TSMMT Ch 92

A Declaration of War

Treason.

Trembling seized those ordered to vacate. Paradoxically, having resided in the palace for so long, they remembered the ruthless cruelty of Guiscard's blade whenever it struck a traitor.

She nodded at the satisfying answer, her voice turning cold.

[Dianna] "I admit it. I failed to respect the ways of Lodbrog."

[Protesters] "……"

[Dianna] "I treated your actions as mere insubordination rather than treason, extending far too much leniency."

She spoke with cold detachment. The instigators who had openly rebelled against her scanned their surroundings. Knights clad in full helmets rested their hands upon the pommels of their swords.

[S. Servant] "B-But! Regarding such an unjust matter……"

Fools existed everywhere.

[Dianna] "Lifting your voice against injustice is worth listening to. However, if you lack the self-reflection to realize whether this situation is actually unjust, I have no reason to grant you mercy."

She fixed her gaze on the man who stood protesting before her.

[Dianna] "Must I filthy my mouth by naming your crimes aloud?"

[S. Servant] "……"

[Dianna] "I hoped you would depart with dignity. Did you assume I remained ignorant of how you embezzled from the royal treasury, sold off palace assets, pocketed bribes to manipulate servant assignments, and concealed deaths to steal the pensions issued in their names?"

[S. Servant] "……"

[Dianna] "I don't possess the stomach to leave rotten things untouched."

As she gestured, Bill Barda drew his blade.

[Dianna] "Must I also speak aloud how you preyed upon young women and boys for your personal pleasure?!"

As she shouted, their faces drained of color. Because they had worked in the royal palace for so long, they knew every secret, leveraging that knowledge into a network of power.

The former king's queen had died young, and the concubines lacked authority over internal affairs, allowing these corruption-ridden servants to wield absolute power at will.

And now, the true master of this place had returned. They realized the magnitude of their blunder.

Ah, we should have served this foreign Queen with absolute reverence from the start!

Every scrap of internal authority in the royal palace originated from the Queen.

[V. Knight] "Your Majesty, I request that these individuals face trial and execution according to the law."

Another knight knelt, presenting his plea to Dianna. She studied the knight, deliberated briefly, and nodded.

[Dianna] "Your words hold truth. We shall follow the laws of Lodbrog. Seize all these brazen criminals!"

At her command, the knights charged forward. Screams echoed across the grounds instantly.

Finding it troublesome, Dianna had no intention of holding a trial herself. Guiscard could manage the remainder as he saw fit. Whether by treason or through their exposed crimes, it mattered little. She intended to stop right here.

Why did these fools defy her and escalate matters so far? At any rate, no one would dare challenge her decisions after this.

[Dianna] "Lady Levian, allow me to offer you a piece of advice."

She offered a calm smile as she looked at Saruvia Levian.

[Saruvia] "Pardon? Yes, what……"

[Dianna] "It is wise to distinguish between those who deserve mercy and those who don't."

[Saruvia] "……"

[Dianna] "If you wish to occupy a high position in the future, should you not at least master that distinction?"

Though Dianna had intended to refrain, she delivered a quiet warning that felt uncharacteristic of her.

Saruvia bit her lip and clicked her tongue. Dianna observed her with pity. She had considered Saruvia quite clever in the past life, yet with every passing encounter, she realized she had feared this foolish woman far too much.

[Saruvia] "I shall keep your words in mind."

Saruvia spoke, forcing a tense smile.

Leaving behind the shrieking crowd begging for mercy, Dianna looked at a knight who removed his helmet and approached her. It was Logaple.

[Logaple] "Your Majesty! That was magnificent!"

He spoke in his signature bright voice. Dianna offered a gentle smile in response. A refreshing wave of relief washed over her.

[Logaple] "Everyone must have been stunned by Your Majesty's grand dignity."

[Saruvia] "Indeed, I was thoroughly astonished myself!"

Saruvia interjected right then. Seeing Saruvia beaming with sparkling eyes similar to Logaple's gave Dianna goosebumps.

[Dianna] "Full armor, mounted on horses…… why on earth did you arrive in such a manner?"

[Logaple] "Naturally, we came to answer Your Majesty's call."

[Dianna] "……"

[Logaple] "Every knight of the Vargrhati Order stands prepared to follow behind Your Majesty. At any moment."

Yet she placed no faith in his declaration. Even so, she felt grateful that he spoke those words right in front of Saruvia.

