The New Aub

"Lord Ferdinand, what happened to him!?"

The moment I stepped out to retrieve the registration magic stones, Eckhart demanded answers with such ferocity he looked ready to pounce. I lightly tapped Angelica's shoulder—she had jumped out as if to shield me from Eckhart—and had her step back. Then I told him that I had administered the antidote, that Ferdinand was recovering steadily, and that we intended to proceed with clearing out Lanzanave and closing the Boundary Gate.

"Going out to the battlefield—will the poison be an issue?"

"...As you know, Eckhart, Lord Ferdinand is someone who excels at keeping secrets, so I don't believe he's fully recovered yet. But it seems he can't just lie in bed like a normal patient. We need to wrap this up as quickly as possible."

"Understood. I'll notify Dunkelfelger."

Eckhart nodded and immediately turned on his heel, leaving the office. Justus was already preparing some wooden crates. I too retrieved the registration magic stones from my book container and headed for the supply chamber once more. Just before stepping inside, I turned to my retainers and issued my instructions.

"Because I must go there to close the Boundary Gate, my guard knights need to be ready to deploy at any moment."

"Yes, ma'am!"

After having Ferdinand dye the registration magic stones for me, I returned to the office and set a registration magic stone into the door's recess. Ferdinand emerged shortly after, surveying the room. It was Eckhart and Justus who hurried over to him.

"Lord Ferdinand, thank goodness you're safe."

"I caused you worry."

Ferdinand offered a faint smile to the two who showed expressions of relief. But it lasted only an instant before his face hardened once more.

"I received word from Rozemyne that Lanzanave has run amok and that people have been abducted. Do you have a grasp of the full situation? Report the state of the knights, Eckhart."

"Yes, sir! I've received reports that numerous knights were taken out unilaterally by silver weapons and armor that repel magic power, and by a poison that turns people into magic stones in an instant. According to Strahl, rather than face enemies immune to magic without a plan, he evacuated the nobles in the castle and instructed them to hide in rooms that won't open without magic power registration."

Learning that many nobles had sheltered in hidden rooms that could only be opened and closed by their own magic power, escaping the danger, I felt somewhat relieved as I closed the supply chamber. I had the door returned to its original small size and asked my guard knights to reposition my book container. Throughout this, Eckhart's report continued.

"Letizia has fallen into Lanzanave's hands, it seems. By Detlinde's orders, Letizia and Strahl's daughter were seen being taken away by Lanzanave's people. It was Letizia who warned that they possess a poison that turns people into magic stones in an instant, and she ordered Strahl to flee and save everyone."

Thanks to that, it appeared that a mass slaughter of the Letizia faction nobles of Ahrensbach while they were unaware had been averted. Not all mansions had been contacted, however, so it seemed they still didn't have a clear picture of how many nobles had survived in the ransacked noble houses.

"Have Detlinde, Georgine, and Alstede been secured? Or at the very least, do you know where they are?"

"I've heard that Lady Detlinde went to the Lanzanave mansion with Lord Leonzio and hasn't returned. Those who went to petition them to stop Lanzanave's atrocities also haven't come back, and when we just stormed the Lanzanave mansion, reports came in that it was completely empty. There's no sign of their having left, so their current whereabouts are unknown."

"...I see. Understood."

Ferdinand grimaced and nodded to Eckhart, then Justus began his report on Alstede.

"Lady Alstede and her husband Lord Blasius, we received word from their household, went to the Lanzanave mansion at Lady Detlinde's invitation. They haven't returned home, and it's highly likely they're still acting alongside Lady Detlinde."

"I see. So that's why they let your intrusion slip past and couldn't prevent Rozemyne from dyeing the foundation. I was thinking of punishing them by revoking their registration medals, but they don't seem to be anywhere in the territory. What about Georgine?"

As Ferdinand listened to Justus's report, he called for Hartmut to prepare my medicine. He told me to drink my kindness-infused recovery potion, and I did so.

"Georgine has been conducting the prayer ceremony for the former Werkestock, so she's apparently been absent for several days, traveling from one Giebe's mansion to another. We don't yet know which Giebe she's currently staying with. We haven't received any Ordinance replies from any of them."

"...That's troubling. There's a high chance the Giebes are cooperating with an invasion of Ehrenfest."

Everyone present was from Ehrenfest. With Ferdinand voicing the danger to Ehrenfest, tension filled the room. I felt as though I wanted to rush out immediately and return to Ehrenfest.

"We must go to Ehrenfest to capture Georgine. But for now, prioritize closing the Boundary Gate and crushing Lanzanave so they can't cause any more trouble. This is the work of the Aub Ahrensbach, and only you can do it, Rozemyne."

