The loli Atorie is very angery, scary angery even. Isabella (god I hate this name so much) prepare to die.
It's not that the plot development is forced, it's that the world building is incredibly bad. People who shouldn't have power, have power. People who should have power, are powerless because....politics? When the king of a country is bed ridden USUALLY the crown prince/princess assume temporary power to act in the king's place. How the hell does bringing light to an obviously faked report to bad mouth a chef and a restaurant owner lead to a civil war? Bad writing.
Yep politics, typical fantasy story follow real life example actually. It is an issue in a country with a lot of nobility with them having their own private army. They were never united, they were just feudal alliance in a big scale, a little tip to the balance of power could give the opportunists a chance to spark a rebellion, especially if they had been waiting for it.
Also you said bringing light to obviously fake report is not going to start a civil war? We had a war happened for sillier reasons.
Like how a French pastry chef who opened a shop in mexico got his shop ransacked in a riot, asked for a compensation, got ignored by mexico, brought the case to French Embassy, the case heard by King Louis, He got furious and demanded impossible amount of payment, fleet of French navy then sent to Mexico and war started.
Sometimes it's just need a little bit of stimulation if all sides has been preparing for the others.