The Regressed Tyrant Princess Rewrites Her Dark History - Chapter 2.5
The moment Ariadne shielded Carla, the attackers’ daggers flew toward them.
Just before the poisoned blades could reach her, Carla and Siegbert’s knights intercepted them midair with drawn swords.
One of the daggers, its trajectory altered, grazed Ariadne’s cheek.
Had the knights reacted even a second too late, the poisoned weapon would have struck her.
But their swift reflexes ensured her safety.
(As expected, they are exceptional bodyguards.)
Before her regression, these very knights had protected Ariadne.
It was precisely because she knew their capabilities that she had been able to orchestrate this plan.
With the first phase of her scheme successfully executed, Ariadne moved to the next step.
“An attack! Knights, protect the key figures!”
She shouted to restrict the knights’ actions and held onto Carla, preventing her from issuing commands of her own.
Then, Ariadne cast an offensive spell—its force knocking the weapons from the attackers’ hands.
Disarmed, the assailants immediately retreated.
Almost simultaneously, the knights sprang into action, each moving to protect their respective masters.
In that fleeting instant, time seemed to stretch endlessly for Ariadne.
(Come on. Make your decision. This is your only chance, isn’t it?)
The Magic Academy housed many important figures, so its security was extremely tight.
Even though Oscar was posing as a commoner, assassinating him within the academy’s premises would be nearly impossible.
If they were going to kill Oscar, this exhibition was their best opportunity.
And at this moment, he was alone with Ashley.
She was dressed as a student, rather than her usual attire as Ariadne’s attendant.
Even when she had approached Ariadne earlier, she had been escorted by Sybilla, a maid, to avoid drawing attention.
In this chaos, the knights were preoccupied protecting nobility—leaving Oscar, who appeared to be just another student, seemingly defenseless.
It was only logical that the assassins would strike now.
If they had more time to think, they might have reconsidered.
But the situation was unfolding rapidly.
And then—
A loud explosion rocked the colosseum.
Panic erupted throughout the audience.
(…They took the bait.)
Ariadne entrusted Carla to the knights and immediately issued orders to her own guards.
“Pursue the fleeing assailants!”
“Ensuring your safety takes priority, Princess Ariadne!”
“I have Prince Arnold’s guards with me. I’ll be fine. Besides, I suspect these attackers are connected to those who ambushed me before. You must capture them!”
“Understood!”
Hans led the knights in pursuit of the retreating attackers.
Meanwhile, Carla and Siegbert’s knights instinctively focused on the other combatants, ensuring that Keith’s group would successfully escape.
Instead, Wilfried’s dead subordinates would be captured in their place—exactly as planned.
(Everything is going as expected. Now—)
She turned her gaze and saw Ashley rushing toward her with Oscar in tow.
“Princess Ariadne! Are you unharmed?”
“I’m fine. I’m setting up a barrier—come here at once!”
“Y-yes! But…”
Ashley hesitated briefly, glancing at Oscar beside her.
Leaving him behind was too dangerous, but he wasn’t officially under Ariadne’s command, nor was he a noble.
Was it truly appropriate to bring him along?
She pretended to struggle with the decision.
Of course, it was all part of the act.
“It doesn’t matter! Bring him with you!”
“U-understood!”
As planned, Oscar was brought into the royal security zone.
Ariadne erected a barrier, and before long, the true assassins made their move.
But instead of attacking Carla or Ariadne—
They targeted Oscar.
However, the earlier attack had already manipulated the perception of those present.
The royal guards had only one priority—
“Protect the royals!”
The assassins must have panicked.
Oscar had been posing as a commoner, meaning that when chaos erupted, security should have ignored him.
They had expected him to be left vulnerable.
Yet, as soon as the attack began, he was placed under the protection of royal guards.
It was a complete miscalculation.
Even so, the assassins pressed forward.
Those who charged in with weapons were swiftly engaged by the knights.
Any projectiles launched were deflected by Ariadne’s barrier.
Faced with impenetrable defenses, the attackers were completely outmatched.
And then—
The balance shifted.
The moment the knights recovered from the initial surprise, they launched a counterattack, swiftly capturing the remaining assassins.
Before long, the attackers were forced to retreat.
As order was restored, Carla turned to Ariadne, suspicion in her eyes.
“…Why did you protect me?”
“Why? Are you really so surprised that I shielded you, Queen Carla?”
Ariadne tilted her head innocently.
“Don’t play dumb. You and I are enemies. Letting me die would have been in your best interest, wouldn’t it?”
Carla’s gaze sharpened, searching for hidden motives.
At present, Ariadne did not consider Carla a target for revenge.
That said—
Carla remained one of the most powerful figures in the Second Prince’s faction.
A formidable obstacle that needed to be removed.
