In the City of Sacred Hymns, Altor, at Ratasha Palace.
After hearing the news conveyed by the newly appointed Cardinal of the Vorlite diocese, Philiber, Natasha could not conceal her grief: "I never thought Grandfather and Uncle would be called to the Lord's grace one after another."
Although she had long known that King Feltis was aged and frail, and Prince Patrick was sickly, and had prepared herself to hear such tidings in recent years, no amount of preparation could control the grief that surged in her heart. As she grew older, the selfless loved ones of her blood passed away one after another, their numbers dwindling — it was the most painful experience life had to offer.
"Patrick still couldn't inherit the throne." Duke Vaolet, who knew the Hoffenburg royal family better than Natasha, sighed softly but said nothing more, instead looking lovingly at Natasha in her white court gown. "Would you be willing to go to Lantart and inherit the throne of the Holm Kingdom?"
Natasha thought of Hathaway, thought of Lucian, then looked at her visibly aged father, at his hair streaked with silver amid its purple, and shook her head firmly: "The Holm Kingdom has many other heirs, but you only have me."
"I was raised from childhood bearing the responsibility of the Violet family and the responsibility of the Vorlite Principality. How could I leave?"
Duke Vaolet patted Natasha's shoulder with fatherly satisfaction, looking at his daughter who had already grown a little taller than him, and smiled gently: "What if I told you that I want you to go?"
Huh? Natasha was stunned.
Philiber, sporting a full beard, added kindly: "Going doesn't mean you can never come back. Although the Church does not permit the Holm Kingdom and the Vorlite Principality to merge, you can hold both titles and eventually have different children inherit each. So you could spend one year in the Holm Kingdom and one year in the Vorlite Principality. The Teleportation Circle is open to you — this is the Church's reward for your and your family's many years of devotion."
This way, it would be easier to control Natasha while also guiding the nobility toward accustomed "self-governance," stirring conflict between the crown and the lesser nobles.
"And I'm still in excellent health — I can be Duke for at least another twenty years," Duke Vaolet said half-jokingly. "Your mother left her parents and brother behind and willfully married far away to Vorlite, watching her father age and her brother fall ill year after year, unable to help but feel guilty. She couldn't even be there when your grandmother passed away, and she deeply regretted it, feeling she owed the Hoffenburg family a great deal. So I hope you will go to the Holm Kingdom when it needs you most to stabilize the situation, and make up for your mother's regret."
Natasha fell silent, her hands unconsciously clenching into fists, and finally she nodded slowly: "Alright."
Philiber said with a mix of jest and earnestness: "Your Highness, the Church knows that your preferences differ from those of ordinary young ladies, and so helped you waive the requirement to marry. However, you must still leave behind an heir. I believe this is the fervent hope of the Duke and the nobility of both nations. When the time comes, you may consider having an angel descend directly into your body to conceive a holy child — this is a glory granted only to those with devout faith."
Saer de had blamed what happened in Altor on Lucian, claiming that Lucian had exploited Princess Natasha's desire to comfort the Duke. Thus the Church understood that Natasha's inclinations had never changed, and the Duke had also come to know, at least in part.
Natasha's thick eyelashes lowered, concealing the shift in her emotions, and she said softly: "I will do my best."
But inwardly she was thinking: "Was what Lucian said about conception without intercourse actually true? Um... just use his... thing directly?"
Having confirmed her own feelings, she knew that Lucian had long made various plans. To prevent Natasha from succumbing to the pressure of producing an heir and hastily marrying some noble before he could court her, he had frequently educated her about artificial insemination, test-tube babies, and similar knowledge.
Upon receiving Natasha's answer, Philiber said gently: "We won't disturb Your Highness's farewell with the Duke. To ensure your safety and convenience, it would be best to select a small knight order to accompany you. If their families aren't too many, they can also use the Teleportation Circle."
A formal knight order, depending on its role, was composed of one hundred to five hundred knights of various ranks, ten times as many Knight Squares, and even more soldiers. A medium-sized knight order — the family knight order of an ordinary great noble — consisted of around thirty knights, with a large proportion of Knight Squares and soldiers. A small knight order was the guard unit of a crown prince or principality heir, consisting of one Heavenly Knight, three Great Knights, six Knights, one hundred Squares, and five hundred soldiers. But the small knight order Philiber had in mind clearly only included those of knight rank and their families.
Having said this, he took his leave, and the Duke smiled at Natasha: "I just said I could be Duke for another twenty years, but you shouldn't make me wait too long. I hope to see my grandchild soon, and see the future of the Violet family."
"I will do my best." Natasha's mind wandered aimlessly — Lucian, whatever you do, don't let your "technique" fail.
The Duke looked at Natasha with a knowing smile: "I want you to go to the Holm Kingdom not only to make up for your mother's regret, but also because he is there, and you won't have to be separated anymore. So regarding the matter of my grandchild, you two had better hurry."
"Father, what are you talking about? Who is he?" Natasha feigned bewildered embarrassment. Why was her father still under this misconception?
The Duke chuckled: "Who else? Lucian Evans. Though you were pretending to be a couple a few years ago, my intuition tells me you're not pretending now. I'm very happy, very happy."
Father, you're overthinking this... Natasha grumbled inwardly, but with their parting imminent, she couldn't bear to shatter his warm illusion. At the same time, she had made up her mind to create a child using Lucian's bloodline.
"Don't think I don't know — who is the person you spend over an hour communicating with every day? Who is the one you sometimes touch your communication earring and giggle at foolishly?" Duke Vaolet suddenly felt that his daughter was not as emotionally perceptive as she claimed.
Natasha gave two dry laughs: "We're just good friends, and I never tried to hide it from you — otherwise you wouldn't have known at all."
"Alright, alright, go pick your small knight order. Camille will go with you to Holm." Duke Vaolet decided to instruct Camille to find an opportunity to "remind" Natasha.
Natasha nodded: "Alright. Once I reach Holm, I will communicate with you often, Father."
She began to scheme inwardly: "I'll bring John's family along and give Lucian a surprise..."
…………
Inside the Cathedral of Radiance, the Teleportation Circle activated, Sacred Light blazing.
This Teleportation Circle was of the largest class, designed to provide reinforcements during full-scale attacks by the Magic Parliament. It could teleport fifty knights at once, and even with the Southern Church's wealth, such circles could only be established in five locations: the holy city of Lans, Antifler, Altor, Lantart, and Heim, the capital of the northern provinces of the Sacred Herz Empire.
In the milky white radiance, Natasha, Camille, nine knights and their wives, children, and parents — over forty people in all — appeared within. Joel and the other ordinary folk looked dizzy and nauseated.