The Regressed Tyrant Princess Rewrites Her Dark History - Chapter 1.23
One afternoon.
As Ariadne enjoyed her tea in the courtyard, her gaze casually drifted toward Ashley, who stood by her side as a lady-in-waiting.
“Come to think of it, what happened to your studies at the Magic Academy?”
“…You’re asking that now? I took a leave of absence to serve as a lady-in-waiting. Naturally, since it was for former Queen Amelia, I have no complaints.”
“And what’s your real opinion?”
“I’m sad that I can’t study magic. Utterly dejected.”
“—Pfft.”
Ariadne nearly burst into laughter at the unexpectedly adorable response.
“…I suppose there’s no helping it. I’ll teach you magic myself.”
“You will, Princess Ariadne? Forgive me for saying so, but you’re younger than me, and you haven’t even attended the Magic Academy. What could you possibly—”
She likely intended to say teach me.
But before she could, Ariadne casually extended her hand and conjured a swirling blue flame around her arm.
Ashley’s lips quivered at the sight.
“T-That blue flame… No way—”
“Yes. A forgotten magic.”
Having dabbled in forbidden spells, Ariadne was also well-versed in rare magical arts.
The demonstration had the intended effect.
“You were saying…?”
“Please accept me as your apprentice!”
(She really is amusing.)
Ariadne couldn’t help but chuckle at Ashley’s immediate change in attitude.
As it happened, she had been thinking about finding someone to handle magical research—particularly in the field of enchanted artifacts—on her behalf.
Seizing the opportunity, she took Ashley on as her apprentice.
One day, as Ariadne was training to increase her magical reserves in her private chambers, Heino burst in, looking visibly flustered.
“…You’re in quite a hurry. What happened?”
“All the territories surrounding the former Restour royal capital have simultaneously imposed high tariffs on merchants passing through!”
“Oh my, that sounds serious.”
Ariadne smiled as if it were someone else’s problem.
“This is no laughing matter, Princess Ariadne! This means—”
“That the only land belonging to the Restour royal family—the former royal capital—will lose its trade connections, causing tax revenue to plummet. Which, in turn, means that the princess’s palace will no longer have the funds to operate. That’s what you’re trying to say, correct?”
“If you understand the gravity of the situation, why are you so unconcerned?”
“Because I already took measures to handle it.”
She flashed a mischievous smile, making Heino stare at her in disbelief.
“…You already have a solution?”
“Most of the land surrounding the former Restour kingdom was given as rewards to nobles who contributed to the war effort. Among them, many of the territories near the capital are controlled by nobles from the Second Prince’s faction, correct?”
“Are you suggesting this is a direct attack on the Restour royal family?”
“What else could it be? I’d wager that merchants who avoid trading with the former capital are being granted tax exemptions. If you doubt me, go ahead and confirm it.”
“Y-You’ve already figured that out?”
“Oh? So you’ve already investigated it, then?”
Ariadne smirked, impressed by Heino’s efficiency.
“So, Princess Ariadne, what countermeasures do you propose?”
“Most of the surrounding lands are controlled by the Second Prince’s faction, but there is one exception, isn’t there? Let me see… Ah, here it is. The territory of Count Hoffman.”
She unfurled a map and pointed to the targeted land.
“Count Hoffman is neutral, correct?”
“Well… that’s…”
“The tariffs were raised there as well, weren’t they?”
“…Yes.”
Had Carla overlooked that territory, the situation would have been simpler.
But, as expected, she was too thorough for that.
Even so—
(Too bad, Carla. I know exactly how you operate.)
It was obvious that pressure had been placed on Count Hoffman to fall in line with the increased tariffs.
“Princess Ariadne, should we petition His Majesty for assistance?”
“Tax rates fall under the jurisdiction of local lords. Making an appeal won’t help. If mutual interests aligned, His Majesty might act, but Raphael is still aligned with the Second Prince’s faction.”
(…Or is he?)
Ariadne still had doubts.
His actions in the previous timeline and their conversation after her return suggested another possibility.
Still, at present, Raphael was acting as a member of the Second Prince’s faction.
He would not aid her unconditionally.
“Then what do you plan to do?”
“Well—ah, they arrived earlier than I expected.”
Ariadne glanced out the window and saw a carriage pulling up to the palace’s rotary.
A short while later, Anise entered to announce the guest.
“Escort them to the parlor. I’ll be there shortly.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
From behind Anise, Olivia stepped forward.
“…Isn’t this rather discourteous?”
“That’s hardly the issue here. How much did you foresee in advance?”
Ariadne barely had time to sigh before Olivia stormed toward her.
The guards instinctively moved to intercept her, but Ariadne gestured for them to stand down.
“Princess Olivia, to what are you referring?”
“Don’t play innocent. You told me to keep an eye on my lady-in-waiting!”
A few days earlier.
One of the tasks Ariadne had assigned to Olivia was to keep an eye on her lady-in-waiting. Now, it seemed that something had indeed come to light.
“What happened?”
“My lady-in-waiting—Lynette’s younger brother—was engaged to the daughter of Earl Astor.”
“That’s not all, is it?”
“…The Hoffman family was also involved in a joint venture with the Astor family. That venture was completely ruined by the recent scandal. It seems they were unknowingly being used as a front for human trafficking.”
“Well, how unfortunate.”
The Hoffman family, Lynette’s household, was relatively poor.
They owned a mana stone mine, but it only produced low-grade stones, and the mine had long since ceased operations.
With the collapse of their joint venture, they were undoubtedly facing financial difficulties.
“So, what happened next?”
“…You already know, don’t you?”
“Oh my, I may be intelligent, but I am not omniscient.”
“Somehow, I doubt that.”
Olivia shot her a skeptical look.
Ariadne met her gaze with a composed expression, forcing Olivia to let out a quiet sigh.
“Fine. In any case, while the Hoffman family was struggling, an engagement proposal arrived—from the daughter of one of Prince Siegbert’s closest aides. Along with an offer of financial support.”
“And in exchange, they were to raise the tariffs?”
“…You did know.”
Olivia narrowed her eyes.
“I didn’t know. I merely considered it as one of several possibilities.”
Strictly speaking, this was the direct result of a seed Ariadne had planted.
While there were factions within the Second Prince’s camp who were wary of each other, there were also those who worked in perfect coordination. The most notable example was the mother-and-son duo—Carla and Siegbert.
It was only natural to assume that Siegbert would have a hand in this scheme of Carla’s.
“In any case, the Hoffman family was originally leaning toward the First Prince’s faction. But after this incident, they will likely be absorbed into the Second Prince’s camp. Which means Lynette will have to resign as my lady-in-waiting.”
There was a tinge of sadness in Olivia’s expression.
It was clear that she saw Lynette as more than just a servant.
“…Were you close to her?”
“I considered her a friend.”
“I see.”
This reaction was unexpected.
Ariadne had been planning to exact vengeance on those who had used her cruelly, while also making amends to those she had wronged in the previous timeline.
Now, she saw an opportunity to fulfill her own objectives and grant Olivia’s wish.
With that in mind, she made a small but crucial adjustment to her plans.