If she had been weak enough to die from this attack, Ariadne wouldn’t have saved her.
But—
“Queen Carla, I have never wished for your death.”
Carla’s eyes narrowed.
“Strange. For some reason… that almost sounded sincere.”
“It is. While you may be my greatest enemy in this political battle, perspectives change when the scope is broadened. I believe you are an invaluable asset to this kingdom.”
Ariadne’s carefully chosen words hinted at a greater threat beyond their rivalry.
Carla paused for a moment, considering her statement, before motioning for her to continue.
“You must be aware of the attack that took place during my engagement ceremony, yes?”
“Yes. Though no official report was released about the culprits…”
A silent inquiry—did Ariadne know who was responsible?
At this moment, Ariadne revealed her hidden card.
“The captured attackers possessed weapons crafted in your domain.”
Carla’s expression remained calm, but her eyes darkened.
“Oh? Does that mean you suspect me?”
“Oh, please. If you were truly behind it, my life would have been much more difficult.”
It was an unintended slip of honesty.
Carla seemed to notice, her sharp features softening ever so slightly.
The game was shifting.
“Then, do you have any idea who the mastermind is?”
“Actually… I noticed a slight accent in the speech of the man leading the attackers. He tried to conceal it, but I believe it was—most likely—the accent of our neighboring country.”
Within the truth she revealed, Ariadne boldly wove in a single lie.
Under normal circumstances, such a deception would never hold up.
But Ariadne, who had seen the future before her regression, knew that the real assailants were indeed from the neighboring country.
Carla would catch that trail and be led to believe Ariadne’s fabrication.
She would come to the conclusion that the attackers in both incidents were connected to the neighboring country.
(And, Queen Carla… You’re sharp enough to notice, aren’t you? That Wilfried’s subordinates were among the assailants?)
People believe what they uncover themselves more than what they are told.
Carla, now in possession of evidence linking the attacks to both Wilfried and the neighboring country, would have limited conclusions to draw from.
The first and most obvious assumption—
Wilfried had joined forces with the neighboring country.
But why?
As she thought through the motive, Carla would inevitably arrive at the same conclusion as Ariadne.
Wilfried did not know the truth about the Jewel Eyes.
Thus, he was mistakenly convinced that Ariadne had struck a secret deal with Carla to destroy him.
Of course, Carla was too intelligent to accept such a theory at face value.
But precisely because she was intelligent, she wouldn’t be able to dismiss the possibility outright.
And so, at this moment—
Ariadne had successfully planted a seed of doubt in Carla’s mind.
Days Later – The Meeting at the Royal Villa
Several days passed after the Magic Academy Exhibition attack.
One afternoon, Ariadne received an invitation from Isabelle.
She made her way to the royal villa, where she was led to a table set in the garden courtyard—
And found several familiar faces waiting for her.
Isabelle, Arnold, and Olivia.
The former queen, and her two children.
As she arrived, they had been chatting idly, but upon noticing her, they all rose to greet her.
“Ariadne, I’m so glad you came.”
“Your invitation is far too generous, Your Majesty, Isabelle.”
Ariadne curtsied with perfect grace.
Yet, rather than being pleased, Isabelle frowned slightly.
“Ariadne, now that you’re Arnold’s fiancée, aren’t you practically my daughter as well? Is there any reason for such formalities between us?”
“Ah… I—That is—It is an honor… I mean, thank you… very much?”
For once, Ariadne was flustered.
Witnessing her uncharacteristic reaction for the first time, Olivia blinked in surprise.
“Oh my, so even you can make such a face, Sister Ariadne.”
“Sister…? I thought we were the same age, Princess Olivia?”
“You were born first, were you not? That makes you my elder sister. Is there a problem?”
Olivia tilted her head slightly.
She carried the graceful elegance of a princess, but beneath her golden gaze was the glint of a mischievous child.
Noticing that, Ariadne let out a sigh, quietly admitting defeat.
“I see now… So this is what it means to be related to Prince Arnold.”
She refrained from adding, ‘The mischief runs in the family.’
She flicked a glance at Arnold, but he only smiled pleasantly, as if proud of his “wonderful family.”
At that, Ariadne couldn’t help but chuckle wryly.
(It’s a bit overwhelming… but not unpleasant.)
Ariadne had become hesitant to trust others.
And yet, no matter how much she tried to ignore it—
She longed for warmth.
With that thought lingering in her mind, she took a seat as they gestured for her to join them.
“Now then, we invited you here for a reason. We wish to hear your thoughts on the recent attack at the Magic Academy Exhibition.”
Officially, the attackers had targeted both Carla and Ariadne.
Despite the fact that Arnold and Siegbert had also been present, only the two women had been declared as the intended victims.
This contradiction left many people confused.