Ferdinand said that once that was done, we would head to Ehrenfest to make the nobles who had been incited by Georgine aware of the change in Aub.

"Lord Ferdinand, you can't go into battle looking like that. I've prepared a change of clothes over here."

I noticed that Justus had finished laying out a mantle, several magic stones, and medicines on top of the wooden crate. When he saw my surprise at his preparedness, Justus gave me a playful smile.

"Aub Ahrensbach, I know this is terribly rude, but Lord Ferdinand's personal chambers have been ransacked, and this is an emergency. Would you grant permission for me to use the Aub's office for Lord Ferdinand's change of clothes?"

"Permission granted. We'll step out."

I led my retainers and left the Aub's office. But there was no one outside the door. Where could Hannelore and the others have gone?

...Eckhart was supposed to have contacted them, yet Dunkelfelger is nowhere to be found...

As I was wondering if something had happened, the wounded knights of Dunkelfelger came shuffling in.

"Lady Rozemyne, is Lord Ferdinand all right?"

Hannelore, who said this with a sweet smile, had no visible injuries, but many of the knights behind her were quite banged up.

"Lady Hannelore, what happened to the Dunkelfelger knights?"

"The Lanzanave soldiers themselves are nothing to worry about, but we're having trouble taking that ship."

While they were busy scattering the Lanzanave soldiers roaming the Noble District and storming the Lanzanave mansion, things were fine. But when they pursued those who had fled onto the ship, it turned out the ship had its own weapons. It seemed they had deployed weapons that fired enormous volleys of thin, silver needle-like projectiles, seemingly designed to keep anyone from getting close.

"We sent about ten knights aboard disguised as Lanzanave soldiers returning to the ship and as captive girls, but since even the Ordinance can't get through..."

Since Hannelore had been waiting here in front of the office, the rest of the report came from Heishitze, who had been fighting on the scene.

"They completely block magic power and can pierce both feather beasts and armor. We dismissed our feather beasts, leapt onto the hull, and tried using our weapons, but there was virtually no effect. The non-magical weapons we brought are designed for use against people, so against something as large as a ship, they only leave minor scratches on the hull. I've withdrawn the knights for now to come up with a countermeasure."

"Thank you for leaping aboard the hull and testing the ship's durability, even while facing unprecedented weapons that can pierce feather beasts and armor. I'll consult with Lord Ferdinand as well. Those of you who are injured, please come this way. I'll heal you."

I took out Flutrene's staff and cast healing magic on the Dunkelfelger knights all at once.

"Some of the Ahrensbach knights have been stationed at the Boundary Gate as lookouts. We'll be notified if the ship makes any move. As for the Ahrensbach nobles clamoring to see the new Aub, they've all been gathered into one room. Many of them were quite stubborn, which riled up the Dunkelfelger knights—they ended up giving them a rather rough time. Please forgive them for that."

It seemed the nobles who had been making a racket about being let into the Aub's office were judged to be "nuisances," rounded up one by one, and locked in a room. With Dunkelfelger knights standing guard, they wouldn't be attacked by Lanzanave soldiers, and it appeared their lives were not in danger.

"I was the one who asked you to guard this door, so that's perfectly fine. You've been a great help. ...Um, Lady Hannelore. It's been nearly two chimes now, so what will the Dunkelfelger people do? I need to close the Boundary Gate, and Lord Ferdinand will be conducting the cleanup operation against Lanzanave, but..."

I had asked Hannelore for her input, but it was Heishitze who stepped forward and declared with full confidence, "Of course, we'll accompany you on the cleanup operation."

"An enemy with real bite has finally shown up. I can't afford to miss the chance to fight alongside Lord Ferdinand."

"Lady Hannelore..."

When I looked to Hannelore for confirmation that this was truly all right, she gave a slightly troubled smile.

"The early enemies were far too weak—we barely used any Magical Tools or recovery potions. Taking knights home from a genuine Ditter with almost no opportunity to actually fight leaves them with a lot of pent-up frustration, which makes things very difficult later. It would really help if we could stay and join you."

...She wants to let them blow off steam before sending them home. I understand.

As I looked over the Dunkelfelger knights, who all looked raring for a fight, and nodded in understanding, the moment their wounds were healed, Heishitze and the others immediately began contemplating how to take down the silver ship.

"How about dropping a big rock on it? If we use body strengthening and throw it, we might at least punch a hole."

"There's a high chance the young ladies inside would be caught in it."

As I watched the knights start this conversation, Hannelore went, "Oh?"

"Lady Rozemyne, perhaps you should remove that royal family crest? I know this is difficult to say, but the chain that rests against your skin appears to be somewhat damaged."

