"You will need Dietlinde-sama's approval for this."
Dietlinde gazed wearily at the mountain of documents a civil official had brought into the office, signing them one after another with a pen from a magical tool that used magic power as ink. She genuinely believed that someone who should soon obtain the
She had managed to attend the Lord's Conference in the Noble Academy despite rarely being able to visit the Central Territory, so her investigation should have yielded far greater results. Yet every lead was thwarted by the royal family. How infuriating.
...If only I could have examined that underground archive, I would have learned so much more.
She recalled being mocked by the king's third wife — that unspeakably rude woman — who had sneered, "Why not start by studying some old language?" and felt her irritation rise. Then she thought of Traokval, who had followed that up by commanding her to provide
...He said he would "verify whether the royal decree had been carried out during the funeral visit"?
To issue such an unreasonable order — to grant a hidden room to Ferdinand while he remained as her fiancé — suggested that Traokval, whom she had considered keeping on the throne, had lost his mind entirely. If Dietlinde did not quickly obtain the Grutrissheit and become the rightful Zent,
...Good grief. The future of Yurgenschmidt rests upon my shoulders.
Remembering the words of the people from the Central
"...Huh?"
Without warning, a sudden chill raised goosebumps on Dietlinde's arm, and her spine tingled. It most closely resembled the shivering fits that accompanied illness, but Dietlinde was not unwell, and with summer approaching, it was not cold.
Yet along with that shiver, the words "Border Gate" flashed through her mind, and she understood what was happening. Someone was attempting to force their way through the Border Gate without the Aub's permission. It was something felt only by the lord family who supplied magic power to the Foundation magic.
After the death of the Aub of
"I am returning to my quarters at once.
She set down her pen with a clatter and rose to her feet. The civil official, startled by the abrupt abandonment of her signing, received a sharp glare from Dietlinde.
"Didn't you hear what I said? I must inspect the Border Gate. It's most likely the Lanzanave envoy."
At the words "Lanzanave envoy," the civil official reacted immediately, sorting the documents into completed and pending piles, and hurried out of the room with them under his arm. He would probably report to Ferdinand. When it came to governance, the civil officials consulted Ferdinand on everything. It was precisely because they acted this way that no one refused when the royal family issued strange orders.
Cursing the officials' incompetence while conveniently ignoring her own lack of experience in governance, Dietlinde returned to her quarters and changed into the riding beast attire her attendants had rushed to bring her. She had a veil fastened over her to block the sun, then stepped out onto the balcony without delay.
Before her eyes spread a blue-glinting sea. A dark object — barely visible to the naked eye — was making its way through the Border Gate, and Dietlinde spurred her riding beast toward it.
Over the sea, Ferdinand and the knights already waited atop their riding beasts. Ferdinand had not yet supplied magic power to the Foundation, so he should not have been able to perceive the intruder. That he had arrived before Dietlinde was only because changing into riding beast attire took longer.
"Dietlinde-sama, is that ship entering through the Gate truly from Lanzanave? I haven't seen many vessels like it before..."
"Yes. Lanzanave's ships have changed shape like that since last year. It's an unfamiliar form, but I hear they move much faster now."
Dietlinde answered Ferdinand as she looked down upon the strangely shaped vessel below. It was entirely different in size, but it resembled a long, slender black fish. The envoy had explained at last year's welcome banquet that it was designed to fit through the Gate while carrying as much cargo as possible by being as long as allowed.
"Look — watch closely. Once it passes through the Gate, something quite peculiar happens."
Almost the instant Dietlinde pointed, the ship — having cleared the Gate and was sailing toward the port — stopped once on the water. Then, with a fluttering motion like small tiles rotating, the vessel began to change from black to silver.
"Why on earth would they do that?"
"I'm not sure what effect it has, but apparently it is a necessary measure for the Lanzanave envoy to remain in Yurgenschmidt. It reflects the sunlight and becomes terribly bright, so I do wish they'd stay black."
Dietlinde shared what she knew with Ferdinand, who had likely never seen a Lanzanave ship before. There was a faint pleasure in the fact that Ferdinand — who governed with the full backing of the civil officials and an air reminiscent of the Aub of Ahrensbach himself — did not know everything.
