Dietlinde had
"Lord Leonzio, what exactly do you mean when you say Lanzanave will be destroyed?"
When Dietlinde pressed him, Leonzio appeared to mull things over for a moment before posing a question: "How much do you know about Lanzanave's origins, Lady Dietlinde?"
"I've been told about the major imports from our trade with
Until now, Dietlinde had never once been interested in Lanzanave's history, nor had she ever wanted to learn about it. It certainly had not been part of the Noble Academy curriculum.
"So it is not common knowledge in
Leonzio then began to recount the history of Lanzanave. It was apparently nearly four hundred years ago, during the reign of King Oysvalt. The name surfaced in the history lessons Dietlinde had studied, though she could not remember it well. She nodded along with a knowing expression and let it pass.
"When King Oysvalt grew old and needed to select the next Zent, there were three candidates for the next Zent who had obtained the
"Goodness—three people obtained the Grutrissheit?"
Dietlinde blinked. She had assumed the Grutrissheit was a kind of Magical Tool used solely to determine the Zent, and that there could only be one for all of Yurgenschmidt. She had always believed that whoever obtained the Grutrissheit was the Zent. She never imagined that multiple people could possess one.
"The Grutrissheit is something copied onto a Stappe, so there is nothing particularly strange about more than one person having it, is there?"
Leonzio said this as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, and Dietlinde simply agreed with a "That's right." As a Yurgenschmidt noble, she could not very well admit to knowing less than a foreigner.
"And the one King Oysvalt chose, as you may know, was King Hairund."
…Come to think of it, there was indeed a Zent by that name. What was he known for?
The king had no particularly noteworthy achievements, which was why his name was barely touched upon in lectures. Dietlinde smiled and nodded while trying to recall anything at all—and came up empty.
"Unable to accept that he was not chosen as Zent in the end, Thrustinheit gathered up the Magical Tools and magic stones he possessed and departed Yurgenschmidt in search of a new land."
Thrustinheit took his wife, his children, and his attendants aboard a ship, crossed through the Border Gate, and left Yurgenschmidt behind. On the other side of the transfer circle lay a land called Lanzanave, where no one could use magic.
Though the land was barren, Thrustinheit confirmed that the people could manage to eke out a living there. Using the Grutrissheit he had obtained, he created foundation magic and used Entwicken to build a city for his people.
"People were astonished by the ship that suddenly appeared from nowhere and the white city that sprang up in an instant. They began to worship Thrustinheit as one who had come from the land of the gods. Thrustinheit thus came to reign as king over Lanzanave."
Those who obtained the Grutrissheit were revered as gods in Yurgenschmidt, too. They were permitted to copy
Dietlinde imagined herself obtaining the Grutrissheit and basking in everyone's unanimous praise and admiration, and she relished the thought. She needed to obtain the Grutrissheit as soon as possible.
"However, Thrustinheit, who had become revered as a god, faced a grave problem. Between the Thrustinheit party that had come from Yurgenschmidt and the people of Lanzanave who had no magic, children could not be born. Moreover, the Grutrissheit is something copied onto a Stappe. Naturally, when Thrustinheit died, his Grutrissheit was lost as well."
…Oh my. So the Grutrissheit in Yurgenschmidt was lost because of that.
Dietlinde now understood how the political upheaval had come about.
The second prince—the half-brother of King Traokval who was supposed to inherit the Zent's seat—had died, and the Grutrissheit vanished along with him. The first prince, who had launched the attack, and the third prince, who had been attacked, did not know that the Grutrissheit was something copied onto a Stappe. They had no idea it would disappear upon the second prince's death, and they fought over it. And to this day, the whereabouts of the Grutrissheit remained unknown.
…Where would I need to go to have it copied?
If Leonzio's account was correct, then somewhere the Grutrissheit existed, and someone needed to go there to have it copied. Dietlinde thought that if she, as the next Zent candidate, could light the magic circle, she should be able to have it copied.
"As long as someone is registered in the foundation magic, they can supply magic power, so the city can be maintained even after Thrustinheit's death—but that is only if there is someone who holds a Stappe. Without anyone holding a Stappe, the foundation cannot be sustained, and the city will eventually collapse. You are the next Aub, so you know this, Lady Dietlinde?"
