Surviving as a Prince of Britannia

I swallowed a sigh.

Why on earth was Lady Alba trying to undress?

Let us turn the clock back a little.

“Millirze, have you finished checking what I asked you to look into?”

The issue was the reliability of the data on nuclear power generation technology that we had obtained in Area 11.

I was no engineer, so the technical verification would have to be entrusted to Schneizel’s bureaucracy.

In the end, the key question was the identity of the woman who had provided the data: Anna Clementia—Anna Clément in the original series.

“Yes. First, Chief Raven’s side gave us an NCND response—neither confirmation nor denial.”

“And... what did Lelouch say?”

“Up we go.”

Millirze placed a thick stack of documents on my desk.

The Geass of absolute obedience truly was terrifying.

“These are letters and text messages exchanged between Ravenna and Anna Clementia during their elementary, middle, and high school years."

"And this... is a photograph taken during the initiation ceremony at the SPQR military academy. Apparently, on the first night after enrollment, there is a tradition of kissing the cadet seated beside you.”

The two women in the photograph were kissing each other.

One side had concealed the information to the bitter end, while the other had promptly handed over intelligence obtained at the risk of her life.

Once again, the power of Geass sent a chill down my spine.

At that moment, Lady Alba cautiously raised her hand.

“Your Highness, forgive my impertinence, but may I ask why you went so far as to verify the identity of this woman, Anna Clementia, through an enemy intelligence agent?"

"Even a general outline of the circumstances would suffice.”

Millirze’s eyes narrowed.

“Lady Alba, there is a reason our duties have been divided.”

I raised a hand to stop her.

“Lady Alba is right. We are all in the same boat now. She deserves to know.”

I gave her a rough account of what had happened: Chief Raven’s reply, the secret negotiations in Area 11, and so on.

I glossed over the matter involving Medea.

Lady Alba gave a faint snort.

“Even for an initiation ritual, women kissing women... No wonder those two-headed chickens — pardon me, those Romans — lost themselves so thoroughly in Refrain when their minds work like that.”

“From now on, you will refer to the ‘Witch’ as Ravenna, the ‘two-headed chicken’ as the SPQR, and the head of the Bureau of Barbarians as Chief Raven.”

“Your wish is my command, Your Highness.”

Fortunately, she let the matter drop.

Millirze immediately returned to the point.

“Then what do you intend to do with this nuclear power technology, Your Highness?”

I considered it for a moment.

In an empire overflowing with Sakuradite, it would serve as little more than an emergency reserve power source.

Fortunately, the safety protocols were the same as they had been in my original world.

Thank you, God of reincarnation.

At least this much had remained unchanged.

“Odysseus is hosting a ball soon, isn't he? We will make a public announcement there and draw investment from Shatemuc Street.”

Shatemuc Street—the equivalent of Wall Street in my original timeline.

Thanks to our great ancestor, Eduardo I, son of Mary I and Felipe II, refounder of our empire, the major regions and famous sites of Area 1 — the equivalent of the forty-eight contiguous states of the United States—had all been given Native American names, with the sole exception of the Imperial Capital of Pendragon.

New York? Forget it, it's Lenapehoking.

Virginia? Nope, Cheroenhaka.

Vermont? Wabanaki for you.

Texas? You mean Taysha.

Nevada? It’s Tahoe.

Wouldn’t Sanders, Warren, or Mamdani have envied this for exactly one second — before remembering that the entire American continent was ruled by an imperial dynasty?

Anyway, at that moment, Lady Alba interjected.

“Your Highness, as the official advisor responsible for domestic administration, I wish to offer you one piece of counsel."

"Would it be possible to construct the first experimental nuclear power plant on my estate in the Nueva Toledo Knightly Territory?”

Millirze objected at once.

“Absolutely not! Technology like this should be developed here, in Your Highness’s own power base—the Duchy of Tenochtitlan!”

Why were they both so eager to pick up a cursed blade?

Hello? I did not want a Fukushima or a Chernobyl in my duchy!

While the two of them argued, Lady Alba quietly slipped one shoulder strap of her dress down.

Rustle

“Then, Su Alteza... is this the part where I take off my dress?”

Millirze and I shouted at the same time.

“What?!”

Lady Alba calmly continued, beginning to remove even her undergarments.

“I may be a widow who has lost both her husband and her eldest son, but this womb has borne five children."

"I would never dare dream of becoming your third wife. Nor do I require the black dress bearing your coat of arms that you bestow upon your mistresses.

“But... if you would grant my estate even a single hope for the future...”

At her words, Millirze exploded.

“Lady Alba! His Highness is not that kind of man!"

"Besides, your second son was admitted to the Imperial University of Pendragon on Princess Euphemia’s recommendation!”

“I am one thing, but Princess Cornelia has only Princess Claire!"

"Even Princess Euphemia, whom you serve, has yet to bear a child... Are you trying to throw His Highness’s succession into chaos?!”

Thank you, Millirze.

I was not Napoleon, marrying Joséphine after Barras had introduced her to him and opened the doors of the Parisian salons—and taking Eugène de Beauharnais as part of the bargain... Never mind.

At Millirze's words, Lady Alba lowered her head.

“...My apologies, Your Highness.”

I cleared my throat and brought the room back under control.

“Ahem. I understand your determination, Lady Alba."

"I shall secure as much investment as possible at the ball."

"If the plant is used as a reserve power source against possible disruptions in the Sakuradite supply... then it would certainly have value.”

“You honor me beyond measure.”

As I watched Lady Alba hurriedly put her clothes back on, I made a private resolution.

That's it.

This woman needs a new husband before she breaks into my bedroom.

And under no circumstances could that husband be me...

Then a name came to mind.

My adjutant, Bedivere Montero.

Once I became Emperor, I could promise him the office of Grand Marshal or something equally grand and persuade him to take her as his second wife.

After all, imperial law allowed a man to take up to three principal wives, not counting mistresses, and he still had two such places vacant.

Lady Alba was also only in her early forties... so she might still bear one more child.