"Huh?"

I touched the area around the royal family crest necklace on my neck. Just as Hannelore had said, it didn't feel smooth and metallic—it was slightly rough. It felt almost rusty, and when I looked at my fingertips, gold-colored powder clung to them.

Tilting my head in puzzlement, I removed the necklace. Just as Hannelore had pointed out, it was immediately obvious that only the part where the clasp rested against my skin was damaged.

"I only received this today, so... was I given a defective one?"

As I was puzzling over this, Hannelore gave a wry smile. "Your magic power was simply too much for it, Lady Rozemyne."

"You must have used too much magic power while wearing it. The chain in a courtship Magical Tool is made from the creator's magic power, so when it's subjected to a load exceeding the creator's, this is what happens."

"That... hits a little too close to home."

After putting on the necklace, I had supplied magic power to two Border Gates, used the teleportation circles multiple times, and dyed the foundation's magic power. I had probably used too much magic power in a short time. That much I could accept right away. But there were still things I couldn't accept.

"Um, Lady Hannelore. Is this necklace really a courtship Magical Tool? I learned about courtship Magical Tools in lectures, and they're made to match the partner's element with words of an oath inscribed in them, right? This doesn't seem like that, though..."

"Lady Rozemyne, what you created in the lecture was a proposal magic stone. A proposal magic stone is the finest thing you can offer, but a courtship Magical Tool is one stage before that, so it's customary to lower the quality a notch. The hallmark is that the crest and name of the one making the courtship are engraved on it, and it faintly radiates magic power."

I stared down at the necklace in surprise. I had thought it was a permit. Hannelore said it faintly radiated magic power, but I couldn't see any. How was I supposed to see it? Maybe I should ask Ferdinand later. As I was thinking this, Hannelore let out a soft laugh.

"I've thought this several times during lectures, but Lady Rozemyne, despite your excellent grades and how much you know, you seem quite uninformed about the subtleties between men and women, and the things that happen between them."

"I'll admit I'm lacking in that regard, but unlike my other studies, Lord Ferdinand simply never taught me about it."

I set aside the fact that even after reading my mother's romance stories, I still didn't understand much of it, and pinned it on Ferdinand instead. Hannelore gave me a troubled look, and Leonore, standing behind me as my guard, said, "That isn't something a gentleman would teach."

...Yeah, I suppose that's true.

"Lady Rozemyne, perhaps you should wrap it in this and put it in your leather pouch. It would be troublesome to lose a royal permit."

I took the cloth that Hartmut held out with a smile, wrapped the permit, and placed it in the leather pouch at my hip. It was completely unexpected that such an important permit would be so fragile.

...But still, a courtship Magical Tool. What could Prince Sigiswald have been thinking when he sent something like this?

If it was a royal decree, the marriage would be decided whether I liked it or not. And if it wasn't a royal decree, there would be no need to marry in the first place. There would be no reason to give me anything other than a proposal magic stone.

"I've kept you waiting, Rozemyne... What is all this?"

Ferdinand emerged from the Aub's office clad head to toe in magic stone armor. Upon seeing the corridor packed with Dunkelfelger's blue mantles, his face twitched for an instant. The Dunkelfelger knights, spotting Ferdinand, fell into ranks along the corridor with a simultaneous thud and dropped to one knee.

"Why are there this many Dunkelfelger people in the Ahrensbach castle, Rozemyne?"

Ferdinand, who was weak to unexpected surprises, glared daggers at me.

...Oh no. I completely forgot to explain about Dunkelfelger.

I put on a forced laugh—"Heh heh heh..."—and gestured toward the Dunkelfelger volunteers with a plastered-on smile.

"They are volunteers who came from Dunkelfelger to help me rescue Lord Ferdinand and to participate in the genuine Ditter to seize the foundation."

"Lord Ferdinand, thank goodness you're safe!"

Heishitze rose from behind me, a broad grin on his face, and approached. He whipped off his own mantle and held it out to Ferdinand, who was already looking displeased.

"I'm returning this to you. I want to win this mantle back from you in a fair Ditter."

"I don't want it. Take it back."

...Ahh, the gap in enthusiasm really is terrible!

Even after being so coldly rebuffed, Heishitze showed no sign of being discouraged and continued talking to Ferdinand. As expected of a Dunkelfelger man. He doesn't deflate at something like this.

"Last time, my good intentions backfired. I was trying to rescue you, Lord Ferdinand. This time, I truly want to be of service to you..."

"I don't have time to exchange words with you. I need to close the Boundary Gate so Lanzanave doesn't escape and conduct the cleanup operation."

Heishitze was brushed away with a dismissive wave of the hand and told he was in the way, but rather than being put off, he looked positively triumphant.

