Vitalis had never felt as clearly as she did now that the red-haired young girl before her truly seemed to have a way to stop Forte.
“Are you here because you need my help with something?”
Vitalis finally lowered her guard. Her expression gradually calmed down. She looked at Ciel and asked.
Ciel: “I need you to tell me what you know about Forte—including everything about him that is out of the ordinary, even small details.”
Upon hearing this, an image seemed to form in Vita’s mind.
There were indeed many peculiar things about Forte—what was most unsettling was his chaotic mental state.
He would often inadvertently mention things that had never happened. When others reminded him, he would realize that these things had never occurred… He seemed to have confused memories of everything he had experienced.
Hearing Vita mention this, Ciel almost instantly understood what was happening to Forte.
Certain rewind fragments might be confusingly inserted into his memory in the form of whispers or memory fragments…
If this continued for a long time, his perception of time and memory would gradually be distorted. That’s why he had to rely on recording to eliminate incorrect memories…
This might not be a side effect of that “Uniqueness”.
Because Ciel was certain that if she activated this ability in the pocket watch, she would absolutely not lose the memories from before the rewind—because she currently retained those memories.
Forte’s usage of the “Uniqueness” was incorrect… or rather, he was simply forcing its use, and therefore suffered this severe side effect backlash—such as chaotic and disordered memories, and the weathering of his finger.
Earlier, before Ciel left, she saw the dense network of stitched wounds on his body. Those were very likely the side effects that appeared after he used the “Uniqueness” multiple times.
Ciel once again looked at Vitalis and slowly said, “Next, I have two more questions.”
Vitalis met Ciel’s gaze. At this moment, there was not the slightest hint of fear in her eyes.
“Why are you helping me?”
Ciel asked, “Forte is also from the royal family. You will also be the future heir of the royal family… Why are you helping me, an ‘outsider,’ to oppose the royal family?”
Ciel needed Vitalis to provide a reasonable explanation. Otherwise, she couldn’t fully trust Vitalis.
Because a plan to trap and kill Forte had already formed in Ciel’s mind just now. However, this plan required Vitalis’s help.
How to get close to Forte, how to make Forte appear… These were all problems.
If he kept hiding until the simulation ended, or if he always kept the Queen’s Sword by his side, hiding in the back and playing the piano to boost morale, Ciel would have no way of dealing with him.
Princess Vitalis was a point that could be used to lure him out effectively.
Therefore, she had to be certain that Vitalis was trustworthy before she could use the plan she had just thought of.
Hearing Ciel’s question, Vitalis fell silent.
Her experience of traveling throughout various countries told her that Ansu’s high-pressure rule was an extremely precarious one, like walking a tightrope. It maintained the empire’s prosperity through warfare and exploitation.
With even a slight misstep, the empire’s decline would be inevitable.
Every time she recalled the slave transport “ghost ship” she encountered while sailing, seeing the rotting, suffering bodies on board, it made Vitalis question whether all of this was right.
During Ciel’s questioning this time, she finally realized what she truly wanted.
“I am the Grand Princess of the United Kingdom of Ansu and North Ansu, the future heir to the throne.”
Vitalis looked at Ciel. After a moment of silence, she continued,
“Ansu as it is now, rather than calling it the Ansu of the Vitalis royal family, it is more like the Ansu of Forte. I… do not wish to become a new puppet.”
“I want to become the new Queen of Ansu—in a royal family that I control, letting the empire operate according to my will.”
As Vitalis spoke these words, her presence grew stronger. In a trance, Ciel looked at Vitalis before her. It was as if she was not looking at a princess, but a true Empress who held absolute power over the empire.
“Even if Forte is your father?” Ciel counter-questioned.
“Whether a ruler can bring prosperity and peace to the people is the standard by which they are judged, not their origin.”
Vitalis showed a faint smile. “Legally, my father is the Prince.”
Ciel had already seen it. The political ambition hidden beneath Princess Vitalis’s seemingly calm exterior. At least in terms of mindset… she was a born ruler.
No wonder she had planned to help the Orlando Republican Army’s rebellion before. Princess Vitalis also wanted to gain the support of the people of North Ansu—even if it meant another group of people would die.
She possessed compassion for the common people, but at the same time, she was well-versed in the bloodiness of power struggles and had an iron fist. Ciel didn’t know whether such a ruler would be good or bad for Ansu.
However, it did prove that she indeed had a motive to resist Forte.
Ciel looked at Vitalis before her and said.
“Give me a codeword, a codeword that even if we go back to the past, you will believe what I say when you hear it. Only you and I know it.”
Yes, Ciel needed such a codeword, just like the codeword with Uris, which would make Uris trust her unconditionally immediately.
This could save Ciel a lot of time.
Upon hearing Ciel’s question, Vitalis was silent for a while. Then she looked at Ciel and said, “You can just call me Princess Fox. I should believe anything you say after that.”
In the Ansu noble circle, from top to bottom, absolutely no one would use “fox” to describe such a princess.
Ciel speculated that the reason for this title came from an ancient allegory. Avena had also mentioned it to Ciel during a casual conversation. A “fox” was a metaphor, implying politically “unreachable” goals.
Therefore, Vitalis suggested such a self-deprecating title, indicating her seemingly unreachable ambition. Anyone who dared to use this term with her must be someone who knew her plans.
After all, no normal person would think that a Grand Princess would need to plot anything, because the throne would be hers sooner or later.
Ciel softly snapped her fingers. The illusion ended.