"Of course I do."
Dietlinde had learned in the lord candidate lectures that a Stappe was needed to obtain foundation magic. However, all the Noble Academy lord candidates received their Stappe in their first year, so she had never considered it something worth remembering. But for those who had gone abroad and used magic to build cities, it was a matter of life and death. Without anyone holding a Stappe and without someone who could inherit the foundation magic, the nation would collapse.
"Those who went to Lanzanave were royals and their attendants, so their children were born with high magic. They received an education from their Noble Academy-educated parents, just like the nobles of Yurgenschmidt. However, they cannot obtain a Stappe anywhere outside of Yurgenschmidt. Thrustinheit returned to Yurgenschmidt and petitioned the Zent to grant a Stappe to his son so that the foundation magic could be inherited."
But the request was denied. Only Yurgenschmidt nobles could receive a Stappe. It was not the former Zent being malicious; anyone not registered as a Yurgenschmidt noble simply could not obtain one.
"In response, a plan was arranged to send a princess from Lanzanave to Yurgenschmidt, and once the child born from the union reached adulthood and obtained a Stappe, that child would be returned to Lanzanave to serve as king. The Zent at the time, wary of Lanzanave growing too powerful, imposed a restriction of only one person returned per generation, and forced Thrustinheit to choose between a boy or a girl."
Thrustinheit reportedly agonized over the decision. Since a child's magic was determined by the mother's magic, returning a girl would better ensure that the Lanzanave royal family maintained high magic power.
However, if only one person could be returned per generation, and that person was a queen with a Stappe, she would be unable to use magic while pregnant—a situation that would be catastrophic for Lanzanave. There were plenty of women with high magic among the attendants' families and his own daughters, and returning a male would make it easier to produce more children. Thrustinheit decided to request a boy.
"The agreement between the two nations was that Lanzanave would send a princess to Yurgenschmidt, and once the son born of that princess came of age and obtained a Stappe, he would return to Lanzanave as king. Yet you refuse to accept the princess…"
Leonzio's expression twisted in pain. He was offering up a princess to protect his nation, and to have that refused would leave him utterly at a loss. Dietlinde felt her own chest aching as well. At the same time, she was filled with genuine fury at King Traokval for breaking the agreement. She wished she could drag him off the Zent's throne right this instant.
"For about ten years now, after a number of magic stones were sent, all relations beyond trade have been cut off completely. And now, if even the acceptance of the princess is refused, what are we to do…"
Watching Leonzio clench his fists tightly on the table and hang his head, Dietlinde made her resolve.
"I will explain the situation to Lord
Leonzio's amber eyes widened with surprise. "The next Zent candidate…?" he murmured, gazing at Dietlinde. The admiration and hope in those eyes felt wonderful. Dietlinde gave Leonzio a sweet smile.
After hearing the details of Lanzanave's situation from Leonzio, Dietlinde summoned Ferdinand the very next day and sat across from him at a table to explain. As part of a long-standing agreement, a princess would be sent from Lanzanave to prevent the nation's collapse, and she made her case for just how terrible a king Traokval was for breaking that agreement.
"That is why I want you to explain the situation to King Traokval and persuade him to reconsider."
Negotiating with royalty was Ferdinand's role. Dietlinde smiled as she asked him to formulate a solid plan before the summer funeral.
She had thought that once Ferdinand understood the situation, he would be somewhat more cooperative toward Lanzanave. But Ferdinand seemed entirely unmoved. He rested his cheek on his fist, staring intently at Dietlinde as if studying her, and said, "…Is that all?"
"All? What do you mean by that?"
"I mean exactly what I said. You have presented only arguments that are highly convenient for Lanzanave, and there is nothing particularly new here. I can see no circumstances that would cause the Zent to reverse his position."
"How can you say that!? Lanzanave is going to be destroyed! Don't you understand how dire it is when there is no one to inherit the Zent or the Aub's seat!?"
It was an unbelievable statement. She was telling him that Lanzanave would collapse, and had he really been listening at all? Perhaps he simply lacked the capacity to understand. Dietlinde glared at Ferdinand.