"I'll cooperate. I came here at Lady Rozemyne's request. And once everything is settled, we can take our time discussing Ditter..."

"Once everything is settled, you say. Wait about ten more years."

"I'll help settle things faster. So, about Ditter..."

...Wow, he's completely unfazed by Ferdinand's treatment.

For Heishitze, who had persistently challenged Ferdinand to Ditter despite being treated so carelessly since their academy days, this level of rejection was nothing. As expected of a Dunkelfelger man. Stubborn.

"But all I see here are Dunkelfelger knights. What happened to the Ahrensbach knights?"

Leonore explained the situation she had heard from Hannelore and conveyed how the alliance with Dunkelfelger had come about. Hearing this, Ferdinand pinched my cheek and said, "How far will you go with your unreasonable methods?" I was certain that was just him taking his frustration out on me.

"I couldn't rescue you within the bounds of common sense. Thanks to the Dunkelfelger knights, I was able to seize the foundation and save you without a single injury. Please thank Heishitze before you chase him off."

Ferdinand pondered my words for a moment, then looked at Heishitze.

"Very well, Heishitze. As you requested, after we close the Boundary Gate, I'll have every last Lanzanave soldier captured. Then we'll head to Ehrenfest."

"We're going to Ehrenfest!? But whatever for?"

Hannelore's eyes went wide as she looked back and forth between me and Ferdinand. Coming to Ahrensbach had been discussed from the start, but the idea of going to Ehrenfest hadn't come up at all. It was only natural that Hannelore, as commander, would be confused.

"Rozemyne seized Ahrensbach's foundation, but Ditter isn't just about stealing the treasure. You have to defend the treasure to the end—no matter how strong your knights are, if you don't hold onto the treasure you've taken from elsewhere, you lose. Dunkelfelger, who has been stripped of its treasure and defeated by me time and again, should understand that much, shouldn't they?"

Perhaps many of the knights were of Ferdinand's generation. Knight after knight made expressions as if they had been struck in a sore spot.

"...In other words, the genuine Ditter isn't over until we have confirmation that Ehrenfest's foundation has been fully protected. Don't let your guard down until we've achieved complete victory. Lanzanave will use unfamiliar weapons, poison, and other unexpected methods. Place yourself under my command, Heishitze. We'll crush Lanzanave without mercy."

"Yes, sir! From this moment, Dunkelfelger places itself under Lord Ferdinand's command and continues the genuine Ditter!"

"Ohhh!"

The Dunkelfelger knights surged to their feet. It was suffocating, but reassuring.

"Justus, rescue the nobles hidden in the secret rooms and gather every piece of intelligence before I return."

"Understood."

"Hartmut, Clarissa. Release the Ahrensbach nobles who've been gathered in that room. Compare Detlinde to Rozemyne and spread the word about how superior the new Aub is, along with Rozemyne's saintly virtues. Drill into them down to the bone that if Rozemyne doesn't govern as Aub, Ahrensbach will collapse. You have my permission to brainwash them to the point where they want to fall to their knees the moment they see Rozemyne. Whether Rozemyne is smoothly accepted as Aub Ahrensbach depends entirely on your efforts."

"Leave it to us!"

The eager voices of the two rang out. Somehow, my stomach started to hurt.

"Um, Lord Ferdinand. Is it really all right to leave it to Hartmut and the others? I'm extremely worried..."

"In terms of publicizing your achievements, there could be no better candidates. But more importantly, has your magic power recovered? ...I think I'm going to have to push you a bit as the Aub."

Ferdinand leaned in to look at my face with a slightly worried expression. I smiled gently to reassure him and shook my head.

"I'm fine. I took my medicine. ...Besides, this is the decisive moment, isn't it?"

Ferdinand had been poisoned and nearly died, and we were going to strike the enemy before he had fully recovered. I understood that there was no time to waste.

"Very well. Then, let's go. As the Aub Ahrensbach, you must bring this chaos under control and bring everything under your command."

Ferdinand, wearing a fierce grin, summoned his feather beast. Just then, an Ordinance flew in. The white bird that landed on Eckhart's arm spoke in a man's voice.

"Eckhart, it's Strahl. The Lanzanave ship has started moving. We think they're trying to cross the Border Gate while Dunkelfelger's attack has paused. Is Lord Ferdinand still available!? Send instructions immediately!"

The Ordinance shouted three times, then reverted to a magic stone. Ferdinand took the magic stone from Eckhart's hand and used his staff to create an Ordinance of his own.

"This is Ferdinand. I'm going to close the Boundary Gate with the new Aub. Do not engage, do not reveal yourselves, and hold your position for now."