Looking at the three diverging branches that appeared this time, Ecaros’ gaze instinctively sharpened with vigilance.
This silver-haired Lateran girl could see clearly that this branch choice had a high probability of influencing the direction of the rest of this simulation—even its final outcome.
However, after carefully considering the three options, Ecaros once again realized she actually didn’t have much to be vigilant about.
Though it seemed like Ecaros had three branches to choose from, in practical terms, the girl discovered it was essentially a single-choice question.
First of all, Branch 1—though this route appeared to have some feasibility on the surface, if actually put into practice, Ecaros felt its prospects were, shall we say, not exactly hopeless, but comparable to the Maginot Line against the Germans— —purely laughable.
Such a thing might be doable for some other grand duke with actual power, land, troops, and might, but Ecaros knew full well what kind of goods her sim-self was.
Although individually as outstanding as herself, in essence, her sim-‘self’ was nothing more than a figurehead duchess with the surface-level title of ‘Lord of the Stars of Victoria.’ With that paltry capital, how the hell was she supposed to invite the exiled Draco to overthrow the Aslan?
And let’s not forget—House Manchester’s ancestors had once tried to topple the Aslan Crown.
Even though the current Aslan King held a romantic interest in her sim-self, if something like this really went down, Ecaros didn’t expect this Aslan King to pull a ‘love over kingdom’ act.
So Branch 1 was a no-go.
Branch 2 was even more out of the question.
Don’t ask why—the reason was simply that Ecaros couldn’t accept it, even if it was just a simulation.
Thus, by process of elimination, the only one Ecaros could choose was Branch 3.
Although this branch also carried some risk—meddling in the military sector might draw wary eyes—considering House Manchester was already half-dead, plus the current Aslan King’s unrequited crush on her sim-self, the room for maneuvering in Branch 3 was actually quite large.
After all, when it came down to it, House Manchester was down to one person.
So what if she tinkered in the military sphere?
Which Victorian duke wasn’t meddling in the military these days?
Those with long-reaching hands had even gotten their fingers on steam mechs (old models)—national defense heavy assets.
So her sim-self re-entering the military industry was nothing more than reclaiming a right that intrinsically belonged to every grand duke.
The Aslan Crown, restrained by the new king, was certain not to overreact.
As for later, if her secret interference in Kazdel were discovered…
Heh, that was a problem for later.
Besides, considering the quality of the Victorian police—and here Ecaros was reminded of a certain Great Empire—she figured by the time they discovered what she’d been up to, Theresa would probably already have become the Sarkaz King.
Thus, there was naturally no need to worry.
And so Ecaros chose the most stable and feasible Branch 3.
[After considering multiple factors, you ultimately decided to reach your hand into Victoria’s military sector.] [You were aware of the risks, but compared to the returns you would gain, such risks were not worth mentioning.] [Thus, under your direction, House Manchester’s industrial chain gradually extended its hand back into the military sphere.
Naturally, quite a few people noticed this, but apart from a few minor families voicing objections at the very start, no one really cared that you had entered the military industry.] [Half a year later, through tireless effort, you finally succeeded in securing a small slice of the pie within Victoria’s internal military sector.] [This slice had not come easily.
To re-enter the military sphere, your original family businesses had shrunk by nearly one-fifth, used in ‘cooperation’ with military bosses and nobles in the field—as the ‘admission ticket’ into the military industry.] [Although the Aslan royal family grumbled somewhat at your actions, due to the new king, they only expressed their displeasure in a veiled, verbal manner in the end.] [This result truly let you breathe a sigh of relief.
You were very grateful to that Aslan King whose face you couldn’t quite recall, and then began wholeheartedly enjoying the ‘cake’ you had acquired.] [Your meticulous management allowed the military industry under your name to thrive.] [Though a rising newcomer, after a year of your dedicated, all-out management, your military enterprise broke through the competition of numerous established ducal industries and swiftly carved out its own place, earning widespread praise among Victorian soldiers.] [A flood of orders followed, letting you rake in massive profits while also enabling you to embezzle a portion of resources to aid Theresa’s cause.] [You were not afraid of being discovered and reported for this.
After all, in Victoria, everyone was doing similar embezzlement.
To see through it but keep silent was the most basic etiquette of aristocratic interaction.] [As for what you did with the embezzled goods, no one really cared.] [As long as you didn’t raise private troops or openly aid the Gauls, even if you did embezzle a little, both the government and military understood and wouldn’t pursue it.] [In fact, compared to certain overreaching grand dukes, you could even be considered clean.] [At the very least, the weapons forged in your factories weren’t mixed with scrap steel, and the military rations you produced weren’t adulterated with sawdust and sand.] [Therefore, no one knew about your secret aid to Theresa and Theresis—or rather, no one cared.] [At the same time, riding the rising wave of steam power, you took the chance to improve the originally cumbersome steam-powered armors and developed the first steam-powered exoskeletons.
However, the vast majority of these armors were secretly shipped by you into Kazdel.] [Meanwhile, far away in Kazdel, Theresa and Theresis, upon first receiving such excellent equipment and supplies, were initially puzzled.
But as more and more resources were transported over in an orderly fashion, and after they learned that these supplies came from Londinium, from Victoria, they seemed to understand something.
Exchanging a glance, they simply continued their campaign across the land of Kazdel.] It seemed Branch 3 was the right choice.
But if this kept going, wasn’t it heading straight for a happy ending?
In that case, Theresa wouldn’t become a villainess, and my first simulation’s rewards would probably be screwed too, right?
Sigh…
this was a tricky situation.
Still, old Victoria really was something else—the great nobles were all so corrupt, and they still fought Gaul for over a hundred years.
I guess that’s Terra’s excellent matchmaking system at work?
Gaul probably wasn’t any better.
But what does that have to do with me now?
Sigh…
oh well.
I can only hope there’s a twist later that’ll make my first simulation’s rewards look a bit better.
Lying in bed watching the simulation’s contents, although Ecaros thought this in her heart, the faintly curled corners of her lips betrayed the girl’s true satisfaction with the current simulation results.
But the next moment, the faint smile on Ecaros’ lips froze.
The simulation on the virtual panel continued advancing, bringing with it a twist in the story.
[But all this peace lasted only two short years.] Ah, so…
it really did twist?
No way, I was just joking, ending it like this would’ve been fine too…
Watching the sudden twist the system threw out, Ecaros blinked her big, glistening eyes, somewhat regretting her casual complaint moments before.
She was, in truth, a believer in happy endings.
She disliked tragedies, whether in her past life or this one.
But the simulation, ultimately, would not retract its deduced plot just because of a girl’s wishes.