"The ship reaches the port, and then comes to the castle to formally request an audience. Permission is granted, and the welcome banquet is held. That will still take several days. We've confirmed the Gate intruder is from Lanzanave, so let us return to the castle."
"Dietlinde-sama, please go on ahead. I never imagined the Border Gate would be left without any knights — that the intrusion of foreign nationals would be permitted so easily. I will order the knights' order to post guards at that Gate."
Dietlinde blinked at Ferdinand's words. She could not understand what he was saying. Only those from Lanzanave came through this Gate, and the Lanzanave envoy had already arrived. Why would it be necessary to station knights over empty ocean?
"There's nothing out at sea, and the envoy has already arrived. There is no point in being cautious toward Lanzanave, which possesses negligible magic power."
"Ships will continue arriving through transference for trade purposes going forward, so I believe surveillance is necessary. ...Knight Commander, immediately dispatch knights to the Border Gate."
"Yes, sir! How many will be needed?"
Ferdinand ignored Dietlinde's words and spoke to the Knight Commander, and the two began deciding on the details for immediate execution. Dietlinde was infuriated by their disregard for her.
"I am leaving now!"
"Dietlinde-sama, if you can predict the date of the welcome banquet based on the usual schedule, I would appreciate it if you could handle those arrangements."
Ferdinand spoke with his back still turned, then rode off toward the Border Gate with the Knight Commander and his retainers.
While Dietlinde seethed at his dismissive attitude, she returned to her quarters with her retainers — only to find them already beginning to move on Ferdinand's instructions to arrange the welcome banquet.
"Wait. Whose orders are you following? Who is your master?"
"Dietlinde-sama, we are not acting on Ferdinand-sama's orders. We are acting for your sake. If preparations for the banquet welcoming the Lanzanave envoy are not in order, it will reflect poorly upon Dietlinde-sama as the next Aub when foreign dignitaries notice."
The attendants assured Dietlinde that they had been acting for her benefit even without Ferdinand's command, and her spirits lifted somewhat. They were right, of course. Her attendants could not allow a stain upon her reputation.
"Very well. Go ahead."
When Dietlinde casually waved her hand to dismiss them to the banquet preparations, her retainers set to work. Among them, Martina brought a letter.
"Dietlinde-sama, it seems
"Mother? ...It's going to be about that again, isn't it? How tiresome."
No matter what others called her — next Aub, next Zent — Dietlinde had yet to be confirmed in either position. She could not defy her own mother, Georgine, no matter how unpleasant. Reluctantly, she granted permission, and Georgine arrived almost immediately, having clearly already prepared. The moment they exchanged greetings, Georgine produced an anti-eavesdropping magical tool.
The instant Dietlinde took the tool, Georgine's red lips parted to deliver exactly what she had expected.
"Dietlinde, have you still not provided Ferdinand-sama with a hidden room? If it is not arranged before the funeral, you — and Ahrensbach — will face reprimand."
"But to demand a hidden room during the engagement period... Don't you think that is simply outrageous, Mother?"
Since a hidden room could not be installed in the guest chambers, granting one to Ferdinand would mean giving him the lord's room. She could not possibly give the lord's room to a man she was not formally married to. It would mean Ferdinand could enter Dietlinde's bedchamber at any time. It was tantamount to inviting a man into her bed before the ceremony.
Ferdinand was a fiancé she intended to break off once she obtained the Grutrissheit and became Zent — a man who had once even resided in the Temple. He was entirely untrustworthy. Should something happen to Dietlinde of the sort that commonly occurred in the Temple, it would be she — the one who had granted the room — whom everyone whispered about, not the king who had ordered it.
"However, if I do not provide a hidden room, I will have to send Ferdinand-sama back to Ehrenfest temporarily. Under Ahrensbach's current circumstances, that is impossible."
Georgine's deep green eyes betrayed no emotion whatsoever, even though her own daughter had been saddled by royal decree with a lord candidate who had once entered the Temple of a lesser territory, and was being used as a stopgap Aub. Dietlinde had hoped, however faintly, that her mother might at least show some concern for her virtue, or share her outrage at this absurdly unreasonable royal decree — but that small hope was crushed once more. She resented herself for still harboring expectations when she already knew they were futile, and she averted her gaze slightly from Georgine.
