I Favor the Villainess - CH 216

“Philine becoming the empress… will she really be alright?”

“Hold on, Rei. What’s that supposed to mean!? And before I knew it, you suddenly stopped using honorifics with me too!”

Philine retorted against my comment.

Well, I mean…… you know?

While looking at Philine and Dorothea, who were standing side by side, I compared the two of them and said:

“I know that Philine is actually a competent individual, but when you compare her with Dorothea… Hmm. I just thought that maybe I didn’t need to use an honorific anymore.”

“I can’t even say anything back! And you’re being rude!”

Being able to completely encircle Dorothea in such a short period of time was a testament to Philine’s capabilities. She was unmistakably an excellent individual.

However, I couldn’t help but doubt whether or not she could prove to be a suitable replacement for Dorothea.

Even in the revolution route from the original work, the capture targets supported her during her rule.

She was better at using people around her rather than relying on her own abilities.

However, it was difficult to tell whether the current Philine had won over those favors or not.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. It’s not like I can become like my mother anyway.”

“Well, of course not.”

“Gah! She agreed!”

“Don’t jump to conclusions. There’s no need to be like me in the first place.”

Dorothea said something that sounded like encouragement.

How unusual.

“Dorothea, your opinion of Philine is quite high, isn’t it? Does it feel like you have no choice but to make this girl successor to the imperial throne?”

“I reached the conclusion via the process of elimination. It’s out of question to entrust it to other crown princes who only know how to flatter me. Meanwhile, Philine showed the power to dethrone me. She’s the most suitable for the imperial throne out of my children.”

“Mother, is that a compliment?”

“Of course. Is there a higher praise than handing the throne to you?”

“Ha, haa…”

I just thought about it, but isn’t Dorothea really spontaneous?

I couldn’t forgive her for what she’d done, and I thought she should receive an appropriate punishment, but I didn’t hate her that much.

She’s incredibly capable, so the people around her get hurt a lot.

“Because of the emergency, the coronation will take place at a later date, but from now on, you’re the empress of the Naa Empire, Philine.”

“!”

In response to Dorothea’s solemn words, Philine held her head up and straightened herself, and said while firmly looking Dorothea in the eyes.

“I will gratefully accept it.”

Philine placed her hands on her chest in gratitude, and it felt like she regained her coolness from before just a little.

Yup, just a little.

But, I wonder if other crown princes will silently accept it.

We’re talking about Dorothea, so she probably took countermeasures behind the scene, but I’m worried it’ll sow the seeds of problems for the future.

Be that as it may, our empire entrapment strategy succeeded.

Good grief, it had been long.

But there was no time to rest and this time we had to prepare for demons.

Life is full of ups and downs, isn’t it?

“And how are you going to deal with demons, Your Majesty the New Empress?”

“Eh, you’re asking me!?”

Philine showed a flustered appearance at William-sama’s words.

“Indeed. This is the empire’s territory. It’s your soil, right? I don’t particularly want to make the empire the leader of the alliance, but this is a crisis for humanity. You’ll be the temporary leader of the anti-demon front.”

The first empress’s job was to take measures against the demons that would attack the imperial capital, it was another difficult situation.

On top of that, she had to negotiate with the important people from the three countries – Sousa, Appalachia, and Baur.

“I-I can do something when it comes to politics or diplomacy, but commanding the army is a little…”

Dor-sama smiled at Philine who was hesitating and said.

“You don’t have to do everything. You’re the person in charge of the empire, but you aren’t the one doing actual work. All you need to do is allocate the necessary work to those who are capable of doing it. Fortunately, the empire has the ideal person when it comes to military, right?”

“Ah… I see, that’s what you mean. Mother, could I ask you?”

Fortunately, Philine asked Dorothea to command the army, but――

“I refuse. That would set a bad example. I’m a loser in political strife. Even if I was to involve myself with military, something like a frontline soldier at a frontier would be more suitable.”

“No way…”

When Dorothea refused, Philine made a pitiful voice.

Oi oi, where did the cool Philine who stopped Dorothea go?

“As a loser, you should listen to what the winner says like a loser. Why are you saying such self-important things so late, Dorothea?”

“Ugh…”

Perhaps Claire-sama was unable to stand back and watch those two, as she reached out a helping hand.

That’s right, Claire-sama, go tell them.

“In the first place, could the frontline stand having a soldier like you with them? The front will fall into chaos.”’

“However…”

“Become the supreme commander of the Imperial Army. Philine, work her to the bone.”

“Thank you very much, Claire. But you also stopped using honorifics with me…”

“Do you have any complaints?”

“No, in your case, Claire, I’m happy, since it feels like the distance between us has decreased.”

This new empress was hopeless, somebody do something about her quick.

“As Dor said, this is the empire, so for the time being, we will follow Philine’s instructions. Can I take it that the key to this strategy is the stationary magical tool installed in that fort?”

Manaria-sama spoke as the representative of the alliance.

Now that Bauer was suffering from the eruption aftereffects, when it comes to national power if we exclude the empire, Sousa was the most fitting to lead the alliance.

However, it seemed that the new international order that she envisioned didn’t have a leader.

“That wouldn’t be wrong. The operation will take place within the range of that magical tool. We’ll skillfully lure in the demons.”

“We have to come up with something to avoid collateral damage.”

“I want as much data on enemy strength as possible.”

Dorothea, His Majesty William, and Dor-sama began an all-out strategy meeting.

In this situation, I couldn’t interject as a military affairs amateur.

“… One way or another, we somehow managed to ensnare the empire.”

“Claire-sama.”

“Good job, Rei. We’ve achieved our immediate goal.”

“You’re right. But, new problems have surfaced.”

“So it seems. Neither the demon attack or the existence of the demon queen can be left alone.”

Claire-sama’s profile as she vigorously said that was as gallant as ever.

I could fall in love with her.

No, I’m in love with her.

“Didn’t the demon queen appear in the prophetic book that you read?”

“This was the first time I’d heard of her. There were barely any mentions of demons though.”

“I see… The empire doesn’t have much information about the demon queen either, so I hoped there were some clues, but…”

“If you don’t know then it can’t be helped,” Claire-sama laughed in disappointment.

“I don’t know, but I have in mind somebody who seems like they do.”

“… Say that earlier. Who’s that? … Ah, could it by any chance be Tred-sensei?”

Claire-sama spoke a name that came to her mind.

“Certainly, sensei might know something, but there’s somebody with who the likelihood is better.”

“Who’s that?”

“Look, didn’t we meet them at Tred-sensei’s house? The person whose words hinted at a much deeper meaning.”

The person who talked about demons and how Claire-sama and I had some kind of connection, that is――

“I’m talking about the apostle.”