"Wait—"
I started to protest, but the moment the word left my mouth, my wife-to-be grabbed my sleeve.
"Be quiet and look closely at the people around you," she commanded.
I did as I was told.
The noblewomen—the wives and daughters of the elite—were letting out shrill screams of terror. The ordinary soldiers stationed near the entrance were the ones scrambling to secure evacuation routes. As for the students from the Imperial Officer Academy, they stood frozen, their faces masks of pure shock.
So far, everything was within the realm of expectation.
The real problem was the behavior of the old geezers.
The Emperor’s Imperial Guard remained perfectly still, acting as mere bystanders. The high-ranking, minister-class nobles were the same. Their expressions were completely devoid of emotion. Even the top military brass—the ones who looked more like yakuza than soldiers—remained utterly expressionless.
I glanced at Major Piggett. He just had a look on his face that said, Good grief. He wasn't the least bit surprised.
"Is everyone... in on this?" I whispered.
My voice trembled as the words came out. Despite having just finished a drink, my throat felt bone-dry. Was my wife involved in this conspiracy too?
But her face remained a mask of indifference as she spoke. "No. However, I anticipated this result. It was always just a matter of who would pull the trigger and when. Now, it is simply a question of who will draw the blueprint for the aftermath."
"What about your second brother?"
"He likely has an understanding with our eldest brother and our younger brother. He will be reported as dead and hidden away on some suitable planet."
"And the Emperor? A clone or something?"
"Do you think they would bother to revive him?" she asked coldly. "Father has already served his purpose."
"Then who’s the successor?"
"Who knows."
It seemed my wife had been completely shut out of the secret discussions of that inner circle. That was a relief. I was glad she wasn't complicit in the conspiracy; I knew for a fact that I wasn't cut out for navigating the murky waters of a political plot.
"Let us go," she said. "There is nothing more for us to do here."
"R-Right."
Led by a detachment of the Imperial Guard, we made our exit.
"I really wanted to try that prosciutto marinade and the lobster..." I muttered.
My wife let out a sudden laugh. "Kah-hah-hah-hah-hah! As expected, my Lord Groom’s audacity is superhuman! I feel like a fool for losing my own appetite. We shall have the kitchen prepare some so we can eat together!"
It seemed even she had been tense. Unlike me, she actually had enough common sense for her stomach to hurt in a situation like this. In my case, since my very existence was already an anomaly, I suppose I just didn't notice the pressure.
As we walked down the hallway, we were quickly surrounded by the rest of the group from the Imperial Officer Academy.
"H-Hey, what are we supposed to do!?"
"I do not know," Veronica replied. "For now, to avoid being caught up in the fallout, I am imposing a nighttime curfew. Piggett! I leave their surveillance to you!"
Piggett gave a silent, sharp bow. The Imperial Guard immediately closed ranks around us. I could feel their ironclad determination to make sure none of us snuck out for any nighttime escapades. Not that we had the energy for it anyway.
"Major Piggett," I said. "Is it okay if everyone contacts their families? If it's allowed, I’d like them to be able to talk to their people."
"Of course," he replied. "This news will likely blanket the galaxy before long. Students! Contact your families and put their minds at ease!"
We moved to an area with a stable network connection. Everyone collapsed onto the sofas in the entrance hall to make their respective calls. I reached out to my old man as well.
"Ah, Leo. What is it?"
"The Emperor is dead. Assassinated. Okay, bye!"
"H-Hey! Give me some details—"
Click. Disconnected.
"Your Highness... what’s going to happen to us now?" one of the macho boys asked. He was sweating profusely—maybe his metabolism was just too high for this kind of stress.
"Nothing will happen to you," Veronica stated firmly. "I was busy participating in the battle; I had no temporal leeway to orchestrate an assassination. It is impossible for them to pin the crime on me, and the same goes for all of you. It is inconceivable that the heroes who just saved the Imperial Capital would turn around and kill the Emperor. Besides, the evidence is on our side. Every activity within the ship was logged."
"What about Kevin?" I asked. "He’d be a perfect scapegoat if they wanted to frame someone."
Veronica chuckled. "I have been meticulous on that front. After the operation, Kevin was placed under guard. I say 'confined,' but he is in a hotel. He is simply prohibited from communicating with the outside world. There is nothing to worry about."
"Then, my family..." The macho boy was still drenched in sweat, his nerves clearly shot.
"If I recall, you belong to a Baron House," Veronica said. "You should consult your family regarding your future conduct. I do not mind even if you choose to oppose me. Prioritize yourselves."
The boy’s face went pale at her bluntness. I couldn't blame him; it was a hell of a choice to make. We were comrades, after all.
"The same goes for the rest of you!" she announced to the room. "Prioritize yourselves! No matter what decision you make, I shall hold no grudge!"
The girls went silent too. It was a lot to ask of them—to decide their own fates in the middle of a coup. The ones who looked the most distressed were the commoners and those who couldn't get in touch with their families. The commoners had to weigh the risk of being crushed in a noble power struggle, while those without family had to face the uncertainty alone.
Finally, the macho boy spoke up, the words sounding like they were being squeezed out of him.
"...I-I’m putting my faith in Leo and Her Highness. You’re the only ones who haven't lied to us. Every other adult has just been blowing smoke, promising me promotions or trying to marry me off to their daughters!"
"They already tried to recruit you!?" I blinked.
"Of course they did! Everyone here is a hero who saved the capital!"
Wow... people move fast.
"Uh, what about Melissa and Ren?"
"Oh, I had tons of offers," Melissa chirped. "But when I told them, 'I’m the Captain’s woman, so forget it!' they backed off."
"I had many as well!" Ren added. "I just told them, 'My position as Lord Leo's third wife has already been decided,' and they gave up."
Man, those two have some thick skin.
"Claire? What about you?"
"I had some," she said shortly.
"How did you turn them down?"
Thwack!
For some reason, she chopped me over the head.
"I’m exercising my right to remain silent! You idiot!"
"Lord Groom... you really are a fool, aren't you?" Veronica sighed.
"Captain... seriously, read the room," one of the boys muttered.
"Lord Leo... honestly, that was a bit much," a girl added.
Suddenly, I was sitting on a bed of thorns.
"I think Leo's a fool too!" the macho boy chimed in.
The cruelty!
"But listen," he continued, "I'm following Leo anyway!"
One by one, the others started raising their voices in agreement.
"Yeah! Let's all work together to make Leo the head of the military!"
"Ah-hah-hah! I like that! Leo, climb all the way to the top!"
"I think I’d prefer Leo-kun too," one of the girls said. "I’m the youngest daughter in my family; they'd just marry me off to some creepy noble anyway."
"Same here! My dad’s definitely going to try and sell me off to the highest bidder."
"I want to get famous enough to escape my fiancé! That guy is such an arrogant prick. If we follow Leo-kun and Veronica-chan, we’ll actually have a shot at a real career, right!?"
Even the girls were declaring their loyalty to me. Being a noble sounds like a real pain in the ass for them...
"Now then," Veronica said, "as for my plan."
"What are we doing?" I asked.
"Nothing for now."
"Wait, nothing!?"
"Just watch," she said with a smirk. "From here on out, we have front-row seats to watch hell unfold."
That sounds terrifying! I was filled with nothing but anxiety, but my wife was radiating confidence.
...Wait, could it be she’s already finished the groundwork for victory? No, there’s no way—actually, knowing her, she might have done exactly that!