(I could feign ignorance…)
But Ariadne had no desire to antagonize Isabelle.
She had withheld information to keep them from getting involved, but now that the danger had passed, honesty seemed the better course of action.
“The attack was not meant for Queen Carla or me.”
“Oh? Then who was the real target?”
“Prince Oscar of Avellia. The Second Prince of the Holy Kingdom. He was attending the exhibition in secret, and the First Prince of Avellia attempted to have him killed. That is the true reason for the attack.”
Isabelle’s eyes widened.
“The Second Prince of Avellia? I had heard he went into hiding after losing the struggle for succession…”
“He must have believed that Granheim’s Magic Academy was the safest place for him.”
Understanding dawned in Isabelle’s golden gaze.
Beside her, Olivia furrowed her brows.
“But then… why did the attackers go after you and Queen Carla?”
“Because I made it seem that way.”
Ariadne stated it casually, as if discussing the weather.
Her words left everyone at the table frozen in shock.
After a long pause, Olivia spoke hesitantly.
“I might be mistaken, but… that sounds as if… you were the mastermind?”
Ariadne did not answer.
Instead, she smiled as if troubled.
Realizing the implication, Olivia’s eyes narrowed.
“Sister, do you even understand how reckless that was!? What if—”
She stood up abruptly, but before she could finish—
Isabelle swiftly unfolded her fan, raising a hand to stop her.
“Calm yourself, Olivia. Think carefully. Why did Ariadne act alone, and why is she refraining from explaining everything now?”
If things had gone wrong, being uninformed would have been a shield.
Of course, there were limits to such an excuse.
But it was still safer than knowing everything.
“Ah… I—I apologize. I didn’t mean to accuse you, Sister Ariadne. I was just… shocked, that’s all.”
“There’s no need to apologize.”
Being in the same faction did not mean Ariadne had to report every detail of her plans.
But as Arnold’s fiancée, Olivia’s frustration was understandable.
Ariadne fully acknowledged that.
And then—
“Princess Ariadne, you have no need to apologize either.”
Arnold’s calm voice caught her off guard.
She turned to him, eyes widening in surprise.
Something in the air had shifted.
“Are you serious?”
“Have you forgotten? I told you—I will watch over you. It would be quite insulting if you assumed I hadn’t anticipated something of this level.”
His unwavering gaze held her in place, and a faint blush spread across Ariadne’s cheeks.
Realizing this, she quickly regained her composure and, with a huff, snapped—
“W-well, as long as you understand, then.”
Watching their sickeningly sweet exchange, Isabelle wordlessly took a sip of her tea, as if washing away the taste.
Setting her teacup down, she spoke bluntly.
“Ariadne, I appreciate your consideration. But I’d still like to hear it directly—what exactly were you thinking when you acted?”
Ariadne hesitated.
She could not reveal the truth about her regression.
Yet, if she kept too many secrets, she would lose their trust.
She needed to calculate carefully how much she could share.
(I can’t mention my regression. I can’t put Arnold and the others in danger. But apart from that? I can at least try to minimize future losses.)
“The truth is—”
She revealed what she could about the neighboring country’s situation.
That the king was bedridden, and that the First Prince was steadily consolidating power.
That, considering his aggressive personality, it was highly likely that he would soon turn his attention to Granheim.
“…So your goal was to warn Queen Carla that this is no time to be fighting amongst ourselves?”
“That was part of it.”
“Part of it?”
Isabelle’s sharp gaze urged her to continue.
“If we are to face the neighboring country, we cannot afford internal conflict with the Second Prince’s faction. However, that does not mean we can afford to leave them unchecked, either.”
The neighboring country was undoubtedly a threat.
But Carla and Siegbert were far more immediate dangers.
Entrusting her back to them in order to fight an external enemy would be suicidal.
At those words, Isabelle fell into brief contemplation before speaking.
“…What did you do?”
“I included one of the corpses from my engagement party’s attackers among the dead assailants. It’s a gamble whether his identity will be uncovered, but… I’m fairly certain.”
If Carla investigated, she would find out.
And once the identity was exposed, it would inevitably widen the rift between Siegbert and Wilfried.
Ariadne smiled knowingly, while Isabelle swallowed hard.
“…Ariadne. You warned Queen Carla that now is not the time for internal strife—
And yet, at the same time, you set a trap to drive a wedge into the Second Prince’s faction?”
At Isabelle’s question, Ariadne simply smiled.
“Terrifying child. And to think—the first attack on you happened a month ago. Are you telling me that you foresaw this incident even then?”
Ariadne maintained her silence, her expression unreadable.
Any answer she gave would only create contradictions.
Seeing her refusal to speak, Isabelle’s expression twisted into a mix of awe and apprehension.
Beside her, Olivia finally spoke.