"Saying Lanzanave will be 'destroyed' is an exaggeration. People were living there before Thrustinheit arrived, so the situation is entirely different from Yurgenschmidt, which was built up by filling the white sand with magic. Even if we call it destruction, at most it would mean the collapse of the city that Thrustinheit built."
Even under Dietlinde's glare, Ferdinand maintained his faint smile as though nothing had happened and spoke calmly.
"If the man with a Stappe disappears, it is a matter of life and death for Lanzanave—but for Yurgenschmidt, it is not. The advantages of accepting a princess are very few. Even if Lanzanave were to collapse, the Grutrissheit would allow us to close the Border Gate and open it elsewhere. There is no need for our trade partner to be Lanzanave."
Dietlinde shot Ferdinand a sharp look.
"You don't have the Grutrissheit right now, do you?"
"…No, but someone who can obtain it will likely appear in the not-too-distant future."
"Of course, I intend to search with all my might as well, but we have no idea when it will be found."
Ferdinand blinked several times at Dietlinde's words, then weakly conceded, "Well, yes, that's true." This was supposed to be the part where he agreed to help her, but Ferdinand's response was frustratingly sluggish. Perhaps he was simply obtuse when it came to a woman's feelings.
"You said the advantages were few, Lord Ferdinand, but the current royal family is so small in number that accepting a princess should surely lead to a great advantage, shouldn't it?"
Dietlinde puffed out her chest and presented the merits of accepting the princess, but Ferdinand shook his head, saying, "The current Yurgenschmidt should not admit someone from another nation who has a high probability of obtaining the Grutrissheit."
"Accepting the princess would indeed increase the royal family, but bringing in a princess with abundant magic now would invite chaos in the succession. The royal family refused precisely because they would not tolerate that."
In Ferdinand's view, the prudent course was to postpone accepting the princess until a legitimate Zent with the Grutrissheit took the throne; as things stood, Yurgenschmidt risked being usurped.
Seeing Ferdinand dodge and weave with plausible-sounding reasoning drawn from his own speculation while refusing to lift a finger, Dietlinde could not help but grimace.
"You can dress it up in all the pretty reasons you like, but aren't you really just afraid to voice your opinion to the Zent?"
"I simply see no reason to challenge the Zent's decision on behalf of a foreign nation whose royal family—once worshipped as gods—has lost its power."
Ferdinand questioned whether opposing the Zent's judgment and taking another nation's side would truly serve Ahrensbach's interests.
"Whether the royal family, who have reigned supreme, meet a grim end—I can imagine that to some degree, but that does not necessarily mean the destruction of Lanzanave. The collapse of their central city will undoubtedly set their civilization back, but just looking at their uniquely shaped ships, their technology appears more advanced than Yurgenschmidt's. Everyone besides the royals may not suffer all that much."
Looked at another way, Ferdinand went on, with Yurgenschmidt currently so unstable, this could be an excellent opportunity to weaken Lanzanave's power. Or, if something happened, they should dye the foundation as quickly as possible so the Border Gate could be closed. Everything Ferdinand said was the opposite of what Dietlinde wanted to hear.
…So this is how coldly he treats me, after everything I discussed with Lord Leonzio.
Treated as nothing more than an inconvenience to be excluded from the conversation, and now being told that as long as the Lanzanave royals perished it did not matter—there could be no one more deserving of the name
"Lord Ferdinand. Please hear my wish. I do not wish for Lord Leonzio and the others to suffer. Please, understand that much."
"You say to accept Lanzanave's princess, yet you say you do not wish for them to suffer? The envoys from Lanzanave, being women themselves, may not have told you in depth, but once a Lanzanave princess is placed in the Separate Palace…"
When Ferdinand tried to elaborate on the fate of Lanzanave's princesses, Dietlinde cut him off: "Isn't that the treatment Lanzanave requested?" What treatment the princess received was of no concern to Dietlinde. They came knowing what awaited them, and that was not something Dietlinde needed to worry about.
"Then you believe that a princess who comes fully prepared should simply accept whatever treatment awaits her?"
