I Planned a Su*cide Mission and Got Kicked Out of the Party

“Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor. This is Baron Harker paying my respects to you. While I’ve penned that this is a gift for you, I know that the true gift will be the news of my demise. Ah, I don’t mean to suggest that you are a heartless individual. I don’t wish to imply that our relationship is so poor that you would rejoice in my death. At the very least, I don’t believe that a sovereign who recognizes my tears and sincerity would be that kind of person. However, it is indeed true that my death will serve as a gift to you. You will surely bear fewer burdens with my absence.

I understand your concerns. Had I remained as the Great Sage of the Magic Tower for an additional 500 years, I would have become a source of worry for the entire royal family. Given that my fate is sealed, I will speak candidly. If I had more time, after your passing, I would have launched political reforms to greatly empower the council and weaken the authority of the royal family.

The direction I envisioned for the nation was one led by elite bureaucrats from the aristocracy, striving for a world where noble descendants from excellent lineages would engage in open debates about local opinions, guiding the country forward. The Magic Tower would actively participate in politics, elves would gain citizenship in the Empire, and humans would obtain nationality in Eramenia.

I know that you have noticed my thoughts on this matter. I also understand that these ideas may seem like wicked devilish schemes to you. Thus, we could never have remained sisters forever. As a mother, loving her child more than anyone else, you likely sought opportunities to suppress me before the young Crown Prince ascended to power. But all of that is meaningless speculation now, given that I am to perish.

Blood does not lie. You are a descendant of the mighty Audrich Royal Family who possesses both power and wisdom to rule the continent, and you have brought the world under your control with capabilities even surpassing that name. Had the Demon King not been so strong, had she not been a hero of equal strength to you, you would have undoubtedly become the most powerful figure in history. I would have probably faded away without making any mark, just a mere ordinary witch.

I felt guilt for presenting contrary opinions to one who discovered and nurtured someone like me. But I believed in what I deemed right and simply did my best for a greater cause. Great ancestors don’t always birth outstanding descendants. Variables can arise within a single family, and even the blood of the great Audrich can sometimes blunder.

If a foolish noble is born, the other nobles would cast them out easily. But what happens if a foolish emperor arises? That’s how empires have often fallen. Perhaps due to becoming a fleeting existence, I fear that future immensely.

The gap in perspectives between us is insurmountable, and the rivalry between us is an unavoidable fate. Therefore, it is not incorrect to say that my death is, in essence, the greatest gift I can provide you. This is my sincere confession as a local noble, Baron Harker.

However, seeing myself defeated, realizing that before discussing the Empire’s fate, I couldn’t even save this humanity before perishing, makes me think that I must not have been as clever as I believed. If I wasn’t that clever, how could I assert that my envisioned politics were correct?

Thus, if I am to depart, I wish to leave you one more precious gift. Alex Caprice is your most trusted and reliable subordinate, and I assure you that he will never turn his back on you.

The most concerning issue with my absence will be the economic assault from the dragons. Since dragons possess immense wealth, if the Demon King manipulates to seize that money and pours it into our nation, without the management capabilities and economic decisiveness of the Harker family, we wouldn’t be able to handle fluctuations in the value of gold and copper coins. However, if my thoughts are correct, the confrontation between humans and dragons has ended with this battle. Perhaps soon, a hero will come to you with news of peace being established with the dragons. In other words, there’s no need to worry greatly about economic issues regarding the Harker County and its sphere of influence.

However, once my death becomes public knowledge, Jeffrey in the west will narrow his eyes, eager to reclaim the territory he lost to me, while the Koesernis family will struggle not to cede leadership to Jeffrey, vying for supremacy in the south. Your Majesty, Sally Jeffrey is clever but certainly not a hero, while Douglas Koesernis has the spirit of a hero but lacks the necessary abilities and intellect. Though combining the two might yield a talent worthy of serving as the Chancellor of the Empire, they are unfortunately different individuals, and we must not entrust the fate of the world to either of them.

So before my death is announced, appoint Alex Caprice as a Duke and elevate Harker County to a ducal territory to place him in that position. He will understand why he is seated there and will faithfully carry out the duties bestowed upon him.

That is, the mission to no longer allow the south to remain an independent region and fully subjugate it under the royal family.

The remnants of the old feudal era will disappear before your reign comes to an end. With my absence, even the reclaimed northern territories will come under direct governance of the royal family. Drawing the map will become much simpler. Local lords will wither, the titles of nobility will become mere formalities, and a world led by a powerful and great Emperor will unfold before our eyes.

Will this suffice as an apology for all the rudeness I’ve done up to now? Could this serve as a gift to melt away any grudges you hold against me?

The world I desired has already failed before it could even begin, so now please show the world the one that Rose Great Sage aims to create. Although I have not only spoken well of you from the shadows, I know well there is no one who can govern the people better than you.

This has been my discourse as a politician. Although that was the most important and core aspect, allow me to leave a few final words as a human named Jenis, addressed to Rose Caprice.

Your Majesty, when you overlooked my tears, I was genuinely joyful. When you allowed yourself to be persuaded by my stubborn reasoning that we are sisters, I felt a true sense of pride.

Until my last moment facing death, not being granted permission to enter the Imperial Palace remains a lingering regret. Even if it were our fates to fight one day, I regret not having had the opportunity to resolve our personal relationship properly.

We could have, perhaps, been good siblings.”

“Hmm.”

Rose placed the folded note back on the desk and closed her eyes tightly. This was not a letter written with a light heart. The sentiment was palpable in both the penmanship and the content.

Having read the last wills of two close individuals in such a short span of time, she felt her mind becoming hazy. Rose was uncertain about exactly what she should do, but she knew she needed to give one command without fail.

She called back the messenger she had just dismissed and asked, “Was this letter sent by Margaret and Jeongjae?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“And the corpse is being stored at Harker Mansion on the island?”

“Yes, as you say, Your Majesty.”

“In that case, go and convey my orders. Move the body of the Great Sage into the palace discreetly. Inform them that this rescinds all negative directives I had given her.”

“Yes, understood!”

“Oh, and one more thing.”

Rose halted the officer who was about to rush out and instructed, “Relay to prepare a funeral worthy of royal status. I shall descend upon Caprice to oversee the proceedings myself, so have all the necessary arrangements completed and await my arrival.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

The messenger hurried off to carry out the Emperor’s orders. Despite being in the midst of a war and an alcohol prohibition that had been eased but not fully lifted, Rose felt an overwhelming urge for alcohol like never before. She was stressed enough to be baffled by how Walter had managed to abstain from alcohol since before the imposition of the prohibition while enduring all that pressure.

If the tobacco production in the Jeffrey Ducal Territory, which had been identified as unnecessary staple crops, had still been ongoing, perhaps even Rose, who had never entertained such thoughts, might have taken a puff of tobacco just this once.

Fortunately, there was neither alcohol nor tobacco at this place. Rose was able to reduce her stress through light meditation without relying on unnecessary vices.

“Damn this world, damn this war… and damn that woman.”

The Emperor muttered as she gazed down at the surface of the note.

“What kind of gift is this? Now I must go about the world singing praises of you as a great hero instead of revealing how horrid a brat you were. Is sacrificing even your honor for my political propaganda considered a gift as well?”

Rose carefully placed the note inside her desk drawer. Meanwhile, Jean Helmut’s pursuing squad was drawing ever closer, aiming for Rose’s army.