Since her rebirth, Cecilia had never rested or enjoyed her life as part of the royal family. After she finished delivering the Landis Kingdom's order for Nerva's Blossom and Mira Root, Cecilia immediately returned to the Magenta Kingdom. Cecilia left the guarding of the empty carriages to another knight. Meanwhile, Cecilia returned earlier on horseback with Sir Robert.
When Cecilia finally returned from her tiring journey, the Magenta sky was cloudy. She wanted to take a bath and rest immediately. However, the messenger of King Arkadion, who was standing in front of the palace, made her postpone her initial plan.
"What happened?"
Cecilia knew the stadium wouldn't interrupt her break first if something didn't happen. Her guess proved to be correct. The messenger said King Arkadion had something important he had to talk to her about.
"Your Highness."
Cecilia looked at Sir Robert. After accompanying and guarding Cecilia on her five-day round trip to the Landis Kingdom, Sir Robert looked exhausted, although he tried not to show it.
"You rest first. I will only see my father."
"But-"
"It's an order, Sir Robert," Cecilia emphasized. "You need that rest. You have taken care of me during our journey."
"... Alright."
Cecilia immediately rushed to King Arkadion's study after Sir Robert took his leave. Cecilia's footsteps echoed in the quiet palace corridor. Her steps were firm. She did not stop until she arrived at her father's study.
"Prince, the King has been waiting for you."
The door opened with a heavy sound. King Arkadion was already waiting for her inside, standing while facing the large window that showed the city of Magenta in the distance. When he heard Cecilia's footsteps, he turned his head.
At that moment, Cecilia realized that King Arkadion's eyes looked more tired than usual. Something must have happened, Cecilia knew that.
"I'm sorry for calling you right away when you just got back," she said.
"It's okay. I know you must have a reason for doing so," Cecilia replied as she sat on the long chair in the room. King Arkadion stared at her heavily, then took a letter from his table.
King Arkadion walked to take a seat across from Cecilia. He then handed the letter to Cecilia, who was secretly frowning.
"An hour ago, a messenger from the Kingdom of Blaine came to our kingdom."
Cecilia was silent. Her red eyes narrowed. Indeed, there was the symbol of the Blaine kingdom on the seal that had been broken by King Arkadion.
"What do they say in this letter?" she asked quietly.
"They will send an official envoy... within three days." Arkadion's voice was low. "They most likely caught wind of our cooperation with Landis. They must have also heard about the new trade route you established. Since they are sending a letter now, that can only mean one thing, Cecilia."
"Blaine feels that we have betrayed them," Cecilia answered quietly.
This was not the first time Cecilia had experienced this. In her previous life, if she had sided with one kingdom, other kingdoms would have felt threatened and started attacking them.
The Cecilia of the past had been too stupid to resolve such a political problem. But Cecilia had learned a lot now. She knew what she had to do and was confident in her plan.
King Arkadion nodded slowly in response to Cecilia's words.
"They'll think we chose Landis over them. This could... spark a war, Cecilia."
King Arkadion then showed his frustrated expression.
"Although I thought this would happen sooner or later, I didn't expect them to catch wind of our plan this quickly."
A moment of silence. King Arkadion was worried about the possibilities. But when King Arkadion saw the look in his daughter's eyes behind her mask, something tickled his heart.
"Is this part of your plan, Cecilia?"
Cecilia finally nodded. The opening of the path through the Erebos Forest was so well-known that the Blaine Kingdom would never miss the news.
"We will not go to war, Father. At least, not anytime soon," she said slowly but surely.
King Arkadion stared at her. "How can you be so sure?"
"That's because they didn't send an army," Cecilia answered, looking King Arkadion in the eye. "Given their king's temperament, they would attack a small kingdom like ours if we were deemed to be a potential threat to them. But they chose to send an envoy this time. That means they don't know the whole truth yet."
Arkadion sighed. "What you said may be true. But Cecilia, the envoy sent by the Blaine Kingdom, may cause the war to actually happen in the near future."
Cecilia raised her eyebrows. "Who did they send?"
Arkadion hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Prince Cedric."
For a moment, a change occurred on Cecilia's face. It wasn't big, just a slight curve at the corner of her lips. Cecilia thought something had happened beyond her expectations. But if Prince Cedric had come, it meant that everything was going according to her plan.
Cecilia had left quite a bold impression on the day of her funeral. Coupled with the problems that Cedric had to face in his kingdom, Cecilia was sure that Cedric would not miss the opportunity to come to her kingdom to make a name for himself.
Everything is still safe. Cecilia doubted if she should persuade the other envoys from the Blaine Kingdom. But she could handle Cedric. At least, she had gotten to know Cedric, so she knew what she had to do.
"I understand," she whispered. "Then everything will be fine."
Arkadion looked at her in surprise. "You seem... very confident. Prince Cedric may have been your playmate in the past. But he is no longer the Cedric you know, Cecilia."
Cecilia rose slowly from her chair. She walked over to the window, looking at the sky that was now starting to drizzle. Then, in a voice that was almost a murmur, she said:
"I don't recognize Cedric from the past. But I know the current Cedric better than anyone else in the world."
King Arkadion frowned. "You mean, you—"
"—Let me greet Cedric, Father," Cecilia interrupted in a soft but undeniable tone. "I will make sure he returns home without a single reason to attack us."
Again, Cecilia did something that King Arkadion did not know what it meant. Cecilia's father sighed. Now, he could do nothing but follow what Cecilia wanted.
"Very well."
Cecilia smiled. As long as Cedric had not met Fiona, Cecilia felt that she still had a chance to win this battle.