Ferdinand fixed Dietlinde with a piercing gaze from his pale gold eyes. The intensity of his stare told her he was desperately suppressing strong emotions. Dietlinde had sided with Leonzio instead of the princess, and that was apparently unbearable for him. But Dietlinde could not back down here. She looked Ferdinand in the eye and gave a firm nod.
"Yes, that is correct. Once the princess arrives, any issues with her treatment can be addressed by appealing to her homeland, or through negotiations with the Zent to improve her conditions. Compared to Lanzanave's collapse, it is nothing."
At Dietlinde's words, Ferdinand's smile deepened. Finally, it seemed, Dietlinde's argument had gotten through.
"I am glad we understand each other. Please be sure to make a strong petition to the Zent when he attends the summer funeral."
"The chaos in Yurgenschmidt that would result from accepting the princess far outweighs the collapse of Lanzanave. I will support the Zent's judgment."
For a moment, Dietlinde did not understand what Ferdinand meant. It took several seconds for her to realize that her request had been rejected, and the instant comprehension dawned, she erupted in fury.
"What do you mean, Lord Ferdinand!?"
"I was sent to Ahrensbach on royal orders. There is no reason that would compel me to prioritize Lanzanave over the king. I believe it would be best to wait until the next Zent has been established."
No matter how much Dietlinde raged, Ferdinand did not change his expression or his position. He declared flatly that he would not relay her petition to King Traokval, nor would he raise any objections.
"I don't know anyone as stubborn and cold as you! To think my fiancé would be someone like this… I don't want to see your face for a while. Leave this room at once!"
"Very well."
Ferdinand offered a faint smile, rose from his seat exactly as instructed, and withdrew from the room. Dietlinde was this deeply offended, and he did not spare her so much as a glance.
…To think that man is my fiancé!
Dietlinde spent the entire day hurling every curse she could think of at Ferdinand. She felt terrible about disappointing Leonzio, who had placed his trust in her, and she wondered what she could possibly tell him. Still grieving over having let him down, Dietlinde contacted the residence where the Lanzanave envoys were staying.
"Lord Ferdinand is an exceedingly cold man. I never imagined he would be like that."
At the residence known as the Lanzanave House, where the envoys were lodging, Dietlinde apologized for her failure to persuade Ferdinand and assured them that she would at least do everything in her power to arrange a meeting with the Zent.
"Lady Dietlinde, you are not only beautiful but kind as well. I wish we had met sooner."
Gazing into Leonzio's amber eyes, Dietlinde felt her cheeks flush. In Yurgenschmidt, people tended to use roundabout expressions, so she was rarely complimented so directly. Moreover, Leonzio was a strikingly handsome man with features so refined they were almost intoxicating. Her heart raced despite herself. Sensing the approach of Blau, Dietlinde caught herself.
…I must not be swayed by the goddesses here.
Dietlinde was the next Zent candidate, and even if she did not become Zent, she would be the next Aub of Ahrensbach. With Ferdinand as her fiancé, she could not become romantically involved with Leonzio of Lanzanave.
"Your sentiments flatter me, Lord Leonzio, but… I am the next Zent candidate, and I cannot act in accordance with my heart."
"Do you already possess the Grutrissheit, Lady Dietlinde?"
At Leonzio's question, Dietlinde lowered her gaze slightly and shook her head. "I am still searching for it." She then produced a Magical Tool that prevented eavesdropping and offered it to Leonzio with the words, "This is just between us." The Grutrissheit and disparaging words about the royals were not things to be spoken of openly. By handing over an anti-eavesdropping Magical Tool, she established that this would be a private conversation.
"In truth, in the current Yurgenschmidt, the royals who do not possess the Grutrissheit are restricting information and preventing anyone else from searching for it. I have the qualifications, but I cannot get close to the Grutrissheit."
"How terrible… How can such a thing be permitted…"
Leonzio showed his outrage at the royals who were restricting information and preventing a legitimate Zent from emerging. Taking his anger as concern for her, Dietlinde blushed even more deeply. Fresh off the cold treatment from her fiancé, his passionate words and kindness made her feel as though she could see the Flower Goddess Eflorelume before her eyes.
