didn't just sit on our hands and do nothing...

　A tall, skinny young man began to hastily excuse himself in the face of Mertina's anger.
　A thin layer of sweat was beading on the fine forehead of this nervous-looking man.
　You're going to be able to find out more about the best way to get the most out of your new job.
　This is a greasy man with an impressive belly sticking out like a sack of cloth.
　As if he was too nervous, large sweat droplets were making big stains on his silk shirt.

'That's right. To be honest, there is nothing else we can do at this time. Of course, if His Majesty makes a decision, all problems will be solved. But that's unlikely. If that's the case, the only thing we can do now is to take our time and gradually build up our allies...

　Mertina, who is younger and more of a woman, yells at him over his head, and the men begin to make excuses that it's not his fault, despite his frustrated expression.
　Even if they don't get a good show, both of them have been involved in various projects as lower-level bureaucrats for many years. Experience and experience. They have both of these things in common. From such a point of view, they were more than aware that there was no way they would be able to achieve the results Mertina was looking for in this situation.
(What are you ranting about, an amateur who doesn't even know the rudiments of politics!　Who the hell do you think you are? (As if he were your own personal flunky.)
　How much better it would feel to let out the dark thoughts in your heart to the fullest right here and now.
　The man desperately resisted the desire to shout at Mertina mercilessly.
　They're not prideful, but they are proud to be human. And even more so if they didn't think they were not at fault.
　Still, you can't just lash out at Mertina with your own anger here and now.
　It's not for right or wrong reasons, or for polite reasons. It's simply a bad influence on my future work.
　And in fact, they are not bad at all. They know the root cause of Lupis' policies not going the way they want them to go, and they have proposed measures to deal with it to Mertina and their predecessors at an early stage.
　They took all the steps they could within the scope of their jobs. If that didn't produce results, it wouldn't be their fault.
　However, whether or not Mertina would show her understanding when she said such a good argument was another story.
　No, considering Mertina's character, I can see the conclusion.
　She will stick to her own righteousness and thoughts and will not listen to them. No, on the contrary, she might hate the other person as an enemy who denies her own justice.
　However, Mertina hid her formidable eyebrows at such an attitude of the two men. The fingers on the table do a gorgeous tap dance, as if they are really annoyed.
(Taking their time?　(Silly thing ... do you really think you'll have time for that?
　The two of them were officials who had been brought back after Lupis had taken the throne.
　These two were rumored to be among the best of the younger and mid-level officials, but they would never have been here if they were supposed to be. At least until Lupis Roselianus sat on the throne.
　It is only because of Lupis' patronage that they, who were only lowly aristocrats in terms of family background, are highly valued in the royal castle as senior bureaucrats.
　They have no right to say no to such people.
　However, that doesn't change the conclusion and reality that they can't do it.　　

"After a period of time?　You're kidding me. And saying that, how long are you guys going to take the time to do this?

　Quite a bit of time has passed since Lupis came to take charge of the national government as Queen.
　A few months have passed, even counting from the time Mertina was selected to be in charge.
(And yet nothing has changed. As usual, nothing...)
　Lupis got the throne. He became the ruler of this Roserian kingdom.
　But if you ask me if that changed anything, I can't think of any words to answer. No, it has changed. It's just that everything is worse than it was before the crowning.
　Mertina herself is fully aware of that.
　The problem is that we can't admit that lightly. How much easier it would be if they could easily admit that it's out of their control.

'Enough, it's disgusting to look at your faces. Go back to your room and get to work. I expect a more sane report tomorrow.

　Exasperatedly shooing them away with her hands, Mertina sits deeper into the couch.
　A deep sigh and complaint comes out with the sound of the door slamming shut. Looking up at the ceiling, Mertina covers her eyelids with her hand.
　Her hands were just a little wet.

''Why. Why doesn't anyone want to cooperate with His Majesty? Why is it that you only pursue your own interests? Doesn't anyone love this country?

