Project Necro is an official initiative by Re:Library.

The Northern Fortified City of Worngang, near the southern border.

“Come to think of it, do you know Lord Black Wolf of Lüenheit?”
“Oh, yeah. My wife loves the play. Thanks to that, I get dragged to the theater all the time.”
“No, I’m not talking about the play—I mean the real guy. I actually met him the other day. I was invited to the Governor’s dinner party along with everyone from the Chamber of Commerce.”
“Oh, that. How was it? Did he bite you?”
“Hahaha, he was definitely intimidating, though. His aura is just on another level—his aura.”
“Is he really that impressive?”

“Yeah, he really lived up to his reputation as a living legend. It gave me goosebumps. But you know what?”
“Hm?”
“Since I was there, I took a chance and asked for a handshake.”
“You’re fearless!”
“No, actually, he was surprisingly gentlemanly. He smiled and shook my hand—it was kind of… like the bearing of a king. He’s just amazing, I’m telling you.”
“You’ve been saying nothing but ‘amazing’ this whole time.”

While two drunks in Worngang were talking about Lord Black Wolf…
Princess Eleora had just returned to the northeastern mining city of Klauchen and received a report from the capital.

“…This isn’t good.”

Eleora muttered under her breath.
Her aide-de-camp, Borsch, asked immediately.

“What’s the matter?”
“It’s the Inner Princes’ doing. Reinforcements from the homeland won’t arrive until fall at the earliest.”
“That’s…”

Eleora folded the letter and tossed it onto her desk.

“To be wary even of me, a matrilinear princess—what a bunch of cowards. But this is a real problem.”
“Even if we can’t get the military, I’d at least like to have some legal scholars and religious scholars.”
“Neither the Legislative Assembly nor the Temple falls under my jurisdiction. Give it up, Borsch.”

In Rolmund and Miraldia, secular laws and religious precepts are completely different.
How can we reconcile these differences and create a new framework?
This is impossible without experts.

Eleora touched the Magiarms Book on her desk and sighed.

“I went to all that trouble to lay the groundwork for future governance. I am a hunter in the service of the Empire, not a cook. Preparing the catch is the job of civil officials. I can’t do any more than this.”
“But surely you can’t be interfering with a royal decree?”

Borsch frowned, but Eleora shook her head.

“It means His Majesty’s authority has waned, and the princes have begun acting on their own. His Majesty’s condition is likely not good. Perhaps the disease is progressing faster than the healers predicted.”
“Then, with all due respect…”
“Yes. His Majesty will pass away soon. What matters is where I will be and what I will be doing at that moment.”

Will she be reigning over Miraldia, which she’s brought completely under her control, having consolidated her military achievements and strength?
Or will she be struggling in Miraldia, still in the midst of the conquest, forced to settle for asking the homeland for assistance?
This difference will likely determine her fate moving forward.

Just then, Natalia entered the room.

“Your Highness, I have a report… um, should I come back later?”

Upon seeing Princess Eleora and Borsh, Natalia hesitated.
But Eleora smiled.

“Oh, we were just having a light chat. Go ahead with your report.”

Natalia nodded, quickly saluted, and began her report.

“According to the medical corps, food poisoning is spreading throughout the Magiarms Battalion. It seems every squad currently has several members who are feeling unwell.”
“People keep getting sick, aren’t they?”
“Huh? Oh, yes. That’s true.”

Although Eleora’s mutter included the Emperor, Natalia didn’t notice.

Princess Eleora retrieved the records and scanned the list of those feeling unwell.

“Food management is being handled thoroughly, yes?”
“Yes, we’re following military regulations. Since the food is supplied through the governor, there shouldn’t be any issues with quality or safety. We’re conducting our own inspections here as well. However…”

Natalia paused there and glanced briefly at Princess Eleora’s face.

“Everyone tends to handle food based on their habits from when they were in Rolmund, so it seems to go bad before we realize it.”

In the cool climate of Rolmund, there’s no need to be overly cautious about food preservation. Except during the summer, it’s practically like living inside a refrigerator.
But in the warm climate of Miraldia, even in the north, one cannot let one’s guard down. Food spoils just as it would anywhere else.

In addition, many people caught colds due to the climate difference, and the Magarms Battalion was suffering from a chronic shortage of personnel.
Princess Eleora nodded with a gentle expression.

“I’ve heard that endemic diseases are an inevitable part of expeditions. Tell everyone not to push themselves and to get some rest. We’ll immediately review our plans and postpone any operations with lower priority.”

There’s little time left, but she couldn’t let them push themselves too hard at this point.

Eleora visualized the top-secret plan for the conquest of Miraldia in her mind.
In the north, she would win over the provincial governors to establish control, while in the south, she would gradually secure dominance backed by military force. Ultimately, she would compel the federation to swear allegiance to Rolmund, grant them a certain degree of autonomy, and incorporate the region into the Empire.

After that, imperial bureaucrats would strip the provincial governors of their authority and reshape Miraldia according to the Emperor’s will.
No matter who becomes the next emperor, it should be difficult to openly sideline Eleora, who successfully carried out the imperial order to conquer the south.

All that remains is to use her achievements as a weapon and survive the court, where all manner of demons and monsters roam.
If she manages to navigate this successfully, she will retire the men of the Magiarms Battalion and let them live out their days on a pension.
She had sworn as much.

However, as things stand, the conquest of Miraldia is still underway.
If the emperor were to be replaced while things are still in this half-finished state, Eleora’s position—as she carries out the late emperor’s orders—would become even more precarious.
All of this is because the emperor, upon learning of his illness, suddenly started talking about invading Miraldia.
Eleora muttered in a sarcastic tone.

“What a pathetic war. I can just picture the wry smiles of future historians.”
“Your Highness.”

Perhaps sensing the uneasy atmosphere, Adjutant Borsch spoke up casually.
Princess Eleora raised her hand slightly and flashed a self-deprecating smile.

“I know. But it’s too late to frantically try to leave a legacy once the end of one’s life is near. I’ll take that to heart myself.”

Hearing Eleora’s rather provocative remark, Natalia timidly asked,

“Your Highness, you seem tired. Why not go see a play and relax a little?”
“A play? That’s just like you, Natalia.”

Theater in Rolmund is strictly regulated by law. To prevent criticism of the emperor, only plays that have passed the authorities’ review are permitted.
As a result, the majority of productions are religious in nature, typically reenactments of stories from the sacred texts or plays based on the lives of saints.
And Natalia is the daughter of a priest of the Sonnenlicht Church.

However, Princess Eleora did not know this.
She did not know that theater had developed much more freely in Miraldia, and that countless plays existed here.
Had she known about “The Black Wolf of Lüenheit” among them, Princess Eleora would have immediately ordered some sort of countermeasure.

“Ah, no, Your Highness. Well, actually…”

But just as Natalia was about to explain Miraldia’s theater scene, a new report came in.

“Your Highness, Governor Klauchen requests an audience. He says it is an ‘important matter.’”
“Understood. I’ll be right there.”

Princess Eleora stood up and ruffled Natalia’s hair.

“We’ll save the play for another time, Natalia. Please take care of the sick.”
“Y-Yes!”

It would be much later before Princess Eleora realized the conspiracy being hatched by Governor Forne of Viera.