"You are so kind to be that angry on my behalf, Lord Leonzio. Lord Ferdinand only ever shows jealousy and never worries about me like that."
When she smiled softly, Leonzio hesitated for a moment before asking, "Lady Dietlinde, do you love your current fiancé?"
"Lord Ferdinand is a fiancé chosen by royal decree. I was never given a choice. He may love me, I suppose, but when he shows me that kind of coldness…"
Ferdinand's icy words and behavior had stripped Dietlinde of any confidence that she could love him. She now understood all too well
"He is a fiancé I cannot escape. So, Lord Leonzio—please keep this a secret."
"…If I told you I could free you from this terrible fiancé, would you take my hand?"
Unable to believe what Leonzio was saying, Dietlinde blinked repeatedly.
"What are you saying, Lord Leonzio?"
"I do not have a Stappe, which the Zent candidates of Yurgenschmidt all possess, so I cannot become Zent myself. …However, I know where the Grutrissheit is. I can help you become Zent."
"What did you say…?"
Dietlinde swallowed hard at Leonzio's offer. The person before her knew the location of the Grutrissheit she had been searching for. And he was offering his aid to her, not to the current royals. Could this not be the guidance of the Goddess of Time, Dregeveggur?
"If you would accept me as your consort, Lady Dietlinde, I will tell you where it is."
Her heart skipped a beat. Leonzio as her consort was a temptation so sweet she could barely resist. Unlike Ferdinand, Leonzio was close to her age, his bloodline was impeccable, and he bore none of the stain of having been confined in a
The Lanzanave royal family had sustained itself by intermarrying with local men who could not bear children, incorporating the blood of the males returned from Yurgenschmidt. Within the current Yurgenschmidt, one could say their royal blood ran the deepest.
"But my fiancé was designated by royal decree…"
"Lady Dietlinde, once you become Zent, the commands of a false king who doesn't even hold the Grutrissheit will mean nothing."
A sweet scent wafted from Leonzio's direction. It was a fragrance she wanted to draw closer and savor. Dietlinde leaned slightly toward him.
"Lord Ferdinand is the kind of man who, no matter how much you explain, won't lift a finger for the one person who matters most—his fiancé, isn't he? A cold man who won't even grant the simplest request from his beloved fiancé?"
With gentle words and a tender smile, Leonzio slowly tightened the noose around Ferdinand.
Dietlinde was merely echoing the same complaints she herself had voiced moments ago, yet she found herself genuinely convinced that Ferdinand truly was a terrible fiancé even in others' eyes. She was being told that there was no reason to show loyalty to such a man. Come to think of it, she recalled that she had originally planned to dissolve the engagement once she became Zent.
"Lord Ferdinand bears a striking resemblance to my uncle. He likely has Lanzanave blood in his veins. If your fiancé is someone of Lanzanave descent, wouldn't you think it fitting for me to stand at your side?"
"…Yes, I suppose so."
"When you become the next Zent—that will be enough. Please make me your consort."
With those words, Leonzio extended his hand to Dietlinde with a gentle smile.
"Lady Dietlinde, take my hand. I want to make you the next Zent."
The attendants, clutching their anti-eavesdropping Magical Tools, likely had no idea what was being discussed, but they could see that Leonzio was reaching out his hand to Dietlinde. Martina's face went pale, and she cried out, "You mustn't, Lady Dietlinde!"
"Do not interfere."
Brushing aside Martina's protest, Dietlinde rose from her seat and drifted toward Leonzio in a dreamlike daze. Her muddled mind raced desperately. If she let this opportunity slip, obtaining the Grutrissheit would become far more difficult.
…This must be the guidance of the Goddess of Time, Dregeveggur. Lord Leonzio is surely the destined partner that the Goddess of Marriage, Liebeurhilt, is binding me to.
With that conviction, Dietlinde placed her hand upon Leonzio's.
Writing Dietlinde's perspective is exhausting, and it must be tiring to read as well.
Dietlinde has joined forces with Leonzio, who knows the location of the Grutrissheit.
Ferdinand cannot afford to feel relieved about the growing distance between himself and Dietlinde.
Next is the children's tea party.