[Dianna] "Lady Levian. I entrust the cleanup to you. Soothe the anxieties of the remaining staff and investigate who incited this protest."

[Saruvia] "Pardon?"

[Dianna] "I shall receive a detailed report from you later."

Saruvia bit her lip at Dianna's direct command. Nevertheless, she bowed obediently and walked toward the servants' quarters.

The moment Saruvia vanished from view, Dianna addressed Logaple.

[Dianna] "Were you in the middle of armored sparring before you arrived?"

[Logaple] "Ah…… ehehe."

He laughed instead of answering directly. Her guess was accurate.

[Logaple] "How could we stay calm after hearing that those scum rebelled against Your Majesty? Everyone flared up in rage and rode over on horseback immediately!"

They could have worn standard dress uniforms like the Royal Guard, but arriving in heavy armor created an extraordinarily lethal atmosphere. It was a mere coincidence, yet fortunate that things worked out well.

[Logaple] "So many knights worry about Your Majesty."

[Dianna] "Thank you, Logaple."

Why doesn't he realize those knights dislike me?

Still, their presence alone sufficed. Right then—

[Bill] "We have bound every protester and confined them to the dungeon. What are your orders, Your Majesty?"

Bill approached, bowing as he met Dianna's gaze. Having removed his helmet, he held it tucked under his arm.

[Dianna] "Keep them imprisoned for now and leave their final fate to His Majesty."

[Bill] "Understood."

Dianna strove to avoid looking at Bill. Then again, he might prefer conversing with Saruvia rather than her. Dianna glanced toward where Saruvia stood, then looked back at Bill. Yet he kept his eyes locked on Dianna.

[Bill] "Um…… Your Majesty."

Dianna observed him as he moved to speak. The man who had once criticized her so viciously now stared at her with gentle eyes. That look, ill-suited to his massive frame, seemed to assure her that he would never harm her.

In truth, that sight felt utterly sickening to Dianna. Much like Saruvia, this man likely harbored those exact thoughts behind that innocent mask—calling her hideous or claiming she lagged behind Saruvia. How many people had done that in her past life? She refused to face that fake expression any longer.

[Dianna] "You have worked hard. I shall take my leave now."

Dianna spoke cold words to Bill and turned away. She appreciated the knights' arrival, but that was the limit. She placed no faith in Logaple's words. Guiscard had undoubtedly warned the knights sternly beforehand.

Then, shock rooted Dianna to the spot.

What did I just think? Why did I assume Guiscard would naturally do such a thing? That he warned the knights for my sake? Why did I entertain such a ridiculous thought?

Clutching her skirt, she released a heavy sigh.

Let us not close off every possibility. Guiscard differs slightly from his past self, so he might have issued such a command. Still, when will he return?

Seeing how not a single letter arrived, perhaps this life didn't differ much from her past life after all. Dianna brushed the thoughts from her mind.

---

As time passed, Dianna's royal palace reforms shone brighter. Personnel were placed in optimal roles, and a merit-based promotion system rewarded proven results.

Naturally, grand reforms generated discontent. Yet Dianna overcame it using the surplus budget gained from evicting the corrupt staff.

Even after several waves of mass terminations, the turmoil settled with remarkable ease. Servants whose sleeping quarters became clean worked in a far more pleasant environment, and because promotions resulted from diligence rather than bribes or political connections, the workforce grew increasingly energetic.

This is how it should be.

Having cleaned up the messes Mirva created in both the past life and this present one, Dianna knew exactly how to handle palace management.

A sense of quiet pride, like beholding a pristine house after deep cleaning, lifted her spirits whenever she observed the well-ordered palace.

Perhaps I should redecorate this shabby palace next.

Though people proclaimed respect for Lodbrog culture, the palace appeared threadbare. While Guiscard's martial prowess established national authority, the royal palace served as the face of the kingdom, requiring a baseline of dignity.

How should I decorate this place……? Should I invite artists?

Right then, an invitation arrived. It was sent by Duchess Islag.

⌈I know well of Your Majesty's grand reputation. I am delighted that a strong individual has arrived in this strong nation.

Because women must also possess the strength to protect themselves, we train and gather every winter to hold an archery competition.

It would be an honor if Your Majesty could join this gathering of noble ladies and display the strength you previously spoke of.⌋

Dianna read the letter. Archery…… so they were inviting her to a game of shooting bows. She had never received an invitation to such an event in her past life.

She stared intently at the letter. It felt exactly like a declaration of war.

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