　To Mertina, the Kingdom of Roselia is as important to her as her mother, which trumps everything else. She considers it her duty to cut herself and shed blood for that precious thing.　　
　From the point of view of such Mertina, the current state of affairs is very unbearable.
　Before Lupis sat on the throne, Duke Gerhardt had taken control of the national government, and many of the people were tormented by fear and anxiety about tomorrow. Only the high nobility and the wealthy merchants who served as their hands and feet were rich and prosperous. Mertina wants to change this reality.
　She made every effort to make Lupis, her legitimate heir, sit on the throne.
　Whether or not those efforts were appropriate in the eyes of those around her was not the issue at this time. All that matters is the fact that Mertina herself believes that she has risked everything she had.
　In fact, she is making an effort, and the people around her are seeing it too.
　But in spite of Mertina's efforts, nothing has changed in this country. The aristocracy that undermines the country and covets only its own prosperity under the shield of privilege, and the wealthy merchants that cozy up to the aristocrats by using their rich financial resources and connections with them. And then there are the people who are reluctant to cut themselves off, but are vocal in their discontent. Everyone criticizes and disgraces Lupis.
(If things continue as they are, this country.......but what on earth can we do about it?)
　As Mertina, I fully understand that there is a problem with the current situation. But she doesn't know how to deal with it.
　It's like a mountaineer trying to conquer a mountain that no one has ever reached before. Maybe it's like a climber who can see the summit in the distance, but doesn't know the map or trail to get there.

''Huh, no, no. His Majesty is in a more difficult position than I am. I have to be able to support him.

　With a small sigh, Mertina slowly raised herself from the couch. Then, she stood in front of the figure mirror placed in a corner of the room.
　Her beautiful hair is the same as it always has been and she is wearing the same tight clothes. But, Mertina's face in the mirror showed fatigue and her eyelids were slightly swollen.

''You look absolutely awful.......you're about to have a meeting....

　Gently stroking her cheek, Mertina opened the makeup box on the shelf. Even though makeup isn't her forte, she can't go to the meeting with such a disheveled face.


Then that's the end of today's agenda. Do you have anything else to add to the agenda?

　Lupis Roselianus slowly opened his mouth as he looked around at the faces sitting at the round table, which was dyed red by the setting sun.
　Lupis was truly fed up with this meeting that was being held every day since two o'clock in the afternoon.
　The same people in the same conference room as always, the same faces, the same agenda, the same discussions as always. Could there ever be a more empty, futile waste of time than this?
　The feeling that you are moving forward, even just a little bit. You can't feel that at all for Lupis.
　You can find a lot of people who have been in the same situation.
(I just held a meeting today too. Nothing was decided, nothing was improved. They just curse at each other and try to put the blame on each other...)
　All the people present here are people chosen by Lupis himself.
　People who don't belong to the aristocracy and have the ability to rule their own territory without problems.
　A clean and fair country. They should have been chosen to create the ideal world that Lupis had envisioned.
　Lupis does her best to hide the sigh that threatens to fall out. You can't afford to show any attitude or behavior that might be taken as indifferent to politics when the people around you don't even recognize your competence at this point in time.
　Lupis, in his own way, was making an effort to fulfill his duties as the king of the Roselia Kingdom.
(Somebody, somebody, anything?　(What do I do with this country?)
　Lupis looks around with clinging eyes. It's not that she doesn't understand the situation this country is in right now. I'm sure that the desire to solve the problem is stronger and more sincere than anyone else present at this conference.
　But unfortunately, Lupis couldn't think of a way to solve the problem. All she could do was pray that someone would suggest a way to solve the problem.
　However, everyone looked away from Lupis' gaze.
　It's the same for her aides, even Mertina and Mikhail.

''Nothing seems to be going on.......then.

　Just when Lupis, who looked around once more with eyes filled with anticipation and resignation, was about to end the meeting, it happened.
　The Earl of Bergston, sitting to the left of Lupis, quietly raised his hand.

''Your Majesty, may I have a moment?''

　At those words, all the gazes of the people around them turned to the Count at once.