“Sister Ariadne, aren’t you being a bit too reckless? If this plan backfires, won’t Queen Carla realize she’s being deceived?”
“Oh, she will. Queen Carla is far too sharp to be fooled so easily.”
“Then how is this not a problem?”
“Because that’s not my goal.”
“There’s more?”
In the world of political intrigue, it wasn’t uncommon to layer traps within traps.
But Ariadne’s schemes weren’t merely double or triple-layered—they were woven countless times over.
As her companions stared in disbelief, Ariadne answered with a playful smile.
“My true objective is simple—
To buy time.”
Ten Days Later – Carla’s Office
Roughly ten days had passed since the incident.
Inside her office at the royal palace, Carla sat at her desk, reading the detailed reports with serious concentration.
Siegbert soon entered, and Carla gestured for a maid to bring tea and snacks before seating him across from her.
“Mother, I heard you wanted to see me. Is that the report on the attack?”
“Yes. You should review it as well.”
She slid the documents across the table, and as Siegbert picked them up, she spoke with a grave expression.
“This is still speculation, but I believe the attack may be linked to the neighboring country.”
At present, there was no direct evidence connecting the assailants to the neighboring kingdom.
However, following Ariadne’s hints, a more thorough investigation revealed certain circumstantial evidence—
For instance, the safe house the attackers had used contained supplies recently shipped from the neighboring country.
It wasn’t definitive proof, but it strongly suggested involvement.
“The neighboring country? But why would they target you?”
“There is also reason to suspect that the previous attack on Ariadne was orchestrated by them as well.”
Siegbert frowned.
“…They targeted nobles from opposing factions? Does that mean they have their sights set on our kingdom?”
“It’s a possibility. But I suspect it’s even more complicated than that. Read the next page.”
Siegbert flipped to the next section of the report.
It detailed a newly identified corpse among the attackers—
“A member of Wilfried’s secret forces?”
His brows furrowed deeply.
“Are you saying he was involved in the attack?”
“You know that some of my subordinates have worked with Wilfried’s forces before, correct? One of them recognized the body immediately.”
In other words—
There was now evidence that Wilfried had played a role in the attack.
“Wait… are you suggesting that Wilfried and the neighboring country are working together?”
Siegbert shook his head in disbelief.
“That makes no sense. He wants me on the throne so he can control me. Why would he ally with a foreign power?”
That was indeed Wilfried’s ultimate goal.
Even if he failed to seize full power, he could still benefit by backing the winning side.
But there was no reason for him to align himself with an outside force.
Siegbert was certain of that.
“You’re right. Under normal circumstances, it would be unthinkable.
But consider things from Wilfried’s perspective.
Wouldn’t it look like we’ve been working with Ariadne to destroy his forces?”
“…What?”
Siegbert looked utterly confused.
“Think broadly, Siegbert. Wilfried doesn’t know the truth about the Jewel Eyes.
Which means he doesn’t realize that our faction is actually at a disadvantage.”
“So you’re saying… he believes we’ve allied with Ariadne?”
“You eliminated his spies within the First Prince’s faction. And I worked with Ariadne to eliminate his subordinates.
Given that sequence of events, wouldn’t it be natural for him to assume we’ve secretly joined forces?”
Siegbert exhaled sharply.
“…From his perspective, it must look like I’ve already secured my succession and am now cutting him off by siding with Ariadne.”
The pieces were falling into place—
And none of them realized they were dancing to Ariadne’s tune.
The idea that Arnold and his faction might have secured their safety in exchange for Wilfried’s downfall was not entirely implausible.
After all, Siegbert had originally attempted to poison Marianne as a means to bring Ariadne under his control.
His plan had ultimately failed, but the intent to recruit Ariadne had undeniably been there.
Considering this, it was only natural for Wilfried to be wary.
With a bitter expression, Siegbert nodded reluctantly.
“Still, the notion that he has allied with the Holy Kingdom of Avellia to destroy our nation… isn’t that a bit too far-fetched?”
“Indeed. He wouldn’t be that foolish.”
“More likely, he is simply using the neighboring kingdom as a tool—to counter us and to keep Ariadne in check.”
Wilfried was not so short-sighted as to blindly side with an external power.
But more than that—
Carla finally voiced her greatest concern.
“It was Ariadne who first suggested that the neighboring kingdom was involved.”
Siegbert’s expression darkened immediately.
“That is… highly suspicious. Not just the claim about the neighboring kingdom, but also Wilfried’s supposed involvement. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the entire attack was orchestrated by Ariadne herself.”
From start to finish, they had been played like pawns on her board.
That bitter memory remained fresh in both their minds.
Their instincts screamed at them to be cautious of Ariadne.
And so—
“Making a rash decision about this situation would be dangerous. For now… we should observe and wait.”
Just as Ariadne had planned.