...But if I become Zent...
Then perhaps her mother would finally see her. When Dietlinde had been named a candidate for Zent, Georgine had, for the first time, given her a push forward: "So you aim to be Zent? Give it everything you can."
"Provide it as quickly as possible. The Lanzanave envoy has arrived, so there is not much time until the summer funeral."
"If King Traokval would simply issue a royal decree to silence lesser Ehrenfest instead of imposing unreasonable demands on Ahrensbach..."
Why should Ahrensbach, the superior territory, be the one subjected to such an unreasonable royal command? If someone had to be made to endure, it should have been Ehrenfest.
"Ehrenfest must have employed some means to force through the unreasonable decree. No matter how absurd, a royal decree is still a royal decree. If the hidden room is not provided, Ahrensbach will face reprimand before the assembled Aub of other territories."
Georgine's words silenced Dietlinde. If she could avoid the hidden room entirely and only suffer a reprimand, wouldn't that be better? At least her personal safety would be guaranteed. As if seeing right through Dietlinde's thoughts, Georgine's expression turned to one of exasperation.
"Dietlinde, the king's order was only to provide a hidden room. Would not the room in the western annexe suffice for Ferdinand-sama?"
The western annexe was where rooms for the second and third wives were located. Dietlinde had never even considered offering the western annexe room to Ferdinand — who had come as the consort of a female Aub. If it were the western annexe, it would be a treatment fitting for one of several spouses, the royal decree could be obeyed, and Dietlinde's virtue would remain protected. She was glad; perhaps her mother did care about her after all.
"If you had such a wonderful solution as the western annexe, you could have told me sooner..."
When Dietlinde pouted in a spoiled manner, Georgine slowly curved her red lips upward. "It was simply that now happened to be the optimal time for me," she smiled. As expected, Georgine's deep green eyes did not reflect Dietlinde at all.
Resigned to the familiar pattern, Dietlinde informed Ferdinand at dinner that she would assign him a room in the western annexe. "In addition to funeral preparations, and with the Lanzanave envoy's audience imminent — you wish me to move my room from the main building to the western annexe?" his retainer asked, looking at his lord with consternation. But it was Ehrenfest that had requested the hidden room, and the king who had ordered it. Dietlinde herself had no desire whatsoever to give Ferdinand a hidden room.
"If you find it unnecessary, I suggest you take your objections to King Traokval directly. I was merely following the royal decree."
"I will move before the summer funeral. I am most grateful for your thoughtful consideration."
Ferdinand said this with his usual gentle smile. Dietlinde finished her meal thinking that if only he were a bit closer in age, and did not bear the taint of having spent time in the Temple, things might have been different.
Then came the news that the Lanzanave envoy had entered the estate, followed by a formal letter requesting an audience, and the castle grew busy with preparations for the welcome banquet and the audience.
On the day of the welcome banquet, preparations had to begin in the afternoon. It took time to eat a light meal, bathe, and change. Dietlinde wore a high-collared white garment of thin fabric that concealed her entire body except her face — the formal attire required for public appearances — and over it draped a luxurious blue jacket embroidered with elaborate designs. The white garment had cooling magic patterns embroidered into it to somewhat alleviate the summer heat. Without them, the thick blue jacket would have been unbearable to wear.
"It's a shame adults must pin up their hair. Dietlinde-sama's golden hair is so luxuriant and beautiful."
The attendants chatted as they gathered her hair up. A thin lace veil was then fastened so as to conceal her face. The fabric of the veil could be chosen to personal preference, but wearing one was mandatory for Ahrensbach women in formal settings.
Once preparations were complete, Dietlinde headed to the small audience chamber with her retainers, her heart caught somewhere between tension and excitement. Last year she had been a minor, admitted only to offer greetings before being ushered out. This was her first time attending a welcome banquet to its conclusion.
Each year, the welcome banquet was held on a relatively modest scale. Then, during the height of summer, when the Giebes gathered within the territory for the Star Binding ceremony, a grander banquet was held for the Lanzanave envoy and the Giebes to mingle.
"Dietlinde-sama has arrived."
