The sixth prince, who had been executed in the kingdom after being betrayed by the trusted saint, was reincarnated and, in order to seek revenge, became engaged once again to the neighboring kingdom’s “Guillotine Princess.” As a result, he was adored and lived happily.

“Princess Abigail, are you ready?”

Preparations were complete for Princess Abigail’s meeting with General Cyrus, and I had come to her room. While I mostly stayed out of the succession struggle, the situation was different when it came to General Cyrus.

I had been officially included in Princess Abigail’s faction to give her some leverage with her supporters. Her supporters couldn’t proceed without me.

“Yes, I’m ready at any time.”

Princess Abigail greeted me without changing her expression. Claire, who was equally expressionless, stood nearby.

Since the incident in the storage shed, Claire had not contacted me. I was curious about who was behind her and what was happening, but I doubted she would provide any answers. I planned to consult Princess Abigail about it when the time was right.

But for now…

“Princess Abigail, you don’t need to wear that mask anymore, you know?”

I approached her and whispered softly. It was time to show her true self, not the “Guillotine Princess.”

There was no need to hold back any longer.

“It’s hard to break a habit I’ve had for so long, but… if that’s what you wish, I’ll do my best.”

Princess Abigail smiled awkwardly as she replied. I would never forget this smile, as it was so endearing.

In my first life, on the day I was executed, she had shown me this smile along with her final words. It was an awkward yet stunningly beautiful smile.

“Oh… Was it really so strange?”

“No, not at all! It was such a lovely smile that I couldn’t help but be captivated.”

Princess Abigail blushed and looked down, her every gesture and expression irresistibly cute.

…

Claire was giving me a meaningful look as if she wanted to say something.

Anyway, we couldn’t keep General Cyrus waiting.

“Princess Abigail, may I have your hand…”

“Yes.”

I took her small hand, and we headed to the reception room where General Cyrus and Princess Abigail’s supporters were waiting.

—

“Swear eternal loyalty to Princess Abigail.”

As soon as he stood before Princess Abigail, General Cyrus knelt and presented his sword. This sudden action left not only the nobles in Princess Abigail’s faction but also the princess herself slightly wide-eyed.

“General Cyrus… Thank you for your loyalty from now on.”

“Yes! I am at your service!”

At times like this, maybe being the “Guillotine Princess” wasn’t so bad. My expression didn’t change, so even if I was nervous, no one would notice.

Well, with General Cyrus, it probably wasn’t necessary, but the other nobles in the faction couldn’t proceed without me. From their perspective, they probably hoped I would voluntarily withdraw. I had no intention of accommodating their expectations, though.

“Then, regarding our future strategy…”

Under the moderation of a robust middle-aged noble, the meeting began. While I was participating for the first time, I was worried that I wouldn’t have a chance to speak due to the influence of the other nobles.

However, it seemed that Princess Abigail was still firmly in control, as she had assured me. I felt relieved that she was maintaining her leadership.

By the way, General Cyrus didn’t seem to enjoy these discussions, as he had been yawning repeatedly since the meeting started. His loyalty to Princess Abigail seemed to be his main focus, and he had no interest in the power games of the nobles.

Still, the fact remained that numbers were crucial in the succession struggle. While we would prefer to have a smaller, elite faction, unfortunately, Bridget had already secured the most influential nobles within the empire.

Princess Abigail’s faction mainly consisted of viscounts and barons, with very few counts. This was because Princess Abigail, while the first princess, had lost her mother, the first empress, early in life. Bridget, on the other hand, had the support of her mother, the second empress, who was still alive, as well as her family, the powerful Duke of Rockwell.

“We can’t dwell too much on the Imperial Knights. Instead, we must focus on recruiting more neutral nobles and narrowing the gap with Bridget.”

“Yes, that’s true…”

The nobles nodded in agreement with Princess Abigail’s words. I was relieved, as this was my first time attending such a meeting, and I had been concerned that I wouldn’t have the opportunity to speak.

However, it appeared that Princess Abigail was maintaining control, which reassured me. While she had assured me that there was nothing to worry about, it was still a relief to see her in action.

In the meantime, Marie approached and whispered excitedly, “Prince Gustave, wouldn’t it be wise for the kingdom to intervene in this matter?”

“Intervene?”

“Yes. Princess Abigail is your fiancée. When she becomes the next queen, you will also gain significant power within the empire as her king consort.”

“However, intervening in the succession struggle within the empire would be difficult…”

“I will convey this matter to the kingdom, and they will surely come up with a brilliant plan!”

Marie said confidently.

“Then, I leave it to you.”

“Very well! I will send a letter to the kingdom immediately!”

Marie bowed respectfully and left the room.

Now… I didn’t know what that woman was thinking, but I would use her actions to my advantage and push the kingdom further into a corner.

With that in mind, I stood up.

“Prince Gustave, may I have a moment with you?”

Claire, undeterred, approached me and spoke.