Three days after watching my parents burn, I woke up in a hunter's cabin deep in the Shadowmist Forest. My first coherent thought was about the female guard who'd been stationed outside my uncle's chambers. The one with the nice—
I slapped myself. Hard.
"Good to see you're still you, Your Highness," Shion materialized from the shadows, a ghost of a smile on her lips. "We were worried the head trauma might have... changed you."
"Sora hits harder than she looks," I muttered, touching the tender spot on my neck. The cabin was small but well-maintained, probably one of my guards' emergency safe houses. Through the window, I could see dense fog wreathing ancient trees. Perfect cover for fugitives. "The others?"
"Scouting the perimeter. We've picked up traces of search parties, but they're looking in the wrong places. Your uncle's men aren't familiar with these woods."
I nodded, then immediately regretted the movement as pain lanced through my skull. "How many of our allies survived?"
Shion's silence was answer enough.
"Right." I forced myself to stand, ignoring the dizziness. "Then we do this the hard way."
"Your Highness should rest more," she started, but I cut her off.
"Rest is for people who don't have a burning empire to reclaim." I stumbled to the cabin's simple table where maps were spread out. "Besides, I've had enough rest for two lifetimes."
The door opened, admitting Sora and Rick. They carried fresh game and, more importantly, news.
"Uncle Nasaki's coronation is set for next week," Rick reported, dropping a rabbit on the counter. "He's calling it a 'peaceful transition of power' after your father's 'tragic accident' during a terrorist attack."
"How convenient." My fingers traced the map, following trade routes and city locations. In my previous life, I'd specialized in market analysis and strategic planning. Different context, same principles. "And the Southern Empire?"
"Their forces are 'temporarily stationed' in our major cities to 'maintain peace,'" Sora's voice dripped with disgust. "They're not even trying to hide the occupation."
Beni and Shuna returned next, completing our little war council. They brought more detailed intelligence: lists of nobles who'd sworn allegiance to Uncle Nasaki, those who'd been executed, and those who'd fled.
"The treasury's been emptied," Shuna reported, her silver hair damp with forest mist. "Most of it transferred to Southern Empire banks as 'diplomatic guarantees.'"
"Of course." I smiled, and my guards exchanged worried looks. They probably expected me to rage, to swear immediate revenge. But two lifetimes had taught me something about patience. "Tell me, what's the first rule of defeating a larger enemy?"
"Don't fight them head-on," Rick answered immediately.
"Close. It's 'make them defeat themselves.'" I picked up a marker and started circling locations on the map. "Uncle Nasaki thinks he's won because he has the army, the treasury, and the Southern Empire's support. But he's forgotten something crucial."
"What's that?" Beni asked, absently testing her bowstring.
"He's forgotten that I'm not just a prince." My smile widened. "I'm also a reincarnated corporate bastard who specialized in hostile takeovers."
I began outlining my plan. First, we'd need new identities. Not just disguises, but entire new lives. My guards would become merchants, mercenaries, information brokers. I'd become a young magic prodigy from a minor noble family – close enough to the truth to be believable, far enough to avoid suspicion.
"We'll start small," I explained, marking trading posts and minor cities. "Build a network of businesses. Legal ones, mostly. We'll need legitimate cover for moving money and information. Uncle Nasaki will be watching for armies, not merchants."
"And the Southern Empire?" Shuna asked.
"They're the key. Every alliance has its weak points. Uncle Nasaki thinks he's using them, they think they're using him. We'll help them both be right." I paused, considering. "Also, did anyone notice if that female commander from their forces survived the battle? The one with the—"
"Focus, Your Highness," Sora interrupted, but I caught her hiding a smile. Some things never change, even after watching your parents die.
Maybe especially after watching your parents die. Sometimes inappropriate thoughts are the only thing keeping you sane.
"We'll need funds," Rick pointed out practically.
I reached into my tunic and pulled out a small crystal. My guards' eyes widened – they recognized the imperial seal embedded within. "Father gave me this months ago. Said it was for emergencies. It's encoded with access to certain... unofficial accounts. Insurance against exactly this type of situation."
"The Emperor was always thinking ahead," Shion murmured respectfully.
"Yes, he was." I felt the familiar burn of grief but pushed it aside. "And now, so are we. Shuna, I'll need you to teach me everything you know about magical disguises. Beni, your knowledge of border crossings and smuggling routes. Rick, military protocols. Sora, noble etiquette from all kingdoms. Shion..." I grinned. "You're going to teach me how to disappear."
They nodded, their expressions shifting from worried to determined. They were no longer just looking at a fourteen-year-old prince who'd lost everything. They were looking at someone with two lifetimes of experience and a very modern understanding of how to tear down empires.
"One last thing," I added, my voice turning serious. "What happened to my parents... I won't let it be meaningless. But I won't let it consume me either. We're not just planning revenge. We're planning revolution. The Holy Eastland wasn't perfect, but it was peaceful. Its people deserved better than becoming pawns in my uncle's game."
"And the Southern Empire's commander?" Sora asked dryly.
"Well, if I happen to thoroughly destroy her empire while also getting her number, that's just efficient multitasking, isn't it?"
My guards groaned, but the tension in the room lightened slightly. Good. We'd need humor in the dark days ahead.
I looked back at the map, my mind already racing with plans within plans. Uncle Nasaki thought he'd won by playing the game of thrones.
But I was about to introduce him to corporate warfare, magical style.
And this time, I had nothing left to lose.
Except maybe my virginity, if that Southern Empire commander was still—
"FOCUS, Your Highness!"
Right. Revenge first. Dating later.
Probably.