Inside the chamber were already the leading figures of Ahrensbach, Ferdinand, and his retainers. Beside Ferdinand stood the young
Everyone in the chamber wore the summer attire of Ahrensbach — women in veils, men in high-collared white garments with a large, thin cloth draped over their bodies. Yet among them all, Ferdinand alone wore the territorial color of Ehrenfest. The color that was meant to mark him as an outsider instead made him look as though he dominated the entire room.
"Oh my, Ferdinand-sama is not wearing the noble summer colors."
"I could have worn them, but I thought it would be better to clearly signal at a glance that I hold no authority here, even if I voice various opinions, by wearing Ehrenfest's colors instead."
He said this with a mild smile, and Dietlinde nodded despite a nagging sense that something was off. Normally, anyone would want to wear the same colors as Ahrensbach rather than those of the lesser territory of Ehrenfest. She decided to interpret Ferdinand's choice as a display of humility.
"Lanzanave — enter!"
The attendant at the door made the announcement. The doors swung wide open, and the Lanzanave envoys filed in. They too wore Ahrensbach-style garments. Dietlinde had heard that Lanzanave's climate differed from Ahrensbach's, making their native attire uncomfortable here.
However, they were not wearing the blue of the summer noble color. Perhaps to distinguish themselves as Lanzanave's envoys, they wore a rare silver fabric.
Twelve envoys entered the chamber. About half appeared similar to Ahrensbach's own people, but the other half had different features and skin tones. Dietlinde saw them every year, yet she always found it astonishing just how different they looked.
Stepping forward from among the envoys, a man two or three years Dietlinde's senior knelt with his arms crossed. Young and handsome, he immediately caught Dietlinde's eye. She had no memory of him, so he had certainly not been here last year.
Hair of a hue between gold and chestnut was gathered back and secured with a clasp. It was a men's hairstyle fashionable in Ahrensbach during her grandmother's generation. Some men of middle age still wore their hair tied back this way, so it was a familiar look to Dietlinde.
"It is my honor to make your acquaintance, noble people of Ahrensbach. I am
"...Permitted."
Dietlinde was surprised that the Lanzanave envoy could deliver a noble's greeting. She granted permission in her astonishment.
Leonzio wore a ring set with magic stones on the middle finger of his left hand, just as Yurgenschmidt's nobles did. A ring fitted with magic stones of all attributes signaled his status as royalty.
He gave a gentle blessing, and saying, "I look forward to our acquaintance," raised his face.
...Oh?
The moment Leonzio lifted his head, he stared at Ferdinand and let a flash of surprise cross his face — just for an instant. It was quickly hidden beneath a smile, but his expression had been one of utter disbelief. Dietlinde glanced at Ferdinand, who appeared entirely unperturbed.
Leonzio smiled as though that brief surprise had never occurred and proceeded to introduce the envoys. More than half had visited the previous year. Only Leonzio and his personal attendant appeared to be coming to Ahrensbach for the first time.
Once the Lanzanave envoys' introductions were complete, it was Ahrensbach's turn. Following the announcement of the former Aub's death and the introductions of Dietlinde as the next Aub and Ferdinand as her fiancé from Ehrenfest, Georgine and Letizia were presented.
After the introductions came the socializing. The minors were dismissed. Letizia departed with her retainers, and the adults' hour began. Civil officials handling trade and those seeking political intelligence approached the Lanzanave envoys with cups of wine in hand, taking turns to converse. It was the preliminary skirmish before future negotiations.
"Ferdinand-sama, won't you join the conversation?"
"These opportunities to remain at Dietlinde-sama's side are few. With governance keeping me busy, I can rarely spare the time — so if you would permit me, for now..."
When Ferdinand smiled sweetly and said he wished to stay by her side, Dietlinde nodded in high spirits. She had barely seen him lately and had felt somewhat slighted, but apparently it was merely because he had been so busy.
She was unaware that Ferdinand was there to keep her under watch and ensure she said nothing inadvisable to the Lanzanave envoys. Dietlinde cheerfully raised the drink Martina had brought to her lips.
"I have a matter on which I wish to ask Dietlinde-sama's opinion."
Leonzio approached and inquired about when the Lanzanave princess would be received.
"That would normally be discussed at the conference, but I must convey the information to Lanzanave as quickly as possible."
The trade ships would carry letters, he explained. It was true — the sooner they knew, the better. If Yurgenschmidt had no intention of accepting the princess but Lanzanave was proceeding with preparations, that would be a serious problem. Looking up into Leonzio's amber eyes, Dietlinde smiled warmly.
"The princess of Lanzanave will not be received. Please inform Lanzanave as quickly as you can. It would be terrible to have prepared for nothing, wouldn't it?"
"...What? P-Please wait. Why can the princess not be received?"
"Why, you ask... Because it is King Traokval's decision."
Dietlinde relayed the proceedings of the Lord's Conference as she remembered them. With Ferdinand supplementing her account from the side, the refusal to receive the princess was conveyed as neither lie nor jest.
Leonzio stood dazed, then shook his head lightly and reached out toward Dietlinde. Ferdinand slapped his hand away with a sharp crack.
"Leonzio-sama, please compose yourself. If you become any more agitated, I will have to hand you over to the escort knights."
The quiet authority in Ferdinand's voice seemed to reach Leonzio, who swallowed his emotions in one gulp. He faced Ferdinand with a calm smile.
"Does the King of Yurgenschmidt intend to destroy Lanzanave? If that is not his intention, then I ask that the princess be received."
Dietlinde did not understand why refusing to receive the princess would lead to Lanzanave's destruction, and tilted her head. Before she could ask what he meant, Ferdinand cut him off with a cold smile.
"Unfortunately, since the Zent has made this decision, there is nothing we can do."
Ferdinand's willingness to dismiss the matter without even hearing Lanzanave's circumstances struck Dietlinde as so cold that she felt a pang of sympathy for Leonzio.
"Ferdinand-sama, there is no need to be so dismissive. If we listen to Lanzanave's circumstances and petition King Traokval once more, perhaps we might receive a different answer."
At Dietlinde's words, Leonzio seemed to relax his shoulders with some relief. But Ferdinand did not appear pleased by this, and regarded Leonzio with an unmoved expression.
"The Zent is unlikely to retract a previous decision. ...Would it not be more appropriate to address your petition to the new Zent after the succession?"
Ferdinand showed not a shred of sympathy toward Lanzanave, cutting the matter off so cleanly that Dietlinde felt irritation rising. They were important trade partners; should he not show more goodwill and serve as a bridge between the Zent and Lanzanave? With only Ahrensbach's national gate open, Lanzanave was Yurgenschmidt's sole trading partner.
Dietlinde turned her face away from Ferdinand with a pointed huff and directed her warmest possible smile at Leonzio. Ahrensbach alone might not be able to change the Zent's mind, but if the party in question explained the circumstances and made a sincere request, the king might be persuaded. Traokval was an unconventional king, after all.
"Leonzio-sama. Fortunately, this summer the royal family will visit Ahrensbach for the Aub's funeral. Why not take that opportunity to make your request once more?"
"Dietlinde-sama!"
Ferdinand's face contorted in alarm. "What are you saying?" She did not understand why he was so startled.
"For security reasons, we cannot allow such individuals to approach the royal family. Allowing Lanzanave's people near the royals during the Aub's funeral is out of the question."
"That decision is not yours to make, Ferdinand-sama, and I am not in a position requiring your permission. Ahrensbach too must prevent the loss of Lanzanave, an invaluable trading partner. I wish to hear what Leonzio-sama has to say."
"There is no need to listen."
Dietlinde was now fully enraged by Ferdinand, who rejected her opinions one after another without the slightest willingness to accept her position. It was time to make him understand the difference in their standing.
"I am saying I will hear him out. Do not interfere, Ferdinand-sama. I will have my retainers with me, so there is no need for concern. However much you may think of me as
When Dietlinde glared at him, Ferdinand's pale gold eyes widened in surprise and he went still. It appeared that the accusation of "jealousy befitting Ewigeliebe" had struck a nerve.
...Losing oneself over jealousy — Ferdinand-sama is quite the handful.
Declaring that "the company of Ewigeliebe is not required," Dietlinde refused Ferdinand's presence and led her retainers to a private room to speak with Leonzio. One of Ferdinand's retainers requested permission to attend as well, "to report that nothing untoward occurred," and Dietlinde magnanimously granted it.